SunNews- October 10, 2012

Bakassi: Lawmakers stage protest

Pages 5 & 13

... Protesters go nude in Abuja

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2470

Flood victims get N17.6bn • Jonathan appoints Dangote, Adenuga, Mohammed Page 3 Indimi, Isyaku Rabiu to raise funds

• Owerri court condemns soldier to death • Man who killed neighbour over shoes gets death sentence

Pages 3, 9 & 11

N150

Nemesis catches up with murderers ... 5 Customs officers arraigned for murder

Enugu: Chime disowns alleged ministerial list

Page 10

The protesting students

UNIPORT KILLINGS

Page 6

Port Harcourt boils

... As students protest murder of colleagues •Storm Rivers from eleven states Houses razed, cars smashed •Varsity shut down

...Eleven Aluu residents arraigned for murder

Bakassi: Lawmakers stage protest

Pages 5 & 13

... Protesters go nude in Abuja

N150

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2470

Flood victims get N17.6bn • Jonathan appoints Dangote, Adenuga, Mohammed Indimi, Page 3 Isyaku Rabiu, Elumelu to raise funds

Nemesis catches up with murderers • Court condemns soldier to death • Man who killed neighbour over shoes gets death sentence

... 5 Customs officers arraigned for murder Pages 3, 9 & 11

Ikoyi/Obalende poll: ACN drags Obanikoro to Appeal Court

Page 8

The protesting students

UNIPORT KILLINGS

Page 6

Port Harcourt boils

... As students protest murder of colleagues •Storm Rivers from eleven states Houses razed, cars smashed •Varsity shut down ...Eleven Aluu residents arraigned for murder

Oni’s aide arraigned for sedition Page 11

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2012 VOL. 7 NO. 2470

Flood victims get N17.6bn • Jonathan appoints Dangote, Adenuga, Mohammed Page 3 Indimi, Isyaku Rabiu to raise funds

• Court condemns soldier to death • Man who killed neighbour over shoes gets death sentence

Pages 3, 9 & 11

N150

Nemesis catches up with murderers ... 5 Customs officers arraigned for murder in Ogun

Port Harcourt boils

... As students protest murder of UNIPORT colleagues •Storm Rivers from eleven states, burn houses, smash cars

•Varsity shut down

Page 6

ONDO •Why I will triumph – Mimiko GUBER •ACN alleges fresh attack by thugs

Page 12

HOME COMING... Mimiko’s campaign train in Ondo town yesterday

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DAILY SUN Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Wednesday, October 10, 2012, DAILY SUN

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SUNG GIRL

Jonathan approves N17.6bn for flood victims .Dangote, Adenuga, Agbakoba, Elumelu, others make relief committee From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, Abuja

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resident Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday announced the release of N17.6 billion direct financial assistance to floodravaged states. The President, in a nationwide broadcast, categorised the affected states into four groups, A to D, which would get N500, N400, N300, N250 million respectively.

“Category A states include: Oyo, Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Adamawa, Delta, Bayelsa and Anambra. Category B: Jigawa, Kano, Bauchi, Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa, Taraba, Cross River, Edo, Lagos and Imo States while category C had Kwara, Katsina, Gombe, Ogun, Ondo, Ebonyi, Abia and Rivers States. The last category has Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Yobe, Enugu, Ekiti, Osun, Akwa-Ibom Borno States and the FCT,’’ the president said.

In addition, two key ministries, Works and Environment, as well as two key agencies, National Emergency Managment Agency (NEMA), National Commission for Refugees (NCR) and the Presidential Technical Committee on Floods Assessment got about N5 billion to assist in mitigating the adverse effects of the flooding.

The Ministry of Works got N2.6 billion, NEMA, N1.1 billion, Ministry of Environment, N350 million, National Commission for Refugees, N150 million and the Presidential Technical Committee on Flood Impact Assessment, N100 million.

In a nationwide broadcast, President Jonathan also announced the setting up of a National Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation, to be co-chaired by Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Mr. Olisa Agbakoba with Dr. Mike Adenuga Jnr. as the chief fund mobiliser. The committee is to assist the Federal Government to raise funds to mitigate the pains and ensure the effective postimpact of rehabilitation of victims.

The committee which has one year to conclude its task is also expected to advise government on the judicious utilisation of the funds raised, and has been authorised by President Jonathan to coopt other persons or organisations that it may find useful in carrying out its assignment.

The president also promised that he and Vice President Namadi Sambo would visit some of the victims, He said till date, over N2 billion had been spent on relief materials, repair of collapsed bridges and construction of by-passes.

Government interventions so far included NEMA, which had spent N1.314 billion, Ministry of Works, N556 million on repair of collapsed bridges and the construction of by-passes while the Ministry of Environment had spent N95 million on sundry relief measures.

President Jonathan said upon the receipt of the final report of assessment of the impact of the flood from the technical committee, government would announce medium and long-term measures to check future flood disaster.

He expressed government’s sympathy with the victims and gave the assurance that government would do everything possible to mitigate the impact.

Soldier bags death sentence for killing bizman … Another, life imprisonment From VAL OKARA, Owerri

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ustice Ngozi Ukoha of Owerri High Court on Monday condemned a soldier, Lance Corporal Bassey Asinya to death for murder while Augustine Nwolisa, his colleague bagged life sentence.

The duo was accused of killing a US-based businessman, Sylvester Nnaemeka Obiekea, on December 24, 2006, in Owerri.

Delivering judgment in suit number HOW/13C/2007 that lasted for more than three hours, Justice Ukoha recalled that Asinya, during police investigation and court proceedings, admitted that he shot the late Nnaemeka Obiekea.

The Judge also recalled that the first accused, Asinya, affirmed that the late Obiekea was the only one found in his vehicle when they went in pursuit of the alleged armed robbers, said to be operating close to World Bank Junction, Owerri.

He said: “I find as true that the deceased was an American-based businessman. It is also true that the deceased died in the early hours of December 25, 2006 and it was the first accused (Bassey Asinya), who shot him.”

“Although there was no eye witness account in respect of the instant case, the burden of the prosecution was made simpler as the accused persons, who were the only eye witnesses, affirmed that the first accused shot the deceased.”

He observed that evidence before the court showed that the accused persons were on illegal duty, adding that it was sheer wickedness to take the late Obiekea to the army barracks at 34, Artillery Brigade, Obinze, where there were no life-saving facilities, instead of the hospital.

Justice Ukoha said: “The act of wickedness and negligence facilitated the death of the deceased. Court disbelieves the evidence of the first accused (Bassey Asinya) that he was shot on his left leg by robbers.”

He, therefore, found Nwolisa guilty of manslaughter and sentenced him to life imprisonment, while Asinya was condemned to death for murder.

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DAILY SUN Wednesday, October 10, 2012

DAILY SUN

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

L-R: Chairman, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NISA), Mahey Rasheed, President Goodluck Jonathan, Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Managing Director, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Uche Orji, after the inauguration of the NSIA at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday.

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L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan with the Minister of Agric and Natural Resources, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, and the Minister of State for Agric and Natural Resources, Alhaji Bukar Tijani, at the launch of Growing Agriculture, Creating Wealth, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. ..Photos: BAYO OBISESAN

L-R: The Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Adesimbo Kiladejo and Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko during a courtesy call on the Osemawe as part of his campaign tour of Ondo, his hometown, yesterday.

From left: Garrison Commander, 1Div., Nigerian Army, Col. Sani Audu; Chief Instructor, Nigerian Defence Academy, Navy Capt, Kolawole Ojo, and Country Director, Empretec Nigeria Foundation, Mrs. Onari Duke, at the Enterpreneurship and Managerial Training for Senior Military Officers in Kaduna, yesterday.

COVER

Bakassi: C’River lawmakers stage public protest From JUDEX OKORO, Calabar and ADETUTU FOLASADE-IKOYI, Abuja

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he last may not have been heard of impeachment threats against President Goodluck Jonathan, with Cross River State lawmakers, yesterday, calling for the President’s impeachment over Federal Government’s failure to appeal the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling ceding the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroun.

The lawmakers, numbering about 25, staged a protest in Calabar, over what they described as poor handling of the Bakassi issue, even as Senators from the Southern part of the country threw their weight behind Jonathan’s decision to soft-pedal on the matter.

The lawmakers’ move was coming barely 12 hours after the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, disclosed that the Federal Government would not appeal for the review of the ICJ ruling.

In a protest led by the Speaker of the House, Hon. Larry Odey, the members expressed disappointment at the attitude of the Federal Government after Mr President had assured Nigerians that something would be done about the Bakassi issue..

At the Governor’s office in Calabar where they handed down their protest letter, Odey, who spoke on behalf of the members, stated “clearly that the preponderance of opinions of those at the meeting and those of a good number of Nigerians was in favour of the review and so went ahead and set up an eight-man committee, four from the NASS and four from the executive to commence immediately, the process of reviewing the judgment The Speaker maintained that the people were not happy and hope that urgent steps could be taken to assuage the people. He

… Want Jonathan impeached

•Southern senators back President noted that the consequence of the judgment on the people the significance.

He said, “I don’t think we have done enough to address that. There is a lot of grievances, pains and hurt and emotions and we can only appeal to everyone at this time to remain calm to understand that there are processes and procedures that are followed in cases of this nature and all hopes should not be lost and it would not be lost.

“We may have reached the end of one stage of this struggle but I believe there is still opportunity to still address some of the real challenges that the ceding of Bakassi has brought upon the people. So, yes, we may not meet the deadline for a review. I hope we do, but we still have a few hours to be considered but in the event that we don’t, I believe very strongly that there are still other opportunities which we will pursue to ensure that justice is done.

Speaking to the newsmen shortly after the protest, Hon. John Gaul Lebo, representing Abia State Constituency said: “The statement by the Attorney-General that Cross River has no fresh evidence to warrant a right of appeal is quite unfortunate because he is not the court nor does it lie in his office to say whether the facts are credible or not.

“Besides, the setting up of a shadow presidential committee barely three days to the expiration when we had the right of review, clearly shows that there is a conspiracy by the Federal Government.”

According him, “Article 33 of ICJ clearly states the processes of filling an appeal which must be presented before it. They have the jurisdiction to determine whether it is fresh or not.

“It is not the duty of Cross River to pro-

duce fresh evidence because we are only a part of the federation; we have no locus standi to go to ICJ to file an appeal. We rely on Nigeria and if the AG fails to do that, he has to resign. Our position is that the AG should resign and be made to face trial for treason because he took an oath of office to defend the constitution of the federation.

“He is busy telling the world that the international community is not happy with our position. So, he now takes instructions from the West.

“On the resolution of the National Assembly, we are calling on the NASS to ensure that the presidency complies with their resolution because he is not bigger than the constitution neither is the AGF bigger than Nigeria, he is only an oppointtee. The NASS is independent. They should take further steps if he fails to comply with that.”

Reacting, Governor Liyel Imoke said the consequence of the judgment on the people is very significance and expressed worry that the nation did not do enough to address that.

His words: “There is a lot of grievances, pain and hurt and emotions and we can only appeal to everyone at this time to remain calm to understand that there are processes and procedures that are followed in cases of this nature and all hopes should not be lost and it would not be lost.

“We may have reached the end of one stage of this struggle but I believe there is still opportunity to address some of the real challenges that the ceding of Bakassi has brought upon the people. So, yes we may not meet the deadline for a review. I hope we do, but we still have a few hours to be considered. But in the event that we don’t,

I believe very strongly that there is still other opportunity which we will pursue to ensure that justice is done, Imoke assured.

But in a new twist, senators of the southern extraction, yesterday, backed the President’s decision not to appeal the ICJ ruling.

On September 25, the Senate and the House of Representatives had in a joint resolution, urged the President to appeal the October 2002 ruling on the Bakassi.

The same week, the President set up an eight-man committee to review the ICJ ruling and determine whether Nigeria had grounds for appeal.

On the contrary, southern senators, under the aegis of Southern Senators Forum (SSF) rose from a caucus meeting on Tuesday and backed the President on the Bakassi.

Chairman of the forum, Senator James Manager told journalists that reports emanating from the Presidency indicated that there were “fresh facts” with which to pursue the case.

Manager, who chairs the Niger Delta Committee, candidly admitted that lawmakers may not have all the details pertaining to the Bakassi ruling.

“The motion on Bakassi was brought up on the floor of the Senate, discussions were held and at the end of the day, the Senate concluded, urging the President; in fact, the executive arm of government to appeal the judgment that was given 10 years ago.

“But what we are hearing from the executive is that there are no fresh facts because the conditions under which we must make an appeal is when there are fresh issues, issues that were not there as at the time the judgment was given.

“Therefore, as part of the things you must appeal upon are other issues arising from outside of what led to the judgment?

We may not have all the details,” Manager said.

6 DAILY SUN Wednesday, October 10, 2012

NEWS Senate urges security agencies to fish out perpetrators •Mark supports call for state police From ADETUTU FOLASADE-KOYI, Abuja

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enate has condemned the gruesome murder of four students of the University of Port Harcourt and urged the nation’s security agencies to fish out the perpetrators.

The students were killed in Aluu Community, Rivers State last week. Also yesterday, Senate President, David Mark made a case for state police.

In condemning the ‘jungle justice’meted out to the four students, Senate deplored a situation where the deceased were not allowed the opportunity to defend themselves. In their honour, Senate observed a minute silence.

Senate resolutions was consequent upon a motion by Chairman of the Works Committee, Ayogu Eze and 90 other senators condemned the murder of students and one other person at Omuokiri Village in Aluu Community of Rivers State on October 5.

Speaking on the motion, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu disclosed that one of the students was from an affluent family and so, could not have stolen items credited to him.

“I remember saying that whether what happened in Mubi was act of cultism or Boko Haram. It cuts down to the fact that the security agencies have failed to protect the people.

“Today, we are talking about four students killed in Rivers State. Again, it was lack of security agencies to save Nigerians that gave rise to that murder.”

Chairman of the Petroleum Resources (Downstream) Committee, Magnus Abe who is also from Rivers State in his contribution stated that killing the students was no response for whatever crime they were accused of.

In his comments on the motion, the Senate President noted that the descent into meting out jungle justice had become imperative for the decentralization of the federal police system in Nigeria.

“What has happened in Aluu is in every sense is a condemnable act and we must do so with all our power, our strength and our might, but only that I think the police truly is being challenged and there can not be police everywhere, but the moment it happens and they get a report they should be able to bring those involved to book.

“I have said this before that I was against state police before, but I have since changed my mind and I said so the other day because the actions and the frequencies with which so many crimes are being committed in this country and the difficulty, the police has in carrying out their investigations means that there are real security challenges that we need to address and to address them realistically, we must make sure that there are enough police men that can police this country.”

Meanwhile, mother of one of the murdered students, Mrs. Chinwendu Biringa has petitioned the Senate, seeking justice and clearance of her son’s name, Chiadika Biringa, from theft.

The petition reads: “My name is Mrs. Chinwe Biringa. I am the mother of Mr. Chiadika Biringa, a second year student of theater arts at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT). My husband is a senior officer at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. “My son turned 20 years old this week and we gave him pocket money to celebrate it with his friends. On Friday morning, we were called by my second son, also a UNIPORT student, that all was not well and he was hearing bad rumours that villagers at Aluu, the host community of UNIPORT had murdered four students. I immediately rushed to the scene only to see my son’s dead body being taken away naked to a mortuary in UNIPORT Teaching Hospital. I could not believe my eyes and collapsed.

“What did my son do? What did the other three young men who died with him do? First, we heard that the four students were alleged to have stolen a Blackberry phone and a laptop computer. This could not be the truth. My son had a Blackberry phone and in fact a laptop computer since he was in primary school. No way could my son steal such a common thing like a cell phone, which every village woman now owns.

“We have been subjected to several gory videos and pictures on the internet. This shows that someone filmed the whole barbarism from beginning to the end. My son and his friends were savagely beaten and burnt to death while villagers at Aluu watched. All this has been caught on film.

“The video shows that all this was filmed in a broad day light, which suggests that they were killed after 7.30 am.

Further investigation has revealed that they left their friend’s house at Aluu at about 7:00a.m to go and prepare for lectures.

“To waylay them and beat them with planks until they died like chicken is the most savage thing one can witness in Nigeria of 2012. First they were stripped naked, marched around like frogs and then beaten to death. What savagery and bestiality.

“My husband and I want only two things, namely: (a) To clear the name of Chiadika and (b) justice.

“Your Excellency, every responsible parent knows what I, my husband, and the entire family are passing through over this beastly murder.”

•NANS protesting the murder of four students of University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State in Allu village at the weekend.

UNIPORT killings: P’Harcourt boils … As students’ protest turns violent From CHRIS ANUCHA, TONY JOHN and CANICE UZOUKWU, Port Harcourt

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tudents’ protest over gruesome murder of four undergraduates of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) snowballed into violence yesterday evening.

As the protest degenerated into burning of houses and destruction of other property, the authorities of the UNIPORT hurriedly shut down the institution and ordered students to go home.

Biringa Chiadika Lordson, a Theatre Arts student, Ugonna Kelechi Obusor, Geology undergraduate, Mike Lloyd Toku, student of Civil Engineering, all in year two as well as Tekena Erikena were murdered in cold blood by natives of Omuokiri village in Aluu Clan, about three kilometers to the University main campus last Friday over alleged theft of a laptop computer and Blackberry phone.

President of the UNIPORT Students Union Government, Nymabo Maxwell Soye while speaking with Daily Sun at about 7.25p.m last night lamented that the protest, which began peacefully earlier in the day had gone out of hand, with the students accusing the Federal Government of reacting poorly to the incident.

The protest held under the aegis of the national Association of Nigerian Students NANS had grounded activities for several hours in Choba, the University’s host community and its environs.

The students had stormed Ports Harcourt since Monday from 11 states of South-South and South- East for the mass action, which began at about 11.00a.m.

Some lecturers from UNI-

PORT who said they identified with the cause of the students also joined in the protest.

The protesters barricaded the East-West Road for several hours, making it impossible for motorists to ply the road.

They carried placards with various inscriptions some of which read: “U can’t kill unique students and go free,” “Omuokiri Chiefs are Boko Haram,” “Where were police on Friday,” “Aluu, why?

“Aluu community must pay with nose,” “VC must go” and “compensation must be paid to the families of our students they killed.”

Speaking with Daily Sun, NANS Treasurer, South -East and South-South, Iyere Prosper Onono, said federal and state governments must address their grievances as articulated on the placards.

Onono, who was disappointed at the low turnout of UNIPORT students, said they would not disperse until the Vice Chancellor, Prof.

Joseph Ajienka and Governor Chibuike Amaechi addressed them.

“We are not leaving here until the VC or Governor Amaechi addresses us,” he said.

Former Chairman of Academic Staff of Universities, UNIPORT chapter, Dr. Andrew Fimine, who was among the protesters, said it was wrong for members of the community to take laws into their hands.

