The Nation November 02, 2014

Newspaper of the Year

Boko Haram threatens toResign, killCAN German hostage tells Gusau, Dasuki

–Pages 4 & 76

ACF, BringBackOurGirls dismiss ceasefire pact

Oil workers set for showdown with FG Give 14-day ultimatum for –Page5 resolution of industry issues

Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

Vol.09, No. 3020

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

SUNDAY

NOVEMBER 2, 2014

N200.00

Tambuwal loyalists move to sack deputy, Ihedioha Crack in House leadership caucus over plans to reconvene Reps

NBA flays police over withdrawal

Crisis nationwide as PDP holds ward congresses –Pages 6 & 76

Parallel congresses hold in Ondo Ekiti: Fayose, Arise clash over delegates list 16 Rivers governorship aspirants boycott exercise Four feared dead in Bayelsa

BAROMETER sunday@thenationonlineng.net

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014

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HE defection of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has created a crack within the caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House as moves have commenced for the impeachment of the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha.

It was learnt yesterday night that the move by the lawmakers sympathetic to Tambuwal was borne out of Ihedioha’s alleged disloyalty to the Speaker, whom they said has been shielding him.

Tambuwal loyalists said they are poised to counter any moves aimed at removing the Speaker.

News

Tambuwal loyalists move to impeach Ihedioha From: Victor Oluwasegun and Dele Anofi, Abuja

The loyal lawmakers that cut across the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the PDP said the Deputy Speaker, Ihedioha, would be the first casualty, if the attempt to reconvene the plenary by Ihedioha ever succeeded.

According to a source, who

pleaded anonymity, it was a suprise and alarming that the Deputy Speaker would move to reconvene the House to pave way for the removal of Tambuwal at the prodding of the Presidency.

It was learnt last night that an impeachment motion against the Deputy Speaker is being drafted with many members signifying their

interests to endorse the motion.

He said: “We are alarmed at moves by the Deputy Speaker to reconvene the House somewhere this week in order to remove the Speaker.

“Therefore, we have resolved that Ihedioha will be the first casualty if he dare reconvene the House because he has been surviving because of Tambuwal’s protection. Most

PDP members from the north and all APC members are in support of removing him.

“He survived several moves to oust him because Tambuwal and some powerful northern members have been protecting him but now that he is being pushed to bite the very finger that is feeding him,

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his days as deputy speaker are numbered.

“Unlike Tambuwal, Ihedioha does not have any personal touch with members.

But the Speaker has touch and contacts with all the 360 constituencies in the country.

“Former Deputy Speaker Bayero Nafada was not like Ihedioha, his was always filled with members. Even members from his zone of Southeast are with us in this project which makes it easy for us to get the 240 votes to impeach him,” the source who pleaded anonymity said.

Babangida returns

•Says I want my rest before talking politics

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•Minister of Defence, General Aliyu Gusau, AVM Hamza Abdullahi praying with Babangida

Tambuwal remains Speaker, says NBA •Blames slow judicial process for his fate

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he Nigeria Bar Association has said that the delay in giving judgments on matters concerning constitutional interpretation was responsible for the imbroglio rocking the country over the defection of Speaker Aminu Tambuwal.

It said the defection of Tambuwal to the All Progressives Congress (APC) would have been a non-issue if the courts had ruled on the suit between the Peoples Democratic Party and the New PDP. The NBA notes that any Judge charged with constitutional interpretation must be able do so within one week.

It insisted that Tambuwal remained the Speaker of the House of Representatives unless a decision is reached on section 68 of the Nigerian constitution.

National President of the NBA, Chief Augustine Alegeh, who spoke in a chat with the newsmen in Benin City described as a total disgrace the continued delay by the court to determine whether it was the NJC or the state govern-

From Osagie Otabor, Benin and Adebisi Onanuga, Lagos.

ment that should name the Chief Judge in River State.

He said, “The court must be acting to ensure there is democracy. If a decision has been taken, the matter on Tambuwal should not have arisen. We use this opportunity to call on our courts and judges that their duty to uphold the constitution is sacred.””When there is a delay, then there is denial of justice. If the judiciary has given a pronouncement on the issue of defection, this Tambuwal issue should have been avoided.

The present situation is a direct fallout of the inability of our courts to determine issues timely.”

Alegeh said the incessant kidnappings witnessed across the country was as a result of understaffing of the security agencies.

On Tambuwal, he said, “As long Tambuwal remains the Speaker, we call on the police to restore his security detail. The police cannot determine who

breached the constitution.

The action of the police is totally alien to our constitution. It is only the House that can determine whether there was a faction in the defector’s party. The office is entitled to protection.”

Also, NBA Ikeja Branch has asked the Inspector General of Police Suleiman Abba to resign.

The Bar called for the resignation of the IGP following his directive withdrawing the security details of the Speaker.

In a statement in Lagos yesterday signed by its chairman, Yinka Farounbi, the Bar viewed, with concern, “the directive of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Suleiman Abba withdrawing the security detail of the Speaker of the House of Representative, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal on the allegation of defection to an opposition party citing section 68 (1) (g) of the constitution.

“To say the least, the action of the IGP, apart from being an usurpation of the functions of the third tier of government, the Ju-

diciary, is the most disservice and the greatest threat of our democracy, particularly the 2015 general elections”. The NBA took a swipe at the IGP who it accused of “arrogating to himself the power of 240 members of the House of Representative and remove the Speaker and went ahead to constitutes himself to a court of law and declared the seat of the Speaker vacant.”

The NBA further took the IGP to task and challenged to tell the nation who the substantive Speaker is and when he intends to conduct a bye-election into ‘the declared vacant seat’ of Tambuwal?

ORMER military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida yesterday returned to the country after two months medical treatment in Germany. He expressed appreciation to Nigerians for their concern and care during the period of his medical challenge.

The former military leader who arrived in a chartered flight landed at Minna International Airport at about 2:50pm spotting a navy blue kaftan with gray stripes and a cap to match.

He said he wants to have some rest before he would talk on politics.

Mohammed, Halimat (his son and daughter), a grandchild and some of his close friends and associates mostly retired military officers were at the airport to receive the former leader.

Efforts by newsmen to have snapshots of his arrival were barred, but when pressed for an interview at the airport, Babangida simply said, “Alihamadulillahi. I am coming up well. I am grateful to all Nigerians.”

He was then driven home in a BMW black car with registration number ABJ O1 RY and arrived at his Uphill residence at about 3:15pm and was received by four of his grand children.

Among those at the airport to receive him were the Minister of Defence, General Aliyu Gusau, Air Vice Marshall Hamza Abdullahi, former FCT Minister, General Halilu Akilu, former director of Military Intelligence, Col. Habibu Shuaibu, former Niger State military administrator, Alhaji Umar Ndanusa and Alhaji Sani Ndanusa, former minister of Sports.

Others are Alhaji Hassan Jalo, the national chairman of National Democratic Party (NDP), Alhaji Abubakar Muye, former Minister of Finance and a Justice of Supreme Court, Justice Musa Datijo. A short prayer session led by his childhood friend, Alhaji Mohammed Babangida who looked fresh and in high spirit, told Journalists that he was in good condition. He said, “I am feeling better, I want to use this opportunity to appreciate all my compatriots (Nigerians) for the

From Jide Orintunsin Minna

goodwill and gestures they expressed during my absence.

“I have been deeply touched by their (Nigerians) love and their affection and their prayers.

I want to use this medium to thank each and every one of them.”

On how he felt about the apprehension generated about his health while in Germany, IBB said, “the apprehension is no longer there, I thank Nigerians I am coming up well.

Alihamdulillahi.”

When asked how he would cope with the pressure of the build up to 2015 in the face of his failing health, the highly elated former leader said he has been following political events in Nigeria while in Germany and that he would talk after he has rested enough.

“I missed all of you that welcome me, especially my local champions (Journalists). I look forward to all of you to sit and chat with you and talk about politics as we always do. For now I want to rest.”

Gen. Babangida left the country on September 6 in with Aminu, his son, for his routine medical checkup but had to undergo a bone, related surgery which prolonged his stay in Germany. His prolonged stay however, fuelled the rumour that his health was deteriorating, a development that made President Goodluck Jonathan to visit him during one of his trips to Europe.

A four-man delegation by Niger State government led by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Professor Kuta Yahaya also visited the former military leader last month to ascertain his health condition before last week’s visit by the governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu.

It was also gathered that the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, and former Niger State governor, Abdulkadir Kure also visited the General.

The Niger State government and aides of the former leader however allayed the fear being expressed as they claimed that Babangida was in good health.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014

NEWS

Boko Haram: Ngilari seeks international assistance

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HE Governor of Adamawa State, Bala Ngilari, has appealed to citizens of the state to remain calm despite attacks by insurgents.

In a state-wide broadcast yesterday, he expressed sadness over the hardship of the displaced persons and assured that relief materials would be distributed to them.

He called on the federal government to hasten its efforts because humanitarian crisis was overwhelming the populace, adding that a high powered committee had been inaugurated to address the problems confronting internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to the recent attack on Mubi town by the Boko Haram sect.

The governor also called on national and international agencies to come to the aid of the state “as the meagre resources we have cannot meet the myriads of needs posed by this problem.”

He said 79 vehicles have

been sent in the past two days to evacuate the affected persons to designated camps.

He explained that the purpose was to keep the displaced persons out of harm’s way and to be resettled in camps in suitable locations.

He said government would continue to do all it can in providing basic necessities to the displaced persons until they were reunited with their families.

“I have also been in touch with the President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs to address the issue of our citizens who are now refugees in Cameroon. Some displaced citizens are in Cameroon suffering untold hardship,’’ he added.

The governor assured the citizens that the government was doing everything to address the situation. He advised displaced persons who were staying with their relatives to ensure that they were registered at the designated camps.

He called on people of the

Barnabas Manyam Yola

state and the country at large to pray to God to take away the scourge of insurgency and restore peace and tranquility to Nigeria.

Meanwhile, details of how the insurgents attacked the ancestral home of Air Marshall Alex Sabundo Badeh, the Chief of Defence Staff are emerging. An eye witness said the Boko Haram sect also bombed the church near the house in Vimtim before invading the home of the CDS and his extended families.

Mr. Michael Tize, who operates a shop in Vimtim town which is five kilometres from Mubi, said the bandits were made up of some young men carrying AK47 riffles with an unusual dress pattern while the elders had military uniforms and turbans on their heads. “They first destroyed the Church which is on the road and they bombed it but the soldiers had left the town so there was no com-

bat, and they moved to the house of Oga Badeh.”

According to the eye witness, before bombing the house, it took Boko Haram more than four hours to ransack the house, remove all properties and load them into trucks before an aircraft came from nowhere and completely demolished the huge structure.

Another eye witness, Sani Hayatu, pointed out that the unidentified aircraft after bombing the complex moved into Mubi township bombing many strategic places like the Nigerian Army Barracks and the high profile military hardware which was moved from Yola to Mubi to tackle the sect last month.

This has spread fear that all the weapons have now fallen into the hands of Boko Haram and that the insurgents may use the equipment to capture the state capital Yola.

Nigerians have lost confidence in ceasefire pact -ACF

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ORRIED by the Friday bombing of Gombe and seizure of Mubi in Adamawa State, the Northern Socio-cultural group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has condemned the continuous killings in Northeast, saying Nigerians no longer have confidence in the federal government and Boko Haram ceasefire deal.

ACF in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, condemned the triple bomb blast that hit Gombe on Friday, stating that, “the bomb blast in Gombe, the continued killings and seizure of towns and villages in Borno and especially now Mubi in Adamawa State by insurgents barely two weeks after the announcement that a ceasefire had been brokered between the Boko Haram insurgents and the Federal Government calls to question the sincerity and effectiveness of the ceasefire agreement.”

According to the statement, “It is really disturbing and worrisome that despite the assurances given by Government that appropriate security measures are being put in place to contain the insurgency including the ceasefire agreement, the situation in the Northeast region is deteriorating which needed a decisive action to quell it. Towns like Bama, Gwoza and many others are still under the control of the insurgents despite the emergency rule in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

“Nigerians are becoming sceptical and no longer have confidence in the assurances being given by government officials regarding the security challenges, since the terrorists have continued to unleash mayhem on the people without adequate counter offensive from the military.

“The news of the bomb blast that occurred on Friday morn-

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna ing at the Gombe motor park, was wicked, gruesome and condemnable considering the 27 innocent people killed in the blast and also the destruction of property it caused.

“The bomb blast in Gombe, the continued killings and seizure of towns and villages in Borno and especially now Mubi in Adamawa states by insurgents barely two weeks after the announcement that a ceasefire had been brokered between the Boko Haram insurgents and the Federal Government calls to question the sincerity and effectiveness of the ceasefire agreement.

“However, Government should not rest on its oars in finding a lasting solution to this menace. ACF therefore calls on the Government to decisively employ new strategy and tactics on daily basis to deal with the situation.

“Government should also continue to pursue dialogue and peaceful negotiation with the genuine leaders of the Boko Haram in order to restore the desired peace and order in the region, especially now that our politicians are busy with electioneering campaign against 2015 elections.

“It’s an irony that, while Nigerians in the Northeast region are being killed by insurgents and Nigerian territories being seized, our politicians are busy collecting party declaration forms to contest 2015 elections instead of collaborating efforts to contain the insurgency.

“ACF urges Nigerians to be more vigilant and security conscious as we embark on the 2015 electioneering campaign.”

It offered its condolence to the families of those killed and injured in the incident and called on the state government to provide free medical treatment to them.

Adamawa: Sack Gusau, Dasuki, CAN tells Jonathan

•L-R Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, Alake of Egbaland; Senator Oluremi Tinubu;Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Mr Fatiu Adegbola Akiolu and his wife Temitope;Chief Adebutu Kessington; during Church Service of Oba Riliwanu Akiolu, son wedding ceremony at Chapel of Christ the Light church,Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos. PHOTO;TAIWO OKANLAWON

Benue evacuates students from Mubi

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HE Benue State government has commenced the evacuation of students from Mubi, Adamawa State following the increased activities of insurgents in the area.

The Chief of Staff to the state government, Prof, Saint Gbilekaa said this at the weekend while receiving the first batch of the students from Adamawa State University, Mubi and the Federal Polytechnic Mubi in Makurdi.

Gbilekaa regretted that though students were over 400 only 17 were evacuated on the first batch adding that the rest were scattered in the bush while some were taking refuge in Cameroon.

He said that the government would intensify efforts to ensure

From: Oseheye Okwuofu and Bisola Oloyede, Ibadan

that all the students were evacuated safely back into the state.

He appealed to the students who were yet to be evacuated to assist the government by coming together in groups for easy evacuation and to make contact with their friends and relatives to notify the government for action.

“The plight of our children schooling in the Boko Haram affected states is immense especially those in Mubi. Just yesterday we were informed of the situation of our children who were able to run away from Mubi and were stranded in the bush and the governor quickly ordered for their evacuation.

“We appeal to the ones still in the bush not to lose hope and try their possible best to establish contact with either friends, relatives or any government official to enable us come to their aid.

“The governor has resolved to evacuate all students from Mubi for their safety pending when the situation calms down.”.

The chief of staff further said that should the situation persist the governor may seek for the transfer of the students to other institutions.

In an interview with The Nation, Mr. Demonic Ekele, Business Administration student, said Boko Haram militants have taken over the university and the town of Mubi. He added that both the security personnel and civilians were running for their lives.

“Boko Haram militants have taken over our school and the town of Mubi, everybody is on his own, both the security personnel and the civilians. We spent three days in the bush without food, climbing mountains and running away from the insurgency.

“We walked for over 200 kilometers before we were able to get people to help us. As I am talking to you now, I don’t know where the rest of the students are, some I know that are in the bush while others are taking refuge in Cameroon”.

He commended the state government for coming to their aid within a short notice pleading that the government should make efforts to rescue the ones still in the bush and in Cameroon.

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HE Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to sack the duo of Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Aliyu Gusau (rtd) and National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) for failing to contain terrorists in the North east.

Its National Secretary, Rev. Musa Asake, said the former Military tacticians have failed to justify their inclusion in the President’s cabinet following rising attacks in Mubi and other parts of Adamawa State in the last few days.

The umbrella Christian body said Gusau and Dasuki were appointed to tame the rising insurgency but pointed out Boko Haram attacks have increased with frightening ferocity under their watch.

In a statement by Asake yesterday, CAN said: “The major task handed down to Col. Dasuki and Gen. Gusau is to tackle Boko Haram insurgency, which was already threatening to spread into other regions of the country.

“But the question in the lips of every Nigerian Christians today is: What changes have these

By Sunday Oguntola two military tacticians brought to bear since they were appointed?

“What is the wisdom of entrusting the nation’s security in the hands of two relations from the North West?

“Why have these two relations from Sokoto and Zamfara states not changed their tactics in accordance with the presidential mandate given to them to root out the insurgents in the North East geo-political zone?

“Is this a game plan to eliminate people in that region and put them in perpetual subjugation?”

Asake said Christians are no longer comfortable with their continued inclusion in the cabinet.

He said the Islamic terrorists have not only changed tactics severally but have conquered more territories and established more caliphates in the North East during their regime than at any other period.

He wondered why they have not contained terrorism in the north east despite the huge budgetary allocation for security under the watch.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014

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FRESH plot to replace Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, to stand as President Goodluck Jonathan's running mate for the 2015 presidential election is causing ripples within the top apparatchik of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), The Nation has learnt.

Impeccable sources disclosed that the recent rapprochement between President Jonathan and the Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, is causing panic in the Vice President's camp that the President may have decided to field the governor as his running mate in next year's elections.

The Nation reliably gathered that following the President's visit to Jigawa State to inaugurate the new multibillion airport in Dutse built by the Jigawa State government a few weeks ago, series of strategic meetings have been held by the President's kitchen cabinet to weigh the pros and cons of

NEWS

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Jonathan in fresh dilemma over running mate

By Remi Adelowo

Jonathan/Lamido pairing for the PDP presidential ticket.

During his visit to the state, the President spoke glowingly of Lamido, his achievements in office and how he contributed to his election as President in 2011.

He said, "I know the role Lamido played in my election in 2011. If a governor means well for you, he can at least support you during the primaries.

Sule was totally committed to me and he is not somebody who talks with both sides of his mouth. Sule is somebody I trust.

But let me tell you that I have no problem with Lamido and I will never have problems with Jigawa people. We will continue to do more to make Nigeria better and reduce poverty across board.

"I want to assure you that

•Plot to dump Sambo for Lamido thickens the relationship between the Federal Government, the Presidency and Jigawa will continue to be strong. From 2007 till now, I have seen what Lamido has done. I have to thank him immensely for the transformation of the state. I know what this state was and I have seen what he has done so far to change the tide. We must isolate talents and train them to excel. Within Lamido's tenure, even the blind will see that he has performed."

And apparently to put to rest reports that he has an axe to grind with the President, Lamido said he was proud of the Federal Government's transformation agenda, while a former Minister of Power and Steel, Bashir Dalhatu also noted at the ceremony: "We have been supporting you (Jonathan) and

will continue to do so. We are honest and loyal to you. There is, therefore, a divine responsibility to point out what is the truth. Lamido is not against you.

He is loyal to you and we believe you will continue to work with him. As a measure of good luck, you will succeed."

With the seeming reconciliation between the President and the governor, Presidency strategists are hoping that bringing Lamido on board the PDP presidential ticket would pacify the governor's political mentor and former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, whose relationship with Jonathan has worsened in the last one year.

A source said: "Picking Lamido would take care of two important issues; first, it is a way of making peace with Baba

(Obasanjo) and second, it will erode the support base of the APC in the North West particularly in Kano, which appears to be an APC stronghold and Jigawa State."

It was also gathered that besides using Lamido as bait to enlist Obasanjo's support for the President's re-election bid, a proposal is also been studied on the need to raise a high powered delegation comprising of former leaders and eminent traditional rulers to reconcile the President and Obasanjo.

While it could not yet be ascertained if the President has accepted this proposal, sources disclosed that the Lamido option is being seriously considered to boost the President's reelection chances in the North.

A source added, "The politi-

cal reality on ground is that the President must do something extraordinary to turn the current political tide in the North in his favour. Pairing Lamido on the PDP ticket could be the game changer. Yes, the incumbent vice president has been loyal to his boss and has brought stability to the government, but the truth is that he is not as politically grounded as Lamido.

We are just being realistic."

The vice president, it was gathered, is aware of the plot to oust him and is not taking chances. His camp's main strategy is to continue harping on the continued stability of the government to make the President retain him and that replacing him with Lamido, who is also alleged to be nursing a presidential ambition, may rock the boat of the administration

Oil workers issue 14-day ultimatum From Tony Akowe, Abuja

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•From Left: Bride's parents: Paul and Joy Osagie; Couple: Babajide and Mariam; Groom's parents:Olubukola and (pastor) Segun Babatope during the wedding reception of the couple in Lagos yesterday.

PHOTO: OLUSEGUN RAPHEAL

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HERE appears to be palpable anxiety among the aides and political associates of President Goodluck Jonathan over the presidential ambition of former military Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari.

The Presidency is particularly rattled by the seeming growing popularity of the retired General's interest in the presidency and is already pulling all strings to scuttle or throw spanners into the works of the Buhari political machinery.

The Presidency is also jittery with the acceptability currently being enjoyed by Buhari among prominent northern groups and caucuses as well as the way Buhari's men have been romancing with perceived opponents of the President especially within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

A member of the PDP Board of Trustees from Lagos State told The Nation last Thursday, "Some prominent northern leaders, politicians and public office holders are now exhibiting different postures in their backing of the presidential aspiration of President Goodluck Jonathan in the region.

"Intelligence reports also suggest that some traditional rulers may have developed cold feet over their earlier promise of support for the president concerning his re-election bid. This is just as many critics of the President are finding it easy to relate with General Buhari.

"The presidency is genuinely worried and we are worried as

Anxiety in Jonathan's camp over Buhari

By Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor

party men and women within PDP. The essence of politics is to control power. It appears we need to do something about the rising acceptability of the APC chieftain especially in the northern regions."

The BoT member added, "This is not to say Buhari is capable of defeating Jonathan in 2015; far from it. But in politics, you take care of every little detail. That is what we are talking about here."

The Nation also learnt that following recent statements by some northern groups to the effect that they are favourably disposed towards Buhari's aspiration, the Presidency has given handlers of Jonathan's re-election project in the north marching orders to either get such organisations to either refute the statements or factionalise them.

"The organisations that drew the wrath of the presidency over such statement include the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Northern Union (NU), Middle Belt Assembly (MBA) and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) amongst others.

"As we speak, the leadership of both NU and NBA have been polarised while the ACF is battling to hold itself together. The NEF is also broken into two with a faction known as the Northern Elders Council (NEC) under the leadership of elderstatesman Tanko Yakassai and

some notable northern political heavyweights, now drumming support for President Jonathan's re-election.

But all the organisations are united in their insistence that the presidency must return to the north in 2015."

Although the PDP leadership is aware that the return of power to the north has been the position of the region since 2011, there is this thinking that the declaration of General Buhari that he would be seeking the presidential ticket of the opposition APC has reinvigorated the clamour.

"Before now, the agitation died down following realisation that it would be difficult for a northerner to beat Jonathan to the PDP ticket and the absence of a formidable opposition. But with the emergence of APC and Buhari looking good to be its candidate, there is worry in PDP," a Kaduna based human rights activist said.

According to him, this explains why the presidency has been reaching out to prominent stakeholders in the north to woo them back into supporting Jonathan's ambition.

"Just recently, some leading traditional rulers were invited to Abuja to see the President under the guise of discussing security situation. But on their return, we heard from some of them that

the major issue discussed at the parley had to do with how Jonathan will be re-elected in 2015.

"They were promised a lot of things ranging from promotions, cars and new palaces if they rally their people to support the re-election bid of the president.

Religious leaders and other opinion leaders were also invited to meet with the President," our source said.

A number of reasons that include the mood of the people of the region, the dwindling fortunes of the PDP in many states of the region and general dissatisfaction with the handling of the Boko Haram insurgency, among others, have made many prominent northerners to jettison their support for Jonathan's re-election.

The people feel the Jonathan government has some unfulfilled promises to the masses.

Many feel he has not handled the Boko Haram insurgency well. They feel as a retired General, Buhari would perform better in dealing with the insurgents if elected.

"Aside that, the loss of states like Kano, Zamfara, Yobe, Borno and Kwara to the opposition has emboldened the people to throw their support for Buhari and his party. The general performance of the PDP government in delivering dividends of democracy to the people is also an issue," a source said.

HE joint council of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has given the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to address issues affecting the oil and gas sector or face a total shut down of the nation's economy.

Addressing a news conference at the end of the National Executive Council meeting NUPENGASSAN in Abuja, Vice Chairman of the body, Francis O. Johnson said failure of the government to address issues raised by the two workers union in the oil and gas sector, they will be compelled to shut down the economy.

Johnson who is also the President of PENGASSAN listed the issues to include the termination of appointment of National Zonal officers of NUPENGASAN, Passage of Petroleum Industry Bill, casualization and outsourcing in the oil and gas sector, sustenance of national minimum wage on the exclusive list of the constitution and workers right to unionisation and collective bargaining in the free trade zone, Onne.

The other issues are divestment of portfolio asset and attendant impact on job security; pipeline vandalism and oil theft and attendant effect on revenue, jobs and the economy.

The rest are listed as antilabour activities of indigenous oil operators and depot owners, growing spate of terrorism, and kidnapping; bad roads to operation areas, depots and refineries; sea wolf, oil services and nonpayment of terminal benefits; 2015 elections and policies and appointment inconsistency in the NNPC. He noted that the two unions are aware of the fact that the House of Representatives were on break and has therefore resolved to allow them return from the break and immediately tackle the PIB or face the

wrath of the unions.

He said "All these are issues we have discussed and we have said that minus the issue of the PIB because the House is on break, all these issues must be addressed within 14 days, failure which the NEC of NUPENGASSAN has mandated and directed that we should go on a total shut down the economy".

Shedding more light on the issues, President of NUPENGASSAN, Igwe Achese said it was unfortunate that the government has shown lack of commitment to labour issues and often renege on promises made.

He accused operators in the oil and gas sector, especially multinational companies of promoting anti-labour activities in their establishment by disallowing their workers from forming labour unions and outsourcing jobs.

He said: "It is very important that we re-emphasis the key issues as it affects the oil and gas workers. You are aware that very recently, we made a publication on the issue of the termination of our members and transfer of national officers.

"The key issue here is the transfer and termination of the Zonal Secretary of PENGASSAN, the transfer of the Deputy President of NUPENG and the termination of the appointment of Zonal Treasurer of NUPENG, Port Harcourt zone. It is important that we bring to the notice of Nigerians and the agencies involved."

He added that "On that note, the joint council in session has taken a decision that if, within 14 days, if these issues are not given the attention it deserved by reinstating these terminated national officers and reverse the transfer that has been done, we may be forced to go on a nationwide strike action."

He said the unions have asked the minister of petroleum to convene a meeting of stakeholders to address the issues raised.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014

NEWS

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PDP WARD CONGRESSES Consensus at work in Edo

From Osagie Otabor, Benin EMBERS of the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday elected delegates that will choose the party’s candidate in next year’s general election.

Many delegates emerged through consensus in several local government areas.

A total of 576 delegates were elected in the 192 wards in the state.

When the Nation visited some wards in Oredo, party members were seen affirming the consensus delegates.

State chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, hailed party members for conducting a peaceful congress.

He said: “The exercise was very successful. In all the places I visited, I met them conducting the congress in a peaceful atmosphere devoid of any slightest sign of violence.

“I commend leaders and members of the party across the state for the manner they went about electing the three ad hoc delegates.”

Exercise cancelled in Pankshin

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•Senate President David Mark acknowledging cheers from his supporters at Otukpo Ward 1 during the PDP Ward Congress yesterday PHOTO: NAN

Parallel congresses in Ondo

No congress in Enugu

•Chairmen in war of words HE Peoples Democratic Party in Ondo State yes-

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From Chris Oji, Enugu

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O MEMBER of the Electoral panel from the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) showed up yesterday in Enugu to conduct the ward congress.

Delegates, who arrived the secretariat, as early as 7am were disappointed over the absence of the electoral officers.

A statement by the Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Dr. Okey Eze, confirmed the absence of electoral officers from Abuja.

It said: “It is pertinent to note that the Deputy Governor of the State, His Excellency, Rev. Ralph Nwoye, the National, Zonal, State and Local Government Area Executives of the Party and all the 17 Local Government Chairmen including thousands of other party faithful and our teeming supporters have been waiting tirelessly at the State party secretariat for the arrival of electoral materials from Abuja and proper commencement of the ward congress but report available to us is that the ward congress committee panel from the National Secretariat are still in Abuja.

“The State Chapter wishes to state that this unfortunate development is the handiwork of those who are dangling in the euphoria of unpopularity and are bent on exploiting all undemocratic measures to scuttle the Ward congress of the Party, through mischief and manipulation of the entire process.

“Our members and supporters are ever ready to participate fully in the congresses through a transparent and democratic process where every member will be given the opportunity to test his or her popularity at the polls.

“We therefore alert the public and the National Leadership of our Party that no legitimate ward congresses took place in Enugu State today and any such activity to the contrary is illegal, fraudulent and must be disregarded.

“The State Party Leadership therefore invites the National Working Committee of our Party to take appropriate action in this regard.”

From Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos, HE Plateau State chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Raymond Dabo, yesterday cancelled the congress in Pankshin local government.

He said it was based on disagreement among stakeholders of the council over distribution of forms.

Briefing newsmen in his office, Dabo said: “Top political leaders of the local government stormed my office with complaint over distribution of delegates form.

“We sat in my office and agree to cancel the congress and so it has been cancelled.”

He said a new date will be agreed for the congress while a new committee will be constituted for the exercise.

The delegation from the national secretariat was led by Senator Tilly Gyado from Benue State.

•Vice President Namadi Sambo at the PDP ward congress at Kabala ward 05 in kaduna yesterday

PHOTO: NAN

Four feared dead in Bayelsa

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OUR members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were feared dead while returning

from the party’s ward congress in Ekeremor local government area of the state.

They were said to have died when their boat capsized along the Ekeremor waterways.

Former Deputy Governor, Peremobowei Ebebi, was said to be among the occupants of the ill-fated boat but he was reportedly rescued.

Though details of the ugly incident were still sketchy at the time of filling this report, the victims were said to be

Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

returning from Ekeremor when the incident occurred.

President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Seriake Dickson participated in the congresses, which held in the 105 wards of the 18 local government councils of the state.

Jonathan and Dickson asked party members to maintain peace ahead of political activities in the state.

Jonathan arrived the state on Friday evening and held marathon meetings with stakeholders at the State Government House and his house along the Nikton road area of the state capi-

tal.

He was reported to have called on aspirants and party leaders to maintain peace during the ward congress in the state.

Jonathan was said to have later moved to his ward headquarters in Otuabadi in Ogbia local government area of the state to partake in the exercise.

Dickson, who participated in the Option A4 voting during the ward delegate election at ward 2 in Angalabiri community of Sagbama local government area, commended the party faithful for their peaceful disposition.

One killed, two injured in Akwa Ibom

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NE person was killed and two seriously injured when two factions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Eastern Obolo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State fought during the PDP ward congress for the election of three ad hoc delegates in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

One of the PDP members from Eastern Obolo, Eyo Okon, who spoke with The Nation said: “There was a serious fight between two factions of PDP from Eastern Obolo.

“From what we gathered there was disagreement as who were to make list of the delegates.

“The fight and shootings were so serious that people had to call Akpabio from his house to come and rescue the

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo situation.

“Before the governor arrived, one person had already given up, while the others who were in coma had been taken to hospitals.”

Our correspondent, who monitored the congress, reports that materials were yet to be distributed to some wards as at 6pm.

When contacted, the state Commissioner of Police, Gabriel Achong, said no one was killed during the incident.

The Police said if any of the victims had died, the police who took those injured to the hospital would have informed him.

He said: “I don’t think there was any person that died. I was in Four Lane myself. The only people who had problems with themselves were two factions from Eastern Obolo who used wood to hit one another.

“The injured were bleeding and the police had to take them to hospital. If anything had happened to anyone of them, the police who took them to the hospital would have informed me.

“At the time I left my house for that place, I was even told that two people had been killed but only for me to get down there and found out that the people who engaged themselves in brawl only sustained injury.”

Police seal off Emeakayi’s office in Anambra

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ATTLE-ready police operatives yesterday sealed off the secretariat belonging to the Prince Ken Emeakayi-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa, capital of Anambra State.

This followed the factionalisation of the party in the state owing to leadership tussle.

Emeakayi’s tenure was said to have ended on the 24th of October, 2014 when the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) dissolved it, paving way for

From: Nwanosike Onu, Awka

Ejike Oguebego to take over the leadership of the party in Anambra State.

But the Police denied sealing off the secretariat.

Police spokesperson, Uche Ezeh, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), told reporters the action was to forestall breakdown of law and order.

Despite the police denial, the office was under lock and key with red-eyed police operatives in charge.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which had earlier written a letter to the National Secretariat of PDP over the leadership crisis, monitored the congresses in all the 21 Local Government Areas in the state.

It said it recognises only the Oguebego’s faction whose election it supervised.

The congress, which started at 10am, held in all the 326 wards in the 21 local government areas.

terday held two separate ward congresses for election of delegates for participation in the party primaries.

Both factions are laying claims to the party structure.

One is the dissolved State executives Committee led by Ebenezer Alabi and the newly constituted Caretaker Committee headed by Hon. Dare Adeleke.

Former members of the Labour Party (LP) who joined the PDP have been at loggerheads over control of the party.

But the factional congresses held at the two camps in all the 203 wards without violence.

Our correspondent observed that party members trooped out in large numbers for the exercise in Owo, Ikare and Akure.

INEC officials and the PDP National delegates for the ward congresses led by Senator Lekan Mustapha were also on ground to monitor the event.

The old State Secretariat along Oyemekun road, Akure the State Capital reopened on Thursday was again sealed off when our correspondent visited the area.

A handful of police men were on vigil at the premises.

The building, which had been serving as the State PDP secretariat for the past 16 years, was sealed off by the Police last week immediately the party National Working Committee (NWC) dissolved the State executive and constituted a caretaker committee.

It was however later reopened three days later as exco members returned to the office.

Speaking with reporters, the embattled PDP State Chairman, Alabi insisted that the congress conducted by the new PDP is illegal.

He insisted his faction was still in control of the party.

But Adeleke said his committee is recognised to perform its assigned duties.

He faulted the Alabi’s faction for going ahead to conduct the congress despite its dissolution by the NWC. •Continued on page 76

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014

Court of Appeal upholds FRSC powers on new plate number

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HE Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos has upheld the powers of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to set deadlines for the new vehicle number plate and drivers’ license.

In the judgment delivered

by Justice Joseph Ike with Justices Ndukwe Anyanwu and Jamillah Tukur, the court set aside the earlier pronouncement by the Federal High Court, Lagos in the case of Emmanuel Ofoegbu vs FRSC. It also upheld the validity of the National Road Traffic Regulations 2012.

