Tuesday 27th December 2016

CBN, Heritage Bank Provide N2bn Loan for Aquaculture Project Obinna Chima In a bid to further support the real sector and unlock the nation’s food potential, Heritage Bank Plc in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria has provided

a N2 billion long term facility, under the Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme, to Triton Aqua Africa Limited.

TAAL, known as Triton Farm accessed the CACS through Heritage Bank, which will be used to set

up aquaculture businesses, including nursery/hatchery for the production of fingerlings and brood stock in Ikeja, and earthen ponds for catfish and tilapia in Asejire and Gambari in Oyo State as well as in Iwo,

Osun State.

The company’s strategy is to embrace backward integration through production of fish locally to reduce importation of frozen fish and assist small scale farms by producing quality

breed fingerlings.

According to a statement

by TAAL, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, during a tour at Triton Farms commended the firm. He stated that the CBN and

Heritage Bank’s financial support to the company was fundamental as investment in food security was the most profitable venture anyone could think of.

Continued on page 10

Reduction of MTN's N1.04tr Fine in Good Fate, Says Shittu… Page 8 Tuesday 27 December, 2016 Vol 21. No 7922. Price: N250

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Presidency: Why Buhari is Silent over Killings in Southern Kaduna 6 more persons killed in Jama'a despite curfew Tobi Soniyi and Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja and John Shiklam in Kaduna Buffeted by searing criticism of his cold silence over the serial killings in Southern Kaduna, Kaduna State, the

CAN condoles victims

presidency said yesterday that President Muhammadu Buhari had been mute because the state Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, had been on top of the situation.

Continued on page 8

Nigeria’s Crude Oil Reserves Rise to 37bbls

Gas now 192 tcf NNPC earns 35 per cent discount on renegotiated contracts in 2016 Chineme Okafor in Abuja The relative peace in the Niger Delta has begun to yield dividends as the nation’s crude oil reserves, which had plummeted to 28.2 billion barrels (bbls) at the height of militant attacks on oil infrastructures, have

now risen back to 37 billion barrels. Also hauled in is the improved 192 trillion cubic feet of gas (tcf) from the previous 186 tcf figures.

A statement in Abuja by NNPC’s Group General Manager Public Affairs, Mr. Continued on page 8

Two Die As Vigilant Youths Foil Bomb Attack on Maiduguri… Page 10

FELICITATIONS AT CHRISTMAS…

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle); Chairman, Island Club, Mr. Oladipo Okpeseyi (right); and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (left) during the club’s Christmas Eve Dance at the Island Club Road, Onikan, Lagos… weekend

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Reduction of MTN’s N1.04tr Fine in Good Fate, Says Shittu Emma Okonji The Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, has said that the reduction of MTN's fine from N1.04 trillion to N330 billion by the federal government, was done in good fate to save MTN's business from total collapse and to also protect the jobs of thousands of Nigerians that are on MTN's payroll.

The minister who spoke in Abuja yesterday, said: “We must not throw away the baby with the bath water.

If they had packed up and left, let us assume all their staff are not more than 5,000, it means all of those 5,000 will lose their jobs. “Also those who made investment, who bought shares will lose their shares and the Nigeria banking sector would go into crisis.�

According to the minister,

out of the N1.04 trillion fine for failure to deactivate unregistered SIM cards on its network, the federal government decided to reduce the fine to N330 billion.

He further said that MTN had paid N80 billion of the N330 billion fine imposed on it by the federal government for failing to deactivate more than five million unregistered SIM cards.

Shittu, who disclosed this at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum, said the payment was for this first year, representing the first tranche of the total payment.

MTN, Nigeria’s largest mobile operator, was initially fined 5.2 billion dollars (N1.04 trillion) for failing to deactivate more than five million unregistered SIM cards.

The fine imposed on the South Africa-owned company was later reduced to N330 billion.

“For the first year, they paid N80 billion, after paying the initial N50 billion, and they will have to pay for three years until they will complete the N330 billion.

MTN failed to deactivate 5.2 million unregistered SIM cards on its network, despite repeated warnings from the telecoms regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The fine for the contravention of a single SIM was N200,000 and it was multiplied by 5.2 million SIM cards, totalling N1.04 trillion.

The NCC had no choice than to impose the fine on MTN. The law never anticipated that one company would be in violation to the tune of millions of lines, the minister said.

He said: “When it happened, the MTN did four things; one they accepted that they were at default; two, they apologised

for that; three, they committed themselves never to allow such a thing to happen; and number four, they asked for remission. “Government had to look at a number of factors because if they had to pay this amount; they would pack up. We also knew that we invited the international community to come and invest and anything that will be done which will shake the confidence of international investors in Nigerian economy, we must avoid it.�

The reduction of the fine was condemned by many Nigerians, leading to an enquiry by the House of Representatives.

The minister said that even in the court system, if one was fined and could not pay for one reason or the other, the person would ask for reconsideration either by way of appeal or a motion.

Shittu

PRESIDENCY: WHY BUHARI IS SILENT OVER KILLINGS IN SOUTHERN KADUNA The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, spoke on a Channels Television's programme: Sunrise Daily saying that it was needless for the president to speak on the bloodletting in the restive part of the North-western state since the governor assured that he was in full control of the violent crisis and had been briefing his boss regularly.

Some critics had said while Buhari was always quick to issue a statement when killings happened abroad, he had been quiet when such killings took place in Nigeria.

Adesina’s comment came on a day gun men mauled six persons in Goska Village, Jama’a Local Government Area of the state, in spite of the curfew the state government had imposed on the troubled area.

Defending the President, Adesina said Nigeria was a federal state, explaining that there was no need for Buhari to speak since El-Rufai said he was on top of the matter.

According to him, as the chief security officer of his state, it is the responsibility of the governor, who has pledged to bring perpetrators of the violence to book, to deal with the matter. “You don’t have to hear from the president on that matter.

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everything,� Adesina said.

He also said: “When a thing like this happens in a state, there is a chief security officer and he is supposed to be on top of the matter. “Governor El-Rufai Rufai was at the villa on Thursday to brief the president, so why should the president then be talking about it? “In true federalism it is the governor that should be in charge and he is in charge of it.�

Adesina said local authorities must play a crucial role in stopping the violence, adding that states and local governments have a major role to play in tackling herdsmen crisis.

He said the president was always in constant touch with governors whenever an attack occurred.

He also said that the position of the president was that there must be collaboration between the states and the grassroots leaders in local governments to stop such crises. “The federal government has roles to play but not as much as the states and local governments,� he said.

Not less than six persons had been reported dead in Goska village, Jema’a Local Government Area in the early hours of Christmas.

The victims included a teenage secondary school student, Gimbia Morik, daughter of a former council chairman in Jema’a.

The killings, by suspected herdsmen, occurred despite Jema’a and two other local governments – Kaura and Zango Kataf – being under a 24-hour curfew.

The state government after a meeting of heads of various security agencies in the state, had on December 21 imposed the 24-hour curfew to prevent violence during the festive season.

Although there is no accurate figure of how many people had been killed from the ethnoreligious violence in Southern Kaduna in 2016, dozens had been reported dead.

The killings in Southern Kaduna are suspected to be due to violence between the locals and migrating Fulani

herdsmen.

Apart from Kaduna, similar violence between locals, mainly farmers, and migrating herdsmen had caused the death of hundreds of people in several other states including Benue and Taraba.

But Adesina came under heavy criticisms for defending his boss' decision not to talk about the killings.

Reacting through a tweeter handle, RightsAfrica said: "Please note when @MBuhari spoke about killings in Berlin and Paris, it's because Merkel and Holland aren't on top there!"

Others said that the spokesperson must work on his human relations while others said he was clueless. One Nasiru Usman said: "All the blame on Jonathan is politics. Why didn't you blame the state governors ruling states affected by Boko Haram since it was a state issue?"

Several people sustained injuries from gunshots while many houses were burnt by the bandits who gave the Goska villagers a bloody Christmas.

A resident of the community said the invaders stormed the village about 3:00am and started shooting sporadically and setting houses on fire.

He said those who sustained injuries could not be immediately rushed to the hospital as a result of the curfew.

Residents of the community were said to have been taken aback that the attack took place despite the 24 hour curfew imposed on the area.

Jama'a local government is one of the three local governments where the state government declared a 24 hour curfew following the persistent killings by gunmen.

SOKAPU Condemns Attack The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) has condemned the killings, saying that el-Rufai should be held responsible.

SOKAPU in a statement on Monday in Kaduna by its spokesman, Mr. Yakubu Kuzamani, maintained that the governor should be held responsible for the killings in Goska village "because these killings took placed under a

24-hour curfew, imposed on Zangon Kataf, Kaura and Jema’a Local Government areas by the governor."

SOKAPU said: "While people were forced to stay indoors, pampered marauding herdsmen whose presence around Goska was noticed and reported by people around that area for almost three days, attacked the town and for hours, killed and burnt without let or hindrance from security.

"This amply confirmed our assertion that the 24-hour curfew slammed on the three local government areas was just to punish the people for daring to protest the persistent killings in their villages on 20th December when el-Rufai visited Kafanchan".

However, the state government has condemned the attack and charged security agencies to redouble their efforts in fishing out the attackers and bring them to justice.

The government in a statement by Mr. Samuel Aruwan, spokesman to the governor, regretted that while everything was being done to end the attacks, "forces of darkness that represent evil and inhumanity struck again killing innocent citizens, burnt their houses and injured some and terrified many".

Aruwan said: “Government and security agencies will not be deterred, we will continue to be resilient, up and doing and courageous in tackling this unfortunate situation."

CAN Condoles Victims The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) yesterday sympathised with the families of victims of the killings in Southern Kaduna.

The Christian body also rejoiced with all Christians in the country as they celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ amidst economic recession.

The CAN in a statement by its President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, also identified with victims of Boko Haram terrorists in the North-eastern part of the country, advising Nigerians to confront the prevailing economic recession and its attendant

problems with courage.

"I admonish all Christians and of course all Nigerians to pick up courage and move on with their lives in spite of the challenges facing us as a nation,� he said.

A statement by CAN’s Director, Legal and Public Affairs, Mr. Kwamkur Samuel, sympathised with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and condoled with families of victims of the killings in the Southern Kaduna.

He said: "CAN sympathises with the victims of various attacks spread in the IDPs camps across the nation and our

members in Southern Kaduna where some murderous groups have been killing despite the heavy presence of the security operatives."

According to him: “The leadership team is grateful to the Almighty God that despite the excruciating challenges of the economic recession and the act of terrorism by various terrorists groups and militia in the Middle Belt, particularly the Southern Kaduna and other parts of Nigeria, the faithful went ahead with the celebration of the Christmas, they are able to keep hope alive.� he said.

NIGERIA’S CRUDE OIL RESERVES RISE TO 37BBLS Ndu Ughamadu, quoted the Group Managing Director of the corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, in his end of the year message to the corporation's workers.

Baru, however, did not disclose details of the contracts or how much money the corporation saved from the renegotiations. But he said the NNPC would continue to find sustainable solutions to the challenges of militancy which affects oil and gas production in the Niger Delta.

Prior reports indicated that Nigeria’s crude oil reserves was depleting and subsequently dropped to 28.2bbls. This development also prompted the President of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE), Nosa Omorodion, to in October 2016, raise the alarm.

Omorodion decried the lack of exploration in the country’s oil and gas sector, and requested the federal government to begin seismic work in the frontier sedimentary basins, which include Bida Dahomey, Anambra, Gongola, and Sokoto to improve Nigeria’s hydrocarbon reserves.

Baru said the reserves have again risen to 37bbls. He added that the NNPC has created security management platforms that would enable it identify and evaluate risks, develop and superintend implementation of investigations, and aggregate and deploy

necessary resources to guarantee peaceful business environment in the Niger Delta region.

He stated that the corporation was committed to implementing a robust security and stakeholders’ strategy that would sustain peace in the industry’s operational bases.

Baru expressed happiness with NNPC’s completion of negotiations with its Joint Venture (JV) partners on cash call funding challenges and payment of outstanding arrears.

He said this was achieved by developing a clear payment plan as well as the pursuit of an alternative funding strategy, adding that arrears of up to December, 2015 have been fully reconciled and repayments plan also agreed upon.

He said the decisive objective of the recently signed off agreements between NNPC and its JV partners was to enable NNPC transit into an Incorporated Joint Venture (IJV) business model for all the current JVs. He said the NNPC had been able to stabilise the supply and distribution of petroleum products in the country with support from Nigerians and its staff, and commenced the implementation of a 12-key business focus areas to enhance its business performance. “Today, motorists drive in and out of filling stations with ease. This would not have been achieved without the collective efforts of all of us,� Baru said.

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Two Die As Vigilant Youths Foil Bomb Attack on Maiduguri

Two-Minute BrieďŹ ng NEWS Babangida Hails Recapture of

Sambisa Forest from Boko Haram Former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), has hailed the recapture of Sambisa forest from the Islamic militant group, Boko Haram, saying the achievement has shown the capability and professional‌ Page 40

EDITORIAL Rivers Rerun Polls: The Day after Almost three weeks after the Rivers State rerun legislative election of December 10, the guns are silent, but the smoke is yet to clear.

Page 15

POLITICS The Anti-Corruption Bait

With the federal government’s whistle blower protection policy, the Muhammadu Buhari administration appears ready to take the fight against graft to an all-new level, write Shola Oyeyipo and Segun James Page 16

FEATURES Delta's Home-Grown School

Feeding Programme Kicks o In this report, Omon-Julius Onabu writes that Delta State is set to kick off of its school feeding programme Page 18

Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima (m), Chief of Army Sta, Lt. General Tukur Buratai (l) and other military top brass reopening the Maiduguri-Monguno-Baga Road and Maiduguri-Gubio-Damasak Road during a ceremony in Maiduguri following the defeat of Boko Haram insurgents in Sambisa forest‌ weekend Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri Two female suicide bombers were yesterday killed during a failed attempt to bomb a cattle market in Maiduguri, capital of Borno State.

Vigilant youths belonging to Vigilante group were said to have foiled the attack which could have cast a doubt on President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration that the federal government had seen the back of Boko Haram with the military’s capture of the Sambisa Forest at the weekend.

According to a member of the Youth Vigilante who spoke anonymously to our correspondent, the two suicide

bombers were accosted by some of their members stationed at the market.

He said: "Our members held them (the two female suicide) on gun point from a distance, ordering them to remove the explosive stripped on them. It was while they were removing their wares that the bomb strapped on them exploded, killing the two instantly."

A trader at the market, Mr. Aji Babagana, however, said there was another loud bang some moments after the initial explosion which killed the two females.

The spokesman of the police in Borno State, Mr. Victor Isuku, confirmed the attack but could not

give the casualty figure.

He said the second bang heard was that of an un-exploded bomb detonated by the Police Anti-Bomb Squad.

According to Isuku: “At 0840hrs today (yesterday), explosion by two female suicide bombers occurred at Kasuwa Shanu Market, Maiduguri. One of the bombers was instantly killed in the explosion, while the second was lynched by irate mob in the vicinity.

EOD team and other security forces mobilized to the scene and detonated the unexploded IED. Normalcy was restored to the area while security has been beefed up within the area and other parts of the city!�

CBN, HERITAGE BANK PROVIDE N2BN LOAN FOR AQUACULTURE PROJECT He, however pointed out that Nigeria had a deficit of over two million metric tonnes of poultry produce, and over three million metric tonnes deficit in fish farming products, adding that the agro-production deficits showed huge investment potential in the sector.

He further urged banks to finance more of Agricultural projects than trading, oil and gas etc., as the future was highly dependent on Agriculture.

The Group Head, Agriculture Finance of Heritage Bank, Olugbenga Awe, stated that the partnership between the bank and Triton Farms to boost local production would conserve scarce foreign exchange and enhance food security. “Nigeria’s current demand capacity for fish is estimated at 2.7million metric tonnes and the country currently produces 800,000 metric tonnes. Triton is now producing 25,000 metric tonnes and with them

on board, about 25,000 metric tonnes capacity will be added to our current production, the company’s projection is to reach 100,000 metric tonnes in 5 years,� he said.

Awe stressed that Heritage Bank’s support for small scale enterprises was well known, saying that most SMEs play in the agric sector.

According to him, the bank takes agriculture as one of its heritage that can empower individuals and communities in terms of creating wealth from the soil and through the entire value – chain using value addition and industrialization.

He further disclosed, “We have supported large corporates such as Triton in expanding their capacity and boosting import substitution, we have also supported exporters that export commodities or processed goods which ultimately conserve scarce FX and enhance our balance of trade.

“We are also focused on small holders' farmers as we currently support thousands of farmers in Kaduna and Zamfara States in rice and soybeans production under the Anchor Borrowers Programme.

We are also targeting the youths that are interested in agriculture through our partnership with CBN on Youth Innovative Entrepreneurship Development Programme.�

In his remarks, the Chairman, Triton Group, Ashvin Samtani, said the farm was fully integrated in aquaculture, poultry and crop production and is a platform to create employment for the teeming youths. “Triton Farms is designed to train youth in agriculture and create employment, as well as generate wealth. This is the only farm in the whole region that is fully integrated in aquaculture, poultry and crop production,� he affirmed.

BUSINESS Wood Mackenzie Forecasts

Positive Cash Flow at Oil Price Above $55 A new report byWood Mackenzie has predicted that the oil and gas industry will turn cash flow positive for the first time since the downturn in 2014, if the production cuts by the Organisation of‌ Page 21

PROPERTY Structural Engineers Demand

Presidential Action on Collapse of Buildings The Federal Government must do all that is necessary to stop avoidable deaths caused by collapsed building structures.The nation’s structural engineers say there are short, medium‌ Page 28

NEWSXTRA SON Advises Nigerians to Be

Conscious of Their Tyres, Urges Safe Driving Osita Anthony Aboloma, has called on motorists and Nigerians in general to take additional precautions as they convey passengers to and from their‌ Page 43

SPORTS Premiership: Toure, Iheanacho

Fire Man City to Second Spot Andrew Robertson's rash challenge undid 72 minutes of hard work by Hull City and allowed Yaya Toure to set Manchester City en route to a 3-0 victory yesterday.

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COMMENT

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

A NATION IN NEED OF HEROES

We must strive to build a country where honour is given to people who have put the nation’s interests before their’s, writes Martins Itua

I

recently watched the funeral video of former British Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, voted by the British people as the greatest Briton to have ever lived. The funeral of this great man, which happened on January 30, 1964, six days after he died at the age of 90, threw the whole British nation into mourning. Millions of people lined up on the streets, in the biting cold, during the procession openly crying and mourning the loss of a man who meant so much to the British people. I have watched this video many times and I’ve wept each time I watched it. The nation bid farewell to Churchill by singing the British traditional anthem “I vow to thee my country”. For people who have probably never heard of the song or known the lyrics, please see below the first stanza of the anthem: I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above, Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love; The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test, That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best; The love that never falters, the love that pays the price, The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.

Princess of Wales, Diana requested for the song during her marriage to Prince Charles and it was also sung at her funeral. It was also sung during the funeral of former British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher.

A closer look at the words of the song will tell you that British people are required to always put their country first, before self. From the time they are born, they enter into a covenant of service and sacrifice for their country. In turn, the British society rewards and honours everyone for their bravery, love and sacrifice. That is why it is a covenant because it would not demand from you that which itself is unwilling to give you.

Back home, a casual look at the history of Nigeria may not show who our heroes are as a people. Of course, there are the founding fathers and proponents of self-rule from Great Britain. Your idea of who your hero is may depend largely on which ethnic or religious divide you belong.

The Northern people regard Sir Ahmadu Bello as their greatest hero. The Yorubas and Ibos would probably consider Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe as their heroes respectively. But a look at the three prominent figures representing the Northern, Western and Western regions of Nigeria shows that they were only interested in pursuing and furthering their individual ethnic or regional agendas and not a Nigerian agenda. An example was the interview granted by the late Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello. When asked if his policy of filling all key posts in the North solely with Northerners and not with other Nigerians was a temporary or permanent one, he responded thus: “In actual fact, what it is, is a Northerner first. If you can’t get a Northerner, then we take an expatriate like yourself on contract. If we can’t then we can employ another Nigerian but on contract, too. This is going to be permanent, I should say, for as far as I can foresee; because it would

OUR CHILDREN MUST BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY NIGERIA’S HISTORY AND UNDERSTAND HOW OUR COUNTRY HAS BEEN SHAPED THROUGH HER DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES. WE MUST BUILD A SOCIETY AND A COUNTRY WHERE THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST AMONGST US ARE THE LEADERS AND NOT THE BRIGANDS, THIEVES OR PEOPLE WHO BECAME RICH THROUGH CORRUPT MEANS

be rather dangerous to see the number of boys we are now turning from all our learning institutions coming out (and) having no work to do. I’m sure that whichever government of the day might be rather embarrassed and it might even lead to bloodshed”.

I stand to be corrected but I am yet to see one Nigerian, dead or alive who will elicit the sort of overwhelming national response similar to the one shown by the British people when Churchill died. Or even similar to the ones expressed by the Americans when they lose some of their national heroes. On the contrary, when our leaders die, Nigerians go to the streets and rejoice. Perhaps, the only exception will be late President Umaru Yar’Adua who had drawn the sympathy of Nigerians due to his protracted illness and sufferings.

The younger generation of Nigerians will clearly have a lot of confusion about who a hero is or is not. We live in times when how much money a person has usually has no direct bearing with what he/she does. In today’s Nigeria, people who become rich by stealing public money are celebrated and honoured while the ordinary hardworking Nigerians are disregarded and ignored. A state governor, after only eight years in office gets a N200 million house and other benefits but pensioners who served and retired after 35 years are being owed their pensions for two years. We live in times when the man who kicks a ball across a field is given far more honour than the man who delivers a baby or goes to war to defend his nation. You probably need to go round today and speak with younger people to enquire what their idea of a hero is in order to appreciate what value systems we are bequeathing to them.

Nigeria today needs a total value and culture revolution. Things simply cannot continue as they are or there will not be Nigeria tomorrow. As people are born and attend schools when growing up, it must be indelibly engraved and inscribed on their minds and in their hearts that there is a secret covenant between them and Nigeria.

The concept of the greater good and national interest must be taught to all and imbibed by all. Our children must be given the opportunity to study Nigeria’s history and understand how our country has been shaped through her different experiences. We must build a society and a country where the best and brightest amongst us are the leaders and not the brigands, thieves or people who became rich through corrupt means. We must teach the next generation that it is more honourable to die hungry than to steal and people must be made to account for the source of their wealth and riches. We must teach our children early in life that public office is an opportunity to serve the people and not for self-enrichment. We must continue to discourage over-night success and wealth gotten from unknown or illegal sources but we should celebrate, support and reward ingenuity, resourcefulness and entrepreneurial spirits. We must continue to uphold the principles of justice and fairness to all and strive to build a country where true honour is given to people who have put the nation’s interests before their own.

MASTER OF HIS FATE

Turaki A. Hassan pays tribute to Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the House of Representatives, at age 49

F

orty nine years ago, a humble child was born in the back waters of what is today north eastern Nigeria. That child, against all odds is today one of Nigeria’s shining stars, a beacon of hope, icon of transparency and progressive leader- Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, who by the special grace of God occupies the seat of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Dogara, a determined go-getter, an embodiment of moral rectitude; epitome of humility and repository of knowledge is a child of destiny. Bred in the rural community of Tafawa-Balewa, Bauchi State, northeastern Nigeria, Dogara, is leaving to the expectations of the people. Here is a man who after excelling in university was sought after and offered automatic lucrative jobs in multinational oil companies but declined because he strongly believes that there is more to life than money and rather opted to practice law with all the attendant consequences and uncertainties which permeates our society.

Propelled and motivated by the urge and the desire to help and offer selfless service to mankind; he took his destiny into his hands. Indeed, men are the masters of their fate. That singular decision, not to be lured by lucre; even in a society whose values are measured in how much material possession one garners, tells volumes about his inner man, thoughts, traits, personality, and the selfless character of Dogara.

His incorruptible character came to bear in the Sixth Assembly. While serving as chairman of the Customs and Excise committee, he rejected a $5 million bribe offered in a desperate move to thwart investigation in the activities of the Nigeria Customs Service by some inept, corrupt and unpatriotic contractors and their collaborators within the service.

Again, in the wake of his defection from the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), N500 million and an automatic return ticket was offered to him; only if he returned to the PDP, yet he declined the offer and

moved on.

The ability and courage to resist mouth-watering and tempting offers of that nature and magnitude; not because he had gathered enough but for the fear of God and the love of country is what defines the personae and character of Dogara as a patriotic and incorruptible leader. He believes and practices politics of give and take, consensus building and compromise- accommodating both friends and foes- putting aside that which is personal for the collective interests of the Nigerian people.

The speaker strongly believes in dialogue, negotiation and consensus building, which are the cardinal pillars of his leadership. His quality of being peaceful and one who strongly believes in building bridges of friendship and love across the divides has in no small way helped in bringing the desired stability in the House Thus, he has continued to enjoy enormous support and loyalty from his colleagues, who acknowledge his transparency and open-door policy. No wonder, the House in just one and half years has achieved many firsts and surpassed records sets by all previous assemblies put together. In 18 months of its tenure, the House has passed into law about 150 bills some of which have either been signed into law or are awaiting Senate’s concurrence.

Prominent among these is the North East Development Commission Establishment bill, the bill he conceived, personally sponsored. The speaker also empanelled a high-powered committee of renowned and erudite scholars and legal luminaries to clean up Nigeria’s statues books from 1900 to date which turned in hundreds of bills that are going through the legislative mills in the House. In total, about 800 bills and almost 1000 motions were introduced in just one and half years.

Not only that, the speaker embarked upon visitations to internally displaced persons’ camps across the country, providing succour and giving them messages of hope that although weeping may last in the night,

joy cometh in the morning because according to him, the worst that can happen to a people is to lose hope.

In one such visit to an IDP camp in Edo state, Dogara broke down in tears after seeing a crowd of over 2000 young children aged three to 18, orphaned

by Boko Haram insurgency and offered to pay for WEAC and NECO examination fees of those finishing secondary school. Thus, he continued his push for the convocation of international donor conference to rebuild the northeast apart from monthly financial contribution by all legislators from the region which he is spearheading.

Instructively, for the first time in the legislative history of Nigeria since independence, the House under Dogara, introduced sectoral debates last May where ministers appeared before the lawmakers and told Nigerians about the federal government’s economic and social policies aimed at diversifying and revamping the economy and putting the country back to the path of growth, development and economic prosperity.

Similarly, he has been leading campaigns for the deepening of the Nigerian capital market and even made history as the first presiding officer of the National Assembly to visit the Nigerian Stock Exchange in Lagos where he sounded the closing gong and assured investors that the House will pass legislation that will ease business, attract foreign direct investment and create jobs for the teaming millions of our youths.

Talking about youths, the speaker is also at the forefront of campaign to pass the #NotTooYoungToRun bill aimed at reducing the minimum age required by law to stand for elections in Nigeria.

Already, the bill has since scaled second reading.

Also for the first time, over 100 students from over 100 public and private Nigerian universities on the invitation of the speaker converged on Abuja- the National Assembly in specific - where he interacted with them for two days, gave them insight to the running and activities of the parliament and

answered their questions.

Additionally, the speaker has continued to mediate between the federal government and the young resident doctors with marathon meetings spanning through weeks and months which resulted in calling off the strike and averted future industrial actions.

His interventionist meetings with the Nigerian Labour Congress helped in averting a major national industrial action early in the year following removal of fuel subsidies.

On the political front, the House under Dogara, is stable and at peace with itself. It is busy discharging its roles and responsibilities to the electorate, thanks to his political sagacity and leadership prowess. It is also his belief that the executive and the legislature must not fight or be engaged in a supremacy battle before they can work to move the nation forward.

Dogara believes that justice is needed in building a civil society and that for societies to grow, leaders must understand the workings of justice which is necessary in any democracy for equality to thrive. At every opportunity, he emphasises that the primary interest of leaders at all levels should be the people.

He would insist that the bickering and animosity that characterised the relationship between the two arms of government in the past should never be allowed to rear its head again under the change administration of the APC because this government, which came on the promises of change, cannot afford to fail the people.

This has earned him commendations from many quarters including the All Progressives Governors Forum chairman, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state who while addressing a team of visiting federal MPs in Owerri recently showered enconiums on him saying: “I commend the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara for the patriotic role he played towards reconciling the National Assembly with the Presidency.”

Hassan is Special Adviser Media & Public Affairs to the Rt. Hon. Speaker

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EDITORIAL RIVERS RERUN POLLS: THE DAY AFTER Electoral manipulations and violence constitute abuse of the right of the people to choose their leaders

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lmost three weeks after the Rivers State rerun legislative election of December 10, the guns are silent, but the smoke is yet to clear. Last week, the Department of State Services (DSS) accused the Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, of a plot to pressurise the system by using thugs to breach the peace in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Wike, according to the DSS statement, intended to cause mayhem with a view to “diverting public and international attention from the ongoing police investigation into the unwholesome role played by the governor and some of his cronies in the violence that trailed the rerun elections in Rivers State�.

Wike has of course dismissed the allegation as “irresponsible scaremongering� by an agency bent on a mission to blackmail him and bring the state government to disrepute.

While the governor has a valid point about the unfortunate partisanship of the DSS, it should worry him too that violence has become part of election culture in Rivers State.

Unfortunately, the police are also implicated in the tangle.

Some of its men were IT IS SAD THAT OUR caught on camera DEMOCRACY HAS trying to disturb the TODAY LOST ITS SHAPE peace at least in a ESSENTIALLY BECAUSE THE polling station instead POLITICAL PARTIES WANT of maintaining the TO BE DEMOCRATIC IN A peace.

However, perhaps MANNER THAT ADVANCES more than anything ONLY THE PERSONAL else, what fouled INTERESTS OF SOME the atmosphere and LEADERS AND NOT THAT OF raised the temperature THE SOCIETY unnecessarily before, during and after the election, was the contest over turf between Wike and his immediate predecessor and current Transport Minister, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. The desperation between the two principal actors may have informed the decision by the Nigeria Police Force to deploy a record 28,000 ofďŹ cers and men to maintain peace during

Letters to the Editor

and after the election. That was in addition to thousands of personnel from other security agencies. Yet, common sense failed to prevail.

Violence and bloodletting again marred the election. The gruesome murder of Mohammed Alkali, a deputy superintendent of police, his colleagues and many others, attested to that. The police, badly bruised, have set up an investigation team on the election and to unearth the killers of their men and others, besides verifying the alleged “audio� threat by the governor to manipulate the votes in Etche area of the state.

The state government last week also set up a judicial commission of inquiry into the killings and violence to determine the number of people killed and why. These are all well and good.

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esides, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), after a relatively good outing in the recently conducted Ondo State governorship election, did manage, despite reports of logistics problems in certain areas, to release most of the results of the election which were a welcome departure from the ignoble past of landslide victories.

This newspaper has always maintained that electoral manipulations and violence are not only violations of the law, they also constitute abuse of the constitutional right of the people to choose their leaders. We believe that the goal of politics is to organise to secure power to serve the people.

That being so, it ought not to be a zero-sum game that would involve violence and needless bloodletting. Close observers cannot but notice that the campaigns and the election in the state witnessed threats of violence, carnage and all manner of intimidation. Yet violence and intimidation have no place in civilised society, especially for those who seek to serve the people.