He stated that the Vice Chancellor ought to have convened a meeting with the students, community leaders and security agents, to warn that no community should molest or kill any students again, adding that similar incidents had occurred in the past. “This must stop,” he said.

Another unionist and a 400level Petroleum Engineering student of Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Charles Jaja, accused the police of negligence and called for the removal of the divisional police officer in charge of the area. Jaja said police had demonstrated lack of commitment to the protection of lives and property, adding that the

victims would have been saved from the mob, if the security agents were proactive.

He also blamed some UNIPORT students, who, he said, spent time, filming the killing, instead of sending distress call to security operatives.

Jaja urged the Rivers State Government and the Judiciary, to expedite action on prosecuting the perpetrators of the dastardly act.

The student unionist, however, warned that shoddy handling of the matter by government might lead to reprisal attacks by UNIPORT students.

Similarly, the Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ), Rivers State Council, has condemned the barbaric killing of the four students.

A statement issued on Tuesday by the union sympathized with the families of the deceased as well as the management, staff and students of UNIPORT. The Union, however, appealed for calm and called on the state government and police to fish out the perpetrators of the criminal act.

...Police arraign 11 suspects

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leven persons were yesterday arraigned in a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in connection with the murder of four students of the University of Port Harcourt According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command, Mr. Thomas Itomi, 11 of them were arraigned in court, while two were helping the security agencies to fish out others, who were involved in the dastardly act.

The DCO made the disclosure at the command headquarters while address-

ing members of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Abuja, who flew into Port Harcourt yesterday afternoon over the murdered students.

The team was led by the Executive Secretary of the commission, Professor Ben Anagwe. Anagwe, who later briefed newsmen, said they were in the state to identify with the students and management of UNIPORT. He advised the student not to take the laws into their hands in the interest of peace.

He also advised security agents, especially Nigeria police to continue to do thing

that will make Nigerians to have confidence in them.

He said: ”So, what the students need to do in this circumstance is for them to be solemn and allow the government and security agents to do their work, to ensure that those responsible for the killing are brought to justice.

“The whole world is fighting this course, Nigeria is prepared to ensure that there is justice in this case. The students should not do anything that will amount to them taking the law into their hand, because, it will amount to what the people did that we are condemning.”

DAILY SUN Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 7

NEWS Achebe’s comment shows hatred for Awo –Adebanjo

By CHINELO OBOGO

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ontroversies have continued to trail the recent statement credited to Professor Chinua Achebe who in his memoir accused the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo whose policies at the time, he said, were responsible for the death of two million Biafran women and children during the civil war.

Reacting to the accusation, Chief Ayo Adebanjo in a statement, expressed disappointment over Achebe’s comment, saying that the country should be grateful to Awolowo whose prudent management of the economy at the time made it possible for the Federal Government to prosecute the civil war without borrowing a kobo from the outside world.

According to him, “It should be noted that Awo’s prudent management of the Nigerian economy made it possible for the government to prosecute the civil war without borrowing money. Also during the war, it was well known that the Nigerian currency which Biafran soldiers had looted from Central Bank locations in Biafra-occupied areas were being exchanged to buy arms for the Biafran army. To put a stop to this, Awolowo, as the federal commissioner for finance, suddenly changed the Nigerian currency without the prior knowledge of members of the cabinet. Even General Gowon who was the head of state, was informed only a day before the announcement. These two major policies of stopping food meant for civilians which was ambushed by the Biafran soldiers and the sudden change of Nigerian currency were two factors that quickly brought the misery of the civil war to an end.”

Continuing, he said, “At the end of the civil war, a problem did arise with respect as to how to verify amounts creditable to Biafrans who made claims to money held in Nigerian banks before the declaration of war. Unfortunately, there were no records to confirm, the amount in savings or current accounts held by a good number of such Biafran claimants. As a result, a committee was set up by the Central Bank, the members of which were unknown to Chief Awolowo. Such committee recommended an across-the board payment of 20 pounds to each claimant. It is therefore most uncharitable for Professor Achebe to put the blame of this amount on Chief Awolowo.

It is noteworthy that after the division of the country to 12 states by General Gowon, the East Central State composed mainly of Igbos emerged and Chief Awolowo then diligently saved the monthly allocation due to the Igbos during the war and released same to them at the end of the war. Prof.

Achebe would have to explain how these actions beneficial to the Igbo emanate from somebody who he claims has hatred for the Igbos or haboured an intent to deliberately and systematically exterminate the Igbos or deny their right of existence as a group.”

Koku, Industrial Court Judge, passes on

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r. Simeon Olujimi Koku, pioneer judge of the National Industrial Court and retired federal permanent secretary, died in Lagos Tuesday morning, aged 87.

Mr. Koku attended the CMS Grammar School Lagos and Leeds University in the UK. He was appointed a permanent secretary in the Ministry of Labour in 1968. He joined the Department of Labour in 1949 rising to become permanent secretary in 1977 and was appointed a pioneer judge of the National Industrial Court in 1988. He was one of the first recipients of the national honour of Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (M.F.R.) in October 1965.

At the international level, he was seconded to the Government of the Gambia as a Labour Adviser from October 1960 to April 1961 and later as Commissioner of Labour/Secretary to The Gambia’s Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare from September 1961 to October 1963. In June 1970, he was elected as the Chairman of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organisation (I.L.O.) thus becoming the second African candidate to attain that high office.

A practising Anglican, he was a parishioner of the Cathedral of St. Jude, Ebute Meta. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Victoria Olusola Koku and four children, including Mr. Foluso Koku of Globacom Foundation and Mr. Jide Koku, SAN.

FG to hold principals accountable for project execution in unity colleges

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inister of State for Education, r Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has declared that the Federal Government will hold principals accountable for the management of special interventionist funds for the revival of infrastructure in the Federal Unity Colleges.

The minister who spoke in Abuja during a budget performance meeting with principals of Federal Unity Colleges yesterday noted that the execution of projects in all the schools must be done transparently and in line with approved regulations.

Wike said that the principals were granted automony to achieve results in the improvement of the schools without unnecessary bureaucratic bottlenecks.

•The Senior Pastor/District Overseer Foursquare Gospel Church, Omole Ikeja District, Pastor Dayo Adewumi (middle) flanked by Rev (Mrs) Julianah Olagodo, Resident Pastor (left) and Pastor Victor Riebelle, Church Administrator addressing the press on the 25th anniversary celebration of Foursquare Gospel Church, Omole Estate, Ojodu, Lagos yesterday. Photo: OLUFEMI KAYODE

Cleric proffers solution to Nigeria’s problems By THERESA up and listen to the spirit of God rather than what he’s ONWUGHALU being fed with. Let him listen he myriad of problems more to what God says, and facing the country can have the courage to do such become history if things. He should declare President Goodluck Jonathan three days fasting and prayer declares three days of fasting for the whole country, which must be accompanied by genand prayer, across all faiths.

But for efficacy, the exer- uine repentance. We need to cise must be accompanied by repent in this country before repentance and confession of God can have mercy on us. sins, as well as entreaty to Fasting and prayer alone, without repentance, will not God for forgiveness.

Making the declaration in work. After that, the presiLagos yesterday was Pastor dent must have the courage of Dayo Adewumi of the a leader. He needs to be bold.

Foursquare Gospel Church, Then, a new dawn will come Omole, while briefing jour- in the country.”

Speaking further on the nalists on the 25th anniversary of the church, billed to state of the nation, particularhold between October 14 and ly the orgy of violence being unleashed by the Boko 21. group, Pastor While assessing President Haram Goodluck Jonathan, the cleric Adewumi noted that killing declared: “I’m sure he means cannot be right on any well for the country. You can ground.

“We must place great value see it in his demeanour. But he is facing tremendous on human lives, because opposition. He needs to brace nobody can create it,” he sub-

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mitted. “Nigerians don’t value life, and this is quite sad. Just a few days ago, four students of the University of Port-Harcourt were reportedly lynched over alleged theft of phones and laptops. Jungle justice cannot be acceptable anywhere in the world.

Judgment will come one day, and those who have shed blood wantonly will pay for it. We should rather value life, and enhance it.”

On the forthcoming Ondo State gubernatorial polls, the cleric called on politicians to play according to the rules of the game.

“Already, drums of war are sounding,” he noted,” and violence has flared, attended by loss of life. Our politicians should eschew violence, keep the peace, and let the will of the electorate prevail. We have nothing to gain from violence and sabre-rattling.

Our democracy was won at great cost, let us do nothing to

Rice importation must stop in 2015 with – aJonathan total capacity of From JULIANA TAIWO240,000 metric tonnes.

OBALONYE, Abuja This was even as the President had expressed hapresident Goodluck Jonathan has expressed piness that over 800,000 displeasure with the farmers have accessed fercontinuous importation of tiliser via the e-wallet initiarice into the country, insisting tive that was introduced.

Jonathan said at the maidthat the N1 billion spent daily on importation of rice must en meeting of the Agricultural Transformation stop by 2015.

He said he was very Implementation Council held pleased with the progress at the presidential villa that, made and the response of the with only 40 per cent of the private sector to govern- over 84 million hectares of ment’s new rice policy, result- arable land currently utilized, ing in 13 new private sector agriculture remains key to the rice mills coming on stream diversification of our econo-

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my.

The President said, “As you will recall, this council was set up as the apex platform to chart the way forward for our agricultural sector to ensure that we stay on course on our agricultural transformation agenda.

“With over 84 million hectares of arable land of which only 40 per cent is currently utilized, the development of the agricultural sector remains key in the diversification of our economy. It is also a critical sector for creating job for our youths.

derail or endanger it. During our 25th anniversary, we shall pray for the country, and Ondo State in particular. The election holds on October 20, and the figure 20 means redemption. It is redemption day for Ondo State.”

The 25th anniversary kicks off on Sunday, October 14, at 3.00p.m, with a dedication of the church sanctuary by the General Overseer of Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Rev Felix Meduoye.

On Tuesday, October 16, an anniversary lecture will hold, under the topic, “Rekindling the Embers of True Gospel and Disciple Making for End time Revival.” Guest Lecturer is Rev Professor Israel Adu, pro-chancellor of McPherson University. Chairman of the event is Mr Jimi Olukoya, Registrar, University of Ibadan.

Between Wednesday, October 17, and Sunday, October 21, a Revival Fire Conference will hold, culminating in a reunion and thanksgiving service on Sunday morning.

Counting the blessings of the church in 25 years, Pastor Adewumi declared: “Within this period, countless numbers of people have been saved from sin, innumerable numbers filled with the Holy Spirit of God, diverse numbers have been healed, and above all, the church is today filled with a multitude that lives in the earnest expectation of the return of Jesus Christ, our soon coming King.”

The general theme of the anniversary celebration is ‘Unto A Higher Altitude,’ taken from Philippians 3:1014.

8 DAILY SUN Wednesday, October 10, 2012

NEWS Atuche: EFCC gets another adjournment to get security for witness

By FAITH OMORUYI

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he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has got another adjournment from a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja, to enable it to get security for a witness in the trial of former managing director of Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank), Francis Atuche.

Atuche, his wife, Elizabeth and the former chief financial officer of the bank, Ugo Anyanwu had been arraigned in Justice Lateefat Okunnu’s court by the EFCC for allegedly stealing N27.5 billion belonging to the bank.

At the last adjournment, the prosecution had informed the court that their witness, Bolaji Ogunsola, a former managing director of Mortgage Bank PHB (a subsidiary of Bank PHB) was absent over alleged threat to his life. EFCC had then asked for an adjournment to get him security.

During court proceedings yesterday, EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) had asked for an adjournment to make proper arrangements for his security.

“By the end of this week, we will be meeting up with the EFCC for security arrangements. I can confirm that once security is provided, our witness will come out of hiding, as he is petrified and fearful for his life.

“The witness alleged that persons of Delta extraction threatened his life that they will deal with him the Delta way, as he has eaten with lions and they will devour him. “They even added that they know his children and how to get to them.

These are the areas the EFCC investigators are trying to unravel,” Pinheiro said.

Atuche’s lawyer, Anthony Idigbe (SAN) asked the court to make an order for immediate provision of security for the EFCC witness.

Idigbe held that the prosecution’s statement sounded peculiar especially as an adjournment was being sought twice to provide security for a witness whose life was allegedly being threatened.

“If the contention is that there is threat to life of witness and till today, there’s no security, then that means there’s no threat or security had been provided so there is no reason for adjournment.

“If no security has been provided and adjournment is being sought to do this, the story is a joke. It is strange that security has not been provided for a witness, whose life is threatened and adjournment is needed twice is dumbfounded as we have shown cooperation on this.

“The court should make a direct order that security be provided and a report given to court on this, so the witness can come as we are anxious and ready to cross examine him” In the same vein, Anyanwu’s counsel, Sylva Oguemoh asked for the court’s intervention at this stage by making an order that security be provided and witness appears today (Wednesday) as earlier scheduled because the EFCC could adequately protect him.

The matter has been fixed for November 19.

NPS marks World Postal Day

By ADAEZE ATUEYI-OJUKWU

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ostal services have been described as an integral part of the increasing digital world.

Edward Diana, the Director of the Universal Postal Union, (UPU) made this submission in his message marking the World Postal Day. At a press briefing organized to mark the day, which held at the Lagos Mainland Territory Office in Ikeja, the DG noted that Nigerian Postal Service must continue to develop efficient and accessible postal services, adopt common standards, exploit new technologies to diversify and improve services.

“As strong drivers of economic growth, Nigeria Postal Service must continue to innovate, develop efficient and accessible postal services, adopt common standards, exploits new technologies to diversify and improve services.”

He further stated that the UPU would continue to help post better interconnect their networks to facilitate exchanges. It would also continue to provide know-how and technical expertise, encourage the development of innovative postal products and services to better meet customers needs and develop the postal sector.

Also speaking at the occasion, Ahmadu Rufai Yahaya, Area Postal Manager, Lagos Mainland Territory said the occasion presented the opportunity for them to review the activities of the post in the last one year with a view to assessing the performance and how to further improve on service delivery.

Ahmadu further affirmed that, though the advent of modern communication technology, ICT had changed the face of modern day business, the post had been able to make its mark as it had continued to provide a key point access to the outside world adding that the advent of technology had also helped in making postal services easier.

•L–R: Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko, former governor of Rivers State, Peter Odili and his wife Justice Mary Odili at the international workshop on Criminal Justice Reform in London, United Kingdom.

Killer fish attacks woman in Forcados River From KOFA KINGS, Ughelli

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38-year-woman narrowly escaped death in Oboro Community, Burutu Council Area of Delta State, as she was attacked by a Hammer-head Shark, while taking her bath in the Forcados River.

The woman, identified as Mrs. Torugbene-ere Aboh was said to have under-gone a religious fasting programme for three days at Holy Zion Church at Oboro, then decided to visit the overflown river to take her bath when the attacked happened.

According to Mrs. Aboh, a few minutes she entered into the river to take her bath, she had a bite on her right leg and screamed for help. She said the luck she had was that, some of her fellow Christian brothers and sister who where around pull her out of the water.

She said they had to rush her to a nearby patent medicine shop since there was no Hospital at the Oboro Community. She was given 12 stitches.

She said her husband Mr. Patrick Aboh later took her to a private clinic at Bomadi for proper medication.

Mr. Patrick Aboh while narrating the ordeal his wife

passed through said his wife is lying critically ill due to the shark attack. Lamented that due to the flooding situation in Oboro Community, almost everyone was afraid to go into the river to fetch water.

Meanwhile a Bomadi Community Leader, Chief Godspower Oporomo has warned residents of the town not to go near Forcados River, advising parents and guardian to caution their wards.

N3.7bn subsidy scam: 8 oil marketers get bail

By FAITH OMORUYI

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Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja yesterday granted bail to eight of the indicted marketers in the oil subsidy scam probe.

They had been arraigned last Friday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Justice Lateefat Okunnu granted two of the oil marketers - Aro Bamidele and Abiodun Bankole bail in the sum of N100 million each with three sureties in like sum.

While canvassing for the bail application, the defence counsel, Anthony Idigbe (SAN) asked the court through two bail summons supported with a 17-paragraph and 18paragraph affidavit respectively for bail in liberal terms.

Though EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) did not oppose the bail application, asked the court to impose stringent conditions, to ensure that the defendants always appear for trial.

Delivering ruling on the bail

application, Justice Okunnu granted the application on the ground that a defendant was presumed innocent until found guilty by a competent court of law. The court ordered that the defendants’ sureties swear to affidavit means indicating their financial details and that they could pay the bail bond.

It added that the sureties must be resident in Lagos, two of which must have landed property in Lagos, while the third must be a Director in a public/ private registered company in Nigeria and must show evidence of tax payment for three years preceding the year of trial.

Other orders were that an official of EFCC should within 72 hours of submission verify all particulars and thereafter swear an affidavit to this, while the court registrar must also verify all particulars.

It also ordered that they must not travel out of the country without the court’s permission and must deposit their international passports and report at the EFCC office at a

Ikoyi/Obalende: ACN candidate appeals against Obanikoro

By FAITH OMORUYI

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he Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Lagos and its candidate for the Ikoyi/Obalende Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Chairmanship, Adewale Adeniji has appealed against a judgment of the Local Government Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ikeja Magistrate Court, Lagos.

Justices D. Akinsanya, P. Ojo, Demi Ajayi Etti and Dave Ajetunmobi delivered the judgment on October 4 in

He also said, since the flood was of unimaginable magnitude, there was possibilities that dangerous sea creatures must have invaded the rivers and could attack any body that goes close to it.

favour of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the local government, Babajide Obanikoro.

Joined as respondents in the appeal are Obanikoro, PDP, Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) and 160 others.

The appellants were seeking an order allowing the appeal and setting aside the judgment of the tribunal. They also want an order declaring them as the winners of the election of October 22, 2011 conducted

by LASIEC.

They were asking that alternatively order be made for a retrial of the petition for having occasioned by a miscarriage of justice and an order that the petition be heard and determined by another panel.

ACN and its candidate were also praying for an order setting aside the order of the lower tribunal. In the appeal, which was predicated on four grounds, the appellants insisted that the judgment of the tribunal was against the weight of evidence adduced at the hearing of the petition.

specified date and time once every month throughout the duration of the trial.

Meanwhile, a sister court, Justice Habeeb Abiru granted three of the marketers - Ifeanyi Anosike, Emeka Chukwu and Ngozi Ikeoma bail in the sum of N75 million and two sureties in like sum.

He ordered that the sureties must have landed properties in Lagos and they must be gainfully employed. In addition, the sureties were ordered to show evidence of tax payment for three years and all documents must be verified by an EFCC operative, while their international passports be deposited with the court.

Justice Abiru also granted bail to three other suspects Alhaji Adamu Aliyu Maula, George Ogbonna and Emmanuel Morah in the sum of N50 million with two sureties in like sum. The sureties must be resident in Lagos, show evidence of three-year tax payment and have landed property worth not less than N50 million.