Reacting to the Appeal court’s verdict, FRSC Corps Marshal and Chief Executive, Boboye Oyeyemi, commended the judiciary for not only providing a clear interpretation of the existing laws on number plates and driver’s licence, but also validating the statutory powers of the FRSC. He enjoined motorists to comply with the law.

NEWS

Kwankwaso lampoons PDP over Tambuwal T

ECOWAS court seeks funding

From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

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ANO State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has carpeted the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for victimising Speaker of the House of Repsentatives, Aminu Tambuwal over his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking with reporters in his office in Kano, Kwankwaso accused the PDP of playing double standard over defections.

From: Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

He said while the party celebrates when elected officials join its, it fights those who decamp to opposition parties with state machinery.

Describing the development as unacceptable, Kwankwaso said: “I don’t think double standard is good for our democracy.”

The APC presidential aspirant said he is disposed to supporting whoever

emerges the candidate of the party.

Kwankwaso explained that all APC presidential aspirants have been in touch and are working towards fostering togetherness.

He, however, appealed to the Federal Government not to keep eyes away from the over 4 million displaced Nigerians by the activities of insurgency by stopping Boko Haram onslaught on Nigerians.

Commenting on the

country’s economy, Kwankwaso said: “All cannot be well when you have crises and insecurity ravaging the country”.

He contended that the figures being brandished by the Federal Government, dismissing them as fabricated.

The current administration, the governor stated, is bent on dividing the nation through religious and tribal sentiments, adding that such ploys would fail.

Nigeria’ll survive Boko Haram, 2015 - Udofia

By Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor

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RIMATE of African Church in Nigeria and Overseas, His Eminence, Rt. Reverend Emmanuel Udofia, has assured Nigeria country will survive the current onslaught by the dreaded Boko Haram sect.

The clergyman also called on politicians to avoid doing anything that can truncate the current democratic experiment.

He made the remarks last week when he led other clergies and national officers of the mission to inaugurate the African Bethel Church Ikorodu as Cathedral and Seat of Lagos West Missionary Diocese.

He also inaugurated the African Church Bethel (Biney Memorial), Surulere.

“To those who are afraid that the country may not survive its current problems, I bring you good news. Nigeria will survive Boko Haram.

“Nigeria will survive 2015 general election. If all players on the political scene will put the interest of the people above personal interest, the country will not go down before, during and even after the 2015 general election,” he said.

MISSING

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student of Lagos State University (LASU), Titilope Oyinlola, has been declared missing.

She was last seen leaving her hostel on October 13.

If found, please contact 08032109631; 08064458595; 08064458595; 080141134568 or the nearest police station.

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HE Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called for adequate funding to enable it implement its Community Strategic Framework 2016 – 2020.

President of the Court, Justice Maria Do Ceu Silva Montiero, said the community must recognise the peculiarities of young institutions like the court without diversified sources of funding.

“The greatest challenge an institution like the Community Court of Justice faces in the implementation of its strategic plan is inadequate funding,” she said.

Speaking in Portuguese at the opening ceremony of the 9th meeting of the Strategic Planning Coordinating Committee in Calabar, she said the 2013-2015 strategic plan of the Court was formally adopted in July 2013 but has not been implemented owing to funding.

The Court, she added, lacks office accommodation, saying there is an urgent need to “build a befitting office complex with adequate room for the Honourable Judges and Staff of the Court, courtrooms, conference rooms and library.”

She said the Community Strategic Framework will provide an important tool for the realisation of community goals and objectives.

Withdrawal of Speaker’s security: NBA asks Abba to resign

By Adebisi Onanuga

L-R: Editor, Saturday Punch, Bisi Deji-Folutile; Head, Operations, Globacom, Bisi Koleosho; President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, MD, Sun, Femi Adesina; Regional Director, Marketing Communications, Globacom, Charles Jenarius; and Editor, Businessworld, Nike Ogbulie, at the Editors' Forum organised by Globacom at Villa Medici in Lagos yesterday.

IITA: West Africa contributed 90.6% of global yam

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AM-GROWING countries in West Africa contributed 90.6% of the global production in 2013, the Director of West Africa IITA Research for Development, Robert Asiedu, has disclosed.

He spoke in Zaria at a conference.

Owing to the production prowess, Asiedu stated that small scale farmers in the main yam- growing areas of

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

the sub-region are to benefit from a project aimed at developing new varieties of crucial staple crop that would enhance yam breeding capabilities.

The five-year project tagged Africa Yam: Enhancing yam breeding for increased productivity and improved quality in West Africa, would

be led by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) with key partners in Republic of Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria.

International research organisations and universities will also join the partnership, he added.

According to Asiedu: “In West Africa, yam plays key roles in food security, income generation, and the

socio-cultural life of at least 60 million people.

“In 2013, the West Africa yam belt produced a total of 54.5 million tonnes of yam on 4.4 million hectares.

“This represents 90.6% of the total global production and 88% of the total world area planted to yam.”

The project partners, he stated, are expected to work towards increasing yam productivity while reducing production costs and impact on the environmental by developing and deploying farmer-preferred varieties with higher yield, greater resistance to pests and diseases and improved quality.

UPN crisis deepens T

HE National Executive Committee (NEC) of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) has dissociated itself from the suspension of a gugovernorship aspirant of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in Ogun State, Prince Rotimi Paseda, the State Caretaker Committee Chairman, Chief Adesoye Oyenuga and twelve others.

•NEC denies suspension of 14 members From: Dele Anofi, Abuja

The 14 members were suspended by UPN’s Disciplinary Committee for alleged anti-party activities.

The erstwhile National Chairman of the party, Dr Frederick Fasheun, had been suspended indefinitely by

the NEC at its fourth meeting in Abuja a fortnight ago.

However, in a twist to the development, the National Organising Secretary of the party, Dr. Ola Olateju, yesterday said the party has not set up any Disciplinary Committee in Ogun State or anywhere else in the coun-

Cleric buries mother

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HE burial service for Chief (Mrs.) Elizabeth Adunola Obembe holds on Friday November 8, 2014 at St Paul Anglican Church,

Efon Alaaye, Ekiti State.

According to her son, Rev. M. Obembe, Vicar of St. Luke’s, Anglican Church, Igbogbo, she was a devout

Christian.

Obembe, who died on April 1, 2014 at the ripe age of 104, was survived by children and grandchildren.

try.

“Someone that claimed to be the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee had told newsmen in Abeokuta, capital of Ogun state on Thursday that the 14 party stalwarts were suspended for willfully ignoring invitations earlier sent to them to appear and defend allegations of anti-party activities leveled against them.

While denying knowledge of the Disciplinary Committee including its members, Olateju asserted: “The so-called disciplinary committee in Ogun State is not known to our party.”

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HE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja Branch has asked the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, to resign for ordering the withdrawal of the security details of House of Representatives Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, who defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

In a statement yesterday by its chairman, Yinka Farounbi, the NBA said: “To say the least, the action of the IGP, apart from being a usurpation of the functions of the third tier of government, the judiciary, is the most disservice and the greatest threat to our democracy, particularly the 2015 general elections”.

The Bar took a swipe at the IGP, accusing him of “arrogating to himself the power of 240 members of the House of Representative and remove the Speaker and went ahead to constitute himself to a court of law and declared the seat of the Speaker vacant.”

The statement added: “Is the IGP not telling the whole world that the police, meant to be for all Nigerians, is a PDP police and that the forthcoming elections in 2015 will be in accordance with whims and caprices of our PDP police?

“Where then is the neutrality of police in the political system of the country?”

The NBA challenged Abba to tell the nation who the substantive Speaker is and when “he intends to conduct a byeelection into ‘his declared vacant seat’ of Hon. nay dishonorable Aminu Tambuwal?

“In order to save us enormous resources, can the IGP tell us the result of the 2015 elections so as to limit us to preparation for swearing in only?”

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Mohammed emerges Lagos RTEAN chairman From Tony Akowe

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LHAJI Musa Mohammed has emerged the new Chairman of the Lagos State branch of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).

The election held at the Shehu Yar'adua Centre in Abuja and supervised by the National President, Alhaji Musa Shehu.

Speaking after the election, Mohammed promised to operate an open door policy, while assuring all members that his executive will work in collaboration with all agencies of government in the state to move the transport sector forward.

Expressing appreciation to members for giving him the mandate to run the association, Mohammed added, "I want to use this opportunity to assure all members of the Lagos State branch that I will run an open door policy where fairness and justice will reign supreme. Our door will also be open for constructive criticisms as the task ahead is great, but with your cooperation, we shall achieve greater success."

On his plans for RTEAN, Mohammed disclosed, "Our administration will pursue reforms aimed at improving the living conditions of our members in Lagos State. There shall not be sacred cows. In this regard, I will strictly adhere and abide by the constitution of our great association. There shall be no discrimination in the discharge of my official duties as the chairman."

Oyo 2015: 'APC not jittery of opposition parties' From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

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HE lawmaker representing Ibadan North constituency II in the Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr. Olusegun Olaleye, has stated that the All Progressives Congress? (APC) is not jittery of opposition parties in Oyo State ahead the 2015 general elections.

He spoke while obtaining his form of intent to re-contest for another term at the party's secretariat in Ibadan, the state capital.

The lawmaker stressed that the opposition political parties in the state were already jittery based on what he termed the intimidating credentials of?

APC and the achievements of the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi.

He declared, "APC as a party is not afraid of any political opposition party in this state, because they have once failed the masses and I know the people of this state will not want to be in bondage again.

So come next year, APC will be victorious in all elective positions."

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014

NEWS

IGERIANS have been urged to embrace the digilisation of the broadcast industry in order to achieve clearer pictures, sound, more channels, better audience measurement and programming.

Director General of the National Broadcast Commission (NBC), Dr. Emeka Mba, gave this charge while delivering his keynote address at the 55th an-

Scores set to dump PDP for APC in Ondo

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ASSIVE defection is looming in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State as some aggrieved members of the party are making underground moves to pitch their tents with the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Hinging their proposed action on the alleged dictatorial attitude of the state governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko in choosing the party's candi-

From Damisi Ojo, Akure

into two factions, with some members loyal to the chairman of the old PDP, Ebenezer Alabi, while the other faction holds allegiance to the governor.

Specifically, some members of the party in Akure South and North are not happy about the choice of a politician, Dare Aliu, as the party's candidate for Akure North and South federal constituency.

Many members of the party are also not pleased with the governor for backing the Senator representing Ondo Central Senatorial District, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, to run for another term.

It was gathered that aggrieved members of the PDP have been holding series of meetings with the leadership of the APC in the state to fine tune their plan to join the party.

Lagos 2015: APC youth leaders plan 6 million-man march

By Kunle Akinrinade HEAD of the 2015 general elections, a group, All Progressives Congress (APC) Youth Leaders Forum, Lagos State, has concluded plans to stage a mega rally for the party.

Speaking on behalf of the group, its chairman, Prince Francis Adebisi, said members of the group are prepared to ensure the overwhelming success of the party during next year's general elections.

He said: "The population of youths in Lagos State is about 10 million and to this end, we have concluded plans to stage a six million-man march to mobilise massive support for our great party's victorious outing in 2015 elections.

"The rally is to drum support for APC and to showcase many of the achievements of the current administration in the last seven years with a view to discountenancing falsehood being peddled by the opposition."

Speaking further on his group's plan for the rally, Adebisi added: "The local government chairmen have a body called Conference 57, hence, we have also established this body comprising of all the youth leaders across the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas in order to work towards ensuring victory for our party in 2015."

"To this end, we want to ex•Ebunoluwa Ehiademi flanked by his parents, Mr. Soji Omotunde, General Manager, Training and Development of The Nation and his wife, Emiede, during his convocation at the Bowen University, Iwo in Osun State yesterday press our unflinching loyalty to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and we will continue to hold him in high esteem, because of his immense leadership virtues." dates for the 2015 general elections, many members of the party including old and new members, sources said, are set to dump the PDP for the major opposition party.

Mimiko had defected to the PDP some weeks ago and his return to the party he left eight years ago had polarised the party in the sunshine state.

The party is now divided

Ondo oil producing firms tasked on CSR in host communities

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NDO State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Sola Ebiseni, has charged all the Oil producing companies in the state to be more responsive in their relationship with their host communities.

He stated this at a one day summit for oil producing communities held in Akure, the state capital with the theme 'Oil and the Environment'. The event was graced by representatives of the five

From Leke Akeredolu, Akure

oil companies in the state which include Chevron, Express/Sea, Conoil, Allied Energy and Owena Oil and Gas. The commissioner noted that the event was to look into how the operations of the oil companies have been affecting their host communities, particularly the lives of the riverine people, whose major occupation is fishing,

adding that much is still expected from the companies in the discharge of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

The commissioner noted, "We are still looking forward for more scholarship for the students, infrastructures and providing employment from the oil communities. All these should not be done only when there is crisis between the companies and the communities."

Ebiseni attributed the peace enjoyed by the oil companies in the Niger Delta area of the state to the fact that government has been acting as supervisor between the communities and the oil companies.

He noted that the state is the most peaceful state in the Niger Delta region, adding that oil companies have always enjoyed the cooperation of their host communities.

Elders' Council to Fayose: 'embark on people-oriented projects'

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KITI State Council of Elders has urged the state governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose to execute projects that would have immediate bearing on the lives of people of the state.

The Council equally appealed to the state government to seek means to improve the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state in order to mitigate the effects of the dwindling monthly allocation from the federation account.

Maintaining that the imme-

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti

diate past administration in the state did its best to improve the IGR, the council however lamented that the state's IGR is still low compared with what obtained in other states in the South West.

In a communiqué signed by its Chairman, Chief Deji Fasuan, at the end of its meeting on Saturday, the council cautioned the governor against embarking on programs and projects with

'long gestation period', noting that the poverty among the people must be addressed immediately.

The communiqué read in part: "We recommended that the little resources available to government be spent on projects that will have immediate value on the populace. Deliberate efforts should be made to reduce emphasis on capital projects that have long gestation period. It appears Ekiti people have no tolerance for projects that have no immediate value on their

lives.

"We want to advise the new administration to address as quickly the welfare of the citizens, especially as it relates to unpaid salaries, wages and other benefits that can have multiplying effects on the local economy."

The council also appealed to indigenes of the state resident within the country and in the Diaspora to invest in the state in order to support government's efforts to improve o the local economy.

Digitilisation, key to growth of broadcast sector -Experts From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

niversary of National Television Authority (NTA), Ibadan.

Speaking on the theme of the anniversary 'Broadcasting in Africa, yesterday, today and tomorrow', Mba highlighted on the need to focus on the long term benefit of going digital,

saying, "the focus of going digital is on the content in which technology will help us create a well connected Nigeria."

In his address on the obstacles ahead of the transition to digital broadcasting, the NBC boss said, "The most important challenge is to have a digital mindset and creative leadership,

while our main aim is to use digital to retrieve and prepare for a new broadcasting landscape."

Another speaker, Dr Vincent Maduka, the first Director General of NTA, also enumerated the benefits of the policy.

He encouraged broadcasters

to learn from their counterparts in the United Kingdom and United States of America to make the transition easier.

Maduka said the major challenge to broadcast industry is the increase in the use of mobile phones to access information rather than the television.

On his part, the Director General of NTA, Dr. Olusola

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Alaafin calls for synergy between traditional rulers, Police From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo

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LAAFIN of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, has urged Nigerians to break down barriers of apathy and mistrust that have characterised their relationship with the Police.

The monarch also cautioned against the perception which traced the historical root of the Nigerian Police as a colonial force of oppression of the people.

Oba Adeyemi made this appeal when the Oyo State Police Commissioner, Mr. Kolawole Sodipo paid him a courtesy visit in his palace.

The paramount monarch said the country with a population of about 160 million people and a Police Force of less than 300,000 officers and men is an abysmal ratio that should be improved upon within the shortest possible time.”

Omole, spoke on the station's plan to go digital, adding, "The future is an audience-led television; what do you want to watch, what do you want to see in our homes. If we do not do that, we have failed. What do they want and thereafter, we structure our programs towards it. This way, the content producers get what they want and the viewers have the opportunity to see diversity on different programs."

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014

•Jonathan

•Sambo

•Lamido

GOVERNORSHIP POLL Prologue: To say next year's governorship election is going to be tough is to say the obvious. The toughness in not in the tension that would accompany or herald it, rather it is in the jockeying and level of interests and reputation that would be at stake and be tested. In these reports, our correspondents have pieced together compelling analysis of the politics, issues and events that would shape the winners and losers in the leading parties.

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N spite of its boast that it has a firm control of the South-South, South-East, and a little incursion into the South-West, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan know that they have serious challenges in winning voters in the North, especially the North-West and the North-East.

Although Vice-President Namadi Sambo is from the North -West, he is yet to secure the electoral confidence of the zone. A panicky Jonathan had offered a helping hand to his deputy in the last few months. He had to renew his rapprochement with angry Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State through some shuttles to the state which included the commissioning of the stateowned International Airport in Dutse. Not minding public opinion on insurgency in the North-East, the presidency ensured that exGovernor Modu Ali Sheriff was admitted into the PDP.

Why the battle for North-West, NorthEast is crucial As the nation moves towards the 2015 poll, the unsung battle fields are the North-West and the North-East. Our MANAGING EDITOR, NORTHERN OPERATION, YUSUF ALLI Xrays the governorship race in the 12 states in the two geopolitical zones.

Still undone, the President reconciled with the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi for what a Minister described as "a politically strategic reconciliation" for 2015 poll to win Kano State. Though the President was aware that the Emir has a close-knitted relationship with key figures in the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), the emergency reconciliation was designed to prick the Emir's conscience to be "neutral" while all the parties fight for the soul of Kano.

Yet, as the President was 'gaining mileage' in Kano, he is fast losing whatever is the goodwill left for him in Sokoto State with the hounding of Speaker Aminu Tambuwal whose security aides were withdrawn for defecting to APC. The anger of the people of Sokoto State was not about defection but the apparent double standards of the Presidency.

Unknown to many, the battle for the

North-West and the North-East is crucial for Jonathan, PDP and all the parties for many reasons. There is jostle for the huge voters in the two geopolitical zones. Going by the number of registered voters recently released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, out of 70,383,427 eligible voters nationwide, the North-West and the North-East have combined voters' roll of 29,064,009. While the North-West accounts for 18,616,499 voters, the North-East has 10,447,510. Whereas both the South-East and South-South have total of voters' register of 16,664,968.

There is no reason why the President and PDP will not have more than a passing interest in the two zones in a poll system where, according to Section 133(a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution, a President is deemed duly elected with majority of YES votes and one-quarter of the votes cast in at least 24 states.

Also, the defection of some PDP governors and ex-governors to APC in the South-West has strengthened the hold of the opposition in the North-West and North-East.

For instance, out of six states in the NorthWest, three (Kano, Sokoto and Zamfara) are under the control of the APC. In the NorthEast, PDP controls four states (two ridden with crisis) and APC manages two.

The gubernatorial race What will define governorship race in the North-West and North-East are the incumbency factor; quest for power shift; resistance to imposition or godfathers; types of candidates chosen by parties; attitude of the PDP-led Federal Government to insurgency; religion; defection of governors from PDP to APC and performance of the outgoing governors and those aspiring for second term in office. The outlook so far in some of the affected states (across all parties) are as follows; Kebbi (23 aspirants), Bauchi (23), Katsina (19), Sokoto (10), Kaduna (10), Kano (10), Taraba (9), Zamfara (7), Adamawa (7), Gombe (5) and Yobe (5). The list includes serious and unserious aspirants.

In Kaduna State, the turf is between APC and the PDP. Contrary to the prediction of a walkover for Governor Ramalan Yero, five others are challenging him. These are former Minister of Aviation, Felix Hyat; former Secretary to the State Government, Samiala Abdullahi; and a former member of the Senate, Zego Aziz, Jimmy Nabaida Dung, Air Commodore John Bako Ajeye (rtd) and Haruna Zego Aziz. For Yero, he is banking on his mentor, Vice-President Namadi Sambo rather than performance.

The people of Southern Kaduna, who had been victims of insurgency and militia attacks are not only demanding the return of power to their area to compensate for the death of ex-Governor Patrick Yakowa in office, they want a new governor who can guarantee them adequate security. The failure of PDP to restore peace to Southern Kaduna might lead to protest votes for APC which is already gaining ground in the area. The removal of the former Group Managing Director of NNPC, Engr. Andrew Yakubu (a Southerner from Kaduna) has fueled the anger against PDP.

•Contd. on page 10

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014

NEWS REVIEW

GOVERNORSHIP POLL

Why the battle for North-West, North-East is crucial •Contd. from page 9 The APC, through one of its merger parties (the CPC), which gave PDP a run for its money in 2011 is in good stead to reclaim its stolen mandate. Already, former FCT Minister Nasir el-Rufai, the Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum, Alh. Salihu Mohammed Lukman, Isah Ashiru, Mr. James Bawa Magaji, and Haruna Saeed Kajuru have indicated interest in the APC ticket to challenge Yero whose performance could not match his predecessors like Senator Ahmed Makarfi and VP Sambo. The loss of Kaduna State to APC will confirm the assumption that Sambo had been a "paper weight" politician were it not for Makarfi who brought him into politics or bestowed power on him. But if the VP gets his bearing in 2015, he would have proved that he is a political giant.

With the shutting out of Governor Bala Ngilari by the PDP's National Working Committee during the week, it is going to be a battle royale by ex-UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Modibbo; ex-EFCC Chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Markus Gundiri; Auwal Tukur; ex-Minister Aliyu Idi Hong; and Sen. Abubakar H. Girei for PDP slot. In the APC, Senator Jibrilla Bindow has to go through the hurdles of primaries with his previous challengers. ExVice-President Atiku Abubakar has a fresh opportunity to install his chosen one as the party's governorship candidate. Already, the party's structure has returned to Turakin Adamawa.

In Kebbi State, the battle line is drawn between Governor Saidu Dakingari and those for either power shift or against imposition of candidate. In PDP, while the governor from Kebbi North seeks to impose a former Coordinator of the Counter Terrorism Centre in the Presidency, MajGen Sarki Yaki Bello (Kebbi Central) as the party's governorship candidate, other stakeholders are opposed to it. They are demanding free and fair primaries. One of those in the vanguard for due process is a kingmaker and ex-Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Adamu Aliero. In fact, the PDP Chairman in the state, Mansur Shehu Mansa resigned to vie for the governorship ticket.

Others in the race in PDP are Deputy Governor Ibrahim Khalid Aliyu; moneybag Senator Atiku Bagudu; Bala Na'Allah, Gen Muhammadu Dan'Hanne Isah, Alhaji Zubairu Turaki, Alh Hussani Adamu, Bala Kaoje, Alh Sama'ila Sambawa and Elder Ishaku Daudu, Senator Mohammed Magoro; Businessman Adamu Hussein.

The APC has a crack set of aspirants like ex-Secretary to the State Government, Ahmed Samma; Dr. Yahaya Aliyu; Malam Bukhari Bello; Dr. Yahaya Abubakar Abdullahi, Abubakar Atiku Bunu, Abubakar Chika Malami, Ahmed Mohammed Sama, Salihu Isah Nataro, Bala Musa Sakaba, Mohammed Nasir Sala Koko, Sadeeq Sule Iko-Sami, Suleiman Mohammed Argungu, Rtd Col Inuwa Bawa and Sadiq Yelwa.

The demand for power shift to the South, which has never produced a governor, is likely to play a key role in the emergence of the next governor. Past governors, Aliero (Kebbi Central) and Dakingari (Kebbi North) were produced by other zones. The people of Kebbi South covering Zuru, Yauri and Argungu might part ways with PDP if it does not concede the slot to them. This explains why APC is in good stead to win the state if it is more tactical. The implosion which the imposition of Gen. Yaki Bello might generate in PDP will add value to the advantage of the opposition.

As for Borno State, the courage with which Governor Kashim Shettima had defied insurgency to perform in office is a plus for him. The success of the administration has intimidated the PDP such that governorship aspirants are cautious flying the flag of the party. So far, only veteran gubernatorial aspirant, Kashim Imam has shown interest in PDP ticket to slug it out with Governor Shettima. Imam is over relying on exGovernor Modu Ali Sheriff to install him as the governor in 2015. Despite his alleged denial of his involvement in Boko Haram, the unending insurgency has created a political burden for Sheriff. The same insurgency factor informed why he lost election into the Senate and it might backfire for him in 2015. The rising profile of his

•Ribadu

•Ribadu emergency ex-godson, Governor Kashim Shettima has reduced his political profile. For a politician who used to enter Maiduguri with about 200 military and police escorts, Sheriff's touch with the grassroots is rated low at present. By the voting pattern of Borno State since the Second Republic, APC is the party to defeat because the people of the state do not vote for mainstream party; they always prefer a progressive tent. "I think it is a cultural thing," said a source.

As for Sokoto, Governor Aliyu Wammako Magatakarda still holds the ace.

A strategist, he is rated to have the Midas touch for winning elections irrespective of the party he moves to. Those struggling to replace Wammako on PDP platform are Deputy Governor Mukhtari Shagari, Senator Abdallah Wali, a friend of the President, Senator Abubakar Umar Gada and exMinister of Transport, Alhaji Yusuf Sulaiman.

The sidelining of ex-Governor Attahiru Bafarawa by the presidency after defecting from APC to PDP has compounded the woes of PDP in Sokoto State. Out of the bigwigs who defected to PDP, Bafarawa is yet to be politically rehabilitated. This is making his supporters to have a second thought. Aspirants on the platform of the APC are Senator Umaru Dahiru, Alhaji Faruk Malami Yabo, Alhaji Yushe'u Kebbe, Barrister Aliyu Abubakar Sayyinna and Ibrahim Dambuwa. The defection of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, to the APC has left the gubernatorial flank open in Sokoto State. The ambition of Shagari might prove fatal for PDP in the state. The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mr. Sambo Dasuki is also under pressure to return his state to the ruling party. Though not a politician, Dasuki could wield influence to back the ruling party.

In Kano, the search for a credible candidate by the PDP has given APC much leeway to dictate the pace. This dilemma of the ruling party in Kano accounted for the confidence of Governor Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso on APC's chances. Those seeking PDP governorship nod are Mohammed Abacha, who was recently given legal soft-landing for more than $500million allegedly looted by his father and cronies in office as a military Head of State; Risqua Murtala, the son of a former Head of State, Murtala Muhammed whose tenure reshaped Nigeria; and Dr Akilu Indabawa among others. The PDP is depending on the

war chest (looted funds) of the Abachas to displace APC government in the state but a source added: "It takes more than money to win election in Kano State." The fact that exGovernor Ibrahim Shekarau (Minister of Education) is disallowed from controlling the party machinery in the state and shopping for a credible candidate might not help the fortunes of PDP. Shekarau wants an open race but the presidency seems to ave its anointed candidate.

If APC has any challenge, it is about applying wisdom to pick its flag bearer in Kano State. Those interested in being APC candidate are retired Col. Lawal Jafaru Isa, Deputy Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Senator (ex-Governor Kabir Gaya), Rep Suleiman Kawu Sumaila, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, Alhaji Rabiu Suleiman Bichi and Alhaji Salihu Sagir Takai.

In Taraba State, the Acting Governor, Garba Umar is locked in a battle for the governorship ticket with the ex- Minister of State for Niger Delta Arch Darius Ishaku. The chances of Ishaku were buoyed by the decision of Senator Emmanuel Bwacha (another Danjuma boy) to step down. Until the ill-fated plane crash of outgoing Governor Danbaba Fulani Suntai, Bwacha was set for the Government House in Jalingo. Others interested in the race are Chief David Sabo Kente, Senator Joel Ikenya, Agbu Kefas and Ezekiel Irimiya. The problem with the jostle for the PDP ticket in the state is that it might degenerate into tribal and religious conflicts.

The Muslims in the state consider the emergence of the Acting Governor as an opportunity for power shift but the Christians want the power back at all cost. With incumbency factor and the right of First Refusal accorded all sitting governors by PDP, Umar might emerge PDP candidate.

The APC is waiting in the wings for any slip from PDP. Those after APC governorship ticket are Senator Aisha Jummai Alhassan and Dr. Jonah Wachap.

The jostle for the PDP flag in Bauchi State might see Governor Isa Yuguda rekindling his age old rivalry with the National Chairman of PDP, Alh. Adamu Muazu. In line with the trend in his party, Yuguda is said to be "highly" interested in his successor. His camp is already rejoicing over the chickening out of the race by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed at the last minute.

Mohammed, who was earlier anointed by the

First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan was able to read the handwriting on the wall on the 'cold war' between Yuguda and Muazu. He chose the ministerial comfort, rather than gamble, to wait for another day. In Bauchi, PDP governorship aspirants include Deputy Senate Leader Abdul Ningi, Senator Babayo Garba Gamawa, Dr. Musa Babayo, ex-Minister of State for Health Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, exSSG, Ahmed Ibrahim Dandija, Alhaji Aminu Hammayo, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Alamin, Alhaji Mohammed Nadada Umar, Alhaji Magaji Udubo, Senator Abubakar Maikafi, Haruna Umar, Senator Baba Tela and Alhaji Shehu Gabam. The roll after the collection of nomination forms will determine who is set for the contest or not.

The APC aspirants are ex-Minister of Police Affairs, Dr. Ibrahim Yakubu Lame, Mohammed Abubakar, Sadiq Mahmud, Senator Suleiman Gamawa, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, Nuhu Gidado and Abdullahi Tanko Ningi.

For Yobe, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of the APC might emerge the party's aspirant although he has an aspirant, Alhaji Yahaya Muhammad to contest with. The Gaidam aspiration is enhanced by the fact that the political godfather of the state, three-term exGovernor Bukar Abba Ibrahim is supporting him. A well-respected politician, Ibrahim commands large following in the state. He is regarded as the "political heartbeat" of Yobe State. The state has also been voting for the opposition since 1999. The insurgency in the state and apparent lack of solution by the PDP has foreclosed its victory in Yobe State.

Crawling for the PDP slot are ex-Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama, Alhaji Ibrahim Talba and another veteran governorship aspirant and ex-Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri.

Regarding Katsina State, although the incumbent Governor Ibrahim Shema is keeping his game plan to his chest, he has an anointed candidate in mind. He is presently preoccupied with how to check the ravaging APC than PDP's internal politics.

Notwithstanding, aspirants reading the lips of Shema are Senator Ibrahim Muhammad Idah (a former Permanent Secretary and ally of the late President Umaru Yar'Adua but now romancing President Jonathan), Umar Abdullahi Tsauri Tata, Alhaji Sunusi Dan Bello Na Adiyalle, Kabir Abdullahi Barkiya, Ahmad Aminu Yar'Adua, Nura Khalil, Musa Adamu Funtua and Nasiru Umar Dutsima.

To avoid a repeat of the crisis on the 2011 governorship primaries, which led to the loss of Katsina State by the defunct CPC, the APC is trying to manage the situation. In terms of support, a presidential aspirant, ex-Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari is enjoying cult followership in the state. The APC aspirants are Alhaji Aminu Masari, Senator Sadiq Yar'Adua, Senator Abu Ibrahim, Senator Kanti Bello, Col. Abdulaziz Yar'Adua, Mannir Yakubu, Abubakar Ismaila, Dr. Usman Bugaje, Alhaji Sada Ilu and Alhaji Garba Aminci.

Senator Yakubu Lado is also out to be Katsina State Governor on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM). If APC has any obstacle in Katsina, it is the alleged 'good' performance of the governor. The opposition will have to come up with a better roadmap for the state.

With ex-Governor Sani Yerima still in APC, the party will retain its grip on Zamfara State.

This explains why Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar appears to be emerging as a sole aspirant of the party. His challengers in PDP are former Governor Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi, Rep. Bello Mutawalle, Alhaji Ibrahim Shehu Gusau, Alhaji Sagir Hamidu and Alhaji Bashir Adamu. The Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Aliyu Gusau could have saved the day for PDP in the state but age is said to be slowing him down. Gusau also detests the growing money politics in the state. At a point, some PDP stalwarts wanted ex-IGP Mohammed Abubakar as the party's candidate but the presidency could not decode their message.

The same presidency is yet to fulfill its promise to compensate Abubakar with an ambassadorial posting after failing to extend his tenure.

In Gombe State, the stake is between the incumbent Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo and his estranged political godfather, Senator Danjuma Goje, who is now the natural leader of APC in the state. Whoever is 'anointed' by Goje will be Dankwambo's opponent. The PDP and APC rating in the state is 50 percent apiece.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014

NEWS REVIEW

11

GOVERNORSHIP POLL Rivers: Between the devil and the deep blue sea OR Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), it's been one day, one trouble. The last few days have witnessed drama, violence and blood-letting in the quest for the party's governorship ticket. The crux of the matter is zoning. While the state Chairman of the PDP led

by Felix Obuah maintained that governorship aspirants can come from any part of the state, some stakeholders have kicked against it.

They said it would be wrong for the Ikwerre ethnic nationality to produce the next governor, a veiled reference to the preference of the Obuahled executive to the governorship ambition of former Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike.

Wike, whose expression of nomination form, was purchased by a group led by former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker, Austin Opara, last week in Abuja, has the party's structure in his grip. He has been oiling the machinery few months after his appointment as Minister.

But his antagonists said it would be wrong for another Ikwerre man to contest for the governorship after the eight years of Governor Rotimi Amaechi. The situation has created a massive gang-up against Wike's bid. Last Thursday, no fewer than 14 PDP aspirants staged a mega rally against Wike's bid.

The rally held at the Liberation Stadium where they called on President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to intervene in the logjam, said the ticket should go to riverine areas of the state in the interest of justice and fairness.

Some of the aspirants include: Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Bekinbo Dagogo-Jack, Bernard Mikko, Denis Ojuka and Gabriel Pidomson, Mr. Sunday Nwankwo and Sampson Ngerebara, among others.

Time to reward loyalty?

On Friday, the party's secretariat was set on fire by suspected arsonists, further fuelling the crisis in the PDP. Some of the aspirants' convoys were attacked on the way to the Thursday rally. The war drums are beating but Wike remains adamant while his critics are also unrelenting.

Wike is banking on his avowed support for President Goodluck Jonathan, as the National Secretariat of the party believes he should be compensated for fighting Amaechi to a standstill in defence of Jonathan.

He is also banking on the support of Dame Patience Jonathan, who endorsed him at his residence in Port-Harcourt last April during a visit.

Should Wike get the ticket, as it seems, it will leave the party further estranged and divided.

Should the pro-zoning advocates have their way, Wike, with the heavy war chest and party structure in his possession, can choose to be a spoiler.

It will be a 'lose-lose' situation for PDP with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) waiting in the wing to capitalise on the looming implosion.

Akwa Ibom: No longer at ease Left to Governor Godswill Akpabio, his successor should come from Eket senatorial district, which has never produced a governor for the state since inception. To realise this, he has thrown his weight behind the candidature of

F

PDP and its troubled South South In many South South states, the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) is battling acrimonies, infighting and rebellions in the quests of aspirants to pick governorship tickets, reports Sunday Oguntola

•Umana

•Emmanuel

former Secretary to the State Government, Udom Emmanuel.