It is sad that our democracy has today lost its shape essentially because the political parties want to be democratic in a manner that advances only the personal interests of some leaders and not that of the society. Yet until political leaders imbibe a culture that reects and promotes good governance, transparency and accountability, our democracy will remain imperilled. We hope the results of the panels of inquiry into the Rivers rerun election will advance the cause of democracy.

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to speciďŹ c publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (9501000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

THE CALL FOR BABACHIR LAWAL’S HEAD

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ince the resolution of the Senate calling on the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. David Babachir Lawal, to resign or get sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari, arguments have been made back and forth on the proprietary of the legislative demand.

Whilst some have hailed it as a step in furtherance of the Buhari administration’s onslaught on corruption, many others have dismissed it as a self-serving ambush that is aimed at the jugular of President Buhari.

A review of recent events on the nation’s political tuff would show that the Senate’s purported indictment of the SGF was actuated by the desire to protect the interest of some corrupt senators and their political allies who themselves are subject of several corruption enquiries by the nation’s anti-graft agencies – the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

First we must admit that corruption is a social malaise that is threatening the very existence of the nation. Arising from massive corrupt practices, the nation’s development has been grievously retarded as public officials convert monies meant for provision of infrastructure for the public good into personal uses. It got so bad that in recent times, allocations for purchase of military hardware and equipment for our troops fighting insurgents in the North-east were simply shared among politicians to prosecute the last presidential election. The result was regrettable loss of lives of many of our soldiers as they lacked the tools to engage the vicious

Boko Haram elements who ravaged a substantial part of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States.

It is against this background that the Buhari administration’s fight against corruption must be supported. But as many have noted, for the fight to succeed it must be transparent and not as a tool to witch-hunt perceived political opponents. The Senate resolution purportedly indicting Babachir would have been recommended for public commendation but for its hidden agenda, a calculated move to avenge the refusal of the SGF to help frustrate the trial of a certain senator by the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

Following the retirement of one of the three-member tribunal, the senator had proposed to force a stalemate and frustrate his trial, requesting the SGF, under whose purview the tribunal is, to declare the tribunal inchoate and unable to seat for lack of quorum.

Babachir thought this was incongruous and refused to so declare.

Next the senator procured several petitions against the chairman of the tribunal and sought the cooperation of the SGF to help indict the chairman. Again the senator met a brick wall as the tribunal not only sat but commenced the trial of the senator.

Since then the senator become belligerent, using his principal position in the Senate to incite his colleagues against the SGF. Once Babachir was invited to defend the inability of the executive to execute the constituency projects the legislators had injected into the 2016 budget. Upon telling them frankly that the federal government did not have the money for the projects, they became livid, calling on President Buhari to remove him from office. If the

FG is unable to implement projects, how did that become the fault of its secretary?

The latest request based on a purported indictment by a report of a Senate Committee on the worsening conditions of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the North-east must be seen as part of the efforts of the said senator to embarrass the SGF. What were the issues? That the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE) under the watch of the SGF could not account for N2.5 billion allocated to it; and that he awarded a N273 million contract to a company in which he had interest. The first allegation is at best hasty as the office of the Auditor-General of Federation is yet to audit the account as required by law. So how did the Senate come to that conclusion? On the second issue of award of contact, Babachir had said he had resigned his directorship of the company as required by law. In its haste to nail him, the Senate neglected to invite the SGF to face the allegations against him. Had that been done he would have put the records straight and the indictment would obviously have been unnecessary. But since they were working to the answer the senators did what they had to do.

Good enough that President Buhari has ordered an executive investigation into the Senate’s allegations. It is, however, important that the president is aware of this bad faith on the part of the Senate before coming to a determination of their so-called indictment. It is nothing but a vindictive response to the SGF’s refusal to comprise the administration’s war against corruption.

Bakolori Mohammed, Kaduna

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WEEKLY PULL-OUT

EVENTS OF 2016

27.12.2016

2/DASHBOARD

27.12.2016

Instance When Governor Can Dissolve Democratically Elected Council PAGE 4

Lawyers Tasked on Public Confidence, as NBA Honours Olanipekun, Falana PAGE 5

As Acting CJN, Hon. Justice Onnoghen Clocks 66 PAGE 6

‘Lawyer Should Be Dedicated, Focused, Steadfast, and Patient’ PAGE 6

QUOTABLES 'By what we are told, the actions of the Senate, I do not think and I do not believe that Magu was given fair hearing to react to some information that levelled accusations against him. He is entitled to his fundamental right to defend himself and I call on whoever is in charge, to give him that opportunity before you nail him.'

– Emeka Etiaba, SAN

'Someone who is in an acting capacity ought to be either rejected or confirmed by the National Body. But as it is now, for extraneous reasons, which are well known to the National Assembly, and equally obvious to the general public, they do not want the anti-corruption battle to go on, because it will definitely consume some of them in the National Assembly. And the only way that they can stall proceedings in the war against corruption, is not to confirm. The effect of not rejecting or not confirming the acting Chairman of the EFCC, would be that they don’t want him there. So literally speaking, he has been rejected.'

– Frank Eke, Legal Practitioner, Lagos

Court of Appeal is 40 PAGE 7

Unforgettable Deji Sasegbon (De Sash) PAGE 16

COLUMNISTS ABUBAKAR D. SANI Abubakar D. Sani holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Maiduguri, and has been in active private legal practice since he was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987.He is the Principal of Abubakar D. Sani & Co., which has offices in Abuja and Kano. " INSIGHT" aims to unravel, analyse and proffer solutions to numerous anomalies in Nigerian law and practice, particularly statutes, vis-avis the Constitution, International Treaties and Conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory, Judicial Precedent and other relevant statutes and issues.

ADERINSOLA FAGBURE Aderinsola Fagbure is a keen writer having written her first article which was published by the junior section of a national daily, at the age of five. She is a graduate of Igbinedion University Okada and has just completed a Master’s degree in Corporate Law at the University College London. Her column, “In black and white” discusses the need for innovation on the Nigerian legal scene particularly in the fields of Mergers and Acquisitions, Corporate Finance, Corporate Governance and Energy Law.

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE EDITOR JUDE IGBANOI DEPUTY EDITOR TOBI SONIYI ASSISTANT EDITOR AKINWALE AKINTUDE REPORTER TUNDE BUSARI GROUP HEAD OCHI OGBUAKU II ART DIRECTOR

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Can I be President for One Day?

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ecently, I saw a headline on television, saying that President Mugabe of Zimbabwe, who has been in power for 36 years, intends to run again in the 2018 election, by which time he will be 94. The first thought that crossed my mind was “if he’s still alive by then!” (Not that I wish him dead or anything like that). However, it is obvious that Mugabe wants to remain in power ‘until death does him and the Presidency part’ (President for Life). Mugabe has already surpassed Joaquin Balaguer of the Dominican Republic, who had previously broken the world record as the oldest President in the World, leaving office at the age of 89. So if it’s a place in history that Mugabe seeks, he already has one!

Taste of the Presidency Oh, if only I could be President for a day!

Apart from my starting to develop my own blueprint on how to move the country forward (seriously?!), I am certainly curious to know what makes it so difficult for African Presidents to handover the baton of leadership, when the time comes. Is it an insatiable lust for power and control? Or the ill-gotten financial gains and turning their countries into family businesses? Or the attention they get and the luxurious perks of office? Or the ‘Know-it-All, I’m the Only One Who Can Do It Syndrome’(narcissism)? Or all of the above?

I remember vividly though, when I was in my 20’s, I had a little taste of Presidential treatment.

I had accompanied my mother to the then Head of State’s birthday party at State House, Marina.

We were pampered at the party, and when it was over, the roads were closed for the guests to go home. We got home in record time. It was exhilarating! I remember thinking that I wouldn’t mind being the President, if this is the sort of perks that they enjoy.

African Leaders that have Stepped-Down Even those African leaders who seemed to have relinquished power without acrimony, did so mostly after doing more than their fair share of ruling, leaving not much of a legacy. Julius Nyerere, ruled Tanzania for 21 years, until he relinquished power to his hand-picked successor, Ali Hassan Mwinyi. In the same vein, Mathieu Kerekou of Benin, ruled for 29 years, before handing over to Siglo in 1991, after losing the election to him.

Others who have conceded defeat in elections, seem to have their own ulterior motives

for so-doing. For some, like our own ‘Yours Truly’, conceding victory could have been a “Get Out of Jail Free Card”, while for some others, it is a way to command some form of global respect, while presenting them with opportunities to become International Statesmen of sorts, being called upon to act as observers in elections in other African States, or to give advice to ‘sit-tight’ rulers in other African states, to relinquish power.

Very recently, John Mahama of Ghana, who conceded victory to Nana Akufo-Addo in their December 10 polls, was already part of a team of ECOWAS leaders who visited Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia, to convince him to relinquish power to his opponent, Adama Barrow.

Constitutional Amendments Some African leaders have gone as far as Constitutional amendments, just to be able to extend their rules. This brings back memories of 2006, when the mantra “third term” was as popular in Nigeria, as “change” is today.

Former President Obasanjo, has consistently denied his involvement in a failed plot to extend his tenure beyond the two four-year terms provided for in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) (1999 Constitution), through a constitutional amendment process.

While ‘third term’ failed, others like Mugabe, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Nkurunziza of Burundi, Yuweri Museveni of Uganda and Dennis Sassou of Congo Brazaville, have all been able to pull it off.

In Jammeh’s case, Section 63(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of the Gambia, 1997, provides for a five-year term, with no limit as to how many times a candidate can run! He came to power in 1994 through a military coup. Having rescinded his initial concession to Barrrow, we may have another President for life on our hands.

The story in Democratic Republic of Congo, where Joseph Kabila has ruled since 2001, is no different. The Constitution was amended to provide for two five-year terms. He was elected in 2006 and 2011. His second term expired this month. Kabila, has however, refused to schedule elections till April, 2018.

The opposition leader, Etienne Tshisekedi has referred to Kabila’s extension as a coup d’etat and called on the people of DRC to peacefully resist it.

Constitution Means Nothing in Africa It appears that the Constitution, which is

meant to be the supreme law in all nations, is considered by African Leaders and the Political Class to be a meaningless, irrelevant document, or at best a plaything, to be changed and amended at will, to suit their personal ambitions, especially as they seem to have such a blatant disregard for it. One can only conclude that holding on to power by any means possible is their goal (apart from financial enrichment).

Section 146(1) of the 1999 Constitution provides that, in the event that the office of the President becomes vacant, by reason of death or some other listed reasons, the Vice- President shall assume office. I recall, in amazement, when the late President Umaru Yar’Adua passed away, there was a raging debate within their political party, PDP, that since the Presidency had been zoned to the North by PDP, Vice-President Jonathan (as he then was) should not assume the Presidency (as provided by the 1999 Constitution), and a candidate from the Northern zone should be chosen to replace Yar’Adua. The PDP debate was flashed all over the media. It was ridiculous. I was aghast. It became obvious to me, by that singular debate, that most African Leaders and the Political Class, Nigerians included, actually had no regard for the Constitution, they just saw it as a piece of paper, since they were so easily willing to by-pass it.

"SHOULD AFRICAN LEADERS BE MADE TO SWEAR TO SANGO OR AMADIOHA (GOD OF THUNDER AND LIGHTENING) OR SOPONA (GOD OF SMALLPOX), OR SOME OTHER DEITY, THAT IF THEY DO NOT STEP DOWN GRACIOUSLY WHEN THEIR TERMS END, THEY WILL BE STRUCK DEAD OR AFFLICTED WITH SMALLPOX OR SOME OTHER DEADLY DISEASE? WE AFRICANS ARE STILL RATHER TRADITIONAL, SUPERSTITIOUS AND FETISH, AND DEFINITELY SEEM TO HAVE MORE FEAR FOR THAT TYPE OF THING, THAN THE POLICE OR THE CONSTITUTION

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE

THE ADVOCATE onikepo.braithwaite@thisdaylive.com Suggestions to Stop Extension of Rule It is indeed sad, that I a lawyer, a firm believer in the rule of law, should say that the solution to this African leadership problem certainly does not seem to lie in the constitution or law making for now, though it would still be prudent to have sensible constitutional provisions for Presidential terms in place. The case of Nigeria is even worse, because not only the Executive, but the Legislature as well, is full of those that have ruled since I was a child and have still refused to quit the stage.

Should African Leaders be made to swear to Sango or Amadioha (god of Thunder and Lightening) or Sopona (god of Smallpox), or some other deity, that if they do not step down graciously when their terms end, they will be struck dead or afflicted with smallpox or some other deadly disease? We Africans are still rather traditional, superstitious and fetish, and definitely seem to have more fear for that type of thing, than the police or the constitution.

Or maybe a strong and independent electoral body would make a difference? Usually, African Presidents control the electoral commissions in their countries, appointing the heads, who are no more than puppets that do their bidding.

Maybe the heads of the electoral bodies should be elected by means of popular vote, so that they are totally independent of and not beholden to any organ of government.

Some have advocated sanctions against countries whose leaders refuse to relinquish power. However, in this situation, it is not the leaders that suffer when sanctions are imposed, but the people. Maybe more personal sanctions against such Presidents who refuse to step down, and their families, can be imposed instead.

Should the Executive be able to appoint the leadership of the armed forces or should ascension to their leadership be by hierarchy, so that issues of loyalty to the Executive do not arise? In the case of Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal, who was more than tempted to extend his rule, despite being outvoted by Macky Sall, it was the security forces who stood up to him, and warned that they would only respect the election result. Whether the leadership of the armed forces of Senegal are appointed by the President or by other means, in which case their loyalty may be to their country first, or whether it was just that they were tired of Wade's rule, I don't know. However, it is certainly food for thought.

President Obama, in one of his addresses to Leaders and Dignitaries, on his visit to Kenya in July, 2015, informed the gathering that even though he was just 54 years old (at the time), and still had so much to offer his country, the American Constitution provides that a President can only serve in that capacity, for a maximum of two four-year terms. Therefore, having completed two terms, come January 20, 2017 (at 12 noon I think), he would cease to be President of the US. In that situation, the American Constitution prevails. Let us, Africans, take a leaf from Obama’s book.

Seasons Greetings All. I wish you a happy and prosperous 2017. See you in the new year, God willing.

4/LAW REPORT

27.12.2016

Instance When Governor Can Dissolve Democratically Elected Council

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also contended that the Respondents did not claim the said emoluments in their Originating Summons, and if at all the Respondents wanted to claim them, the National Industrial Court was the appropriate forum to ventilate such claims, as provided under section 245 of the 1999 Constitution.

In their reaction to the Appellants’ submission, the Respondents argued that the main claim was strictly about constitutional and statutory interpretation, which is outside the jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court. Hence, the issue of salary and allowances as ordered by the Court of Appeal was merely consequential to its determination of the main question. They submitted that the lower court rightly invoked its powers under the said section 15 to assume jurisdiction, and rightly granted the consequential orders in the interest of justice.

Facts

he Respondents were elected into the Local Government Councils in Ekiti State and their tenure was for three years, 2008 to 2011.

On 25th October, 2010, the Respondents, by an Originating Summons filed at the High Court of Ekiti State, sought inter alia, a declaration that Section 23B(i) and (ii) of the Local Government Administration (Amendment) Law, 2001 is in conflict with Section 7(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and is thus, null and void. The said Section of the Law empowers the Executive Governor of Ekiti State to dissolve democratically elected Councils and replace them with un-elected Caretaker Committees.

They also sought a declaration that by the combined effect of Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution and the provisions of Section 5 of the Ekiti State Local Government Administration (Amendment) 2001 Law, the Appellants do not have power to dissolve the democratically elected councils of the sixteen Local Governments of Ekiti State, of which the respondents are the democratically elected Chairmen and replace the Respondents with appointed Caretaker Committees. Other declaratory reliefs as well as injunctive reliefs restraining the Appellants from interfering with their existence, tenure and operations except in accordance with the provisions of Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution and other relevant laws, were also brought before the court.

On 29th October 2010, while the suit was pending in court, the 1st Appellant (the Governor of Ekiti State), through a radio announcement, dissolved the Local Government Councils, removed the Respondents as Chairmen, and replaced them with Caretaker Committees. Consequent upon this, the Respondents sought and obtained leave to amend their Originating Summons, so as to include additional reliefs. In particular, the Respondents sought declarations of court nullifying the dissolution of the Local Government Councils and their replacement with caretaker committees by the 1st Appellant.

The Appellants filed a Preliminary Objection challenging the competence of the action. Upon hearing arguments on the said objection, the trial court declined jurisdiction and struck out the Respondents’ case. Dissatisfied, the Respondents appealed to the Court of Appeal. In a unanimous judgment, the Court of Appeal upturned the ruling of the trial court, invoked its powers under section 15 of the Court of Appeal Act and granted all the reliefs sought by the Respondents in their Originating Summons. Further to this, the Appellants filed an appeal at the Supreme Court.

The Appellants formulated five issues for determination, which were reformulated and compressed into two by the Apex Court.

Issues for Determination 1. Whether the provisions of Sections 23B(i) and (ii) of the Ekiti State Local Government Administration (Amendment) Law, 2011 are inconsistent with section 7(1) of the Constitution and if so, whether the Court of Appeal rightly nullified them.

2. Whether in the circumstance, the Court of Appeal rightly invoked the provisions of its Section 15, in awarding consequential reliefs in favour of the respondents.

The Appellants also sought leave to raise a fresh issue, which was not raised before the Court of Appeal.

Arguments On the first reformulated issue, the Appellants contended that there is no conflict between the provisions of Sections 23B of the Ekiti State Local Government Administration (Amendment) Law, 2011 and Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution, and that the former derived its validity from the latter. The Appellants argued that any law made by the Ekiti State House of Assembly, cannot be questioned by the courts, as the Constitution vests wide powers on it to make the said laws. They maintained that the said Sections 23B of the Ekiti State Local Government Administration (Amendment) Law, 2011 which empowers the Governor to dissolve the said Councils for over-riding public interest, where it becomes practically impossible for the democratically elected councils to function, is an existing law which has not been repealed.

The Respondents on their part argued that in exercising its law making authority, a State House of Assembly must act within the ambits and limits of the Constitution.

Therefore, any laws of the House of Assembly which are inconsistent with the constitutional provisions, are bound to be nullified. The Respondents stated that section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution guarantees democratically elected Local Government Councils in Nigeria. Therefore, Sections

Appellants’ Application for Leave to Raise New Issue The Supreme Court refused the Appellants’ application for leave to canvass a new issue before it, on the ground that there is nothing new in the so-called new issue, same having been articulately dealt with by the lower court.

Chima Centus Nweze, JSC

In the Supreme Court of Nigeria Holden at Abuja On Friday the 9th Day of December, 2016 Before Their Lordships Olabode Rhodes–Vivour Musa Dattijo Muhammad Clara Bata Ogunbiyi Chima Centus Nweze Amiru Sanusi Justices, Supreme Court SC.120/2013 Between Governor, Ekiti State & Ors.................. Appellant And Prince Sanmi Olubunmo (Executive Chairman, Ido-Osi LGA & Chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Ekiti State Chapter) & 13 Ors ......Respondents Lead Judgement delivered by Chima Centus Nweze, JSC

23B of the Ekiti State Local Government Administration (Amendment) Law, 2011 which empowers the Appellants to arbitrarily dissolve the said elected councils and replace them with caretaker committees, is inconsistent with the Constitution. The Respondents submitted that the Appellants did not depose to any fact of any emergency or any over-riding public interest, that would have warranted or justified their action.

On the second issue, the Appellants argued that the Court of Appeal wrongly invoked Section 15 of the Court of Appeal Act, in entertaining the substantive matter and in consequently ordering the payment of the Respondents’ outstanding allowances and emoluments. The Appellants

"....THE ONLY PERMISSIBLE EXCEPTION WHERE A STATE GOVERNOR CAN TRUNCATE THE LIFESPAN OF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCIL WHICH EVOLVED THROUGH THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS OF ELECTIONS IS “FOR OVER-RIDING PUBLIC INTEREST” IN A PERIOD OF EMERGENCY. HOWEVER, THE APPELLANTS IN THIS CASE DID NOT ESTABLISH ANY FACT OF EMERGENCY OR ANY OVERRIDING PUBLIC INTEREST, THAT WOULD HAVE WARRANTED THEIR ACTION"

Court’s Rationale and Judgment On the first issue, the Supreme Court reiterated the well established principle that the Constitution is the Supreme law of the country, from which other sub- constitutional laws derive their source and sustenance, thus any laws of the House of Assembly which are inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution are null and void and of no effect. The Apex Court stated that section 7(1) of the Constitution guarantees a system of local government by democratically elected local government councils, and the government of every state must ensure their existence. The election of such officials into their offices and their tenure are clothed with constitutional force, therefore, they cannot be abridged without breaching the Constitution from where they derive their force.

The court held further that the only permissible exception where a State Governor can truncate the lifespan of a Local Government Council which evolved through the democratic process of elections is “for over-riding public interest” in a period of emergency. However, the Appellants in this case did not establish any fact of emergency or any overriding public interest, that would have warranted their action. There is no doubt that the Ekiti House of Assembly is empowered to make laws for Ekiti State; however, it overreached itself when it enacted section 23B of the Ekiti State Local Government Administration (Amendment) Law, 2011, which empowered the 1st Appellant to abridge the constitutionally guaranteed tenure of office of the respondents. In other words, section 23B (supra) is in conflict with section 7 of the Constitution and the lower Court was right to have nullified it.

On the 2nd reformulated issue, the Apex Court opined that a consequential order is an order that gives effect to the judgment; that is, an order that gives meaning to a judgment else it would amount to pyrrhic victory.

Relying on BUNYAN v AKINGBOYE (1999) 7 NWLR (PT. 609) 31 and OKOYA & ORS v SANTILLI & ORS (1990) 2 NWLR (Pt. 131) 172, the Supreme Court held that the Court of Appeal, by virtue of its power under section 15 of the Court of Appeal Act can make such consequential orders as it deems fit in order to avoid multiplicity of legal proceedings concerning any of those matters which any of the parties may appear to be entitled to.

The Supreme Court observed that, as at when the Respondents were removed from their elected positions, their three-year term was still subsisting and they still had up to December 2011 to serve out their term. Conversely, at the time the lower court found that the 1st Appellant unlawfully truncated their term of office, it could not reinstate them, as their term had lapsed and on the basis of ubi jus ibi remedium, the Respondents could not go without a remedy. Therefore, the consequential order for payment of the Respondents’ outstanding emoluments and allowances was designed to give meaning to the judgment of the lower court.

Consequently, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal and affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeal.

Representation: Owoseni Ajayi (A-G, Ekiti State) with L.B. Ojo, (Solicitor-General) and S.B.J. Bamise (Director MOJ, Ekiti State) for the Appellants.

Obafemi Adewale with E. Agunbiade, O. Olugbade, A. Adewunmi and Stephen Ademuagun for the Respondents.

Reported by Optimum Publishers Limited (Publishers of Nigerian Monthly Law Reports (NMLR))

27.12.2016

NEWS/5

L-R: Mr. Ola Olanipekun SAN, former Ekiti State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Dayo Akilaja SAN and Mrs. funmi Falana at the 2016 End of the Year Award Dinner and Lecture, organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikere Ekiti branch

NBA IKEJA BRANCH Mr. Dele Oloke (left) and Mr. Beckley Abioye at the press briefing to address the leadership crisis in NBA Ikeja Branch last Thursday

Lawyers Tasked on Public Confidence, as NBA Honours Olanipekun, Falana Stories by Akinwale Akintunde Lawyers have been urged to see themselves as critical stakeholders in the judicial process. They have also been advised to take up the gauntlet of vigil professionals, working hard to defend the rights and privileges of lawful citizens in the country.

Speaking as a guest speaker at the 2016 End of the Year Award Dinner and Lecture, organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikere Ekiti branch, a former House of Representative member, Mr Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, called on lawyers not to shy away from their traditional duty as watchdogs of democracy and

defenders of human rights. The theme of the event was; ‘Restoring Public Confidence in the Justice Sector: The Role of Lawyers’.

“We must be ready to provide leadership and champion the struggle for a more humane, peaceful, decent and prosperous society. We must uphold the constitution as the grundnorm, while playing active roles in its constant review, to meet emerging needs of democratic advancement, and we must ensure compliance to the Rule of Law in line with contemporary international legal order and global best practices."

The guest speaker also pointed out that the Judiciary has an important role to play in promoting and sustaining constitutional

democracy. He adduced reasons for this, by making reference to the popular saying that the judiciary is often referred to as the last hope of the common man. To this end, Bamidele called for collaboration between the bar and the bench, towards restoring public confidence in the judicial process.

Also speaking at the event, a Lagos Lawyer, Mrs. Funmi Falana, who received an award at the occasion, advised legal practitioners to play active roles in ensuring corruption-free judicial process. She accused some lawyers of complicity in the corruption in the judicial system, adding that corruption in the judiciary should be of great

concern to lawyers and Nigerians.

Mrs. Falana advised lawyers to monitor their colleagues and judges, to prevent corruption.

The climax of the event was when a former NBA President, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, was announced for an award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the legal profession. The legal icon, who was represented by a former Attorney-General of Ekiti State, Mr. Dayo Akilaja SAN, got a standing ovation from guests at the event. Another person who was given award was Mr Ola Olanipekun, also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

While paying tribute to the former NBA boss, an Abuja

based lawyer, Mr. Ola Olanipekun, SAN, described him as a blessing to Ekiti State and Nigeria, as a whole. He said the former NBA boss deserved all the honour for his contribution to the development of legal profession and Ekiti State.

“Chief Olanipekun is our father in whom we are so pleased. Aside contributing the Ikere Bar Centre, where this event is being held, he has done many things in other areas of human endeavours to develop humanity.

I commend the Ikere NBA for considering this illustrious son of Ekiti for the honour."

According to the ViceChairman of the professional body, who played a prominent

role in organising the event, Barrister Oludayo Olorunfemi, the legal giant was not considered for the award for his contribution to the body of law alone, but also for his contribution to humanity.

“Chief Olanipekun is a colossus and a gift to humanity, and the best way to appreciate such a man is to honour him. To me, if one successful man from every community could rise up and contribute to their communities the way Chief Olanipekun is doing, the society would be better for it. Our decision to recognise him goes beyond his gargantuan contribution to the growth of the legal profession in Nigeria, but is also as a result of his huge contribution to humanity.”

Young Lawyers Forum Decries Assault on Junior Lawyers from their Seniors Young Lawyers’ Forum (YLF) of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja Branch, has decried the incessant assault on young lawyers by their senior colleagues, in recent times.

The chairman of the forum, Mr. Charles Ajiboye, at a press briefing held last Thursday, said YLF frowns at the assault trend, which is fast becoming the order of the day.

Baring their minds in a communique, particularly on a recent incident between a junior lawyer, Mr. Issa Adedokun and his senior colleague, Mr. Bartholomew Aguegbodo, the group expressed shock and disappointment, and felt let down at what it termed a show of emotional weakness, often exhibited by senior lawyers at the bar.

According to YLF, on December 19, 2016, an ugly incident occurred as the incumbent Assistant Secretary of NBA Ikeja Branch, Adedokun, who is also the immediate past Chairman of YLF was physically assaulted

by Mr. Aguegbodo, a former Chairmanship candidate of NBA Ikeja branch, after a minor argument ensued between them.

"Seniority at the bar used to

mean nobility, wisdom and in turn earn huge respect, but it is ufortunate that a few of those who are being looked up to as role models, have allowed their weaker and ugly selves take the better part of them.

“Upon investigations and meeting with the victim and other eye witnesses, the YLF made several resolutions.

“While we would have been persuaded to hear from Mr. Bartholomew Aguegbodo, his open admission of guilt on his page on facebook and his complete abandonment of any form of remorse, only strengthened the fact that no explanation would justify the physical assault of a professional colleague; none whatsoever. One wonders what would have happened, had the victim of the assault acted in like manner, or his friends and colleagues retaliated in the same style.

“The truth is that the only reason Mr. Bartholomew Aguegbodo had the thought and eventually took steps to assault Mr. Issa Adedokun, is because he is a young lawyer. It evidenced his lack of respect and regard for young lawyers. It wouldn’t

have come to his mind had the argument been with his fellow senior colleague”, the group stated.

YLF stated that it will no longer tolerate the assault of its members, hence, the association urged senior lawyers in some law firms treating their lawyers like slaves, to desist from constantly abusing them verbally and physically, male and female lawyers inclusive, saying that injury to one, is injury to all.

The forum used the opportunity to call on the President of the NBA, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN to urgently wade into the leadership crisis of the NBA, Ikeja.

According to the Young Lawyers’ Forum, the crisis should be given the needed attention, as Ikeja branch is one of the largest branches of the NBA. YLF added that it would not be a good experience that the strength of the branch, is used by it against itself, because, if the silence and/or delay continues, the President will have by omission, heaped up a coal of complicated fire, that may be unable to be quenched

easily thereafter.

It is also their view that the NBA leadership, the government and all stakeholders, engage the younger generation and commit to them responsibilities, by allowing competent youth in every cabinet or committee at any level, Federal, State, Local Government, agencies of government, etc.

Also speaking to the press on the same day, Mr. Dele Oloke, restated that he remained the chairman of NBA Ikeja branch, and dismissed allegations that the branch is in crisis, as is being speculated in some quarters.

Oloke maintained that the election of Mr. Adesina Ogunlana was annulled by the NEC of NBA held at Benin, on June 16, 2016.

“The election was nullified by the provisions of Article 6 (3), of the By Laws of NBA branches in Nigeria. Before the election, at the meeting of the branches in April 2016, NEC asked the former chairman Mr. Adeyinka Faronbi to tell the floor that election will be conducted based on the rules of the uniform bye law of NBA. “Article 6(3) of the Uniform

By Law of NBA states that, any would be aspirant to an elective position of NBA, who has held position twice in the executive of any branch within 5 years before the year of election, is ineligible to contest for election until 5 years later. It should be noted that on the 18th of February, the conference where this law was amended Mr. Adesina Ogunlana was present as an observer. Also, the minimum attendance of any aspirant according to NBA Ikeja by law, should be 11, while a voter will be eligible if he/she pays their dues for the year of election.

“Mr. Yinka Faronbi put together the first electoral committee of the branch and single handedly announced Dr. Gbenga Akingbeji, his friend as the chairman of the body.

The chairmanship aspirants are Mr. Adeshina Ogunlana, Mr. Bathlomew Aguegbodo, Mrs. Gloria Nwaeze and Mr. Lateef Abdusalam.

“By reason of Article 6 (3) of the Uniform By Law, they are all ineligible. When it became obvious that these fellows were ineligible, the past chairman Mr. Yinka Faronbi,

maneuvered and disbanded the electoral committee he set up on the floor of the house.

Members challenged him that he lacked the capacity to disband the committee. This made the chairman of the committee Mr. Gbenga Akingbeji resign.

“Mr. Faronbi went ahead to appoint another candidate, Mr. Adebamigbe Omole, who was not eligible, on the ground that he had not attended the meetings of the branch for two years, and did not qualify to be the NEC chairman.

“Then, Mr. Nurudeen Ogbara, former chairman of NBA Ikorodu branch, was appointed to conduct a by election for the chairmanship of NBA Ikeja branch. I participated and won the election unopposed. Later, I received a mail from the national body addressing me as the chairman of the branch. I am the chairman of NBA Ikeja branch.