The charges preferred against the marketers and their companies bordered on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, conspiracy to forge documents and uttering of documents.

EFCC alleged that the marketers and their companies had conspired to and also obtained huge sums of money from the Federal Government purporting the sum to be payment for subsidy under the Petrol Support Fund for the purported importation of Premium Motor spirit from Europe to Nigeria.

DAILY SUN Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 9

SOUTH SOUTH Oshiomhole dismisses 20 teachers for absenteeism From TONY OSAUZO, Benin

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wenty teachers in three schools who were absent from their duty posts were yesterday dismissed from work by Governor Adams Oshimhole of Edo State who paid an unscheduled visit to the schools.

The schools visited by Oshiomhole during an unscheduled visit included Asoro Primary School, Emokpae Model Primary School, Western Boys High School, George Idah Model School and Esonere Primary School, all in Benin City.

The governor also ordered deductions from the salaries of some teachers who got to their schools after the 8:00 am resumption time.

The governor who frowned at the lackadaisical attitude of some teachers to work, said “the state government had provided suitable environment in the schools, the teachers were paid good wages and inducement allowances. “These beautiful classrooms are useless if teachers don’t teach the students.”

Oshiomhole who arrived at Asoro Primary School by 7:45am, went through the teachers’attendance register and discovered that names of teachers who were not present in school were signed in. He then directed that adequate punishment be meted out to those who filled in the names of the absent teachers.

“Any time a teacher does not show up in school, the students will be wasting their time. The head mistress will also be queried because she has the responsibility to explain to me why people are allowed to sign fraudulently on the register when they are not present,” he noted.

He also frowned at the long stay of some teachers in a particular school before being posted out to other schools, directing the State Universal Basic Education Board to ensure fairness and transparency in the transfer of teachers.

Flood: Idheze community seeks govt’s assistance

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he people of Idheze, an oil producing community in Isoko South Local Government area of Delta State, have called on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to come to their rescue as flood has taken over substantial part of the community.

President of Idheze Community Development Union (ICDU), Mr. Richard Okogba, said in a statement on Monday that the flood has rendered many people homeless and destroyed their crops.

“The flood swept our community last week and has destroyed our crops, taken over our community clinic, part of the secondary school and many houses. Right now, our people are taking refuge at the community primary school and that is temporary because we do not know when the flood will get to the school. This is why we are humbly calling on the government to come to our aid,” Okogba said.

According to him, famine looms in the community because all their crops have been destroyed by the flood, stressing that the community urgently needed the assistance of government to rehabilitate the affected people.

Lawmakers want more platforms for Nigerian Navy

By PHILIP NWOSU

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he House of Representatives Committee on the Nigerian Navy has stressed the need to equip the force with adequate platform to enable it to perform optimally in its maritime policing duties.

The Vice Chairman of the Committee, Mr Jim Aiku Adun told Defence Correspondents in Lagos that, “we will continue to see that the Nigerian Navy is strong enough to be able to perform its constitutional duties of policing and guarding the sea against aggressions from external forces.”

He spoke while leading other members of the committee to inspect facilities at the Western Naval Command as part of its oversight functions as a committee under the House Order 17, Rule B.51.-(1) of the House Standing Orders 2007.

Despite the heavy downpour, the committee was taken to sea to have a feel of how the Nigerian Navy personnel work, especially while policing the country’s vast maritime area.

The Committee also pledged to canvass for funds for the force, based on its vital needs, adding that the visit was to get first-hand information on the needs of the navy.

He said, “We are impressed with what we have seen so far, but it is still too early to conclude what they need in 2013 because it is dynamic.

“So far, so good, the Navy has utilised what they have been given in past budgets. It was well appropriated but we cannot tell what the 2013 budget holds for the Navy until we are done with the oversight function.”

Speaking on his observations during the sea trip to inspect some of the Navy’s platforms on the shorelines, he said the NN is doing a good job by way of policing the nation’s waterways.

• Bayelsa State Governor, Hon Seriake Dickson (left) and his River State counterpart, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi (right) during a courtesy call at Government House in Yenagoa

Man sentenced to death ...For killing neighbour over pair of shoes From PAUL OSUYI, Asaba

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Delta State High Court sitting in Warri has sentenced one Eto Paul Ufuoma to death by hanging over the murder his neighbour, Julius Oforofuo, on June 12, 2000.

Justice Marshall Mukoro who handed down the sentence, however, discharged and acquitted the second and third accused persons, Samson Edorh and Akpoghene Edeno for lack of evidence linking them to the offence.

Ufuoma, who claimed to be studying Accountancy at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, committed the act following minor disagreement with the deceased over a pair of shoes kept in the deceased’s custody by the convict’s elder brother.

Ufuoma was said to be in the habit of wearing his elder brother’s clothes and shoes without his consent, a situation that made the elder brother to keep the said shoes

in the deceased’s custody to prevent Ufuoma from having easy access to it.

Trouble started when the late Oforofuo on the fateful morning of the incident got what he did not bargained for.

The convict stormed his apartment and forcefully demanded for the release of the canvass shoes.

The deceased’s refusal to produce the said shoes led to a brawl which was later settled by neighbours who pleaded with the convict for calm.

Not satisfied, Ufuoma was said to have staged a comeback in the evening of the fateful day and attacked the

Airhiavbere suffers another setback at Edo polls tribunal

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he petition of MajorGeneral Charles Airhiavbere, PDP candidate in the July 14 gubernatorial election in Edo State suffered another setback yesterday. The State Election Petitions Tribunal struck out his application to bring in additional witnesses in his bid to reverse the re-election of Adams Oshiomhole as governor of the state.

General Arhiavbere had challenged the July 2012 election on two major grounds: the

academic qualification of Governor Oshiomhole and alleged irregularities in the election in contravention of the Electoral Act. The tribunal had on September 27 struck out parts of the petitioner’s application on the alleged non-qualification of Oshiomhole based on his educational qualification, citing lack of jurisdiction in compliance with the provision of the constitution. The tribunal maintained that the issue of education qualification is a

Youth leader decries hijack of relief materials for Delta flood victims From KOFA KINGS, Ughelli

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youth Leader, Mr Clovis Tuodonye of O g r i a g b e n e Community, Bomdi Council Area has criticized the Delta State Government for what he described as selective distribution of relief materials to flood ravaged communities across the state.

Tuodonye alleged that relief materials that were supposed to be distributed to all affected communities, ‘’ were now only being given to communities where top

deceased who was bathing in a public bathroom at the time.

The assailant attacked the defenceless Oforofuo with broken bottles and stabbed him severally on different parts of his body. Oforofuo bleeded profusely and was later confirmed dead at the Oleh General Hospital where he was rushed to for medical attention.

government functionaries hail from.’’

The youth leader said this while addressing journalists at Bomadi, saying that the state government was playing politics with the lives of residents of the coastal communities ravaged by the flood. ‘’ For over six weeks, the people have been complaining of the ravaging flood and only few selected communities were visited by the state government. Now, they have started sending relief materials to communities where commissioners and

state lawmakers came from “He said, in the coastal Local Government Councils of Bomadi, Patani and Burutu, no evacuation of the flood affected people have been made, adding that government had been paying lip service .

While condemning the hijacking of the relief materials meant for the people,he stressed that, the government, as a matter of urgency, should send relief materials to the coastal communities not only to the government created camps.

pre-election matter which ought to have been taken before a Federal High Court prior to the election At the petition’s sitting on Monday, Major-General Arhiavbere (petitioner) had requested leave of the court to bring in additional witnesses to testify on his behalf to which Counsel to Governor Oshiomhole (1st Respondent) and ACN (2nd respondent) filed a counter-application, asking the court to dismiss the petitioner’s application, on the ground that it had been overtaken by events.

The third respondent, INEC, aligned itself with the position of the first and second respondents seeking leave of the court to strike out the petitioner’s application.

The tribunal which also concluded its pre-trial conference yesterday decided that the live issue for determination before it at the main trial is “whether the petitioner’s allegation that the gubernatorial election of 14th July is invalid by reason of corrupt practices and non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended ought to be sustained having regard to the evidence adduced and the remaining paragraphs of the petition.”

10 DAILY SUN Wednesday, October 10, 2012

SOUTH EAST

‘ACPN ‘ll stabilize Abia if we take over power from PDP’ From CHUKS ONUOHA, Umuahia.

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llied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) said that they would stabilize Abia in all sides and restore lost confidence of Abians if they take over power from the Peoples Democratic Power (PDP).

The party also promised to strengthen the spirit of brotherhood and produce meaningful development in all Senatorial zones in the state.

The Abia State Chairman of the party, Pastor Linus O. Nwachukwu stated this last weekend in the address he presented on the occasion of the official inauguration of the party in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.

He said that the state had experienced ups and downs politically and that the birth of ACPN in the state would bring stability in all sides.

He described ACPN as a party ordained by God to bring positive change to Nigeria, adding that the party had come with fresh and smooth atmosphere to give hope, justice, equity, transparency and godliness.

“Abia has experienced much ups and downs politically.

The birth of ACPN in Abia State will bring stability in all sides, this will be achieved through transparency and equity. ACPN will recover the lost confidence of Abians in rulership of the state.”

He appealed to the national executives of the party to give the state chapter of the party all necessary support for a proper take-off as the chapter was not ready to waste time to solidify the structure on ground and to run for next year’s council elections which would commence few months from now.

He thanked all those who contributed in one way or the other to make the inauguration a success, particularly the National Chairman of the party, Dr Olusola Saraki, National Secretary, Ejiro Famoigibo, National Deputy Chairman, Prince Babatunde Sarumi, a member of BOT, Saka Salawu and many others who came from all parts of Nigeria to grace the occasion.

The ceremony was performed at Patoria Hotel, World Bank Estate, Umuahia and was attended by state chairmen of the party from Lagos, Kwara, Imo, Ondo, Bayelsa, Ebonyi and Akwa Ibom .

UN forecast on Igbo Language: Igbo in Ghana to build Igbo language school

By PETER ANOSIKE

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gainst the backdrop of the forecast by the United Nations (UN) that the Igbo language and culture would go into extinction by 2025, Igbos in Ghana have resolved to build an Igbo language learning school in Accra and other towns in Ghana.

This was revealed by the Eze Ndigbo of Ghana, Eze Chukwudi Jude Ihenetu, during his first official visit to Nigeria after his coronation.

According to him, Igbo language like English language would remain forever.

He said to ensure that the UN forecast would not come to pass, he was going to build an Igbo language learning school in Accra and other parts of Ghana for their children.

Apart from the Igbo language learning school, he said he was also working hard to put up an Igbo centre or Igbo village in Ghana.

According to him, the centre would comprise the palace of the Igbo King in Ghana, an Igbo town hall where Igbos would be gathering for their meetings, sharing of views and discussing how they could progress in Ghana.

He also said the town hall would serve for Igbo cultural festivals and other ceremonies.

“I have read about the UN forecast that Igbo language and culture will go into extinction before 2025 but I want to say that it can never happen. I believe in matching my words with action. To ensure that this does not happen I am putting up an Igbo speaking school in Ghana where if our children go to the conventional schools from Monday to Friday, on Saturday they would go to the Igbo speaking school where they would learn how to read, write and speak Igbo language.

“The centre would also help them to know their brothers and sisters. The centre would start from Accra and then spread all over Ghana. Right now we are working hard to acquire about 100 plots of land for the Igbo centre. The centre would also have an Igbo market where Igbo products would be on sale. This would help to sustain the identity of Igbos in Ghana,” he said.

•President-General of Eze-Ndigbo, Lagos, Professor Anya. O. Anya consoling Mrs. Chinwe Ozuah,mother of newly wed groom, Ugochukwu, who was murdered five days after wedding, during the group’s condolence visit to the bereaved family in Lagos recently.

Photo: WOLE BALOGUN

Police arrest man for using MASSOB number plate From KASSIDY UCHENDU, He said what his member Nsukka did was not an offence and that they had been using the olice in Ibagwa-Aka in number plate on their motorIgbo Eze South Local cycles for a long time to idenGovernment Area, Enugu tify themselves. “Go to State, have arrested a member Onitsha, it is a popular number of the Movement for the plate and nobody molests us,” Actualisation of Sovereign Okwudili averred.

State of Biafra (MASSOB) for The MASSOB regional using Biafra number plate on administrator insisted that the his motorcycle. number plate was only a symMr. Obeta Anthony from bol of identity for their memObolo-Afor in Udenu Local bers and that such did not conCouncil Area, Enugu State, stitute any offence as it served according to reports, was arrested last Saturday at Ovoko community for using MASSOB number plate and has been detained at the Ibagwa-Aka Police Station since then.

MASSOB Nsukka Rgional From DOM EKPUNOBI, Administrator, Mr. Kenneth Onitsha Fidelis Okwudili, told Daily n Ogidi Magistrate Sun that Obeta had been in Court presided over detention since last Saturday

by Mrs. N. Ike, has and that all efforts made to adjourned hearing until secure his bail was abortive.

“All efforts we have been November 13, 2012 on the making to bail Obeta were case of giving false informaabortive as the Investigating tion preferred against the traPolice Officer (IPO) was mak- ditional ruler of Abacha, Igwe ing an unnecessary demand of Godwin Mbakwe.

The adjournment followed N50,000 for his bail,” the the submission made by administrator alleged.

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the purpose of a barge or any other emblem of identity to an organisation.

Describing the arrest as provocative and an infringement of Obeta’s fundamental rights, Okwudili queried: “Is the number plate a gun or bomb?” adding that, “Nigeria has enough security challenges on her hand to grapple with. Police should leave nonviolent organisations like MASSOB alone and direct their attention at serious secu-

rity challenges posed by Boko Haram.

The administrator recalled that on April 22, police arrested his members for engaging in a clean-up exercise in Nsukka Urban and gave the names of the arrested members as, Asadunwa Paul, Christopher Ude, Ojobo Sylvanus, Abonyi Sylvester, among others. Also, his members were arrested by the police in Nsukka on the eve of the burial of Ojukwu.

Court adjourns hearing on false information against monarch

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counsel to the traditional ruler, Mr. Godwin Madubuko, that he had not received any letter from the Attorney General of Anambra State to continue with the case.

Madubuko told the court that the Attorney General had earlier, through a letter instructed that proceeding on the case should be stopped, but pointed out that he had not received further instruc-

Chime disowns alleged ministerial list

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he Enugu State Government has described as “unfounded, mischievous and wicked,” the report in a national newspaper of October 7, 2012, that there was rumpus in the state over a list of ministerial nominees purportedly submitted by Governor Sullivan Chime to President Goodluck Jonathan.

A release signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Chukwudi Achife, stated that the report was not only untrue but reflected the fertile imagination of the reporter.

According to Achife, “it is downright mischievous and

wicked for an Enugu-based reporter to publish such falsehood. It beats the imagination as to how the reporter came about the names he published as having been submitted to the president by Governor Chime – even proceeding to pass unwarranted comments about them.

“It is grossly unethical for a journalist to have written such a false report on the strength of another false information that had long been bandied about by few opposition elements without making any effort whatsoever to crosscheck his facts.”

On what the reporter referred to as apprehension

over the state of health of Governor Chime, the chief press secretary simply said, “again, it is quite unfortunate that someone would wake up and begin to raise false alarms about another person’s health.

We want to reassure those that may have become concerned by the false report that Governor Chime is hale and hearty.

“I wish to put on record that the governor is on vacation and duly handed over to his Deputy, Sunday Onyebuchi, who is today the acting governor of the state. We can only but ask God to heal such souls who wish a healthy Governor Chime ill.”

tion to restart the case.

He argued that without such instruction from the Attorney General of the state, it would be wrong to restart a matter which the Attorney General had ordered its stoppage.

Responding, the Prosecution Counsel, Mr. Lordman C. Agbata said the Attorney General’s Office had written a letter authorizing the court to continue with the case and wondered why the letter had not been received by the defense counsel.

Agbata said the case file of the matter had been sent back to him and that he was ready to proceed with the case.

Before adjourning the case, the presiding Magistrate, Mrs. N. Ike said that she was yet to receive any letter from the office of the Attorney General of the state, authorizing the court to continue with the matter.

She said that since the Attorney General ordered that further action on the matter should be stayed, it was proper for the Attorney General to order a restart of the matter.

DAILY SUN Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 11

SOUTH WEST Group laments high mortality rate among women From MOSHOOD ADEBAYO, Abeokuta

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he Country Director of Ipas, Dr. Ejike Oji, has lamented what he described as astronomical increase of women’s fatality rate in the country, appealing to state governments to address the ugly trend.

Ipas, an international organisation, is dedicated to improving women’s lives through a focus on reproductive health and making sure that maternal mortality rate is reduced.

Oji, a medical director spoke during a workshop for officers of Ogun State Police Command on the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of Women in Abeokuta, the state capital.

According to him, it had become imperative for policemen in the country to understand the issues that affect the womenfolk since they were essential stakeholders in the administration of justice in the country.

His words: “When a woman is battered and goes to the police station, police should understand that that woman sees them as the last resort. They cannot turn that woman away.

They must work with that woman to seek ways of making sure the husband doesn’t continue to batter her.”

The Ipas leader noted that the police should not be labelled as “home breakers” but rather be seen as arbitrators. He urged the police not to be judgmental but rather “possess skills to negotiate a good benefit for women.”

Oji also said the organisation was seeking to create a synergy between doctors and the police, making them see the need to work together.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Ojukwu, from the Crimes Department in the FCT, enjoined the participants and other policemen to see themselves as life savers and urged them to always ensure they gave equal treatment to all in need of justice and protect the rights of women.

4 ACN members arrested during protest in Osun From BAMIGBOLA GBOLAGUNTE, Osogbo

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our members of two warring factions of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Ifedayo Local Government Area of Osun State were yesterday arrested by security agencies at the premises of the state House of Assembly during a protest staged by members of the two factions in Osogbo, the state capital.

A faction of the party was protesting against the continued suspension of the Executive Secretary of the local government, Mr. Kunle Ayantoye, while the other faction was protesting against perceived plan by the House to reinstate him.

The lawmakers had suspended Messrs Nathaniel Arabambi and Prince Kunle Ayantoye, the executive secretaries of Ayedaade and Ifedayo Local Government Areas respectively for allegedly acting against the House’s decision on the appointment of supervisory councilors in the council areas.

The irate protesters, who thronged the House of Assembly Complex along the State Secretariat Road with placards of various inscriptions alleged that both Ayantoye and Arabambi misappropriated the funds of their respective councils and were not trusted to rule the councils.

Some of the placards read: “Arabambi is a thief, we don’t want him again”; “No to Ayantoye, bye-bye to corruption”; “The return of Arabambi is a total dissolution of ACN in Osun State,” among others.

Oni’s aide charged with sedition From CHARLES ADEGBITE, Ado-Ekiti

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edia aide to the ousted governor of Ekiti State, Chief Olusegun Oni, Mr. Lere Olayinka, was yesterday arraigned at the Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti for allegedly writing seditious matters against the incumbent Governor, Kayode Fayemi.