The governor has been bankrolling the campaign of the former banker with the Akwa Ibom Consolidated Alliance (ACA), which has been the main structure of Emmanuel's electioneering campaign. As far as the party is concerned, the emergence of Emmanuel will give everyone a sense of belonging and ensure the institution of zoning in the state.

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP believes him. The body last week issued a statement declaring that it has approved the proposal that only candidates from Eket senatorial district should join the race in the interest of fairness and equity. That appears to have nailed the ambition of aspirants from other senatorial zones.

But Akpabio and Udom have enemies in bigwigs of the party in the state. Among them are the former Governor Victor Attah, former Petroleum Minister, Chief Don Etiebet and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Ufot Ekaette, among others who have vowed to work against any attempt by the governor to impose any candidate on the party.

The elders and stakeholders have accused Akpabio of imposition, saying he is not giving everyone a level-playing field. To them, the contest should be thrown open to aspirants from all parts

of the state because zoning has never been an issue.

They warned last week in Abuja that the party might lose the governorship election if Akpabio is allowed to present his preferred candidate.

Etiebet, who has been critical of the governor, dismissed the zoning principle adopted by the NWC in Akwa Ibom as untrue. Claiming to have spoken with principal officials of the party in Abuja, the former Minister said: "They (PDP) said it did not preclude in the spirit of democracy, in the spirit of giving all Nigerians a level playing field to participate, in the spirit of proper internal democracy and in the spirit of having a popular candidate, who can win the election for the party."

Former SSG, Umana Umana and former Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Bassey Albert, from Uyo senatorial district have vowed to carry on with their bids. At the last count, they were over 20 others interested in the ticket. Some of them are: Presidential aide, Prof. Richard King; Attorney General/Commissioner for Justice, Ekpenyong Ntekim; two former Deputy Governors, Nsima Ekere and Patrick Ekpoutu; and former House Leaders of the state House of Assembly, Okpolupm Etteh and Jerome Isangedihi.

Others are: Envoy Assam Assam (SAN); former Commissioner for Rural Development, Effiong Abia; former National Publicity of PDP,

Benjamin Okoko; Dr. Peter Esuh; Justice Nya Ebito; Asuquo Okpo; Michael Onofiok; Mike Sebastian; Dr. Samuel Udonsak; Effiong Usin; Bishop Sam Akpan; Engr. Larry Esin; Kufre Inyang; Pastor Ita Udoh.

In 2006, former Governor Attah led a delegation of 30 chapter chairmen of the party, 300 party elders, 70 youth leaders and 120 women across the state to Abuja with a communiqué to former President Olusegun Obasanjo to drop Akpabio as the party's flag bearer. Obasanjo declined and Akpabio became governor. Could the same scenario be playing out again?

Either way, the party will never remain the same after the primaries slated for this month in Akwa Ibom.

Cross Rivers: Dangerous game plans On the surface, everyone seems to have been in agreement. The PDP in Cross Rivers has zoned the governorship slot to the northern senatorial district. That should have ordinarily handled most misgivings in the party since the zone is the only one yet to produce a governor.

When the party caucus leaders across the 18 local government areas met last week and came up with a five-man shortlist of aspirants from the zone, the best appeared to have been done.

The shortlisted candidates include: a former SSG, Mike Aniah; former Commissioner for Works, Legor Idagbor; Speaker Larry Odey; Senator Ben Ayade and an Executive Secretary at the National Planning Commission (NPC), Fidelis Ugbo, who it is believed the governor is backing.

The caucus leaders screened out former General Manager Crude of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Jeddy Agba, heir to the throne of Uti JD Agba, the Paramount Ruler of Obudu. The ouster, it is gathered, was to force the popular candidate out of the race because of his perceived independent-mindedness as well as heavy war chest.

The party is already divided with a group reportedly sponsored by Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba rooting for Agba while the other group headed by Imoke supporting Ugbo. Both aspirants have picked the nomination forms for the primary slated for later this week.

Delta: Will Delta north get it this time?

Everyone seems to agree the northern senatorial district should get the ticket this time around. The district has never produced a governor in the state. On the surface, it appears fair. But who really in the district should get the PDP ticket? To Governor Emmanuel Udughan, the former SSG, Tony Obuh should get it. He was a career civil servant until he was recommended as SSG by former Governor James Ibori.

But there is snag with the zoning arrangement.

The Urhobo, who constitute 60 percent of the voting population, believe the slot should be given to them in recognition of their numerical advantage.

Deputy Governor, Professor Amos Utuama has also obtained the nomination form in defiance of the zoning arrangement. Many in Delta North believe leading aspirant, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, should have been given the ticket going by his grassroots presence and good performances in public offices.

For now, it's hard to see how the party will wriggle out of the impending implosion. But for sure, things will never be easy as they seem.

Confusion over PDP governorship tickets in North-Central

J

UST a few months to the 2015 general elections, Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, is still keeping his succession plan close to his chest.

In the last one year, a number of politicians within and outside the government circles have been touted as Suswam's anointed candidate to succeed him next year, but the governor has tactically refrained from letting the cat out of the bag yet as it concerns his favoured candidate.

That notwithstanding, about ten aspirants, including the deputy governor, Steve Lawani; former Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Chief Samuel Ortom; former Registrar of Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Felix Atume; a retired permanent secretary, Mr. Hinga Biem; former speakers of the Benue State House of Assembly, Prince Terhemen Tarzoor and David Iorhemba; former Commissioner of Justice, Alex Adum and his environment counterpart, Dr. Eugene Aliegba and Permanent Secretary of Government House Administration, Dr. Tivlumun Nyitse and that of local government, Mr. Andy Uwouku, have declared their intention to succeed Suswam.

Others are a commissioner in the Federal Character Commission, Prince Simon Aondona, an astute politician, Mr. Basil Mbatsiantim; Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Mr. John Tondo and state chairman of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Simon Anchaver, among

In the North-Central states of Benue, Plateau, Kwara and Nasarawa, there is confusion over the PDP governorship tickets, reports Remi Adelowo

• Saraki

• Ortom

others.

Within the past few months, the governor and the paramount ruler of the Tiv in the state, HRH Akawe Torkula have been busy convening meetings to resolve issues that have arisen because of speculated trimming of governorship contenders in the state.

While many political pundits have expressed doubts about the streamlining of the governorship

aspirants from the favoured Masev, Iharev and Nongov entity, otherwise known as MINDA, where zoning is reportedly favoured, the declarations from respected elders and stakeholders in the area to prune the list of aspirants to four has unsettled the camps of many aspirants.

At the onset, the traditional authorities claimed that the pruning of the aspirants from MINDA was because of their large number and that the decision was taken to enhance commitment and

focus of the entity to the project which has not enjoyed the seat since the creation of the state.

A few weeks ago, another crucial meeting was reportedly held in Gboko between the Tor Tiv and all the governorship contenders from the MINDA extraction, where consultation waiver was granted unanimously to only four aspirants: Felix Atume (Gwer-West); Dr. Samuel Ortom (Guma); Mr. Hinga Biem (Gwer) and Prince Terhemen Tarzoor (Makurdi).

But sources claim that other governorship aspirants from the Idoma ethnic group are also gearing for the 2015 race on the assumption that aspirants from MINDA may fail to reach a consensus on single candidate and regardless of the positions of decisions reached by some powerful interests in the state on who succeeds Suswam.

For instance, the deputy governor, Chief Steven Lawani, and a former minister, Mr. Sam Ode, have stepped up their drive since the pruning exercise came to the fore.

With the seeming endorsement of Atume, a former Director-General of Benue Rural Development Agency (BERDA), former commissioner of works and President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Ortom; former Permanent Secretary, Biem and Tarzoor, who is a former Speaker of the state House of Assembly to contest the PDP primaries, the battle

•Contd. on page 74

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014

NEWS REVIEW

Suleiman Abba: A profile in controversy

I

N Suleiman Abba's long career in the service of the Nigerian Police force, very little stood him out as a controversial officer and even fewer significant events touted him as the officer destined for the high office of the Inspector General of Police, (IGP). Some of his colleagues and superiors described him as a loyal and dedicated officer; others said he served meritoriously, never questioning orders and ready to do his duty. They say he was an officer and a gentleman, they may be right.

Abba climbed the leadership ladder through the ranks, not for him the sometimes underserved and unearned promotion which usually comes about due to the overriding influence of a godfather. Abba also played his game well, he avoided all the known pitfalls, unnecessary agitations and while rising through the ranks, he waited for his time.

Abba's career took him through several sections in service making friends and maybe enemies along the way. He was the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of State CID at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command before he moved to the Force Headquarters as the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP).

At some point, he was Commissioner of Police in Rivers State and was Aide-De-Camp (ADC) to Maryam Abacha, wife of former military ruler Sani Abacha who died in 1998. Then on February 22, 2012, he was promoted Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of zone 7.

He has also had a solid academic background; his first degree was in History after which he bagged another Degree in Law. He is also a proud alumnus of the Prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru (NIPPS), Jos Plateau State.

But fate works in mysterious ways as Abba was favoured above eight of his superiors to be named the Acting Inspector General of Police on August 1, 2014 to take over from the outgoing Mohammed Abubakar. Under normal circumstances, reaching the zenith of one's profession should be what one should look up to, but the Police Abba inherited carried with it negative baggage that would require a heart of steel and a stealth hand to deal with.

Abba seemed to have hit the ground running. His first statement included the fact that he would not change the vision of his predecessor but he will bring about attitudinal change in the way policemen conduct their business.

The change came earlier than expected. On October 30th, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal defected from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Few hours later, the IGP announced in a statement the withdrawal of the Speaker's security details citing provisions of Section 68 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

The statement reads: "In view of the recent defection by the Right Hon. Aminu Waziri Tanbuwal, CFR, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress and having

Since he was appointed Acting Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba has made decisions many termed controversial, the latest being the withdrawal of the security detail of House of Representatives Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal. Seun Akioye reports

• Abba

regard to the clear provision of section 68(1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, the Nigeria Police Force, has redeployed its personnel attached to his office."

Very few applauded the IGP for his 'proactive' actions with many accusing him of turning himself and the Police into a constitution interpreting institution abandoning its primary responsibility.

Section 68 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution says: "A member of the Senate or of the House of Representatives shall vacate his seat in the House of which he is a member if (g) being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House

was elected; Provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored.

Jumping the gun The question many commentators have asked was when did it become the lot of the Nigerian Police to interpret the constitution? Do the Police err by its proactive action in deciding the Speaker flawed extant provisions of Section 68 of the constitution without an appropriate proclamation from the judiciary?

Aminu Tambuwal thought so.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Imam Imam, he said in the IGP's interpretation of the law, "nothing could be further from the truth."

The implication according to

Imam is that the IGP has singlehandedly removed Tambuwal from office.

To back his stand, Tambuwal's spokesman had added, "For the avoidance of doubt the question of whether or not there is a division or faction in the PDP has been resolved by Lord Justice Faji of the Ilorin Division of Federal High Court in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/605/ 2013 in which the court held that indeed there were factions in the PDP. "What the Acting Inspector General of Police has done therefore has no basis in law including the 1999 Constitution which he has cited. It is a brazen act of crass impunity, gross constitutional breach and contempt of court. The Inspector General should desist from assuming or usurping the constitutional functions of the Judiciary."

The Inspector General is not alien to controversy. Few days after his appointment, he had told senior officers that he would prevent criminals from contesting the 2015 general elections.

According to him,"During screening of candidates, we will collaborate with our colleagues, particularly the Department of State Service to ensure that candidates with criminal records are not allowed to contest the election."

But the Supreme Court had ruled in the case between Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that any indictment needed judicial backing to be effective meaning the police cannot stop a candidate without an order of the court.

Some Senators also rallied to Tambuwal's defence. Senator Babafemi Ojodu said it was unfair and uncivilised. "Why can't they withdraw the security of Governor Olusegun Mimiko when he defected from Labour Party to the PDP? If the government continues like this, they will kill Nigeria's democracy.

The Federal Government will be held responsible if anything should happen to Tambuwal today," he said.

For Mike Ozekhome, a lawyer and human rights activist, Tambuwal remains the Speaker of the House, "At least till December 3, when the House resumes Plenary. He has not been impeached. He remains the number four (4) person in Nigeria.

He, therefore, deserves full complement of security."

Also, Victor Oghene, Deputy Chairman House Committee on Media and Publicity said House proceedings cannot be regulated from the outside. "We wish to reaffirm - even with the pains of almost sounding monotonous that the Speakership of the House of Representatives, or indeed, any other national elective position, belongs to the generality of Nigerians, and not the political platforms upon which such leaders emerge.

"While the case of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who as a sitting Vice President moved to another political party - and did not get judicial reprobation for the act - is still fresh in our memories, the clear provisions of Section 50(1) (b) of the Nigerian Constitution easily settles the worries regarding the continued Speakership of Tambuwal. " There shall be a Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves", the above quoted portion of the Constitution stipulates. It would, therefore, amount to an affront on members' privilege to question their constitutionally-guaranteed right to freely elect their leader."

By stirring the hornets' nest, Abba may have unwittingly charted the course that will define his time at the head of Nigerian police and the perception of the public as exemplified in the opinions of a caller on a radio programme on Friday. "The IGP has shown he is a political officer and he has already taken sides with a party against the other. How can we trust him to be neutral in the 2015 general elections?"

However, the IGP may still have many opportunities to win Nigerians to his side. But would he‌?

Ropo Sekoni

13

Page 14

Femi Orebe Page 16

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014

Tambuwal's 'coup' tunjade@yahoo.co.uk 08054503906 (sms only)

The self-styled 'largest political party in Africa' turns to usual lawlessness as Speaker dumps the Humpty Dumpty

U

NTIL the defection, last Tuesday, of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), many people had regarded the defection, in August, of the former presidential candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the 2011 presidential election, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, as the defection to beat.

And that was quite understandable. ACN and other political parties that are unhappy with the state of affairs in the country have now teamed up to form the APC which is now trying to take over power from the ruling PDP. So, those who regard Ribadu's defection to the PDP as the biggest such carpet-crossing have every right to hold that opinion. What on earth could have made a party's presidential candidate abandon the ship only to want to run for governor on another party's ticket? Well, much as Ribadu is now recuperating from his failure to get what he thought he was going to get in the PDP that probably necessitated his defection, the APC too, hopefully, must have learnt its lessons.

What was Ribadu's antecedent that qualified him to hoist such an exalted flag?

However, now that Speaker Tambuwal has dumped the PDP, that has become the talk of the town and made Ribadu's defection pale into insignificance. Tambuwal's defection is the 'mother of all defections', at least so far. I said so far because no one can tell, the president himself might decide to jump ship before Noah's Ark is full! " My dear colleagues, pursuant to the extant provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and having regards to the developments in my home state of Sokoto, I wish to hereby formally notify you of my membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Let me register my profound appreciation to all of you, my colleagues, for the unflinching support you have continued to extend to me and the great sacrifice you are making in the pursuit of the overall national interest and the development of constitutional democracy …". Tambuwal crowned it with a prayer that God should continue to guide his colleagues as they exercise the people's mandate entrusted to them.

With these words he adjourned sitting in the House to December 3. Although Tambuwal's defection had been in the air for so long, why it still took some of the PDP representatives by surprise, to the extent that some of them reportedly wept after the Speaker's announcement, is difficult to comprehend.

Of course, everyone who is conversant with our political developments could have predicted how the Goodluck Jonathan administration would react to the issue that should be a battle of wits and guts. But trust the PDP and its government; they have already turned it to roforofo fight. Even as the Speaker was yet to return the gavel with which he hit the table to declare proceedings of the House of Representatives closed on Tuesday after dropping the bombshell, some of the PDP members had started calling for Tambuwal's resignation from the party.

Indeed, the 'punishment' has started.

National Vice-Chairman of the party in the South-South, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, vowed to do everything within his powers to regain the speakership of the House from

•Tambuwal Tambuwal. "PDP is a very disciplined (disciplined?) party. If you come and steal in the PDP and use the PDP to elevate yourself and get into office, when the time comes, God will get you out like the issue of Tambuwal. You can see how God has exposed him", he said. As if it is not common knowledge that the countless persons that God had truly exposed in the ruling party are the ones enjoying the fruits of the land!

Expectedly, even if gratuitously, the Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, has joined the fray by withdrawing Tambuwal's security men. By so doing, the acting IGP assumed the role of the judiciary which he has absolutely no power to assume. Moreover, there are many cases pending in courts concerning the Section 68(1) (g) that he cited as the basis for his action. At any rate, at whose behest did the IGP take the action? And how does that become a pressing matter for his attention and action? If the police boss could promptly react to the crimes plaguing the country the way he reacted to Tambuwal's defection, a purely political affair, the country would be a better place to live in. Again, not only did the courts say that there was not only division in the party but faction, which later merged with the APC. So, on what legal plank did the IGP stand to carry out his clearly partisan action?

It is obvious the PDP would even take more misguided and desperate actions in the coming days and weeks. For now, it appears the police force is enough. At the appropriate time, other security forces - army, navy and air force - may be involved. When the ruling party fights, it does so with all its fury and might, forgetting that the era of brute force is gone forever. Ideas rule today's world. The PDP should however be well guided by Nigeria's political history, and particularly by what happened in Burkina Faso, where soldiers joined demonstrators in protesting the plan by that country's parliament to extend (now former) President Blaise Compaore's nearly three-decade rule. It comes to a point when even security forces become embarrassed by the unholy use to which lawless governments put them, particularly when the parliament that should do the needful fail in that responsibility.

Another thing that should be expected is that, rather than the ruling party lament that it had lost a big fish (that is obvious because the country's Number Four Citizen cannot be anything but a big fish), the party would, in its arrogance and ignorance (or both) suddenly realise that the Speaker is nothing but a political Lilliputian;

“Given the government's and PDP's frenetic reactions to the incident so far, one may deduce that they both do not seem to appreciate the unfolding political drama in the country. Suppose it turns out that Tambuwal's defection was only the 'champion'?

Suppose 'knockout' is on the way?”

someone whose kernel was cracked for him by the party only for him to turn round to bite the finger that made him politically relevant. The PDP said that when it lost Bukola Saraki, the former governor of Kwara State.

When Saraki was in the ruling party, he was an issue, but the moment he defected, he became an inconsequential politician; the same was said of Rotimi Amaechi, the Rivers State governor. So, no one should be surprised if the ruling party now says Tambuwal's exit from the party is good riddance to bad rubbish.

Indeed, Ojougboh suggested that much in his reaction to the issue.

Another likely fallout of Tambuwal's defection is that he would suddenly become a corrupt person; (sorry, the PDP would now suddenly realise he is corrupt). So, he is likely to be ferociously hounded by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), as if even if the allegation is true, he is the only corrupt person in the land; or, as if we do not see very corrupt persons around the corridors of power on a daily basis. As a matter of fact, the party would have forgotten while accusing Tambuwal of being corrupt that the president had said there is nothing like corruption in Nigeria and that what many of us call corruption is mere stealing!

Tambuwal's sins (if any) that would have been overlooked if he had not left the ruling party would suddenly be remembered and visited.

The ruling party would now desperately start fishing for excuses to rubbish him. To them, it used to be unthinkable that anyone of substance could ever dump the PDP. No matter what we might say of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, he is one of the first big fishes to dump the Humpty Dumpty, even if he returned, only to quit again. But he made the point that there is nothing sacrosanct in or about the PDP. Tambuwal has revalidated that point, even if with bolder relief.

From these reactions it is obvious the PDP and its government do not seem to appreciate the enormity of the damage they have done to this country in the last 15 years. Only people without conscience would still see the party as having something good to offer Nigerians.

The party can only go more brutal and commit serial illegalities in its bid to rid Tambuwal of the speakership, further alienating itself in the process. The ideal thing to do, if indeed the ruling party is disciplined as Ojougboh wants us to believe, is to go to court to challenge Tambuwal's defection rather than embark on self-help. If the PDP and its government are not comfortable seeking redress in the law court because of the slow pace at which justice travels in the country, they are partly to blame for that tragedy. They have had all the time in the world to reform the judiciary to make it more functional. Now that they see themselves as likely candidates or victims of that slow pace of justice, they resorted to self-help, thereby worsening their case. One may not know the party that would succeed the PDP; it is at least getting clear by the day that the ruling party has since lost whatever its allure was.

Again, one thing no one can take away from the Speaker is that he has managed the affairs of the house well in his time. Even if the PDP now 'exhumes' some phantom sins against him, Nigerians would see through the shenanigans: why now? What the ruling party does not seem to realise is that more surprises could be in the offing. Given the government's and PDP's frenetic reactions to the incident so far, one may deduce that they both do not seem to appreciate the unfolding political drama in the country. Suppose it turns out that Tambuwal's defection was only the 'champion'? Suppose 'knockout' is on the way?

CHIBOK GIRLS. STILL IN LIMBO. SINCE APRIL 15.

Who is fooling who?

M

OST politicians are notorious for making false promises and claims. To get elected, they usually make promises which they cannot fulfil. They promise their supporters and voters heaven on earth even when it is very clear that they do not have the capacity to be true to their words.

When they fail to live up to their promises, they are not usually honest enough to admit their failure. They make false claims and brag about what they claim to have achieved to justify asking for another term or seeking another position.

They can be very disingenuous in their desperate bid to hang on to power like we are currently witnessing in the race for 2015.

Even when it is apparent that not much transformation has taken place in the lives of Nigerians across the country, some incumbent political office holders have come up with laughable claims of not only being endorsed by their supporters, but financial contributions to buy/purchase nomination forms.

Last Thursday, President Goodluck Jonathan joined the list of aspirants who reportedly enjoy so much support that their supporters decided to contribute money for them to buy forms.

According to his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Reuben Abati, over N98million was contributed by a cross section of Nigerians for President Jonathan to buy the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) N22m Presidential nomination form.

Before President Jonathan, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, now seeking Senatorial seat after two terms as Governor; Senate President, David Mark who has served three terms as Senator; and Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima have made similar claims of having their nomination forms paid for.

Before now, supporters have always been known to contribute to campaign funds, but this new wave of claims of supporters buying forms is vintage Nigerian politicians who can be trusted to do anything to back their claims of being the 'people's candidate'.

If only the Presidential aspirant of the All Progressive Congress (APC), General Mohammed Buhari knew better, like other politicians, he would have sought the financial support of his supporters to pay for his nomination form to test their loyalty instead of getting a loan to pay for his form as he claimed.

President Jonathan and others can deceive themselves about the contributions to pay for their forms, but only those who don't know the ways of politicians will believe them. This false claim, like many others is to give the false impression of how popular their candidature is.

If indeed some supporters paid for the forms, it must have been from what they have benefited from the aspirants or what they hope to get. The incumbent aspirants have more than enough to pay for their forms and should have spared us the joke about the financial contributions.

Apart from the financial support claim/ Aside the claim of financial support, aspirants should also stop claiming that they are contesting based on the call by their 'people'. If they don't have enough personal conviction to run or don't have the capacity for any office, they should not (contest).

Nigerians are tired of having (reluctant)? candidates who don't have any clear agenda about what to do to improve on the level of governance in the country. What we need are candidates with clear vision of how to genuinely transform the country and reverse the decline in virtually every sector in the country. .

14

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014

COMMENT

Our politics and geography of power Certainly, there are political leaders in the country whose religious affiliations seem to have been eclipsed by their modern mindset and commitment to building a modern state.

O

UR national politics took a new turn last week. Two of the country's former heads of state, General Olusegun Obasanjo and General Mohammed Buhari, took turns to examine the religious topography of the country in relation to selection of presidential candidates for the forthcoming national elections. Buhari was reported to have said that there is nothing wrong with the top two candidates in the presidential ticket being Muslims or Christians, illustrating thatAbiola and Kingibe were both Muslims in the annulled presidential election of 1993. In contrast, Obasanjo was quoted as saying everything is wrong with any presidential ticket that reserves the top two positions for Christians or Muslims, emphasising that the time is not ripe or right for any political party to make that kind of choice.

The interest of today's piece is to examine why both of the two former rulers may be, in Nigerian parlance, half-right and half-wrong.

Ideally, religion should not be a matter of any importance in politics and distribution of power in a modern state, more so in a multicultural one. If religion were left at the level of spiritual interaction between individuals and whatever represents God for them, it should not matter to voters and candidates who are interested in solving social and mundane problems facing citizens. In particular, citizens in a mono-religious space would have no reason to think in terms of religion when choosing a candidate or when a candidate that subscribes to the territory's only or dominant religion canvasses for votes.

Focus on politics and power for the purpose of improving the quality of life of citizens would even be better assured were such a monoreligious society to proclaim the state a secular state rather than a theocracy. In such a context, citizens may not need to worry about the religion of those who govern them or represent them in legislative chambers. Emphasis in such a context is likely to be on candidates' capacity

to govern properly by solving citizens' social and economic problems. For instance, the United Kingdom is a multicultural polity that is largely united by religion, a crown, and the book of common laws. Even though the country subscribes to the principle of freedom of association, it has not since 1707 had a nonChristian prime minister and no constituency seems to be bothered by this. It is just assumed that anyone wanting to serve as the country's political leader would accept or tolerate the only or dominant religion in this multicultural society.

Still on idealism, a plural society that houses multiple religious orientations: Animism, Christianity, and Islam has the potential to demand a supra-religious attitude to its politics and distribution of power, to avoid destabilising sectarian thoughts and activities.

Regardless of claims by partisans of the dominance of one religion or the other in Nigeria, the country houses multiple religions, some of which appear to compete with each other. For a multi-religious society to avoid conflicts that can distract it from proper governance, it has two choices: declare itself a secular state or accept to reflect its religious diversity in the composition of its governing team in the fashion of the country's principle of federal character.

It is crucial to come to terms with the reality of Nigeria while hoping for ways to change such reality, more so if such is believed to strengthen the capacity to improve governance and enhance unity. Calling for a society in which the religious affiliation of political leaders should be of no consequence in seeking votes and post-election governance is not a bad thing.

But anchoring supra-religious vision of the polity solely on readiness or capacity of individual candidates to act right to all regardless of their religious affiliation is not enough to guarantee peace and unity. The country needs a constitution that is unequivocal about secularity of the state as a means of welding together a

country of multiple religions. Without a constitution that has adequate provisions to remove fear of domination of one religious group by another, or of one ethnic or linguistic group by another, asking citizens to discountenance the politics of identity and reflection of plurality (in terms of religion, ethnicity, or language) may be nothing more than wishful thinking.

In a multicultural Nigeria where two of the three Abrahamic religions (or so-called universal religions) are themselves endangered by division into regular and radical Islam and Christianity, it is not advisable for any politician to push religion to the back burner in the choice of candidates, more so that the current constitution is not sufficiently secular in its vision and provisions. Even the amendments by the national assembly and recommendations from the national conference have chosen to ignore the confusion or inconsistency in the 1999 Constitution with respect to the difference between a secular state and a multi-religious state.

Rising above the many factors that divide Nigerians into groups: language, ethnicity, and religion for the purpose of governance is not unachievable in the long run. But the rhetoric of transcending such divisions may not be capable of substituting for the wisdom of understanding such divisions and moderating them with a secular constitution that sets out to create and sustain a modern state. For example, with the current constitution that has a role for Sharia and Customary Court systems in the capital territory (the space of convergence of the country's plurality) and a constitution that also has a role for the national assembly in regulating what should have been left solely to local governments and states that need such legal and judicial systems, citizens who do not share the religious beliefs of their Christian-Christian or Muslim-Muslim president and vice president may feel unrepresented or under-represented

in the governing team.

Certainly, there are political leaders in the country whose religious affiliations seem to have been eclipsed by their modern mindset and commitment to building a modern state.

As a voter, there are many of such persons that I would vote for even if the presidential ticket is Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian. But this could be because I and others who think like that see religion as something that is best left to the private realm. Most of our present crop of voters have had no reason or exposure in the way the country has been governed in the last fifty years to think that the religious affiliations of principal officers of the Nigerian State do not matter. But it's possible, even probable, for most voters to think that religion is irrelevant to the common good in a multi-religious society, but we may be too optimistic if we disregard the principle of inclusiveness without ensuring proper institutional or constitutional guarantees, to enable the polity move from where it is at the moment to where it wishes to be.

After almost half a century of lack of direction, it is conceivable that most voters would want a presidential ticket that is committed and capable of providing regular electricity, an enabling environment for the growth of sustainable refineries to reduce the cost of energy for citizens and governments; creating jobs for young Nigerians and empowering our women; providing an educational culture that can compete in the modern world; etc. But it is also imaginable that there are many Nigerians who would want a guarantee of inclusivity, reflection of all forms of plurality (call it federal character) in the room in which the national cake of job and other opportunities is shared. Such guarantee can come more assuredly from a secular constitution and modern religion-neutral institutions, than from good-hearted leaders who can proclaim that they are tolerant Christians, Muslims, or Animists.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014

COMMENT

15

Jonathan's secret panel Oritsejafor, Asari-Dokubo should be probed openly over the $9.3m arms deal scandal

T

HE attempt by President Goodluck Jonathan's administration to surreptitiously clear the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and Alhaji Asari-Dokubo of any wrong doing in the $9.3 million arms deal scandal, through a secret panel, is a mockery of democratic ethos. In what appears an image laundry exercise, there is a report that a secret panel, allegedly set up by the Federal Government, drawn from security agencies to probe the involvement of the CAN President, whose private aircraft was used to ferry the money, and Asari-Dokubo, who was alleged to be among the persons that ferried the money to South-Africa, have cleared the duo of any wrongdoing.

According to the release by PR Nigeria, a media outfit reportedly close to the military, "a special team, comprising security agents, intelligence experts and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has investigated the $9.3 million cash-for-arms deal and submitted its report to the Presidency". We view the choice of a secret panel by the presidency which has been accused of collusion in the transaction as offending the legal maxim: Nemo unquam judicet in se - Let no one ever be a judge in his own cause. So, considering that many view with suspicion the relationship between President Jonathan and the indicted persons, it is dubious to clandestinely use executive powers to exonerate them.

For the majority of Nigerians, the idea of a secret panel in a democracy is a misnomer. Such a procedure is a mockery of the doctrine of the rule of law, which should be the guiding principle for any democratic government. If indeed the Presidency is desirous of coming clean over that murky affair, what is appropriate would be an administrative panel of enquiry

constituted in a manner to show its independence and capacity for impartiality. It is the panel that will publicly determine the extent of involvement of the CAN President and Asari-Dokubo, in the cash-for-arms deal.

Anything short of a public enquiry would, as in the present circumstance, merely increase the level of suspicion among Nigerians, as to the real intention of the Presidency in the matter. As many have argued when the news broke, the CAN president whose plane was used to ferry the cash and Asari-Dokubo who was alleged to be on the plane, are notable supporters of the President, and who in their vociferous support for him, have threatened fire and brimstone against any perceived opponent of his. So, could it be that in his desperation to reciprocate their support for him, President Jonathan hurriedly forgot his constitutional oath to always act without fear or favour, in the discharge of his responsibilities?

Also worrisome is why the names of the members of the panel should be a secret matter.

In the current circumstance of secrecy, how do Nigerians know whether those who sat on the panel are not surrogates or relations of the investigated persons? Indeed, is it not possible that with the use of secret panel members, the actual findings of the panel could be supplanted with a false report or even the members clearly TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

•Editor Festus Eriye •Deputy Editor Olayinka Oyegbile •Associate Editors Taiwo Ogundipe Sam Egburonu

•Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Adekunle Ade-Adeleye

exhibiting bias, knowing that their identities are hidden from the public?

With the report in the media that the panel has turned in its report to the Presidency, one can legitimately conclude that it was the President that set it up. But what is not clear is what rules and regulations the panel used to arrive at its advertised findings. Since its members were allegedly drawn from the security agencies, is it possible that they applied military standards in arriving at the decision?

Or, could such a body apply the basic tenets of fair hearing, which implies the right of the accusers to be allowed to put their case against the accused and the need to offer an accused the opportunity to clear oneself in a circumstance devoid of any form of intimidation.

To show that the panel may not have the requisite capacity to properly conduct such an enquiry, the media release said: "It was true that the CAN President's jet was used, but we found out that it was without his knowledge … And you may be aware that the lease trend is peculiar to private jet owners in the country". A simple question that this assertion failed to answer is whether even if it is a trend, is such a trend lawful, considering that the plane in question was purchased for private use, and for which taxes from such dubious income will not be paid? The report did not also explain why a private plane should be hired by the National Security Adviser and used for a military assignment. What is needed for all the parties concerned to come clean is an open and transparent enquiry, to allay the concerns of the general public.

As far as we are concerned, those suspected of involvement in the scandal still have questions to answer, to exonerate themselves.

That is not the duty of a secret panel.

spirit of capitalism.

EAR Sir, Superstition and fear of the I write in response unknown undoubtedly to Biodun Jeyifo's also play a part in pushing three-part article on many professors to "Religion and science, faith religion.

The country and reason", published in seems to produce an your issues of the October abundance of academics 5th, 12th and 19th October, that religion has facts, on evidence, and on proportions are almost parson who also won the (smart guys who can score 2014.

I have always enjoyed historically fought a losing rigorous logic. There is no certainly higher in France, Nobel Prize in physics, but high marks at exams) rather than intellectuals (those reading his articles in The battle with science! How common ground on which Sweden and Japan. he has never argued that with broad-based Richard Feynman, a religion and science are Nation on Sunday, as they can two spheres of life that they can communicate, seem to address issues of are supposedly compatible except at the private level famous American Nobel compatible. Georges E. education who can engage genuine critical Laureate in physics, even Lemaitre was a Belgian in national importance from fight wars with each other? of the individual. thinking).

It is perhaps not Jeyifo also claims that said: "God is always Catholic the "common man's" point We can only resolve this priest and that our of view. There are several contradiction by saying "All the Nobel Laureates in invented to explain those cosmologist, one of the surprising points raised in his article that religion and science are the sciences … also believe things that you do not originators of the big bang national IQ is abysmally different in God." This is a blatant understand."

Most theory, who never brought low. In a study to examine under consideration, but completely of human lie. In fact, the reverse seems European Enlightenment God into how the Universe the relationship between space will not permit me to spheres belief and deal with them adequately experience. Freethinkers to be true: most scientists in intellectuals of the 18th began, to the consternation religious from Anaxagoras through the developed world are century were freethinkers. of the Pope. Examples such national IQ covering 137 here.

Russell to atheists. According to Einstein was an atheist, as as these abound, today as countries, the correlation Although there are Bertrand was generally found to be Richard Dawkins have statistics quoted by Richard is Stephen Hawking today. in the past. several inaccuracies in the negative: those countries Individual scientists article which he himself shown religion not only to Dawkins in his book, The In Nigeria, the picture is with the highest evil but also God Delusion, nearly 79% may, for different reasons, doubly confusing. It seems and Olabode Lucas have be percentages of believers incompatible with the of the Fellows of the UK's have religious conviction, to me that most Nigerian tried to remedy in different this is often scientists who turn to God also scored relatively issues of your newspaper, rational, scientific temper prestigious Royal Society but of the human mind. independent of their do so for purely pecuniary poorly in their national IQ. are nonbelievers, and 93% I would like to comment on his claim that religion and Religion thrives on fear, of the USA's Members of the scientific pursuit. The Rev. reasons, perhaps as a On the other hand, Japan science are not at variance superstition and blind National Academy of John Polkinghorne, for reflection of Max Weber's had an IQ of 102 with only with each other. He writes: trust. Science is based on Sciences are atheists. Their example, is an Anglican Protestant ethic and the 35% of its people believing in God. "… religion and science are While we bemoan the not incompatible, not NE of the marks of woeful performance of our he deserves mutually antithetical. … I statesmanship is A&E Ltd, who supplied children at WASC and commendation.