“Nevertheless, we are peace lovers and our prayer is that everything be settled soon. Two years is just around the corner, the other party can just wait till then. Leaders of the bar should

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

6/

27.12.2016

As Acting CJN, Hon. Justice Onnoghen Clocks 66 Tobi Soniyi in Abuja Exactly 1 month and 12 days since he assumed office as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, His Lordship, the Hon. Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen, CFR, last Thursday (22nd December, 2016) clocked 66 years of age.

Born in Okurike Town in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State, on 22nd December, 1950, Justice Onnoghen was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in June, 2005.

He first cut his legal teeth as a Pupil State Counsel, with the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, during his National Youth Service Corps programme between 1978 and 1979.

After 10 years of private legal practice, from 1979 to 1989, Justice Onnoghen joined the Cross River State Judiciary as a High Court Judge, from where he was appointed as a Justice of the Court of Appeal in 1998.

At his inauguration as Acting Chief Justice of

YOUNG LAWYERS FORUM

Nigeria on 10th November, 2016, Justice Onnoghen pledged to intensify the anti-corruption war of the current administration, and he made good his threat when he presided over the 80th meeting of the National Judicial Council (NJC) which recommended the dismissal of Hon. Justice Ugbo Ononogbo of the Abia State High Court of Justice, and the compulsory and immediate retirement from office of Hon. Justice Nasir Gummi of the Zamfara State High Court, for corruption and unprofessional conduct.

Since assuming office on November 10, 2016, His Lordship has emphasised the need for the Bench to always remain above board in the discharge of their duties and support the anti-corruption war of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

At the swearing-in ceremony of newlyappointed Justices, Paul Adamu Galinje and Sidi Dauda Bage, as Justices of the Supreme Court, Justice Onnoghen advised his new colleagues not to despair.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

not change the law to suit certain individuals, because that is the law we have made for ourselves.

I wish the elders could do better”, he stated.

Reacting to the issue of assault on a younger lawyer by a senior, Oloke said though he was not at the scene of the incident, he learnt there was an altercation between Mr. Aguegbodo and Mr. Adedokun, and he has commenced steps

to settle the quarrel between the parties.

Oloke however, advised young lawyers to drop any form of student unionism in them, while dealing with the senior colleagues.

“Young lawyers should learn to behave like young vibrant lawyers, but drop every form of student unionism in them, now that they are lawyers."

He said: "You are coming to the Supreme Court at a time when the arm of government, the judiciary, is witnessing very challenging times. This should not make you despair, but rather spur you on to a greater commitment to defend the integrity and independence of the judiciary. Failure to defend the institution would mean failing the citizens of this nation, who have placed their hope in the judiciary, for the fair and equitable dispensation of justice".

At the 2016 Annual Court of Appeal Justices Conference, Justice Onnoghen also called on the justices to embrace the anti-corruption war.

His words: “The fight against corruption by the present administration is real and commendable. We must all join hands to fight this monster, lest it consumes us. This is the only country we have, and we owe it to posterity to bequeath a safe and decent nation to future generations”.

At the commissioning of the renovated building of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division on Monday, Justice Onnoghen called for the control of the volume of cases that get to the Supreme Court, as a solution to the problem of delayed justice dispensation in the country.

He said: “We always think that we can solve the problem of congestion in our courts by appointing more judges or justices; creating more divisions of the court; because the idea is that the more you have, the lesser the workload in the court. But, it has not been so. It has rather been proved wrong because the more divisions you create, the more cases you get.

The more judges and justices you appoint;

Hon. Justice Samuel Nnkanu Onnoghen, Acting CJN

the more cases that get filed.

"The solution lies in making every appeal to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court by leave. It doesn’t lie in multiplying the number of divisions and judges. It lies in controlling the jurisdiction of the court; the quantity, the number of cases that get to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court”.

Legal Personality of the Week Akinwale Ekunnusi

‘Lawyer Should Be Dedicated, Focused, Steadfast, and Patient’ I am Akinwale Olaoluwa Ekunnusi. I studied Law at the University of Lagos. I was subsequently called to the Nigerian Bar on December 21, 2001. I am an indigene of Ikare Akoko, in Akoko North-East Local Government Area of Ondo State. I was born a Muslim.

However, I am now a Pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God. I have been in active legal practice since 2001. I have worked in various Law Firms, notable among them are the Rocheba Solicitors, Publishers of the Nigerian Labour Law Reports, and the Gavel Associates. My experience as lawyer has cut across every facet of the legal profession. I have appeared in all the courts in the land.

Have you had any challenges in your career as a lawyer and if so what were the main challenges?

Life is full of challenges. The test of a successful man is his ability to face challenges and tackle them conclusively. The practice of law in Nigeria is fraught with challenges. I may say, greater than those of other major professions.

Principal among these is remuneration for young lawyers. Salary was ridiculously low.

I mean unbelievably low. A firm I sought to join, offered me a monthly salary of N5,000.

It was really discouraging at the beginning.

It got to a point that the resolve to practice law was shaken. I applied for job at Wema Bank. I also attended interview at Chevron.

The condition of work in the firms is another major challenge. We work and remain in the office for as long as the boss is in the office.

Majority of Law Firms do not stick to the closing time stated in the letter of appointment.

One works extra hours every day, and there is no payment for over-time.

What was your worst day as a lawyer?

My worst day as lawyer? I guess it was

Akinwale Ekunnusi

in 2002. In the case of ADIGBOLUJA v NATIONAL BANK. I was working with Abbass Eniola & Co. We represented the Claimant and got judgment against the bank.

We levied execution. After we levied execution, the bank briefed another firm to appeal the judgment of Yussuf J. The firm of Babalakin & Co. brought a motion to set aside the execution and stay of further execution. The bank offered to pay the judgement sum into an interest yielding account. There was a process we prepared, in anticipation of the grant of the application of the bank. My Principal and I

did the arrangement of the process together.

I then left the office for the day. The next morning, I picked the documents with the belief that we had arranged everything (since we had done so the day before), and they were ready for filing.

I was not aware that after I left the office, my Principal went back to cross check some things, and in the process, he disorganised the whole process. True to our expectation, all the prayers in the application of the bank were granted. Quickly, we rushed to the Registry to file the process. In the course of filing same, we discovered that the whole process had been irredeemably disorganised.

My principal threw caution to the wind.

Hell was let loose upon me right there at the Registry. He used so many unprintable words, that I regretted the day I was called to the Bar. I remember one of the ladies at the Registry told him that his abuse was too much. He didn’t budge.

We left and got to office. The insults continued. It was in the process that the secretary reminded him that after I had closed, he went back to make some addition and rearrangement. It then dawned on him that the fault was his, and not mine. But he did not apologise. I picked up my wig and gown, and walked away.

What was your most memorable experience?

It was the day I appeared at the Court of Appeal in the case of ASSOCIATION OF SENIOR STAFF OF NIGERIA v NIGERIA CIVIL SERVICE UNION. I was about three years at the Bar. The counsel on the other side was a very senior practitioner. I exuded so much confidence and understanding of the issues involved in the appeal, that one of the Learned Justices asked about my year

of call. He openly commended my efforts. I was deeply and highly elated.

Who has been most influential in your life?

Two individuals. Incidentally, none of them is a lawyer. Both have impacted my practice and life in general, in the most positive ways.

At the beginning of my practice journey, Chief Bisi Ogunjobi [MON] one time Vice-President of African Development Bank encouraged and aided me tremendously. He is still doing that.

Also in no small measure, is Chief Kunle Abdul.

He is the backbone of my legal practice, at the moment. He has been so supportive in all ramifications. He is a father par excellence.

To these great gentlemen, I say thank you.

Why did you become a lawyer?

I love the profession. The respect for lawyers from the part of the country that I come from, is next to none. I just love to be a lawyer.

What would your advice be to anyone wanting a career in law?

Study, be dedicated, be focused, be steadfast, and be very patient.

If you had not become a lawyer, what would you have chosen?

I have never given a thought to that. Maybe I would have been a teacher. As a matter of fact, I have a National Certificate in Education.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

In the next ten years, I see myself more on the pulpit, than in the law court. Presently, I am a Parish Coordinator at the King’s Place Parish, Zone 11 Zonal Headquarter. I want to seek God and serve him more. The whole duty of man is to fear God, and keep His commandments.

27.12.2016

/7

Court of Appeal is 40 Court of Appeal at 40; Standing Strong and Restoring Confidence in the Judiciary. This year the Court of Appeal turned 40, despite its great strides in the face of monumental challenges, the court chose not to celebrate this landmark event with much fanfare. Jude Igbanoi examines the achievements of the appellate court and how it has continued to play its constitutional role and discharge its judicial functions, at a time when the nation’s judiciary came under unprecedented attacks

E

#VMLBDIVXB 1$" FYQMBJOFE BU VOWFJMJOH of the Active Case Management process that the system allows the Court to adopt the best skills and techniques to secure efficient and speedy administration of justice.

She said ‘what we do are in public domain and the Court is empowered under the OFX 1SBDUJDF %JSFDUJPO UP TVP NPUV FYFSDJTF the various case management techniques to abridge time for compliance with the 3VMFT 1SBDUJDF %JSFDUJPO PS $PVSU 0SEFS bring forward a proceeding, conference and consolidate proceedings.’ This is the secret of what has helped the Court to dispense of election petitions at the various tribunals timeously. The downside of this is that unscrupulous politicians have taken advantage of this to some courageous justice of the Court for unwarranted criticisms and frivolous petitions to the National Judicial Council.

But the Court’s leadership has remained resolute in its desire to deliver on its constitutional mandate.

stablished 40 years ago, the evolution of the Nigerian Court of Appeal is intriguing and fascinating.

Establishment and Evolution The court’s history and evolution can be understood from the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1963. That Constitution did not provide expressly for the establishment of a Federal Court of Appeal and the different regions as they existed at that time had their appeal courts which served as intermediate courts. This was provided for at Section 127 of the 1963 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and it gave the right of appeal from the High Court to that Court. Ironically, the incursion of the military in Nigerian body polity on the 15th January, 1966 suspended the 1963 Constitution and its provisions for regional courts of appeal.

Eventually, the military government established the Federal Court of Appeal in 1976 by the Constitution (Amendment)

by Decrees No. 2 of 1976, (by amending Section 121 of the 1963 Constitution), thus giving birth to the Court of Appeal as we know it today.

Section 217(1) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1979 formally established the Court and it provided: “There shall be a Federal Court of Appeal.�

Again, another military Decree changed the nomenclature of the court when there was a change of baton in military rulership on December 31, 1983. The court’s name changed from Federal Court of Appeal to the Court of Appeal.

The Court of Appeal is the only court directly below the Supreme Court in hierarchy and jurisdiction. Appeals from the court go directly to the Apex Court.

Jurisdiction The court is empowered to entertain and hear appeals directly from the Federal High Court, High Court, Sharia Court of Appeal, Customary Court of Appeal, court martial or any other tribunal as specified by an act of the National Assembly.

Exclusivity of Jurisdiction The Court by the provisions of S.239 (1) CFRN has exclusive jurisdiction to: r%FUFSNJOF XIFUIFS PS OPU UIF 1SFTJEFOU PS 7JDF 1SFTJEFOU IBT CFFO WBMJEMZ FMFDUFE< > r5IF UFSN PG PGĂ DF PG UIF 1SFTJEFOU PS WJDF 1SFTJEFOU IBT DFBTFE< > r5IF PGĂ DF PG UIF 1SFTJEFOU PS WJDF 1SFTJEFOU IBT CFDPNF WBDBOU< > In addition to these, by the provision of the Electoral Act (as amended) 2011 it all appeals arising from electoral tribunals with relation to legislative office at state and federal levels terminate at the this court.

Appointment and QualiďŹ cation for Justices of the Court of Appeal Justices of this court are appointed by UIF 1SFTJEFOU PO UIF SFDPNNFOEBUJPO PG the national judicial council, Section S.238 (1) of the Constitution. Before a person can be qualified to hold the office of Justice of this court, such person must have been a legal practitioner for not less than 12 years. The head of the Court of Appeal JT VTVBMMZ SFGFSSFE UP BT UIF 1SFTJEFOU of the Court of Appeal and it present 1SFTJEFOU JT UIF )POPVSBCMF +VTUJDF ;BJOBC

L-R: President, Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Samuel Nnkanu Onnoghen and his wife at the commissioning of the Court of Appeal Complex, Lagos

Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Samuel Nnkanu Onnoghen

Bulkachuwa (CFR) who has the privilege of superintending its 40th anniversary.

One of the courtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest strengths lies in the constitutional provision â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Court of Appeal shall, to the exclusion of any other court of Law in Nigeria, have original jurisdiction to hear and determine any question as to whether: (a) any person has been validity elected UP UIF PGĂ DF PG 1SFTJEFOU PS 7JDF 1SFTJEFOU under this Constitution; or (b) the term of PGĂ DF PG UIF 1SFTJEFOU PS 7JDF 1SFTJEFOU IBT DFBTFE PS D UIF PGĂ DF PG 1SFTJEFOU PS 7JDF 1SFTJEFOU IBT CFDPNF WBDBOU

Standing Firm at 40 Regrettably, in the face of the recent unprecedented attacks on the Judiciary, the Court of Appeal has continued to play its constitutional role with stoic candour.

1SJPS UP UIF HFOFSBM FMFDUJPOT UIF $PVSU VOEFS JUT QSFTFOU 1SFTJEFOU )PO +VTUJDF ;BJOBC #VMLBDIVXB JOUSPEVDFE OFX rule to frustrate delays by lawyers with UIF GBTU USBDL 1SBDUJDF %JSFDUJPO BOE Active Case Management process with the fundamental objective of enabling the Court to deal with fast-track appeals expeditiously.

"THE DOWNSIDE OF THIS IS THAT, UNSCRUPULOUS POLITICIANS HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THIS, TO LEVEL ACCUSATIONS AGAINST SOME COURAGEOUS JUSTICES OF THE COURT, MAKING UNWARRANTED CRITICISMS AND FRIVOLOUS PETITIONS TO THE NATIONAL JUDICIAL COUNCIL. BUT THE COURTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LEADERSHIP HAS REMAINED RESOLUTE IN ITS DESIRE TO DELIVER ON ITS CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE"

Commissioning the Remodeled Lagos Complex of the Court Built in 1963 by the Nnamdi Azikiwe administration, the Courtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s former Headquarters at the old Supreme Court Complex in Lagos had never received any touch of renovation since it was built in 1963. But last Monday the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Samuel Nnkanu Onnoghen and 1SFTJEFOU PG UIF $PVSU ;BJOBC #VMLBDIVXB 1$" IBE UIF QSJWJMFHF DPNNJTTJPO UIF newly redesigned and remodeled complex of the Court in Lagos.

"U UIF FWFOU OE 7JDF 1SFTJEFOU PG UIF Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Monday Ubani called on the Acting CJN to ensure that more courts and division of the Court of Appeal are created in Lagos to decongest the present court. But in response, Onnoghen CJN stated that creating more divisions of the Court of Appeal would in no way provide a solution to the overloaded case dockets of the Court. Onnogehn who had served at the Lagos Division of the Court stated that the only solution lies in stopping every appeal from coming to the Court, including unnecessary interlocutory appeals.

The CJN pointed out that Nigeria has the highest number of Justices at its Apex Court, 17 and that the nation doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need the full complement of 21 as recommended in the Constitution. Two of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest democracies, America and India have far less justices at their Supreme Courts.

Saving the Nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Democracy The Court has on several occasions and in several cases courageously defended the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s democracy by its timely judicial interventions in sensitive and chaotic highly volatile political cases to save the day. The recent Ondo and Rivers states election cases could be recalled.

Quick Facts of ProďŹ le The Courts statistics shows that between 2010 and July 2016 the Court received a total of 52, 550 appeals in its various divisions, out of which it successfully decided 30, 869 appeals and motion with Lagos, Benin BOE 1PSU )BSDPVSU BOE &OVHV IBWJOH UIF highest of these appeals. Lagos â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8,878, #FOJO 1PSU )BSDPVSU BOE &OVHV 3,656.

With barely 75 justices spread across 16 divisions, this many have said is no mean feat for a Court that is challenged in terms of funding, personnel, technology and infrastructure.

8/COVER

27.12.2016

Events of 2016 It was a year of the most unexpected twists and turns in the Nigerian legal landscape, from the mundane to the sublime and we reported it all. Jude Ignanoi and Akinwale Akintunde, some of our most compelling stories that made the cover in the year just ending

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War Against Corruption he year opened with our insightful interview with the Attorney- General of the Federation on January 5 with the headline ‘My Target is Sustainable Reform in the Justice Sector and Pre- Eminence of the Rule of Law’ The Buhari administration makes no pretence about its determination to eradicate corruption, a top priority on the 'change' agenda. The law is undoubtedly instrumental in achieving the desired change. May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi engaged the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami SAN on this recurring subject. The Chief Law Officer of the Federation discussed his agenda and top priorities as Attorney-General of the Federation, including his resolve to approach the war against corruption holistically.

Outlook for 2016 Our traditional Legal Outlook for the new year was contained in our January 12 edition 'Expectations From the Bar and Bench in 2016'.

Setting a Forward Looking Agenda for Justice Administration in 2016 Olawale Fapohunda took the lead and wrote that 2016 promises a different kind of narrative for the justice sector in Nigeria, given the array of justice sector reform personalities in the Buhari Administration.

Rethinking Our Judicial Reforms Approach: Why a Fresh Start is Imperative in 2016 Joseph Otteh asserted that beyond the rhetoric, now is the time to make a positive and deliberate step towards the reform of the Nigerian Judiciary to bring it up to the present realities of the 21st Century.

Shift in the Running of Government January 19 was on ‘There must be a Paradigm Shift in the Way Government Business is Run’ Historically, lawyers have lent their training and expertise quite successfully to governance. A cursory look at past world leaders will reveal that many have a background in law. The same can be said of our nascent democracy, lawyers that have reached the pinnacle of their career transition into governance with relative ease. Mr. Adeniyi Adegbonmire, SAN aspiring to be the next Governor of Ondo State, explained to May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi why he believes, he is the choice for the people of Ondo state. The consummate commercial litigation lawyer also spoke about why he is passionate about getting large law firms, to take up pro-bono services as an obligatory corporate social responsibility.

Eliminating Corruption January 26 featured ‘EFCC should not be Merged with the ICPC.’

Corruption has been identified as Nigeria’s biggest obstacle to development and economic progress, and every attempt at eliminating it, always seems to be trailed with systemic challenges. Now, the Buhari administration has not only shown the political will, but uncommon courage and determination to eliminate corruption. Mr. Paul Harris Ogbole, a former Commissioner of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission shared with May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, his perspectives on corruption and what needs to be done to reduce it to the barest minimum.

Buhari: Corruption, Greatest Human Rights Violation February 2 ‘The Rule of Law is the Fulcrum of Civilisation’ President Buhari in his speech, delivered at the NBA Annual General Conference last year, described corruption as the greatest human rights violation as it results in the suffering and the denial of basic amenities to the masses. However, the current administration’s campaign against corruption has been described as selective.

May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi sought the opinion of Mr. Ikeazor Akaraiwe, a foremost human rights lawyer and former Chairman of the NBA Human Rights Institute on this and other pertinent national issues.

Foreign Direct Investment February 9 ‘Government Must Urgently Design Rules and Laws to Encourage Foreign Investment’ Attracting foreign direct investment to Nigeria has been a major challenge for successive administrations in the past.

This is partly due to the perception that Nigeria’s legal system is slow and government policies inconsistent and unreliable. Mrs. Priscilla Ogwemoh in an interview with May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, spoke on why Alternative Dispute Resolution is the preferred option for foreign investors.

As the Managing Partner in Olisa Agbakoba Legal, she also spoke on the dynamics of running a modern cutting edge law firm.

Growing Popularity of Arbitration in Nigeria February 16 ‘ADR Can Eliminate Delays in Courts and Reduce the Heavy Burdens on Judges’ It is now a well-accepted fact globally that the benefits of Alternative Dispute Resolution are unprecedented. The Practice of Arbitration is growing increasingly popular in Nigeria, notwithstanding that there are still some limitations to its complete acceptance, such as the challenge of arbitral awards in courts and the choice of foreign countries as seats of arbitration. The Lagos Court of Arbitration was established with a strong vision to change the status quo, and bring about a paradigm shift in Arbitration practice in Nigeria. It’s President, Mr. Yemi Candide-Johnson SAN spoke on

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COVER/9 these and a plethora of issues in an interview with May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi.

Discovery of Oil: Blessing or Curse February 23 ‘Remote Communities in the Niger-Delta Lack Government Presence’ The negative effects of the exploration activities of foreign oil companies in the Niger-Delta region, has made many ask whether the discovery of crude oil at Oloibiri on January 15, 1956 was a blessing or a curse. Communities in the region have suffered untold hardship, including health hazards and loss of livelihood, resulting from devastation of their environment.

Mr. Selekeowei Larry, SAN, an indigene of the region, instituted a court action against the Government, on behalf of 53 communities in Delta State in one claim, that resulted in a N99.9b award by the Federal High Court. In a discourse with May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, he said, the Federal Government has neither appealed the judgement nor paid the judgement sum. He spoke on a wide range of other national issues.

Lagos State: Trail Blazer in Law Reform March 1‘Lagos Mobile Courts will Focus Mainly on Environmental and Traffic Offences’ Unarguably, the Lagos State Ministry of Justice has been adjudged to be the most innovative, in terms of proactive reforms ahead of other ministries in the country. Its Civil Procedure Laws, Criminal Justice Administration Law and Sex Offenders Register have been emulated and replicated by many other states. The new Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, explained his agenda for justice administration and how he intends to reposition his ministry in line with the state government’s policy direction to May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi.

Lawyers Are Dominating the Scene March 8 ‘Lawyers and Law Firms to Watch Out for in 2016’ The year 2016 has brought to the fore the role of lawyers in the socio-economic and political development of Nigeria.

Historians will recall that this period is a throwback to the pre- independence era, when lawyers were in the forefront of the agitation for self-rule.

More than 50 years later in the public, private and civil society spheres, lawyers are again determining the future of Nigeria. The clearest indicator yet of the dominance of lawyers in public office, is the composition of the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari. Out of the 36 members of the Federal Executive Council, 10 are lawyers. Add this to the large number of lawyers in the National Assembly, including the Speaker and the Deputy Senate President, then it is obvious that the legal profession is an important professional body in governance in Nigeria. At the state level there are 10 governors in all, who are not only lawyers but active members of the Nigerian Bar Association. In the private sector, lawyers are playing an important role in providing legal support and advice to global business brands, whose presence in Nigeria is creating jobs and enabling economic growth. In civil society, lawyers are in the forefront for a justice system that meets the expectations of Nigerians. In 2016, the role of these lawyers will be crucial, as Nigeria appears set to embark on fundamental reforms of her justice system.

NBA Delegation to the Netherlands March 15 – One of the high points of the Augustine Alegeh led administration of the NBA, was the ‘NBA Legal Services Mission to the Netherlands: Opening New Vistas for Nigerian Lawyers’ Mr. Augustine Alegeh, SAN as President of the NBA, led a delegation of 35 Nigerian lawyers to the Netherlands, and the team took a facility tour of the International Criminal Court at the Hague, the Netherlands Ministries of Foreign Affairs and that of Security and Justice. The delegation also held high-level interactions with the

Dutch Judiciary and legal practitioners, and met with Dutch companies doing business in Nigeria. The team came back with a better understanding of how the ICC works, and how Nigerian lawyers can benefit from the opportunities available. Most took advantage of this, and established beneficial relationships with Dutch companies which have operations in Nigeria.

Importance of Transparency in Management of Recovered Stolen Loot March 22, headlined ‘Nigerians Have a Right to Know what Happens to Recovered Proceeds of Corruption’ The anti-corruption fight of the Buhari administration is slowly yielding some results, but just as important as discovering these misappropriated funds, is transparency in the management of the recovered assets. Nigerians have a right to know what is happening to the funds now returned to the Government. While it is imperative that Government continues to pursue stolen public assets and those involved with looting them, Chief Chris Uche, SAN shared his views on how to build on the gains recorded, the role of the the rule of law in succeeding in that fight, and several other crucial national issues in an interview with May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi.

Necessity of Reforms to Restore Judiciary's Integrity March 29, ‘The Judiciary Must Develop the Moral Courage to Deal Ruthlessly With Corruption.’

Presiding over Nigeria’s most innovative, progressive and reform oriented judiciary is no easy task. Doing it with candour and retiring with accolades is very impressive. The immediate past Chief Judge of Lagos State, Hon. Justice Ayotunde Philips reminisced about her time in active service on the Bench, shared her thoughts on Judicial corruption and what reforms need to be carried out, to ensure that the Judiciary gets back to its pride of place in the society. She expressed her views on these and many other issues in a discourse with May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi.

The MTN Fine April 5 ‘The National Assembly Has No Right to Exercise Judicial Functions’ One of the most vibrant sectors of the Nigerian economy is unarguably that of telecommunications. Over the past fifteen years there have been massive investments and huge profits generated by the sector, it has witnessed exponential growth and this has had a positive impact on the economy, but the sector is not without its attendant challenges. One of such challenges is the ongoing imbroglio between MTN, the NCC and the Federal Government. The tussle over the propriety of the fine imposed on MTN for its infraction of NCC regulations, has resulted in the intervention of the House of Representatives. In this interview with May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, Dr. Adewale Olawoyin SAN, a distinguished ‘scholar- practitioner’ examines the implications of this fine on the ease of doing business in Nigeria, and the general regulatory environment.

Nigeria's Huge Gas Potential April 12 ‘The Development of the Gas Sector Should be made a National Priority’ Nigeria is ranked seventh among gas nations in the world, and number one in Africa. Oil and gas experts believe that Nigeria could earn even more, from full utilisation of gas resources with a sound investment policy. ExxonMobil, one of Nigeria’s biggest oil and gas companies, recently appointed Alhaji Sadiq Adamu as Executive Director and General Counsel.

In this interview with May AgbamucheMbu and Tobi Soniyi, the lawyer, author, poet and playwright, expounded on a wide range of issues including Nigeria’s untapped gas potential, renewable energy resources, why the PIB is not the panacea to Nigeria’s oil and gas problems and ExxonMobil’s Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives and local content policy.

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Nigeria: A Budding Arbitration Hub in Africa?

April 19 ‘Government Must Develop a Policy that Would Make Nigeria an Arbitration Hub’ Arbitration has maintained its increasing popularity in Nigeria, despite the deficit in infrastructure and inadequate legislation. Notwithstanding these facts, most ADR specialists and Arbitrators, are desirous for Nigeria to develop into a major arbitration hub, at least in the West African sub-region. Nigeria’s first Professor of Corporate Governance, Professor Fabian Ajogwu SAN in this interview with May Agbamuche-Mbu and Jude Igbanoi, recommends a strategy for promoting ADR in Nigeria, including making it an Arbitration hub amongst a plethora of legal issues.

Nigerian Power Sector April 26 ‘The Need for Sanctity of Contracts for the Success of the Power Sector Reform: An Investor’s Experience’ The story of the power sector in Nigeria is a long but very uninspiring one to electricity consumers and investors in the sector. Whenever it is told, there is always this conclusion that successive governments have failed the people.

However in present day Nigeria, the story has changed slightly, with most Nigerians having the misconception that the electricity distribution companies are the entities that have failed the people, without full cognisance of the fact that these distribution companies are merely the last in the power value chain, and can only distribute the power they receive from the generating companies, through the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

The International Criminal Court May 3 ‘The Scope of The ICC’s Jurisdiction Reaches Beyond any National or Regional Boundary’ The International Criminal Court was established to investigate and deal with atrocity crimes. It encourages state parties

to co- operate with it, in the prosecution of past and present leaders, and with over 124 state parties, including 34 African countries that are signatories to the Rome Treaty under which the court operates, its reach is far and fast growing. Although the court has been criticised heavily for targeting African countries, though these countries have been crucial to its successes. Mr. Phakiso Mochochoko the Director, Jurisdiction, Complementarity and Cooperation Division at the ICC was the Keynote Speaker at the recently concluded 1st African Bar Leaders’ Summit in Lagos. He fielded questions from May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, on the scope of the court and his office, amongst other issues affecting the African continent.

Legal Aid Council May 10 ‘Legal Aid Should be Elevated to the Level of a Fundamental Right’ Access to justice, especially by indigent litigants, has remained one of the most debilitating challenges of the Nigerian justice delivery system. Apart from the seemingly interminable delays in the system, litigation in Nigeria is expensive, this informed the setting up of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria over three decades ago, to provide legal services to the less privileged members of the society. Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN is the immediate past Chairman of the Council. In his discourse with May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, he gave an account of his four-year stewardship of the Council, and how he managed to rebrand the nation’s premier legal aid institution. He also spoke on a myriad of other national issues.

Restoring Kaduna to its Former Glory May 17 ‘Kaduna State has Fully Complied with the Judgement on Financial Autonomy for the Judiciary’ Kaduna State was a melting pot of different ethnic and religious groups CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

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until a few years ago, when religious fundamentalism gradually crept into the state. The Nasir el- Rufai administration is however, determined to address this and other challenges to restore the state to its former prosperous and peaceful position. In realisation of this objective, the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mrs. Amina Dyeris-Sijuwade, shared her vision and her plans to ensure that justice administration is given top priority, with May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi. She also gave insights on the state’s efforts to deal with issues such as prison congestion, security in the state and the recent Army-Shiite clash, which required the setting up of an investigative commission.

Cybercrime May 24 ‘Cybercrime Act does not Create an Enforcement Agency’ The world has indeed become a global village, and with that, has come challenges, new processes and information systems.

But the need for legal and regulatory frameworks to protect individuals, institutions and the global community at large, has also become imperative. Nigeria’s large online presence and growing internet culture would ordinarily suggest the presence of an equally robust cybercrime legal framework. However, it took the country more than a decade to enact the first of such laws, the Cybercrimes Act in 2015. Basil Udotai Esq., ICT legal expert and Cyberlaw specialist told May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, what Nigerian lawyers need to do, to ensure they seize the opportunities of the modern global ICT law regime. He also spoke on a wide range of emerging ICT law issues.

Gabriel Osakwe at 70 May 31 ‘Partnership Requires Trust, Honesty, Integrity, Perseverance and Total Commitment to Practice’ After 44 years at the Bar Chief Gabriel Nkadi Osakwe, has undoubtedly earned

the esteem and accolade of recognition as a fulfilled legal practitioner. As he turned 70 recently he shared his experience on a wide range of issues of contemporary importance to the country and legal practice, in a conversation with May AgbamucheMbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi 2016 SBL Conference June 7 ‘The SBL Conference will Serve as Catalyst to Economic Advances’ The Nigerian Bar Association’s Section on Business Law is unarguably a pacesetting section of the NBA. Every year it has continued to deliver a world-class business law conference, which has attracted speakers and conferees from other jurisdictions. This year’s conference with the theme ‘Law Reform and Economic Development’ promises to be no less impressive than previous years. Dr. Babatunde Ajibade, SAN is the Chairman of this year’s Conference Planning Committee and he explains to May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, why Abuja will be the place to be for all Nigerian lawyers from June 21 – 24 Legislative Lawyers Association of Nigeria June 14 ‘Legislative Law Practice is an Evolving Area of Legal Practice in Nigeria’ In the history of the Legal Profession in Nigeria, there has never been an umbrella body for lawyers in the Nigerian Legislature. However, there is a new dawn for such lawyers, as Rt Hon. Yakubu Dogara (Speaker, House of Representatives) has established an Association for them known as the “Legislative Lawyers Association of Nigeria” (LEGLAN). As this laudable initiative commenced exactly one year ago, the Speaker, who is the Pioneer President of the Association, shared his experience as a Legislative Lawyer, and milestones achieved within the short period of the existence of the Association, in a conversation with May Agbamuche-Mbu CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

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and Tobi Soniyi.