According to the police prosecutor, O. A. Onaji, the media aide, some time in October 2012, at Nova Road, Basiri area of Ado-Ekiti, in the Ado-Ekiti Magisterial District, did publish a seditious matter against the Governor of Ekiti State and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 50 (2)(a) and punishable under Section 51 (1)(c) of the Criminal Code, Cap 77, LFN, 2004.

Olayinka who was arrested on Monday by men of the Ekiti State Police Command while allegedly disrupting the Teachers Development Needs Assessment (TDNA) examination at the Ado-Ekiti Centre was also charged with three other offences, going by the charge sheet, MAD/567C/2012.

On the second count, he was accused of conducting himself in a manner likely to cause the breach of peace and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 249(d) of the Criminal Code, Cap 77, LFN, 2004.

•Members of the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democractic Party (PDP) protesting the invasion of their party secretariat by armed thugs in Abeokuta on Monday.

Five Customs officers arraigned for murder in Ibadan From GBENGA ADESUYI, at Ilupeju along the Abeokuta/Ibadan Road on Ibadan the fateful day. According to ive officers of the him, two of the men went for Nigerian Customs Muslim prayers as it was Service (NCS) were yes- around 2:00 pm while two terday arraigned for killing a others stayed back in their suspected smuggler in official Toyota Hilux van.

Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. The fifth, he added, withdrew The accused were to a nearby tree under which arraigned before Justice S. A. Akinteye at the Oyo State High Court Six on a twocount charge.

They were docked for allegedly killing one Sola Oguntade at Ilupeju/Bakatari From BAMIGBOLA GBOLAarea of Ibadan on February GUNTE, Osogbo 27, 2011.

They all pleaded not guilty sun State Governor, when the charges were read Mr. Rauf Aregbesola to them. At the hearing yesand his Deputy, Mrs. terday, a witness, Mr. Kayode Grace Titilayo Tomori were Joseph, who was led in evi- yesterday attacked by studence by the prosecuting dents of tertiary institutions in counsel, Mr. Kayode the state who were protesting Babalola, gave details of how against hike in their tuition the first accused person fees and decaying facilities in allegedly fired the shot that the institutions. snuffed life out of the The aggrieved students deceased. who besieged the governor’s Joseph recalled that the office at the Bola Ige House, five men were at their usual Government Secretariat as spot in front of a petrol station early as 8.00am prevented

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he was reading newspaper.

Joseph said the first accused person was busy with his newspaper when the deceased drove to the area from the Abeokuta end of the road in a green Toyota Carina car when the first accused fired at him at about 100 feet to the point where the

Customs men checked the unregistered vehicle.

He further said the four other members of the Customs team quickly ran to the scene of the killing, picked the corpse and drove away with it and the car, with the impression that they were taking him to the hospital.

Students protest fee hike in Osun tertiary institutions

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Aregbesola and Tomori from entering their offices, insisting that they should either resign or pledge to alleviate their sufferings.

The irate students arrived the state secretariat as early as 8.am and barricaded all the entrances leading to the secretariat until the governor and members of his entourage and those of the deputy governor arrived at about 2.00pm.

The students prevented the governor and some of his commissioners from gaining entrance into their offices and demanded that the governor

Ajimobi seeks increase in Oyo’s education intervention fund

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overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has appealed to the Federal Government to jerk up the state’s education intervention fund to assist his administration in actualising its education agenda for the state.

He made the appeal in Ibadan yesterday while receiving members of the Senate Committee on Education led by the Chairman, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, who were on a courtesy visit to him in his office.

Ajimobi, who was repre-

sented by his Deputy, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, said substantial fund was required to reposition the education sector, stressing that Oyo was one of the states with the highest number of public schools in the country, hence the need for increase in the intervention fund.

He described education as the bedrock of meaningful development in any society, adding that no nation could develop without the provision of qualitative education.

The governor, according a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media,

Dr. Festus Adedayo, expressed his administration’s commitment to its restoration, transformation and repositioning agenda for the accelerated development of the state.

Earlier in his remarks, Chukwumerije said the visit was in fulfillment of his committee’s oversight function aimed at ensuring the judicious use of intervention fund by various educational institutions in the state.

He lauded the visionary leadership of Ajimobi and the various achievements so far recorded by his administration.

should alight from his car to address them.

The students who went berserk were said to be protesting among other things the alleged non-payment of their bursary allowances by the state government.

Aregbesola saw the anger of the students when he told them to meet him in his office for dialogue on their request, as the students blocked all the roads against Aregbesola until he came down from his vehicle to plead with them.

Both the governor and his deputy were booed by the angry students, who chanted songs against Aregbesola and his government and also made uncomplimentary remarks against his two-yearold administration.

Efforts by the state Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Kalafite Adeyemi to appeal to the students to allow Aregbesola speak to them in his office did not yield any good result as the students stood their ground.

However, the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, while reacting to the incident said the government would not be daunted by the action of the few disgruntled students bent on frustrating the good intention of Aregbesola.

12 DAILY SUN Wednesday, October 10, 2012

ONDO GUBER POLL COUNTDOWN ACN youths call for removal of Ondo CP From BAMIGBOLA GBOLAGUNTE, Osogbo

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head of the October 20 governorship election in Ondo State the forum of Youths’ Leaders of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Mohammed Abubakar to effect a change in the Ondo State Command of the Force.

Specifically, the youths demanded for immediate transfer of the Ondo State Commissioner of Police (CP) and the state Director of the State Security Services (SSS), saying a free and fair election could not be held in the state if the two security officers were not transferred.

Rising from a two-day meeting of the forum in Osogbo yesterday, the National Co-coordinator of the forum, Mr. Okonkwo Oliver who read the communique issued at the end of the meeting to journalists at a press conference held at the state secretariat of the party in Osogbo said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could not conduct a credible election in Ondo State if the state Police Commissioner was allowed to supervise the election.

According to him, “the only way to have peace, free and fair election in Ondo State is to remove the current Commissioner of Police and Director of SSS in Ondo State. Without this we are not sure INEC can conduct an election that will be free from malpractices.”

ACN leaders are no democrats - Mimiko From TUNDE RAHEEM Akure

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he leadership of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has been berated for allegedly planting the seeds of discord in the nation’s body politics, while masquerading under the guise of democrats.

The Mimiko Campaign Organisation (MCO) lambasted the leaders of the ACN and accused them of currently in a vain battle to annex the State to its already beleaguered empire in the South-West, insisting that they were not true democrat contrary to the party’s mantra of democracy for justice.

According to MCO, ACN motto has become a mere slogan, which the leaders only say without any feeling for the philosophy behind it. It added that instead of building an enduring democracy, “they would rather vilify perceived opponents, foster nepotism as evident in the open betrayal of their Presidential Candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu in last year’s election.

It wondered why those who sold the candidature of their party’s Standard bearer for tarnished dross are now crying out that Dr Olusegun Mimiko betrayed them when that had become their second nature.”

According to the MCO’s spokesperson, Mr Kolawole Olabisi,” what transpired in the last Presidential election was public knowledge when so called leaders of the party sold their own for filthy lucre; this is betrayal at its height.

Its words: “Ribadu lost woefully in all but one of the ACNcontrolled states. And when the same man decided to take up an appointment with the Presidency, they shouted themselves blue in the face calling him all sorts of names. Yet they called themselves democrats,” the MCO stated in a press statement on Monday.

LP chairman predicts landslide victory for Mimiko

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he National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Chief Dan Nwayanwu has predicted a resounding victory for the candidate of the Party, Dr Olusegun Mimiko in the October 20 governorship poll based on his record of excellent performance in his three and a half years in office as governor of the state.

Nwayanwu who spoke in Ondo town during the electioneering campaign of Mimiko to the town specifically urged the electorate to reject the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) saying, that the leadership of the party had nothing to offer the people save to expand their territories. As for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, the LP Chairman said that the party had no chance at all adding that the excellent performance of Dr Mimiko as governor had placed him above his contenders.

The LP boss who was full of appreciations for the people of Ondo State who declared a holiday for their son, Dr Mimiko by shutting down their markets and shops to give him a rousing welcome regretted the desperation that the opposition parties, especially the ACN had brought into the state body polity.

His words: “They know they will lose this election by a wide margin and a security report just reaching us from Osogbo now indicates that in their desperation to rig this election, they are printing ballot materials in that town. We don’t know how they are going to bring them in but we are waiting for them and a letter will be written to INEC today to alert them of this latest in their bags of tricks.

•Group Chairman, Bi-Courtney Limited, Dr. Olawale Babalakin (middle), being assisted by top management of staff of BiCourtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operators of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2), to cut the fifth anniversary cake of the terminal during the final raffle draw of the anniversary’s Fly and Win promo held at the Ticketing Hall of the terminal in Ikeja, Lagos yesterday.

Why Ondo people’ll vote for me - Mimiko From TUNDE RAHEEM, Akure

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ndo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko has expressed confidence that the people would vote for him in the October 20 governorship election based on his track record of performance and longstanding relationship with them.

Mimiko who is seeking reelection for a second term in office under the Labour Party (LP), spoke at his hometown in Ondo during a campaign tour of the city, said that he was the most qualified amongst all the contenders for the position, having identified with the people, worked for them and above all, having brought the state on the path to sustainable development as governor.

The governor also described the two opposition candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and that of the Action Congress of Nigeria (AACN) Olusola Oke and Rotimi Akeredolu respectively, as not only political neophytes but strangers and stooges of political godfathers only out to milk the state of its resources.

“The people of Ondo State will vote for me because they know me and I live with them. In the last three and a half years, we have been working for the people and we have delivered on our electioneering promises. If you vote for me again, I will continue to work for you. You all know me, I am not a stranger in your midst; I have been your commissioner and when I was your commissioner, I did well for you; I was your

Secretary to State Government (SSG); when I was SSG, I did well for you.

I was a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and when I was there, I did well for you so you all know my antecedents unlike some people who want to now govern you out of the blues,” Mimiko said.

While challenging the PDP whose candidate, Olusola Oke, had promised to continue with the legacies of Dr Olusegun Agagu who ruled the state before Mimiko if elected, to name one major monumental project in any part of the state done by Agagu, he regretted that the track records of a man who was rejected by the people at the poll in 2007 was what Oke is now brandishing again. He assured him of a resounding defeat.

On the ACN, which the Governor described as the

party of the sweepers, Mimiko noted that its candidate, Rotimi Akredolu deserved pity because he had shown that he could not even fathom the shenanigans of his godfather. Said Mimiko: “Akeredolu is a puppet and it is obvious that he is Tinubu’s errand boy and is being sent here as his (Ajele) District Officer. And let it be told that our people want a real governor not a district officer. Let me tell you that Akeredolu’s plight as a minion of Tinubu was manifested when they came to campaign here last week.

Throughout the campaigns, it was Tinubu the godfather, not Aketi who was waving from the open roof of the jeep while Akeredolu was nowhere to be found. But when I came here, I was the one waving to you and dancing with you. God is our godfather; we won’t bow

before any other god.

“Indeed, let me inform you that Aketi has no say in the disbursement of his campaign funds. Tinubu was the one who brought his finance manager from Lagos to spend the money. Isn’t that how not to be a governorship candidate?

“Let me ask the people of Ondo State: Is it a governor you want or a district officer? If the answer is yes, that you want a real governor as I can hear say; then cast your votes for me on October 20 because I am one of you.

“Because you know me; because I have always worked for you; because my heart is with you, I won’t take your money abroad.

Rather, I will use your money to work for you so that hunger, want, deprivation will be banished from our land.”

LP thugs unleash violence on ACN at Okitipupa rally

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he Local government campaign of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) at Okitipupa turned bloody yesterday as thugs allegedly from the Labour Party attacked members of the ACN. A press statement signed by Idowu Ajanaku, spokes person of the Akeredolu campaign organisation said that the rally, which was attended by a massive crowd was underway when the suspected LP thugs came from different directions to attack them.

“Indeed, it was a sad day as many members of ACN in ensuing melee got injured while some of them were

matcheted by the notorious thugs,” the statement said, adding that many ACN have been taken to hospitals and health centres for treatment as a result of matchet cuts. “This is to confirm the position the Akeredolu Campaign Organisation that the LP and Governor Olusegun Mimiko have imported thugs in the last three days into Ondo State to intimidate, harass and rig the election.”

While ACN members were yesterday restrained from retaliating as a result of the intervention of Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) and other leaders of the party, ACN is using the opportunity once again to call on the

Commissioner of Police and other security agents to be alive to their responsibility to defend not only ACN members but the entire citizens of the state. We are not weaklings, if the police and other security agencies shy away from their responsibilities, ACN members will have and no choice but devise other means to defend themselves ahead of the polls.

If Abacha could not cow Pa Michael Adekunle Ajasin the leader of NADECO and the people of Ondo State, Mimiko and his co-travelers can not cow the ACN as the party is poised to win the October 20 election.

DAILY SUN Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 13

AREWA Gunmen kill 2 police officers in Kano From DESMOND MGBOH, Kano

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unmen yesterday in Kano ambushed and killed two officers of the Nigeria Police Force while they were on duty in the state capital.

Police sources told Daily Sun that the victims were on assignment with the state Task Force on Polio Immunisation when they were attacked by the gunmen.

The task force is currently going from house to house in the city to immunise children with polio vaccine.

A woman, believed to be a member of the team, was also hit by stray bullet in the attack, which took place at about 1.00p.m. yesterday, at Kofar Dawanu, Dala Local Government Area of the state.

Daily Sun gathered that the two rifles in the possession of the affected officers as at the time of the attack were taken away by the attackers, even as traders and residents of Dawanu, a suburb which hosts a very large grain market in northern Nigeria, were frightened and thrown into confusion following the attack.

The injured, it was gathered, had been rushed to an unknown hospital, even as she was said to be responding to treatment. Already, the affected area had been cordoned off by security operatives in the state. Spokesman of the Joint Security Task Force, Lt. Ikedichi Iweha, declined comment, saying it was an affair of the police.

The police authorities in Kano have since confirmed the incident while assuring that they had begun an investigation into the attack. Kano State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, said the affected officers were ambushed by their attackers in the course of responding to a distress call, adding that, “a woman also identified as a member of the immunisation team sustained gunshot injury and is currently on admission.”

Meanwhile, eight suspects have been arrested while three rifles were recovered.

Abubakar to raise fund for IBB varsity From AKIN ALOFETEKUN, Minna

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ormer head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has been appointed chairman of the foundation endowment fund Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, Niger State, to raise funds for the academic and infrastructural development.

Other members of the board include eminent Nigerians such as business moguls, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Otunba Mike Adenuga, Jnr. and Jimoh Ibrahim. Former Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, Senate President David Mark, Senators Zaynab Kure, Dahiru Awaisu Kuta and Nuhu Aliyu, General Gado Nasko, Alhaji Mohammed Babangida, among others, are also members of the board.

Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Ibrahim Adamu Kolo, at the maiden meeting of the board in Lapai said the university intends to tap from the philanthropic gestures and contacts of the committee members to develop the institution.

According to Kolo, funds from the Niger State government, owner of the university, were becoming grossly inadequate for the infrastructural needs of the institution, pointing out that the university had been unable to carry out its lofty programmes largely due to inadequate funds.

He said the university would need nothing less than N3 billion to complete some ongoing projects such as the Senate building, lecture theatres and water works, among others.

Kolo disclosed that the Niger State government had released the former field base in Suleja to the university, adding that quite a number of money-spinning projects were being planned for the 45-hectare land all in the attempt to expand the sources of revenue for the institution.

2 oil magnates docked over N1.5bn From GODWIN TSA, Abuja

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wo oil magnates, Alhaji Saminu Rabiu and Jubril Rowaye were yesterday docked by the Federal Government for allegedly defrauding the nation to the tune of N1.5 billion under the fuel subsidy scam. However, they could not take their plea as their arraignment was botched in a dramatic circumstance.

They were charged along with their companies, Alminiun Resources Limited and Birla Energy Limited in whose names the money was allegedly obtained.

However, their arraignment was botched following the hearing impairment suffered by one of the accused persons, Saminu Rabiu, as he could not hear or understand the proceedings in the court when the 17-count criminal charges were to be read to them.

The suspects were accused of conspiracy and fraudulently obtaining the sum of N1,051,030,434 and 63 from the Petroleum Support Fund as payment for the purported importation of 10,000 metric tones of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol.

• Gombe State intending pilgrims at hajj camp, during farewell address by Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo yesterday.

3 killed as Fulani, Berom clash again in Plateau three persons.

From MARIAM ALESHIN- unleashed vengeance on the It was learnt that the Fulani Fulani settlement close by LOYE-AGBOOLA, who were claiming innocence leading to the death of a Fulani of the earlier attack were ulanis and the Beroms man. His body was discovered threatening to go into fullscale have again returned to the Monday morning.

The Police Public Relations war with the Beroms in the battlefield as three persons area and this had forced some have again been killed in two Officer, DSP Emmanuel Abu, natives of Barakin Ladi to flee attacks carried out by the two confirmed the killing of the their homes. groups in Barakin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Information gathered revealed that three Beroms •Demand creation of FCT House of Assembly who were on a motorcycle From FRED ITUA, Abuja a stir as motorists and pedeswere on the way to Rakun viltrians basked in the obscure t was a bizarre sight yester- scene the nude protesters crelage on Sunday evening were day at Area 11, Garki, offi- ated. For several minutes, attacked by gunmen suspected cial headquarters of the officials of the Vehicle to be Fulanis at about 7.30 pm.

Two of them who were FCT Administration when Inspection Office (VIO) already by Rakun Junction protesters numbering over made frantic efforts to control when the attack took place, 300 stormed the secretariat the traffic on that route occawere killed instantly and the nude, demanding to see the sioned by the protests. remaining one escaped with FCT Minister, Senator Bala According to the leader of Mohammed. injuries. the group, Alhaji Adamu The protesters who came Ishiaku who claimed they On reaching the village and relating the incident, youths of in over four trucks with mas- were members of the Original the area regrouped and querades and dancers caused Inhabitants Development

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However, as at press time, the situation had been brought under control as security agents had been deployed to the area. Meetings were being held between the two groups to prevent further breakdown of order.

Protesters go nude in Abuja over indigeneship

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JTF denies killing civilians in Borno suspicious movement of peo...Says fire from explosion razes houses, shops From TIMOTHY Maiduguri

OLA, responsible for the destruction of over hundred houses, shops and business premises. He he Joint Task Force (JTF) also admitted an officer was in Borno said its men did killed in the blast.

“The attention of the genernot kill any civilian or burn houses and business al public needs to be drawn to premises in the Monday attack the effect that the Improvised in Maiduguri as alleged by Explosive Devices (IEDs), which content include acid residents.