My hope is mean religious expressions the willingness to kerosine to some rural that are not opposed to the share with the less- coastal communities in someone has put aside that others will emulate NECO exams, we should rational processes of the privileged and embark on Delta State at N50.00 per capitalist mentality just to this laudable gesture as we also be concerned that inclined a struggling work towards making our religiously human mind … see the actions and activities that litre. It is sad that at most satisfy hand of God in these promote their well being. It petrol stations kerosine segment of society by society a better place and professors of science are all and be our contributing to our low processes." This is a is on this premise that I sells for as much as N150 - supplying them at an above brothers’ keepers. national IQ. curious statement, for applaud the magnanimity N180, far beyond the reach affordable rate a very - Alexander Ighoro

By Gilbert Alabi Diche commodity somewhere in his article of Chief Emami Ayiri, CEO, of the common man. If essential Warri, Delta State Rayfield, Jos.x needed for their survival, Jeyifo has told his audience SEND TYPEWRITTEN, DOUBLE SPACED AND SIGNED CONTRIBUTIONS, LETTERS AND REJOINDERS OF NOT MORE THAN 500 WORDS TO THE EDITOR, THE NATION, 27B, FATAI ATERE ROAD, MATORI, LAGOS: sundaynation@yahoo.com

LETTERS

D

Jeyifo, religion and science

O

In praise of Chief Ayiri

16

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014

COMMENT

Short Takes

While some said my choice - Buhari/Amaechi - cannot hurt the president, most of those who reacted said that will be the very last nail on the coffin of impunity, insecurity and corruption, otherwise known as the PDP.

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RECEIVED tonnes of reactions on the 4-part article: Periscoping APC's Ideal Presidential Candidate. While some said my choice - Buhari/Amaechi - cannot hurt the president, most of those who reacted said that will be the very last nail on the coffin of impunity, insecurity and corruption, otherwise known as the PDP. Today's SHORT TAKES, therefore, parade eloquent testimonies as to why the latter opinion will prevail, come February, 2015.

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN . "Without security, there is no government. So it is not debatable, it is something we have to address and we are working towards that with vigour.

But if I'm voted into power within the next four years, the issue of power will become a thing of the past. Four years is enough for anyone in power to make significant improvement and if I can't improve on power within this period, it then means I cannot do anything even if I am there for the next four years." Jonathan to Nigerian diplomats at UNECA, Addis-Ababa, 2011.

The only improvement I can see is public money being splashed on private companies called Gencos, Discos, whatever.

DR REUBEN ABATI ON THE FIRST LADY. "The sober truth is that democracy is about rights and responsibilities, a democratic dispensation therefore cannot be a licence for disagreeable conduct as a norm; just as the possession

of power in any form does not guarantee the right to be reckless or to ignore the etiquette required of office holders. Anyone in the corridors of power, either by chance or right, or appointment, is expected to behave decorously.

Dame Patience Jonathan, our president's wife, failed the test this week in Okrika, Rivers State. It is trite knowledge that there is a critical difference between Yenagoa and Abuja, and a world of difference between being the wife of a Deputy Governor/ Governor/Vice president and being the wife of Nigeria's No 1 citizen. When people suddenly find themselves in such latter position, prepared or unprepared, anywhere in the world, they are taken through a crash programme in finishing and poise and made to realise that being the wife of an important man comes with serious responsibilities. If Dame Patience went through such re-orientation, the course was incomplete. -The Guardian, Thursday, 27 August, 2010.

SOME KEY NIGERIANS ON GEN. BUHARI PRESIDENT SHAGARI -"After the Army toppled our democratic regime it has option but to install Buhari as head of state so as to avoid credibility problems, especially in the sight of the international community because of his being an epitome of integrity."

-.PRESIDENT OBASANJO "There are only two honest and reliable Nigerians - myself and Buhari. All what the PDP is saying of Buhari being a

fundamentalist is mere hot lies. They just fear him. He is as reliable as he is hardworking, honest and incorruptible." .GEN. ABDUSALAMI - "Buhari was honest and sincere in all his conduct that perhaps, only very few Nigerians could match him in integrity."

PRESIDENT JONATHAN - "Gen. Muhammadu Buhari was a true patriot, respected former head of state, elder statesman and a nationalist."

-.LATE GEN. ABACHA (PTF INAUGURAL SPEECH).-"I have realised our collective mistake in overthrowing you. I have seen the terrible damage which our action caused to the Nigerian psyche. I am most sorry.

Please, come and do what is best known about you. Patriotic service to the nation."

- PRESIDENT IBRAHIM BABANGIDA -"If Buhari quits PTF job as he promises, and as we knew him to mean his words all along, I will support the idea of scrapping PTF as no one else can do the job like him. I respect Buhari.

He was my boss. He was an honourable man. And I can say this anywhere." .ALH. ISIYAKU IBRAHIM - "As a member of PDP BOT, I decided personally to donate N5,000,000 to Buhari's campaign organisation because of my firm belief in his ability to right all the nation's wrongs-.

ALHAJI ISIAKU IBRAHIM MEMBER, PDP BOT MEMBER (at a Book launch in Kaduna) - "Buhari is as clean as the book I am holding."

-SEN. MAKARFI (a former Kaduna State governor)- "If the truth must be said, Buhari remains the only real threat to PDP whether he runs for the presidency or not due to his wider followership among the masses that

now hate the elite circle."

- BALARABE MUSA (a former Kaduna State governor) - Punch January 21, 2011 - "General Buhari rose from the rank of a Lieutenant in the army to a General. At one time, he was a GOC. He was later appointed Military Administrator of the old North-East. He was in the Petroleum Ministry as minister. In December 1983 he became Head of State via a coup. During the late General Sani Abacha's regime, he headed the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) before former President Obasanjo scrapped it. But I read in the papers where the General himself said after obtaining his CPC presidential form, which cost him over N5 million, he is now left with less than a million naira in his account. Now, my task is to challenge all of us to ensure this man becomes president. General Buhari deserves to be given a chance. When he became Head of State after the 1983 coup, thousands of Second Republic politicians, including me, were picked and locked up by the junta. But even in Kirikiri I discovered that the NPN elements among us were giving bribe to prison officials to ensure they got a double ration of food. It dawned on me that people who can offer bribes even in Kirikiri have no reason to be our leaders. Buhari was vindicated."

ON SPEAKER TAMBUWAL'S RESIGNATION "Concerning calls for Mr. Speaker to step down from the position to which his colleagues freely elected him on June 6, 2011, we wish to reaffirm that the Speakership of the House of Representatives, or any other national elective position, belongs to the generality of Nigerians, not the political platforms upon which such leaders

emerge. While the case of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who as a sitting vice president moved to another political party - and did not get judicial reprobation for the act - is still fresh in our memories and the clear provisions of Section 50(1) (b) of the Nigerian Constitution easily settles the worries regarding the continued Speakership of Rt. Hon. Tambuwal. It says: 'There shall be a Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives who shall be elected by the members of that House from among themselves." It would, therefore, amount to an affront on members' privilege to question their constitutionally-guaranteed right to freely elect their leaders.

"Additionally, Order 1, Rule 1 (2) of the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives states: 'In all cases not provided for hereinafter, or by sectional or other orders, precedents or practices of the House, the House shall by resolution regulate its procedure'. "It is in the light of the foregoing that the House wishes to appeal to those who seek to 'regulate its procedure' from outside its hallowed chambers to have a rethink, as the nation's Constitution, the Standing Orders of the House and precedent - as in the Speakership of the late Rt. Hon. Edwin Ume-Ezeoke in the Second Republic on a minority platform - have all provided answers to what may have otherwise been a knotty political issue." -Hon Victor Afam Ogene (Deputy Chairman, Media and Public Affairs.)

When I heard the government has withdrawn the Speaker's security details, my reaction was: very good; there goes the 2015 budget in flames!

Some serious thinking needs to be done on this Okada riding business For the sake of the rest of us who do not use Okada, let us all sit down at this here round table and shake fists on the matter

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IRST there was talk of the federal government banning Okada riding throughout Nigeria. At that, my heart did a somersault; you know, like it does when you get the news that your wife has been delivered of a set of quadruplets. Gbam! You say that's good news? Well, I'm sure you know that depends on where you're standing. Then there was a definite and suspiciously resounding denial of any intention by the government to ban Okada riding. At that, my heart took a dip. Wham! And I thought, 'hmmm, I smell a rat!'

Before you hang me, though, please let me first have my say, even if you won't give me my way.

For the sake of the rest of us who do not use Okada, let us all sit down at this here round table and shake fists on the matter. I know many Okada riders. Some of them are my relatives, friends, neighbours and family artisans, and some of them are even friendly with me, when we are not on the road. I think that gives me a vantage position to be objective about the situation.

Yes sir, I know; many reasons have been given on why many riders have taken to the road: failed infrastructures like electricity, bad economy, low clientele, etc. These, say the experts, account for why over half of the riders are not practicing their primary professions.

These people are on the roads because they need to feed their families.

Well, to that I can only say that I am also experiencing those failed infrastructures too but you have not seen me take to the road riding Okada. But don't mind me; it's just my cowardice controlling me as usual. True, I have seen some women on those things (and how I have hated them out of envy), but I always think, if I can get from point A to point B without endangering my limbs unnecessarily, why do I need to prove that what a man can do, a woman can do much worse?

As a matter of fact, I remember riding one of the things just once very many years ago and that was because the city I had gone to visit had no taxis. I believe the rider is still telling anyone who cares to listen how he once picked a fare who held his neck from behind to keep herself from falling. I am sure you cannot blame me. Have you taken a good look at a typical rider? He is often wearing black-rimmed and thick glasses through which he sees the road and all of us rather darkly, a dress ensemble consisting of sokoto, buba and a well insulated sports jacket. He completes this dressing with a pair of flip-flop slipons and a helmet that hangs on the mirror for protection (of the mirror, that is, not the head). Now, you understand my fear.

Again, the argument has been advanced that these riders are contributing to the economy of the country by helping to increase the employment figure in Nigeria.

Honestly I cannot argue either side of this. The only problem is that a very good number of them are liable to end up in orthopedic hospitals with crushed or broken legs, arms or heads. Yes, I guess you are right, they are contributing to giving doctors, nurses, pharmaceutical companies, etc., a great deal of trade. I also have it on good authority that even doctors and nurses are getting weary of the steady stream of people who go out of their house of a day to crush their bones. I do remember stopping somewhere to purchase some item, only to hear the women around there wailing on the death of a young rider who had passed in front of their shop only a few minutes before then.

One evening not too long ago, a somewhat inebriated young man known to me got on the motorcycle he used for Okada business, and ran headlong into a parked car, damaging the car, of course, and irreparably damaging his own neck, turning him into a quadriplegic.

Not long after, his elder brother got on another motorcycle and ran headlong into another motorcyclist at top speed, killing both of them.

Honestly, have you seen how unsteady and thin those motorcycles are? They surely belong in the category of the 'now you see them, now you don't'. Truly, many of them disappear into thin air while you are looking at them. Sometimes, the riders also disappear with them, especially under trucks and trailers; that is, when they are not causing mayhem on the road. So, if any

figure is being increased, I think it's the gains of the country where the motorcycles are being manufactured; they are smiling to the bank while we are groaning.

Then, the use of motorcycles as a means of transportation is doing nothing but reinforcing and increasing the image of Nigeria as a very poor country gripped by chaos, confusion and wretchedness. At no time do you get this feeling than when every motorist has been stopped at the traffic lights or traffic warden. Then, when all are released, it's the motorcyclists who first surge forward like a swarm of ravaging locusts revving infernal noises and belching soot and smoke to be consumed by the hapless motorists coming behind them. I don't particularly care for that.

Naturally, many of us non-users of Okada are in favour of banning their use. The country's government needs to stop hiding behind them to give the illusion that it is providing employment. It is not because in this employment, there is no possibility of career development.

However, two or three words of caution here when it comes time to ban them. The first concerns the timing. Clearly, no banning can be effective when the group that uses the motorcycles remains hungry.

Infrastructural decay has been fingered as the culprit. These have not been addressed in the country because as usual, the government is playing politics with them. So, clearly, until that is done, it will be grossly unfair to remove the source

of livelihood of that group, no matter how riotous or unpleasant its members are, without replacing that livelihood with something that can feed them better.

Secondly, the government needs to plan the ban properly when it is ready to impose it. Right now, Okada is too useful in helping people get from the express road right into their bedrooms. So, it's not just the riders, but even the clientele, who will be ready to bite the head out of any ban-ner of Okada. It cannot just come out of blues; it must be done systematically.

Thirdly, before the government bans Okada, it must first have a plan concerning what to do with the millions of the little monsters that have been imported into the country. This means that there must have been put in place a system by which they will be destroyed or recycled or exported out of the country again. This will be the only way to avoid the evil of motorcycle gangs and gang wars that is often concomitant with so many of them lying around the place.

Clearly, we need to seriously think about this Okada issue now so that we may see it as it really is: a social disease. Using them to fodder political interests or score political points as is being done currently in Ekiti state is being most unkind to the future of many Nigerians. Using them to project a rise in employment figures is also engaging in deception.

Truth is that Okada business is destructive at all levels. This is what we need to confront.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014

COMMENT

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HE National Education Summit (NES) that took place in Abuja this week is unquestionably the most comprehensive and radical response that has ever been made to the colossal educational crisis in our country. Of course, since I was the Chairman at the Summit, it can be said, quite truthfully, that I make this observation not as a disinterested and neutral reporter who is looking back at an event at which he was not a participant, not an interested party. But as the reader will soon find out from my report and reflections in this piece, even persons and organizations opposed to both the organizers and objectives of the Summit will find it hard to fault my assertion at the very start of this piece that in NES 2014, we had something that is without precedent in the history of attempts to respond appropriately to the terribly dysfunctional state of education at all levels in our country at the present time. First, a word on the range and diversity of organizations and stakeholders that were both responsible for and present at the Summit.

Officially, all the four Unions in our universities were listed as the organizers of the Summit.

These are the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU); the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT); the NonAcademic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU); and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).

But consider the fact that these four unions not only worked together to make NES 2014 happen, they also collaborated with the Federal Ministry of Education, the Ministries of Education of all the states of the federation and virtually all the major nongovernmental and civil society organizations in the country that have anything to do with education at all levels in Nigeria.

Indeed, in planning for and inviting participants to the Summit, all the governing councils of all universities in the country were contacted and invited, as were student bodies of all the universities in the land. Moreover, bodies such as the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Committee of Vice Chancellors, the Committee of Pro-Chancellors that usually regard themselves as serving interests and constituencies that own or regulate our educational institutions and those who work in them were consulted, invited and did actually send representatives to the Summit.

Finally, associations of professionals like lawyers, doctors were also invited to the Summit and many of them sent representatives.

I have meticulously gone over this comprehensive list of organizations and institutions consulted and invited to the Summit not merely in order to impress the reader with sheer numerical scale but, far more importantly to underscore the fact that at NES 2014 itself, not a single group, organization or person

At the National Education Summit (NES 2014): Is there a dividing line between the failing Nigerian state and its utterly failed educational system?

[For Dipo Fasina, the Convener of NES 2014]

among this long list enjoyed any special privilege over others. The protocols of formal courtesy and deference did not last beyond the ceremonial opening session on Monday. Pro-Chancellors, Vice Chancellors and Deputy Vice Chancellors got no special treatment of any kind that distinguished them from students and non-academic staff present at the Summit. I personally keenly felt and secretly enjoyed this radical overthrow of Nigerians' great love of deference to status, authority and privilege. As the Chairman of the Summit, the expression of formal or symbolic deference to me did not last beyond the first day of the Summit; from the second day to the fifth and final day, I was just another delegate and any courtesies or expressions of respect to me came from junior colleagues and was based solely on their sense of my professional work. Very distinguished professors and highly respected public figures mixed very freely with everyone else as if we were not in Nigeria but in another nation in a different region of the planet. I was particularly bemused to watch some ProChancellors, VCs and DVCs being denied the countless acts and expressions of exaggerated obeisance to which they feel entitled and which they normally receive; they put on a brave face and acted like genuine, born-again democrats! [Normally, the only time this ever happens in our universities is when protesting students corner a VC, DVC or Chairman of Council in a rough patch of a campus that is in the grip of militant or violent turmoil] In case the point I am making through this profile of a radical practice of popular democracy at NES 2014 is not clear and unambiguous, permit me to make it explicit. In seeing some of the most highly placed officials of our tertiary institutions in free and open

dialogue with senior professors, mid-career lecturers and the most humble members of our academic communities together with concerned citizens and organizations outside the educational sector, it felt as if we were in the only truly liberated space in Nigeria, a space in which what mattered, what motivated everyone present was not hierarchies of power, status or perquisites but the rescue, the liberation of our country's educational system from its present near comatose state. Indeed, I solemnly testify here that in at least the last decade, I have not been anywhere of, or read or heard about any assemblage of people and organizations as in NES 2014 where Nigerians were gathered, not to give praise to God, not to jockey for money, position or power but simply and only to reflect on what needs to be done to liberate our country from its present dire and worsening conditions.

This observation leads me directly to the two distinct but interlocking ideas that served as a sort of intellectual and ideological motive force for NES 2014, these being the liberation of Nigeria itself and a liberating education for all Nigerians, especially the pupils and students of our primary, secondary and tertiary institutions and the teachers who work in them. Please note that in the last sentence of the previous paragraph, I speak of the liberation of our country. This is significant, given the fact that the actual theme of the Summit was the liberation of the system of education in Nigeria at all levels from the forces that currently keep it backward, dysfunctional and crisis-ridden.

The liberation of Nigeria; the liberation of education in Nigeria: these were the animating ideas of the Summit. Some of the most brilliant and penetrating presentations at the Summit

astutely merged these two ideas.

Without in the least intending any departure from the practice of radical popular democracy at the Summit, I mention here particular presentations and interventions from the floor in which these two ideas were brilliantly and compellingly fused and articulated and these were presentations or interventions by Emeritus Professors PAI Obanya and Otonti Nduka, Professors Toye Olorode, Asisi Asobie, Abdulai Sule-Kano, Demola Popoola and Comrade Biodun Aremu. In this context, I should mention here the many powerful presentations on gender within the framework of the linked projects of liberating Nigeria and a liberating education for Nigeria; regrettably, I must record the fact that quite a large number of male delegates to the Summit were openly derisory or even plainly hostile to this particular category of presentations. From this, one can conclude that Nigerian male academics are in dire need of liberation from a Neanderthal-like conservatism in matters of gender equality!

There are formidable theoretical and ideological challenges to providing the link between, on the one hand, liberating Nigeria and, on the other hand, a liberating education for Nigeria and Nigerians, even though for most of those at the Summit who argued passionately for linking the two together, those links are pretty obvious. I happen to be on the side of those who took this position at the Summit; the point, though, is that I don't think that we should complacently feel that since we feel that those links are pretty obvious, those who don't think so are dumb or of necessity reactionary. Indeed, it is precisely because of this factor that the title of this essay has the phrase, "a failing Nigerian state

and its utterly failed educational system". For if you think, as most parents and employers of labour do, that the crisis of the massive production and reproduction of mediocrity and illiteracy in our schools and universities is one which can be simply corrected by holding the feet of federal and state governments and of teachers and lecturers to the fire of responsibility, accountability and patriotism, then you are not likely to think that you need to worry yourself about the liberation of Nigeria. For the great majority of those who take this position, great reform in policy, policy implementation and governance in our educational system is all you need; all talk of decolonizing the failing, neocolonial Nigerian state is ideological extremism as a means of hiding the collusion of teachers, professors and university administrators in the total debacle that has overtaken education in our country.

But this view is a dangerous half-truth and the questions raised by and in the phrase "the failing Nigerian state and its utterly failed educational system" will not simply disappear. The line that separates one from the other is so thin that it barely exists. This is because it is the same alliance of interests and forces that are looting the Nigerian state dry and crippling it that are at the base of the corrupt, unethical and unprofessional processes that are ruining our educational institutions. If the Nigerian state is still failing and not yet completely failed as the educational system has, that is only because it is the senior partner, the hegemonic force in the relationship between the educational system and the federal and state governments.

Without oil revenues and a largely volunteer army whose payroll is still assured for the foreseeable future, the Nigerian state would be as nearly fatally crippled as the Nigerian educational system. In their barracks, our soldiers live in conditions that are nearly as subhuman, insanitary and primitive as the conditions under which most of the students at our university campuses live and study, but at least the soldiers regularly and unfailingly get paid.

Remove this dividing line and then the stark underlying reality would be revealed: the failing Nigerian state and the utterly failed Nigerian educational system are mirror images of one another. You cannot deal radically and effectively with one without dealing with the other. At any rate, at NES 2014, reform and revolution were not separated from one another; but neither was one confused with the other.

- Biodun Jeyifo bjeyifo@fas.harvard.edu

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014

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ITH the spate of insecurity increasingly on the rise in the country, particularly in the North Eastern part, the concern of the global community over the security situation in country can no longer be ignored. Recently, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Laurent Fabius, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to defend Nigeria and Africa's image by conducting a credible election in 2015. His German counterpart, Dr. Frank Seinmeir, equally implored the Federal Government to increase its efforts to end insurgency ahead of the 2015 polls.

It is; therefore, clear that the security worries in the country need to be tackled frontally in order to have a conducive atmosphere for the conduct of the 2015 polls.

Unlike what many believe, insurgency is not the only source of security fears in the country. There is, for instance, the volatile issue of Fulani herdsmen who often attack their victims after their livestock have destroyed the latter's farmlands. The increasing incidents of kidnapping in some parts of the country equally remain an immense source of security apprehensions. Kidnappers have continued to operate without borders, spreading the nets of their nefarious acts to hold both locals and foreigners captive. The aged, clerics, government officials, academics, professionals, women and children are not speared by those who engage in this despicable act.

In some other parts of the country, armed robbery has be-

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HE atmosphere in Nigeria today is such that any Minister of Information, even if a supervising one, must start with some bush clearing. The crisis in Nigeria has assumed a discourse dimension in the sense that our sense of our situation has obviously constrained our sense of things generally. And our sense of things generally as they manifest in social and traditional media and everyday analysis certainly lack the vigour and forward looking attitude that we associate with Nigeria or MUST associate with Nigeria, no matter how bad things might appear to be. We must never tire in recognising that Nigeria is not just another country on earth. It is that single country with the highest concentration of black under one government in human history.

There can be no higher uniqueness.

Nothing can be more than that.

Unfortunately, the totality of our engagement with our situation is not sufficiently mindful of this. Rather, our perspectives, for most of the time, are not only aimed at destroying but lacking in transformative vigour. Yet, the way we think and talk about the country, its leaders, its institutions and so on determines, to a great extent, the possibilities we open up or block. Far from suggesting that the government, the leaders and our institutions should not be criticised, I am only saying that doing so does not contradict the need for the culture of a more critical, informed and elevated perspectives on what we see as the problems. In other words, criticising the president or the party or any institutions and practices does not amount to the perspectives or the big dreams that can ferry a country to greater heights. Where are the big dreams then? Or the ideas encompassing such dreams. I cannot see them. And I don’t believe they are there and I am blinded by any things as not to see them.

For those who might think that I am reasoning like someone in government, let me say that this government does not actually take criticisms as something negative. To the contrary, the

2015 polls and security concerns

By Bilkis Bakare come a major threat to national security with robbers throwing cautions into the wind in their operations. Activities of political thugs have also become a serious cause for concerns in the country. Recently, in Edo state, the ancient Benin City was became a thereafter of the absurd when political hooligans openly opened guns at each other in a no- hold -bar shooting spray that left in trail sorrow, tears and blood.

Without a doubt, the spate of kidnapping across the country, the incessant wave of crime and armed robbery attacks and the incessant activities of terrorists in the country are all pointers to the fact that insecurity is fast becoming a norm in Nigeria. The implication of this to the democratic health of the country and the heightened sense of insecurity among the populace cannot be quantified.

If not quickly addressed, the effects of all these challenges could constitute a clog in the wheel of the democratic process come 2015.

According to English Political Philosopher, John Plamentz, democracy is "government by persons freely chosen by and responsible to the governed" while an election is a formal decision-making by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Election is universally used to select representatives of the people. Elections were used

By Nurrudeen Mohammed

as early in history as ancient Greece and ancient Rome, and throughout the medieval period to select rulers. The modern "election", which consists of public elections of government officials, didn't emerge until the beginning of the 17thcentury when the idea of representative government took hold in North America and Europe.

The basic principles of democracy are the requirements to organize regular, free and fair election, freedom of individuals to nominate candidates, periodic revision of electoral register, independent judiciary and freedom of campaign among others.

But recent happenings in Nigeria negate these, as people live in fear, while some have been out rightly displaced from their homes and are now refugees in their fatherland. Consequently, some eligible voters in the Northern part of the country might be disenfranchised in the coming election no thanks to the criminal activities of the insurgents in that part of the country.

The insurgents have organized themselves into a pressure group that seeks to influence the political structure and the structuring of power in the country. This they have done by hoisting their flag not too long ago in some local government areas in the north, with the declaration of an Islamic State as being done in Syria.

Despite on-going talks

about a ceasefire agreement people still live in fear. Those those were lucky to escape, have had tales of woe to tell. Men and young boys are being forcibly recruited, while women and young girls are being enslaved, physically and psychologically.

Confirming the enormity of the effects of the country's security challenge on the 2015 polls, INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega recently expressed his fear by submitting that the commission cannot risk its human and material resources, particularly in the three Northeastern States of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. In same vein, Ebonyi State Governor, Martin Elechi, has expressed doubt over the possibility of holding the 2015 elections in view of prevailing security situations in the country.

Similarly, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has also expressed serious concerns over the spate of insecurity in the country, which according to him poses a threat to free, fair and credible elections.

The governor made the disclosure while playing host to students from the Royal College of Defense Studies, United Kingdom, UK, led by Rear Admiral Jonas Haggren, at the State House, Alausa Ikeja. According to Fashola: "Insecurity is a threat every time.

It is not only to electoral process, even to human existence

and business activities."

However, in-spite of the herculean security situation in the country, the 2105 polls could still be held in a peaceful atmosphere. But for this to happen, all stakeholders must be ready to work for peace.

While it is true that government is a key player on security issues, the reality is that without the active participation of other members and groups in the society, government alone cannot ensure security. This is why it is important that those behind the insurgent activities in the country must embrace the peace offer from the federal government. There is no level of discontentment that cannot be talked over. Throwing the nation into needless crisis over any issue, no matter how important, would ultimately be counter-productive.

Therefore, every well meaning Nigerian, groups and agencies must partner with INEC to ensure free and fair election. INEC alone cannot ensure a credible election. It is a joint venture. It is a Nigerian project.

On a final note, no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of chaos. According to Martin Luther King, "peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek but a means by which we arrive at that goal."

- Bakare is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

Before I start

analysis is that the citizens would not even bother to criticise a government or its leader if they have reasons to believe that the government is of no use.

The more criticisms, therefore, the better in the sense that the criticisms reify and legitimise the government.

Whether the best way to do this is by hauling invectives on the person of the president is a different matter. The great thing is that President Jonathan has borne all such invectives with considerable equanimity. And some of us in this government are proud that the president does not take attacks personal. And as he himself once said in an interview, Nigeria is that unique African country you can haul every invective on the president without having to sleep with eyes half open.

But the kind of national debates that overlook the responsibilities of individuals, families, and communities in nurturing the minds of its youngsters into proud citizens is philosophically sterile. So also any such debate that minimizes the roles of sub-national governments. And equally flawed is the type that seeks comforts in the simplicity of wild conspiracy theories. The most superficial and intellectually stale of all, however, is the one that offers a cause hypothesis of corruption in Nigeria to a lack of the somewhat ‘strong’ leader, the daily unintended invitation to the president to attempt to be a dictator. God forbids bad thing!

There is so much oversimplification of the roles of rather complex social, cultural and ideological dynamics in our contemporary discourse to the point of such becoming the contradiction itself in the wheel of Nigeria’s march to greatness. And this is at its highest in the last five years of our history. Yes, there has been a lot of tension, anxiety, inadequacies and a number of things which are absolutely regrettable, for example the Boko

Haram crisis. We don’t deserve it. The fact that it preceded this regime is a different matter. But even in the midst of the horrors inflicted on this country

by Boko Haram, Nigeria is still able to make a global statement by overwhelming Ebola at a time more advanced countries are still battling it.

Additionally, we have climbed to become the biggest economy in Africa and the most preferred destination for investors in the continent. The Agricultural Transformation Agenda have moved Nigeria close to food sufficiency while rice importation is expected to stop by 2015. A competitive and deregulated power sector which is attracting foreign and local investment has been put in place in accordance with the power road map. This same Nigeria is estimated by the Chattam Instituite to surpass Germany economically in the very near future and subsequently Japan. What these examples show is that there is a bigger picture out there which we might be allowing today’s pains and understandable bitterness to blind us to.

By all means, we must bicker, quarrel and abuse each other. It will not be the Nigeria we grew up to know if anyone removes these elements from our national life. But these harmless attributes of our national life should not become a license for wide deviations from the decency required to sustain the democratic project. Already, our politics as designed and guaranteed, first by the 1979 and later 1999 constitutions, has contrary to the intentions of the authors turned too big and unwieldy, chaotic and noisy.

And this deviation is being noticed outside, not just by other countries inside and outside Africa or formal international institutions but also by folks. A chance encounter with a young Sierra Leonean, who walked up to me at the margins of a multi lateral meet-

ing in New York and copiously shared his view about Nigeria had affected me in a very profound way. He introduced himself as an Intern with the UN System and generously thanked Nigeria for its role in the protracted civil war that tore his country apart for most of the 90s. He declared his immense admiration for Nigeria’s role and sacrifices in the sub region and the African continent. He concluded by describing Nigeria as a humanistic African power that could be the pride of the black race anywhere in the world.

But that wasn’t without a caveat. To my surprise, his caveat is that we must fix our politics.

Whatever may be the cause of this political dysfunction, it can only be unearthed and mitigated by the culture of conscious, systematic, deeply reflective and thorough interrogation. Unfortunately, as at today, our politicians, media practitioners, public intellectuals, civil society and youth groups have not been living up on this. Instead, much of what we do is sowing rancour or throwing mud at people in government. And when that government goes, we jubiliate for a few weeks before the new government we thought was worth sending away the previous one becomes the new devil on the cross. And yet, we don’t ask questions about the system, its cultural, economic, historical, historical and global foundations. This is what my Sierra Leonean friend was talking about in the logic of fixing our politics!

The long and short of this piece is that it is about time we take Nigeria from the mud. In other words, the negative ways we think and talk about the country, its leaders and institutions have implications for the well being of the country. I have argued in this piece that no privations, no anger, no sense of disappointment can excuse the culture of consciously or unconsciously

•Mohammed

dragging the country down. Since the end of the Second Republic, there must be very few individuals in Nigeria who have not had one personal, communal, ethnic, religious, political, business or group plan shattered by Nigeria. For some individuals that I happen to know personally, the suffering is almost unbearable. But the great thing in all this is the way such great privations bring out the best of the Nigerian people towards the victims. At the end of the day, these are the things to take away. As a Supervising Minister for Information, those are the kinds of values I would like to celebrate over and above those of discord and acrimony.

Let me apologise if I have been prescriptive. It is possible that, as a medical doctor, I have unconsciously carried that professional attribute into my analysis. But it is not what my Christian brothers would call an original sin.

•Dr Mohammed is the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Supervising Minister for Information

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014

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Clear, present dangers for businesses ahead 2015 Page 60, 61

Emefiele’s move to connect finance to development •Emefiele

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‘I value hard work a lot ’ •Ugbe

Page 63

Company sues Total for Survey blames govt for low over N964m debt insurance patronage A

T

HE federal government is to blame for the low level of insurance penetration in the country.

This damning submission is the outcome of a research conducted by a rights based nongovernmental organisation established to help address the challenges of insurance sector's underdevelopment in Nigeria, the Transparent Protection Limited Gte (TPL).

Among other things, the research established that government is yet to fully support the policy of 'No Premium, No

From Nduka Chiejina (Assistant Editor), Abuja Cover', in terms of prompt payment of insurance premiums.

Mr. Uzoma Amaefule, Programme Officer for TPL, noted that "the government as a policy maker, needs to do more to encourage the insurance sector operate considering the fact that insurance is very relevant to national development."

Government, he said, "should make laws that will

help build and grow the industry and encourage timely facilitation that are critical for the survival of the sector. The governments, federal, state and local should lead by example and pay premiums in respect of the quantity of their assets as at when due and render or volunteer their assets for insurance cover."

Prompt payment and remittance of premium, he added, "Will improve insurance claims management process. TPL, he said, has "also discovered that strict enforcement

of ‘No Premium No Cover’ policy will enhance the profitability of insurers and moreover contribute in restoring public confidence in the industry in Nigeria."

The research, Amaefule said, further "discovered that the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has been effective in monitoring the enforcement of ‘No Premium No Cover’ and this development has improved financial discipline and strengthened the relationship between the broker and the insurer in the industry."

MG Petroenergy Limited has sued Total Nigeria Plc over N964,550,474 debts incurred by the latter at its own expense.

The company stated that as a result of the debt owed

by Total it has been unable to meet its financial obligations to Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, its bankers.

This was revealed in a statement signed by Alhaji Ibrahim Baloni, the Chief Operations Officer of the company.

Baloni stated that, the debt was as a result of Total Nigeria Plc ' s failure to abide by an agreement it entered into for the importation and supply of 15,000 MT (Fifteen Thousand Metric Tonnes) of Premium Motor Spirit ("PMS") under the PSF Scheme.

"The AMG Petroenergy Limited, in shedding more light on its recent legal dispute with GTbank Plc, wants to say that the money it owes the bank was as a result of the failure of oil giant, Total Nigeria Plc ' s failure to abide an agreement it entered into for importation and supply of 15,000 MT (Fifteen Thousand Metric Tonnes) of Premium Motor Spirit ("PMS") under the PSF Scheme."

Firm launches new customer complaints platform

I

From left: Executive Partner Edge Limited, Mr. Chima Ibeneche, Founder/CEO Centre for Values in Leadership, Prof. Pat Utomi, special guest, Dr. Emmanuel Egbogah, his wife, Chirota, during the Colloquium in honour of Egbogah 72nd birthday by CVL in Lagos at the weekend. PHOTO: MUYIWA HASSAN

Jonathan to accountants: Fight corruption, fraud

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has pleaded with the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) to help rid the country of corruption and fraud.