NBA Elections: A.B.Mahmoud, SAN v J.K.Gadzama, SAN June 21 NBA Elections 2016: The Epic Battle Between A.B Mahmoud and J.K Gadzama This year’s elections into the national offices of the Nigerian Bar Association was the first of its kind in the history of the Association. Lawyers for the first time, voted electronically from any part of the world. As Mr. A.B. Mahmoud SAN and Chief J.K Gadzama SAN, two legal titans criss-crossed the country, canvassing the votes of Nigerian lawyers, May Agbamuche Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi asked each of them what they had to offer the Association and its over 80,000 members in the two year tenure.

‘I Will Reinvent the NBA and Reestablish its Values of Professionalism and Integrity’ - Mahmoud, SAN ‘I Will Run an All-Inclusive NBA Dedicated to Members’ Interest’ Gadzama, SAN International Chamber of Commerce June 28 ‘ICC is the Most Trusted Arbitration System in the World’ Last week, Nigeria accomplished an unprecedented feat in the field of arbitration, when it hosted the very first International Chamber of Commerce Regional Arbitration Conference in Africa. The ICC conference, which held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, had leading arbitrators from around the world in attendance, including ICC President, Mr. Alexis Mourre. May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi sought the views of the Chairperson of the Organising Committee, Mrs. Dorothy Udeme Ufot SAN, C.Arb on the challenges of putting together such a world-class event amongst other pressing issues regarding the future of international arbitration in Africa.

NBA-SBL 10th Annual Conference July 5 NBA-SBL Conference Tackles Law Reform and Economic Development The NBA-SBL organised its 10th An-

nual Conference with the theme “Law Reform and Economic Development”. The event drew the attention of several top government officials, judges, lawyers and Industry leaders. Tobi Soniyi who attended the 10th Annual Business Law Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Business Law Reports Maritime Industry Can Generate More Revenue for Government July 12 ‘The Maritime Industry – A Major Revenue Earner’ Following her vast experience in the Civil Service, Mrs. Monica Mbanefo had the privilege of being a Director in the International Maritime Organisation, making her an expert in the Maritime Industry.

In this discourse with May AgbamucheMbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, she explains how the maritime industry can generate more revenue for the government, if properly harnessed.

Agbakoba: Some Solutions to our Political Challenges July 19 ‘Nigeria’s Problem is Simply the Failure of Political Leaders to Rebalance the Federation’ The Buhari administration has since its inception, been faced with several challenges. From insurgency, militancy, corruption, economic downturn, to recent agitations for restructuring the federation.

In an interview with May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, former NBA President Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, proffered possible solutions to the present political challenges, and expounded his views on other matters of national importance.

Huge Potential in the Nigerian Maritime Sector July 26 ‘Access to Finance is a Great Challenge to Players in the Maritime Industry in Nigeria’ Nigeria is undoubtedly, the biggest player in the maritime industry in the West African Sub-region, but the vast opportunities that the industry presents, are yet to be fully utilised, due to non-implementation of

industry policies and paucity of funds. In an interview with May Agbamuche-Mbu, Mrs. Oritsematosan Edodo-Emore gives in-depth insight into maritime arbitration, and describes how Nigerian lawyers can take advantage of the huge potential in the sector. She is also a bilingual lawyer, Treasurer of the Maritime Arbitrators Association of Nigeria and Legal Adviser of the Nigerian Ship- owners Association.

In addition, she is the convener of the forthcoming international maritime business to business conference in Nigeria, from 7-8 September 2016.

Managing Compliance Requirements of a Multinational August 2 ‘Government Should Increase Spending in the Health Care Sector’ By the very nature of their training, lawyers can excel in any field of human endeavour. Many lawyers have, in this regard, distinguished themselves in various fields, deploying legal skills creatively.

Mrs. Vivian Osayande, who is the Head of Legal, Africa Cluster, Novartis, is one such Nigerian lawyers. In her discourse with May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, she expounds on the intricacies of managing the legal and regulatory compliance requirements of a multinational organisation such as hers, which spans across several jurisdictions in Africa, the role of in-house counsel in corporate organisations, and sundry professional issues.

2016 NBA Elections: New Innovation of E-Voting August 9 The NBA Elections 2016: How Nigerian Lawyers Chose their Officers By e-Voting The Nigerian Bar Association, one of Nigeria’s longest standing and foremost professional associations, elected its national officers last week through a rather innovative and pioneering system, which made it possible for all accredited members to cast their ballots online from any location across the globe. Jude Igbanoi who monitored the elections reports.

Alegeh's Tenure as NBA President 2014-2016 August 16 ‘My Tenure Put Lawyers’ Interest on the Front Burner’ On August 25, 2014 in the city of Owerri, Mr. Augustine Alegeh, SAN was sworn in as the 27th President of the Nigerian Bar Association. He hit the ground running with unprecedented reforms, projects and innovations, which have made the Association the envy of all other professional bodies in Nigeria. As he hands over to Mr. A.B. Mahmoud, SAN, next week, at the Annual General Conference in Port Harcourt, he reminisces on the highs and lows in his two year tenure, including the controversy which has trailed the Association’s recently concluded elections, by e-voting.

Mike Igbokwe, SAN's Vision for Review of Cabotage Act August 23 ‘Revenue from the Maritime Sector Can Surpass Earnings from Crude Oil’ Unarguably, the Maritime Industry is a sector in the Nigerian economy with huge untapped potential. However, it is challenged by poor infrastructure, inadequate funding, imprecise policies and several pending laws. Mr. Mike Igbokwe, SAN, a maritime law expert, has over the years championed the cause of bringing the Nigerian maritime sector up to international standards, despite these challenges. In his discourse with May Agbamuche-Mbu and Tobi Soniyi, he addressed his appointment as Africa’s Regional Representative for the International Bar Association (IBA) Maritime and Transport Law Committee and explored his vision to ensure that the Cabotage Act which he worked on, is reviewed.

In Comes A.B.Mahmoud, SAN August 30 'A Brave New Bar Emerges as Mahmoud Takes Over as NBA President' The two-year tenure of the Mr. Augustine CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

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Alegeh SAN led administration of the Nigerian Bar Association came to a successful end last Friday in Port Harcourt, at the Association’s Annual General Conference.

Jude Igbanoi was there to report on the proceedings.

of the International Bar Association in Washington DC, were Corruption and Terrorism. Jude Igbanoi who was at the conference reports on why the two global issues formed the focal point at this year’s IBA Conference from September 18 – 23.

Nigeria's CAMA Requires Urgent Reform September 6 ‘Nigerian Corporate Law is in Dire Need of Reform’ Company Law and Practice in Nigeria has in the past few years witnessed some robust development, and new frontiers have continued to emerge. Professor Joseph Abugu has for almost three decades taught Company Law, pioneering and specialising in company securities and secured credit transactions. In his interview with May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, he espoused the reasons why Nigeria’s Company and Allied Matters Act needs urgent reform, after 26 years. He discusses other sundry issues, including “true federalism” and the need for a transparent Master Plan for the development of the Niger-Delta Region.

The Issue of Hon. Jibrin and Budget Padding October 4 ‘Hon. Jibrin’s Suspension is a Constitutional Breach’ Again the National Assembly was in the news, even as the nation battles to wriggle out of the present economic recession. The climax of the budget padding allegations and counter-allegations, was the suspension last week of the whistleblower, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin. In a chat with Onikepo Braithwaite, and Tobi Soniyi, Femi Gbajabiamila, the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives gave an insight into the inner workings of the National Assembly and why he holds the view that Jibrin’s suspension is a breach of his constituency’s right to be represented at the National Assembly, despite their personal differences.

Nigerian Economy Needs Diversification September 13 ‘Gas Should be Given Equal Prominence With Oil to Ensure Growth in the Sector’ In an environment where partnerships hardly survive, the Aelex Legal Partnership has thrived against all odds. It is one of the largest law firms in West Africa, with offices in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Accra, Ghana and its Annual Lecture Series has been well received by the legal community. May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi interviewed its Managing Partner, Mr. Soji Awogbade.

The oil & gas expert gave insights into a wide range of issues, including the nation’s present economic outlook and the urgent need for diversification.

The DSS Raids on Judiciary October 11 ‘No Excuse for the Shameful Desecration of the Rule of Law by the DSS’ Few Nigerian lawyers, have over the years, distinguished themselves in other jurisdictions, especially the United Kingdom.

Professor Fidelis Oditah QC SAN is one of such. In a chat with Onikepo Braithwaite, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, he gave a legal perspective on the raid of the Judges by the DSS, and the ongoing debate over the proposed sale of the nation’s assets, which he supports with a caveat. He also spoke on a wide range of national and professional issues, comparing legal practice in the UK and Nigeria, jurisdictions both of which he practices in.

Buhari Does Not Need Emergency Powers to Tackle Economy September 20 ‘Buhari Needs a Strong Economic Team, Not Emergency Powers’ That Nigeria’s economy is in recession is no longer news. But whether President Buhari needs emergency powers to fix the troublesome state of affairs, has been the topic of debate, since the Presidency expressed its intention to approach the National Assembly to seek emergency powers to tackle the economy. In a chat with May Agbamuche-Mbu, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, Mrs. Chinelo Bob-Osamor suggests ways through which the nation can get out of its present economic doldrums.

The seasoned journalist, TV personality, lawyer and rights activist who turns 50 next week, also expressed her views on other issues, including her passion for philanthropy.

IBA Annual Conference: Corruption and Terrorism September 27 ‘Why the World Must Tackle Corruption and Terrorism Now’ The two main issues that dominated the just concluded 2016 Annual Conference

Cross Fire October 18 Midnight Raids On Judges, Fighting Corruption Or Judiciary?

Contrary to the expectations of many, the unprecedented raids on the residences of the nation’s judicial officers by masked men of the Department of State Security, has refused to take a backseat. It has continued to occupy the front-burner of national discourse. Not even the release of the twenty-one Chibok girls, doused the intensity of the debates, over the propriety, constitutionality or otherwise of the midnight raids last weekend.

While some senior lawyers have argued that it is an assault on the Judiciary, the nation’s third arm of government, others maintain that, in the fight against corruption, the Bench is not immune to such treatment. As at the time of going to press on Friday, the National Judicial Council, the body statutorily empowered to discipline judicial officers rose from a prolonged three-day meeting, to declare that the raid on justices and judges of the nation’s judicial institutions is condemnable and was calculated to ridicule, harass, intimidate and undermine the integrity of the third arm of government.

Quotes from former NBA President, Dr. Olisa Agbakoba SAN on Judges’ Arrests ‘Crackdown’ On Judicial Officers Separating the Law from Sentiments - Inibehe Effiong Arrest of Judges a Disgrace to Nigeria- Ben Nwabueze SAN DSS Raids: Managing Fallout October 25 DSS Raids: Managing Fallout May be More Challenging than Actual Raids From litigation to banking, legal journalism and back to litigation, she has left her mark in all her professional endeavours.

Reaching the pinnacle of law practice for most female lawyers is a feat that can only be dreamt of, but Ms. Funke Aboyade, SAN who was elevated to the rank in 2013, is privileged to be amongst the very few female Senior Advocates of Nigeria who have taken silk, just 20 since its inception in 1975. In a chat with Onikepo Braithwaite, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, Aboyade who many describe as the Christiane Amanpour of Nigerian legal journalism was at her best, as she spoke with candour about recent developments in the polity and the legal profession, including the midnight raid on judge’s homes, the Chibok girls and #TheOtherRoom...

Solution to Recession: NEPC's Zero-Oil Plan November 1 ‘Zero-Oil Plan Nigeria’s Comparative Advantage Lies Outside of Oil’ That Nigeria is officially in a recession is no longer news. Some have argued that the major reason that the nation has got itself into this predicament, is because of its over-dependence on a single export product, crude oil. The huge potential in non-oil exports that abound in Nigeria, are grossly under-explored and underutilised. The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has scaled up its efforts to make the world a market place for Nigeria’s non-oil products. The Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo explained in a chat with Onikepo Braithwaite, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, his strategy to ensure that NEPC's Zero-Oil Plan Strategy is pursued to its logical conclusion.

Rape and Sexual Abuse of Female IDP and 2016 Port Harcourt Arbitration Conference November 8 ‘Port Harcourt Arbitration Conference will Chart New Frontiers’ Arbitration is fast becoming entrenched in Nigeria and the practice here has begun to grow in leaps and bounds.

Today, Nigeria has several Arbitration Bodies. Mrs. Doyin Rhodes- Vivour is the Chairperson of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators UK (Nigeria Branch). As the Institute held its annual conference in Port Harcourt this week, Mrs. Rhodes-Vivour told Onikepo Braithwaite, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, why the 2016 conference was so crucial. She also expressed her

desire to see the practice of arbitration grow exponentially in Nigeria and for the country to become Africa’s sub-regional arbitration hub in the shortest possible time.

Trump: We're Gonna Make America Great Again November 15 ‘US Presidential Elections: Who Really Prevailed?’

The recently concluded United States Presidential election has been adjudged as the most rancorous in the 238 years history of the country. Speculations were rife that Mrs. Hillary Clinton would make history as the first female President of the US, but against all odds, a politically inexperienced Donald Trump, a storming petrel upturned all permutations. Jude Igbanoi examines why and how the loser lost and the winner won Jungle Justice November 22 ‘Islam, Mob Justice and the State’ Onikepo Braithwaite examines the cases of the recent cold- blooded murders of two women, 74 year old Bridget Agbahime in Kano and 42 year old Eunice Olawale in Abuja and the issue of Islamic mob justice in Nigeria 2016 Ondo Gubernatorial Election November 29 ‘Ondo Decides: Akeredolu Emerges’ The Court of Appeal finally declared Eyitayo Jegede SAN to be the PDP Ondo State Gubernatorial Candidate. Much to Jimoh Ibrahim's disappointment, this decision was upheld by the Supreme Court.

Onikepo Braithwaite briefly examines the litigation process up to the apex court.

Goodnight, Obi Okwusogu, SAN December 6 ‘Obi, God Loves You More.....Goodnight’ Obi Okwusogu, SAN, much loved by so many lawyers, former General Secretary of the NBA, intelligent, cheerful, pleasant, with his distinctive grey hair, went to be with the Lord. Kunle Uthman and Antonio Atata pay tribute to him. Obi, may your lovely soul rest in peace. Amen.

Decline of the Nigerian Health Sector December 13 ‘Doctors in Nigeria: Healers or Killers?’

That the standard in the Nigerian Health Care Sector has declined to an all-time low, is no longer news. Onikepo Braithwaite examines some of the major reasons for its descent into the abyss, including medical negligence, lack of equipment and inadequate manpower.

She also spoke to patients and doctors Curbing Judicial Corruption December 20 ‘Judicial Corruption: Problem on Every Continent’ Founded in 1947, the International Bar Association (IBA) now has membership in excess of 80,000 individual lawyers and over 190 bar associations and law societies spanning over 160 countries. The body has continued to justify its role as the Global Voice of the Legal Profession.

Mr. David W. Rivkin, President of the IBA and a Partner at International Law Firm, Debevoise Plimpton, spoke to Onikepo Braithwaite, Jude Igbanoi and Tobi Soniyi, on a wide range of issues including his views on the global economic downturn, human rights, arbitration and the economic welfare of lawyers.

As the year 2016 draws to a close, it can only be said to be a potpourri and conundrum of the good, the bad and the ugly. From the harvest of deaths at the Bar, the arrest of Judges and Justices of the different hierarchy of courts, to the unprecedented crisis rocking big branches of the NBA, Abuja and Ikeja, there was still a reasonable cause for lawyers to smile and be cheerful. The NBA successfully completed its monumental edifice, the NBA House in Abuja. A good number of lawyers were elevated into the Inner Bar and more Justices were elevated into the Apex Court, and the Court of Appeal is still celebrating its 40th anniversary with the commissioning of its redesigned and remodelled Lagos Complex.

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TUESDAY DECEMBER 27, 2016 T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY TUESDAY DECEMBER 27, 2016

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TUESDAY DECEMBER 27, 2016 T H I S D AY

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016

POLITICS

Group Politics Editor Olawale Olaleye Email wale.olaleye@thisdaylive.com 08116759819 SMS ONLY

EXECUTIVE BRIEFING

The Anti-Corruption Bait Withthefederalgovernment’swhistleblowerprotectionpolicy,theMuhammaduBuhariadministration appears ready to take the fight against graft to an all-new level, write Shola Oyeyipo and Segun James

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ations around the world, including Nigeria, are working round the clock to curb the menace of corruption among public office holders, simply because it is directly tied to several social vices such as poverty, insecurity and escalating crime rates among others.

As Africa’s largest nation, Nigeria is blessed with massive wealth coupled with very large population that can boost commerce. It boasts one of the world’s highest economic growth rates, put at 7.4 per cent in the Nigerian economic report of July 2014 by the World Bank. Yet, poverty rate is still as high as 33.1 per cent. Such condition can only be explained by the notoriety of past government officials, who have willfully looted the country, thereby dwarfing development rate.

While corruption continued to thrive, successive governments in Nigeria since the country attained independence in 1960, paid lip services to fighting graft and rather than consciously tame it, each of the governments had loads of unresolved corruption cases till date.

However, the current All Progressives Congress (APC) under the President Muhammadu Buhari leadership – a man renowned for his unfavourable disposition to corruption – who came in on the mantra of ‘change’, promised to tame the hydra-headed scourge. Aside the fact that the government is believed to have shown the political will to pursue the agenda; it has also recovered considerable sums from suspected corrupt persons.

Even with this, public opinion is still divided on what could be said to be the success of the Buhari effort. Some have argued that it is selective, targeting only members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and deliberately leaving APC members, believed to have enriched themselves with public funds.

But one major unpalatable fact is that despite the volume of media trials that have generated palpable anxiety among millions of poor Nigerians, when they hear the staggering amounts stolen by some, and yet, there has not been any conviction of any important personality.

Apart from the celebrated arrests, long detentions, bail, re-arrests and protracted litigation, Nigerians have still not seen a departure in the current tactics used in fighting corruption. Not a few Nigerians are interested in how the anti-corruption war is fought. Hence, the whistle blower protection policy quickly became a burning discussion among opinionated Nigerians.

The aim is to allow Nigerians report criminal activities, particularly the looting of public funds through a secured online portal designed to conceal the identity of the blower.

Last week, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, unveiled the programme alongside the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and the Minister of Power and Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola after a Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. She said the FEC had approved the programme.

The specified types of information acceptable under the programme are mismanagement or misappropriation of public funds and assets, financial malpractice or fraud, collecting/ soliciting bribes, corruption, diversion of revenues, unapproved payments, splitting of contracts, procurement fraud, kickbacks and over-invoicing. Issues relating to personal matters concerning private contracts or agreements were however exempted .

Confidentiality to the blower is guaranteed within the limitations of the law and five per cent of the looted funds would be paid to the source of information, when the information has been established as authentic and credible.

Since the announcement, it has dominated

Buhari...will this achieve anything

public discourse. To some, it is an indication that the anti-corruption war has failed and that government is now experimenting with the new policy since there have been channels of reward for informants before now. Another concern is also about the portal that the people are expected to submit information; who would it be attached to who? Is it going to be attached to the police, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the office of the AGF or the Minister of Finance? And do they have investigative and prosecution powers within the law?

There is also the sentiment that whoever may want to give information cannot be protected until and unless the bill becomes law, particularly, in the aspect of reward.

So, the question is, what does the Finance Ministry intend to do when the whistle blower is not protected

There is also the sentiment that whoever may want to give information cannot be protected until and unless the bill becomes law, particularly, in the aspect of reward.

So, the question is, what does the Finance Ministry intend to do when the whistle blower is not protected.

In a sampled public opinion, the most prominent concern is that the duration of cases are too long and may end as endless litigations, where the whistle-blower becomes a prime target. Another caveat is that the information must be such that it could not be obtained by government . Then the percentage must be well discussed and spelt out before a deal is struck and the parties enter into a documented agreement.

Since the announcement, Nigerians have reacted variously to the matter. For Mr. Doueyi Fiderikumo, a Yenagoa Bayelsa State-based legal practitioner, the proposal is a welcome development. He said what this means is that the people can now be involved in the policing of crime and criminal activities in the country.

“The five per cent for whistle blowing on criminals is okay too. In the United States, the fight against crime is 30 per cent for successful whistle blowing on criminals. Although the details have not been worked out, the idea is however good for the country.

“It therefore means that if anybody is living beyond his income, then someone can whistle blow on him and if found culpable he will be tried. However, let’s wait and see the details of the proposal,” he said.

A Lagos-based retired Navy office, Mr. Olomi Fadile, who noted that whistle-blowing is unpleasant to the victim and injurious to the information giver, is of the opinion that if well managed, the idea is capable of helping in the fight against graft. He was

particularly emphatic on the need to ensure that the whistle-blowers are well protected.

“All over the world, United States of America and Europe inclusive, being a whistle-blower in any form is frowned at, but in Nigeria it will from now on be seen as easy way to making money. For instance, in the US, a whistle-blower, Edward Snowden is today in exile in Russian for revealing and whistleblowing on the activities of the United States Secret Service.

“Although whistle-blowing comes in many forms, the Nigerian form is strictly restricted to financial crimes and money laundry. This may suggest that the government will certainly not tolerate any form of whistle-blowing outside this but what form it may take, it is important that government ensures that whoever volunteers information is not only rewarded as promised, their protection should be paramount”.

For the Deputy Publicity Secretary of the Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Femi Yusuf, it is a welcome idea, inasmuch as it would help fight corruption. His concern is however that as the anti-corruption war is allegedly targeted at the opposition, the whistle-blower policy should not be seen as targeted mainly at PDP members.

“From the onset, we in the PDP have expressed support for the anti-corruption drive of the President Muhammadu Buhari government but at a closer look, not many All Progressives Congress (APC) members have been brought under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) searchlight. It has been a selective anti-corruption war. So, it is why one would want to say anything that would help in stopping corruption is acceptable.

What is not acceptable is when the Whistle only blows on the opposition”.

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016

ONTHEWATCH

Waiting on the Rivers Rerun Probe The rerun elections in Rivers State may have come and gone, but all that transpired during the polls might just be an eye opener when the various panels set up to investigate the electoral malpractices submit their reports. Davidson Iriekpen writes

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he remaining legislative rerun elections in Rivers State may have come and gone and winners emerged, but all that transpired during the polls will certainly linger for some time. Considering the tension that characterised the build-up to the elections, the rancour that followed did not come to many as a surprise.

Presently, there are accusations and counteraccusations from all the stakeholders in the polls – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies.

As at last count, three panels had been set up to unravel all that went wrong. While the police had long set up its own panel, INEC followed suit last week when it set up a panel to unravel the role played by its officials to make a mockery of the process. The state governor, Nyesom Wike, has also constituted a panel to investigate all that went on during the election that claimed the lives of two police officers and other indigenes.

While Nigerians are particularly anxious and looking forward to the reports of these various panels, many Nigerians are worried over the one set up by the police, describing it as an attempt to cover up their poor conduct during the elections. The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, last week set up a team of detectives and experts to carry out a thorough investigation of the incidents that marred peaceful conduct of the rerun elections. The police boss said the panel became necessary following statement by the Chairman of INEC Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, that there were about 70 incidents that marred the elections in many parts of the state.

The main job of the panel, according to spokesman of the Force, Don Awunah, is to unravel those who are directly or indirectly responsible for the incidents and bring them to justice. He also said the team would investigate the circulated voice recording of Governor Wike threatening to kill some election officials for failing to deliver on a promise they received graft for.

He also said the panel has been mandated to investigate and conduct a forensic analysis of the audio comments purported to be the voice of Wike as claimed by an online medium, SaharaReporters. The allegation relating to bribe offers and death threat, the online publication claimed was made against an INEC official by the governor.

But the ruling PDP in the state has since debunked the audio report as extremely ridiculous and tissues of lies. The party in a statement said it had unmasked the characters behind the purported audio, accusing an APC senator from the state as the mastermind.

Many analysts are wondering what the police want to investigate in the crisis if not to indict Wike and his government at all cost. This is why they are asking: Did the police participate in rigging the elections? Was the army involved in what went wrong with the polls? Did INEC compromise itself in any way before and during the elections? Answering these questions dispassionately and honestly is an assignment the police and other election experts should answer without any margin of errors.

They are also wondering why those arrested in connection with the gruesome murder of DSP Alkali and his orderly and those caught on tape carting ballot boxes are not in detention or have not been invited for interrogation.

Many of those who followed events are not surprised how the election turned out.

Months prior to the polls, alleged impartiality of INEC had become an issue. Wike and other stakeholders in the state complained that INEC had compromised itself by meeting the chairman of the commission and some leaders of the APC in the state.

After the initial denial, the commission owned up that indeed INEC Chairman met with some APC officials. However, it claimed

Yakubu...lessons from Rivers are a legion

that the meeting was part of efforts to ensure peaceful elections.

For instance, the coalition of civil society groups commonly known as Situation Room, after the rerun elections authored a damning report on what it called the “ugly undemocratic” roles played by the military and police. The organisation which is an umbrella of over 70 registered civil society groups, also came hard on the INEC for what it called its lack of neutrality in the elections.

They equally lamented that despite deploying 28,000 police personnel and a large contingent of soldiers, air force, navy and civil defence officers to maintain law and order during the election, the poll was still flawed due to partisanship.

The climax perhaps was when the national secretariat of the APC inaugurated a special committee of five governors to plan for the election. The Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, who later headed the committee further exacerbated tension, when a few days to the elections, he disclosed that having won

Many observers, who read the comments and other remarks from party leaders knew that there would trouble which the police and other retinue of security agencies failed to tackle. Instead they became a tool in the hands of both the opposition and the PDP. This is why they are calling on the police and INEC to focus on issues in line with their statutory duties and stop chasing shadows

the gubernatorial poll in Ondo State, the APC had fresh ideas and strategies to win the rerun elections in Rivers State.

The Kano governor after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, told State House reporters: “It is not normal” to have a free and fair election in Rivers State, vowing that the APC will make it normal this time. He stated: “We’re prepared. We just came out of the Ondo elections. We’ve fresh ideas.

Even though both environments are different, we’ve our own strategies. We are making wider consultations with stakeholders and we believe we will succeed.”

Reacting to him, Wike said Ganduje’s comments were unfortunate. He said his state was waiting for the Kano governor and his party to perform a magic in the rerun polls, stressing that Rivers was only asking for free and fair elections.

“It’s unfortunate if he (Ganduje) said so.

As far as I’m concerned, elections have been normal in my part of the country. All we are asking for is free and fair election. Is Governor Ganduje speaking on behalf of INEC? Is he the one conducting the elections now? When his friend won the governorship election in Rivers State, the election was normal. The election was also normal in Edo State, where his party won. We are waiting for him to come and perform the magic he did in Kano State,” Wike said.

Many observers, who read the comments and other remarks from party leaders knew that there would trouble which the police and other retinue of security agencies failed to tackle. Instead they became a tool in the hands of both the opposition and the PDP. This is why they are calling on the police and INEC to focus on issues in line with their statutory duties and stop chasing shadows.

Also, before the rerun elections, the APC did not hide how important and strategic winning Rivers State has been to it, the same way PDP knew it was its lifeline. But shortly after the party lost the governorship seat to the PDP at the Supreme Court, the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, had lamented bitterly.

“I still find the judgment on the Rivers State governorship election totally astonishing.

There is something fundamentally wrong in the judiciary. We have lost very important resource-rich state to the PDP. No matter how crude oil prices have fallen, it is still the most important revenue earner for the country.”

Some believe that the party saw the rerun elections as an opportunity to make a bold

move to recapturing the state.

As events stand today, nobody can claim not to recall that Wike as the chief security officer of the state, a few days to the election, had informed the police high command that the state Commander of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Mr. Akin Fakorede, had distributed SARS personnel to APC candidates and chieftains, allegedly for the elections.

The governor, whose contention has always been that if INEC must conduct election in the state must be free and fair, said the SARS personnel were assigned to the APC candidates and chieftains for the purpose of snatching election materials and the intimidation of PDP supporters. He wondered why politicians, who are expected to stay away from the polling units were allocated such SARS officials.

Although some schools did not dismiss the allegations by Wike and his people, they however argued that in the days of former President Goodluck Jonathan and Wike as minister, the minister did worse than he is being treated to. If it is Karma playing its role, then, Wike is now seen as having a feel of the cold meal he had dished out during his days as minister.

Two weeks before the elections, Wike also went public with a discovery of electoral materials and result sheets allegedly at a printing press belonging to a top official of the APC. But the police had quickly said Wike was merely crying wolf.

It was against this background that Wike while reacting to the audio tape allegation stated that it was contrived and sponsored by the APC to divert public attention from the massive electoral fraud by INEC, police and military killings that marred the rerun elections. He said the audio clip was fabricated using audio software and that he never spoke with any electoral officer or anyone for that matter, either in person or over the phone seeking to influence the elections.

The governor stated that rather than bring the SARS Commander, Akin Fakorede, to justice for his criminal activities captured on video during the rerun elections, the police authorities have arrested the policemen, who accompanied him to stop Akin Fakorede from swapping Rivers East senatorial district results sheet. “Face the reality and stop chasing shadows.

Let them show me. What is audio clip? What can’t this government do? I don’t have an orderly, I don’t have a Chief Security Officer, I don’t have a camp Commandant. All were taken away before the election.”

Wike said the suspect who beheaded the DSP Akali in one LGA during the elections was arrested on election day alongside his colleagues and their sponsor, the former Rivers State Commissioner of Power, but an order from above led to their release. He said it was after the illegal release that the suspects committed the heinous crime.

The government said it was because the suspects beheaded a DSP that the authorities, who released them are now interested. He also alleged that a notorious politician in the state was arrested on election day with AK 47 rifles and he also dressed in military uniform, but was released because he is a prominent member of the ruling political party.

“I just read in the newspaper about the arrest of somebody, who beheaded a DSP. In the course of that, the person owned up that he was sponsored by a former Commissioner of Power, who is of course, a member of the other political party.

“I remember on that election day, this boy and four others were arrested and an order came that they should be released immediately.

Now, look at the mayhem caused after they released them. They were arrested with the former Commissioner of Power. They were released that same day. When we have descended to this level, you know the implication tomorrow.

They are covering things by chasing irrelevant things,” he said.

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016 Ëž T H I S D AY

FEATURES

Acting Features Editor Charles Ajunwa Email charles.ajunwa@thisdaylive.com

Delta's Home-Grown School Feeding Programme Kicks off In this report, Omon-Julius Onabu writes that Delta State is set to kick off of its school feeding programme

A cross section of stakeholders during the two-day meeting on HGSFP held in Asaba, Delta State...recently

A

two-day expanded stakeholders meeting on homegrown school feeding programme recently held in Asaba, the Delta State capital, aimed chiefly at finetuning the process and working instruments for the implementation of the Delta State version of the national HomeGrown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP).

The scheme, which is a Social Investment Programme (SIP) initiative of the Federal Government, is intended to encompass all the federating units of the country for desired nation-wide effect, regarding its social and educational objectives.