Residents of Gwange on and highly inflammable subMonday claimed soldiers set stances that propagate thermal set houses and shops their houses ablaze and killed effect, around the vicinity on fire,” Lt many in a reprisal following Col Musa said. the killing of an officer, a lieuHe also claimed that the tenant in a bomb explosion JTF troops discovered that believed to have been perpe- some of the houses and shops trated by the Boko Haram around the Gwange Sabo line sect. area where the attack took But the JTF, through a state- place on Monday had improment issued by its spokesman, vised explosive devices that Lt Col Sagir Musa yesterday “went off as a result of fire said no civilian or member of triggered by the initial bomb Boko Haram was killed, blast.” insisting that fire from the The JTF spokesman highway explosion was appealed to residents to report

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ple.

Meanwhile, the former chairman of Gubio Local Government in Borno State, Alhaji Zanna Mustapha Madami has been killed by gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram.

Zanna’s killing came barely three days after a Chinese cook, Mr Chen Jangel and his Igbo aide were shot dead in the same town while returning from a local market in the area where they had gone to buy donkey. Gubio, a small community North of Borno is about 85 km to Maiduguri, the state capital.

The latest killing of the excouncil boss occurred on Monday night. Sources hinted that the gunmen had trailed the local government boss who was also the former chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in the local government.

Association of Abuja (OIDA) said natives of the territory had been marginalised both politically and in the equitable distribution of wealth in the FCT. The alleged natives who came with placards with inscriptions like “we need elected mayor in FCT,” “create 2 additional senatorial districts,” among others, refused to speak to senior officials of the FCT Administration who hurriedly came to douse the growing tension. The leader of the group insisted that, “we must talk to the FCT minister or no one else. “We went to the National Assembly and the Speaker addressed us.

Why is the FCT minister finding it hard to address the original inhabitants of the territory?”

This agitation by the group is tantamount to an appeal made last week by the Governor of Niger State and Chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr. Muazu Babaginda Aliyu, who called on the National Assembly to axe the indigeneship clause from the constitution in the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution.

Some of the issues raised by the group include the creation of two additional senatorial districts and four additional federal constituencies, creation of FCT House of Assembly and an elected governor, election of a mayor to form the legislative among others .

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DAILY SUN Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Foreign Affairs Man, 68, bags 60 years sentence

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he 68-year-old former Penn State defensive coordinator was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison on Tuesday.

Judge John Cleland delivered the sentence here in a packed courtroom of the Centre County Courthouse.

Sandusky was found guilty in June of 45 counts of sexually molesting 10 boys over a 15-year period.

The maximum sentence was 442 years. Sandusky has currently served 112 days.

“You will serve not less than 30 and no more than 60 years in prison,” Cleland told Sandusky. The state prison system of Pennsylvania generally forces inmates to remain behind bars long beyond the minimum sentence, Sandusky’s attorney Joe Amendola said.

“Realistically, even if Jerry was to survive the 30 years, he won’t be released,” Amendola said.

Deputy attorney general Joseph McGettigan took no issue with the sentence. “The defendant will remain incarcerated for the rest of his life,” McGettigan said.

Sandusky spoke for about 15 minutes in court and remained as defiant about his conviction as he did Monday when he released an audio statement that lashed out at the victims and their families. He again promised to appeal his conviction.

“They can make me out to be a monster,” Sandusky said in court. “They can treat me as a monster. But they can’t take away my heart. In my heart, I know I did not do these alleged and disgusting acts.”

Three of Sandusky’s victims spoke directly to him in court. Statements from another victim and a victim’s mother were also read in court.

Court considers venue for Gaddafi’s son’s trial

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ibya said Tuesday it should be allowed to prosecute one of former dictator Moammar Gaddafi’s sons for crimes against humanity, but his lawyers objected, insisting the late ruler’s son cannot get a fair trial in a nation now run by those who toppled his father.

The diametrically opposed positions came at an International Criminal Court hearing that will go a long way to deciding whether Seif al-Islam Gaddafi will be put on trial in Tripoli or The Hague.

The legal tug-of-war over Seif al-Islam also is a key test for a founding principle of the war crimes tribunal: known as “complementarity,” the principle states that the court can only try suspects from nations unable or unwilling to launch their own prosecutions.

ICC prosecutors charged Seif al-Islam last year with murder and persecution for his alleged involvement in the deadly crackdown on dissent against his father’s four-decade rule.

But months later authorities in Libya arrested Seif al-Islam and said they want to prosecute him. Prosecutors in The Hague now say they are willing to hand the case to authorities in Tripoli.

Chavez faces likely economic reckoning

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uring his re-election campaign, President Hugo Chavez promised to deepen the “21st century socialism” that has meant an ever-greater state role in the economy. That message won him a surprising 11-percentage point win in what many had thought would be a tight race.

Still, he’s set to start a fourth presidential term under challenging economic circumstances. The government’s free-spending ways, bankrolling the generous social programs that aided his re-election, may be seriously crimped.

Chavez faces immediate economic time bombs beginning with a rapidly expanding public debt, one of Latin America’s highest inflation rates and a weakening currency.

Many economists believe Chavez will have no choice but to devalue the currency,

the bolivar, by about half early next year at the latest.

That will make the money in people’s pockets suddenly worth a lot less and likely drive inflation while putting imported consumer goods out of reach for poorer Venezuelans.

“He’s going to have to deal with some very basic, mundane capitalist things, like reducing inflation,” which stands at 18 percent, said Eduardo Gamarra, a Latin American studies professor at Florida International University in Miami.

• Hugo Chavez

• Staffer Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital in Pakistan assists Malala Yousufzai, a 14-year-old schoolgirl who was wounded in a gun attack in the Swat Valley region in Northwest Pakistan PHOTO: REUTERS

Nobel Prize winner got poor marks in science

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eacher knows best? That doesn’t appear to be the case for one teacher who called a future Nobel Prize winner’s dreams of becoming a scientist “quite ridiculous” in a scathing report card.

John Gurdon’s future success was almost nipped in the bud in 1949 when a schoolmaster at elite Eton College wrote on his report card that pursuing science would be a waste of time.

“His work has been far from satisfactory,” the teacher wrote. “If he can’t learn simple biological facts he would have no chance of doing the work of a specialist,

and it would be sheer waste of time, both on his part, and of those who have to teach him.”

The teacher said that the teenaged Gurdon had gotten into trouble several times and didn’t listen.

The scientific community could argue it’s a good thing

he didn’t.

After starting out studying classics at Oxford, Gurdon switched to zoology. In 1962, he showed that the DNA from specialized cells of frogs, like skin or intestinal cells, could be used to generate new tadpoles — a breakthrough rewarded Monday

Ammunition explosion rocks Russia

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n explosion at a weapons disposal site in central Russia on Tuesday blew windows shut in a city 30 kilometers away but preliminary reports indi-

cated no one was hurt, according to the government and witnesses.

Some 4,000 tonnes of ammunition accidentally detonated as it was being

Taliban shoots Pakistani peace campaigner

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aliban gunmen in Pakistan shot and seriously wounded on Tuesday a 14-yearold schoolgirl who rose to fame for speaking out against the militants, authorities said.

Malala Yousufzai was shot in the head and neck when gunmen fired on her school bus in the Swat valley, northwest of the capital, Islamabad.

Two other girls were also wounded, police said.

Yousufzai became famous for speaking out against the Pakistani Taliban at a time when even the government seemed to be appeasing the hardline Islamists.

The government agreed to a ceasefire with the Taliban in Swat in early 2009, effectively recognizing insurgent control of the valley whose lakes and mountains had long been a

with the Nobel Prize for Medicine, which he shared with Japan’s Shinya Yamanaka.

Scientists are trying to build on the work of Gurdon and Yamanaka to create replacement tissues for treating diseases like Parkinson’s and diabetes.

tourist attraction.

The Taliban set up courts, executed residents and closed girls’ schools, including the one that Yousufzai attended. A documentary team filmed her weeping as she explained her ambition to be a doctor.

“My friend came to me and said, ‘for God’s sake, answer me honestly, is our school going to be attacked by the Taliban?’,” Yousufzai, then 11, wrote in a blog published by the BBC. “During the morning assembly we were told not to wear colorful clothes as the Taliban would object.”

The army launched an offensive and retook control of Swat later that year, and Yousufzai later received the country’s highest civilian award. She was also nominat-

ed for international awards for child activists.

Since then, she has received numerous threats. On Tuesday, gunmen arrived at her school and asked for her by name, witnesses told police.

Yousufzai was shot when she came out of class and went to a bus.

Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said his group was behind the shooting.

“She was pro-West, she was speaking against Taliban and she was calling President Obama her ideal leader,” Ehsan said by telephone from an undisclosed location.

“She was young but she was promoting Western culture in Pashtun areas,” he said, referring the main ethnic group in northwest Pakistan and southern and eastern Afghanistan.

unloaded by soldiers at the site, near the city of Orenbourg, Russia’s Investigative Committee said in a statement, adding that it was investigating possible negligence.

There were no casualties, according to preliminary information, the Ministry of Emergencies said. Authorities evacuated three villages and declared a state of emergency, the ministry said.

Television footage taken from the centre of Orenbourg showed a white mushroom cloud billowing from the site some 30 kilometers away.

Witnesses said the blast blew windows shut in the industrial city, some 1,500 kilometers east of Moscow.

Explosions at sites to store or dispose of ammunition have plagued the Russian army, accused by critics of negligence or lax compliance with regulations more than 20 years after the fall of the Soviet Union. An explosion at an ammunition disposal site in central Russia killed six soldiers and injured four on May 2.

DAILY SUN Wednesday, October 10, 2012,

15

Foreign Affairs Merkel gets hostile reception in Greece

G

erman Chancellor Angela Merkel got a hostile reception from many ordinary Greeks yesterday when she flew into Athens on her first visit to the country since its debt crisis erupted three years ago.

But she praised the current Greek government for covering “much of the ground” required for recovery.

“I hope and wish that Greece remains a member of the eurozone,” Merkel said.

“As partners, we are working hard to achieve that.”

Her visit triggered protests attended by some 50,000 demonstrators in Athens. The rallies were mostly peaceful, but police briefly clashed with several dozen demonstrators and detained nearly 200 people throughout the day.

As Europe’s largest contributor to the bailout fund that has rescued Greece from bankruptcy, Germany is viewed by many Greeks as the primary enforcer of the austerity measures the Greek government enacted in exchange for emergency aid.

Debt monitors from the European Union, International Monetary Fund and European Central Bank, known as the “troika”, will deliver a report within coming weeks on whether Greece should receive its next bailout payment, without which it will go bankrupt.

Merkel, who stopped in Athens for five hours, said the coalition government led by Prime Minister Antonis Samaras still had to push through more key cost-cutting reforms “Much of the ground has been covered ... There is daily progress,” Merkel said after talks with Samaras. “This is an effort that should be seen through because otherwise it

would make the circumstances even more dramatic later on.”

Although the German leader damped expectations in Athens of a stronger message of public support for Greece, Samaras said Merkel’s visit had ended “the country’s international isolation.”

Greece has depended on bailouts from Europe and the

International Monetary Fund since May 2010. To get the loans, it has implemented a series of deep budget cuts and tax hikes, while increasing retirement ages and facilitating private sector layoffs. To date, Greece has received €240 billion ($310 billion) in bailout loans and has renegotiated a €110 billion deal on the repayment of some of its bonds.

Uganda celebrates golden jubilee amid turbulence

A

frican leaders joined thousands of Ugandans yesterday on an airstrip in the capital of Kampala where 50 years ago Uganda announced independence from British rule.

The East African country has come a long way from the days when brutal dictators were in charge, but it has not had a single peaceful transfer of power since 1962 and the potential for instability remains as opposition activists intensify their campaigns and authorities clamp down.

President Yoweri Museveni took power by force in 1986 and has ruled since. He has not said if he intends to run in the 2016 vote, but some in the ruling party are starting to demand his retirement, saying his long stay in power hurts the party’s popularity. For opposition activists, the fact that Museveni has held power for more than half the time Uganda has been independent is reason enough to use the anniversary to demand his unconditional exit.

“We have to show the whole world that there is no

independence in Uganda,” said Ingrid Turinawe, a prominent political activist.

“Why should we celebrate?

What is there to celebrate?”

Military police surrounded the home of Uganda’s top opposition leader on Monday, effectively putting Kizza Besigye out of circulation. Besigye had threatened to stage a rally in Kampala to spotlight the government’s alleged failures.

David Mpanga, a lawyer for Besigye, said his client’s house has been “besieged” by police and his movements restricted.

Police last Thursday fired teargas to disperse a rally called by Besigye, who was then taken into a police cell before being allowed to return to his heavily monitored home.

“We are not yet there,” said Nicholas Opio, an independent political analyst, talking about good governance in Uganda. “We are still on the road. There are bigger questions to be asked of this government. There is an aura of paranoia on the part of the state and this paranoia is a result of the increasing unpopularity of the regime.”

UN report accuses Gbagbo of enlisting Islamists fighters

A

new report from U.N. experts accuses exiled allies of Ivory Coast’s former president of trying to recruit Islamist rebels who took control of the northern half of neighboring Mali in a campaign to destabilize the volatile West African region, a U.N. diplomat and a Western official familiar with the document said Monday.

The experts also accuse supporters of ex-President Laurent Gbagbo of trying to recruit Mali’s military junta, which controls the other half of the country, to the destabilization campaign — and of trying to seize power from Ivory Coast’s current President Alassane Ouattara, the two officials said.

The report by a U.N. panel of experts, which has been circulated to the U.N.

Security Council, highlights the connection between the recent political upheavals in Ivory Coast and Mali and is likely to intensify international concerns that radical Islamist groups that have links to al-Qaida’s North Africa branch are attempting to strengthen their presence across Africa.

It documents meetings between Gbagbo allies and the soldiers who seized power in Mali in March and with the radical Islamist group Ansar Dine, which took control of the north in April, the diplomat and Western official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the report has not been made public.

Ivory Coast headed to the brink of civil war in early 2011 when then-president

Gbagbo refused to concede defeat after losing the presidential runoff vote to Ouattara. After months of violence, which claimed at least 3,000 lives, Ouattara took office in May 2011 but tensions remain high between his supporters and Gbagbo loyalists.

Gbagbo is accused of crimes against humanity, including murder and rape, for actions committed by his supporters after the election and is currently at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, awaiting trial.

The military junta that ousted Mali’s democratically elected leader accused him of failing to quell the rebellion in the north, which began in January.

16

DAILY SUN Wednesday, October 10, 2012

NewsPlus How Fayemi saved my life,

by Ekiti teacher ... Says governor paid N9m for his kidney transplant

By SEYE OJO

M

r. Oladipo Kolawole, a 46-year-old secondary school teacher in Ekiti State, has every reason to be joyful. His joy knows no bound because just recently, he underwent a successful kidney transplant in India.

As he is grateful to God for giving him a second chance, he is also very thankful to Governor Kayode Fayemi for paying his N9million medical bill through the state’s Health Intervention Fund.

When he returned to the country from his overseas medical trip, Kolawole told himself that he would love to meet the governor face-to-face to show his gratitude.

After series of text messages and calls, his determined efforts to seek an appointment with the governor paid off.

The opportunity finally came one Tuesday morning when Kolawole met with Governor Fayemi in his office in Ado-Ekiti.

The man who teaches at St. Louis College, Ikere Ekiti, was allowed to sit beside the governor. To him, Fayemi is an angel who God specifically brought to Ekiti to save his life.

“Your Excellency sir, I don’t know what to say. I just feel I must see you and say a big thank you for saving my life. God has used you as an angel to save my life.

And I feel I must come here to show my appreciation. I don’t know how I would have sourced the N9 million for the operation and other medical needs but for your kind intervention. Thank you very much sir,” Komolafe said.

He stated that his renal problem began with weight loss, adding that his weight, which was 88kg, suddenly dropped to 73kg within a short period. This, according to him, compelled him to go for a medical test in March 2010. After the test, he was given a shocking piece of information: he had renal problem.

Few weeks later, Komolafe commenced dialysis, which cost him N400, 000 every month at the

Kolawole before the surgery

Kolawole after the surgery Federal Medical Centre, Owo and Ido-Ekiti. He was eventually transferred to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti.

Before fortune smiled on the teacher, he had spent well over N4.5million on dialysis, which spread across 18 months.

Komolafe’s journey to a new life began when the state government decided to pay his medical bill for the renal transplant in India. In August 2011, he underwent a Bilateral Femoral Fistula Reconstruction. This was followed with Plasma Exchange and IVIG in December before the actual renal transplant.

In his response, Governor Fayemi disclosed that the first the duty of government was to serve the people, ensure they are in good health and evolve policies that would improve their standard of living.

He lauded Komolafe for his

sense of appreciation and promised that the state government would not relent in its efforts to deliver the goods to all and sundry in the state, adding that it was his joy to see his people living in good health and prosperity.

His words: “Well, I quite appreciate your sense of appreciation.

But we are just doing our job. We are here first and foremost to serve our people, and it will be our joy to see the citizens live in prosperity and good health. I am happy to see you safe and sound after a successful operation. I rejoice with you and your family.”

The governor had announced a free health programme for pregnant women, children under five years, physically-challenged persons and people above 65 years when he assumed office in October 2010.

Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, explained that Governor Fayemi

also complemented the free health programme with a Mobile Free Health Mission to reach other categories of people. The Mobile Free Health Mission, he said, holds in the state every quarter.

“Though the free health mission was originally designed to address ailments which could have been treated at primary health facilities, it was later discovered that many of these ailments were not given proper attention at that level so the need to upgrade the mission to address cases of surgeries and make recourse to referrals.

“On discovery that some patients needed serious medical attention both locally and internationally but were financially constrained, Governor Fayemi established the Health Intervention Fund last year. Since the establishment of this fund, no fewer than 122 people have benefitted from the scheme, including Komolafe, who was down with renal problem.

“Twice, Komolafe benefitted from the scheme to the tune of N9 million. That seems to be a huge sum but Komolafe’s life, like those of other citizens, was more precious to the administration than the money. Governor Fayemi’s rationale behind this was that a healthy population makes a wealthy society,” Oyebode maintained.

The governor’s spokesman further stated that the Health Intervention Fund has given the 122 beneficiaries, comprising 51 and 71 in the first and second batches respectively, a new lease of life. The focus of the fund, he said, is to ensure that the people have access to the best healthcare services.

Oyebode continued: “Komolafe is not alone. He’s just one of the 146,573 people who have benefitted and are still benefitting from the Health Intervention Fund and the Free Medical Mission.”

Under the Free Mobile Health Mission, more than 108,000 patients were treated between January and March 2011. The edition of the programme held from June 20 to 30 for the second quarter of last year, according to Oyebode, was witnessed by people from various communities.

The locations, he recalled, were in Ikole-Ekiti, Ayedun-Ekiti, IsanEkiti, Oye-Ekiti, Ilupeju-Ekiti, Ayetoro-Ekiti, Ifaki-Ekiti IyeEkiti, Otun-Ekiti and Igogo-Ekiti.