He said that the government will continue to welcome more intellectual inputs of members of the association on measures that will restore confidence in the country's economic process that will aid the inflow of foreign investment.

Jonathan also added that

From Grace Obike, Abuja the federal government remains focused and committed to turning around the fortunes of Nigeria within the framework of the Transformation Agenda.

He added that the Treasury Single Accounts (TSA) system has made government reduce its overdraft position from N100m outreach to less than N10m outreach.

He stated this in Abuja, at the 19th annual conference of

ANAN, tagged: 'Nigeria's 100 years of Governance and Accountability: Lessons from Accountancy Profession.'

The president, who was represented at the occasion by the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Jonah Otunla, said, "We need vigilance to combat corruption and fraud, I look forward to greater partnership with ANAN and other professional bodies as we nurture the national economy towards sustainable growth and development, all hands must be on deck to

promote good development and efficient public financial management system in order to enhance the productive capacity of the economy.”

Speaking earlier, President and Chairman of Council ANAN, Alhaji Sakirudeen Labode, said, "The issue of corruption has assumed an alarming dimension in the polity.

Successive regimes in the country had in the past taken steps to curb this cankerworm with little or no success recorded."

Group to FG, NIMASA: Confirm appointment of new registrar for Maritime Academy

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HE apex youth group in Oron Nation, Akwa Ibom State, AkpakipOro, has called on the federal government, the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety (NIMASA) and other stakeholders to confirm Barrister Okon Asuquo Ntekim as Registrar of the

From Uyoatta Eshiet, Uyo Maritime Academy of Nigeria (M.A.N).

The Supreme Council of the Youth Group said it was drumming- up support for the confirmation of the acting registrar because he has what it takes to lift the Institution

to the next level.

The group's National President, Prince Friday O. Benson, said the acting registrar has worked for over 20 years, is well knowledgeable and has vast experience.

The group said Ntekim

has recorded great achievement in service before he was appointed acting registrar where he has discharged his duty effectively, diligently and has distinguished himself as a strong personality determined to bring succour to the academy.

T its quest to address issues of customer service complaint in Nigeria, Reportam.com.ng, an online customer service complaint platform designed to receive reports on good and bad customer service, has been launched. The purpose for which the online complaint platform aims to serve has been a long time coming giving the myriads of customer complaints from nearly every sector of the Nigerian consumers.

According to Mr. Olu Bello, the company's Operations Manager, "This platform was created out of personal experiences of bad customer service which goes unaddressed or resolved in Nigeria and I am sure this is an exciting development that will become the first point of call for all Nigerian consumers regarding any bad and good service experience."

The mobile app (Apple IOS and Android) which has a unique auto alert notification to post a report after calling a company will be launched in the coming days. The current platform is just the first phase as a bigger phase would be launched before the end of the year.

Companies also have benefits to enjoy from this platform and Bello strongly advices that Nigerian corporates should see this as a golden opportunity to hear and reach out to its customers. Nigerian companies must see the value and positive part of this initiative as 88% of consumers are less likely to buy from companies who leave complaints unanswered according to an online research."

In its first week of launch, reportam.com.ng reported over 500 registered consumers with 65% of reports being complaints.

ICT coy berths air fibre connectivity

A

LEADING firm in the telecommunication and data services in the country, Priority Communications Limited has introduced air fibre point to point connectivity to its esteemed customers.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of Priority Communications Limited, Mr. Samuel Olujide, the service comes with unlimited service and high speed.

"Priority Communications Air Fibre Point to Point Connectivity does not only come with unlimited bandwidth and high speed connectivity; it also has 99% uptime with no packet loss and a response time of three minutes; an ability to transfer 30-50 Meg files in 10 seconds," he said.

Stating further, Olumide said customers need not to worry about cable cut off or distance, saying all the equipment are durable and can stand the test of time. "Customers on this platform need not bother about having fibre cables cut off or even distance barrier because all equipment are durable which minimises downtime and link failure even in the harshest of weathers," he said.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014

BUSINESS

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ESS than three months to February 2015, when Nigeria is expected to elect new representatives to respective public offices including presidency national assembly and governorships, the fears out there is that in the runoff to the election proper the telltale signs on the economic landscape is terribly scary.

The timetable for the general elections as released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicates that both the Presidential and National Assembly elections are expected to hold on February 14, 2015, while that of the governorship and State Assembly elections holds February 28, 2015.

For economic pundits who have monitored the way things are going, their verdict outright is that the economy is currently on a tailspin.

Year of uncertainty Ahead of 2015, some market jitters have now reappeared, with severe implications for the economy.

Wale Amoo, an economic analyst captures the scenario perfectly while attempting a prognosis of the clear and present danger signs for the economy.

"As preparations for the 2015 elections reach fever pitch, the unfolding events have implications for Nigeria and businesses operating in the country. There is a threat to government revenue that is heavily reliant on oil, a revenue stream that is now under threat from declining oil prices (now below $90 per barrel), and an outlook suggesting even softer prices in 2015. The fiscal buffers are also currently low, with the 30-day moving average of the reserves at $39bn, and the actual liquid reserves at about $36bn. If we take account of the 'rented' funds portion of the reserves, then the figure is even lower," Amoo said while offering plausible explanation.

Besides, he said, the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) estimates that about $1.4 trillion of the liquidity created during the highly accommodative monetary policy in major advanced economies are invested in emerging and frontier markets' assets.

"There are, however, indications that global liquidity will be tighter in 2015, which suggests possible reallocation of resources by asset managers and likely repatriation of some of the foreign funds.

The decision of foreign asset managers to buy or sell has an impact on small and illiquid markets like Nigeria, a country that has become dependent on the foreign capital flows as a major source of foreign exchange in recent years. All these suggest tough decisions will need to be made by both the fiscal and monetary authorities in the coming year in order to maintain a stable macroeconomic environment.

"Domestic businesses will face a number of risks triggered by the fallout from both the global and domestic environments, and there will be many dimensions to these risks, depending on the nature and level of each organisation's exposure. One of the key emerging risks is the foreign exchange risk.

With the outlook for 2015 suggesting a much weaker naira, corporates need to devise foreign exchange management strategies that mitigate their exposure. In recognition of the risk posed by foreign exchange fluctuations, and increasing foreign exchange exposure by Nigerian banks, the CBN just released a circular limiting banks' foreign currency borrowings and deployment of such borrowings."

Amoo further noted that the banking sector will be one of the hardest-hit if the exchange rate risk crystalises as many of them have

Clear, present dangers for businesses ahead 2015 As the nation prepares for the next election come 2015, there are fears that the economy may be the worst for it judging by the unimpressive performance of businesses in different sectors thus far, reports Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf

•

•Skyline of Lagos business district, Nigeria’s economic capital

already deployed tier-2 capital into foreign currency-denominated projects based on limited knowledge of the dynamics of the projects and assumptions that are no longer realistic.

Like Amoo, Mr. Stevenson Atama, a stockbroker has argued that as politicians continue to strategise ahead of the 2015 elections, the nation's macroeconomic stability is becoming way too fragile.

Damning report A report by CSL Stockbrokers Limited, a division of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), United Kingdom, tagged 'Nigeria Year Ahead 2014', has further indicated that the nation's ecosystem is in turmoil.

The report expressed concern that as the election time inches close, businesses have continued to be at the receiving end.

According to the report, a year ago, it was clear to most investors that risk factors in Nigeria had fallen, that general macroeconomic stability was improving, and that the flagship reforms like power sector privatisation were gaining traction.

In fact, it pointed out that the foundation for a good 2014 had been laid by last year.

"At the beginning of 2014, it is difficult to argue that the outlook is so bright. Macroeconomic stability feels more fragile; elections are coming, meaning that key reforms will likely be on hold; and the investment community that so willingly piled in at the beginning of 2013 can no longer be sold the idea that the market is 'cheap", the report said.

Commenting on the possibility of a boost in public spending before elections, the report argued that government resources are actually much more constrained than most observers perceive.

Having almost depleted the Excess Crude Account (ECA) in 2013,

the report noted that the federal government and states would be faced with the option of a sharp increase in domestic and international borrowing (with a breach of the Fiscal Responsibility Act) or a reduction in spending.

"Ultimately, we think the latter will prove more palatable," the report added.

But from a fundamental perspective, the report argued that that reported growth rates in the country were likely to remain strong this year, adding that but with each passing year, the proposed GDP re-basing becomes more important.

"Not only will this (GDP rebasing) give investors a better view of market's size and composition, but it should lead to a deeper understanding of the drivers of GDP growth. "One continuing area of concern is the strength of consumer demand, which has not recovered to the levels seen in 2010 and 2011, and is unlikely to do so this year," it added.

Furthermore, it stated that 2015 had the potential to deliver an oil price collapse, which would produce an unexpected global economic stimulus but also some unpleasant geopolitical consequences.

"Consensus estimates suggest a 1.1mbpd increase in global oil demand. However, non-OPEC oil supply is forecast to increase by 1.5mbpd in 2014.

"It is theoretically possible that higher production from Iran (relaxed sanctions), Iraq (steady improvements), Libya (recovery from very low levels) and Nigeria (less theft and vandalism) could add a further 2mmb/d to oil supply during second half 2015.

"A scenario of weak demand growth and excess supply is nothing new. In previous years the oil price had been supported by various supply disruptions both inside and outside OPEC and it may be that 2014 is

no different to 2012 and 2013," it added.

Foreign direct investment is also a problem as the outlook looks not very promising. Unlike South Africa, which has recorded more than $10.3 billion in FDI in the last few years, other African countries like Nigeria and Ghana have recorded steep decline in FDI. Sub-Saharan Africa's robust economic growth, which the IMF expects to increase to 6.1 per cent in 2014, from 5.1 per cent, last year, has made it an attractive destination for investors.

South Africa's performance has lagged the rest of the region, however, with the IMF forecasting growth of 2.8 per cent in the continent's biggest economy this year, an increase from 1.8 per cent in 2013.

In the area of electricity generation, available records from the National Control Centre and the Transmission Company of Nigeria showed that 2,993.7MW was the quantum of electricity that the system was losing due largely to gas shortage.

Since the handover of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria successor companies to new investors, the generation firms have been complaining of a drop in the supply of gas to fire their plants. The development has led to erratic electricity supply across the country with severe implications for the economy.

The outlook in the energy subsector is no less disturbing as major oil marketers had warned that the nation's fuel stock was drying up with non-approval of 2014 first quarter import allocation and government's N150 billion subsidy indebtedness to them. However, the northern part of the country has been receiving constant refined petroleum products supply from Soraz refinery, in Niger Republics, through the nation's land border through trucks from the

neigbouring country's facility.

Still little to cheer about Although the World Bank Group report released last Wednesday said it has become easier to do business in Nigeria; Nigerians, however, argued that it is nothing to cheer about still.

The report, Doing Business 2015: Going Beyond Efficiency noted that Nigeria and other economies across sub-Saharan Africa have focused on making the business environment on the region more conducive, adding that the region was responsible for the highest number of business regulatory reforms globally in 2013/14.

Nigeria put in place 10 reforms to ensure that the private sector is more involved in the country's economy.

"Sub-Saharan African economies have come a long way in reducing burdensome business regulations," said Melissa Johns, Advisor, Global Indicators Group, Development Economics, World Bank Group.

According to Johns, the Group's data show that the region accounts for the largest number of regulatory reforms making it easier to do business in the past year. 75 of the 230 documented reforms worldwide came from sub-Saharan Africa.

Since 2005, all countries in the region, but one (South Sudan), have improved the business regulatory environment for small and mediumsize businesses, with Rwanda implementing the most reforms, followed

by Mauritius and Sierra Leone, the Group noted.

Nigeria, Africa's largest economy ranked 38th among the African countries on the ease of doing business list, and 170th globally, moving up five places from last year's 175th. The report however finds that Nigeria ranks among the top five economies in sub-Saharan Africa in two areas the ease of getting credit and the strength of minority investor protections.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014

BUSINESS

Brewing giant drives brands with mobile music

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NE firm which adopts music as a marketing mix is the Nigerian Breweries-NB. The company has explored various platforms, especially entertainment, to entrench the new products line into the market.

As simple as it seems, building a new brand comes with a lot of challenges as nothing good comes easy.

Like every new thing, the promoters would be saddled with the responsibilities of concept, name, logo, etal. That was the situation eight months ago, when Nigerian Breweries entered the market with Star Lite.

As to be expected, owing to the persistent failure of many new brands at the point of entrance, not a few people discarded it as a misadventure.

However, as a company that is on top of the game, NB showed from the beginning that it knew the right card to play. Having successfully established Star Lager as the number one beer brand in the market, the company massively followed the existing template and introduced fresh techniques to create aura around its new offering. Today, the brand has, within few months, moved from the infant stage into mature age. Among other things that have worked for the brand, the introduction of Africa's first mobile music machine, used to support it, still stands as a major reason for its success.

As a corollary, the brewery giant recently in Lagos, Star Lite created a big show when DJ Neptune, prolific Nigerian disc jockey turned tables and spun wheels at Elegushi Beach with Africa's first mobile music machine.

The mobile music machine also referred to as 'Star Lite DJ Truck' is

Stories by Ibrahim Apekhade Yusuf targeted at lighting up parties and bars for consumers. The truck is scheduled to make cameo appearances at selected parties, joints and bars to help consumers relax and enjoy the premium beer.

"It was a privilege to be the first DJ to use the Star Lite DJ Truck. The features of the truck are amazing and totally out of this out," said an elated DJ Neptune.

According to the handlers of the brand, the DJ Truck is going to make cameo/random visits at many more beaches, clubs and bars, within the year, with a line-up of premium DJ's for subsequent activations.

The launch of the new product attracted varying comments from market watchers. While a section of the market hailed the decision as a genuine strategy to enter a new segment for more growth and higher margins, another set of analysts dismissed it as a misadventure. Most of those who shared the last view thought it would be difficult for the two brands to grow along each other.

Speaking at the launch event, Marketing Director, NB, Walter Drenth, said the introduction of the new entrant had reaffirmed the commitment of the company to innovation. "Star continues to set the trend in innovation. This is just the beginning. There's so much more in store for 2014 and we will be announcing them in the most unpredictable ways," he said.

The new beer brand, he said, is a line extension of Star lager and brewed

with 100 percent natural ingredients; the finest malted barley, high quality hops, and best quality water; as such, has fewer calories compared with other standard lager beers.

"Lite implies fewer calories," Drenth said, adding: "This beer is for modern and social gentlemen who like to stand out and lead an active lifestyle. It's a cool innovation we at the Nigerian Breweries are quite proud of, and confident our consumers will appreciate."

Beyond the argument that it could be difficult to position the two similar products, some analysts had writtenoff the new beer, simply because past attempts by a few brand owners to create extensions had failed.

Responding, the company's, Corporate Affairs Adviser, Mr. Kufre Ekanem, said it was wrong for critics to base their arguments on fallacious premises.

"We are introducing the new product based on the feedback from the market. At Nigerian Breweries, we don't just hit the market but we do our research before entering. As far as I'm concerned, the company has developed a long term marketing strategy to push the brand. We shouldn't forget too that Nigerian consumers, who demanded for it, will accept it," he stressed.

However, Opeloyeru Akinwande, a brand specialist, holds the view and very strongly too that experiences over the years have shown that an established product's brand name is always a plus for a new item in the same product category. Coca Cola and Pepsi are two global examples here, having explored the strategy to sell Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi respectively.

•From left: Popular DJ, DJ Neptune, while presenting a prize to the Star Lite iinner, Daniel Madza, at Star Lite DJ Truck Elegushi Beach activation

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Celebrating Seni Adetu

T is no longer news that the erst while MD/CEO of Guinness Nige ria Plc will be moving on to another role effective January 1, a role to be announced closer to that time. Today, we want to celebrate this enigmatic business leader who has made a remarkable impact on not just the Nigerian business landscape, but across Africa in general. It would be recalled that this gentlemen, who has had a distinguished career of nearly 30 years working for multinational companies such as John Holt, Coca-Cola and Guinness (Diageo) first had his general management experience in 2001, when he was heading all of West Africa (excluding Nigeria) for Coca-Cola based in Accra, Ghana. He later joined Guinness Ghana as the first African MD/CEO in the nearly 40 year’s history of the company.

In that period, he led the company to becoming the best company in the entire Diageo (Guinness) International in 2008 and was subsequently promoted to run the East African Breweries Plc as Group Managing Director/CEO in 2009 where he further blossomed to the extent he was runner up ForbesBusiness Leader of the Year in East Africa.

Since taking over the mantle at Guinness Nigeria, where he became the first Nigeria in almost 20 years as Managing Director, whilst the company has had a tough period relating to soft topline as a result of down-trading into value segment for a company with a largely premium portfolio, Seni Adetu has led the company creditably and seems to be bowing out when the ovation is loudest. Under his watch, he has completely re-shaped the portfolio to make the company much more competitive.

Unlike in the period prior to his assumption of office, the company now competes strongly in the value segment with its Dubic and a repositioned Satzenbrau.

Furthermore, he led the renovation of core brands such as Guinness and Harp, which are now both looking so much trendier and complemented by such powerful campaigns as Made of Black.

He also justifiably prides himself in the quality of the innovation he has put into the Nigerian market. Aside from the relatively successful Snapp he launched a couple of years ago, perhaps by far the most market-defining innovation ofthe decade is the recently launched Orijin brand – which comes as Orijin Bitters and Orijin ready to drink.

These brands are said to be flying and are well adored by the adult Nigerian consumers – male and female -huge credit to him for the execution of this innovation.

As a football loving executive, his support – personal and company-wise, for the Super Eagles is well demon-

•Seni

By Alvin Afadama

strated. It was he who led the corporate world through Guinness, in providing support for the national team in the run-in to the 2013 African Nations Cup (which the Super Eagles won) and the 2014 World Cup with Guinness as the official beverage. But none of these achievements is surprising considering that he has always been a career-marketer, having once being the Marketing Director for Coca-Cola in Nigeria.

Beyond his commercial astuteness, Seni Adetu is very passionate about people that work for him. It is no wonder that within weeks of his assumption of office a couple of years ago, his first instinct was to bring together all GN staff at an all-staff conference where he spelt out his vision for the company and his personal purpose in life. Since then he has proceeded in engaging key talent into Guinness Nigeria Plc atvarious levels and across functions in the organisation. But anyone that listens to Seni would know very quickly that he believes, as he says, in the “tripod” of People, Performance and Reputation. To that extent, he has always said that under his watch there must be no single case bothering on integrity or reputation.

In a phone chat yesterday he said, “I am so grateful to God that by the time I am done, we would be celebrating a Nigerian who has led a multi-national company absolutely intact. We have not had any issues that could negatively affect the reputation of the company and I humbly believe this is largely due to the “tone from the top” and the focus we have on ensuring we are always clean as it relates to controls, compliance and ethics.”

Today, we celebrate the man of integrity who has done Nigeria proud and who is poised for even greater heights.

Lasaco Assurance still waxing strong - MD

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T a time many insurance firms are in dire straits with rippling effect on their bottom-line, Lasaco Assurance Plc has continued to show a lot of promise, not only in prompt settlement of claims, but also in its market performance in the business year 2013.

The company was able to settle insurance claims and benefits totalling N2.417 billion in 2013, an increase of N1.05billion over the corresponding amounts settled in the preceding year.

With this performance, the brand is able to deliver on its promise to meet up with obligations as at when due, which is part of its resolve to meet its obligations to its customers as a credible and reputable insurance conglomerate.

While reviewing the performance of the company thus far, the Managing Director, Mr. Olusola Ladipo-Ajayi, said it is a function of its core values and strategic goal as a company. "Our core value of integrity, responsiveness, transparency, customer-centric policies is consistently focused on meeting the expectations of our clients while adhering to ethical standards."

Speaking further, he stated that it is part of the organisation's vision to ensure customer satisfaction and deepen increase its market share and penetration.

He asserted that "one of the areas we have distinguished ourselves over the years is in the area of prompt claims settlements. We have remained consistent through a dynamic and proactive structure put in place to meet the expectations of our growing clientele. The deployment of ICT tools has positioned us to be able to deliver superior value to our numerous clientele across the key sectors of the economy in line with the vision of the company to continue as a market leader in insurance and financial services industry in Nigeria."

Apart from settlement of claims and benefits, the company has also shown dexterity and tenacity of purpose in its performance as manifested in the reversal of loss in 2012 to profitability in 2013. The company, which made a loss of N180million recorded in 2012, came out smoking as it bounced back with a net profit of N412million in 2013.

Beyond profitability in 2013, its other key business indicators also came out

in the positive. It recorded a growth of 12 per cent in gross premium income in the period under review as it raked in N4.96billion compared to N4.43billion generated in 2012.

Furthermore, the company witnessed a positive performance in net premium earned, which increased from N3.3billion in 2012 to N3.6billion in 2013, an 8per cent increase. It equally recorded a 10 per cent growth in underwriting profit, which stood at N1.40billion as against N1.28billion in 2012.

The Lasaco boss further explained that the company was able to perform the feat despite unfavourable business operating environment particularly in the insurance subsector of the economy through business ingenuity and pragmatic approach.

He stated that in order to take the performance to another level in the current business year, Lasaco Assurance has fashioned and is already deploying appropriate offensive business strategies that are able to navigate and win in the face of harsh business environment in the country.

•From left: Prof A. Haruna, Prof. D. Ademoroti, Prof. Tunji Haastrup, Dr. Umoh T, Mr. Friday Moses, ICPM President, Rev. Dann , Mrs. Ilariogun and Mr. Thomas, representative of Dr. Ibrahim Anor at a ceremony to mark Nigeria's centenary celebration in Lagos ... recently

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014

BUSINESS

T is clear to see that Mr. Godwin Emefiele has demonstrated preparedness for his current position as Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria than what analysts may have acknowledged. During his confirmation-hearing before the Senate, Mr. Emefiele said his regime at the CBN will make banking count for development.

Since assumption of office, he has made concrete policy commitments to back his assertion that finance should have strong connections to development. One can safely expect that more actions in this regard will follow in the course of his time in office.

Mr. Emefiele's position has long been validated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) as well as the United Nations at various times and through various pronouncements and declarations. Since 2007, long before the financial and economic crisis, the ILO has maintained its positionregarding the role of central banks in controlling inflation and promoting job creation. The point is, despite precarious levels of unemployment and underemployment in the developing world, many central banks in those regions have not seriously considered employment creation as part of their mandate. Instead, they have narrowly interpreted monetary policy to mean just stemming the tide of inflation through inflationtargeting and price stabilisation.

As has been established by development experts, it is now trite for central banks to limit monetary policy solely to price stabilization.

This is notwithstanding the fact that this alone cannot guarantee that economic growth will improve since low inflation does not necessarily lead to a high income and a stable economy. Nor does a high rate of economic growth necessarily lead to a high rate of employment creation.

This is especially the case in Nigeria where we have witnessed impressive GDP growth rates over the past seven years without a corresponding reduction in the unemployment rate, which rose to 23.9 per cent in 2012 relative to 13.9 per cent in 2000.

Indeed, in his presentation at his maiden press briefing, "Entrenching Macroeconomic Stability and Engendering Economic Development in Nigeria," Mr. Emefiele disagreed with the dominant school of thought that sees the role of central banking as being limited to achieving low inflation as a policy strategy for growth, increase in employment, and poverty reduction. He audaciously stated that the CBN under his leadership would also begin to include the unemployment rate as one of the key variables considered for its Monetary Policy decisions.

To truly create a 'people-

Emefiele's move to connect finance to development

By Chinedu Moghalu oriented Central Bank' as envisaged by the Governor, the issue of access to finance

by Micro, Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (MSME) needs to be quickly addressed. The weak connection between banking and development in Nigeria is expressed in the remarkably low access to financing by the MSMEs; difficulties in accessing financing by women entrepreneurs; paucity of long-term funding for real sector operators; high cost of credit across the business spectrum, owing to prohibitive interest rates; general low banking penetration; and weak grassroots banking due to very limited success of microfinance banks.

Without a doubt, these issues are impediments to economic growth and development. MSMEs are generally regarded as drivers of innovation. They are also reckoned as the engine of economic growth across developing and advanced economies. In China's vibrant economy, SMEs account for 99.9% of total number of firms, and they provide 84% of total employment (World Bank, 2013). Inadequate funding for this sector in Nigeria has long been diagnosed as an impediment to innovation, employment generation and economic growth.

Another frontier of growth is women entrepreneurship.

Empirical data has shown that women are increasingly getting involved in business formation. This global trend has gained even more momentum in developing countries where women, from time, have been known to be very enterprising in the agrarian economy and in trade. But notwithstanding, around the world, women still very much lag behind men in business ownership.

Businesses operated by men tend to be more successful.

Apart from the myriad of social forces that militate against the success of women entrepreneurs relative to men, lack of access to financing has been somewhat intractable.

Primordial prejudices against women have shifted only in some little ways.

Thus, disparity in access to financing based on gender is unfavourable to women.

The funding structure in the economy also calls for interventions in real sector activities. Manufacturers of different stripes turn to Nigerian Export - Import Bank (NEXIM Bank) with the same requirement. They want long-term financing at affordable, or preferably, single-digit interest rates.

But the funds to supply credit under these conditions are hardly available in the market. The

•Emefiele: CBN governor

lending environment is defined by tight monetary stance, which has seen the Monetary Policy Rate remaining at 12% in the past two years, in order to stymie inflationary pressure. In tandem, yields on risk-free government securities are in lower double digits. Moreover, low-cost deposit mobilization by commercial banks remains aspirational due to low level of household savings and low banking penetration. (Only about 25% of the population is banked.)

As for the microfinance segment, it would be apposite to have the following hypothesis tested.

One of the consequences of the rapid pace of urbanization over the years is that renewal of the economically-active population in rural and suburban settings has been impeded.

As such, microfinance is being addressed to the urban poor while the rural poor are chronically underserved.

But social identification which influenced traditional practice of micro lending and drove positive repayment behaviours is absent in the cities. For that reason, microfinance banks have especially struggled to make significant impact and remain in business.

This general context to financing in Nigeria has meant that commercial banks are hardly taken to be agents of development. This perception needs to change through the implementation of policies that underpin the role of banking in the development process. It is, therefore, appropriate and also commendable that Mr. Emefiele has construed the

role of the CBN as making banking particularly relevant to development.

Central banks have policy tools to make this happen.

The CBN governor has hinted on his intent to deploy a variety of such tools.

The MSME Fund In August, President Goodluck Jonathan launched the Micro, Small and Medium-scale Enterprises fund. Promoted

by Central Bank of Nigeria, the N220 billion fund has become the first concrete step under the regime of Mr. Godwin Emefiele to deliver on his promise that the CBN will be an agent of development. The MSME fund spared none of the issues that have been enumerated above. While the size of the Fund means that it will not meet all the needs; it can provide the basis for scaling up the interventions in one form or another.

The MSME sector comprises an estimated half a million operators.

Operators in the sector collectively account for about 50% of Nigeria's GDP, according to the Minister of Commerce, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga.

However, only 8% of the MSMEs in Nigeria are reckoned to have access to financing. This underscores the importance of this Fund which will lend at singledigit interest rate. With significant funding, it is imaginable that, like the data from China, MSMEs in Nigeria can contribute over 90% of the GDP. The MSME Fund is not necessarily a novel idea in Nigeria. There have been similar initiatives in the

past, which achieved little success. But here is a situation where past failures should not be a hindrance to new efforts.

The stakes are higher now for the success of the MSME sector. Because of the large number of the firms, they not only constitute the engine of growth for the economy, they will also create millions of jobs and therefore alleviate poverty.

To put this in context, it has been acknowledged that micro, small and medium scale enterprises tend to employ the poor including those without formal qualifications; and the enterprises are usually the only hope of employment in rural communities. Even so, most poor and unskilled people only get by through self-employment.

It is no surprise the CBN governor has worked really hard to launch the MSME fund with presidential backing and as quickly as he did. He has restated time and again his determination to link Nigeria's economic growth to job creation. Around the world and in the country, policymakers are weary of "jobless growth" because of high unemployment rates.

Instead, they are pressing for inclusive, job-oriented economic growth models.

Global employment rates have raised concerns, but not merely because employment has again played the role of the laggard in recovering from the last economic downturn. Unemployment is also associated with social risks, and a move towards full employment is critical for inclusiveness and shared prosperity.

By design, 60% of the MSME Fund is allocated to women entrepreneurs. This is good news for gender advocates and those who care about inclusivity. The fund is a necessary boost for women entrepreneurship. I agree completely that women are the new frontier for finance. The women folk have long been deprived of access to credit. Whereas women are adept at business formation, mostly in order to improve the living conditions of their family, they are less successful in business.

Their greater dedication to family life poses a limit to their business success. But beyond this, lack of collateral, often based on gender discrimination especially in land and property ownership, has meant that women have lesser access to financing for their businesses. However, women are proven to be better money managers.

Their success is also known to have more impact on the family than when men are the bread winners. This, therefore, means that women can make more

contributions to development if they are empowered with financial access.

Working through the DFIs The decision of the CBN governor to work with development finance institutions is of particular interest to NEXIM Bank, and Nigerian exporters in the non-oil sectors.

Although the development finance segment of the Nigerian finance industry is in the early stage of transformation, the DFIs have garnered some experience to help deliver development outcomes in their areas of focus. NEXIM has been working with SMEs in our sectors of focus -- Manufacturing, Agroprocessing, Solid minerals and Service - under what we call the MASS Agenda. Our interest has been to help nurture indigenous businesses in the MSME sector to become global players, by financing their production and export capabilities. From our experience, the "MASS" sectors are in the frontline of employment generation, and they are mostly characterized by low barriers for new entrants.

This means that interventions in these sectors can quickly scale up.

It is very heartening to note that President Goodluck Jonathan has been an ardent supporter of the DFI community in Nigeria. This undoubtedly will translate to fiscal support for the agenda of the CBN Governor for intervention in the quest for development in the country.

We saw this in the housing sector with the launch of Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company earlier in January. As already noted, the MSME programme received presidential attention, with Mr. President being physically present at the launch of the fund. Also, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala has already hinted last June, at the dinner organised by the African Development Bank (AFDB) to flag-off events marking its 50th anniversary that the Federal Government was fine-tuning plans to establish a Nigerian Development Bank in 2015.

This is in addition to other programmes by the Administration that will restructure and strengthen development finance institutions in Nigeria to enable them scale up results and close the gaps in development financing.

NEXIM Bank is very enthusiastic on these brighter prospects.

- Moghalu is Head of Corporate Communication, Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM)

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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014

My next big move is setting up radio school –Dan Foster Radio’s Big Dog Dan Foster talks to Gboyega Alaka on his unending Nigerian experience, his love for the radio and why he now wants to set up a broadcasting school.

•Dan Foster

City 105.5 parleys with agency executives

•City 105.5

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014

ETCETERA

SUNNY SIDE

Cartoons

By Olubanwo Fagbemi

POLITICKLE

deewalebf@yahoo.com 08060343214 (SMS only)

For sale: GEJ 2.0 Following much speculation, the latest political software made in Aso Villa hits the shops. Far from raving, the writer previews the ‘magical’ product touted to resolve issues that previous items didn’t even begin to address.

CHEEK BY JOWL

OH, LIFE!

THE GReggs

YOU are probably one of Nigerian millions that rushed the presidential operating programme GEJ 1.0 (sold to ruffled northerners as GEJ 1.5 or 2.0) off the political shelves in April 2011 only to discover a few months after that you erred greatly. You possibly view the programme as misleading and nothing more than passage to personal disillusion and national confusion. Well, fret no more. You may take advantage of an upgrade. Enter the GEJ 2.0 (GEJ 2.5 to some critics and 3.0 to northern sceptics): a revolutionary programme guaranteed to (miraculously) filter interrupts and error messages in the national system from 2015, according to ethnic jingoists and political jobbers across religious and regional divides.

Unlike the preceding Y’ADUA 1.0 (Y’ADUA 0.5 to some) that tragically changed process and nearly crashed the system, GEJ 1.0 hit the market as a convenient stand-in following nationwide appeal as a natural successor and unifying factor, if not the ‘Lucky Joe’. Introduced to correct the massive operating flaws of the OBJ 1.0 and rigged-up OBJ 2.0 (the controversial OBJ 3.0, otherwise termed OBJ 3rd or OBJ 4-EVER naturally flopped in proposal) as well as the corrupted SHAGRI 1.0 and aborted SHAGRI 2.0 from the Second Republic, GEJ 1.0 embarrassed supporters and vindicated critics. By the way, martial programmes in between the First, Second, Third and Fourth Republics do not count, being products associated with a restricted market era.

Today, many complain that GEJ 1.0 refuses to respond to command and frequently runs processes at variance with national expectations.

Besides, GEJ 1.0 regularly emits signals that oppress or suppress key national functions. Since the last general elections, troubleshooting has scarcely worked as the same old bugs continue to clog the system with many encoded to the extent of rapid mutation that leaves the programme’s imminent 2015 expiry as the only hope for change.

Despite susceptibility to muddled democratic instructions and erosion of national confidence via serial suspension and corrupted applications, GEJ 1.0 is also touted as one of a series of programmes designed to dominate the political space for the next half-century or more by PeeDeePee, a profiteering company set up by political bullies, in the opinion of many. Note too, that GEJ 1.0 spawns belated reaction to emergencies and stretches the resources of affected state users. As some even allege, GEJ 1.0 once activated the sleep command automatically, suspending system activity by depressing the Ctrl ZZ combination while on a crucial foreign exhibition.

What, dear compatriot, you would rather delete the last incident from memory? Your displeasure registers, you know. Opposing firms (read parties) appear set to evolve a more ethical programme, preferably ‘burned’ on the national ‘disc’ or psyche than stored in corruptible flash drive before the 2015 decider. Already, and contrary to the views of sponsored elder-voices, market surveys indicate complete system failure unless the February 2015 poll eases out the snail-speed programme.

While waiting for redress as the mega-band of progressives yet signifies, you may digress by previewing manuals of competing future programs: the B’HARI 2.0, AT’KU 1.0 and KW’NKWASO 1.0 to begin with. Until a credible candidate emerges to harness regional potentials and promote national ideals in 2015, however, you are advised to detect viruses likely to attend the GEJ 2.0 and call for solution comparable to or improving on programmes currently deployed to commendable success in the Southwest.

For the enduring benefit of users cum citizens, let the progressives derive software to drive a hardened Nigeria, in the first instance, toward twenty-first century icons of mass literacy, true democracy, economic progress, infrastructural expansion and similarly subtle objectives.

QUOTE In order to become the master, the politician poses as the servant.

—Charles de Gaulle

Jokes Humour Board Chairman TO SURPRISE her husband, an executive’s wife stopped by his office.

When she opened the door, she found him with his secretary sitting in his lap.

Without hesitating, he dictated. “And in conclusion, gentlemen, budget cuts or no budget cuts, I cannot continue to operate this office with just one chair.”

The Scientist and the Frog A SCIENTIST is crossing a road when a frog calls out to him. “If you kiss me, I’ll turn into a beautiful princess.”

He bends over, picks the frog up and puts it in his pocket.

The frog speaks up again. “If you kiss me and turn me back into a beautiful princess, I will stay with you for one week.”