The Asaba conference attracted stakeholders and participants from relevant local and national bodies including public and private concerns.

The meeting, which had the presence of delegates from the office of the Vice-President led by Mr. Dotun Adebayo, the Operations Manager of national Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, was flagged off by the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, represented by the state Commissioner for Economic Planning, Dr. Kingsley Emu. From the relevant state ministries, departments and agencies to the faith-based institutions and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs), participation was both extensive and intensive as it was indeed comprehensive and robust.

Understanding the national HGSFP In his remarks at the expanded meeting of the stakeholders at the Unity Hall, Government House Asaba, the Delta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Chiedu Ebie, highlighted the importance of the meeting to the commencement of the school feeding

The programme is currently designed with a two-year implementation plan; and, the Delta State Government has shown commitment through its concerted efforts and outlined activities toward the actualisation of this laudable initiative, and this is why this meeting has been considered as apt and timely

scheme in the state. While presenting the guidepost for the discourse, Ebie noted that the Okowa administration was passionate about the programme as it was in tandem with its educational, human capital development and social security policies and programmes.

"The programme is currently designed with a two-year implementation plan; and, the Delta State Government has shown commitment through its concerted efforts and outlined activities toward the actualisation of this laudable initiative, and this is why this meeting has been considered as apt and timely," he stated.

The stakeholders workshop in Asaba threw up several issues that were keenly deliberated upon by the participants and resolutions propositions taken as considered appropriate.

The state's rather peculiar geographical and environmental features make it a land with numerous waterside or coastal communities, which constitute serious challenges regarding mobilisation, movement or communication and monitoring.

Also of great importance is the need to involve the local communities through establishment of contact units at the wards and local governments, the participants agreed, stressing that such active involvement would go a long way in easing the crucial process of "Monitoring and Evaluation" of the scheme since most public schools are in

rural communities.

Similarly, the need to dig out competent and God-fearing caterers to undertake the actual feeding of the school children was stressed. All possible bottlenecks to sourcing of quality agricultural products and groceries for the school feeding scheme were identified as well as the registration of good caterers.

Funding challenges Certain financial challenges, and especially the adequacy or not of the N70 per pupil provision, generated heated discussion; but in the end it was agreed that the scheme could navigate around the challenge even if it means seeking funds to augment the provision. Financial stability was identified as one of the things that is invaluable in the effort to ensure sustainability of the programme.

The federal government had made certain clarifications in June this year, through the office of the Vice-President, regarding the financial responsibility of state governments in the implementation of the school feeding programme.

The clarification apparently followed doubts in some quarters especially regarding the role of the respective states towards the funding of the programme.

The federal government said that state governments were not mandated to make any financial commitment to the HGSFP

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FEATURES

Okowa...education-friendly governor

Delta State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Chiedu Ebie

Executive Secretary, DMSMA, Mrs. Shimite Bello

A cross section of pupils of a public school in Asaba, Delta State

as about N93.1 billion allocation has been made in the 2016 budget for the programme.

This was to allay fears that the generally funds-strapped states would cough out 40 per cent in counterpart funding for the programme.

However, it would appear the funding gaps being envisaged in the smooth takeoff and sustenance of the school feeding programme might not be altogether plugged or eliminated by the assurances by the federal government.

For instance, the population of the segment of school children slated to benefit from the HGSFP far outstrips the slot allotted to Delta State by the federal government.

The state Basic and Secondary Education Commissioner, Ebie, hinted that the increased number of pupils especially at the primary level, owing to prevailing economic challenges, has partly led to the state overshooting its allocation by the federal government under the national Home-Grown School Feeding Programme by as high 97,916 pupils.

The slot allotted by the federal government to Delta State for the programme is 149,000 pupils only. Thus, the state government must seek alternative or other sources of funding for the 246,916.

In a bid to stem the indefinite or indiscriminate enrollment of pupils into public schools in Delta State all through the academic year, the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education recently announced deadline for enrollment into public schools during any given session.

The commissioner, Ebie, said that the decision was prompted by the planning challenges it created in the ministry. Ebie said the date

for enrollment into public schools has been pegged within two weeks into November during the first term, though consideration could be made in the second term for special cases like transfer.

The coordinating bodies The state ministries of Basic and Secondary

The scheme holds potential of uniting the states and the federal government in a manner that would signiďŹ cantly enhance the country's education sector especially at the basic school level. It could also go a long way in helping the relevant national, state or regional agencies to draw necessary line between partisanship based on political afďŹ liation and issues bordering on national growth and development

Education, Agriculture and Health as well as Health and Delta State Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises Development Agency (DMSMA), are all playing major roles in efforts to efficiently coordinate the own Home-Grown School Feeding Programme in the state.

Through the cooperation and active involvement of the ministries and agencies, three models had been fashioned out at the plenary session of the workshop and duly presented for general deliberation and streamlining at general session.

Enthusiastic participation The Executive Secretary of DMSMA, Mrs. Shimite Bello, complemented the efforts of Basic and Secondary Education Commissioner in moderating the sessions. And, if the enthusiasm by the stakeholders and participants at the Asaba workshop on the HGSFP is anything to go by, the programme might very well offer certain benefits beyond the aforementioned basic objectives of the HGSFP by the state's Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education.

For example, the scheme holds potential of uniting the states and the federal government in a manner that would significantly enhance the country's education sector especially at the basic school level.

It could also go a long way in helping the relevant national, state or regional agencies to draw necessary line between partisanship based on political affiliation and issues bordering on national growth and development.

In the opinion of Dr. Omawumi Urhobo, President of the Warri-based Morgan Smart Development Foundation, stressed "the need to

carry everybody along irrespective of political affiliation."

Her well-applauded position was that "this is not to talk about whether one is PDP or APC; because this programme is about our children and the future of our state and nation." Other speakers included the Ndokwa East chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop (Dr.) Ogbuotoboh L. Uchechukwu and his Ughelli North counterpart, Bishop Diamond Emuobok.

Bright chances of success While it is gratifying that several states like Delta are enthusiastic about forging a synergy with the federal government through the office of the Vice President, it is equally relieving that the states and the country can learn from the experience of one or two countries which have been implementing Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.

Indeed, the functional approach to HomeGrown School Feeding Programme was initiated or developed by an agency of the United Nations Organisation (UNO), the World Food Progeamme (WFP), through collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and other international organisations and agencies. Thus, Nigeria can benefit with hindsight from countries like Brazil, Ghana, Thailand and India.

Thus, the HGSFP in Delta State and Nigeria at large could quickly shake off the greenhorn effect to deliver a relatively successful scheme in the interest of both the children, small local farmers and the local economies of the respective states.

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L-R; CEO, Banklink Africa, Investors and Advisors,Mr. Israel Ovirih; Head of Research and Developent,P3M, Dr. Lambert Ikechi Ofoegbu; Global Representative, University of Liverpool, Nigeria Alumni Network, Faith Osiobe; Managing Director/CEO, Transcorp Hilton Hotel. Mr. Valentine Ozigbo and Entrepreneur, Mr, Kevin Abaka, at the 2nd Annual General Conference of University of Liverpool Nigeria Alumni Network, in Lagos... recently

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L-R; Mr. Ezekiel Uduma Orji; Ms. Loren Orji; matriculating student, David Emea Uduma , Mrs. Bertha Okeoma and (mother) Mrs. Megan Emea Uduma during the matriculation ceremony of Udoma at the Babcock University,Ogun State.... recently...

rand Manager, Loya Milk, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, : Oluwatooni Odewole (left) and Professor Ralph Akinfeleye of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos during the presentation of the ĂŤBest Company in EducationĂ­ award to Promasidor at the 2016 Lagos PR Industry Gala and Awards night in LagosĂ&#x2013;recently

L-R: Wife of Nasarawa State Governor/ founder, TallaďŹ Women and Youth Foundation, Hajiya Mairo Al-Makura; Chairperson (MVGWA) , Dr. Bilkisu Magoro; and the award CEO, Mr. Tom Obule during the presentation of the oďŹ&#x192;cial notiďŹ cation letter of the most valuable governorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife award (MVGWA) to Mrs Al-Makura in Abuja....recently ENOCK REUBEN

L-R ?Chairman, Lagos Chapter, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Olusegun McMedal; Corporate Relations Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Sesan Sobowale; Managing Director, CMC Connect, Yomi BadejoOkusanya, and Principal Consultant/CEO, NECCI Consulting, Nkechi Ali-Balogun during the Lagos NIPR Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Lagos.... recently.

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Group Business Editor ChikaAmanze-Nwachuku Email: chika.amanzenwachukwu@thisdaylive.com 08033294157, 08057161321

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Quick Takes EKEDP Announces Power Outage Eko Electricity Distribution Plc (EKEDP) has announced that there will be interruption in power supply to some areas within its network between the hours of 10am and 2pm in the afternoon on December 29, 2016 A statement by the Corporate Communications Department of the Company said the planned power outage was occasioned by routine maintenance work to be carried out on Ijora-Alagbon 132KV line.

According to the statement, areas to be affected by the outage are Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Obalende, Banana Island and Lagos Island.

The company further stated that the routine maintenance to be carried out was for better efficiency of power facilities so as to enhance improved service delivery to the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s customers.

It apologised to its customers for the inconvenience the outage might cause and promised that supply would be restored immediately the maintenance work was concluded.

PHED Tops Safety Ranking

BRAINSTORMING ON AIR SAFETY

L-R: Director, Air Transport Management, Mr. Hassan Musa; Minister of State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, Director, Policy, Research & Statistics, Alhaji Adamu Wakili and Director, Human Resources, Umar Maigana, during an interactive meeting between the minister and Airline Operators, in Lagos...recently

Wood Mackenzie Forecasts Positive Cash Flow at Oil Price Above $55 Ejiofor Alike A new report by Wood Mackenzie has predicted that the oil and gas industry will turn cash flow positive for the first time since the downturn in 2014, if the production cuts by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) drive oil prices above $55 per barrel.

Wood Mackenzieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s global corporate outlook for 2017, forecasts 2017 to be a year of â&#x20AC;&#x153;stability and opportunityâ&#x20AC;? for global oil and gas Senior Vice President of Corporate Analysis Research at Wood Mackenzie, Tom Ellacott, noted in the report that: â&#x20AC;&#x153;most

ENERGY oil and gas companies will start 2017 on a firmer footing, having halved cash flow breakevens to survive the past two years.

Further evidence of a cautious, U-shaped recovery in investment should emerge.â&#x20AC;?

The corporate outlook report titled: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Corporate themes: 5 things to look for in 2017,â&#x20AC;? assesses the 2017 prospects for the oil majors, independents and national oil companies (NOCs), focusing on five themes, with strengthening finances as the top priority Wood Mackenzie forecasts production from the 60 companies covered in its Corporate

Service to grow by an average of two per cent, which is impressive given development spend was slashed by over 40 per cent between 2014 and 2016.

The report highlights that while portfolios will adapt, and down the cost curve into new energy, there will be modest growth in production despite past capex cuts.

The report also predicted improved value proposition for exploration and mergers and acquisitions, with US independents leading the sector into a new investment cycle â&#x20AC;&#x153;Overall 2017 will be a year of stability and opportunity for oil and gas companies in positions of financial strength.

More players will look at opportunities to adapt and grow their portfolios,â&#x20AC;? Ellacott said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Strengthening finances will still be a top priority. Capital discipline, cost reduction and deleveraging will frame corporate strategies in 2017. But 2016 will prove to be the low point in the investment cycle, with confidence boosted by OPECâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision to cut production,â&#x20AC;? said the report.

Wood Mackenzie expects the trend of improving exploration success rates and full-cycle returns to continue in 2017, with more majors and National Oil Companies stepping up new Continued on page 22

NEITI: NNPC is Embracing Openness, Shunning Opaqueness Chineme Okafor in Abuja The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has said the decision of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to voluntarily open its operational and financial books for public scrutiny in the last 21 months was an indication that it was gradually turning away from its past opaque practices.

It said the Corporation was gradually turning from being the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;poster-boy of opaque practicesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; to a firm that embraces transparency through its monthly publication of its activities.

ENERGY â&#x20AC;&#x153;As the wind of openness and transparency continues to blow through the extractive industry, the walls of secrecy are tumbling. Extractive companies are gradually providing more information, thereby subjecting their activities to greater public scrutiny. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), commendably, has been caught up in this global movement.

Since August 2015, NNPC has been publishing Monthly Financial and Operations Reports,â&#x20AC;? said NEITI in its aggregation of NNPCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monthly reports

between 2015 and 2016.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; NEITI noted that for perhaps the first time, the public is kept abreast of developments in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil and gas sector in terms of production, revenue figures, refined products supply and distribution, as well as remittances to the government. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Perhaps the most impressive part of this is that NNPC has been able to consistently provide these reports on a regular and timely basis, thereby ensuring up-to-date dissemination of informationâ&#x20AC;?, the agency added.

The Executive Secretary of NEITI, Mr. Waziri Adio however said in a summary of the special report titled, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Review

of NNPCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Monthly Financial and Operations Reports that the corporation has made some good transparency strides in this regards.

According to Adio, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What NNPC has done with its monthly reports could be termed a sea-change. From being the poster-boy for opacity, NNPC is voluntarily embracing openness and providing near real-time information about the state of play of our oil and gas sector today.â&#x20AC;?

While commending the Corporation for embracing transparency, Adio however Continued on page 22

The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) has stated that it was adjudged the best in safety for the month of November 2016 by the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA).

The company however added that it tied with Enugu Electricity Distribution Company to clinch the title within the period under review, adding also that the latest achievement was the fifth time the company would be staying tops in the last eleven months.

According to a statement by the spokesman of PHED, Mr. John Onyi, the company had ranked first in the months of February, May, June and July 2016, before achieving the same feat in the current month.

NEMSA was said to have relied on five major indicators to arrive at its decision, namely: total number of accidents, injuries, fatalities, bad networks resolved and reporting compliance.

PHED said it performed outstandingly in the five parameters mentioned; hence, it was ranked the best out of the eleven Distribution Companies and Transmission Company of Nigeria.

Expressing delight over the laudable feat, Chief Executive Officer, PHED, Jay McCoskey thanked the staff, especially, heads of departments, technical crew, dispatch engineers for their timely resolution of customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; issues.

US Drillers Add Oil Rigs US energy companies added oil rigs for an eighth week in a row, extending a seven-month drilling recovery as crude prices remained near a 17-month high.

Drillers added 13 oil rigs in the week to December 23, bringing the total count up to 523, the most since December 2015, but still below the 538 rigs seen a year ago, energy services firm Baker Hughes Inc said at the weekend.

That was the third straight week of double-digit rig increases, a sign the industry has accelerated spending on new production now that crude prices have mostly held over $50 a barrel for a fourth week. Since crude prices recovered from 13-year lows in February to around $50 a barrel in May, drillers have added a total of 207 oil rigs in 27 of the past 30 weeks, the biggest recovery in rigs since a global oil glut crushed the market over two years.

The Baker Hughes oil rig count plunged from a record 1,609 in October 2014 to a six-year low of 316 in May as US crude collapsed from over $107 a barrel in June 2014 to near $26 in February 2016.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want a sustainable oil and gas sector founded on a system whereby great men and women can run great companies like anywhere in the developed worldâ&#x20AC;?

President of Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede

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BUSINESSWORLD WOOD MACKENZIE FORECASTS POSITIVE CASH FLOW AT OIL PRICE ABOVE $55

ventures activity. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mergers and acquisitions will also offer an attractive value proposition for the financially strong prepared to take a bullish view on long-term prices,â&#x20AC;? said Ellacott. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Low-cost, low-risk discovered resource opportunities will look attractive again. And the larger players will need these to ensure long-term portfolio renewal as part of a more balanced growth strategy,â&#x20AC;?

Ellacott added.

NEITI: NNPC IS EMBRACING OPENNESS, SHUNNING OPAQUENESS

called for a closer examination to ensure the practice was sustained. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is commendable, but also deserving of close and critical examination.

For example, what do the reports, looked at together, tell us about our petroleum sector today and what is the implication of that for the public, for public finance and for petroleum sector reforms?

That is the rationale for this special report,â&#x20AC;? he added.

According to the NEITI report, the NNPC, in its monthly financial and operations reports, voluntarily made some transparency-related commitments that are yet to be fulfilled.

NEITI said these commitments include development of an index for measuring progress and improving transparency, publication of annual audited report by the second quarter of the succeeding year, undertaking a value-for-money audit of all the federationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s joint ventures, and review of existing Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs).

It asked the corporation to fulfil these transparency pledges, saying: â&#x20AC;&#x153;While we commend NNPC for opening up and for consistently doing so, the monthly reports also reveal a few things that NNPC has committed to do but which have not yet been done. NEITI is particularly interested in NNPC delivering on these commitments to further promote openness, transparency and accountability in the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extractive industry.â&#x20AC;?

Group Business Editor

Chika Amanze-Nwachuku AgriBusiness/Industry Editor

Crusoe Osagie

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) Linda Eroke (Labour) Eromosele Abiodun (Maritime) Ejiofor Alike (Energy) James Emejo (Nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Capital) Obinna Chima (Money Mkt) Reporters

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (Cap Mkt)

NEWS

Heyden Petroleum Unveils Mega Petrol Station at VGC, Lagos Chika Amanze-Nwachuku and Ugo Aliogo In line with its commitment to drive excellence in the downstream sector of the Nigerian oil and gas industry, Heyden Petroleum Limited has inaugurated its mega petrol station in Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lagos.

This is coming barely three months after the firm unveiled one of its rebranded retail outlets, located in Alapere axis on the ever-busy Third Mainland Bridge, Lagos.

The unveiling of the mega petrol station, the first of its kind, will bring succour to residents of VGC, Lekki and Ajah areas of Lagos State, who hitherto, were faced with challenge of petroleum products shortage owing to few petrol stations in those areas.

Speaking during the inauguration of the petrol station at the weekend, the Chairman of the company, Dapo Abiodun, said that the mega station has 29 pumps, out of which 24 pumps will dispense petrol. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The station is strategically positioned and it will change the way fuel is being sold here.

We are very thankful to the VGC residents and we want to assure them that this is their primary station,â&#x20AC;? he noted.

He remarked that the Alapere station which was opened few months ago is meeting the fuel need of residents of the area as well as motorists that ply the route. He explained that Heyden decided to expand its investment in the downstream

sector of the petroleum industry by acquiring 50 retail outlets across the country.

Abiodun commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister for State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, who unveil the new mega petrol station for deregulating the downstream sector and reducing the burden of subsidy which he noted was a huge burden on the Nigeria government.

He explained that the reduction of subsidy encouraged a few of the marketers to take giant strides in investing in the downstream sector, adding that the move was an important step in repositioning the sector.

He added: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Today is a very special day for us at Heyden.

When the Minister for State Petroleum, was appointed, he challenged every marketer. The challenge was that we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

have enough petroleum stations in the country. For instance, in Victoria Island, there were only three filling stations. This is why if there is a slight tightness in the supply of petroleum products, there will be queues. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the many things that Kachikwu, ensured that marketers did, was for them to begin to invest in the downstream sector through petrol stations. What he did was to give incentives

and increased the margins that existed compared to what was obtainable. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Moreover, to the glory of God and the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari and Kachikwu, we were able to deregulate the industry which has been a problem to us in the past. Everyone is aware of the story behind the subsidy regime; it was something unthinkable which could happen.â&#x20AC;?

CONGRATULATIONS

L-R: Head, Publications and Conferences, FirstBank, Oze K.Oze; Marketing Services Manager, FBN Holdings Plc, Tunde Lawanson; 2nd place Winner and student of Sacred Heart College, Apapa, Udeaja Nneoma; 1st place winner and student of Babington Macaulay Junior Seminary, Ikorodu, Abiodun Ifeoluwa; 3rd place winner and student of Good Shepherd Comprehensive High School, Lagos, Gbenjo Olasubomi; and Head, Media and External Relations, FirstBank, Babatunde Lasaki at the prize presentation ceremony of the 16th Nigerian Stock Exchange Essay Competition in Lagos...recently

Imoukhuede Seeks End to Sharp Practices in Downstream Sector Ejiofor Alike The President of Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede has insisted that a reform should be carried out in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil and gas sector in order to curb sharp practices and encourage development that will incentivise investors to set up refineries, and create new technologies for production and employment of hundreds of thousands of jobs through the value chain.

Speaking at the 2016 Petroleum Club Annual Guarantorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Dinner held recently in Lagos, Imoukhuede, who is also the chairman of WAPIC Insurance, stated that the oil and gas sector encourages wealth through arbitrary means.

In his presentation titled: â&#x20AC;&#x153;A new role for petroleum industry in the Nigerian Economyâ&#x20AC;?, he argued that â&#x20AC;&#x153;in 2011, Nigeria paid over two trillion naira in fuel subsidy and alleged that â&#x20AC;&#x153;over one trillion naira of this payment was fraudulentâ&#x20AC;?. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let us assume we mobilised 300 oil and gas entrepreneurs and gave them that one trillion naira to develop the sector and pay back, I cannot imagine what the developmental impact it would have made.

In the interest of this nation, we have to get government out of operating in the oil and gas sector,â&#x20AC;? he explained. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sustained economic

development is premised on the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to channel investment and entrepreneurial development into sectors where operators create values by producing goods and services at a cost that consumers are prepared to pay for, but more importantly at a cost lower than their counterparts in foreign countries. Nigeria will never see development if this continues,â&#x20AC;? Imoukhuede said.

Speaking on the way forward, Imoukhuede recommended that the first step is to drastically reduce corruption in the oil and gas sector, adding that the perception in the industry is that operators perennially have to contend with corruption.

According to him, the industry requires a paradigm shift. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want a sustainable oil and gas sector founded on a system whereby great men and women can run great companies like anywhere in the developed world. A few of you need to step forward and lead this process. The goal is not to eliminate corruption, but to reduce it. You can make the sector to have standards that will determine how it would be run. It may sound tough and some of you may even have to take risk,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Another issue is improving the quality of regulation and policy. Petroleum Industry bill is important here. If it is passed, it will enhance the

deregulation and privatisation of the oil and gas sector. The reason why Nigerian banks are doing well is because the industry was reformed.

It introduced competition and level the playing field.

For instance, Access Bank today has branches in China and Dubai. Industrialisation through local participation is also fundamental. No nation industrializes because foreign nations choose to do so,â&#x20AC;? he added.

He argued that nations industrialise when its citizens are empowered to make decisions which is difficult for a non-citizens to take.

Earlier in his speech, the Chairman of the Petroleum Club, Dr. GS Ihetu acknowledged that 2016 has been a difficult year for the petroleum industry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;First, due to the fall in the price of crude oil below the 2015 levels, revenues of the oil asset owners have declined. To make matters worse, the activities of the Niger Delta Agitators have further disrupted oil and gas production and export with devastating effect. This of course has had a knock on effect on all those who provide services to the industry,â&#x20AC;? he said.

According to him, all the members have therefore been affected by the double shock in one way or the other.

Ihetu, however, added that

despite the challenges, the Petroleum Club had spoken out against the attempt by

the House Committee on Petroleum to amend the NLNG Act.

Again, Glo Leads in New Internet Subscriptions According to data published by telecom industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Globacom was the only network that recorded an increase in its internet subscriber base in the month of October, 2016.

The NCC Monthly Internet Subscribers Data for October published on its website showed that the total number of internet users on the networks of the four major operators shrank by 378,015 from 93.5m in September to 93.1m in October.

The latest report reconfirms Globacomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s position as Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s data grand masters as it grew its internet customer base to 27,185,552 million in October from 26,887,929 in September.

This indicates an increase of 297,623 during the month.

On the other hand, MTN and Etisalat had reductions in the number of customers surfing the net on their network during the period, while Airtel did not record any increase as its figures for the two months were the same.

The data revealed that MTN had 32,464,779 mil-

lion subscribers browsing the internet on its network in October, which is a decrease of 306,480 internet subscribers from the September figure of 32,771,259.

On its part, Airtel had 18,832,238 million internet users in October, the same figure it recorded in September. Like MTN, Etisalat had 14,693,492 million data customers in October, showing a loss of 369,158 compared to the 15,062,650 million users it recorded in the preceding month of September.

According to the NCC data, the CDMA operators lost 13,664 internet users, after recording 38,309 in October compared to the 51,973 figure recorded in September.

Globacomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s position as telecom subscriberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first choice for internet services was strengthened in October when it became the first network to launch a nationwide rollout of the 4G LTE advanced network.

With the launch of the service, millions of subscribers on the Glo network have been able to enjoy instant efficient broadband internet connectivity.

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ENERGY

Pains and Gains in the Oil & Gas Sector in 2016 As Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil and gas industry winds up 2016, Ejiofor Alike reports that the giant strides recorded in the areas of stabilising fuel supply, improving transparency and corporate governance, as well as strengthening the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relevance in the global energy dynamics, was eclipsed by the devastating impact of militancy on oil production and revenue With the raft of measures earlier put in place by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu to split the defunct Petrol Industry Bill (PIB) for easier passage, enthrone transparency, accountability and also address the funding challenges that plagued Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil and gas industry, there is no doubt that 2016 marked a new beginning in the history of the sector in Nigeria.

However, the giant strides may have paled into oblivion with the militant attacks on oil and gas installations, which plunged Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil production to a 20-year low in 2016, while oil revenues were also halved during the year under review.

President Muhammadu Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famous â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;body languageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; which was said to have stabilised the sector in 2015, and sent vandals and oil thieves into exile, thus boosting oil and gas production and improving power supply, could not perform the same magic in 2016.

Before he assumed office, public perception and audit reports showed that the industry was ridden with corruption, coupled with the unresolved issues of inadequate funding of joint ventures, perennial scarcity of petrol, non-passage of PIB, weak local refining capacity, long contracting cycles and other intractable challenges.

Though much success was recorded in addressing some of these challenges, the lack of deliberate policy on the part of this administration to consolidate on the gains of the Amnesty Programme of the late President Umaru Yarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Adua escalated the security challenges in the oil-rich region in 2016, which culminated in February attacks on Escravos-Lagos Pipeline, and the subsequent bombing of the Forcados subsea pipeline.

With the February 14, 2016 spill on the subsea pipeline, which forced Shell to declare force majeure on February 21, coupled with attacks on other offshore and onshore facilities by the Niger Delta Avengers and other militant groups, the country lost over 900,000 barrels of crude oil per day, plunging daily production to a 20-year low.

The impact of the attacks was so massive that within the first quarter of 2016, Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s earnings from crude oil and gas, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) and Royalties declined by 34.1 per cent or by N205.05 billion, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in its Economic Report for the First Quarter of 2016.

According to the report, the country earned N396.47 billion from the sale of crude oil and gas, PPT and Royalties, as against N601.52 billion recorded in the fourth quarter of 2015.

According to the report, the decline in oil revenue relative to the 2016 budget estimate was attributed to the persistent fall in receipts from crude oil and gas exports, due to the continuous drop in the price of crude oil in the international market as well as a series of shut-ins and shut-downs at some NNPC terminals owing to pipeline vandalism and repairs.

Giving an insider account of the impact of the crisis, the Vice-Chairman of the Security Subcommittee of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mr. Shina Bankole, had revealed that Nigeria lost over 130 million barrels of crude oil from January to November 2016 to the activities of 32 militant groups in the Niger Delta region.

Bankole, who is also the General Manager in charge of Security at Chevron Nigeria Limited, had told a Health Safety and Environment (HSE) Conference in Lagos that between January and November, 58 incidents of sabotage were recorded where oil and gas facilities belonging to the oil companies were vandalised.

Bankole disclosed that of the over 275 cases of kidnappings recorded across 29 states between January and November, 45

Niger Delta militants cases were related to oil and gas industry personnel and their dependants.

According to him, of the 99 incidents of sea robberies and pirates recorded within the same period, 19 cases involved the oil and gas industry.

So, despite the success that was recorded in the industry, Nigeria actually suffered the worst bout of crude oil disruption that pushed production to the lowest in 20 years in 2016, as a result of attacks on oil and gas facilities.

Before this present administration came on board, Kaduna and Warri Refineries had not been receiving crude oil feedstock through pipelines since 2010 because of vandalism.

Since 2010, marine vessels were used to transport crude oil to the two refineries until April 2016 when the repairs of the Escravos-Warri Pipeline were completed and the refineries started receiving crude through the pipeline.

However, less than two months after the pipeline was repaired, the Niger Delta Avengers bombed the lines and cut off crude supply to the refineries.

Giant strides President Buhari had used his sound knowledge of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil and gas industry as a former Minister (then Commissioner) of Petroleum Resources, to put in place measures to open up the sector and enthrone a regime of transparency, due process and accountability in an industry that was then run in an opaque nature. The appointment of Kachikwu was seen as the strongest signal that President Buhari was determined to break away from the past and reposition the industry.

Kachikwu initiated monthly publication of NNPCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s financial results and a raft of measures targeted at personnel restructuring to enhance transparency and competitiveness of Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operating environment.

Before this present administration came on board, Nigerians experienced acute fuel shortages, especially during festive periods.

Even after Buhari assumed office, fuel scarcity almost marred the 2015 Yuletide and 2016 New Year celebrations, despite what seems like the best efforts of the government to curb fuel shortages.

However, with the upward adjustment of petrol price in May 2016, arbitrage, which had encouraged smuggling, was eliminated, thus ensuring steady supply for the country.

The non-passage of the PIB eight years after it was first submitted to the National Assembly was also a challenge inherited by this administration.

Without clarity of terms, investors have continued to claim that they are unable to invest because the operating environment is unpredictable.

But in 2016, the federal government unveiled plans to rename and split the reform bill into three parts to enhance easier passage.

The Ministry of Petroleum has since concluded the first draft of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, as the PIB is now called.

Another success recorded in 2016 was the new policy document couched in â&#x20AC;&#x153;The 7 Big Wins,â&#x20AC;? launched by President Buhari to compressively address the issues of policy and regulation, business environment and investment drive, gas revolution, refineries and local production capacity, Niger Delta and security, transparency and efficiency, as well as stakeholder management and international co-ordination.

Speaking on the impact of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Big Wins,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Kachikwu had also added that investments in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil and gas sector, which took a downturn in the recent past would pick up following the conclusion of a review of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s JV framework. â&#x20AC;&#x153;On the issue of JV cash call, we have done a yeomanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s job. We are nearing completion of those negotiations, it would go to the FEC and it does not require a law. Those things are basically MoUs,â&#x20AC;? he said.

The countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts to resolve the funding challenges paid off recently with the successful signing of the cash call exit agreements between the NNPC and the oil majors.

At the end of the negotiation, the IOCs agreed to be paid their accumulated arrears up to December 2015, over the period of about five years.

The agreement will end the long-standing cash call challenges that have impacted the Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oil and gas industry over the years and also ensure that the entire NNPC equity oil and gas revenues are now to be paid directly into the Federation Account.

The federal government will also continue to receive royalties, taxies and profit from its equity share of JV oil and gas production, while the cost of operation is deducted upfront.

Under the new arrangement, the NNPC

targets increase in production from the current 2.2million barrels per day to 2.5mbpd by 2019, and also reduce Unit Technical Costs from $27.96 per barrel of oil equivalent (boe) to $18 per boe.

The net payments to the Federation Account is also expected to double from about $7 billion to over $14 billion by 2020 as the immediate effect of the new cash call or will increase net federal government revenue per annum by about $2 billion.