They covered five local government areas that make up the Ekiti North Senatorial District.

“A unique aspect of the free mobile health mission was the record-keeping,” he said. “This has helped the state government in knowing the prevalent rate of some diseases in the state with a view to finding a more suitable way to tackle them. For instance, certain diseases which could have been attended to at primary health facilities but which patients failed to address until they became serious and could not be handled at primary health facilities were taken note of, and appropriately referred to secondary health facilities.

“Patients who needed to be operated on were referred to the appropriate medical facilities.

Some of these people were referred for local and overseas medical attention. They were attended to free of charge by the Ekiti State government through the Health Intervention Fund from which Komolafe benefitted.”

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

DAILY SUN

17

NewsPlus From PETRUS OBI, Enugu

I

n spite of criticisms from various quarters against the proposed N13 billion state secretariat project by the Sullivan Chime administration, the bulldozers have finally moved in, pulling down the colonial structures housing ministries in Enugu State.

The height of the criticism against the project was a court suit slammed on the government by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). But the government went ahead and reduced the old secretariat into rubble.

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former commissioner in the state, Mr. Ray Nnaji told our reporter that he had nothing against the idea of a new secretariat.

He expressed reservations, however, over the decision to demolish the existing structure, which he described as a monument that would have been passed on to the coming generations.

A civil servant in the state who would not want his name in print decried the government action, arguing that not even a single person supported the idea. According to him, there were other things yearning for government attention, including health, public housing schemes, rural road rehabilitation and payment of minimum wage to workers in the state.

“Even if the government cannot pay minimum wage, it should have at least given its workers a living wage. For instance, in the federal service, a level 08 worker earns about N150, 000 while his counterpart in Enugu earns between N30, 000 and N35, 000.

“The money involved is so enormous and should have been better channeled to enhance the living standards of the people rather than investing it in a structure that has no signs of weakness or need for demolition. It is a waste of public fund and the destruction of a heritage.

“In America, you see houses that have stayed for centuries. Rather than demolish the structure, government could have renovated it and used the money for other pressing needs in the state. What workers in Enugu need at present is not a new secretariat but a better welfare and accommodation.”

A labour leader in the state, Comrade Osmond Ugwu who was remanded in prison for his position against the inability of the government to implement the new minimum wage for workers in the state described the action as unpopular and “ill-conceived.”

“It has also exposed the character of the government as one which does not listen to public opinion because despite the outcry from members of the public, the governor went ahead to demolish the buildings and monuments.

Because, the secretariat is a repository of colonial heritage in Igbo land, not only in Enugu State. The demolition of the secretariat is the worst action any government can ever take in this society.

“It is also a senseless action a government can take because there are so many issues crying for the attention of government that will impact on the lives of the people, and on the welfare and security of the people, things that have been neglected by this administration.

The government should be more interested in developing the public service, the human actions and activities that reflect on the service delivery in the state.

“Workers here are not being paid, the pensioners are not being paid, people are owed arrears of salaries, minimum wage is not being paid and workers are not trained. There is a high level of poverty within the workforce and government has not deemed it necessary to respond. The high level of unemployment is already threatening the security of the state; there are lots of abandoned industries built by past administrations which have been neglected.

“Education development is also suffering in the state. If you go to Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), it doesn’t look like a university. Go to Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), it doesn’t look like a tertiary institution. Same with colleges of education. These are areas that need attention and nothing is being done.

“How can the same government be talking

Scene of the demolished secretariat

In Enugu, outrage over demolition of workers’ secretariat of using N13 billion in a project that will include the demolition of already existing structures that are in perfect order. If they are talking of renovation, that would have been more considerate. Also, the action of the government is ultra vires; it is in conflict with the law because it is not provided for in the budget. What is contained in the budget is the renovation and refurbishment of those offices they are destroying now.

“It is a source of concern that a governor will wake up one day talking about using N13 billion of the people without recourse to the House of Assembly; that is unacceptable.

“Go to our hospitals, one cannot receive quality treatment, drugs are not there, equipment are not there. These are areas that needs government attention to improve on the lives of the people.

Governorship candidate of the CPC, Mr. Osita Okechukwu noted that his party went to court because of perceived attempt by the government to put the state into a debt burden. “So what we are fighting in the federal high court is about revenue, the unwarranted debt they want to incur. So, even if he completes demolishing, the court process will continue.”

He said the party is concerned about the destruction of monumental relics that should have been preserved even as he argued that the N13.6bn being spent on the new secretariat could be used to create employment.

Okechukwu noted that there are primary schools in Enugu where pupils sit on the bare floor.

“There are thousands of dispensaries and hospitals without adequate drugs and equipment that should be made the top priority of Enugu State government, not an edifice called State Secretariat.”

He said the matter is compounded by the violation of the constitution since there is nowhere

the project is located in the 2012 budget of the state. “The amount located has been used for the renovation of the same secretariat, he pointed out.”

The CPC chieftain argued that the project is of no economic benefit to the state, adding that there is no way the government can complete the project before its tenure elapses; “So, he wants to burden whoever is coming as the next governor of Enugu State with a huge debt, and we are saying it’s unconstitutional. He has no right to use any money not appropriated by the state assembly.”

But the Enugu State government has again defended its decision to construct the new workers’ secretariat, insisting that it was imperative to provide a very conducive work environment for public workers in the state in order to facilitate improved service delivery and productivity.

The state Head of Service, Mr. Dennis Eze, while defending the decision of the government to build a modern complex, said the construction of the new Secretariat Complex situated on 6.7 hectares of land also became very necessary since the structures at the old site were dilapidated with leaking roofs and very poor public conveniences.

He explained that before embarking on the new complex, the performance implementation arm of government took a holistic review of the project and discovered that the old building could no longer be effectively maintained, and that that the cost of maintaining one building there could build two new ones modern facilities.

The Head of Service stated that apart from approval by the state executive council, the labour unions and other stakeholders also saw the need for a modern secretariat complex for public servants in the state.

Eze said that the new secretariat complex

will help to solve the present problem of office accommodation facing some ministries, departments and agencies and will also be designed to make provision for the installation of modern day office equipment.

He appealed to workers in the state to bear the temporal inconveniences arising from the relocation exercise, maintaining that the N13.6 billion new secretariat complex under construction was embarked upon to provide a very conducive work environment for public workers in the state, for improved service delivery.

Also commenting, Commissioner for Works, Mr. Goddy Madueke said the new secretariat is a one-stop complex consisting of thirteen complexes of four-storey buildings each to house all the ministries, departments and agencies of government in the state.

Madueke explained that the building of the new modern secretariat complex became very necessary since it would reduce the man-hour being wasted morning from one distance Ministry Department or Agencies to the other.

The commissioner said the state-of-the-art secretariat complex would be completed within two years with modern building materials that are not harmful to the health of the people.

He explained that the demolition of the old secretariat would affect the central area, adding that the two buildings housing the Ministry of Transport (the old PWD building) and the Ministry of Establishment / Education would be preserved as relics.

On why the new complex was not relocated to a virgin area like Ugwgea Nike Emene, Commissioner Madueke explained that the option was considered but noted that it would be more expensive to the government because of the construction of a new layout with all the necessary infrastructure.

Apart from that, those locations are not central and will not be very accessible for workers, he explained.

18

DAILY SUN Wednesday October 10, 2012

Jonathan’s independence anniversary speech P

resident Goodluck Jonathan’s address to Nigerians on the occasion of the nation’s 52nd Independence anniversary attracted widespread reactions across the country. The facts and substance of the message have continued to resonate long after the anniversary activities were concluded. The myriad challenges facing his administration and the efforts to solve them constitute the heart of the message.

Among the challenges the President amply recognised in his address are the persistent insecurity in the land, the deluge of floods ravaging many states of the country, corruption and the economy, all of which he said his administration had been working assiduously to tackle.

He, nevertheless, claimed progress in the economic sector, as well as in the fight against corruption.

He reeled off gains in the economic sector, among them, a claim that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has risen to over 7 percent, with N6.8 trillion in both local and foreign direct investment commitments. This, he said, has likely made Nigeria the “preferred investment destination in Africa.”

On security, Jonathan gave his administration a pass mark, adding that the government has been in constant consultation and collaboration with neighbouring countries and other friendly nations to check insecurity. The government’s fight against corruption, he said, resulted in the decision of the antigraft watchdog – Transparency International (TI) – to rate Nigeria as the “second most improved country” in the fight against corruption, a step behind the United States. This claim has since generated controversy, with the authorities of Transparency International denying that they ever gave Nigeria such endorsement.

Earlier, at an interdenominational church service in Abuja to herald the anniversary, the President reportedly said Nigeria’s problems required divine solution. He called for a year-long national prayer and solicited the participation of every citizen.

We empathise with the President in his daunting task of leading Nigeria out of the present troubling times. It is, however, regrettable that after 15 months in the saddle as president, Dr. Jonathan is still struggling to communicate to Nigerians the new direction he is trying to chart for the nation. He ought to have gone beyond this to the stage where the people can clearly see where the nation is headed.

Instead, it appears that the president is still learn-

ing the ropes of governance. His independence speech evidently mirrors seeming helplessness and lack of preparedness to take personal responsibility for the problems facing the country. His unsure steps are not reassuring.

There is no doubt that the task of leading a country as large and complex as Nigeria could be challenging. But, anniversaries such as the one we celebrated last week give presidents opportunities to renew their vision and pact with the people. We think the president largely squandered this opportunity.

His anniversary broadcast was rather vacuous, and poorly written and delivered. It was clearly lacking in inspiration, especially for those who looked up to the president to inspire the citizenry towards achievement of our national aspirations.

The president was also unfortunately misled by his aides on some of the “achievements” he claimed.

Occasions such as independence anniversaries should be epochmaking in a nation’s history. It ought to be a window into the stuff that a leader is made of.

Such occasion provides a rare moment for deep reflection on the nation’s journey since independence and how the leadership intends to address the problems that have made the people despondent, and instill hope in them for the future. Such hope can only be based on a sure foundation that the people have seen, not promises. On all accounts, the president’s speech did not meet these expectations.

The attempt by the president to elevate spirituality to state policy with a call for a prayer programme on the occasion of the anniversary is also out of place.

Undoubtedly, prayer is very significant in the affairs of mankind, but prayer without doing the right thing will not build a great country. Genuine commitment to action that will improve the wellbeing of the people and the development of the country is very important.

It is beyond doubt that the nation is in a state of paralysis right now, and insecurity of life and property has reached its most frightening level. Promises to tame the menace have not yielded concrete results.

Neither has corruption abated.

But, we believe that all hope is not lost. The president must inspire himself, first, and make a clean break from the past. He should think outside the box, take bold decisions and implement them.

COMMENT

LETTER Artificial fuel scarcity and price hike

THE June 12 Coalition of Democratic Formations (J12CODEF) is shocked, disappointed and condemns in strong terms the artificial nationwide scarcity and the illegal hike in the price of petrol with its attendant economic and social dislocation which have lingered without any responsible and responsive intervention to bring an end to this national embarrassment by the Federal Government and its agencies.

The fuel scarcity first started in the Northern part of Nigeria some months back before spreading to the South and it has resulted in the price of a litre of fuel rising to between N120-200 in virtually all parts of the country in violation of the law and government approved price of N97 per litre. This culture of impunity that has become a way of life in our country, if not checked, portends a dangerous signal

to our collective will entrusted in the elected public officials who swore under oath to do justice to the people at all times.

By the government's abdication of its primary constitutional responsibility for the welfare of the people which has allowed this illegal and backdoor armtwisting tactic of artificial fuel scarcity resulting in criminal hike in price of petrol to linger, the June 12 Coalition of Democratic Formations (J12CODEF) is left with no other alternative but to align itself with the masses who are the ones bearing the brunt of government’s insensitivity and mismanagement of the oil sector.

The hardship and agony being experienced in accessing petrol for economic and social activities is an unambiguous testimony to government’s insensitivity

THE DIRECTORATE TONY ONYIMA Managing Director /Editor-in-Chief FEMI ADESINA Deputy MD/Deputy Editor-in-Chief ETHEL NMEZI Executive Director, Finance/Admin ALAN JONES Executive Director, Technical PAUL ONYIA Executive Director Marketing ERIC OSAGIE Executive Director, Special Services EDITORIAL STEVE NWOSU Editor, Daily ONUOHA UKEH Editor, Saturday FUNKE EGBEMODE Editor, Sunday SHOLA OSHUNKEYE, Editor, Magazines ABDULFATAH OLADEINDE Deputy Editor, Daily FEMI ADEOTI Deputy Editor, Daily IKENNA EMEWU Deputy Editor, Nation’s Capital BRUCE MALOGO, Deputy Editor, Saturday BEIFOH OSEWELE, Deputy Editor, Magazines EMEKA OKOROANYANWU Group Business Editor CHIDI OBINECHE Political Editor CHRIS ANUCHA Acting Bureau Chief, ( South-South) CHIDI NNADI Bureau Chief, (South-East) YINKA FABOWALE Bureau Chief (South-West) ISMAIL OMIPIDAN Bureau Chief (North-west) EDITORIAL BOARD AMANZE OBI Chairman, Editorial Board CORPORATE SERVICES NETA NWOSU A.G.M. Corporate Services ADVERTISING/MARKETING DEMOLA ABIOYE Business Development Manager NNENA SHUAIB Asst. Manager Business Dev. (Abuja) SALES & OPERATIONS DAMOLA LAJUMOKE AGM, Sales & Operations NWOKOCHA OBI Sales & Distribution Manager REMI QUADRI Manager, Copy Sales FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION OBIOMA OGUKWE Accountant JOHNSON OGWUMIKE Internal Audit Manager PATRICK ENILAMA Principal Human Resource Manager IFY ANYALECHI Procurement & General Services Manager

MISSION ‘To practise journalism in the classical newspaper tradition of presenting the news and features in an exciting style, with impact, objectivity and appeathat generate returns to all stakeholders: the society, the investors and the practitioners’

and confirmation of the long held suspicion of the grand conspiracy between the government and oil marketers (cabals) to further impoverish the masses for the benefit of disgruntled and unpatriotic economic saboteurs.

We are also aware that this suspicion has been further fuelled by government's lackadaisical attitude and conspiratorial unwillingness to apprehend and prosecute the suspected pipeline vandals who ruptured the NNPC Arepo pipelines and even killed three (3) engineers who went to effect repairs there well over a month now. Daily, the state propaganda machinery has been busy churning out avalanche of laughable and unacceptable lies and excuses as the cause of this contrived fuel crisis.

This is a further testimony to our country's status as a failed state in which criminals hold sway over constituted authority at the expense and in utter contempt of the

constitution and the people.

In consequence of the theatre of the absurd that our country Nigeria presently typifies, the June 12 Coalition of Democratic Formations (J12CODEF) as a frontline masses interest organisation wishes to remind the government of President Goodluck Jonathan that the spirit of the January 2012 Occupy Nigeria Streets Protest is still in us and thus, in alliance with other masses-oriented organisations and groups and in fulfillment of our societal responsibility, have commenced mobilization and sensitization of the populace for the Mother of all civil actions with a view to reclaiming our country from vampires (oil cabal) who want to continually feed on our collective wealth illegally and criminality.

Aluta continua, Victoria ascerta!

Baba Omojola and Nelson Ekujumi, Lagos.

CMYK

DAILY SUN Wednesday October 10 2012

19

Mubi, Aluu killings: Descent to jungle times L

ast week, Mubi in Adamawa State, a name which literally means peace, prosperity and progress, became a city of weeping, blood and gnashing of teeth. Can Nigerians hear the sound of wailings at this recent theatre of Nigeria’s descent to jungle justice? Can we picture the wringing of hands, the stamping of feet, the groans, the cascading tears? Every true Nigerian should. These are the lamentations, weeping and wailing of parents, friends and colleagues of about 46 students killed by gunmen and machete-wielders two Mondays ago, specifically in the night of the nation’s 52nd independence anniversary on October 1. he 46 or so students and their families began that day just like everyone reading this piece. They, surely, would have discussed the nation’s 52nd independence anniiversary and the fact that there was so little to cheer. They also probably seized the opportunity of the lecture-free day to ruminate on their own lives so far, and their plans for the future.

But, that future was never to be! Between 10.30 pm and midnight that day, the students were cut down. Gunmen stormed the private hostels of students of Federal Polytechnic; Adamawa State University and the School of Health Technology, all in Mubi. They called out the students one by one, lined them up and either shot or stabbed them to death.

The picture of the dead students lined up like giant sausages on newspaper pages testify to the bestiality of this massacre. It is a gory example of the depth of depravity to which some Nigerians have sunk in their malice for their fellow man.

The sun of these young Mubi victims was forced to set at dawn, and Nigeria is the worse for it. Like so many other Nigerians whose lives have been snuffed out under the canopy of insecurity that has been spread across the country, the Mubi 46 are dead are gone, left mostly to be mourned by their friends and families. They have joined close to a thousand lives that have been lost to the campaign of violence in the country, especially in the North, with nobody actually seen to have been brought to justice for these killings.

Sadly, this spirit of unconscionable killings is fast spreading to other parts of the country. As if the reports of the murder of the Mubi 46 were

T

Wale Sokunbi CURRENTS 08056180228 walesokunbi2003@yahoo.co.uk not enough heartache for our troubled polity, Nigerians woke up again last weekend to news of the gory killing of four students of the University of Port Harcourt by a mob, allegedly for stealing.

In an incident that appears more fictional than real, and which was video-taped and has since gone viral on the internet, four students of the University of Port-Harcourt simply identified as Tekena Erikena (School of Basic Studies); Mike Lloyd Toku (Year 2 Civil Engineering); Ugonna Kelechi Obuzor (Year 2 Geology); and Biringa Chidiaka Lordson (Year 2 Theatre Arts) , were killed by a baying mob in Omuokiri, in Aluu Community of Ikwere Local Government Area of Rivers State for allegedly stealing phones and laptops from off-campus hostels in the area. The students were stripped naked, beaten and set ablaze by angry mobsters in the community, which was said to have been under siege of armed robbers for about three months.

Naked pictures and video shots of the victims taken shortly before they were killed and burnt are another example of the heinous disregard for human life that has taken hold of some parts of the country.

The horrible picture of four young and healthy men being beaten and set ablaze in broad daylight in a country with a government and security agencies is a big shame to Nigeria. It is the latest confirmation yet that life is of little value in the country. It also shows that all those responsible for security and administration of that area did not play the role expected of them.

This latest incident is probably the effect of the frequent killings going on in the country. It would appear that people no longer think anything of the taking of life. Life has simply lost its sanctity.

It can be snuffed out at any time without any sanctions. This is the unfortunate, sad lesson that

Nigerians, including the youths, are taking away from the mindless killings going on in the country. This type of barefaced, extra-judicial murder will not happen in any country with a responsible government, and in which lawbreakers are sure to be brought to justice.