The scientist takes the frog out of his pocket, smiles at it and returns it to the pocket.

The frog cries out. “If you kiss me and turn me back, I’ll do whatever you say!”

Again the scientist takes the frog out,

smiles at it and puts it back in his pocket.

Finally, the frog asks, “What is the matter?

I’ve told you I’m a beautiful princess. I’ll stay with you for a month and do whatever you say. What more do you want?”

The scientist says, “Look, I’m a scientist. I don’t have time for a girlfriend; but a talking frog, now that’s a great discovery!”

Lawyer Phobia A GUY telephones a law firm and says, “I want to speak to my lawyer.”

The receptionist says, “I’m sorry, but your lawyer died last week.”

The next day the same guy calls the law firm and says, “I want to speak to my lawyer.”

Once again the receptionist says, “I’m sorry, but your lawyer died last week.”

The next day the guy makes his regular call to the law firm. “I want to speak to my lawyer.”

“Excuse me sir,” the receptionist says, “but this is third time I’ve had to tell you that your lawyer died last week. Why do you keep calling?”

The guy says, “Because I love hearing it!”

•Adapted from the Internet

Writer’s Fountain VOIDING writing errors: The redundant dialogue tag. Dia- about black marketing.”

His words knocked the breath out of her, logue attributives are unnecessary. Characters and she sank slowly into the chair. “That’s risay their lines; they don’t interject, hiss, snort, diculous.” retort, purr, snigger, bark, or ejaculate. It is best “Is it?” Willy clasped his hands together and to simply use “said” as the attributive unless it rested his chin on them. “You sure got no real is a question. You could give the character an job.” action to break up the dialogue on the other The superfluous adverb: Also high on the hand. list of mistakes is the overuse of adverbs. The An Example: “You heard me.” Willy sat adverb is connected to dialogue and tells the forward as if to add emphasis to his words. reader how the person was speaking as opposed “We’re not so backwards here we don’t know to showing them, which means that adverbs should not be avoided entirely.

Man and matter: Well-placed adverbs can be very effective, •Almost half the bones in the human body but they lose their punch when every other line are in the hands and feet. has one. “He said ruefully”, “Debo asked hope•An average person laughs about 15 times a fully”, “She said wittingly”. day.

These mistakes may appear in published •A healthy (non-colourblind) human eye can books all the time but that doesn’t mean they distinguish between 500 shades of gray. should continue to be.

•A person cannot taste food unless it is mixed Weak writing is weak writing no matter with saliva. For example, if a strong-tasting who is getting published. Some may not care, substance like salt is placed on a dry tongue, often dashing off a story to grab the money and the taste buds will not be able to taste it. As run, but readers deserve more. soon as a drop of saliva is added and the salt Rewriting and editing to find just the right is dissolved, however, a definite taste words and phrases can make a good story so sensation results. This is true for all foods. much better.

A

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014

I

Heralding new Abuja Carnival

N the past few years, the Abuja Carnival event had been a bit in the doldrums.

Owing to the lacklustre organization and some other fundamental issues, many people, particularly Abuja residents, had come to see the event as lacking in glamour, style and colour. Abuja carnival was started about ten years ago to give the nation's capital an opportunity to enjoy such a festival for relaxation and fun.

A few weeks ago, the federal government announced the appointment of Mr. Biodun Abe of the National Theatre, Lagos, as the new director of the Abuja Carnival. It is part of the attempt to make the carnival come alive once again. And Abe, a renowned stage designer and director who has produced several stage designs and plays both locally and internationally says in this encounter that he is ever ready to re-ignite the flame of the carnival and make it a must watch by both the low and the high. "It is time for us to make Abuja people and other visitors to the city to fully participate in the carnival. It is their carnival. It is a carnival to make everybody unwind, loosen up and be in the best mood for relaxation".

With the theme as Building an Enduring Creative Nation, he said: This is time for hard work, more work to make sure that I do not disappoint the people who reposed the confidence in me by appointing me. It is also time to work to keep the people in the industry attuned to the issues of the carnival. About the content of the carnival as it is now, I am cool with it. It is the execution, the pre-carnival events and so on that needs to be changed.

For the carnival of that stature to make a lot of impact, there must be emphasis on the precarnival events. The people need to be sensitised. You should not turn the people that own the carnival to mere spectators. The people have to be partakers in the big event called Abuja Carnival. And when we do so, we refer to the indigenes, the people who are living in Abuja. These people must be given a sense of belonging; let them be part of it".

By this, however, Abe intends to engage the six satellite areas of Abuja to fully be conscious of their roles in the event. He said, 'Yes these areas include, Nyanya, Gwagwalada, and others. From there, we will start the campaign from the grassroots.

Three weeks to the event proper, we will hoist and install big balloons that hold the images of the people, showing the mood of the people to be in the carnival. The title here will be the last time you saw a carnival. With glistening light that can show at night, and then during the day, it will keep reminding the people that the carnival is here to stay.

This balloon is about 18feet tall hovering over the city, with different colours of the rainbow. This will of course form a mini-carnival on its own."

Hoping to use this as a formidable platform to engage most of the stakeholders in the industry to be at their best for the purpose of the carnival, Abe explained thus: "Everybody will be totally involved so that they will continue to talk about it like people still talk about Festac '77. To hoist the balloon, I intend to engage artistes that can work in a guerrilla performance; that is street theatre to also attract attention. Thus, there have to be certain scenarios that have to do with a festival. They will wear gorgeous costumes and while they are doing this, they are telling the story. This will be more noticed in those areas peopled by visitors and residents who hardly mix with others. The awareness has to be total and effusive. There will be stickers in conformity with the carnival that will also be in place. This will be distributed alongside the street performances. Both private cars, buses and passers-by will be given these stickers".

By also engaging transporters like the interstate big buses, the carnival planners hope to spread the awareness to more rural places.

"The campaign will include Ifesinachi and the

For some time now, the tempo and fun surrounding the yearly Abuja Carnival have been low. But in order to re-infuse life into the Carnival, the federal government has just appointed Mr. Biodun Abe, a stage design expert whose love for artistic aesthetics is never in question as the Director of the Abuja Carnival. In this encounter with Edozie Udeze, he bares his mind on how to run a carnival that is all-encompassing where aesthetics, guerilla theatre, street jams, and decorations and more, will be involved.

Excerpts.

•Abe

rest of them. We want to make them also show interest due to the number of people they bring into the city. I intend to hold a meeting with them next week to fine tune modalities for this. We will brand their vehicles with big posters and stickers for the carnival. Even the six local government councils of Abuja must be part of this initial preparation because the local people have also a role to play. I will have some colourful posters pasted at the council offices announcing the carnival. This has to be at the entrance of each council so that people will see it easily.

This will also encourage the workers to be fully involved in the whole exercise".

For Abe who loves aestheties and uses colourful materials to improvise most often, this is the appropriate time to bring this to total fruition. "Arts, to me, thrive on aesthetics. And for me what does this mean? You cannot take away light, you cannot take away the effect of light. Two weeks to the event, I will be able to extend my scratchers in Abuja to let people know that something very special is about to happen. Two, I will have a street gallery that shows popular roads and streets in Abuja where you can get images, framed images, wrapped in beautiful colours and these will glitter from time to time. But there will be light at night too. This will be an unparalleled aesthetic appeal. All these images will have a footnote of Abuja Carnival 2014".

Because all aspects of the arts will be engaged in this, the plastic artists have their own roles to play. This is so in order to ensure that no one is left out. "Yes, it is one big market and therefore they have to be involved in it. The plastic artists will have the theme to explore, put people in visual form to be able to see and view the carnival on canvass. They have to create designs and pictures out of the theme. There's going to be an artists' village where they will converge for people to come and view what they have.

This is referred to as a stationery gallery. At the end of the day the artists will sell and people will still go back there much later to buy more works".

•Abuja carnival in pictures

Also in all these, all the film houses in and around Abuja will be engaged. Abe insists that this will help to encourage artisans to be in the show. "For sure, I will engage all the film houses, art institutions and all to be able to collate all the films running within the time to be shown from time to time. We will encourage them to announce these also in our event programme. This will help people who would like to go to cinema to watch the films to do so. This is also to make it a show of varieties. From the cinema, you can come and be part of the musical jam. This will run into the early morning, where different musicians and the rest of them are expected to perform. In addition, the Abuja Cultural Centre will have plenty of live theatre running to hold the interest of those who love such. All the days of the carnival, the live theatre of different kinds will be on stage".

Other usual events of the carnival like the regatta, the children carnival, the durbar and others will be in place. However, the street will be shortened in such a way that they will be heavily manned and decorated in varieties of colours. The float tolls have to change to include the usage of bicycles, motor bikes and

keke napep to decorate them to suit the tastes of visitors. Abe said, "All these will help us to have different concepts. We need to move away from the old routine to give modernity and varieties to the concept of floats. While people wait at the Eagle Square, they will feel good doing so, because the variety of floats will give joy to their hearts".

He intends also to engage the less-privileged and the cripples whom he says will be expected to perform with their rollers. "when I get to Abuja, I will talk to them.

You have to give them some costume that doesn't cost much for them to come and do their stunt. They will use this to welcome people to the Eagle Square in their own special way of doing so. Also, I don't feel good when you ask a taxi driver to take you to the Eagle Square and he'd ask you what are they doing there? That is not proper; everyone within Abuja has to feel the mood of the festival and try to be part of it.

Thereafter, we will have a forum where we will analyse how we fared. This has to happen after the carnival so that we'd know how much of what we intended to do that we achieved."

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014

69

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014

INTERVIEW

S

OME of the stigmatisation of your members results from practices such as wearing garments and walking bare-footed. Is there a divine mandate to some of these things you do?

God in His own wisdom humbles the powerful. Before you pass the security checks, you will have to put off your shoes. It is because we don't educate people. I can categorically tell you it is not possible for anybody to sleep with shoes. Likewise in the olden days, when you paid a visit to the Obi or Emirs, you didn't wear shoes to meet them. It's simply a sin or disrespect.

There are two major reasons why we don't wear shoes. We don't wear shoes because the church is the symbol of the throne of God. In the Bible, when Moses was approaching the burning bush, God told him to stop and remove his shoes because the place he was going was a holy ground. To be frank with you, it is only the Celestial members that don't wear shoes; we wear shoes but off them at the church entrance.

The second reason why we don't wear shoes is because it is a lot more hygienic. The house of God is sacred and we don't carry any filthy thing inside.

How about wearing of white garments?

White garment is a leveller and it is also economical in order to belong to our sect. It is a lot more cost-saving. If you attend the C&S church, it saves you lot of cost on buying clothes.

What is your reaction to acquisition of private jets by preachers?

'Why C&S University is yet to take off' The General Overseer of The Sacred Cherubim and Seraphim Church of Nigeria & Overseas, His Eminence, Dr Solomon Ajao, spoke with reporters on the church, the nation and sundry matters. Tosin Adesile was there. Excerpts: First of all, acquisition of private jets, if the General Overseers are fund managers, if they know economics, they won't engage in it. It is easier to make use of a chartered aircraft, but the major problem is they are not fund managers.

But let me point out something. I can say with little doubt that most of the aircraft in question owned by men of God were donated by the people in power. If I happen to be in that position, I will refuse it. If we want to trace history, it was the day President Jonathan visited the CAN President that Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor was handed over the key to join the league of private jet owners.

I once said it that the presentation was made at a wrong place and wrong time. Some of these General Overseers, I would say something is wrong with them. The cost of acquiring a private jet can be used to help members through setting up of an industry.

It is wrong for men of God to live affluent lives. I'm not saying they shouldn't live well but I mean extravagantly. A priest is not expected to live a life that will disconnect him from God. How about men of God going into politics?

Some men of God are really called but they have lost the injunction, according to Romans, that

•Ajao

we should not conform to this world. We should be the conscience of the nation, but if you have been

spoilt with the largesse of office, I cannot criticise you.

I don't mix up with any of these leaders because I have

nothing to gain from them.

What is the stand of your church on marital failures among preachers?

This happens because we are in a society without social value. It is not in the interest of the church for us to close our eyes to it but something that we should strongly discourage, but in discouraging it, you have to be a role model.

But then again, it depends on individual priest; my children, for example, know that if you marry there is no divorce.

How many same-sex marriages have been conducted in the C&S? None and none will be conducted. When you say same-sex marriage, you should ask those promoting it if we are reading the same bible. Is there anywhere in the bible where same-sex marriage is encouraged? You know what the end of Sodom and Gomorrah was. In C &S church, it won't happen.

How far have you gone with the unification process in the church?

I won't say we are not making progress but it has been slow. Rome was not built in a day, I quite agree, but Rome should not be built for 100 years. We are now a little closer to forming a United Church because each of us is now sinking our dependence in one church. But then again, we should not run too fast because if we do,

there may be a crash.

Is the church planning to have a tertiary institution?

We already have a project called Moses Orimolade University (MOU) and the church has acquired an expanse of land in Omu Aran, Kwara State. I can say with pride that I am the chairman of the supervising authority of that project. We have not started our university because we don't have the "misfortune" of other churches. Why do I say misfortune? When you say you are a church and you are not building morality into it, you are not a church but a church of Satan and therefore the money that comes our way is not as massive.

There are 17 conditions that MOU has to meet and we have met 14. What is delaying us is the infrastructure. For us, the university is not a money spinner and so the fees we are going to charge is affordable. We have a focus to tell others that university education is necessary and it should not be an elitist thing.

Many of these universities charge exorbitant prices and that is beyond the rate of the common man. In other words, that university is not meant for their members but for the children of the elites. We won't do that at MOU, I can assure you that.

NEWS

R

EV. Dr Paul Emeka, the former General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church Nigeria, has been excommunicated.

He was also dismissed from ministry with his pastoral certificate withdrawn.

The decisions were part of the far-reaching resolutions reached by over 7,000 delegates of the church at the General Council meeting in Evangel Camp, Okpoko in Ebonyi State, at the weekend.

The delegates at the meeting, which holds every four-year, agreed that Emeka had dragged the name of the church in the mud by instituting legal suits and using law enforcement agencies to witch hunt some

Assemblies of God ex-communicates ex-leader

By Sunday Oguntola of their leaders.

The General Council is the supreme decisionmaking organ of the Assemblies of God Church Nigeria.

When the Legal Adviser of the church, Barrister Abuka, subjected the proposal to excommunicate Emeka to a voice vote, delegates replied with a resounding yes.

Abuka explained that the proposal was necessary to institute litigations against Emeka, who he alleged has been making moves with some members to take over possessions of the church.

"You have armed us with this resolution and now we

• Sets for legal battles can move against Emeka to protect the church and her property across the nation," Abuka stated.

The announcement was received with rousing applause by the delegates.

Emeka was dismissed with other alleged collaborators believed to be working at cross-purposes with the church's leadership.

The Council also elected Rev. Chidi Okoroafor as the new General Superintendent of the church.

Delegates danced with excitement when the results of the elections were declared.

He was elected alongside with three other principal officials and fifteen zonal representatives to form the new Executive Council of the church for the next four years.

The former General Superintendent of the church, Rev. Charles Osueke, canvassed support for the new council members.

He said the crisis in the church was precipitated by attempts by a few forces to hijack constitutional provisions.

Osueke, who led the church for 27 years, said it was either the church conformed to their destructive demands or face up to confront them.

"If we want automatic peace, we would hand over the church to them. Once we do that, the church and its vision is gone. But we cannot allow that because this church does not belong to anyone," he stressed.

Speaking with reporters after the meeting, Okoroafor said the measures were necessary to weed out those who he described as dissidents bent on frustrating progress in the church.

He confirmed that legal actions will be taken against Emeka and others seeking to take over the church through suits.

Justifying the reasons for this, Okoroafor said: "We

cannot spiritualise legal issues. You can't just be praying when somebody is taking you to courts.

"We would no longer keep quiet and allow our property taken over or our accounts fraudulently run by them."

He pointed out that the church has identified constitutional loopholes that Emeka and other capitalised on, stating such sections will be massively overhauled when an emergency council meeting holds before the end of second quarter of 2015.

Attempts to reach Emeka for reactions failed. Calls to his mobile phone were unanswered while text messages were not replied.

70

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014

WORSHIP

COLUMN

Northern Christian monarchs brainstorm for peace

C

HRISTIAN traditional rulers in northern states have vowed to do everything within their powers to endanger peace and foster peaceful coexistence in their domains.

They said the terror war in the region was lamentable, stating that it requires collective efforts to bring the much-coveted peace back to the north.

Islamic fundamentalism, they said, was alien to the north and employed by desperate politicians to feather their nests.

The monarch pledged to intensify prayers and consensus building among their subjects with a view to ushering in peace for socioeconomic development.

These were some of the resolutions last week when the traditional rulers drawn from many parts of the north met in Makurdi, the capital of Benue, for parley organised by the Northern States

Stories by Sunday Oguntola

Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF).

Welcoming the royal fathers to the parley, NOSCEF's chair, Elder Olaiya Phillips, said it was necessary to bring them into the search for peace in their domains because they wield massive influence in the communities.

He condemned the wanton destruction of lives in the north, saying the situation was becoming unbearable, especially for Christians.

According to him: "It feels like our faith and patience are tried on a daily basis with each coming day bringing yet more news of violent atrocities being inflicted upon our community.

"But it is only as a community that we will be able to confront and overcome these trials and challenges."

He said it was imperative for the royal fathers to brainstorm and come up with ingenious ways of restoring peace and prosperity to their

terror-filled communities.

Governor Gabriel Suswam said the fact that Christian traditional rulers have woken up to be agents of peace was a welcome development.

He said their intervention in the search for peace would bring about massive changes and positive development.

Suswam, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr David Salifu, said the monarchs have to be ready to sacrifice their personal comforts for the collective interests.

According to him: "Our traditional rulers should think they are comfortable there because when Christians are massacred, they won't be spared."

Rising from a closed-door meeting that lasted for over two hours, the monarchs resolved to return to their domains to preach peace and tolerance.

•L-R: Vice Chairman, Christian Elders form of the Northern state, Dr.Michael Ango; Representative of Benue State Governor, Secretary to the State Government, Dr. David Salifu; Chairman, Northern State Christian Elders Forum (NOSCEF), Olaiya Phillips and His Royal Highness, Osana of Keana, Emmanuel Elayo During the Christian traditional Rulers Conference 2014 organized by Christian Elders form of the Northern state held at Hallydays Hotel Markurdi, Benue State.

Kumoluyi calls for aggressive evangelism

T

HE General Overseer of the Word Bible Church Lagos, Prophet Babatunde Kumoluyi, has challenged gospel preachers to become more committed to aggressive evangelism to save the nation.

He said only the gospel of Christ can deliver the nation from the crutches of terror, crimes and underdevelopment.

He lamented that many church leaders have neglected their primary calling for survival and materialism, saying they

He attributed his survival • Church celebrates at 25 in the last 25 years of ministry must repent quickly to avert the wrath of God. Kumoluyi spoke last week ahead of the 25th anniversary of the church.

The weeklong celebration, which ends today, featured revivals, crusades and a visit to the orphanage.

The prophet expressed sadness that Nigeria is not yet fully evangelised despite the presence of many churches, a development he said was responsible for rising corruption.

to God and a determination to stay in His will.

"God is my sustenance. He is all I have but I am also determined to hold on to Him," he stressed.

The grand finale today in the church will attract Lagos Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; her predecessor, Sarah Sosan, among others.

There would also be a launch of a biography on Kumoluyi.

'Only Nigerians can tackle Boko Haram'

I

INTERNATIONAL support against terrorist sect Boko Haram notwithstanding, the Presiding Bishop of Rhema Christian Church and Towers, Ota, Ogun State, Dr Taiwo Akinola, has declared that only Nigerians can tackle the insurgents.

He spoke last week ahead of the annual convention of the church, which begins today.

The convention ends next Sunday.

The ministers expected at

the convention include: Bishop Olanrewaju Obembe, Bishop Mike Bamidele, Bishop Victor Akilla, Dr. Kunle Adesina, Apostle Tomomewo and others.

Akinola said Boko Haram is backed by a malevolent spirit that Nigerians can conquer through prayers.

He also stated that the negotiations with the terrorists will not work, urging the federal government to deal decisively with them.

He said: "The federal government must also be very

stern in dealing with the group; terrorism in any form is criminal and not justifiable.

The carrot method is obviously not working as we just witnessed with the ceasefire that backfires."

On the 2015 general elections, Akinola advised Nigerians to be determined to make them free and fair.

He urged political parties to be sensitive to the needs of people in presenting candidates while urging Nigerians to vote for only credible candidates.

Living Faith

By Dr. David Oyedepo

The Covenant Of Rewards!

W

ELCOME to November, your month of total recovery and the season of blessings. God will visit you in a special way this month and you shall not miss any of His blessings, in Jesus' Name!

This week, I shall be teaching on The Covenant Of Rewards. Many are excellent in their services and fields of endeavour, yet every opportunity for lifting passes them by. Why is this so? It is either they are not playing the game according to the rules or they lack what it takes to make them change levels through rewards of stewardship.

Hear this: God is neither a task master nor the user of people. He is a Rewarder! He has not called us to serve Him in vain. When we serve Him accordingly, His reward and blessings are inevitable in our lives and families.

The Bible says: And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee.

There shall nothing cast their young, nor be barren, in thy land: the number of thy days I will fulfil (Exodus 23:25-26). God does not speak empty words!

He means what He says and says what He means!

Remember that we serve a covenant-keeping God (Jeremiah 33:22, 25).

But then, what is a covenant?

A covenant, as it were, is like a contract. So, it involves two or more people. In this case, it involves just you and God. God is the Covenantor and you are the covenantee

E

XCELLENCE in Leadership Conference, the annual international conference of the Daystar Christian Centre, Lagos, begins on Wednesday.

It holds at Plot A3C Ikosi Road, Oregun Ikeja, Lagos 9am to 2pm daily.

The theme of the conference, which ends on Friday, is the exemplary leader.

Sessions cutting across major areas of influence such as entertainment, family, government, media,

L

- you are the beneficiary of the deal. All you need then is a good understanding of what the covenant entails, and you'll be a beneficiary of God's rewards for your service to Him. Psalm 89:34 says: My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. This scripture will help to establish your confidence in the covenant.

God is a covenant keeper.

His side of every covenant is forever secured; it is our side that is variable. But when we lay hold on the terms that relate to us, and apply ourselves to them, God is committed.

When we are on key with the terms of the covenant, we have committed God to act.

So, we are the initiator of God's intervention in our lives.

We initiate the rewards by our stewardship. Recognize that reward is not a 'dash;' it is a response to our input. God is a Rewarder of those who diligently serve Him. It is important to know the vital terms of the covenant.

What is the fundamental requirement of the covenant of rewards: •Faithfulness: A fundamental requirement of the covenant of rewards is faithfulness. First Corinthians 4:1-2 says: Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. So, it is required that you and I be found faithful, sincere and truthful. Who is a faithful servant? Answer to this question can be seen in the Book of Matthew 24:45-46.

If you are faithful as a servant (of God) you will be rewarded. Your service must

not be seen as 'eye-service.'

Ephesians 6:6-8 says: Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

Note that faithfulness is of the heart, while 'facefulness' is of the outside! That is why the Bible cautions that you should "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life," (Proverbs 4:23). So, faithfulness is a fundamental requirement for rewards in the covenant of service for rewards.

Friend, the power to access rewards of service from God is the preserve of those who are redeemed. Are you born again? You become born again by confessing your sins, forsaking them and accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour.

You can be born again right now, if you haven't been, by saying this prayer: "Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. I cannot help myself.

Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood.

Deliver me from sin and satan, to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You, for saving me! Now, I know I am born again!" I will continue this teaching next week.

Every exploit in life is a product of knowledge. For further reading, please get my books: Born To Win, Walking In The Newness Of Life and Understanding Your Covenant Rights.

I am glad to inform you that from December 9-13, 2014 at Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Idiroko Road, Ota, many destinies will be transformed to higher levels of greatness at SHILOH 2014, tagged, Heaven On Earth!

SHILOH is the annual prophetic gathering of the Winners' family worldwide.

Be there!

I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

NEWS

Utomi, Momoh, others for Daystar's leadership conference education, sports, economy, religion, among others will take place during the conference.

The hosts, Sam and Nike Adeyemi, will speak along Presiding Pastor, Dominion International Centre, Houston; Toye Ademola; founder/ Chairman of Channel TV, John Momoh; founder of Chair centre, Ibukun Awosika; founding Senior Faculty, Pan

Atlantic University, Pat Utomi and Meg Kechi, founder, Hallmark Nursery and Primary school, Meg Kechi Nwobia.

A statement by the Chief Operating Officer of the church, Kenny Folarin, said while the general sessions run from 9am11:30am, the specialised sessions take place from 12noon-2pm.

Liberation church celebrates at 11

IBERATION City Church, which clocks 11, is rounding off weeklong activities to mark the celebration today.

Speaking during one of the meetings, the General Overseer of the church, Dr Chris Okafor, explained that God has been faithful to the commission.

Okafor stated that the church remains committed to the mandate to raise one billion souls into the Kingdom, a development he said is why many crusades are organised.

He expressed delight that the church has branches in all the six geopolitical zones as well as overseas.

During a visit to the

Destitute Home, Okafor said the initiative was borne out of the divine mandate to bring smiles to the less-privileged.

At the graduation ceremony of over 100 students from the Liberation Bible Institute, Okafor urged the pioneering students to be good ambassadors of the church.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014 CHANGE OF NAME

71

CHANGE CHANGE OF OF NAME NAME

AJUDUA

LATEEF

I, formerly known and addressed as Chikwudi Olatokunbo Abua Ajudua, now wish to be known and addressed as Olatokunbo Abua. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Lateef Raimot Oluwakemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Lawal, Raheemat Oluwakemi. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Faith Isado, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Isado Isimbabi. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ejim Maureen Ebere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Pius Ebere Maureen. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

ISADO

OGUNMWONYI I, formerly known and addressed as Ogunmwonyi Nomayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Nomayo Tosan Oritsemone. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

OBI

I, formerly known and addressed as Obi, Juliet Chidinma, now wish to be known and addressed as Osigwe Juliet Chidinma. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ONYEBUCHI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Onyebuchi Chioma Grace, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Obi, Chioma Grace. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AIYEDE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Vivian Aiyede, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Vivian Adenike Dada. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OJO I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ojo, Rafiat Kikelomo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Sanusi, Rafiat Kikelomo. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

FATILE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss FATILE CHRISTIANAH AINA, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs ADAMOLEKUN CHRISTIANAH AINA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

YISA I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Yisa, Kehinde Kemisola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Fakorede, Kehinde Kemisola. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OLATUNJI I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Olatunji, Toyin Stella, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Onile, Toyin Stella. All former documents remain valid. College of Education, Ikere Ekiti and general public should please take note.

OBEBE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Obebe, Omolara Hannah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Michael, Omolara Hannah. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ANABA I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Anaba Ogechi Beatrice, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Aina, Ogechi Beatrice. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ALEBIOSU

I, formerly known and addressed as Alebiosu Omotayo Titilayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Kalejaiye Omotayo Titilayo. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

DIBIE I, formerly known and addressed as Dibie Tina O., now wish to be known and addressed as Apaokueze Tina Lilian. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AOGBONNAYA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Aogbonnaya, Amarachukwu Berachah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Amarachukwu Berachah. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

ISADO I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Faith Isado, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Faizah Isado Isimbabi. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OLANSHILE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Bilikis Olanshile Shamsindeen, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Bilikis Olanshile Olalekan. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and general public should please take note.

EJIM

USMAN-ADEJO I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Eleojo Mariam UsmanAdejo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Eleojo Mariam Oni. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OYELERE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oyelere Lydia Ayobami, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oyedeji Lydia Ayobami. All former documents remain valid. Orolu Local government Education Authority and general public should please take note.

GARUBA

I formerly known as Garuba Wahab Adebayo now wishes to be known and addressed as Abdulgafar Wahab Adebayo. All other documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

UMEOBI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss UMEOBI Eucheria Ogechukwu . now wish to be known as Mrs. EGWU Eucheria Ogechukwu. All former documents remain valid general public please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME Egwim Ikenna Chukwuemeka refers to one and the same person.

Now wish to be known and addressed as Egwim Michael Chukwuemeka. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ESANG I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Patience Esang Egar Nton, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Thelma Egar Esang-Utsalo.

All former documents and certificates remain valid. General public should please take note.

EGWIN I, formerly known and addressed as Egwin Ikenna Chukwuemeka, now wish to be known and addressed as Egwin Michael Chukwuemeka.

All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

JULIUS I, formerly known and addressed as Onohworua Omamuzo Julius, now wish to be known and addressed as OnohworuaOchonuwe Omamuzo Julius. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

JOHN

I, formerly known and addressed as Onohworua Eloho John, now wish to be known and addressed as Onohworua-Ochonuwe Eloho John.

All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

NGOZI I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Florence Nchekube Ngozi, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Florence Adeyemi Akhibi. All former documents and certificates remain valid. General public should please take note.

AJANI I, formerly known and addressed as Kareem Yusuff Ajani, now wish to be known and addressed as Kareem Yusuff Adetunji. All former documents and certificates remain valid.

National Examination Council, Ansarudeen Society High School and general public should please take note.

AJIBOLA I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajibola, Adebola Hawawu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oluwasijibomi Adebola Hawawu. All former documents and certificates remain valid. NYSC and general public should please take note.

SAMUEL I, formerly known and addressed as Janet Oluwakemi Samuel, now wish to be known and addressed as Olarinde Oluwakemi Janet. All former documents and certificates remain valid. General public should please take note.

ADOKI I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Mark Jane Adoki, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Daniel Jane Mark. All former documents and certificates remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

OGUNYINKA

IBIYEMI

ARAMA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogunyinka, Aminat Abiodun, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Taiwo, Aminat Abiodun. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AKINPELU I, formerly known and addressed as Mr. Akinpelu,Emmanuel Adeola Oluwadamilola Alamu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Kristipelumi Emmanuel Oluwadamilola. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ORIRE I, formerly known and addressed as Orire Oluwafunmilayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Oluwafunmi Orire-Aderinkola. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

OMEREIFE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nchekwube Adolphina Omereife, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nchekwube Adolphina Okolie. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OKORONKWO I, formerly known and addressed as Okoronkwo Anulika Sandra, now wish to be known and addressed as Anulika Okoronkwo Nnabuchi. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

OGBUADIKE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogbuadike Eucharia Chika, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ibekaku Ogbuadike Chika Eucharia. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

JIMOH I, formerly known and addressed as Jimoh Rasheed Adekunle, now wish to be known and addressed as Jamiu Rasheed Adekunle. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

DISU I, formerly known and addressed as Disu Olufunmilayo Feyisara, now wish to be known and addressed as Jamiu Oluwafunmilayo Feyisara. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

OLEJEME I, formerly known and addressed as Olojeme Dorothy Onuma, now wish to be known and addressed as Ezike Nkemdilichukwu Esther. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

OLOFINSANMABO I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Olofinsanmabo Omowumi Mary, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Eriyo Omowumi Mary. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OZOIGBO I, formerly known and addressed as Ozoigbo Joseph Chinonso, now wish to be known and addressed as Nnaemeka Joseph Chukwunonso.

All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

AKUH I, formerly known and addressed as Akuh James Idoko, now wish to be known and addressed as Nelson Idoko James. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

DANIEL I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Daniel Oluwatoyin Ruth, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Leonard Oluwatoyin Ruth. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

NONSO I, formerly known and addressed as Nonso Okwuka Francis, now wish to be known and addressed as Onyeka Okwuka Francis. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

SHOLOLA I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Sholola, Oluwatomilola Abake, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Kadiri Oluwatomilola Abake. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ibiyemi, Morufah Yetunde, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Tijani, Morufah Yetunde. All former documents remain valid. Teaching Service Commission, Ogun State and general public should please take note.

KAZZIM I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Kazzim Ayisat Bola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Shittu Ayisat Bola. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ANSLEM I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Anslem, Laura Nengi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adetunji Laura Nengi. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

AYENOGUN I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ayenogun, Esther Bunmi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Bamidele Esther Bunmi. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

KEKERE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Kekere Ruth Yemisi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Umahi Ruth Yemisi. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

UMEZURUIKE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Umezuruike Iruiji Jennefer, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Unyime Iruiji Jennifer. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

DADA I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Temitope Christiana Dada, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Temitope Christiana Ayinuola. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ODUKOYA I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Odukoya, Temitope Elizabeth, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akinwande Temitope Elizabeth. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

EKPO I, formerly known and addressed as Uduak Imoh Ekpo, now wish to be known and addressed as Uduak Ekpo Okuboyejo. All former documents remain valid. Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) and general public should please take note.

OMALIKO I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Omliko Ngozi Perpetua, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okeke, Ngozi Perpetua. All former documents remain valid. ESUT, NYSC and general public should please take note.

OKECHUKWU Former MR. UDENSI ANTHONY OKECHUKWU now to be known and addressed as MR. JOSIAH ANTHONY OKECHUKWU. This change includes my wife and children as follow: MARVELOUS, C H U K W U E M E K A , I F E A N Y I C H U K W U , CHINONYEREM, CHIDINMA and GRACE. Their surname now bears JOSIAH. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UGOCHUKWU I, formerly known and addressed as MISS KELECHI UGOCHUKWU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. KELECHI DESTINY S. NNAJI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

GOGOR I, formerly known and addressed as MISS VIVIAN UCHECHUKWU GOGOR, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. VIVIAN NOBLE JAJA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

EJIOFOR I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EJIOFOR CYNTHIA IFEYINWA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ANIGBO CYNTHIA IFEYINWA. All former documents remain valid. IMT Enugu, NYSC and general public should please take note.

SEKUMADE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Sekumade Esther Fisayo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Osimikpemhe Esther Fisayo.

All former documents remain valid. Teaching Service Commission, Ogun State and general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME GODWIN and OKONKWO CHUKWUEBUKA SAMUEL refers to one and the same person. Now wish to be known and addressed as CHUKWUEBUKA SAMUEL GODWIN. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as JAYARAMA now wish to be known and addressed as JAYARAMA VASANTHA SAPALYA. All former documents remain valid general public should please take note.

EJIMKONYE I formerly known and addressed as Miss Ejimkonye Nwadiogo Chikaodili now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Anumba Nwadiogo Chikaodili. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should please take note.

SULYMAN I formerly known and addressed as Miss Sulyman Halimot now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Alonge Sulyman Halimot. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and general public should please take note.

EZE I formerly known and addressed as Miss FRANCISCA ONYEKACHI EZE,now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. VIRTUE ONYEKACHI ECSTASY. All former document remain valid .The general public should please take note .

OKAFOR I formerly known and addressed as MISS OKAFOR ANASTESIA NKECHI,now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. IGWEDINMA ANASTESIA NKECHI. All former document remain valid .NYSC and general public should please take note .