Relevance in global energy politics Nigeria also witnessed increasing relevance in the global energy politics in 2016 with the successful tenures and handover of the Presidency of four key international energy organisations - Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF); Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC); African Petroleum Producers Association (APPA); West African Gas Pipeline Authority (WAGPA); as well as the successful election of Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo of Nigeria as the Secretary General of OPEC. The Director of Press at the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Idang Alibi had also identified the successful mobilisation of OPEC members and non-OPEC oil producers by Kachikwu to dialogue on the stabilisation of the global market in Doha and Algiers, as one of the achievements recorded by the country in 2016.

According to him, the successful mobilisation had culminated into the achievement of freeze on production at the 171st conference of OPEC in Vienna and the subsequent rise in oil prices to around $55 per barrel for the first time in 16 months after negotiations with non-OPEC producers. The efforts also led to Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s successful negotiation of an exemption from the production freeze; and the successful hosting of the 52nd Conference of Ministers of African Petroleum Producers Association in March 2016 (APPA).

Kachikwu also provided leadership and support to other APPA members in the development of legislations, institutions and systems for local content in Africa in 2016.

However, these achievements appeared to have paled into insignificance with the huge negative impact of militancy on Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crude output and crude oil revenues in 2016, despite the peace efforts spearheaded by the minister to pacify the militants.

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BUSINESSWORLD

INDUSTRY

Presco: Thriving in a Troubled Economy Though this year was dominated by serious economic upheavals and depressed capacity utilisation, Crusoe Osagie writes that Presco Oil Palm Plc bucked the trend by staying afloat Last week, Presco Oil Palm Plc hosted staff, friends and well wishers to a feast at one of its sprawling oil palm estates in Obaretin community, just outside Benin City.

At the event, staff, customers, community members and well wishers were feted in a manner that temporarily distracted all present from the pervading fears of the effect of the ongoing economic recession.

Clearly, these are not the best times for operators within the Nigerian economic space.

According to Focus Economics, a firm of economic forecasters, Nigeria is currently facing its worst economic crisis in more than 20 years as the economic contraction worsened more than expected in the third quarter (Q3), driven by a contraction in the oil sector, which is the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest source of revenue.

Further underscoring the distress of the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy, the firm said economic activity remained weak and structural imbalances persisted, with the non-oil sector posting flat growth in Q3 after contracting for two consecutive periods. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The output cut agreement reached first by OPEC members in late November and on 10 December by OPEC and non-OPEC members should give Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beleaguered economy some breathing room since the deal exempts the country from cutting production,â&#x20AC;? the firm noted.

Other economic experts say that Focus Economics posted the most ambitious review of the Nigerian economy in 2016, insisting that there was no growth what so ever in 2016, along with the complete lack of potential for growth in the year ahead.

Manufacturers cut capacity to less than 30 per cent, letting not less than five million staff go within in a period of about 11 months.

A mix of declining purchasing power, dwindling capacity, foreign exchange scarcity, security threat among other maladies has put off the most optimistic investors and operators.

However, Presco, against all odds has decided to continue investing in the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farming and agro processing sectors.

Managing Director of Presco, Mr. Felix Nwabuko, expressed the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s enthusiasm about the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy at the 2016 end of year party.

The company leveraged on its skills and experience in dealing with economic crisis in other African countries as well as nations in Asia, where it has vast operations, to keep its head above water in 2016.

While other companies laid off workers, Presco took on new projects employing more workers. One of them is the expansive Sakponba plantation development which the company promoted in the midst of the recession, leading to more hands being hired in the farm segment of the business and more hands being potentially needed in the processing arm once the plantation begins to yield output.

At the event, while thanking all staff for a successful 2016, Nwabuko also noted that the company has been rated by the government of its host state, Edo, as the best tax payer in the entire state.

Satisfied Shareholders Earlier in the year, the directors of Presco Plc recommended a dividend of N1billion. Details of the audited results of Presco showed that the company posted a revenue of N10.448 billion in 2015, up by 14 per cent from N9.138 billion in 2014. Cost of sale increased by 19 per cent from N3.119 billion to N3.813 billion, while gross profit rose by 12 per cent from N5.938 billion in 2014 to N6.635 billion.

Profit before tax fell by 46 per cent to N4.215 billion, from N7.900 billion, while profit after tax (PAT) fell by 55 per cent from N5.194 billion to N2.321 billion. The fall in profit was affected by a drop in gains on biological assets revaluation, which fell by 82 per cent from N5.773 billion to N1.062 billion.

Also, the company spent more on financial charges in 2015, compared with 2014. Finance cost by 49 per cent rose from N363 million to N707 million in 2015.

Presco Oil Mill Despite the fall in bottom line, the company recommended a dividend of N1 billion, which translate to 100 kobo per share.

Presco specialise in the cultivation of oil palms and in the extraction, refining and fractioning of crude palm oil into vegetable oil and palm stearin. The company operates from two states, Obaretin Estate and Ologbo Estate in Edo State and Cowan Estate in Delta State. Another Estate in Sakponba, Edo State, is now coming on stream.

Victory as Naira Slumps While several industries continuously lamented the tension on their businesses caused by the slumping Naira due to the unavailability of forex in the market, Presco came out a winner from the situation. The companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sales improved.

Nwabuko earlier praised the federal government policy for its sales improvement, saying: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The policy of ferex restriction is bringing a boost to us in the sense that people who would ordinarily have imported, using government foreign exchange, are not doing that anymore,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;&#x2122; he said.

We have the ďŹ rst result for this and ďŹ ve years after planting, we added 20,000,000 per hectares with an extraction rate of 29 per cent and this means we are doubling the oil yields per hectare from what is coming now

Although the company has its own troubles accessing the forex required for it to obtain production materials like fertilizer and equipment, Nwabuko said that the company has plans to increase its export of palm kernel to The Netherlands to enable it access forex and play a part in shoring up the Naira.

Rising Investment Profile The investment injected into the Nigerian economy by Presco in the past one decade has risen close to $1 billion.

With the company bringing in a minimum of $100 million investment into the country annually for the past ten years, its total investment in the country has risen to about billion dollars during the period.

Earlier, the Chairman of the company, Mr. Pierre Vandebeeck, explained that the investments included procuring high quality state-of-the-art equipment, automated steam turbines and a biogas plant for power generation, oil palm processing mills, refinery plants and machineries.

Vandebeeck in an interview with THISDAY, said the company is going forward by building a new refinery and oil mill that would gulp another $30 million to boost oil palm production in Nigeria.

According to him: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I have not done the feasibility study yet but the cost estimate for the oil mill is about $20 million and the refinery is $10 million summing up to a $30 million investment. A hectare of new plantation is about $6000 to cultivate. So multiply that to know how much we are investing every year. We are not stopping. We are like a vehicle driving very fast all the time, although I sometime ask if we should slow down a bit but there are so many opportunities that come up that we do not want to miss and therefore you are more or less pushed to continue investing. â&#x20AC;?

Every year, the company cultivates thousands of hectares of land on average along with initiatives in alternative electricity generation investments, oil palm processing and refining among others, all keeping investments flowing into the country from the firm.

Meanwhile, the company also opened a new chapter in its history, through the appointment of its first Nigerian Managing Director, Mr. Felix Nwabuko, to guide the company to success in its goal of remaining the most innovative and reliable operator in the sector globally.

Nwabuko, with vast experience spanning about three decades, in KPMG, Siat Group,

University College, London among others is the new man driving the company towards its set objectives.

Also, the Presco chairman, said the company has just began a new chapter by acquiring a biotechnology company in Belgium to produce high performing planting materials to achieve greater quality yield. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are the only company in this industry in the world that has succeeded in cloning rubber trees. We started two years ago and will be planting our first cloned rubber trees in Ivory Coast and Ghana because we believe through this system we will be increasing the rubber yields by about 30 per cent per hectares which is about two tonnes to three tonnes, but I believe it will be more,â&#x20AC;? he said.

He noted that for the past 10 years, Presco has been investing in what he described as a genetic block of oil palm, having over 200 different crosses and varieties from all over the world, saying that the company will propagate and make it available to anyone willing to pay the price. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have the first result for this and five years after planting, we added 20,000,000 per hectares with an extraction rate of 29 per cent and this means we are doubling the oil yields per hectare from what is coming now. We are doing the same thing for cocoa because personally I believe in three crops which are rubbber, oil palm and cocoa. We are going to produce high performing clones that are disease resistant,â&#x20AC;? he said.

He pointed out that the investment which is recurrent and gulping a lot of resources is a project not only for the company but for farmers to use for growing high quality yields in their various farms across the country. â&#x20AC;?This is an investment that is recurrent and gulping a lot of money. We have the best scientists working on this project. We are making this project available not for our plantations only. I consider our company as a commercial entity where we have our presence in different parts of the continent of Africa, growing platforms to produce top planting materials for whoever wants to buy it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are committed to research and development and also devote each year, more resources to this activity. Indeed we are, together with our international partners, at the forefront in the development of improved oil palm and rubber planting materials, which aims at selecting strains adapted to our soil and weather and with increasing yield per planted hectare,â&#x20AC;? he said.

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Patriotism and the 2017 Budget In this article, Ikeogu Oke, aligns with President Muhammadu Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s submission that patriotism is a very critical factor in overcoming Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic challenges

Buhari The speech with which President Muhammadu Buhari presented the 2017 budget to a joint session of the National Assembly on December 14, 2016, should be of interest to Nigerians beyond the fiscal details of the presentation.

This additional interest, which I consider as important as those fiscal details, arises from his hint at patriotism as a critical factor in reversing the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current economic woes in addition to the implementation of the budget, which he enthusiastically described as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Budget of Recovery and Growth â&#x20AC;Ś designed to bring the economy out of recession and to a path of steady growth and prosperity.â&#x20AC;?

He makes a direct reference to patriotism in his remark about â&#x20AC;&#x153;those courageous and patriotic men and women who believed in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;? and who â&#x20AC;&#x153;are now seeing the benefits gradually come to fruition,â&#x20AC;? having seized the opportunity provided by the current economic challenges and turned them to account with their â&#x20AC;&#x153;creativity, talents and resilience.â&#x20AC;?

But his indirect hints at patriotism as a critical factor in pulling the country out of recession and putting it on the path of sustainable economic growth afterwards are even more significant.

They remind us that â&#x20AC;&#x153;we wasted our large foreign exchange reserves to import nearly everything we consume. Our food, our clothing, our manufacturing inputs, our fuel and much more.â&#x20AC;? And that â&#x20AC;&#x153;by importing nearly everything, we provide jobs for young men and women in the countries that produce what we import, while our own young people wander around jobless.â&#x20AC;? And that â&#x20AC;&#x153;by preferring imported goods, we ensure steady jobs for the nationals of other countries, while our own farmers, manufacturers, engineers, and marketers, remain jobless.â&#x20AC;?

Then, he enthuses about the slow but sure disappearance of â&#x20AC;&#x153;that old Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;? and the rise of â&#x20AC;&#x153;a new eraâ&#x20AC;Śin which we grow what we eat and consume what we make.â&#x20AC;?

In this new era, he continues, â&#x20AC;&#x153;we will increasingly grow and process our own food, we will manufacture what we can and refine our own petroleum products. We will buy â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Made in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; goods. We will encourage garment

manufacturing and Nigerian designers, tailors and fashion retailers. We will patronise local entrepreneurs. We will promote the manufacturing powerhouses in Aba, Calabar, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Nnewi, Onitsha, and Ota. From light manufacturing to cement production and petrochemicals, our objective is to make Nigeria a new manufacturing hub.â&#x20AC;?

Yes. President Buhari has his critics some of whom he can be said to have cultivated through his actions. But I doubt that any of them can contest the sincerity of these words and the relevance of the associated propositions to solving the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lingering economic problems if they are implemented.

Imagine the impact of Nigerians knowing that their president uses products from what he acknowledged as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the manufacturing powerhouses in Aba, Calabar, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Nnewi, Onitsha, and Otaâ&#x20AC;?

He can be summed up as saying that, regardless of our financial situation as a nation, our attitude as a people is critical to our economic survival during this period of recession, and our prosperity afterwards. We cannot be patronizing imported goods at the expense of our own, consequently starving our manufactures of funds and denying our citizens of jobs, and expect to become a self-reliant, let alone prosperous, nation.

And when I read his exhortation to buy â&#x20AC;&#x153;Made in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;? goods, I recalled when the United States, during the Clinton presidency, was facing severe economic challenges with the concomitant rise of the Japanese economy in the early 1990s, with Japanese goods, especially the technological ones, seeming generally preferable to their American equivalents even to Americans.

Even the United States government countered the trend by sponsoring the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buy Americanâ&#x20AC;? campaign through radio jingles and whatnot.

So President Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s call to buy â&#x20AC;&#x153;Made in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;? goods has an American precedent.

And it is simply about patriotism, about putting the survival of oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s country first, like the Americans who responded positively to the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Buy Americanâ&#x20AC;? campaign and returned to patronising American goods in preference to foreign ones.

Incidentally, this is one aspect of the budget presentation speech that can resonate with economic experts and laymen alike. Even our recent profligate past, in which we earned so much from oil without saving for the future, showing lack of patriotism on the part of those responsible, is a clear indication that financial buoyancy alone does not guarantee economic security, especially in the light of what we now face partly as a result of that profligacy, suddenly confronted with lean times and the sudden drop in the price of oil, our major revenue earner.

Without the right attitude on our as Nigerians and our government officials who would be directing spending in implementation of the budget, without a deliberate choice to put our money where our mouth is â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in our country â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the N7.298 trillion 2017 budget may turn out a budget of capital flight rather than recovery

and growth as the president has pronounced it.

Unfortunately, even under Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s watch, the government has been negligent in following his patriotic blueprint for economic revival.

Otherwise the Senateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s purchase of â&#x20AC;&#x153;108 Toyota Land Cruisersâ&#x20AC;? in April this year at the cost of â&#x20AC;&#x153;N3.8 billionâ&#x20AC;? should have been patronage directed at the local auto industry, which evidently needs the money for its survival and growth more than the Japanese owner of the Toyota brand. What is worse? The Senate allegedly spent twice the normal price on the vehicles!

Lack of political will has been blamed for the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inability to save in a time of plenty under the immediate past government. But I think that dereliction also reflects lack of moral will and patriotism on the part of those who should have ensured the savings, seeing that the supposed lack of political will did not prevent them from taking good care of themselves in their private capacities.

The same situation can recur, and prevent the implementation of Buhariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s redemptive pan-Nigerian economic blueprint as articulated in the budget speech, unless he has the political and moral will to compel government to buy â&#x20AC;&#x153;Made in Nigeria,â&#x20AC;? thereby leading by example and giving governmental justification for his administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mantra: Change begins with me.

Imagine the impact of Nigerians knowing that their president uses products from what he acknowledged as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the manufacturing powerhouses in Aba, Calabar, Kaduna, Kano, Lagos, Nnewi, Onitsha, and Ota.â&#x20AC;? Imagine the effect of their seeing him drive or be driven around in a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Made in Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;? car. Imagine the result of their hearing him persuade government agencies, especially those in the executive arm directly under his control, to patronise Nigerian goods as a priority, having been known to do so himself. How inspiring that would be to the cause of ensuring the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economic revival and subsequent growth under his watch and in accordance with his blueprint of economic patriotism!

- Oke, a public affairs analyst, lives in Abuja

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TUESDAY DECEMBER 27, 2016 T H I S D AY

T H I S D AY TUESDAY DECEMBER 27, 2016

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016

PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT Structural Engineers Demand Presidential Action on Collapse of Buildings The Federal Government must do all that is necessary to stop avoidable deaths caused by collapsed building structures. The nation’s structural engineers say there are short, medium and long term solutions that must be discussed at a presidential summit, reports Bennett Oghifo

T

hese days in Nigeria, it takes a lot of will power, when entering a building, not to have flitting ominous thoughts that it could collapse, and it is understandably so because nobody is sure of the building’s structural integrity. Both old and new buildings are beginning to fall like a pack of cards, and the disturbing aspect of it all is that nobody seems to have a sure-fix solution to the frequent ugly event that is fast becoming the single cause of the highest number of deaths in the country. Akwa Ibom State Governor Edom Emmanuel had a close shave with death from a collapsed church building recently. Though he escaped unhurt, but he lost some precious souls.

The ugly situation...

The position of the Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers (NIStructE) on the incessant collapse of building structures in Nigeria was articulated by its President, Engr.

OreOluwa Fadayomi at a press briefing held at the institution’s secretariat in Surulere, Lagos, recently.

“We are compelled to once more issue this press statement because the incessant collapse of buildings has reached an alarming proportion. The classes of buildings that are now collapsing know no bounds,” said Fadayomi in his address, ‘Curbing the Incessant Collapse of Building Structures in Nigeria– a Collective Responsibility’.

The catalogue of building collapses and the casualty figures over the years are very high, he said. “Unfortunately, innocent souls and the peasant workers eking a living for themselves, oblivious of the dangers ahead are the usual casualties.”

He recalled “The collapse in 2014 at the Synagogue Church of All Nations, Lagos claimed about 116 lives; The Lekki Gardens building collapse of 2015 also in Lagos claimed about 32 lives while the casualty figure of the church building collapse of December 10, 2016 at the Reigner’s Church, Uyo is yet to be ascertained.

This is not mentioning the casualty figures of the Abeokuta Market collapse in Ogun State, the Tertiary Institutions buildings collapse at Oko in Awka, Anambra State and Wudil in Kano State.

“We commiserate with the families of the departed souls and we express our sadness over these avoidable accidents even as we are saddled yet again with investigating the root causes and what should be done to prevent a reoccurrence.”

What to do...

There have been studies, said the President of NIStructE. “Our findings from the many investigations carried out so far on the collapse of these buildings indicate that we all have a role to play in controlling and reducing the incidences of building collapse to an acceptable level.”

According to him, the principal actors in the initiation and execution to completion of a building project are the client, the building professionals, including the contractor, the government and the general public.

There are solutions in the short, medium and long term, he said, insisting that “the President should declare a state of emergency in the building industry and order a Presidential Summit as a matter of urgency to discuss the collapse of building structures and how to mitigate it.”

The practice of consultancy, construction and maintenance works on buildings, he said should be restricted to the registered professionals in the relevant field of Building works as same is being displayed in other noble professions

Minister of Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola at the site of a collapsed building in Abuja... recently

like medicine, Law, Accountancy etc.

Fadayomi said, “For structural engineering in particular, there should be a legislation that would give charter to the Nigerian Institution of Structural Engineers and forbid engineers that have not been admitted into the Institution from working on structural engineering projects in Nigeria.

“In light of the experience of the Reigner’s church collapse, any uncompleted building should not be put to use until a certificate of fitness for its habitation signed by a structural engineer is obtained.

“Only registered members of the Institution should be entrusted to structural engineering design and construction supervision.”

He said as part of the design process, it should be mandatory for sub-soil investigation to be carried out on all building sites except for simple structures. There must be zero tolerance to kick-backs and corruption in the award of contracts for building projects, he said and that clients should be diligent in their choice of contractors and avoid giving the construction to unqualified and incompetent hands. He said “It should be mandatory during the construction of the building for a structural engineer to supervise the construction to ensure that the work is done to design and specifications and that all quality control measures are adhered to.

“All types of building designs from outside the country must be counter-signed as meeting our local conditions and specifications by a Nigerian Structural Engineer who then assumes responsibility for its adequacy and safety.”

He said some aspects of the current Nigerian

building code were not safe to apply to engineering structures. “It should therefore be reviewed urgently before being passed into law for general use.

“Some Private Developers do not engage the services of Corporate Structural Engineers to prepare their Design Calculations, Drawings and Specifications. To eliminate quackery, all drawings for approval should carry the NIStructE stamp of the designer alongside the COREN stamp.

“Activities of Developers must be regulated by government. The States should be advised to establish Building Control Agencies and make Regulations to control the building industry in their states.

“Quality control laboratories should be established in many Local Government Areas to test the quality of materials used in construction. The Universities, Technical Colleges and Trade Centers should be well equipped to enable the graduates acquire a sound knowledge of the profession.

“In view of the gravity of the responsibilities of the Corporate Structural Engineer, he should be mandated to provide Professional Indemnity Insurance Cover from a reputable Insurance Company for his projects.”

He said when the building is completed, there should be no conversion of use or change of use without recourse to the structural engineer for advice and a development permit approval. The building, after completion should be regularly maintained to prevent its rapid deterioration.

The structural integrity assessment of the building should be carried out by a structural

engineer every five years, he said and that “if a building should collapse, the site should be cordoned off immediately and rescue operation carried out in a controlled manner to preserve the evidences that investigators would need to ascertain the causes of the failure.

“Finally after investigation, the culprits should be prosecuted and punished in accordance with the law to serve as a deterrent to others.

“I am of the firm belief that if we all live up to our responsibilities and the laws are judiciously applied; the incidences of building collapse would be greatly minimized.”

He identified and assigned roles to the client, saying the client could be a private individual, a religious organization, a private firm or government and that the purpose of the structure could be residential, worship, educational, recreational or commercial.

“The client should diligently appoint his Structural Engineer who would in turn wisely advise him on the choice of his Geotechnical Engineer. Where the choice of the Structural Engineer is compromised as is the case when quacks are engaged, the collapse of the building could be imminent.

“Where the client fails to heed the advice of the professionals in the choice of a competent Building Contractor and chose to award to a contractor adjudged not competent enough, the building stood the risk of a collapse.

The construction would most likely not be done to specifications, follow safe and good practices in construction procedure and inferior materials might be purchased for the works in an attempt to cut corners.”

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016

PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT

FIABCI to Honour Drivers of Growth in Real Estate Industry Bennett Oghifo The Nigerian chapter of the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) has plans to honour and promote individuals and institutions it has determined as drivers of growth in the sector.

The federation, which is the most representative real estate organization in the world, hopes that this plan, which is an integral part of its Annual Award and Business Dinner 2017, would help motivate the domestic real estate space, adding that the award would also help to drive excellence, encourage creativity and promote good business environment.

“This is an annual event through which we provide insights on real estate and contribute to national economic space”, explained Joseph Akhigbe, president, FIABCI Nigeria, who spoke at a press conference addressed by the federation in Lagos, recently.

Akhigbe informed that the theme of this year’s Award and Dinner is ‘Real Estate: It is All About the Economy’, and listed the five various categories of awards slated for this year as Finance (Most Effective Real Estate Financier), Architecture and Design, Public Private Partnership,

Real Estate Journalist, and Developer/Urban Planning.

As a worldwide real estate organization, FIABCI membership cuts across all segments of real estate industry including commercial, residential, retail, commercial office and industrial space.

It has members in 65 countries including 100 professional associations, 65 academic institutions and 3,000 individual members.

“FIABCI is the most representative organization of the real estate industry in the world and holds special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSCOC) of the United Nations”, Akhigbe informed, assuring that the forth-coming annual dinner would provoke thoughts on both the economy and the real estate sector.

Babatunde Fashola, Nigeria’s Minister for Power, Works and Housing is expected at the Dinner as the special guest of honour while Doyin Salami, a teacher at the Lagos Business School and a member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will be the guest speaker.

In several ways, the local chapter of the federation gets involved in international

Female Parliamentarians Across Africa Discuss new Policies on Property Rights The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Women in Parliaments Global Forum (WIP) convened female Parliamentarians from 12 African countries in Nairobi, Kenya, to share perspectives on strategies for female MPs to promote legal reforms which ensure that women’s property rights are included in all African legal frameworks.

The meeting provided an occasion to discuss and address the current African property rights landscape with special attention given to the role of MPs in advancing property and inheritance laws for women across Africa.

The major recommendations from the meeting were, among others: Ensuring the Harmonization of laws and reviewing and repealing discriminatory laws, by working on amending, passing or repealing necessary laws.

Lack of staffing was identified as a major constraints and MPs requested the support of the Bank to develop capacity building program on research; analysis and training on the content of current laws and the types of reforms that would be considered best practices; Funding legislation on women and agriculture at the regional and national level; and Promotion of better data collection through relevant ministries and ensure that Governments collect systemic sex-disaggregated data, particularly related to land and property rights. The meeting underscored the need for the African Development Bank to support collection of gender specific data.

Others are highlighting

specific gender targets in Ministry of agriculture strategy; Financing entrepreneurship in Agriculture; Zimbabwe is establishing a women’s bank and wants AfDB’s support in making sure it is a success; MPs identified the need to mechanize agriculture so that women can do a better job of feeding their families and realizing better yields; Information sharing and sensitization; Access to Justice/ Legal aid: When women’s rights are violated, they are too poor and don’t have the means to go through extended litigation.

MPs should fight for legal aid provisions through the parliament. Other support networks of women lawyers should be explored and capacitated.

The Bank and WIP will carefully consider the points raised and identify that will inform an action plan that will be ready

by January 2017. The outcome of the meeting in Nairobi will lead up to the discussion during the WIP Global Summit 2017.

Members of the WIP Council on Economic Empowerment from all regions of the world are expected to attend this high-level Summit.

This event was the first meeting of the WIP Council on Economic Empowerment and brought together active female Parliamentarians from the WIP network in Africa, academia and other research institutions, government officials, business leaders and members of CSOs to discuss and provide innovative solutions to the challenges related to women’s property rights, in order to achieve women’s economic development.

economic and social engagements which it localizes for the real estate sector and the beneficiaries of real estate assets.

Chudi Ubosi, the federation’s Africa president,

recalled at the press conference that, earlier this year, the federation launched a campaign on moderatelypriced or affordable housing for which it sought private sector interests to partner with

in order to proffer solution to the problems associated with the delivery of such houses.

The Nigeria chapter is highly involved in this campaign, having endorsed the federation’s slogan—‘The City

We Need is Affordable’—and also being among a distinguished panel at the recently concluded MIPIM Conference where they discussed and shared experiences of urban policy and housing delivery.

Managing Director, KnightStone Properties Ltd., Adeniyi Adams (third right); Vice President, Addax Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited, Addax Coop, Dennis Odogun (middle); and other stakeholders at the KnightStone Addax Coop official ground breaking ceremony in Lagos... recently

UN Biodiversity Conference in Mexico Results in Significant Commitments Governments agreed on actions that will accelerate implementation of global biodiversity targets, and enhance the linkage of the biodiversity agenda with other global agendas including the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Climate Agreement and others. Governments from 167 countries agreed on a variety of measures that will intensify the implementation of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, including mainstreaming, capacity-development and mobilization of financial resources as well as actions on specific themes including protected areas, ecosystem restoration, sustainable wildlife management and others.

Governments followed through on the commitments in the Cancun Declaration made by ministers at the highlevel segment of the meeting that took place on 2 and 3 December 2016. Parties agreed to advance mainstreaming biodiversity, the main theme of the meeting proposed by the Government of Mexico and use an integrated approach that would promote not only cross-sectoral linkages, but also linkages between efforts to implement national biodiversity strategies and action plans and Sustainable Development Goal strategies and plans.

“Governments demonstrated their commitment to achieving the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, and showed that the biodiversity agenda is central and essential to the global sustainable development and climate change agendas,” said Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

He also said: “With the integration of three meetings addressing the Convention and its two Protocols, the world community also realized the importance of the Cartagena

Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit Sharing in effectively contributing to the Targets and sustainable development” “We received impressive commitments from governments, including excellent ones from the government of Mexico, in support of many of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets which gives us the momentum we need to achieve our goals by 2020.”

“The agenda of mainstreaming biodiversity provided Mexico with the momentum to conclude agreements which had eluded us for decades, such as the alignment of agricultural subsidies to preserve forests, or the protection of a vast proportion of our seas,” said Rafael Pacchiano Alamán, Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources of Mexico.

“For the next two years, Mexico will work with countries to translate the principles of the Cancun Declaration into legislation, policies and actions to meet the commitments we made.”

“We applaud and support the global community’s commitment made during this COP to integrate biodiversity considerations into the activities of other critical sectors of our economies: agriculture, fisheries, forestry, and tourism; and value it’s natural capital for sustainable development, as expressed in the Cancun Declaration” said Naoko Ishii, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Environment Facility.

“The GEF, as the financial mechanism of the convention, is proud to have been confirmed in its critical role to support countries to meet their commitments under the Convention and its Protocols.

We also feel encouraged by the strong support of many donor and recipient countries to maintain consistency with

our current biodiversity programming strategy with integrated approaches in response to the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, while seeking out new innovative and creating financing opportunities” she said” Capacity-building The Parties agreed on an action plan (2017-2020) that

will enhance and support capacity-building for the implementation of the Convention and its Protocols based on the needs of Parties with a focus on strengthening the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and its Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

COP22 Characterized by Significant Civil Society Mobilisation A month following the end of the 22nd session of the Conference of Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP22), the civil society pole, led by Driss El Yazami, President of the National Human Rights Council of Morocco, conducted its assessment.

By mobilizing national and international civil society actors ahead of COP22, the civil society pole ensured a significant commitment by stakeholders in the fight against climate change.

A diverse program of meetings, debates, activities, conferences and side events demonstrated the commitment of civil society organizations and non-state actors for efficient and urgent climate action.

Mobilization ahead of COP22 continues beyond COP22.

In order to prepare civil society actors for COP22, the civil society pole supported the organization of the MedCOP on Climate and 6 regional meetings in Morocco.

This regional dimension will be pursued with meetings to be organized in other regions throughout the Kingdom.

The COP22 Moroccan Presidency established the mobilization of civil society

as one of its priorities. Thus, for the first time in COP history a meeting will take place in early 2017 between the Moroccan Presidency and civil society.

The 9 constituent groups will come together to take stock on COP22 and examine the different avenues of collaboration with Morocco during its presidency. « COP22 showed remarkable mobilization among Moroccan, African and International civil society that needs to be continued.

We have to capitalize on its success and move forward.

COP22 represented a turning point in civil society mobilization » declared Mr. Driss El Yazami.

Mobilization of civil society in numbers Located in the Green Zone of the Bab Ighli site that hosted COP22 from November 7 to 18, 2016, the civil society area equaling 10 000m2, welcomed the participation of more than 300 exhibitors among 152 spaces, 680 activities, debates and conferences were organized.

In total, 60 nationalities were represented. Interested by civil society initiatives and actions, 24,000 people on average per day, with a high point of 27,000 on November 15, visited the space.