But, in a country where people know that they can get away with any crime, no matter how serious, dastardly incidents such as these are bound to occur.

The killing of these students is condemnable, to say the least. As the Students Union of the university has said, it is barbaric to have killed the students. Wether they were actually robbers or cultists as has been claimed, the best thing their accusers could have done was to have handed them over to the police for investigation and prosecution. Their killers ought not to have been accusers, judges and executioners at the same time.

Last week’s multiple killings in Mubi and Aluu should worry all right-thinking Nigerians.

What exactly is going on in this country? Why has life become so short and brutish? When did it become acceptable that aggrieved persons take lives of persons they have a dispute with just like that?

Although the failure of the security agencies and the courts to ensure justice for victims of robberies and other crimes has been cited in some instances for citizens’penchant for taking the law into their hands and resorting to jungle justice, these extra-judicial killings cannot be excused for reason.

Life is sacred and should not be carelessly cut off.

With the turn of events in the country, Nigerians need a new orientation on the value of life. This is necessary because life now appears

worthless. With such orientation gaining ground across the country, no one is safe anywhere. Life will truly become even shorter and more brutish under such a situation. As we need to commit more resources to security, other areas of national life are bound to suffer. Already, security took about a quarter of the nation’s entire budget for 2012, yet insecurity in the country is getting progressively worse. The only way to stem the tide is to bring killers in all parts of the country to book. They need to be made to pay for their crimes to send a strong message to others of like mind that they will no longer get away with such crimes.

The authorities must do everything necessary to unearth killers of the Mubi and University of Port Harcourt students. Nothing less will do.

Here is sympathizing with the families, friends, colleagues and schools of the deceased. May God grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

Goodbye Bakassi So, its goodbye to Bakassi. The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, on Monday confirmed that Nigeria will not appeal the International Court of Justice judgement ceding the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsular to Cameroon. The government based its position on its belief that the appeal was bound to fail.

So sad. Obviously, the government is not ready to stick out its neck for the people of Bakassi. Adoke explained that a failed application for a review will be “diplomatically damaging to Nigeria.”

Since Nigeria does not want to be “diplomatically damaged”, the authorities ought to have been alive to their responsibilities to the people of this area. Now that Nigeria has lost the chance of an appeal forever, Adoke and the government must go beyond expressing concern on “the plight of Nigerians living in the Bakassi Peninsular and the allegations of human rights abuses being perpetrated against them” to real action to protect the lives and livelihoods of Nigerians in the area. The Federal Government has had all of ten years to do this, it did not. Now that the appeal has been foreclosed, let the government demonstrate commitment to engaging Cameroon and also applying itself to the task of securing the Nigerians in the troubled territory.

When Imo stood still for Dame Ihedioha

BY AUSTIN UGANWA he ancient Mbutu community in Aboh Mbaise Local Council of Imo State stood uncommonly still Saturday, 29th of September 2012. Ceaseless sirens, announcing the arrival of top political office holders blared through the community, altering the idyllic nature of the place. Sea of heads dotted the community, streaming into the elegant home of the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and Saint Peter’s Anglican Church premises. Army of people shoved, pushed in determined efforts to be part of the events. Both the home of Hon. Ihedioha and the church premises wore ornamental, inviting outlook to capture the real essence of the events.

The events were the dedication of Saint Peter’s Anglican Church in Mbutu and celebration of 80 years birthday anniversary of Dame Dorothy Ihedioha, beloved mother of the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha. At Owerri, the capital of Imo State; Sam Mbakwe Airport and other strategic areas of the State, it was instantly recognizable that the state was playing host to unusual but high profile guests. Apart from the fact that most hotels were fully booked by the guests, the Airport witnessed unprecedented flight operations. Unusual crowds milled around the Airport on Friday and the day of the events, Saturday.

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Expectedly, there was build-up of vehicular traffic on major roads leading to Mbutu, all day long on Saturday.

Not even the heavy downpour in the early hours of the day deterred the guests from attending. It was thus incontrovertible that all roads actually led to Mbutu on that Saturday.

Personnel of the Road Safety Commission, police and Nigeria Civil Defence and Security had a hectic day controlling the traffic.

In content and particularly in participation, the two events were remarkable, unique and the first of their kind in the entire South East. A check list of high profile personalities who attended included: the Senate President, Senator David Mark; his Deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and the deputy leader of the Senate and House – Senator Abdul Ningi and Hon. Leo Ogor. Former Deputy Speakers, Rt. Hon. Austin Opara, Rt. Hon. Usman Nafada and former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu were also present. Also in attendance were several members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives, including Senators Andy Uba, Chris Ngige; Hon Abike Dabiri and a host of others.

The Governors list of attendance is also lengthy. It included Imo State Governor, Anayo Rochas Okorocha; Anambra State Governor, Mr Peter Obi; Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji; Cross River State

Governor, Chief Liyel Imoke; Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon Rotimi Amaechi; Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole. Former Governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim and former Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke also attended the event.

Indeed, the Governors tried to outdo one another in style and grace as loud ovation from the crowd heralded their procession into the venue.

Also at the event were Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah; Senators Ike Nwachukwu, Ifeanyi Ararume, Authur Nzeribe , Annie Okonkwo; Prof Dora Akinyuli, Prof Ndi Onyuike-Okereke, Dr Walter Ofonagoro, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and several others. The captains of industry included widely acclaimed richest person in Africa, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Tony Elumelu, and several others.

Naturally, Primate of the Anglican Church of Nigeria, Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, was effectively in charge during the dedication ceremony of Saint Peter’s Anglican Church Mbutu. The church building was recently expanded and colorfully refurbished in such a manner that it would compete favourably with any elegant but modern church building located in any part of the world. It is an architectural masterpiece decked out with welldesigned, fascinating pillars and glittering marble that emphasize sophistication and decency. It thus etches in one’s mind an impression of the richly ornamental temple which King Solomon built for the Lord. As it is well known, Hon Emeka Ihedioha,

facilitated and contributed immensely towards the accomplishment of the church project.

In his remarks, the Anglican Primate expressed deep appreciation for the central role played by Hon Ihedioha in ensuring the realization of the project.

He explained the significance of dedicating the church to God with a note that the dedication has enabled the church to be set apart for holiness. He extolled the virtues of Dame Dorothy Ihedioha stressing that the celebrant is a personification of God’s blessings.

Dame Ihedioha is a retired teacher, a community leader, devout Christian who has worked for the Anglican Communion in different capacities.

These have earned her several top awards in the church. At 80 she still walks tall, hale and hearty. The Primate attributed this to the glory of God radiating in her. He called on government not to be playing politics with pensioners fund as they need the money to take care of their old age.

Senate President, Senator David Mark praised Hon Ihedioha for facilitating the church project thereby putting God first. He expressed contentment that unlike the penchant of many others, they were invited to the event to dedicate the church building and not to donate for the church project. He wished Dame Ihedioha many more active years ahead. Unmistakably, for a long time to come these events would form agenda of discussions in Mbutu, Imo State and the entire South East region.

Dr. Austin Uganwa is SA Media and Publicity to the Deputy Speaker CMYK

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DAILY SUN

Wednesday October 10, 2012

From Donald Duke to Liyel Imoke I

n the ancient Mali Empire, Sundiata laid the foundation of the successful city-state while Mansa Musa the Magnificent built on the historic groundwork and transformed the sovereign architecture of this enclave with morbid statecraft and imperialism as an official policy.

It is apposite in the currency of our time to liken the former governor of Cross River State, Barrister Donald Duke, to Sundiata and his successor, Senator Liyel Imoke, a learned gentleman with an aristocratic pedigree, the Mansa Musa of the Treasure Land, whose governorship epilogue will be incomplete without a superlative mention of Duke—their tepid relationship notwithstanding.

By way of segmentation, let’s buttress some of the foundational imprints that prefaced the present tenure: Ambo Street constructed at a cost of N52m, Afokang Street built with N75m and Palm Street (N77.5m). This was an era when we had not entered the billion-mark fiscal regime which is now the bedrock of corruption and thievish leadership.

The Duke administration also renovated the Ibrahim Babangida College of Agriculture, which was in a state of disrepair before this time.

Renovation involved the construction of 700-km access road and another 200-km carriageway within the campus, the installation of a 250kv generator and the provision of a borehole in addition to architectural renewal.

Another enduring manifestation of the Duke era is the 200,000-hectare oil palm nursery which took off in August 2000 with 1,500,000 seedlings. It has an irrigation mechanism that embowels water from four boreholes with a storage capacity of 120,000 cubic litres. When in full stream, the agricultural facility produces five million seedlings with a total workforce of 2,500. Abia, Edo and Delta state entrepreneurs patronise this outfit. Plans are afoot to expand the nursery space to meet increasing demands. The spectacular aspect is that it has not only transformed the state’s agricultural base but equally galloped its internally-generated revenue.

If northern states clamouring for the review of the revenue-sharing formula could think along this and other non-oil lines, they would not be in any quagmire caused by sole dependence on exhaustible oil. Non-littoral states should begin to consider mechanized farming instead of bellyaching over the country’s derivation principle.

Credit must be given to Duke for initiating and completing the 3.5 access road to Effraya, in Etun LG, which is the state’s cocoa belt accounting for

Ebere

Wabara 08055001948 ewabara@yahoo.com about 70 per cent of the state’s entire cocoa output.

The state government spent N170m on the road coupled with the building of a hospital and provision of electricity.

It is on record that within his first two years in office, Duke did what the military could not do in the 30 locust years they held sway pursuant to democracy revalidation in 1999. Of course, by the time he completed his second term as governor, all that his successor, Senator Imoke, had to do was to build on the incontrovertible solid foundation laid by him. If most of Duke’s governorship peers had performed creditably like he did, most of the SouthEast and South-South states will not be in their present abject and despondent condition, amid forlorn citizenry.

Today, Duke’s footprints have made Calabar, the state capital, the cleanest city in Nigeria with paradisal allures at every nook and cranny. The only sore point in this axis—a pre-Duke deterioration— is the Uyo-Calabar route. This road belongs to the pre-historic times! It reminds one of the Stone Age. An inter-state journey in this environment that used to last for about two-and-half hours years back now takes not less than seven hours at any speed! The primitive nature of the road reminds me of Abia State roads, particularly Aba! The balderdash that Trunk ‘A’ roads are exclusive federal roads does not hold water for me. If you have roads in your territory belonging to the federal government and which Abuja does not normally fix, are your indigenes who use them most going to perpetually wait for an indifferent central authority that does not give a damn? The point is, as much as a good leader can, in the midst of competing demands, he needs to occasionally call Aso Rock’s bluff and fix the roads—whether the state is

reimbursed or not, it does not matter. At least, the local folk will then know full well the level of federal government’s irresponsibility while extolling the state’s visionary and exemplary leadership. This message is for Governor Imoke and his next-door brother and, by God’s will, the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Barrister Godswill Akpabio, the most outstanding governor in Nigeria today. If you are in doubt, take a trip to Uyo and revert visà-vis the rot, incompetence and cronyism that characterized governance prior to his redemptive emergence.

Also enchanting are the extensive beautifications in the Calabar municipality, particularly the marvelous Millennium Park. Virtually all the roads are so clean that only an insane man could litter them, thanks to the Calabar City Development Authority that has the responsibility of maintaining their sparkling manifestation. This is indeed not just the land of treasure, but a euphoric zone.

Here in Cross River State, there is a World Bank and African Development Bank-assisted water initiative that serves Calabar and seven other major cities in the three senatorial zones. The 80,000cubic litre three-phase scheme, whose first component was completed in 2002, has a metre-andbilling system. The first leg of the scheme is to last till 2015 and thereafter extension follows, provided another performer succeeds Senator Imoke.

Legislators’ residential quarters which were abandoned by the military was also completed by the Duke administration. The complex contains 26 three-bedroom flats for 25 lawmakers.

Landscaping and construction cost the government N200m (not billions!).

Have you ever been to Uyanga model village— an urban renewal scheme on the outskirts of

Calabar—evolved by Duke? This captures government’s channel of providing support facilities for low-income inhabitants of the state’s fringes without disrupting their traditional ways of life. The novelty comprises primary and secondary school structures, 9.5-km feeder surface-dressed roads, a mini-water scheme, electricity, civic and health centres, a magistrate’s court, fire and police stations and recreational mechanisms, all of which cost N276m. The final word on Duke: even his few critics admit he excelled and left a wide benchmark that maybe difficult to surpass!

So much on Duke as we shift focus to the man who has the onerous duty of outclassing his predecessor whose entire achievements cannot be chronicled here due to space constraint.

There are indicators that Senator Imoke is doing relatively well and is nearing the record of the man before him. Whether he will equal or break the record or turn the state to an El Dorado is a function of time. The groundwork has already been done as can be attested to by one and all. What is left, obviously, is quintessential consolidation.

It is impossible to end this panoramic miscellany on Cross River State without reference to the Obudu Ranch Resort where nature mystified itself.

This is Nigeria’s tourism summit. The floral majesty and scenic ecology here compel a visit. Its climatic chemistry and undulating landscape present inexhaustible potentialities. I understand that Senator Imoke treasures this ranch and endlessly canvasses its marketability and leisurely patronage.

The governor has concomitantly ensured that all the infrastructural accoutrements that underpin resorts of global standards are in place in this wonderland of inelastic possibilities.

Overall, Senator Imoke’s commitment to the cleanliness of the state, especially Calabar—which, I repeat, is the cleanest city in Nigeria—and his passionate greening of this part of the country long before the ubiquitous spectacle of global warming, climate change and environmental degradation are confirmatory of the governor’s resolution to advance the state beyond the splendorous level he met it.

If it were constitutionally possible, locals I interfaced with at the weekend, en route to Obudu Ranch, declared unimpeachably, that Senator Imoke, a fellow Biafran in Calabar, would Cross the River again, for the third time—a testimony to a life of service to community and nation. If it had been the contrary, he would not have triumphed in the re-run poll that gave him the current governorship mantle.

Docility, gullibility keep Nigerians going

BY ISAAC AYOZIE ometimes, one wonders why the odds that confront this country seem to pass unnoticed by Nigerians. In other words, Nigerians still continue to appear unperturbed in spite of the unfavourable conditions of living like lack of the basic necessities of life including food, clothes, shelter and inadequate infrastructure such as water, electricity and roads.

This scenario tends to give credence to what was reportedly said in the foreign media that Nigerians are the happiest people on earth.

Here we are in a country where political office holders some of them being persons of no means before assuming public offices, suddenly become ‘moneyßbags’ while in office or after leaving office. They live in affluence in full glare of everyone. Similarly, public servants especially civil servants in Nigeria seem not to work for the purpose they were hired. For instance, there are ministries like education, economic planning, agriculture, labour and productivity, works, housing and urban development to mention a few. All of them have officials yet some of their duties seem not to be attended to. For example, our schools, primary secondary and tertiary are bedeviled with inadequate accommodation, poorly trained teachers, lack of supervision, inadequate facilities, teaching

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aids, poor attendance by students and poor remuneration for the teachers among other things. The aftermath is that they turn out half-baked graduates.

The same goes for planning. Avisitor to Nigeria would wonder if there is any form of planning in the country. Things that planning could take care of like the ravaging flood which had submerged almost half of the country seem not to have solution. Our utilities are always in short supply. The result is that things are often in disarray.

Supposedly, the unemployment situation in the country should be handled primarily by the ministry of labour and productivity. In the same vein, our roads, where the ministry of works should hold sway, are simply put, in bad shape to the extent that the roads are referred to as death traps. Housing for the populace is a mirage. Our agricultural ministry seems not to be aware that the masses need adequate food. Likewise, agencies of government which are mandated to take charge of various programmes and policies seem to be mere shadows of themselves. Apparently, beyond taking care of their staff and keeping the office running, they do little or nothing to justify the huge overhead cost expended on them.

Incidentally, the expectations of the people in many aspects of their endeavour are not met. For instance, an agency, Petroleum Products Pricing

Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) which oversees the subsidy regime had remained a subject of controversy following the House of Representatives probe of the agency. The agency ended up paying subsidy money to individuals and groups that had nothing to do with importation of petroleum products. Consequently, following the removal of subsidy, the money that would have been saved for projects that would benefit the masses went down the drain.

Again, corruption that has eaten deep into the fabric of the society has made service delivery grossly ineffective. Eventually, the populace does not get service unhindered from government institutions. Today, the country is faced with serious insecurity challenges due to the activities of Boko Haram, kidnappers, armed robbers, hired killers, advance fee fraudsters aka 419, cultists to mention a few. President Goodluck Jonathan was quoted as saying that insecurity in the country has brought about setbacks in his transformation agenda.

Ironically, there are law enforcement agencies like the police, State Security Service (SSS), customs service and other paramilitary agencies whose mandates are to provide security among other things. Yet the safety of our lives and property is not safeguarded.

Commenting on the flood that ravaged the country, the Senate President, David Mark, noted

that the scenario has proved sufficiently the country’s state of unpreparedness to manage emergencies. Mark could not have been more apt as it appears that all the agencies saddled with the responsibilities apparently are overwhelmed with it. The Dana Air crash in Lagos State recently was another disaster we could not manage. Of course, the Boko Haram crisis in some parts of the North and kidnapping in the Southeast remains unabated.

It is against this backdrop that one wonders why there appears to be peace in the country that ordinarily should have been in crisis following protests on the streets by the masses as obtains in other climes. Perhaps, the only explanation could be found in the apparent docile and gullible nature of many Nigerians.

However, government should desist from taking the patience and cooperation of the people for granted. As said by one time late President of Ethiopia, ‘you can deceive the people some of the time you may not deceive them all the time.’

Many Nigerians who witnessed the revolution that took place recently in North Africa and other parts of the world are very much alive and watching the trend of events. They may run out of patience some day and decide to take their destiny into their hands The time to avert it is now.

claimer by Nwanne Ejikeme, Chairman, Anambra State Revenue Board.

The pain of the punch lingers long after Mr Nwanne Ejikeme’s defence. Bad news, as the cliché goes, is good news. The above quote, that is, the supposed claim of the ASTA operative, is fraudulent. It is problematic enough that this lie told to cover up his criminal excesses is given the prominence it got. But it is even more objectionable to convey such weighty allegations and ascribe them to a faceless operative. The writer of the story cannot impress the discerning reader with the reference to a bargain of confidentiality struck with the said operative as justification for not printing his names. If the originator of such a grievous allegation was not willing to be identified, he was not credible and should therefore not be relied on for an objective investigation of ASTA. Similarly, the line that ‘his captors boldly informed him (Chief Peter Onyenelisi) that Peter Obi sent us and has asked us to do what we are doing’detracts from the story. If it was worth quot-

ing the statement, it was also worth quoting the identity of the authors. Without providing the identity of the makers of the statement, the impression is created that the thrust of the story was preconceived. The onus on the writer of the story for substantiation was even reinforced by the fact that his account was based on a secondary source, which he had no means of verifying independently.