NWOSU I formerly known and addressed as MISS CHINWE NWOSU now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. CHINWE VICTORIA IKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

ESEGINE I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ESEGINE OBERHIRI STEPHANIE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. STEPHANIE DAVID ETEDJERE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OWOBU I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OWOBU OGIEGBE RITA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. UKPETENAN OGIEGBE RITA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OKEZIE

CHANGE OF NAME POPOOLA I formerly known and addressed as Miss Miss Popoola, Oluranti Rita, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oluranti DareAdaramoye. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

SEKONI I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Sekoni Adeola Aderayo Kudirat, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ajayi Adeola Aderayo Kudirat. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ANIMASHAUN I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Animashaun Ronke Eniola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Akerele Ronke Eniola. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

SHODE I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Shode Titilayo Alimot, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ajelara Titilayo Omobolanle.

All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

SIKIRU I,formerly known and addressed as Yusuf Sikiru Lanre, now wish to be known and addressed as Yusuf Sikiru Ayinde. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OKAFOR I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Okafor Ogochukwu Clara, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Muor Ogochukwu Clara. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ABAKAM I formerly known and addressed as Miss MERCY BASSEY ABAKAM now wish to be known as Mrs. MERCY DUKE. All former documents remain valid general please take note.

EDWARD I formerly known and addressed as Miss EDWARD PATRICIA CHINASA now wish to be known as Mrs. TREASURE CHINASA VICTOR SAMUEL MADUBUIKE. All former documents remain valid general public please take note.

EKELI

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Gladys Chinagorom Okezie, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Gladys Chinagorom Ibeh-Ogbonnaya. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss EKELI DORIS ASARI IKIOWORI now wish to be known as Mrs. EKE-MANGITE IKIOWORI PRINCESS. All former documents remain valid general public please take note.

OGBONNA

I formerly known and addressed as Miss ROSEMARY NWANKPA now wish to be known as Mrs. ROSEMARY ONYEJIAKA CHUKWUDUBEM. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogbonna Stella Chichebem, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwachukwu Stella Chichebem. All former documents remain valid.

Michael Okpara University of agriculture, umudike and the general public should please take note.

BABALOLA I formerly known and addressed as Miss Babalola Blessing Oluwafunmilayo now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ajiboye Blessing Oluwafunmilayo. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

OMOWARE I formerly known and addressed as Miss OMOWARE FEYISAYO THERESA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. THOMAS FEYISAYO THERESA. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

ORISAGBEMI I formerly known and addressed as ORISAGBEMI TOLULOPE DAVID, now wish to be known and addressed as IBITOYE TOLULOPE DAVID. All former documents remain valid FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC ADO EKITI and general public take note.

OMOTADE I formerly known and addressed as MISS OMOTADE MUNIRAH OMOLARA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OKUNNU MINIRAH OMOLARA. All former documents remain valid FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC ADO EKITI and general public take note.

KAFARU I formerly known and addressed as KAFARU ODUNAYO ABIOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as LASISI ODUNAYO ABIOLA. All former documents remain valid FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC ADO EKITI and general public take note.

NWANKPA

IGWE I formerly known and addressed as Miss VERONICA IFENYINWA IGWE now wish to be known as Mrs. VERONICA IFENYINWA ANUMUDU. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

IKOKWU I formerly known and addressed as Miss IKOKWU CHINWE NNENNEKA now wish to be known as Mrs. EZEANYA CHINWE NNENNEKA. All former documents remain valid general public please take note.

ATHEKAME I formerly known and addressed as Miss ATHEKAME LILIAN ATSAGWEGBE. now wish to be known as Mrs. ABONYI PASCHAL LILIAN. All former documents remain valid general public please take note.

ADVERT: Simply produce your marriage certificate or sworn affidavit for a change of name publication, with just N4,500. The payment can be made through - FIRST BANK of Nigeria Plc. Account number - 2017220392 Account Name - VINTAGE PRESS LIMITED Scan the details of your advert and teller to gbengaodejide@yahoo.com orthenation_advert@yahoo.com.

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Note this! Change of name is now published every Sundays, all materials should reach us two days before publication.

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014

72

“My plans for Labour Party”

EBERE WABARA

WORDSWORTH B 08055001948

ewabara@yahoo.com

Invest in, not ‘on’

T

HE GUARDIAN of October 16 welcomes us today with two headline blunders: “NCC raises alarm (the alarm) on increasing threat to communication services” “ExxonMobil invests $40bn on (in) hydrocarbon” “At the induction ceremony (sic) of the new provost of Christ Church Cathedral, Lagos, the choir rounded up in the induction ceremony (sic) by rendering an anthem.…”

Even the Bible cannot confuse ‘round off’ with ‘round up’!

“Africa continues to experience sluggish economic growth because more than half of the countries in the continent are among the poorest nations in the world.” Get it right: on the continent.

“But they point out that the organization had expended all its ammunitions…” ‘Ammunition’ is non-count.

“The Trans-Saharan Trade which broadened Kan’s fame and fortune dealt principally in slaves and traditional dyeclothings.” This way: ‘clothing’ does not admit any inflection.

“They had only been paying lip service (a hyphen, please) to the pursuit for agricultural selfsufficiency.” Get it right: in the pursuit of….

“As they continue to sing… government may be forced to chew its words not too far from now…” Correct expression: swallow one’s (its) words; not chew.

“In a country where friends share no faith in each other; where the only objective is ‘me and my brother’ must carry the loots. “ ‘Loot’ is non-count.

“In spite of the air-condition in the car….” It’s called air-conditioner.

“Passport booklets scarcity worsen” Scarcity worsens.

“Furthermore, to check all manners of inhumanity to one another….” Standard idiomatic expression: all manner of…

The next grotesque blunder is from THISDAY of October 31: “His recent errands to Europe for the present administration and his utterances has prompted this essay.” Essay indeed! Verb plurality here is very clear (have; not has).

“There is bound to be conflicts and if need be wars…” An accord: there are bound to be conflicts…

“At every fora, that was mouthed even by those in the saddle now.”

(THISDAY COMMENT, October 31) This way: At every forum… Singular: forum; plural: fora or forums.

“Please switch off all lightings/ appliances after the day’s work.” (Notice on Vanguard Media Limited doors) I think pressmen ought to mind their language: the day’s work.

Also, ‘lighting’ is uncountable.

“To compliment their lean financial purse.…” An example of malapropism: inability to distinguish between ‘complement’ and ‘compliment.’ Some writers need to go back to school!

“Food production has often failed to keep pace with population growth, while earning from export commodities have not done much.” Get it right: while earning from export commodities has (not have).

“What is your recommendation with regards to that?” Either ‘as regards’ or ‘with regard to’ No irregularity!

“Cuba, Nigeria to strenghten cultural ties” Get it right: strengthen “Newspaper pages are repleted with such stories.…” Replete, gentlemen “Unfortunately, it was…who blew the lead open.…” It’s ‘lid’; not ‘lead’!

“But on Monday, hundreds of restive staff of the ministry laid siege around the entrance to the….”

(THISDAY, October 31) Lay (laid) siege to; not ‘around’.

“Among other things, this has repeatedly given rise to late procession of examination particulars.”

Get it right: late processing (not procession).

“But it soon done on the ring leader of the putsch that it was only partially successful.” Bad grammar can hinder a coup!

‘Dawned’ (not ‘done’) “He died Wednesday evening in Abuja at Agura Hotel junction within the city in a ghastly motor accident.” When death results from a vehicular mishap, it becomes a fatal—not a ghastly—one.

“Heavy downpour almost marred proceedings….” ‘Downpour’ does not require any amplification.

“What tradition has joined together….”

(THISDAY, October 31) ‘Join’ can elegantly perform

the function of that Biblical phrase!

“Consequent upon poor funding, the commission’s ability to acquire new vehicles have been greatly impaired.” The syntactic arrangement here calls for ‘has’—not ‘have’.

“The research institutes should therefore take into cognizance the relevance of local needs, simplicity, economic viability and market acceptance when designing their produces.” ‘Produce’ is an uncountable entry.

“Its centrality as the link and gateway to the outside world make it all the more pervasive.”

Its centrality…makes….

FEEDBACK IT is perhaps too late to object to ‘upliftment’ now.

There is upliftment meaning uplift in the dictionary ((see World Book Dictionary, Page 2299). Besides, there are uplifting (adjective), uplift (verb) and uplifter its corresponding noun. More power to your elbow.

(BAYO O G U N T U A S E , 08056180046)) IN journalism, Gentlemen of the Press is the appropriate tag irrespective of gender. In the judiciary, Justice Mary Odili is His Lordship. In the Constitution, Chief Justice Aloma Mouktar is the chairman (not chairwoman/person) of the National Judicial Council. This is not a matter of grammar. (KOLA DANISA, 08023323377) “We maintain that the government must take the bull by the horn by empowering NDIC….” Formal structure: take the bull by the horns. “…winner of the women’s cycling race power home under the rain….” This way: in the rain.

“FRSC must device its means and ways of self-sustenance.” Noun: device; verb: devise.

“Everything was available in abundance at the party that was held somewhere in Victoria Island.”

Famous folk celebrate on Victoria Island.

“Already the poor is financially emasculated.…”

Even the rich are (not is) equally emasculated.

“It must also have taken into consideration that the case, if not satisfactorily managed, could become precedence with latent domino effect.” Any lead writer worth his salt ought to appreciate the distinction between ‘precedence’ and ‘precedent’. Editorial writing is the hallmark of newspapering.

A R R I S T E R Olukayode Ajulo is a close ally of Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko. While Mimiko has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party from Labour Party, Ajulo has choosen to stay back in Labour Party. He has now emerged as the National Secretary of the party.

Ajulo who is also the Chairman of Ondo State RadioVision Corporation speaks on Mimiko’s defection, Labour Party after Mimiko and what becomes of his position as Chairman of OSRVC to which Mimiko appointed him...

How are you taking your new responsibility as Thank you. If the truth must be told, I am still overwhelmed. Election anywhere is an endorsement, and here, my endorsement is overwhelming, recall that it’s by show of hands and no one raised a hand against me. I am not all powerful, I am not perfect. I need the help of others to survive.

The reality is that the human race is interdependent and I experienced first hand overwhelming support for my candidature and all I can say now is thank you to all that made this come to pass. I thank the officials, the delegates and all members of our great party. I thank the Almighty for his love and grace on me, I thank those that have been there for me, I thank those that believe me. I thank you all for your support and good wishes.

I thank all for this latest challenge, a new call to service. I thank them all and they should be assured that I ll keep the dream alive, I ll keep to the course. They will continue to be proud of me.

What is your view on the recent defection of Gov. Mimiko to PDP? It is no longer news that Governor Olusegun Mimiko, one of the great pillars of our party, has finally left the party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). For so many of our adversaries, it is an opportunity to snigger at us, to celebrate our impending collapse, and banishment into oblivion and irrelevance as a party.

To them, the death knell of our party has been sounded and there is no turning back the wheel.

But beyond what our adversaries feel, is also the fact that the exit of Iroko has had its own impact on the confidence, commitment and party spirit of some of our members. For many who have seen the great strides made by our party in recent times and particularly the inspiring role played by Governor Mimiko in bringing us to reckoning as a truly grassroots party that can rub shoulders with large and very rich parties, the sudden desertion of the party by Iroko has become an invitation to despair.

Despair?.....

Yes! There is hopelessness in the air and it is as if we have reached the end of the road, without any fallback position, nor any

• Ajulo

source of succour. These indeed are moments that call for a re-examination of our situation beyond the mere exclamation and handthrowing in despair. We need must put issues in perspective lest we fall from this momentary, imaginary perdition to real irredeemable perdition. To start with, we must admit that in a democracy, the party is more important than the individual.

Will Labour Party remain afloat after the Governor’s exit?

What determines whether a party will remain afloat or sink is not the presence or absence of individuals but, rather the principles, perspectives and programmes of the party.

How is the party able to carry along its members, ensuring their participation in its programme and, managing tactical responses to emerging challenges? How far has the party been true to its manifestation? It is important to make this clarification because it is not only when members leave the party that a party suffers major depletion or loss. It does happen at times that a very active member becomes incapacitated by reason of ill-health or a party member passes on. In such circumstances will the party cease to function? Definitely not.

Hence there is absolutely no reason for despair or frustration because of the exit of an individual. However. it must be admitted in our present circumstance that we have a unique situation in our hands. The role of Dr. Mimiko in setting our party back on track cannot be obfuscated. While in some other states prominent party members with root in the Labour movement deserted the Labour Party at the last minute for a party with “better prospect,” Dr. Mimiko left a well rooted party with spread all over the country to join the Labour Party and helped to bring the party to reckoning in a few years.

What is your take on the need for a political party to be the party in power?

We need to also admit that for a political party, being in power at any level whether, local government, state government or federal government, is an added advantage. The power of incumbency is a very important factor in our polity and there is no denying that. A

few days back, we had a sitting governor as a member of our party, a leader in the party, but today we are no longer in that position. That pillar of support, that man of timber and caliber has left our party for another, which only lately he joined us in defeating in spite of its spread, resources and strength. This is very important. It cannot be wished away. It is a reality.

It is indeed a most daunting reality.

So what in your opinion is the reason for Governor Mimiko’s defection to PDP? I need not repeat the man, his reason for defecting to PDP is in the market place and the man, himself has stated his reason. I believe him and I need not restate it, his handlers and aides should be available to speak for him. You see, we need to be real as we need not look at only one aspect of the reality. That Gov. Mimiko was also a member of the PDP and came to serious political reckoning at the national level as a member of that party is a reality we cannot afford to ignore. In fact, to ignore that fact is to want to remain far removed from reality as possible. What we have seen played out before our very eyes should not be seen a case of political prostitution or unreasoning cross-carpeting but rather a fallout of the competition between two parties for the political soul of a man who in prowess, mobilisational, agitational an organisational skills is indeed a juggernaut. If it is money, the PDP has more than enough money-bags. If it is political ruthlessness, PDP cannot be found wanting. And if it is in terms of ability to grandstand even where the reality on ground depicts an empty barrel, our adversaries have all the arsenals.

What indeed makes Dr. Mimiko stands out, and not to be ignored by this self-acclaimed largest party in Africa, are those qualities we have highlighted and his intellectual prowess. But then competition is the central theme in a democracy.

I also need to state that, some of us contributed in giving him reasons to go, yes, some of us, the core members of our party, I need not mention names, but what happened in Ekiti State during the last election was an eyeopener as we need to talk to ourselves. How come some of our core members choose to endorse another party’s candidate when we have a winning and well-known candidate?

What is the option left for your party after the defection?

Whereas Gov. Mimiko has made his declaration that he is no longer a member of our party and now succumbed to the antics of •Contiknued on page 77

73

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014 Islamic State kills 85 more members of Iraqi tribe

Zambia president's body back home

Seven police killed, 17 missing after Kenya attack

S

EVEN police officers were killed and 17 others were missing following an attack blamed on local tribesmen in Kenya's remote north, police sources said yesterday.

The officers, missing since Friday, are believed to have been ambushed during a security operation in the impoverished, arid region of Lake Turkana, the scene of regular raids and score-settlings between rival communities.

Attackers targeted three police vehicles and burned one of them, police sources said.

Police spokeswoman GatiriaMboroko confirmed the attack took place in the Kapedo area but could give no further details, blaming difficult communications with police in the field.

Two years ago, more than 40 police officers who had been chasing cattle thieves were killed around 100 kilometres further north, in an ambush unprecedented in the east African nation.

Last week, five people, including three police officers, were killed in another attack in the Kapedo area, according to police sources.

Diminishing water supplies and grazing areas have aggravated conflicts between communities in the area which is mainly populated by nomadic farmers.

Local police are notoriously under-equipped and more illegal firearms are appearing in the area.

Extra police have been deployed to help with search operations after the latest attack.

HE body of president Michael Sata arrived back on Zambian soil yesterday, ahead of a state funeral for the 77-year-old leader.

Sata died on Tuesday while undergoing treatment in London's private King Edward VII hospital for an unspecified illness.

Acting president Guy Scott who has become, pending elections Africa's first white head of state since South Africa's apartheid era, led a host of traditional, religious and civic leaders, cabinet ministers, former presidents and diplomats in greeting the remains.

Sata's body was then driven to Lusaka's Mulungushi International Conference Centre, where it will lie in state before the funeral.

For months, officials in the southern African nation repeatedly denied that Sata was sick, despite several trips abroad for medical help.

Fresh elections to pick a new president must be held within three months after Sata's death. Scott is not expected to run.

The public will be allowed to view the body from Sunday until November 9, and parliament will host a thanksgiving ceremony on November 10.

T

I

SLAMIC State executed 85 more members of the AlbuNimr tribe in Iraq in a mass killing campaign launched last week to break their resistance to the group's territorial advances, a tribal leader and security official said yesterday.

Sheikh Naeem al-Ga'oud, one of the tribe's chiefs, told Reuters that Islamic State had killed 50 members of AlbuNimr who were fleeing the al Qaeda offshoot on Friday. In a separate incident, a security official said 35 bodies were found in a mass grave.

The sustained bloodshed appears to demonstrate Islamic State's resilience to U.S. airstrikes against militant targets in parts of Iraq and Syria it controls. Ga'oud said he had repeatedly asked the Shi'ite-led central government for weapons but his pleas had been ignored.

Islamic State has been killing at will, with no signs that the Shi'ite-led government will send armed forces to the rescue of AlbuNimr or other tribes under threat anytime soon.

Members of the AlbuNimr tribe had held out for weeks under siege by Islamic State fighters in Anbar Province to the west of Baghdad, but finally ran low on ammunition, fuel and food.

•Sri Lankan military personel use poles and hoes during a search operation at the site of a landslide caused by heavy monsoon rains in Koslanda village in central Sri Lanka yesterday. Sri Lanka reduced to 38 the number of dead and missing from a mudslide at a tea plantation after giving an initial toll of over 300. AFP PHOTO / LAKRUWAN WANNIARACHCHI

Burkina army backs Lt. Col as interim leader B URKINA Faso's army yesterday backed a military officer's claim to lead the country's transition to democratic elections, as the ousted president Blaise Compoare took refuge in neighbouring Ivory Coast.

Compaore resigned Friday after unrest over plans to extend his 27-year rule exploded into violence that saw parliament set ablaze, in protests closely watched across a continent where other veteran heads of state are also trying to cling to power.

The leader of a group of young army officers, Lieutenant-Colonel Isaac Zida, had declared himself in interim charge of the landlocked west African nation -- dismissing a rival claim by the army chief -- and yesterday the military threw its weight behind him.

"Lieutenant-Colonel Isaac Zida was chosen unanimously to lead the transition period opened after the departure of president Compaore," said a statement published after a meeting of army chiefs.

The text was signed by G e n e r a l NavereHonoreTraore, who initially said he would himself assume power, a claim Zida had dismissed as "obso-

lete".

Zida, the second in command of the presidential guard, said Friday he had assumed "the responsibilities of head of the transition and of head of state" to ensure a "smooth democratic transition".

"The aspirations for democratic change" of the Burkina youth "will be neither betrayed, nor disappointed", he said.

Speaking on television early yesterday, Zida said the ousted president was "in a safe place" and his "safety and wellbeing are assured".

In neighbouring Ivory Coast the presidency confirmed reports that Compaore, who left Ouagadougou on Friday according to French diplomatic sources, was in the country.

A local resident said he saw a cortege of around 30 cars heading for a luxury hotel in the Ivorian capital, which is also used as a semiofficial residence for foreign dignitaries.

"The services of the President hotel in Yamoussoukro

served him (Compaore) dinner yesterday (Friday) and breakfast this morning (Saturday)," according to a hotel employee.

In Burkina, calm returned to the streets of the capital, with shops reopening and calls by protest organisers for a clean-up of the debris left behind after violent mass protests.

The uprising, which has drawn parallels with the Arab Spring, was sparked by plans to change the constitution to allow Compaore to stand once again for elections next year.

Despite dramatic protests which drew tens of thousands of people, Compaore initially rejected calls to resign.

He eventually withdrew plans for a vote on the constitutional changes but vowed to stay in power for another year, before announcing on Friday that he was stepping down.

Later the same day army chief Traore announced he was assuming power as head of state, after ordering the dissolution of the government

Branson to meet Virgin Galactic space team after crash

R •Zida and a dusk-to-dawn curfew.

But many protesters were deeply opposed to him taking power, seeing him as a close ally of Compaore.

"We do not want General Traore in power. We need someone credible. Traore is Blaise Compaore's henchman," said MonouTapsoaba, an activist with the opposition People's Movement for Progress.

Zida appears to have more legitimacy with civil society.

He appeared before large crowds alongside lawyer Guy HerveKam, leader of the Citizen Broom group that helped lead the demonstrations, in Place de la Nation on Friday.

Eight convicted for alleged same-sex wedding in Egypt

A

N Egyptian court yesterday convicted eight men for "inciting debauchery" following their appearance in an alleged samesex wedding party on a Nile boat, sentencing each of them to three years in prison.

The Internet video shows two men exchanging rings and embracing among cheering friends. The eight were detained in September when a statement from the office of Egypt's chief prosecutor said the video clip was "shameful to God" and "offensive to pub-

lic morals."

Egypt is a conservative majority Muslim country with a sizable minority of Christians. Homosexuality is a social taboo for both communities and only in recent years fiction and movies have included gay characters. Consensual same-sex relations are not explicitly prohibited, but other laws have been used to imprison gay men in recent years, including "debauchery" or "shameless public acts."

Same-sex marriage is unheard of in Egypt.

Yesterday's verdict is the latest in a crackdown by authorities against gays and atheists. The campaign also targets liberal and pro-democracy activists and violators of a draconian law on street protests.

New York-based Human Rights Watch said in September that Egyptian authorities have repeatedly arrested and tortured men suspected of consensual gay conduct.

In April, four men were convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison for "debauchery" after allegedly

ICHARD Branson is set to meet his Virgin Galactic space team in California's Mojave Desert yesterday following the crash of a passenger spaceship being developed by his company that killed one pilot and seriously injured the other.

The entrepreneur has pledged to keep up the drive for space travel, saying on the company's web site: "Space is hard - but worth it. We will persevere and move forward together."

Friday's crash of the suborbital vehicle, undergoing its first powered test flight since January over the Mojave, 95 miles (150 km) north of Los Angeles, was the second disaster suffered by a private space company in less than a week, dealing a blow to the fledgling commercial space launch industry.

On Tuesday, an Antares rocket built and launched by Orbital Sciences Corp exploded after liftoff from Wallops Island, Virginia, destroying a cargo ship bound for the International Space Station.

In the Virgin crash, one pilot body was found in the wreckage, while the second pilot, who ejected and parachuted to the ground, survived with serious injuries, according to Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood.

The survivor was found more than a mile from the main wreckage of SpaceShipTwo near the Mojave Air and Space Port, he said.

holding parties that involved homosexual acts and where women's clothing and makeup were found.

In 2001, Egypt made headlines around the world when 52 men were arrested in a police raid on a Nile boat restaurant and accused of taking part in a gay sex party. After a highly publicized trial in an emergency state security court, 23 of the men were convicted and sentenced to prison terms of one to five years for immoral behaviour and contempt of religion.

74

THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014

NEWS REVIEW

GOVERNORSHIP POLL

2015 governorship ticket: In the South-West states of Oyo, Ogun and Lagos, there is confusion over governorship tickets, reports Dare Odufowokan Oyo: Governorship aspirants sit on edge

T

HE Oyo State chapter of the PDP is obviously going into the 2015 general election in shreds.

Since it lost the governorship position to the APC in 2011, chieftains and leaders of the party have been at loggerheads with one another, resulting in the party losing many of its footsoldiers and mobilisers across the state to the ruling party.

First was a battle for the control of the party that saw chieftains holding two parallel congresses that produced two executive committees for the party in the state. What followed was an array of unending litigations, some of which are still ongoing.

A recent intervention by the national leadership brought some respite in the leadership tussle as all factions were charged with working to ensure the victory of the party in the forthcoming election after which the issues of party leadership will be addressed appropriately.

In line with the resolution, the party has been holding series of meetings with all its members, both the aggrieved and the perceived 'aggressors', especially on the issue of picking the right candidate enough to confront Governor Isiaka Ajimobi who is definitely coming out to seek re-election in 2015 on the platform of the APC. But the quest of many of the chieftains to pick the governorship ticket of the party merely heightened the tension in the party. This is because while some of the chieftains are angling for the party to choose its flag-bearer through consensus, others want all the aspirants to be allowed to slug

•Folarin

•Akala

it out at a party primary.

As of the last count, the number of the aspirants interested in flying the flag of the party in 2015 was said to be nine, namely immediate past governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, former Senate Leader Teslim Folarin, Professor Taoheed Adedoja, Professor Soji Adejumo, Mr. Femi Babalola, Mr. Seyi Makinde, Alhaji Azeem Gbolarumi, Mr. Isaac Owolabi, and Dr. Gbolarumi Adetunji.

But at the time of filing this report, only about five of them are said to have purchased the nomination form to vie for the ticket. Akala, Makinde, Adedoja and Folarin are said to be amongst those who picked their forms before the expiration of the deadline last Thursday.

But trouble is far from over within the party even with the reduction in the number of those vying for its ticket. This is because the remaining aspirants and some leaders of the party are currently up in arms against an alleged attempt by the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, to foist former governor of the state,

Rashidi Ladoja, on the party as its candidate.

Mrs. Jonathan was said to have dropped the hint of her intention during a recent parley with the Oyo PDP stakeholders when she made a request that Ladoja should be accommodated in the party ahead of the 2015 governorship election.

Ladoja, a former member of the PDP and now the national leader of the Accord Party, who is nursing a governorship ambition, was present at the villa meeting where Patience made the request.

Notable PDP leaders at the meeting, according to sources, were Alao-Akala, Akinjide, Folarin, and Chief Yekini Adeojo.

Speaking on the development, Alao-Akala said it was true that the meeting with the First Lady was held, but he said nobody was asked to step down for Ladoja. The former governor said the First Lady merely asked them to "accommodate" Ladoja in the PDP. "Yes, it is true that the First Lady met us. But she didn't ask me to step down. She said we should accommodate Ladoja in our party and we said it would be difficult to do so because he is not a

member of the PDP. That was what happened," Akala said.

As the aspirants await the next line of action from the leadership of their party in the days to come, the fear that somebody may be imposed on them is very uppermost in their thoughts.

This, sources claim, has led to a serious reduction in the political activities of nearly all the camps of the various aspirants. "We hear that Ladoja is still discussing with people in the presidency.

Some people are selling him to the leadership of the party as the only man that can defeat APC. This is worrisome to us as members of the PDP." And within the ruling APC, sources say all is also not rosy. While nobody has come out to pick the party's nomination form to challenge Governor Ajimobi, talks about a case before an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, are rife as the party prepare for the 2015 governorship election.

The matter which was commenced on February 25th this year is a motion to stop the All Progressives Congress, APC, from conducting its membership registration in the state.

The motion ex-parte was brought to the court

by Adebayo Shittu, a governorship candidate of the defunct CPC in the 2011 election.

Mr. Shittu alleged that the APC had contravened its constitution and guidelines by engaging in activities that could jeopardise his aspiration and that of other members of the party.

He told the court that he was interested in contesting the 2015 governorship election on the platform of the APC in Oyo State. Mr. Shittu said his interest would not be adequately protected unless he was represented and involved in the entire process as a member of the State Harmonising Committee.

The respondents in the suit include Governor Ajimobi, Akin Oke, Interim Chairman of APC in the state and Razak Folorunsho, the former Chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, in Oyo State. Also joined was the Chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Suleiman Oyaremi, in the state.

•Contd. on page 75

PDP governorship tickets in North-Central •Contd. from page 11 line appears drawn between them and the other aspirants.

Lawani, who obtained the governorship nomination form from the PDP national headquarters, sources disclosed, have vowed not to step down from the race in spite of pressure from certain quarters to "read the body language of his boss and do the needful."

Presently, PDP leaders in the state are said to be worried that the outcome of the governorship primaries may throw the party into a serious crisis capable of truncating its hold on the governorship of the state since 1999.

Plateau Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, had been evasive on his plan for succession when his term expires in 2015.

The best the governor has revealed is that he is relying on "God's direction on who succeeds him."

But despite the governor's position, political forces from the three senatorial zones of the state have been holding meetings, consultations and sending emissaries to lobby Jang to anoint one of their favoured governorship aspirants.

As it were, the three senatorial districts have produced civilian governors in the state, starting from the Southern zone of the state that produced governors such as late Solomon Daushep Lar in the Second Republic and Ambassador Fidelis Tapgun in the aborted Third Republic, while the Central zone produced Senator Joshua Dariye as a two-term governor of the state from 1999 to 2007 before Jang, from the Northern zone who was elected governor in 2007.

This political scenario is currently creating a serious debate as to which of the senatorial zones should produce Jang's successor in 2015.

While some stakeholders are canvassing for a level playing field for all the governorship aspirants, others are of the opinion that no aspirant from the North senatorial zone where the incumbent governor hails from should be allowed to succeed him next year.

As the debate rages on, rumours are rife in the North Central state that Jang has allegedly anointed Senator Gyang Pwajok, his kinsman from the Berom ethnic group.

Jang has, however, denied endorsing the lawmaker and indeed any member of his kitchen

•Maku

•Pwajok

cabinet to take over from him, describing those claiming that he had already zoned the 2015 ticket to the Northern Senatorial District as prophets of doom.

But many PDP chieftains in the state are taking his denial with a pinch of the salt. They insist the governor has allegedly made up his mind to hand over to Pwajok, his former Chief of Staff, while he (Jang) would take over the lawmaker's seat in the National Assembly.

Against this backdrop, other aspirants in the PDP appear ready to take on the governor.

Jang's deputy, Ignatius Longjan, is poised to take the plunge, as he had collected his nomination form from the national secretariat of the PDP despite the perceived opposition from his boss who wants his deputy to leave the stage in 2015 for younger ones to continue from where the duo will stop in 2015.

Speaking while receiving the form from a member of the Plateau State House of Assembly from Qua'an-Pan-North constituency, Mr. Joe Dawam, at his lodge in Rayfield, on Monday, Longjan, who comes from the Southern zone, said he had no option but to bow to the pressure mounted on him by his people who have asked him to contest.

Interestingly, Jang's kinsman and staunch supporter, Mr. Bulus Dareng, was present at the event.

Dareng described Longjan as a committed and loyal deputy to Jang, adding that the deputy governor has played a vital role in the Jang-led

administration.

If Jang eventually has his way in foisting Pwajok, sources say PDP members in the Central and South zone have allegedly resolved to work against the party's candidate premising their position on the need to ensure equity and fair play in the rotation of the governorship in the state.

Kwara The choice of the 2015 governorship candidate by the Kwara State chapter of the PDP is one issue that may define its future in next year's general elections and even beyond.

At the last count, about seven aspirants are jostling for the ticket, with each of them banking on forces within and beyond the state to emerge victorious.

Lining up for the primaries include a former vice chancellor, Prof. Abdulrahman Oba, two former senators, Gbemisola Saraki and Suleiman Ajadi, Mr. Dele Belgore, a businessman, Jani Ibrahim, amongst others.

But of the lot, only Ibrahim has formally declared his intention during a rally that held in Ilorin, the state capital, with Saraki and Belgore still said to be consulting with their supporters before officially throwing their hats into the ring.

Even as the campaign by the aspirants is yet to kick off, there are unconfirmed reports that a chieftain of the party, Hajia Bola Shagaya, holds the ace in who wins the governorship ticket of the party.

Shagaya has in recent months emerged as the power broker who determines who gets what and how in the Kwara PDP using her close links in the

Presidency to maximum effect.

So far, the wealthy businesswoman is yet to back any of the aspirants, even as there are reports that chieftains of the party like Oba, Ajadi and a current senator, Simeon Ajibola are not positively disposed to accepting Shagaya's leadership status of the party.

But from all indications, major actors of Kwara PDP, all laying claim to the leadership of the party, look set to take themselves to the cleaners in the battle for the 2015 governorship ticket.

Nasarawa Immediate former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, is not taken for granted in his ambition to govern his home state, Nasarawa come 2015.

Following his resignation from the federal cabinet a few weeks ago, Maku has plunged headon into the governorship race, vowing to unseat the incumbent governor, Tanko Al-Makura of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

However, the former deputy governor has a few other formidable aspirants to contend with for the PDP's governorship ticket.

Senator representing Nasarawa North, Solomon Ewuga, a former Presidency aide, Chris Mamman, and a former governor of the state, Akwe Doma, are other PDP chieftains also interested in the ticket.

While Maku seems to have an edge in the race based on his alleged endorsement for the exalted seat by some power brokers in the seat of power, his fellow aspirants are also not taking any chances.

The major dilemma that the Nasarawa PDP is however faced with is how to handle the aftermath of the governorship primaries, as none of the aspirants, all formidable in their own right, is willing to step down from the race.

Several attempts by influential stakeholders in the state to agree on a consensus candidate for the PDP particularly among those from the Eggon ethnic group have been fruitless so far.

The Eggon, considered as the largest ethnic group in the state, has never produced the governor of the state, but there are fears that lack of understanding among the array of aspirants from the area may be its undoing.

Will the Nasarawa PDP agree on a consensus governorship candidate for the 2015 election? Will all the major aspirants rally round the eventual winner of the primaries? Only time will tell.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014

NEWS REVIEW

75

GOVERNORSHIP POLL

Confusion in South-West •Contd. from page 74

Although the registration was successfully done, followed by a state congress, observers of the politics of the state say the fact that the case is yet to be expended with remains a source of worry to Ajimobi's men.

As serious politicians, they don't want to leave anything to chance. I think it would be safe to ensure such loose ends are taken care of before the election day," a national officer of the party said.

Ogun: Leading parties battle crises The rank of governorship aspirants in Ogun State on the platform of the PDP increased as former deputy governor to Chief Olusegun Osoba in the aborted Third Republic, Alhaji Rafiu Ogunleye, picked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nomination form in Abuja. Ogunleye joined Hon. Abiodun Akinlade, Mr. Gboyega Nasiru Isiaka and Hon. Dimeji Bankole who had earlier picked the PDP nomination form.

But this was just as a new wave of crisis broke out in the troubled party as a Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, granted permission to its state executives to serve contempt proceedings against Bankole, a former House of Representatives

•Ugwuanyi Abia: N the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abia State is one of the states that has recorded so much bickering over it governorship ticket for the 2015 elections.

Governor Theodore Orji, in a bid to avoid such confusion and misunderstanding had, from onset, tried to moderate the contest. He did so by coming out to zone the PDP ticket to Ukwa Ngwa.

Some observers had expected the decision to effectively moderate the contest in the state, but the realities on the ground since then has proved otherwise.

Instead of ensuring peaceful contest, the issue had generated so much controversy over the right interpretation of zoning in the context of Abia State, especially the so-called Abia Charter. While stakeholders from Ngwa zone argued that both equity and the charter demand that they produce the next governor of Abia, other zones like Isuikwuato had interpreted the charter in a way that suggests they, being part of the four zones that formed the state (ABIA), should be the next after Afikpo (A) and Bende (B), before Aba (A).

But besides such argument, Ngwa people from Abia Central Senatorial District, have also argued hotly that they cannot be excluded to contest, being Ngwa people, just because they are in Abia Central.

These views, strongly held by the proponents, have helped to swell the 2015 governorship contest in Abia.