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Í°ÍľË&#x153; Í°ÍŽÍŻÍ´ Ëž T H I S D AY

Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top 50 stocks based on market fundamentals

22-Dec-16 21-Dec-16

% Change

Capitalisation

EPS

P/E

P/S

Div. Yld

Price/ Book Value

01 Dangote Cement Plc

170.04

170.04

0.00%

2,897,567,879,146.20

9.20

18.47

5.10

4.70%

3.87

02 Nigerian Breweries Plc

142.00

142.00

0.00%

1,125,932,326,096.00

4.03

35.19

3.73

2.54%

6.87

03 Guaranty Trust Bank Plc

24.66

24.80

-0.56%

725,772,879,663.84

4.90

5.03

1.81

7.18%

1.47

810.00

810.00

0.00%

642,051,564,120.00

8.81

91.92

3.72

3.58%

20.34

14.40

14.40

0.00%

452,109,510,518.40

3.91

3.69

0.95

12.50%

0.65

370.50

370.50

0.00%

205,001,470,966.50 -44.58

-8.31

2.64

4.30%

0.52

07 Ecobank Transnational Incorporated

10.88

10.88

0.00%

199,643,117,219.20

0.68

16.08

0.34

5.70%

0.32

08 Lafarge Africa Plc

41.00

40.99

0.02%

186,750,974,210.00

-9.39

-4.37

0.88

7.32%

0.92

09 United Bank for Africa Plc

4.55

4.60

-1.09%

165,071,844,765.10

1.75

2.61

0.49

13.19%

0.38

10 Access Bank Plc

5.70

5.62

1.42%

164,889,438,296.70

2.59

2.20

0.47

9.65%

0.37

11 Presco Plc

40.01

42.00

-4.74%

158,858,786,570.45

0.03

1,368.34

2.23

3.25%

3.80

12 Stanbic IBTCÂ Holdings Plc

14.21

14.21

0.00%

142,100,000,000.00

2.04

6.98

1.01

0.70%

1.21

13 Unilever Nigeria Plc

35.00

35.00

0.00%

132,415,368,750.00

0.69

50.57

1.99

0.14%

14.11

04 Nestle Nigeria Plc 05 Zenith Bank Plc 06 Seplat Petroleum Dev. Co. Ltd

14 Guinness Nig Plc

87.50

87.50

0.00%

131,765,216,450.00

-3.06

-28.61

1.28

3.66%

3.34

15 FBN Holdings Plc

3.50

3.40

2.94%

125,633,524,772.00

0.21

16.87

0.24

4.29%

0.20

94.22

85.47

10.24%

122,719,769,524.66

3.31

28.50

0.80

3.66%

2.84

17 Mobil Oil Nig Plc

280.00

280.00

0.00%

100,966,673,360.00

19.32

14.49

1.11

2.57%

5.45

18 Total Nigeria Plc

277.10

277.10

0.00%

94,081,501,032.70

38.02

7.29

0.35

5.05%

4.13

19 7-Up Bottling Comp. Plc

129.00

129.00

0.00%

82,636,156,827.00

-0.05 -2,824.30

0.89

1.71%

3.72

20 Dangote Sugar ReďŹ nery Plc

6.08

6.08

0.00%

72,960,000,000.00

1.03

5.92

0.51

8.22%

1.17

21 International Breweries Plc

17.30

17.96

-3.67%

56,990,512,544.00

0.02

767.80

2.14

1.45%

5.19

4.38

4.20

4.29%

52,711,630,755.72

-3.15

-1.39

0.21

17.12%

0.33

23 Julius Berger Nig. Plc

38.58

38.58

0.00%

50,925,600,000.00

-2.95

-13.09

0.44

3.89%

2.68

24 Flour Mills Nig. Plc

18.49

18.50

-0.05%

48,522,145,587.63

-1.19

-15.50

0.12

10.82%

0.49

25 Okomu Oil Palm Plc

40.00

40.00

0.00%

38,156,400,000.00

4.82

8.29

5.80

0.25%

2.36

0.86

0.88

-2.27%

33,300,057,785.50

-0.47

-1.84

0.64

0.00%

0.45

16.41

16.41

0.00%

31,521,384,590.67

3.37

4.87

0.42

6.09%

0.42

28 Fidelity Bank Plc

0.88

0.88

0.00%

25,487,075,408.96

0.39

2.27

0.17

18.18%

0.14

29 Sterling Bank Plc

0.81

0.78

3.85%

23,320,238,682.06

0.29

2.82

0.22

11.11%

0.28

30 Custodian And Allied Insurance Plc

3.93

3.93

0.00%

23,115,726,286.35

0.76

5.15

0.63

3.56%

0.81

31 FCMB Group Plc

1.11

1.08

2.78%

21,981,008,966.91

0.61

1.81

0.13

9.01%

0.12

31.00

31.60

-1.90%

21,700,000,000.00

2.28

13.57

3.25

3.71%

12.68

33 Diamond Bank Plc

0.92

0.90

2.22%

21,307,557,850.56

-0.29

-3.13

0.10

0.00%

0.09

34 Cadbury Nigeria Plc

11.10

11.10

0.00%

20,848,042,644.00

0.50

22.23

0.74

11.71%

2.04

35 National Salt Co. Nig. Plc

7.60

7.60

0.00%

20,135,731,672.80

0.85

8.95

1.07

7.24%

2.72

36 Wema Bank Plc

0.52

0.52

0.00%

20,058,722,362.12

0.06

8.73

0.39

0.00%

0.42

15.75

15.75

0.00%

18,835,054,686.00

-2.98

-5.28

0.67

1.90%

2.14

38 Mansard Insurance Plc

1.56

1.56

0.00%

16,380,000,000.00

0.28

5.60

0.82

3.21%

0.78

39 PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc

15.00

15.00

0.00%

15,000,000,000.00

5.69

2.64

1.05

0.67%

0.40

40 Continental Reinsurance Plc

1.00

1.00

0.00%

10,372,744,312.00

0.42

2.38

0.47

12.00%

0.55

41 Honeywell Flour Mill Plc

1.23

1.29

-4.65%

9,754,143,119.34

-0.40

-3.04

0.20

13.01%

0.29

42 Skye Bank Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

6,940,150,705.00

-2.93

-0.17

0.04

60.00%

0.07

43 Unity Bank Plc

0.58

0.58

0.00%

6,779,816,006.36

-0.10

-5.66

0.10

0.00%

0.08

44 Wapic Insurance Plc

0.50

0.52

-3.85%

6,691,369,126.00

0.18

2.78

0.85

6.00%

0.41

45 Cement Co. Of North.Nig. Plc

4.63

4.42

4.75%

5,818,418,056.58

0.22

21.15

0.52

2.16%

0.54

46 Resort Savings & Loans Plc

0.50

0.50

0.00%

5,664,866,202.00

0.03

17.71

3.72

0.00%

1.94

47 AIICO Insurance Plc

0.60

0.61

-1.64%

4,158,122,688.00

0.22

2.69

0.14

8.33%

0.41

48 Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc

2.44

2.33

4.72%

3,963,093,750.00

0.15

16.15

0.49

8.20%

0.66

49 UACN Property Development Co. Limited

2.28

2.18

4.59%

3,918,749,988.60

0.30

7.62

0.93

30.70%

0.11

50 Fidson Healthcare Plc

1.23

1.24

-0.81%

1,845,000,000.00

0.24

5.23

0.28

4.07%

0.29

16 Forte Oil Plc.

22 Oando Plc

26 Transnational Corporation Of Nigeria Plc 27 U A C NÂ Plc

32 Cap Plc

37 Glaxo Smithkline Consumer Nig. Plc

TOTAL

8,555,131,366,065.91

TOTAL MARKET CAP

9,114,184,778,594.66

% OF MARKET CAP Annotation - MA* = Simple Moving Average

93.87%

Table 1 Market Statistics Mkt Indicators

NSE All Share Index NSE Market Cap (N'Trillion)

Open 21-Dec-16

Close 22-Dec-16

Change %

26,418.11 9.09

26,464.82 9.11

0.18 0.18

109.82 8.55

109.88 8.56

0.05 0.05

Thisday BGL 50 Index Thisday BGL 50 Market Cap (N'Trillion)

Table 3 Top 5 Gainers Stock

Open Close Change 21-Dec-16 22-Dec-16 %

Forte Oil Plc. Cement Co. Of North.Nig. Plc Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc UACN Property Development Co. Limited Oando Plc

85.47 4.42 2.33

94.22 4.63 2.44

10.24 4.75 4.72

2.18

2.28

4.59

4.20

4.38

4.29

Table 4 Top 5 Losers Stock

Open Close Change 21-Dec-16 22-Dec-16 %

Presco Plc Honeywell Flour Mill Plc Wapic Insurance Plc International Breweries Plc Transnational Corporation Of Nigeria Plc

42.00 1.29 0.52 17.96 0.88

40.01 1.23 0.50 17.30 0.86

-4.74 -4.65 -3.85 -3.67 -2.27

Market gains by 0.18% to halt a 3-day losing streak Market pulse on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) today â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Thursday, December 22nd, 2016 ends on a positive note as stock market closed green. This was further highlighted by positive performance from the Oil & Gas subsectors: while other NSE Subsectorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; index closed negative: Banking, consumer Goods and Insurance. Trading activities decreased in volume as 188.68 million shares worth of N1.39 billion in 3,161 deals exchanged hands today. This is a decrease from the 421.18 million shares worth of N10.08 billion in 3,937 deals which exchanged hands on Wednesday. Topping in volume terms were Diamond Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Plc and FBN Holdings Plc, while Unilever Nigeria Plc and Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc ended trading as the most active stocks in value terms.

The All Share Index (NSEASI) closed positive with 0.18% (+46.71) increase to close at 26,464.82 from 26,418.11 the previous trading day. Market Capitalization appreciated in tandem to N9.11 trillion from N9.09 trillion of prior trading day. Similarly, the Thisday BGL 50 Index followed suit with an increase of 0.05% to close at 109.88 from 109.82 recorded at the end of the previous trading day, while its market capitalization stood at N8.56 trillion from N8.55 trillion of the previous trading day.

A total number of 18 stocks gained on the bourse today while 13 stocks declined, leaving 68 stocks unchanged. Forte Oil Plc emerged as the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s toast of investors as it topped the Thisday BGL 50 Index gainersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; list with a gain of 10.24% to close at N94.22 per share. It was followed by CCNN Plc with a gain of 4.75% to close at N4.63 per share. Others on the gainers list include: Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc, UACN Property Development Co. Limited and Oando Plc; while on the declinersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; list, Presco Plc emerge with a loss of 4.74% to close at N40.01 per share. It was followed by Honeywell Flour Mill Plc with a loss of 4.65% to close at N1.23 per share. Others on the decliners list include: Wapic Insurance Plc, International Breweries Plc and Transnational Corporation Of Nigeria Plc. REQUIRED DISCLOSURE This report has been prepared by BGL Plc. BGL Plc does and seeks to do business with companies covered in its research reports. As a result, the ďŹ rm may have a conďŹ&#x201A;ict of interest that could affect the objectivity of this report. Investors should use this report as one of many other factors in making their investment decisions.

For more details go to www.thisdaylive.com

39

˾ TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016

MARKET NEWS

SEC, EFCC To Collaborate on Capital Market infractions Goddy Egene The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are working on a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will provide an efficient policing of the capital market and check infractions in the market.

The Director General of SEC Mounir Gwarzo, stated when the management of SEC of visited the acting Chairman of the EFCC Ibrahim Magu in Abuja.

According to him, there has

been a close relationship between the SEC and the EFCC, noting that the Commission cannot discharge its responsibility effectively without collaborating with the anti graft agency.

He said:”We are by provision of our law mandated to protect investors on developing the market but the way our law is structured we have limitations over criminal cases and that is why in the last 10 years there has been a very great collaboration between both agencies. We hope that when the MoU becomes fully operational it will assist in reducing market

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

infractions to the barest minimum.”

Gwarzo said the collaboration with the EFCC has been of tremendous benefit to the SEC especially in areas of investigation and enforcement adding that effective policing of the market is one of the ways of retiring investor confidence.

“One of our agenda is to bring back the retail investors to the market and there is no way they will agree to return if they are not sure of the safety of their investments,”Gwarzo said.

In his remarks, Magu expressed delight that the

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 22-Dec-2016, unless otherwise stated.

collaboration between both agencies has yielded enormous benefit for the growth of the capital market adding that his agency will continue to provide assistance where required.

Magu said the EFCC has been instrumental in investigating several cases of fraud in the capital market and recovered funds which were returned to investors and assured the SEC of the agency’s continued support.

The commission recently announced its collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of World Bank Group to strengthen

market integrity with a standardised Corporate Governance Scorecard (CGS) for public companies.

The CGS will identify strong performers through enhanced disclosure, strengthen investor confidence and encourage foreign investments in the country.

CGS are quantitative tools used to measure the level of observance of a code or standard of corporate governance. The scorecard was developed using indicators from the SEC code of corporate governance and will assess individual, sectorial and market-wide level of compliance with standards of best practices.

In 2014 IFC and SEC partnered to develop the Nigerian CGS, which was launched in November 2015. Following the launch, both institutions have jointly trained various stakeholders to prepare for implementation.

These stakeholders include: Chief Finance Officers, Company Secretaries, Audit Committee and Board Chairpersons. The training sessions generated awareness for the new disclosure requirements of SEC. These disclosures will be used annually to assess corporate governance practices of listed companies in the country.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 1 270 1680 Fund Name Bid Price Afrinvest Equity Fund 125.28 Nigeria International Debt Fund 221.80 ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.69 AIICO CAPITAL LTD Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price AIICO Money Market Fund ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name ARM Aggressive Growth Fund ARM Discovery Fund ARM Ethical Fund ARM Money Market Fund AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund AXA Mansard Money Market Fund CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Nigeria Global Investment Fund Paramount Equity Fund Women's Investment Fund FBN CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fbnquest.com; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name FBN Fixed Income Fund FBN Heritage Fund FBN Money Market Fund FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund FIRST CITY ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Legacy Equity Fund Legacy Short Maturity (NGN) Fund FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Coral Growth Fund

100.00

aaml@afrinvest.com Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 126.31 15.02% 223.21 10.83% info@acapng.com Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 0.70 11.93% ammf@aiicocapital.com Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

100.00

17.95%

enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Bid Price 12.33 287.71 22.35

Offer Price 12.70 296.39 23.02

Yield / T-Rtn 1.16% 2.94% 1.36%

1.00

1.00

16.80%

investmentcare@axamansard.com Bid Price 105.01

Offer Price 105.75

Yield / T-Rtn 5.38%

1.00 1.00 15.38% investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Bid Price 2.14 9.18 83.37

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 2.19 5.10% 9.42 -6.81% 85.50 2.78% invest@fbnquest.com

Bid Price 1,081.51 110.42 100.00 $104.29 $103.52

Offer Price 1,082.71 111.18 100.00 $104.53 $103.76

Yield / T-Rtn 5.49% 4.79% 14.99% 7.85% 7.08%

113.19

12.44%

111.68

fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com

LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.00 1.02 12.42% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,005.22 1,005.22 0.52% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: www.meristemwealth.com ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 9.55 9.63 -2.40% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 14.98% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.05 1.06 6.28% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 10.34 10.44 3.89% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 15.09% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 108.68 109.06 6.50% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.24 1.24 9.86% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 1,821.62 1,831.77 8.46% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 153.27 153.27 4.21% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.76 0.77 2.00% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 186.13 186.13 9.69% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 129.50 131.12 -4.30% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 17.09% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 7,512.92 7,610.62 4.51% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.14 1.15 8.20% United Capital Bond Fund 1.22 1.22 16.92% United Capital Equity Fund 0.66 0.67 -1.23% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.00% ZENITH ASSETS MANAGEMENT LTD info@zenith-funds.com Web: www.zenith-funds.com; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 9.80 9.96 2.61% Zenith Ethical Fund 11.10 11.20 -3.09% Zenith Income Fund 17.10 17.10 6.56%

REITS Bid Price 0.91 2.56

Bid Price 2,182.13

Coral Income Fund 2,098.04 INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price

Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn 0.93 1.10% 2.56 10.11% coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Offer Price 2,206.76

Yield / T-Rtn 0.30%

2,098.04 10.89% enquiries@investment-one.com Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund

1.00

1.00

15.86%

Vantage Balanced Fund

1.67

1.69

2.45%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.58 123.32

3.99% 6.44%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

8.75 75.43

8.85 76.86

-8.62% -9.36%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

2.70 6.96 12.07 15.61 127.80

2.74 7.04 12.17 15.81 129.80

18.03% 8.86% -2.62% -18.64% -

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

40

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016 Ëž T H I S D AY

NEWS

Ă?ĂĄĂ? Ă&#x17D;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x17E;Ă&#x2122;Ă&#x153; Davidson Iriekpen Ă&#x2014;Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2013; davidson.iriekpen@thisdaylive.com, 08111813081

Babangida Hails Recapture of Sambisa Forest from BokoinHaram Borno FG hail gallant troops, opens key roads

Olawale Ajimotokan Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x152;Ă&#x;Ă&#x201D;Ă&#x2039; Ă&#x2039;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x17D; Laleye Dipo Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2039; Former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), has hailed the recapture of Sambisa forest from the Islamic militant group, Boko Haram, saying the achievement has shown the capability and professional competence of officers and men of the Nigerian military.

This came as the federal government, in the spirit of the yuletide, yesterday congratulated the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;gallantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; troops of the Nigerian military for routing out the Boko Haram terrorist group from Sambisa forest and restoring security in the North-east, a development that fast-tracked the re-opening of two strategic roads in Borno State on Christmas day.

Babangida, in a statement made available to the media in Minna yesterday, said the achievement has also gone a long way to reinforce the confidence of the people in the armed forces.

According to him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is a sign of relief that the military has finally smoked out Boko Haram terrorists from their notorious enclave in the Sambisa Forest.â&#x20AC;?

Babangida also saluted the courage and determination of President Muhammadu Buhari, army chiefs as well as armed men and women and other security personnel for their sacrifice to painfully liberate Sambisa Forest and adjoining areas of Boko Haram. â&#x20AC;&#x153;May I rejoice with the government and Nigerians on the successful dislodgment of Boko Haram terrorists from their base in Sambisa,â&#x20AC;? he stated.

The former military leader expressed the hope that with the successful liberation of

Sambisa forest, â&#x20AC;&#x153;very soon, the remaining Chibok girls would be located and reunited with their families.â&#x20AC;?

He reaffirmed his earlier stand that â&#x20AC;&#x153;President Buhari and the military are capable of crushing any aggression on any part of the country.â&#x20AC;?

Babangida paid tribute to all the fallen heroes for paying the supreme price in their efforts to keep the country safe from aggressors, saying: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Labour of our heroes past shall never been in vain.â&#x20AC;?

He advised the military to unveil a new strategy that would lead to the defeat of pockets of terrorists, bandits and cattle rustlers all over the country.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, in a statement issued yesterday, appealed to Nigerians for continued support for the troops as they clear the remnants of the terrorists now on the run.

Mohammed also called for increased vigilance by Nigerians, warning that some of the Boko Haram escapees would seek to integrate themselves into communities. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;We urge Nigerians to keep our gallant and victorious troops in their prayers, and to also imbibe the mantra of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;if you see something, say somethingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as a way of ensuring that no escaped terrorist is able to wreak havoc in their communities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is also important to know that now that they have been dispossessed of their fortress, the Boko Haram escapees will intensify their cowardly attacks on vulnerable targets if only to maintain an illusion of terror.

But there should be no panic because the worst is over,â&#x20AC;?

Mohammed said.

While commending the military for re-opening the

Yola, Calabar Bound Passengers Stranded, as NIMET Predicts Hazy Weather Dele Ogbodo Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x152;Ă&#x;Ă&#x201D;Ă&#x2039; It was a chaotic situation yesterday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA) Abuja as intended passengers to North-east, North-west and South-east regions were stranded at the airport. Â Speaking with THISDAY on telephone, the Director General of the Nigerian Meteological Agency (NIMET), Mr. Anthony Anuforom, said there was likelihood of poor visibility because of fresh uptake of dust from the Sahara heading towards the country.

He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;From the weather report and information at my disposal just three hours ago, showed that there is fresh uptake of dust which may continue in the days to come and no doubt this will give rise

poor visibility.â&#x20AC;?

THISDAY checks at the airport revealed that passengers to Maiduguri, Owerri, Yola and Calabar might worsen the already chaotic passenger traffic at the airport.

An aviation staff at the terminal who spoke on condition of anonymity, said already, boarded Air Peace passengers to Yola had to disembark because of what the pilot attributed to poor visibility in the North-east region.

However, our source could not offer reason for the inability of Med-View Airline to fly. Ariel Air, he said, made one flight schedule to Lagos.

As at the time of this report, some frustrated passengers to Calabar, Owerri and other Southeastern environs were seen heading back home.

Maiduguri-Gubio-Damasak road and the MaiduguriMungono-Baga road, which linked Nigeria with neighbouring countries, the minister hailed the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, for his unwavering support for the military and his administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s determination to quickly restore normalcy across the state.

According to him, it was in recognition and celebration of

the gallantry of the military that he decided to lead a contingent of local and international media to join the Minister of Defence, Brig-Gen Mansur Dan Ali (rtd); the Service Chiefs and Shettima at the opening of the two strategic roads yesterday.

But the planned trip to Maiduguri was botched as the delegation could not depart Abuja due to bad weather after several hours of waiting at the

airport. The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, accompanied by top military chiefs, re-opened the two arterial roads which were closed due to the activities of the terrorists in the area.

The Maiduguri-GubioDamasak road and the Maiduguri-Mungono-Baga road are of strategic importance to the economy of the Lake Chad region.

Mohammed commended the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari for providing the much-needed impetus for the militaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s victory in the North-east region, and urged Nigerians to continue to give their unalloyed support to the president in his untiring efforts to restore peace and security across the country and also revamp the economy.

SPECIAL GUESTS L-R: Governors Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara); Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto) and Abubakar Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), during the Christmas celebration in Uyo...Sunday

Power: Afam Genco, Eko Disco Fined N66.6m by NERCÂ Chineme Okafor Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x152;Ă&#x;Ă&#x201D;Ă&#x2039;Ëż

moratorium, and that it may subsequently consider further For failing to submit their disciplinary action against the audited financial reports erring electric power firms. for the years 2013 and 2014, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Failure by both companies Afam Power Plant Plc and to file their audited financial Eko Electricity Distribution reports as and when due, Company (EKEDC) have been according to Directives 162 and fined N66.6 million by the 163 violate Section 63 (1) of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s electricity regulator, Electric Power Sector Reform the Nigerian Electricity Act 2005; Conditions 4 (1) and Regulatory Commission 6 of their respective electricity (NERC). generation and distribution A statement from the NERC licences. yesterday in Abuja stated that NERC equally stated that Directives 162 and 163 of the both companies defied several commission found Afam Power overtures and reminders sent and Eko Disco in breach of to them to file their audited their licencing terms and other financial reports for the periods operating conditions when they under review. failed to either file, or filed late Akah however said in their audited financial reports. the statement that: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The It said Afam Power was commission would do whatever fined N18.5 million for the is required to ensure discipline offence, while Eko Disco was in the Nigerian Electricity Supply fined about N48 million.

Industry (NESI).â&#x20AC;? Both directives were signed â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is only when stakeholders by the acting Chairman of endeavour to play by the rules that NERC, Dr. Anthony Akah and we can begin to reap maximum the General Manager, Legal, benefits of the privatisation in the Licencing and Environment, sector,â&#x20AC;? he added. Mrs. Olufunke Dinneh. He further stated: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We expect NERC said the companies the operators to act in good were expected to pay their fines faith and in line with the within two weeks beginning industry rules, standards and from December 9, 2016, when conditions for their licences the directives were signed. as the Commission will not It stated that the fines would compromise on international attract five per cent interest best practices. daily after the two weeks â&#x20AC;&#x153;Customers are also expected

to fulfil their obligations to their service providers by paying their bills and not to engage in electricity theft.â&#x20AC;?

Akah stated that all fines received by the gommission as

a result of regulatory sanctions are to be transferred to Rural Electrification Fund in line with the provision of the Electric Power Sector Reform (EPSR) Act 2005.

Abdulmumin to Buhari: Resign If You Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Resist Blackmail Says president is appearing weak A former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Jibrin Abdulmumin has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to â&#x20AC;&#x153;give up his presidencyâ&#x20AC;? if he cannot resist blackmail.

Abdulmumin said Buhari is acting as if he has to beg some â&#x20AC;&#x153;political overlordsâ&#x20AC;? before he would be allowed to do his job.

In series of tweets yesterday, the lawmaker said the president cannot be effective while in hostage.

He alleged that Buhari was playing into the hands of those who do not mean well for him and his government.

The tweets read: â&#x20AC;&#x153;A President must repel blackmail with all his arsenals or give up the presidency. You cannot be an effective president while in hostage!â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mr. President, you are

playing into the hands of people who do not believe in you and your govt. You will come back to these tweets in 18 months. â&#x20AC;&#x153; Such political stability and harmony that compels you to turn away your face where you shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t is useless to our country! â&#x20AC;&#x153;So why is the president appearing weak...as if he has to beg some political overlords to do his work in the name of political stability? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mr. President, all your life, you conducted yourself in such a way and manner that immunes you from blackmail which solidified your strength. â&#x20AC;&#x153;However, high stakes are or necessity of the usual exaggerated political expediency a president must refuse to be boxed or blackmail.â&#x20AC;?

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016 ˾ T H I S D AY

41

NEWSXTRA

Compel Buhari to Make Onnoghen Substantive CJN, Lawyer Tells Court Akinwale Akintunde A Federal High Court in Abuja has been urged to compel President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint the current acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Nkanu Onnoghen, as the substantive CJN. A Lagos-based lawyer, Chief Malcolm Omirhobo, in the suit filed against the president, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC), is also praying court

to compel Buhari to transmit a letter to the Senate for Onnoghen’s consideration and confirmation He urged the court to declare that Onnoghen’s appointment in acting capacity by the president is “an aberration, a violation of the principle of separation of powers, an affront and erosion on the independence of the Nigerian judiciary, an abuse of constitutional powers, illegal and unlawful.”

Also joined as defendants in the suit brought pursuant

Tambuwal: Nigerians Must Work to Consolidate Unity Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has urged Nigerians to redouble their efforts by bridging gaps in the country, saying what unites the people is more important than things that divide them.

Speaking in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital at the weekend when he joined two other northern governors to take part in activities to commemorate this year’s Christmas, Tambuwal said Nigeria’s diversity is a source of strength which should be cherished and nurtured for the benefit of the people.

The other governors on the entourage were Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State and Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State.

The three joined Governor Udom Emmanuel to felicitate with him on the birth of Christ and as well commiserate with him over the recent tragedy which claimed scores of lives after a church building collapsed in Uyo early this month.

Speaking when he met with Emmanuel, Yari, who is also the Chairman of the

Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), described the tragedy as unfortunate.

He said the decision to set up an investigative panel to unravel the causes of the collapse is a right move in the right direction.

“Your Excellency’s miraculous escape from death in the sad incident, was surely one of God’s wonders.

“We at the governors’ forum received with shock, the sad news of the church’s collapse and we want to send message of solidarity to the people and government of Akwa Ibom over this unfortunate incidence. Our prayers are with those who lost loved ones, and those who sustained injuries,” Yari added.

Responding, Emmanuel thanked the visiting governors especially for choosing a holy day like the Christmas day to visit Akwa Ibom.

He described Nigerian governors as a big and important family, saying the unity exhibited by the visit would further cement the cordial relationship between Nigerias.

FG Launches Multi-lingual Contact Centres Dele Ogbodo in Abuja The Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, at the week end launched the federal government multi lingual Call Centres (GCC).

The platform, he said, is a technological enabled channel for citizens to access Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) services from any location within and outside the country.

At the launch of the project in Abuja, Shitttu said the facility would be driven by Public Private Partnership (PPP), with Galaxy Backbone and Interra-Networks providing telephony, call routing, call recording through the use of cutting edge technology.

The minister said: “The core network and backend equipment is hosted within the government data centre which can be easily linked by all MDAs on the fibre network being deployed by Galaxy Backbone.”

According to him, agents are outsourced and located within the centre of the private sector collaborators located in Abuja, Lagos and Enugu, all connected to the central infrastructure.

There will be second level mini help desk facilities within the MDAs to respond to specific requests from citizens, the minister averred.

He said the platform presents citizens and stakeholders with the avenue to obtain information on or provide feedback to government. It also provides access to services via telephony (multi-lingual agents) in Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, English and pidgin.

Shittu assured Nigerians that other local and foreign languages can also be incorporated subsequently with facilities such as email, chat and social media-Twitter and Facebook.

The minister acknowledged that the project would drive government agenda and implement policies to facilitate growth of the ICT sector while propelling Nigeria to becoming acknowledge-based country.

He said: “This programme was designed with the purpose to ensuring efficient use of government resources, designed to be robust, resilient and scalable such that various MDAs can benefit from them, without having to waste government funds replicating similar infrastructure,” he stated.

to Order 3 Rules 6, 7 and 9 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2009 are Justice Onnoghen, and the National Judicial Council (NJC).

The plaintiff who sued in his personal capacity and on behalf of the generality of Nigerians, also prayed the court to compel the president to uphold the principle of separation of powers and rule of law and restrain the president from further eroding on the independence of the Nigerian judiciary being the third arm of government.

According to the plaintiff, by virtue of Section 231(1) of the 1999 Constitution the 1st defendant (president) in exercising his powers to appoint the CJN must act on

the recommendation of the 5th defendant (NJC).

Omirhobo stated further that by virtue of Section 231(3) of the 1999 Constitution, the 1st defendant as the head of the executive arm of government cannot hand pick and and/ or choose who he wants to be the head of the judicial arm of Nigerian government.

He also wants the court to determine whether the qualification, assessment and evaluation necessary for the appointment of the CJN are the exclusive preserve of the FJSC (3rd defendant) and NJC (5th defendant)?

Among others, the plaintiff wants the court to determine: “Whether by virtue of Section

231(1) of the 1999 Constitution, the president in exercising his powers to appoint the NJC must act on the recommendation of the 5th defendant?

“Whether by virtue of Section 231(3) of the 1999 Constitution, the 1st defendant as the head of the executive arm of government can hand pick and/or choose who he wants to be the head of the judicial arm of Nigerian government?

“Whether the judicial arm of government of Nigeria is an appendage of the Nigerian executive arm of government?

“Whether the period from 13/10/2016 when the 4th defendant was recommended to the 1st defendant for the

appointment to the office of the CJN to 09/11/2016 when the outgone CJN retired was adequate time for the 1st defendant to appoint the 4th defendant and transmit same to the Senate for consideration and confirmation?

“Whether in the face of Section 231(2) of the 1999 Constitution, the preconditions for the appointment of a person to the office of a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria made by the 1st defendant on the recommendation of the 5th defendant are same as those required by Section 231(1) of the 1999 Constitution in the appointment of the CJN by the 1st defendant?”

REACHING OUT TO OTHERS

R-L: Wife of the Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun; her daughter, Anjola; and wife of the Speaker, state House of Assembly, Mrs. Oluwaseun Adekunbi, during Mrs. Amosun’s UPLIFT Christmas Food Outreach programme for residents of the state ....weekend.

Coal Deposits in Commercial Quantity Discovered in Sokoto MohammedAminuinSokoto The efforts of the federal government to diversify Nigeria’s economy has received a major boost with the discovery of coal deposit in commercial quantity Sokoto State Speaking during a capacity building workshop on Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV)s for beneficial participation of state governments in mining, jointly organised by the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and Sokoto State Ministry of Solid Minerals, Governor Aminu Tambuwal, said the discovery boosts Sokoto’s share of solid minerals awaiting exploration by the authorities.

According to him, others earlier discovered include phosphate for making fertilizer, gold, limestone, gypsum, iron ore, copper, columbite, tantalite, zinc, kaolin among others.

He said the Cement Company of Northern Nigeria (CCNN) owned by the BUA Group, had already started using the substance as a source of energy

in operating its plant.

He explained that BUA would use coal sourced from Sokoto to fuel the 40 mega watts power plant being constructed at the factory.

“The new cement plant can use both coal and LPFO (Low Pour Fuel Oil), and will source its power needs from the power plant, with the excess generated power moved to the national grid,” he said.

He described BUA’s $300 million investment in the new cement plant as the single largest private sector-led investment in Nigeria’s North-west and has the capacity of producing 1.5 million metric tonnes of cement per annum.

Tambuwal said the state government had already engaged a Chinese company to make research on the available mineral resources, determine their locations and their commercial viability in the state.

He added that the company had already presented the first phase of its findings and identified 20 varieties of solid minerals.