While there is little doubt that readers would have seen through the diversionary lies contained in the aforementioned parts of the story, it is nevertheless unfair to propagate such allegations in such casual manner. This is not a proposal to impair free speech or to censor investigative journalism. Every purveyor of information for public consumption has a sacred duty to exercise prudence in his assignment.

Screening out false alarms as was demanded in some portions of this story does not equate denying the people the right to be informed or to exchange ideas. The purpose of the feature, I suppose, was to call attention to the perceived excess-

es of some ASTA officials or their impersonation by some criminal elements as the case may be.

Bearing this in mind, it will be seen that the maligning of the state government and the governor in sections of the report is at cross purposes with this mission.

The suggestion that the Anambra State Government aids and abets any excesses of ASTA officials because there is no vacancy in the civil service is absurd to say the least.

For the avoidance of doubt, the present Anambra State Government led by Mr Peter Obi has recruited some four thousand employees directly into the state public service and more than this figure indirectly through its developmental interventions in different sectors of the economy in the past five years. These job creation programmes are ongoing with the latest being the recently commissioned Orient Petroleum Resources and SABmiller Brewery facilities.

Ayozie writes from Abuja

ASTA story unfair to Obi

BY IFEANYI AFUBA

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hile the story ‘Terror in Anambra’ by Aloysius Attah published in Sunday Sun of September 23, 2012, may arguably be in the public interest, there is something objectionable about its articulation and presentation which sends out a wrong and perhaps unintended message to the reader. In at least two instances, obviously false and smear claims against the Government of Anambra State and or the person of the Governor, Mr Peter Obi, were given undeserved attention.

Now, what purpose is served by highlighting the clear deception that ‘this is our own settlement by the government since there are no vacancies in the civil service. This avenue was created so that hunger will not kill boys in town’which statement was credited to an anonymous, outlaw Anambra State Traffic Agency (ASTA) operative. The harm done by the use of this disinformation is not compensated by the attempt at balance with the dis-

Afuba writes from Nimo, Anambra State.

DAILY SUN Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Memories

Philip Nwosu 08176449110

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R YOU S U SEND HOTOS P OLD wosu@yahoo.co.uk phillipn e-mail:

Today in History

Liz Taylor and Richard Burton remarry 1975

Actors Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor on this day in October 1975 secretly remarried in Africa, 16 months after getting divorced.

The couple, who split last year after nearly 10 years of marriage, were reconciled in August and have been enjoying a second honeymoon in Chobe Game Park in Botswana.

The couple first met when they were starring in the film, Cleopatra, in Rome, when their onscreen romance quickly turned into an offscreen love affair.

They married in 1964. Richard Burton was her fifth husband, she was his second wife.

They arrived in Johannesburg in September ostensibly to attend a charity celebrity tennis tournament.

They then flew by private jet to the Rhodesian border near Victoria Falls where they were met and driven to the Chobe game lodge The private wedding ceremony was conducted by African district commissioner Abrose Masalila and witnessed by the manager of the game lodge where they were staying, Fred Knoessen, and Brian Graham, who runs tours from the lodge.

Mr Masalila said: “The bride wore green, with lace frills and guinea fowl feathers.”

Burton was in a red shirt, white trousers and red socks.

The simple service, which took just 20 minutes to perform, was held at 1530 local time in Mr Masalila’s office in the remote village of Kasane.

The couple exchanged rings and held hands and later they asked Mr Masalila to join them for a champagne toast on the banks of the Chobe river.

He said: “They looked very excited but composed. I don’t think they had a party afterwards because I think they would have invited me if they had. They are very nice people.”

Dr. Victor Olaiya leader of All Stars “Omeleble” in the 50s

Bakassi indigenes remember ICJ judgment On October 10, 2003 exactly one year after the controversial judgment by the International Court of Justice in The Hague, which ceded the control of oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula to the Republic of Cameroon, the people of the area have decided to mourn that judgment, saying “it was a spiritual thing.”

“We are dressed in black today because we are mourning the judgment of the ICJ of October 10, 2002. We are asking God to intervene in our cause. It was a sort of mourning that judgment and we are about to bury it. It is a spiritual thing.”

1985

Addressing a press conference in Calabar yesterday, the paramount ruler of Bakassi, His Royal Highness Etiyin Etim Edet, reiterated that right from the outset, Bakassi people had maintained that they are part of Nigeria; adding that there was no Camerounian in Bakassi and as such “we cannot be there and allow people to take over our land.”

The traditional rulker believed that the ICJ judgment was given in bad faith and that his people are not bound by that controversial judgment, adding that “what we are saying is that we don’t have anything in common with them tra-

ditionally, culturally and what have you.”

According to the monarch, who came with his clan heads and a crowd of youth from the area, said “this judgment, once again, brings to the fore the naked brutality by man against his fellow man and the faceless subjugation of the weak by the mighty and a systematic enslavement and extinction of innocent and defenceless people.” He said it represented a blantant disregard for natural justice and dignity of the human person. He added that the people of the peninsula reserved the right to existence and would never mortgage that right.

Thousands feared dead in Algerian quake 1980

On this day in October 1980, two big earthquakes struck the northern Algerian town of El

Asnam.

An official report said up to 20,000 had died and many tens of thousands have been injured or are missing.

The main hospital, a big department store, the central mosque, a girls’ school and two housing complexes have been destroyed.

In 1954, an earthquake killed 1,657 people in El Asnam, which was then called Orleansville.

The first quake hit just before 1330 local time. It measured 7.3 points on the Richter scale - the biggest ever recorded for that part of Algeria.

Three hours later there was a second quake registering 6.3 points.

Telephone lines between El Asnam and the capital, Algiers, have been cut.

The damage to the local hospital is so bad that casualties are being sent more than 100 miles (160km) to Algiers and the northwestern port of Oran for treatment.

In the town centre where the damage is worst, whole blocks of flats have been reduced to heaps of rubble.

A central four-storey hotel collapsed under the weight of its roof, demolishing all 1,509 rooms beneath and burying many of the occupants.

A lot of buildings collapsed, but their flat roofs made of reinforced concrete remained intact, crashing down on top of the crumpled walls and creating tomb-like spaces beneath.

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Wednesday, October 10, 2012

DAILY SUN

doing things and will never allow anybody to be punished exorbitant legal fees that that “Fashola’s administra- unjustly in Lagos State.” might be involved in pursu- tion loves due process in However, he Ibirogba said ing such matters, Ibirogba assured that “free legal service would be made available for such people through the Librarians and information proOffice of Public Defenders fessionals have coverged on the University of established by the Lagos Federal State Government,” adding Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, to learn how to create and manage innovative libraries.

The gathering is under the auspices of the information and Abuja, is to celebrate the technology session of Nigeria impactful achievements of dis- Library Association (NALIT). tinguished local government The workshop began on chairmen from across the October 8 and will end on country.

October 12.

The Special Adviser to the According to the LITT chairPresident on Political Affairs, man, Mr. Felix Azubuike, the Mr. Ahmed Gulak, has accept- workshop would be rich in coned to grace the occasion as the tent and will forever impact on Special Guest of Honour while participants’ways and means of stakeholders in local govern- doing their job, using the availment administration are being able information management expected as guests. technology.

Free legal assistance for traffic offenders –Commissioner

By RAZAQ BAMIDELE

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agos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lateef Aderemi Ibirogba, has assured poor traffic law offenders of free legal assistance to prove their innocence at the court of competent jurisdiction.

Ibirogba told Daily Sun: “The law is motorists-friendly because it protects them from unnecessary extortion they might face from various enforcement agents since only the law court can determine what really constitutes an offence on our roads. The era of back door settlement is gone in the state.”

The commissioner, who expected the motorists to

rejoice over the law, wondered why they had not seen reasons to do so, explaining that “there is room to pursue the matter up to the Supreme Court by anybody apprehended, contravening the law to prove his innocence.”

When reminded about

GULAK to grace LOGMA 2012

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ll is now set for the 10th conferment ceremony of Nigerian Local Government Chairmen Merit Award, (LOGMA 2012), holding on October 11, 2012 at the National Centre for Women Development, Abuja.

The award, being annually packaged by Mentors Communications Limited,

LITT 2012

it was natural for people to resist change, hence the massive sensitisation, going on around the state.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

DAILY SUN

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The Sina Adedipe Column

PABULUM -Food for Thought

adesina_adedipe@yahoo.com 08055958583

Jonathan, avoid Abiola & IBB’s mistakes with God (57)

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t was because I wanted President Goodluck Jonathan to take seriously my warning that he should seek God’s forgiveness for seeking reelection last year as a result of which he committed two sins against divine orders in the Holy Bible, that made me recall the Lord’s disclosure to me in 2009 that He was yet to pardon my paternal grandfather who died over hundred years ago for his transgressions against His laws. A revelation which I decided to come out with so that other people can learn a lesson from it and start praying for the forgiveness of the idolatry sins committed by their parents and ancestors.

Although the Lord has not told me what my grandpa did but I suspect it must have been because he was an idol worshipper, a religion practiced by most people of his time in which human sacrifice was carried out especially by traditional rulers and their chiefs in Africa. And monarchs in Europe the Americas, Middle East and other places. But since Judaism Christianity and Islam began in Europe, the Americas and Middle East several centuries ago the people in the countries in such areas had produced more than three to four generations of descendants and so had long become free of the generational punishment written about in the Ten Commandments in the Bible Book of Exodus 20 verses 1-6.

But not so with the people in Nigeria and other African and developing nations where there are areas the three religions rooted in Father Abraham in the Bible did not reach until about one hundred to one hundred and fifty years ago. And are therefore yet to produce three to four generations of believers of a parent, the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren before they can escape generational punishment for the sins of their par-

ents and ancestors who worshipped idols.

As I stated in last week’s column the sins written about in Ezekiel 18:4 that the Lord says He will not punish the people of a family over three to four generations are those not connected with idol worshipping. And this is clear from Hosea 1:3-5 two books after Ezekiel because the sins the Heavenly Father said He would punish the descendants of Jehu, the king of Israel (841-814 B. C.) for had to do with his worshipping of idols (gold bulls). See 2 Kings Chapters 9 & 10 and Chapters 13:1-13; 14:23-29 and 15:8-12 for the stories of Jehu and his four descendant – kings.

I hope the pastors and laity in Nigeria and else-

where in the world who claim that Ezekiel 18:4 had put an to generational punishment can now see the wrong opinion they have about this passage. It is apparent that it does not include the punishment for the worshipping of idol. Of course, like my grandfather all the parents and ancestors of everyone in Nigeria and other developing countries who worshipped idols in the last 150 years will also suffer punishment along with their descendants to the third and fourth generation.

This is why I decided to tell the story of my granddad for the priests of Judaisma, Christianity and Islamic religions in Nigeria and other countries where the ancestors served idols and many

Birthday greetings to kings of Akure & Egbaland (4)

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have been writing a column in newspapers since 1974 when I free-lanced for two years with Times International, a weekly published by the defunct Daily Times of Nigeria through penning for the rested twain of the Sunday Concord (from 1984 - 89) and Weekend Concord (1996 - 99) and with the Daily Sun since December 2007 to date. In the 36 of those 38 years three monarchs ruled Akure Kingdom but I did not write an article on any of them. Unlike the dethroned Deji, Oba Adepoju Adesina (2005 - 2010) whom Oba Adebiyi Adesida, Afunbiowo II replaced, it was not that his uncles, Oba Adelegan Adesida III (1973 – 91) and Oba Adebobajo Adesida IV (1991 - 99), an engineer and retired Commissioner of Police, did not perform well and recorded achievements.

The point is that in the two years he has been on the throne the current Deji has relatively impacted on Akure Kingdom more than all

his four immediate predecessors who have ruled in the last fifty-five years.

That is from 1957 when his grandfather Oba Olofinlade Adesida, Afunbiowo I, joined his ancestors after reigning for 60 years, the longest reign by any Deji since the Kingdom was established in 1100 A.D. I start with the building of a new palace which fund-raising ceremony took place four days ago, on Saturday, October 6 in Akure, the Ondo State capital. The palace has been in existence for seven hundred years now. A modern-building was added to it during the reign of Oba Adelegan Adesida some 21-39 years ago.

But Oba Adebiyi Adesida while preserving the existing palace structures plans to construct an up-to-date (21st century) one which would have a chapel and a mosque, the first time such religious edifices and facilities would be provided in the kingly complex in Akureland.

More to come next week.

still do, to realize the need during worship in their temples, churches and mosques to offer prayers for the idolatry sins committed by the forebear of their members. And encourage them to do so regularly when they pray on their own. It is because people are ignorant that till today the worship of idols by their ancestors still has adverse effects on their descendants to the third and fourth generation that makes them say their departed parents and ancestors are resting with the Lord in Heaven.

It is wishful thinking. People should also realize that the families that continue to worship idols will continue to be punished from one generation to the fourth for as long as they engage in their God forbidden religion.

To be continued next Wednesday.

Nigeria’s families of judges & lawyers (14)

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our families have each produced six lawyers in Nigeria and they are those of Chief Chike Ofodile (SAN), a former Commissioner (Minister) of Justice & Attorney General of the Federation (January 1984 – August 26, 1985); Justice Kalu Anyah, a retired Chief Judge of Borno State; Justice Emmanuel Ekete Odanwu, a retired judge of the Ebonyi State High Court and late Barrister Ahmed Kusamotu, the Chairman of the defunct National Republican Convention from 1987 – 93 The children of Chief Ofodule who are lawyers are three sons – Emeka (a SAN), Obiesie and Chiedu and two daughters – Mrs Nneka Phillip Umeadi and Mrs Nwaezeona Maduegbuna.

Keep a date next week for the others.

Prof. Nathan Philosophical Reflection Uzorma Protus profnathanuzomah@yahoo.com 08138731416

“D

ear Prof., this text message is amazing to me. When I got your anointing oil, I started the prayer you gave me. In the process, my friend visited me and complained of having a serious witchcraft attack that devastated his life and business. I gave him a little of the oil to anoint himself and to pray with. He did. After four days, he called to inform me that his uncle, who is a juju priest, came to him thereafter and confessed being responsible for his sorrows. He further said the man died a day after his confession. I am still doing mine God must answer me…”

Bro. Emma 08135608062.

How does one identity that he/she is physically attacked? Fear is the first sign. When a person has no reason to be frightened but discovers that an ordinary knock on his door sends his heart-beat jumping, such a person should know that something is wrong somewhere. Once fear is aroused in the mind, occasional tenseness or uneasiness of the body quickly follows.

The next sign is when the person starts having bad and horrifying dreams with such sporadic rapidity that one is always afraid of nightfall when one has to go to bed. I have received many complaints from my readers that they do not sleep at night due to fear of being attacked. This they have complained after much prayer. To those who were able to get my anointing oil in this respect, they have come to the true freedom of their souls and now are enjoying their faith uninterrupted.

Dion Fortune after studying so many aspect of esoteric manipulation of the Occult has this to say, “The first of these is telepathic hypnotic suggestion. The second is the reinforcement of the suggestion by the invocation of certain invisible agencies. The third is the employment of some physical substance as a point d’appui, point of

Attack in the realm of the spirit (4) contact, or magnetic link. The force employed may be used as direct current, transmitted by the mental concentration of the operator or it may be reserved in a kind of psychic storage battery, which may be either an artificial elemental or a talisman”.

It is imperative to say here that a telepathic hypnotic suggestion is a mind to mind communication whereby one person with a bad intension assiduously succeeds in hypnotizing the mind of another, thereby passing an intended instruction to the mind which in turn sends it to the sub-conscious mind. Be informed that the moment the subconscious mind accepts the instruction or suggestion it must be relayed to the affected person in his dreams and if the instruction is evil and devastating, the person recognizes it and wakes up in fear with his conscious mind remembering the dream vividly, later, the dream may become a reality. Many have died through this process of mind (demonic) manipulation.

Too many people find themselves in certain unpleasant conditions and find it impossible to know why they should be there. Alot of supposed criminals are jailed in our courts of law after committing certain offences which they need not have committed.

Hypnotic suggestions must have been at work by their enemies. This does not mean that there are no born criminals. There are. Again this does not rule out the free moral nature of man by virtue of which he makes choice of his actions. But be informed that suggestion has much role to play in the way Nigerian youths and eminent people die on our roads by accidents.

Early this year, I heard of a young graduate that

was given a loan to buy a new car in his place of work. This young graduate filled with the sense of happiness and achievement, took the car to his village. Some people rejoiced while some were deeply exasperated thus hypnotic suggestion took place. This young boy being ignorant of spiritual life in Christ Jesus, on his way back from his village, the car suddenly swerved off the road and the car somersaulted. The young boy died at the spot. Let us not philosophize this story-the truth of the matter is that something went wrong. The boy’s mistake was rooted in the fact that not all who congratulated him in his village were happy about his new status or achievement. This is another form of psychic attack.

Another form of attack is a situation where a particular attack may start as a minor illness increasing to a major disease which doctors will not be able to detect in the physical body. If by good effort a doctor detects it, the illness may refuse to respond to medical treatment. Evidences of spiritual attack abound so much. There are cases where the victim cries out from sleep and dies a few hours or days later. There is a situation also where someone may have eaten something in the dream and wakes up only to find a piece of the same material of food that he/she has eaten in the dream on his bed. I have seen some with this experience and fervent prayers got them delivered from it. The bible says, “Is any sick among you?

Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the lord” James 5:14.

The above anointing oil as a spiritual symbol of divine healing could be used to cast out devils. I have always recommended my anointing oil to

those whose sickness and attacks of the enemy; have resisted every spiritual and medical effort.

Spiritual attack in the realm of the kingdom of darkness can come in so many ways. Do you know that you can be given akara balls and after taking them you start seeing funny things in your dreams. Spiritual attacks are on daily increase because the devil and his demons are aware that the time is too short.

Few days ago I was invited to pray in a particular hospital in Port Harcourt Rivers State. The reason for which I was invited to both pray and anoint the hospital is because on the official visiting day, too many visitors will come and will touch some patients among these visitors are agents of darkness who will in turn contaminate them. The doctor in charge told me that after such visit, he usually notices much death of his patients. Some visit under the pretence that they are friends and when they go back, the patients die.

When I got there, I observed all that he said and I prayed and anointed the hospital. Few days after, three people came to the doctor at different times and confessed being responsible for all the evils going on, the doctor wanted to arrest them, but when he first contacted me, I discouraged him and asked him to lead them to Christ, which he finally did. I am saying that psychic attack is possible at home, office and even in cars and anywhere.

Now another aspect of this attack is when one in his sense gratificatory pursuit goes into the spirit by involuntary nature (dream), it is not unlikely that one’s physical body becomes co-inhabited by some disembodied entities causing anomaly in behavioural pattern or mental derangement. In some unfortunate situations, the astral body of the person can be seized by other higher (beings) demons resulting inevitably in physical death.

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DAILY SUN Wednesday, October 10, 2012