As far back as April, the state governor, Chief Theodore Orji, expressed worry over the long list of governorship aspirants from Ukwa/Ngwa area alone.

Speaking in Umuahia at the Ngwa Patriots' Forum, he lamented that there were at least five aspirants from each of the nine local government areas in Ukwa/Ngwa area.

Amongst Ngwa frontline aspirants in PDP alone are former Group Managing Director of Diamond Bank, Dr. Alex Otti, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, the senator representing Abia Central, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, the senator representing Abia South zone, and Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, the General Manager of Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA), Aba Zone.

I

•Obanikoro Speaker.

Apart from Bankole, others mentioned as alleged contemnors in the committal proceedings filed last week are the PDP, former Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel, and a former member of the House of Representatives from the state, Dave Salako.

The contempt suit was filed by the Adebayo Dayo-led executive of the PDP in Ogun State. In the committal proceedings, it was alleged that the contemnors (Bankole, Daniel and Salako) have been indulging in series of activities to remove

•Ihedioha

the Dayo-led executive, despite two separate judgments of the Federal High Court affirming the legality of the executive.

Trouble started again in the party, following allegations by the state Chairman, Bayo Dayo, that just as Ondo State PDP executive was recently dissolved, the alleged Bankole and Daniel have also been making frantic moves to ensure that the Ogun PDP executive is equally dissolved, with the aim of handling the party structure in the state to their surrogates.

He alleged that because Bankole was nursing the ambition to become Ogun State governor, he is not comfortable with the present PDP executives in the state, and had been attempting to ensure that the present executives are sacked by the National Integration Committee of the PDP. The applicants further alleged that Daniel and Salako were also not comfortable with the current executive of the party in the state as the Dayo-led executive was perceived to be working against their political interest.

The development, coming barely two weeks after the Ogun PDP held a unity rally meant to announce to the whole world that peace has finally

•Chukwu

Bickering over governorship tickets in South-East In the South-East states of Enugu, Abia, Imo and Ebonyi, there is power struggle over PDP governorship tickets, reports Sam Egburonu Given the tension created by the conflicting interests of the aspirants and the stakeholders backing them, many had hoped that the governor and the party elders in the state would intervene as soon as possible to avoid an implosion.

But owing to the brewing crisis in the state chapter of the party, as all the three serving senators during the week, accused the leadership of the party in the state of setting a time bomb in its handling of the primaries and ward congresses, it remains to be seen, how far Governor Orji will contain the crisis ahead 2015 elections.

Enugu: Even the emergence of Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as the PDP consensus candidate in Enugu State has not totally quenched the political fire raging in Enugu State.

It is on record that the political turmoil in the state in the past few months had revolved around Governor Sullivan Chime and the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, over who should control the political heartbeat of PDP in the state.

When many analysts contended that Ekweremadu had interest in succeeding Chime, or at least producing the next governor, it was said that the next governorship candidate of PDP was the issue.

But today, with Ekweremadu's declaration of interest to return to the Senate, that seat had come to be the fulcrum of the raging political battle as Chime also wants the same seat at the red chamber.

Aside Ugwuanyi however, other PDP aspirants include Senator Ayogu Eze, Chief

returned to the embattled party, has left many in doubt of the seriousness and readiness of the PDP to win the 2015 governorship election.

Lagos: Uncertainty reigns supreme Contrary to expectation that the PDP gubernatorial primaries will be a crowded race in Lagos State, about five aspirants have so far shown seriousness in the race for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state by picking their nomination forms.

Information gathered at the state secretariat of the party revealed that Adegbola Dominic, a medical practitioner, Jimi Agbaje, a renowned pharmacist, and former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, are three of the aspirants still in the race.

But the age-long crisis rocking the party has worsened, following the severe rift between its two main gubernatorial contenders. The development has once again seen chieftains and members breaking into two factions behind either of the two contestants.

Things got out of control after one of the aspirants, Obanikoro, described another strong contender, Agbaje, as a mole of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Chinedu Onu, a member of the Board of Trustees of PDP, who was quoted recently as insisting that only Enugu people can anoint the next governor, Vita Abba, the Speaker of Enugu state House of Assembly.

Imo: Although Imo State is an All Progressives Congress State (APC), with Governor Rochas Okorocha likely to fly the flag of his party, the number of aspirants in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is worrisome even to the national leadership of the party at Wadata Plaza in Abuja.

Observers say this is indicative of the impending crisis given the pedigree of most of the aspirants.

At the last count, The Nation reports that no fewer than 22 aspirants are currently struggling for the PDP governorship ticket in the South-East state. As a result, there are fears that the crowded race may lead to post-primary crisis, which may rob the party of victory at the general election."

Collaborating this fear, Chief Stephen Ekezie, said "the fear we are entertaining here is that none of the heavyweights interested in PDP ticket in Imo here will accept a consensus candidate. Even if we want an election, it would likely be a big contest. We must manage it well if we ever hope to challenge Governor Okorocha's APC," he said.

Amongst the aspirants are House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, Professor Jude Njoku, Chief Chuka Odom, Chief Jerry Chkwueke, and Senator Chris Anyanwu,

Special Assistant to the President on Youth Matters, Obinna Adim, Hon Charles Onyeagbako, the President of the Pan-African Parliament, and Bethel Amadi.

Although Chief Martin Agboso is yet to formally announce his interest, insiders say he is also one of the major contenders Ebonyi: Since early October, when the former Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu emerged the consensus candidate to contest the Ebonyi State governorship election on the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the state PDP has recorded relative peace in its quest to produce Governor Martin Elechi's successor in 2015.

It would be recalled that as soon as Onyebuchi, who as minister presided over the country's successful fight against Ebola, emerged on the scene two governorship aspirants of PDP immediately dropped their ambitions to support the adoption of Chukwu.

The aspirants, Chief Sam Agom-Eze, a former banker and Mr. Ben Akpa, a former commissioner, all from the southern zone like Chukwu, said then that they stepped down for him after consulting Elechi.

"Even if many of us contest on the party's platform, there would still be only one successful candidate; as I see this consensus candidature as a way of moving the state forward.

"Ebonyi is a young state that is not as rich as others, so it will be pertinent to save it from unnecessary violence and rancour, among others usually recorded during electoral politicking," Agom-Eze said.

Responding, Elechi had said, "There is no need for unnecessary struggles, mudslinging and waste of resources, as we all should support the right things whenever they are done."

So, unlike most of the other South-East states, it seems Ebonyi is recording less internal crisis on the issue of selecting the party's flag bearer at the governorship race.

But it is on record that whoever flies PDP ticket in Ebonyi should not expect an easy ride to the Government House as the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, under the leadership of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, is very strong.

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THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014

NEWS

16 aspirants boycott exercise • Allege irregularities 16 ASPIRANTS under the aegis of Rivers Mainstream Coalition boycotted yesterday's Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ward congress in Rivers State, alleging abuse of party procedure and conspiracy.

The aspirants are among PDP supporters in the state insisting on zoning.

But former Minister of State for Education Nyesom Wike and Rivers PDP chairman, Felix Obuah, are against zoning.

Problems started in the morning when the 16 aspirants under the aegis of Rivers mainstream registered their protest against the congress and ordered their supporters to boycott the exercise.

In a press statement jointly issued in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the aspirants said: "We call for the postponement of PDP Ward Congress in Rivers State, the Campaign Organisations of

From Precious Dikewoha and Bisi Olaniyi, Port Harcourt

the undersigned aspirants, having noted the processes leading to the ward delegates' elections scheduled for Saturday, 1st November, 2014 observed as follows. " That our governorship aspirants have been deceived into believing that there would be a level playing field for all the party but we note that the process leading up to the ward delegate elections, which is the foundation of all subsequent primaries, is clearly convoluted and flawed and cannot therefore produce an acceptable outcome.

"Our party, the PDP has breached the procedures that should lead to the ward congresses which include open registration of members and authentication of the party registers at ward level.

"As a group we had raised issues about the legality of the State Working Committee

and wrote a memorandum to the integration committee set up by the National Working Committee, in this regard.

"It is on record that our members were assaulted by thugs of a governorship aspirant and the ugly incident was widely reported in the mass media.

"It is unfortunate that nothing has been done about this till date. We therefore call for the postponement of the ward congresses until these grievances are addressed to aver dire consequences that could affect the fortunes of the PDP in Rivers State."

The aspirants are: Engr Beks Dagogo-Jack, Barr Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Major Lancellot Anyanya, Engr Sampson Ngerebara, Barr Nimi Walson-Jack, Senator Lee Maeba, Hon Gabriel Pidomson, Dr Silva Opusunju, Hon Bernard Mikko, Chief (Hon) Pawariso Samuel Horsfall.

Others include, Hon Oseleye Dennis Ojuka Prince Tonye Princewill Captain Nwankwo Sunday, Prof Don Baridam, Hon Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja and Abie Bob Abbey-Hart Esq Reacting, Obuah said the aspirants boycotted the congress because they were afraid to test their popularity.

Obuah, who spoke through his Media Assistant, Jerry Needam, wondered why the 16 aspirants could decide to boycott the ward congress if they are popular as they claimed.

He said: "They should go and show their popularity but one thing is certain if they boycott the congress it is an indication that they are not member of PDP. "This is because they are afraid of their supporters even the people that is following them are not their supporters."

'Returnees plotting to hijack party from us'

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HAIRMAN, Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Bayo Dayo, yesterday expressed worry that individuals who just returned to the party are spoiling to hijack the structure.

Dayo made this known to reporters in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, during the ward delegates congresses conducted across all the 236 wards in the state.

He lamented that a good number of the chieftains labouring to take over the party were defectors who dumped PDP for other political parties five years ago when it was bogged down by hardship and crisis.

"Some people are already planning to hijack the primaries because when you see somebody having 1,000 forms in three batches bringing it to the Secretariat, you'll know that something is behind that.

"Some people have no followers and they think they can just collect forms because they want to cause con-

From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

fusion since the thing did not turn out well for them but I have been in the system for long, nobody can push me around.

"They are party members who are trying to cause confusion in the party. Some people will leave the party and go away for years, when they now see that there are chances in the party, they want to come back to contest under the party but there is no shortcut to a good job.

"We agreed with the committee, the committee can collect the forms if they like, I didn't collect the forms because it was late, we rejected the forms only this morning, it is a lie to say we didn't collect the forms from them," he said.

Earlier members of the Jubril Martins-Kuye group led by Senator Kola Bajomo had accused the leadership of deliberately refusing to collect the delegate forms from them at the point of trying to submit.

Shekau threatens to kill German hostage

“K

•Executive Director, Corporate Banking, John Obi and Group Head, Private Banking, Fidelity Bank Plc as they received the award for the Best Private Bank in Nigeria 2014 in the Global private Banking award by Professional Wealth Management (PWM) and The Banker magazines, publications of the Financial Times Group... at the weekend.

T

HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ward congresses to elect delegates did not hold in many parts of Cross River State, especially in the central and northern senatorial districts, yesterday.

Our reporter, who monitored the situation, observed that materials did not leave party secretariat

Congresses inconclusive in Cross River From Nicholas Kalu, Calabar

in Calabar for distribution to the 196 wards of the state until about 3pm.

Delaying the exercise were controversies over the list of members to contest the delegates election.

Many members com-

plained that though they had bought forms to participate their names were missing on the list published at the party secretariat.

In various wards monitored in the central and northern senatorial districts party members were

Fayose, Arise clash over delegates' lists

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HERE were outcries of imposition of delegates by Governor Ayo Fayose yesterday in Ekiti State during the ward congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Senator Ayo Arise dismissed the exercise as a ruse, alleging it was unduly influenced by the State Governor Ayodele Fayose.

Arise, who spoke with the newsmen, alleged: "Governor Fayose had compiled the list of all 26 state assem-

From Sulaiman Salawudeen, Ado-Ekiti bly members. He would not allow any Congress to hold here in Ekiti North Senatorial district.

"He had already compiled the list of delegates in favour of my challenger, Hon. Duro Faseyi.

"So, as I am talking to you, the chairmen of all the wards and local governments have been summoned to Ado Ekiti by the Governor to sign the forged lists."

But Fayose told reporters the allegation was false.

He denied doctoring the lists of delegates.

Fayose, who expressed disappointment over Arise's allegation, admitted inviting party chairmen across the wards and councils of the state.

According to him: "They were invited not to be imposed upon or dictated for but for them to harmonise positions to arrive at popular and representative

seen hanging around.

Elections however held in some wards in Calabar and nearby local government areas.

Public Relations Officer of the party, Obi Bissong, said those that could not hold yesterday would hold today. choices.

"I did not and would not in any way interfere. All I did was to give them direction as a party leader.

"I called the aspirants and the chairmen to ensure that the lists of delegates are authentic, which they did in the full glare of everybody."

The Acting PDP chairman in the State, Taelolu Otitoju, also supported the governor.

He noted the National Working Committee (NWC) delegates from Abuja were given free hands to conduct the congresses without interference.

ILLED" Boko Haram leader, A b u b a k a r Shekau, has, in the latest video he released on the ceasefire deal and the fate of the Chibok girls, threatened to kill a German citizen his group kidnapped earlier this year.

He also denied having any negotiation with the Federal Government of Nigeria or with any other country on the matter.

"We did not negotiate with anyone. We did not negotiate with anyone. We did not negotiate with Chad. We did not negotiate with Cameroon. We did not negotiate with Nigeria.

"We did not negotiate with the Chadian ambassador. We did not negotiate with Africa. We did not

negotiate with Asia. We did not negotiate with Europe. We did not negotiate with America. We did not negotiate with the United Nations.

"What is negotiation?

We did not negotiate with anyone. It is a lie. It is a lie.

We will not negotiate.

What is our business with negotiation? Allah said we should not."

On the German hostage, he said: "It is said Chadian President, Nigerian ambassador, the people of Cameroon and us met and agreed on a truce.

How? Don't you know we are still holding your German hostage, always crying. If we wish we hack him or slaughter him or shoot him. We fear no one but Allah. This is our job."

Suswam, Gemade in war of words

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ENUE State Governor Gabriel Suswam and former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), Senator Barnabas Gemade, have been exchanging words over the party's ward congress.

Firing the first salvo, Gemade in a live phone-in programme on Harvest FM Makurdi alleged Suswam bought over nomination forms for delegates when his administration couldn't pay workers for three months.

But the governor dismissed Gemade's outburst as an act of desperation of a drowning man and failed politician in search of relevance.

Suswam, who spoke through his Director Press, Hon . James Uloko, stated that Gemade has resorted to blackmail having realised he has lost the bid to return to the senate.

From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

He challenged the senator to point to one thing he has done for Benue north east senatorial district in four years.

At the exercise yesterday, Gemade, former Minister of Trade and Investment, Chief Samuel Ortom and former Attorney General of the Federation, Mike Aondookaa stormed the state PDP secretariat in Makurdi to protest the conduct.

They alleged that materials for the exercise had been hijacked.

But the State chairman, Dr Emmanuel Agbo, saved what would have turned to a violent development when he assured that the materials would be distributed to all the wards.

The materials were still being distributed at press time.

POLITICS EXTRA

THE NATION ON SUNDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2014

77

Why watch Enugu go up in flames?

I

T is becoming clearer by the day that unless an immediate precaution is taken as the days leading to the primary elections into the various elective seats loom nearer, Enugu is likely to explode into a cataclysm, unprecedented violence, with the victor and vanquished not even finding a hiding place.

That would be a piteous spectacle! A once serene and peaceful state in the last seven years is sliding slowly to anarchy simply to satisfy the whims and caprices, a vaulting ambition of one single man and his woman protégé who recently quit the office of Chief of Staff to run for a senatorial seat of the Enugu East.

The theater of war with the drums assailing palpable quakes have begun sounding several months ago, but surprisingly, the stakeholders of Enugu State, the National Headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and perhaps the Presidency, seemed not to have summoned enough courage to call the governor of the Enugu State, Barrister Sullivan Chime, to order.

A cursory peep into history will suffice: The state woke up one sunny morning to discover to their chagrin that the governor had left unceremoniously to overseas without as much as being courteous to confide in his then Deputy Governor, Sunday Onyebuchi, or even cause a letter to be transmitted to the Speaker, Eugene Odo, that in his absence, his Number Two man should take over the saddle.

A rudderless ship began, being paddled by the Woman Chief of Staff, and days ran into months, indeed for six months, Enugu State became the butt of ridicule with several calls by its people to be told where their governor had gone to.

The rumour mill went full throttle.

Some alleged he had kicked the bucket in India, Germany and London. The allegation was that he had died several times.

A concerned group, tired of the rot in the system, called for outright impeachment. Enugu was becoming another Taraba State. Then the cheek of it, an appearance in a Winter pull over of a sickened recuperating governor in London, and eventual return with the most unguarded comment that he had read comments about his long stay and ailment, most times amused, laughing, jeering and perhaps mocking his worried subjects.

Then from the blues, came the curious domestic action against the First Lady of the state. Nigerians were treated to a sitcom of a bloated Clara, son forcefully taken away •Continued from Page 72

the ruling PDP, on our part we still see him as a member of our great party. We have not given him leave to exit the party. He was relevant, is relevant and will continue to be relevant to our party. We must continue to strive to ensure that he sees reason why he must retrace his steps back to where he belongs. As the saying goes, “to err is human”; the decampment to PDP by Dr. Mimiko, we must admit is very unfortunate but as the former Chairman of the Party, Chief Dan Nwanyawu, OFR, stated in his valedictory speech, we have to respect his wish, it is my belief, however, that the steps can still be retraced, and we owe it a duty to offer the olive branch. We are going to bring him back to

•Chime

By Tony Ugwuzo from her, locked up in what looked like a dungeon and the only time she gets contact with the public, could be likened to a dog in fetters, the janitor opens the barbed gate, flings in the food for the day or when the medics come around. It was horrendously bad. Saved by her friend and a human rights lawyer, who raised alarm, to necessitate her being ferried out of the Government House, it was heartless to treat a human being that way.

In civilized climes, especially America, where this writer lived and studied, Governor Chime would have since been stampeded out of power, forced to resign by Organised Women’s Group, Human Rights Activists and even the Labour in the days of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

Before now, he had on several occasions snubbed well planned media awards event in Enugu led by the celebrated columnist, Late Allah Dey, Alhaji Odunewu. Not for him it is to attend ceremonies both in and out of the state and most times had been absent at federal functions that had even the President presiding. It will be a litany to run a check list.

The Deputy Governor, Onyebuchi, buffeted on all sides, who posed no threat to him was bulldozed out of office with connivance of members of the House of Assembly, who today will be sulking in regrets.

Perhaps, three last attempts, viz: His plan to stop Deputy Senate President,

•Ekweremadu

Dr. Ike Ekweremadu from returning as senator is where he has met his match.

The people of Enugu-West cannot be cajoled. They identify overwhelmingly with Ekweremadu because of his unprecedented development of the zone.

There were major federal roads that ran from Ishiagu to Akaeze in Ebonyi, Aninri Road, through Awgu to Udi, the hilly difficult terrain of the plains of the Awgu – Achi, Oji River road that hitherto was inaccessible from Awgu, Dr. Ekweremadu influenced the construction of the roads even up to Udi. So, most gullible people in Udi had thought was the state until recently when the truth hit them, like a thunderbolt.

Small wonder, last week, a mere visit of the Deputy Senate President to Udi, Governor Sullivan’s home country and courtyard, brought the specks out of the Udi homeboy, so to say.

The surging crowd and overt show of unsolicited support and genuine solidarity with key opinion leaders in Udi, urging Ekweremadu to re-run for the senate because of his outstanding performances, which included infrastructure, water supply, electricity, scholarship and empowerment of the people to name but a few, must have rattled Chime to no ends.

The Udi people minced no words.

They wondered why any right thinking person would want to change a winning team, especially as Deputy Senate President is the Chairman of ECOWAS Parliamentary body, and the place of the Ibo man in the rank and file

of Nigeria polity holding such exalted position as Deputy Senate President.

It is obvious that if both men should slug it out, at the primaries, Chime would be disgraced by the people of Enugu West Senatorial zone.

Of course, the conflagration waiting to explode is the way and manner he has managed who succeeds him in 2015. The charged atmosphere, had led to one of the contestants, Senator Anyaogu Eze, saying publicly that the governor had shortchanged and ambushed him and he was still in the race.

Perhaps the most shocking is the dramatis personae of his erstwhile Chief of Staff, who has equally thrown her hat into the ring to displace Senator Gil Nnaji for the ticket of Enugu East Senatorial zone.

The biased and suicidal plunge of the chairmen of local governments from the zone, alleged to be compelled to use scarce local government funds to foot the bills running into millions, indeed opens another front of economic fraud likely to put them in the web of EFCC sooner than later. If the allegations that they have opened the local government tilts and vaults for reckless spending and siphoning of funds to appease the lady with little or no electoral value and experience, then they are doomed. Have these LG bosses forgotten what happened to Second Republic politicians who transferred and converted government coffers to sponsoring and funding of parties?

Have they forgotten that they were

“My plans for Labour Party” the party to occupy his rightful place. He is the pride of the party in or out of the party.

Won’t your appointment as National Secretary of LP affect your being Chairman of OSRC? My appointment as Chairman of Ondo State Radio-Vision Corporation is a part-time appointment, which makes it possible for me to run my law firms, go to courts, do my Ph. D. research as well as lecture my law students and do other thing I deem fit to do. Apart from the likely misrepresentations of my good self as a senior party official of another party working under a PDP government, I see nothing affecting my noble zeal to serve my people as I want to believe that I am not rendering

the service to PDP but the government and people of my State, Ondo. Bearing in my what is expected of me, I have done the desirable by offering to step down as Chairman of the Board, which is only left for the Governor to accept or reject.

Why did you opt for National Secretary and not National Legal Adviser been a lawyer?

Yes I am a lawyer, but some months back when the erstwhile National Legal Adviser of the party from Ekiti State resigned during the party’s choice of my elder brother, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, as gubernatorial candidate, I indicated my interest to serve as the party’s National Legal Adviser, which never materialised as the NEC meeting

could not hold. But during the preparation for the convention, while picking the nomination form I was told that the National Secretary had been zoned to South-west and I immediately seized the opportunity. You see, National Secretary is the General Secretary, Chief Administrative Officer and Coordinator of party’s activities second only to the Chairman. With this I coordinate the affairs of all the other officers of the party with the approval of the National Chairman, I can as well be Legal Adviser, Publicity Secretary, Welfare Officer, etc as circumstances warrant.

What are your plans for the 2015 election?

I have only one plan now, that is to make the Labour Party num-

thrown into prisons? There is no gainsaying that local government chairmen would no doubt be a meat and easy prey for EFCC if these allegations are incontrovertibly true.

The Nkanu land where she is married, having come from Udi, have vowed not to allow her to accomplish that tall dream, hence other eligible Nkanu sons – Mr. Frank Nweke Junior, former Information Minister during Obasanjo regime, the ALGON National President, Nwabueze, and even the incumbent Senator Gil Nnaji are all in the race for the Enugu East Senatorial seat.

The state government had flexed muscles suspending and autocratically removing traditional rulers linked to the Deputy Senate President and had in recent past tried to stop a ceremony widely publicized where Ekweremadu and deserving Nigerians were to be given traditional titles but could not stop the ceremony which was held amidst pomp and pageantry.

The latest hullabaloo – the unilateral imposition of Ikeje Asogwa, as the new Chairman of the State Executive of the PDP, following conflicting stories surrounding the health of the erstwhile Chairman, Vita Abah, said to be down with stroke and taking treatment overseas, while in another breadth said to have resigned, has further rocked the boat of this seemingly peaceful party in the state.

The immediate reaction of the Deputy Chairman, Elder David Aja, who was legitimately qualified going by the PDP Constitution as the fit and proper person to act for a while or even call for a meeting of the state Executive Council was sidelined has brought to the fore the impunity of the Chief Executive of the state which had reached a bizarre, bewildering and dizzying height.

Given therefore the charged political situation in the state, it is only germane that the National Headquarters of the PDP, headed by amiable Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, must step in to check this slide to authoritarianism by dissolving forthwith the state party Executive Council, appointing a Caretaker Committee to oversee the affairs of the Party in Enugu. The security arms and presidency must act in good time to checkmate this combustion waiting to detonate.

If the governor’s calculation is to frustrate foundation members of the PDP out of the state in the likely scenario of forcing them to take tickets from other parties, he must have miscalculated, a grievous error, because these PDP Trojans won’t shift base, they will slug it out. So the stakes are very high.

ber one choice of the Nigerian people. The Labour Party UK describes itself as the “Party of Many” and that is what we are.

This is a party that is distinguished out of the numerous parties in Nigeria. We are the only party with ideology, which dates back to decades. We are the social democratic political party in Nigeria. My plan is to ensure that we take over at least 13 states in Nigeria. The template has been perfected and we will work assiduously to ensure that we win as projected. We have the winning formular, from party No. 32 in 2007, we are now party No. 3. I was once with Dr. Mimiko, while with him we had about seven elections in Ondo State and Dr. Mimiko did not lose a single election and I think I have studied him well enough to know how to win people and win elections.

QUOTABLE

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2014 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM VOL. 9, NO. 3020

“If the reports are true that the Armed Forces abandoned their assigned duty posts a few days before Boko Haram overran Mubi, it was an indication that the attack was not sudden at all… No Commander In Chief or General that is worth his salt will surrender his territory with folded arms and running heels..”

—Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, condemning the recent Boko Haram overrun of Mubi, the second largest town in Adamawa State.

E

XCEPT he and his aides, and perhaps a number of other people to whom the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, revealed his mind, no one else knows just how adequately the Speaker’s camp prepared for the furious reaction of President Goodluck Jonathan to the defection of the Sokoto State-born politician and lawyer. The Speaker himself knows the legal grounds on which he rests his provocative move, and may have in addition taken counsel from eminent jurists and other well-meaning and knowledgeable people in the country in order to come to a fair conclusion on the limits and possibilities of his defection. I also suspect that he took advice on what possible steps the president could take to counter what seems to Dr Jonathan a ploy to vitiate his re-election chances and render his hold on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) embarrassingly tenuous. Perhaps, too, Hon Tambuwal worked the House of Representatives to shore up the support he has enjoyed from the lower chamber since he became Speaker.

If Hon Tambuwal took all these precautions, he would know that Dr Jonathan, in spite of his tame exterior, is a doughty fighter who jousts with a viciousness that contemptuously disregards the law, mocks the constitution, and despises every other ethical consideration that recommends itself to fairness, common sense and human decency. Dr Jonathan, since he ‘tasted blood’ in January 2012 during the fuel subsidy protests, has let himself go in affronting even the tenuous conventions upon which our society was founded but now totters. Never once a systematic fighter, or one inspired by great causes and lofty goals, the president has happily ignored the civilized world as they flinch at his actions and utterances. He fights brutally, ruthlessly, arbitrarily, and unconscionably. This, then, was the man Hon Tambuwal provoked to fury by defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) last week.

Let him be prepared; for since he became Speaker, and partly because of the circumstances of his adolescence and train-

B

Tambuwal’s defection, Jonathan’s rage ing, he has been unable to adapt himself to the appalling rules and predatory manners of the ruling party, not to say the deceptiveness and exhibitionism of Dr Jonathan.

It is surprising that the police withdrawal of Hon Tambuwal’s security aides has become controversial. There is nothing controversial about it. The police themselves know they do not stand on firm ground to take the action they took against the Speaker. They cite a constitutional provision — Section 68 (1)(g); but there is nothing in that provision that enables or authorises the police to exercise the initiative they took so casually. Everyone knows that the cabal that rules Nigeria, with Dr Jonathan at its bitter core, has resolved they would stop at nothing to exterminate Hon Tambuwal, whether their action makes sense or not, or whether they are backed by law or not. They could do worse, as some reports suggest. The Jonathan crowd is expected to force a stalemate in the House of Representatives, tear the constitution to pieces, and let everyone know that the president should never be challenged, let alone wrong-footed. They have never been comfortable with the role of opposition parties in a democracy, but in

their view if they must tolerate them, they prefer to set the extra-constitutional rules by which they must operate.

Other than a few lawyers and activists galled by the police action against Hon Tambuwal, some other activists, including the normally vocal Southwest interest groups, have spoken uncharacteristically in whispers, and hesitantly too. Their reticence seems to suggest they reluctantly condone the police action perhaps because the Speaker had joined the ‘wrong’ party, their worst regional enemy. But as this column has repeatedly warned, Nigeria is moving precipitously towards fascism, and the ominous steps that underscore this disposition are not being checked because the victims are other people, other parties, other crowds.

Dr Jonathan has got away with too many constitutional infractions; if he gets away with this also, Nigerian democracy might begin to flounder, perhaps irretrievably.

This is no hyperbole. We don’t have to like Hon Tambuwal, and we may loath the APC, but to turn a blind eye to Dr Jonathan’s frequent unconstitutional actions is to open ourselves, our businesses, our families and future generations to assault of the most heinous type.

Boko Haram as our remorseless nemesis

OKO Haram, with or without the ubiquitous Abubakar Shekau, has proved surprisingly good at holding captured towns. The terror group is described as ragtag, and its commanders untrained, unschooled and tactical improvisers. But in their desultoriness, they have composed, not a dithyramb, as we hoped, but a symphony of madness, bloodletting and extreme depravity, as we feared. Their setbacks, as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) illustrates in Caliphate setting, serve merely as fillip for more daring and copious martyrdom, for more thirst and zestfulness for blood, for more commitment to anarchical causes.

The Nigerian Army has sometimes found a way to blunt Boko Haram attacks, regain territories and even display tactical proficiency which a military of its size and stature is conversant with.

But the army has been quite unable to summon the commitment and passion required to sustain the battle against the terror group, and the defensive capability needed to turn the tide. Boko Haram and its commanders believe in the cause they are fighting for, though they have sometimes conscripted child soldiers and other captives; on the other hand, Nigerian troops, given the number of court martial going on, have not shown the conviction necessary to fight and win.

This is the pressing danger Dr Jonathan’s government faces. Last week, Mubi and surrounding villages in Adamawa State fell. Other important cities that have fallen in parts of the North-

•Jonathan

•Badeh

east have not been retaken by government forces. Horrified by the scandalous abduction of over 200 schoolgirls by the terror group in April, a few countries offered to help. For inexplicable reasons, they have since abandoned the search for the girls and spurned any attempt to cooperate with our army. They cite the unwillingness of our troops to fight, corruption in the military, and human rights abuses. Whether these reasons were sufficient enough to dissuade them from helping Nigeria is not clear. But obviously the chances of retaking lost cities are for now not encouraging. Nor is it clear that indiscipline, as the ongoing court martial of scores of soldiers and their officers tend to suggest, is the bane of the antiterror war. The problem is obviously much more fundamental.

If we are not to wake up one morning to discover that entire states have been taken over by Boko Haram, now is the time to grapple with the uncomfortable reality of the war and the societal division that underpins it rather than the chimera the Jonathan government has pursued aimlessly in the past few years. Dr Jonathan must understand that the reasons for fail-

ure are not what he has incoherently advanced in public. It is not hostile press, opposition politics and politicians , undisciplined soldiers, and apparently it is not even cowardice of troops. If it is not too late, the government should find out why our troops are so poorly motivated, so uninterested in fighting, and so divided and uncommitted. Dr Jonathan and his government want all political parties, particularly the APC, and the rest of the public to join them unquestioningly in fighting Boko Haram because all of us would suffer should the enemy win. But Dr Jonathan and his government have been engaged in a relentless war against the opposition, a part of the public they believe is too critical, the media, and religious groups they imagine are fighting them covertly.

Unable to unite the people behind him and, worse, unable to inspire them, Dr Jonathan has angrily taken out his frustrations on those who accuse him of being lackluster or incompetent. But no one has divided the society as bitterly as Dr Jonathan, pitting his South-South compatriots against others, turning Christians against Muslims, fighting lawmakers and state governments that do not do his bidding, in short, creating enemies in torrents rather than uniting the people and making friends even in trickles. Soldiers in the battlefields of the Northeast do not belong only to the president’s friends and party; they are a reflection of the entire society, a society horribly misunderstood, traumatised and almost entirely alienated

by Dr Jonathan. So, how does he hope to win this unfortunate war? And how does he hope to win the presidential election against the run of play?

I do not think Hon Tambuwal should resign his position as Speaker. Let him instead test his popularity. Let the House of Representatives, acting independently in accordance with the rules of the House, determine the tenability of Hon Tambuwal’s position. Whether most of the members like their Speaker or not, I think they would however be unwise to cede their powers and veto, not to say their tastes and affections, to the misdirected Nigeria Police or the insular Jonathan presidency. Whether we like Hon Tambuwal’s defection or not, we must resist the presidency’s obvious manipulations of the House of Representatives. We must not feel guilty that Dr Jonathan does not appreciate the separation of powers doctrine, does not understand democracy as a concept, and is unable to appreciate the sanctity and indispensability of the opposition in sustaining and preserving our way of life and system of government.

At a time when Dr Jonathan rides roughshod over the judiciary and undermines its effectiveness and independence, and abridges press freedom and free speech by impounding newspapers and obstructing their operations, and at a time when the Senate has become so pro-establishment that it has become so indistinguishable from the presidency, it is dangerous for the country and the members of the House of Representatives themselves to let the independence of the lower chamber be malevolently compromised. I feel like Cassandra already. But in the interest of Nigeria, Dr Jonathan must be restrained from continuing to jeopardise the peace and unity of Nigeria. He stubbornly sticks to his misfiring guns and his inoperable and undecipherable policies, many of them parochial, insensitive and paranoid. We must coax him into transferring his aggression and recalcitrance to fight the equally obstinate and vicious enemy, Boko Haram, against which he seems to have no answer and lacks the courage.

What I find incomprehensible in all this, however, is why Hon Tambuwal has indulged in this high-wire politicking just to secure the governorship of his home state, Sokoto. That he needles the president remorselessly is not in doubt.

That if he remained in the PDP he would be denied any ticket of his liking is also not in doubt. But given the cost of his defection, a cost that clearly transcends just the paper work involved or the principles he has had to sacrifice so much to sustain, it would have been admirable for the Speaker to take a shot at the presidency, a step I had advanced in this place and am prepared to defend and even promote. I recognise that seeking the governorship is safe and secure, and that if he should seek the presidential ticket of the APC and fail, he could be left with nothing. Notwithstanding his slight speech troubles, I have no doubt he has the eloquence, depth, wide perspective and character to seek the highest position in the land. He will bring to that office uncommon youthfulness, a can-do spirit, and a democratic disposition that none of his opponents, not even the gritty Gen Muhammadu Buhari, nor the uninspiring Dr Jonathan, would be able to gainsay.

We must not lose sight of the danger constituted to the body politic by Dr Jonathan’s subversion of Nigeria’s security agencies, especially the subordination of the agencies to the ruling party.

Nor must we lose sight of the fact that, so far, our democracy has been defended mainly by the Tambuwal-led House of Representatives. The incalculable sense of loss and futility we now feel viewing the president and his scheming aides plunder the House and defy the constitution would be cold comfort when time and events prove Dr Jonathan and his coterie of aides and advisers horribly wrong.

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