Ohanaeze: Nwodo is Enugu’s Choice for President General Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State yesterday explained that the choice of the former Minister of Information, Chief Nnia Nwodo, for the post of President-General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo was a collective decision by stakeholders of the state across political divide.

Ugwuanyi further explained that when he was informed that the position was zoned to Enugu State, he called a meeting of the stakeholders of the state where it was decided that it will be zoned to Nsukka.

He said the decision was based on the fact that Enugu West senatorial district had taken a shot at the post while Enugu East senatorial district is currently occupying the state leadership of the pan Igbo sociocultural organisation.

The governor who spoke at the civic reception in his honour by the people of Imilike in Udenu Local Government Area of the state in recognition of his remarkable achievements in good governance and infrastructural development, said

the stakeholders unanimously nominated Nwodo for the post after due consultation, adding that unlike in the past, the people of the state are happy with the selection process.

“The choice of Nwodo for the post of President General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo is the choice of Enugu State, not my personal choice,” Ugwuanyi said.

He thanked the people of Imilike for the honour and support, urging them to remember him in prayers for God to continue to order his steps in the right direction.

While reassuring the people of the state of his commitment to equitable development of the entire state, the governor used the opportunity to preached peace, love and togetherness.

Earlier in his sermon, the Catholic Bishop of Nsukka Diocese, Bishop Godfrey Onah, told the governor that the reception was to appreciate his good work in the community in particular and the state in general, and to also encourage him to render more selfless service to humanity.

42

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016 Ëž T H I S D AY

NEWSXTRA

Looming Strike: Resident Doctors Urge FG to Intervene The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has urged the federal government to urgently intervene in the lingering

crises in the health sector to avert an impending strike by doctors.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalled

Senate Did Not Reject the Nomination of Magu, Says Senator Laleye Dipo Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2DC;Ă&#x2039; The last may not have been heard about the purported rejection of Ibrahim Maguâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nomination by President Muhammadu Buhari as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

While some senators would want Nigerians to believe that the confirmation had been rejected by the upper chamber of the National assembly, others are crying foul. Â Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Senator David Umaru, is one of the senators saying the issue of Maguâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s confirmation has not been discussed at plenary.

Umaru yesterday in Minna stated that â&#x20AC;&#x153;the issue of Magu was never voted on in plenary.

So as far as I am concerned, Maguâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nomination was never rejected. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If somebody says it was rejected, it is probably mistake, for me, I have not voted. The senate operates by rules, and the rule is that such matter must be presented to us either by the committee or through direct interaction with the members in plenary, but none of this has happened.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The issue of Magu was discussed only in the executive session of the Senate; it was not an issue discussed at plenary so anything done in the executive session is not the same thing that is done in plenary. So as far as I am concerned, on the issue of Magu, the consideration of his nomination was never considered by the Senate.â&#x20AC;?

Umaru who represents Niger East senatorial district in the Senate disclosed that the matter had been referred to the presidency to â&#x20AC;&#x153;do due diligence because of the conflicting reports from the Department of State Services (DSS) on the matter.â&#x20AC;?

On the issue of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the federal lawmaker said due process was followed to arrive at the decision taken. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The SGF case was a work done by the committee and was presented to the Senate. It was the decision of the majority based on the resolution passed.â&#x20AC;?

Senator Umaru also described as untrue the claim that the Senate was working against President Muhammadu Buhari.

that NARD had issued a three-week strike notice that is expected to end onJanuary 2, 2017.

The Public Relations Officer of the association, Ugoeze Asinobi, said yesterday in Yenagoa that the doctors had shelved the planned strike three times in the past four months and were bent on going on strike from January 2.

Resident doctors are agitating for a uniform template for the Residency Programme, infrastructure for tertiary health facilities, proper grading of doctors and payment of outstanding salaries amongst other issues â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want strikes but we are going to have to resort to it again, the

residency programme is fundamental to effective healthy care given the dearth of manpower as the country has less than 20 per cent of required experts. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Each time the ultimatum expires, we shift it in the hope that things will be made right within the time given but it is now obvious the ministry officials are insincere. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The issues we go on strike for are always the same issues and we are resolute to withdraw services come January 2 if our concerns are not addressed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One wonders if health ministry officials are sabotaging the efforts of President Buhari on

purpose as their brazen and blatant disregard for the most basic institutional needs of the major workhorses of the health sector leaves a lot to be desired. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Their attitude leaves one bewildered as sabotage appears to be the only logical explanation,â&#x20AC;? Mr. Asinobi said.

He alleged that officials of Federal Ministry of Health were playing politics with the lives of Nigerians and accused them of being insensitive and disconnected from the realities the masses are facing in their daily lives.

Asinobi said NARD frowned at the wastage in building new primary health centres rather than

rehabilitating, equipping and staffing existing ones with requisite manpower.

The NARD spokesman explained that resident doctors had always embraced dialogue and discussions in finding lasting peace, but regretted that their commitment to peace and industrial harmony was yet to be reciprocated.

He said the present executive of NARD remains committed to ending the myriad of problems adversely affecting the welfare of resident doctors.

He appealed to the federal government to wade into the industrial dispute in the overall interest of Nigerians

Ambode:Â I Became Governor by Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grace, Hardwork Gboyega Akinsanmi Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday disclosed that he became the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chief executive officer through the grace of God and hardwork, thus urging the youths to imbibe the habit of hardwork. Â Ambode also urged the youths in the state to continue to embrace peace and shun violence, noting that sustainable development would only be achieved in an atmosphere of peace, order and stability.

He gave the advice in Epe during the ongoing One Lagos Fiesta, an annual end-of-the-year revue organised by the state government to showcase the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tourism potential and engage the youths meaningfully.

At the fiesta, Ambode told the youths that he became the Chief Executive Officer of Lagos State through the grace of God and hardwork, assuring that as government, his administration would continue â&#x20AC;&#x153;to create the enabling environment for the youths to aspire to be who they want to be. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We believe so much in all of you. We know that you are our future. Like most of you, I started from here. By the grace of God today, I am your governor and so there will be many more governors from this crowd. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But if you want to be a

President; if you want to be a Governor; if you want to a Doctor or you want to be a lawyer and so on, you must now work hard and trust more in God. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So, even when you work hard, our duty, as government, is to provide the enabling environment for all of you and so we are going to create more jobs for our youths and also we will create more facilities so that you can crave on your talents to become more creative.â&#x20AC;?

He, also, urged the youths in the state on the need to embrace hardwork, saying such was important â&#x20AC;&#x153;to be successful in life.

It is important for the young ones to cultivate the habit of working hard. This will go a long way in making them to achieve their dreams.â&#x20AC;? The governor said the state government â&#x20AC;&#x153;has already created the Employment Trust Fund (ETF) as a means of helping the youths to achieve their dreams. I advise all of you to take advantage of the Fund. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Those of you who are out of school or are graduates now and you do not have jobs, the ETF is available for all of you. Between now and November next year, we are providing an Arts Theatre in Epe. It is going to be a 500-seater Theatre and we will also have a modern cinema here in Epe.Â

VERY IMPORTANT GUESTS

R-L: Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara; Mrs. Mary Abioye; Bishop David Abioye; and Hon. Jonathan Gaza, at Living Faith Church, Goshen, Abuja-Keffi Road, shortly after the Christmas day service...Sunday

Call Amaechi to Order, Maeba Urges Buhari Onyebuchi Ezigbo Ă&#x201C;Ă&#x2DC; Abuja Former senator, representing Rivers South-east, Lee Maeba, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to restrain the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, from acts capable of disrupting the peace of the state.

Maeba, who spoke with THISDAY at the weekend against the background of the palpable tension that had enveloped the state since the National Assembly and House of Assembly rerun elections on December 10, 2016, said Amaechi, a former governor of the state, had persistently challenged the authority of the state governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, warning that the ministerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conduct could exacerbate violence

in the state.

The state had been in the grip of political tension since the 2015 general election, which the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dominated to the displeasure of the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains, whose party won the presidential election.

Following judicial pronouncements, several legislative seats, including three senatorial seats, 12 House of Representatives and 22 state constituencies won by the PDP were annulled and a rerun ordered by the elections petitions tribunals.

The first attempt at rerun in March was inconclusive as violence forced some elections in some constituencies to be cancelled. But the December

10 elections were marred by massive violence, leading to deaths and wanton destruction of property worth millions of naira.

Maeba accused Amaechi of promoting the violence, saying the former governor derived his audacity from his present status as a minister and with the active connivance of the security agencies, including the military, the police and Department of State Services (DSS). â&#x20AC;&#x153;I urge President Buhari to call his minister, Amaechi, who has being using the security agencies to destabilise the state, to order,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Speaking specifically on the rerun election, the former senator pointedly accused the police, the DSS and the military of colluding with the APC

to manipulate the election, alleging that the security participated actively in â&#x20AC;&#x153;snatching ballot boxes and writing illegal results in favour of the ruling party.â&#x20AC;?

He said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am disappointed that the police and the military whose duty is to maintain law and order, collaborated actively with APC members and supporters to subvert the electoral process in the state.â&#x20AC;?

He, therefore, called on the president to investigate the alleged misconduct of the security agencies, adding that in the interim, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the DSS and the Chief of Army Staff should order their officers and men to desist from aiding the APC to undermining one government of the state.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2016 ˾ T H I S D AY

43

NEWSXTRA

SON Advises Nigerians to Be Conscious Their Tyres, Urges Safe Driving Crusoe Osagie The Director-General of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mr. Osita Anthony Aboloma, has called on motorists and Nigerians in general to take additional precautions as they convey passengers to and from their different destinations in the yuletide.

Such precautions, he said, should begin with a thorough check of the status of their tyres to ensure that they fall within

the recommended standards of SON. He also urged Nigerian to ensure they comply with the recommended tyre pressure before they embark on their journeys.

Aboloma who was delivering a goodwill message for the season against the background of the Christmas and New Year celebration said the status of vehicle tyres was a strong determinant of safety behind the wheels, saying that motorists should take this into

Atiku Congratulates Dogara at 49, Praises Speaker’s Leadership Acumen Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has said the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, deserves to be celebrated for what he calls “his superb and remarkable leadership qualities and democratic passion.”

The former vice president, in a statement to mark Dogara’s 49th birthday anniversary, said he had watched the Speaker’s leadership style with keen interest and discovered that he is one of Nigeria’s most skilful politicians who has demonstrated amazing leadership qualities at such vibrant young age.

Atiku recalled that Dogara impressed him greatly by the way he handled the leadership crisis in the House when it was inaugurated by dousing tension and restoring sanity.

The Turakin Adamawa also noteed that the Speaker

demonstrated what he called “maturity, calmness, patience and finesse” to rebuild confidence and sustain unity in the House.

According to Atiku, “Dogara has proved his weight in gold and wowed even the most stubborn sceptics about his capability for the exalted responsibility.

“I am proud of what you have achieved so far in terms of sustaining unity and harmony in the House. Your performance is impressive and I would always support you in the endeavour to achieve unity not only in the House, but also in our Party, the APC. You have given me hope that, if given a chance, our youth can perform wonders.

As you savour the joy of this happy occasion, I wish you more good health, greater fulfilments and long life in the service of Nigeria and Nigerians.”

Jegede: Why I Did Not Challenge Nov 26 Election Result James Sowole ÓØ ÕßÜÏ The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 26, 2016 election in Ondo State, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), has said he decided not to challenge the result of the election in order to move forward.

Jegede in a statement he issued in Akure to felicitate with Christians for the Christmas celebration, said he decided to move on as a statesman despite the glaring conspiracy against his mandate.

He emphasised that though the outcome was not as expected, he chose to accept the result in the spirit of sportsmanship hence his congratulatory message to Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“We were in the contest, neither for self-seeking nor pettiness, but for service and value. Despite the noted and obvious infractions against our mandate, it is now time to move on. Tomorrow is another day”, he said.

He expressed, appreciation to

Governor Olusegun Mimiko, the PDP national leadership under Senator Ahmed Markafi, the Ondo State executives led

by Mr. Clement Faboyede, residents of Ondo State, lovers of democracy who had taken interest in the affairs of the state in recent times, the Nigerian judiciary, religious leaders, and opinion moulders.

“I appeal to PDP faithful to remain steadfast as we endure the trying times that might be ahead. I am confident that we will in due course bounce back to reckoning with God and the people on our side,” he said.

Jegede equally charged Christians to see Christmas beyond the annual commemoration and reflect on its lessons of love, sacrifice, sharing and redemption.

He expressed optimism that the coming year would herald good tidings for the people just as he prayed God to bless the works of their hands.

“We must learn from Christmas the imperative of love, even for adherents of other religions as this is how to promote peace and development,” Jegede advised.

consideration.

Meanwhile, the agency said it had an inventory of over N400million worth of substandard tyres awaiting destruction in its warehouses.

The destruction is to both serve as a deterrent to others, and to also forestall a situation where such products if left undestroyed could reenter the society with its obvious and staggering implications.

Aboloma, who bemoaned the fact that some motorists still take the condition of tyres with levity, added that this had resulted in a lot of avoidable road crashes leading to loss of lives and property.

The SON boss said his agency would continue to sensitise Nigerians on the propriety of double-checking the quality of products they buy, while at the same time sanctioning

those behind such substandard products.

In the case of tyres, he said common problems include, outright substandard brands, expired tyres, stuffing at the point of shipping and haulage within the country, as well as inappropriate gauging.

“We know that these are issues that could actually be contained if people were a bit more sincere and careful.

But experience has shown that there are many people, from manufacturers, to importers, vulcaniers down to drivers who do not want to do their right thing; they would rather try to cut corners, and this is the results of some of these negative incidents on the road.”

Aboloma said as the apex regulatory agency on standards, that the SON would continue its efforts in checkmating

manufacture, import or sale of substandard products, saying this was in the interest of the nation.

According to him, the impact of substandard products on the Nigerian economy is enormous, as it contributes to loss of national revenue, closure of factories, loss of jobs, and negative returns on investment.

He said the SON has put in place an aggressive sensitisation campaigns going forward, while at the same strengthening

internal mechanisms aimed at arresting the problem of substandard products in the country.

Aboloma referred to recent shuttle visits to sister agencies like the Customs and other relevant agencies at the ports and border, in the effort to synergy operations against the influx of substandard products

in the country, saying his agency would continue to explore other avenues aimed at achieving success with the campaign.

“We have already spoken about our resolve to support small and medium enterprises in the county. This would become a reality when they are saved of unhealthy completion from imported substandard products, and also once they imbibe standardisation procedures specially tailored for SMEs. It makes their products more reputable and reliable and increase demand of such products”.

He appealed to Nigerians to continue to support the SON in the discharge of its duties especially by volunteering information when and where necessary, adding that such information had been effective in detecting and arresting substandard products.

IDENTIFYING WITH HIS PEOPLE

L-R: Second Vice President of Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide, Dr. Hillary Wordu; First Vice President, Chief L.A. Amadi; Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike; Outgoing President General, Prof. Augustine W. Onyeozu; and Ochi Oha, G.A.O Omodu, at the 211th convention of the organisation in Rumuche, Rivers State....Sunday

Audit of Utility Infrastructure to Commence in January, Says LASIMRA Urges stakeholders, residents to support exercise The Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA) has said that it would commence audit of underground and over the ground utility infrastructures within the geographical boundaries of the state in January 2017 to ascertain the quality and quantum of the infrastructure and guide in proper regulation and planning.

Chief Executive Officer of LASIMRA, Mr. Babajide Odekunle, who disclosed this at a stakeholders’ forum with telecommunication service providers and others, said the audit became imperative owing to the urgent need to determine the actual telecommunication and water cables as well as gas and water pipelines under the ground and on the ground for effective planning especially with regards to development and redevelopment of the city.

Odekunle said the state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has already given approval and necessary support for commencement of the audit, while other agencies of government which will be involved in the management of effect of the exercise have been adequately sensitized on their roles.

He said the agency was very much determined to sanitize the process of erecting infrastructures within the boundaries of the State, as such would go a long way in ensuring sanity and address issues associated with non-compliance with global best practices.

He said: “It is about time we have a database of all utility infrastructures within the geographical boundaries of Lagos State. LASIMRA was set up in 2004 to monitor, manage and control utility infrastructure

within the geographical boundaries of Lagos State in the critical sectoral areas of telecommunication, power, gas and water.

“As at today, there is no record of all these things and se we need to carry out an inventory.

Some of the cables and pipelines underground are going to ten years or more. We have just been lucky so far, but the State needs to do this. If anybody should ask, how many roof towers do we have in Lagos State, nobody can say; how many towers do we have in the Greenfield, nobody can say; what is the distance or length of the fibres under the ground, nobody can say.

“So, we need to know what is where. Under the ground in this state we have gas pipes, electricity cables, water pipes, telecommunication cables and yet we cannot say on Isaac John for instance, this is what we have

under the ground and so we just need to do this audit and the time is now.

“At the end of the exercise, an as built database will become a most sought after information system that will become a guide to the future of our State,” Odekunle said.

While urging the stakeholders to cooperate with government in its bid to sanitize the sector, Odekunle said in as much as government has made adequate preparation for a hitch-free exercise, nonetheless members of the public should also cooperate with government in that regard.

In his technical presentation at the forum, Managing Director of Critical Infrastructure Services Limited, Mr. C.O Obike, said telecommunication remained very strategic to the economy and national security, and as such, all stakeholders must play by the rules.

44

TUESDAY DECEMBER 27, 2016 T H I S D AY

45

TUESDAY DECEMBER 27, 2015 ˾ T H I S D AY

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

George Michael: Tributes for Pop Superstar Tributes have poured in from across the world for singer George Michael, who has died at his home on Christmas Day at the age of 53.

Former Wham! bandmate Andrew Ridgeley said he was “heartbroken at the loss of my beloved friend”, while Sir Elton John mourned a“brilliant artist”.

PaulYoung, who performed on the Band Aid hit“Do They Know It’s Christmas?” with Michael, told the BBC his voice “cuts straight through your heart”.

Michael’s publicist said he had died peacefully at his Oxfordshire home.

His manager, Michael Lippman, said the singer had died of heart failure.

The star had “passed away peacefully”on Christmas Day in Goring-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, Michael’s publicist said in a statement.

“It is with great sadness that we can confirm our beloved son, brother and friend George passed away peacefully at home over the Christmas period,”the statement said.

“The family would ask that their privacy be respected at this difficult and emotional time.”

Scores of celebrities and fans

have taken to social media to pay tribute to the pop star.

Writing on Twitter and referring to Michael by his family nickname of “Yog”, Ridgeley said: “Me, his loved ones, his friends, the world of music, the world at large. 4ever loved. A xx” On Instagram, Sir Elton John posted a photograph of himself with Michael, writing: “I am in deep shock.

“I have lost a beloved friend - the kindest, most generous soul and a brilliant artist. My

heart goes out to his family and all of his fans.”

Madonna posted a video on social media of herself presenting Michael with an award in 1989, and wrote:“Another Great Artist leaves us.”

Robbie Williams, whose first solo single was a cover of Michael’s song Freedom, wrote: “Oh God no …I love you George …Rest In Peace x”.

Boy George wrote: “He was so loved and I hope he knew it because the sadness today

is beyond words. Devastating.

“What a beautiful voice he had and his music will live on as a testament to his talent. I can’t believe he is gone. I hope the Buddha will hold him in his arms.”

South Central Ambulance Service were called to Michael’s property at 13:42 GMT on Christmas Day. Thames Valley Police also attended and Michael was confirmed dead at the scene.

They added: “At this stage the death is being treated as

unexplained but not suspicious. A post-mortem will be undertaken in due course. “ A small heart wreath and a rose are among the tributes left outside the front door of Michael’s Goring home, a detached property by the River Thames.

Michael, who was born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou in north London, sold more than 100 million albums throughout a career spanning almost four decades.

Turkey Cafe Boss Held for Erdogan ‘Tea Insult’ The boss of a cafeteria at a Turkish opposition newspaper has been detained after saying he would refuse to serve tea to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Senol Buran, cafeteria head at Cumhuriyet, was remanded accused of insulting the president.

He denies the refusal was an insult, his lawyer said.

Turkey has cracked down on dissent since a failed coup in July.

Cumhuriyet staff have been among tens of thousands of

people detained, suspended or sacked.

The newspaper is one of few to have taken an anti-Erdogan line.

Mr Buran was on his way to work on 24 December when he found roads were closed as part of security measures for a speech being given by Mr Erdogan.

Mr Buran told police officers: “I would not serve that man a cup of tea.”

A judge at the Istanbul criminal court jailed Mr Buran pending a trial.

Insulting the president can carry a four-year jail term.

Last month, 10 Cumhuriyet staff members were jailed pending trial, suspected of giving support to Kurdish militants and the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Turkey blames for masterminding the failed coup attempt.

Its former editor-in-chief, Can

Dundar, fled to Germany this year pending appeal against a jail sentence.

Mr Erdogan’s critics have accused him of severely curtailing freedom of speech since the coup attempt, with more than 100,000 people sacked or suspended.

His supporters regard him as a strong leader who has been the driving force behind an economic boom.

46

TUESDAY, ͺͿË&#x153; ͺ͸͚͞ Ëž T H I S D AY

TUESDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

Premiership: Toure, Iheanacho Fire Man City to Second Spot Andrew Robertsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rash challenge undid 72 minutes of hard work by Hull City and allowed Yaya Toure to set Manchester City en route to a 3-0 victory yesterday.

Robertsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trip on Raheem Sterling enabled City to keep pace with impressive Premier League leaders Chelsea who defeated Bournemouth 3-0, although the early loss of England defender John Stones was a concern.

City manager Pep Guardiolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mood will have been improved when Toure struck from the spot to put the visitors ahead at the KCOM Stadium.

David Silvaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s low cross was turned in from close range by Kelechi Iheanacho for Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second goal five minutes later and Curtis Daviesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own goal with the last kick of the game ended the scoring.

Elsewhere, Pedro Rodriguez scored twice as red-hot Premier League leaders Chelsea crushed Bournemouth 3-0 to register a club-record 12th consecutive league victory.

Pedro struck either side of Eden Hazardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50th English league goal at Stamford Bridge to give Antonio Conteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side a provisional seven-point lead at the summit following the Boxing Day action. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To win 12 games in a row is not easy in this league,â&#x20AC;?

Chelsea manager Conte told the BBC. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fantastic run, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to continue that now.

In four days we have another tough game (against Stoke City) and we have to prepare very well. Because now, every team

wants to beat you.â&#x20AC;?

With Liverpool not in action until Tuesday, when they host Stoke, Pep Guardiolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Manchester City stole past them into second place.

Olivier Giroud prevented Arsenal losing more ground, his 86th-minute header snatching a 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion to keep Arsene Wengerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s side in fourth place, nine points off the pace.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored one goal and set up two more as Manchester United drew level with fifth-place Tottenham Hotspur by beating Sunderland 3-1, while champions Leicester City lost again.

Man Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comfort was disturbed on 17 minutes, however, when Stones went down with a leg injury and had to be replaced by Aleksandar Kolarov.

The adjustment did not cause any immediate problems as Toureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s through-ball set up Silva for a shot that, again, tested Marshall, the goalkeeper diving smartly to smother the long-range attempt.

Yet there was no lack of effort or belief in the opening exchanges from Hull, despite their lowly league standing.

It is apparently becoming clear to fans of English Premiership club, Chelsea that Super Eaglers Captain, John Mikel Obi, will be among the first set of players to be shipped out when the winter transfer window opens in just matter of days.

Already, a very close confidant of the Chelsea midfielder admitted at the weekend that Obi and his managerial team are currently perusing all the offers on the table with the hope of picking the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;most suitableâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of them all.  â&#x20AC;&#x153;He is not looking for a club to win more trophies again. He is looking for a club, who will give him the right money. That is the more reason the agents are now carefully studying the offers tabled by all the clubs interested in his services,â&#x20AC;? revealed the close confidant of  Mikel to Africanfootball.com. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He has achieved all what he can in football, so he needs the money now.â&#x20AC;?

Two seasons ago, Mikel demanded a salary of six million dollars tax-free a year if he were

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Eguma Admits Real Bamako Will be Tough

RESULTS Watford 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 Palace Arsenal 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 0 W B A Burnley 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 0 Middlesbrough Chelsea 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 0 Bournemouth Leicester 0 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2 Everton Man Utd 3 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 Sunderland Swansea 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4 West Ham Hull City 0 -- 3 Man City

Transfer: Mikelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chelsea Exit Imminent Femi Solaja withagencyreport

Iheanacho (2nd right) and Man City teammates celebrating the 3-0 defeat of Hull Cityâ&#x20AC;Ś yesterday

to quit Stamford Bridge.

It is already understood that Inter Milan has tabled a bigger offer than Olympique Marseille for the Nigeria skipper.

Four top Chinese clubs as well as top French club Marseille and Milan rivals Inter and AC Milan are believed to be in the hunt for the experienced midfielder.

The 29-year-old Mikel has outdone the legendary Nwankwo Kanu as the most decorated Nigeria star after he won both the UEFA Champions League and Europa League as well as two Premier League titles, four FA Cup and two League Cup winnersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; medals.

Just last summer, Mikel led Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dream Team VI to win Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only medal -a bronze, in the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Olympic football event in Rio, Brazil.

It is generally believed that Mikel is paying for the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of going to the Olympic when a new manager stepped into the saddle at Stamford Bridge. He has remained frozen out of action since the beginning of the current season.

Coach Stanley Eguma has admitted his Rivers United is in for two tough matches against AS Real Bamako of Mali in a preliminary round of the 2017 CAF Champions League.

Rivers United will travel to Bamako to face the six-time Malian champions in the first leg in February 2017, before navigating the return fixture a week later in Port Harcourt.

Eguma said the ties will represent a difficult proposition for his side as they look to make a favourable impression in their first-ever expedition into the waters of Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premiere club

competition. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I see the draw to face AS Real Bamako as an extremely tough one because they are a very big club,â&#x20AC;? he admitted. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They have a rich pedigree in CAF inter-club competitions and have a history of producing plenty of players for Maliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s senior national team. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heritage in both the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and African Championship of Nations (CHAN) defines them as a very strong footballing Nation so AS Real Bamako must be respected. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t also forget that AS Real Bamako knocked (seven-time

Toriola Begins Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;tennis Camp in Nairobi Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s table tennis legend, Segun Toriola, has started the much awaited training camp in Nairobi urging Kenyans to invest heavily on junior programmes.

Segun, the most decorated African table tennis player with seven Olympic appearances, is in Nairobi to run an end-of-year clinic to educate Kenyan coaches, national team players and top juniors.

Speaking at Oshwal Sports Centre in Nairobi, Toriola said that development of the junior category was key for any nation aspiring to play table tennis at the highest level. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Discipline and attitude go hand in hand and should be Kenyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s area of focus when preparing young players for the future; but I believe the skyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the limit.â&#x20AC;?

The crack Nigerian who secured his Rio Olympics ticket

in Khartoum last February sounded quite enthusiastic of the training camp adding that it will empower Kenyan with the requisite tennis experience.

Since 1995 Toriola has been ranked as the best Nigerian player.

He has been amongst the top table tennis players in Africa since the mid-1990s. Ranked Number 1 in Africa from 1998 to June 2008, when Egyptian Eli Saleh Ahmed became the leading African table tennis player.

However, since 2009, Toriola has again become the Number 1 in Africa.

Renowned for his unusual style of forehand play, which makes him an awkward opponent for many, Toriola has an excellent topspin, which has allowed him to pull off many upsets with top world players.

Nigerian champions), Enyimba out of this same competition in 2014.â&#x20AC;?

Eguma, a veteran of many CAF Champions League battles with former clubs Enyimba and Dolphins is however not daunted by the prospect of facing such a tough opposition.

The experienced coach explained that painstakingly detailed-pre-season preparations will put his side in fine fettle for the task at hand. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have prepared very well for this tournament and it is actually a blessing in disguise that we start meeting the stronger

sides from the early (stages of the competition),â&#x20AC;? he said â&#x20AC;&#x153;To become a champion, you must be ready to face the best. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If we must beat Real Bamako over two legs, everyone involved with the football club must be united, work hard and stay focused on the task ahead,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Rivers Unitedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first leg clash with AS Real Bamako will take hold at the Stade Mamadou KonatĂŠ in Bamako on the weekend of February 10-12 with the second leg coming up a week later at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt.

Billionaire Bet Promises Better Days for Nigerians Newly introduced online sports betting platform Billionaire Bet has promised to turn thousands of Nigerians into millionaires with its one-of-a-kind features following its announcement on Friday, 23rd of December 2016.

The announcement was made during the press conference held to unveil the platform and acquaint the general public with its offerings.

Billionaire Bet is revealed to give Nigerians higher chances of winning compared to what other competitors are offering as one loss of prediction would not preclude fans from winning.

Among its unique features is Billionaire Allawee; in which fans will stand a chance to be rewarded for their patronage and loyalty with N50, 000 monthly â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an unprecedented feat in online betting.

Another feature is the Billionaire

Shock Absorber; a feat allowing users to stand chances of winning regardless of losing one prediction.

Speaking on the introduction of Billionaire Bet to the Nigerian market, Head of Sales, Billionaire Bet, KennethAdole remarked:Â â&#x20AC;&#x153;The world of online betting is ever-evolving; making the market relatively large, with millions of Nigerians pining and determined to earn as much as they wish to. Billionaire Bet serves as a breath of fresh air; owing to its incredibly unique features that allows for higher chances of winning and a better return on stake due to the fact that they have the best odds and bonus in the industry than any other platform.

Billionaire Bet is owned by both local and foreign investors cut across directors in banks, maritime industries and CEOs of entertainment industries.Â

T H I S D AY TUESDAY DECEMBER 27, 2016

47

Tuesday December 27, 2016

TR

UT H

& RE A S O

N

Price: N250

MISSILE Kachikwu to Government ‘’There is too much reliance on oil with state governors fighting over allocations and sharing patterns. People must go back and look at the resources inherent in those areas and begin to make money for future generations. For the oil industry, I’m determined to touch anything touchable, whatever can be changed to dramatically change” The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, expressing disgust at Nigeria’s total reliance on oil for its revenue.

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI The Morning After Christmas abati1990@gmail.com

“H

ow was your Christmas Day?” “Comme ci, comme ca” “What’s that?”

“I am speaking French. You mean you don’t even understand elementary French?”

“No, I don’t. Speak English. How was Christmas?”

“Low-key. Like this, like that”.

“For me, it was a dead-end Christmas” “God forbid. May we never have a dead-end Christmas. I reject it in Jesus name.”

“If you like, summon the Holy Ghost. We have never had a Christmas like this one. On Christmas eve in Lagos, come and see people just going about, many of them aimlessly. The kind of shopping that heralds Christmas was absent. For the first time, I could see the real colour of sadness, frustration and regret on the people’s faces.”

“It depends on what part of Lagos you are talking about. If you had been in Lekki or Victoria Island, you would have seen a different colour.”

“I know. There are two countries in one: the real Nigeria and the other Nigeria, where people live in a bubble. But the bubble is beginning to burst everywhere. With the Naira now N500 to the dollar, and businesses failing everyday, the pain is spreading. It was an unusual Christmas.”

“Everywhere jus’ dry. I know some people who used to hold Christmas parties every December 25.

They just decided to postpone it till next year. But did you at least manage to eat rice and chicken?”

“Anybody that eats rice these days is very lucky indeed, with a bag of rice now N20, 000.

And you can’t even be sure it is real rice. I learnt the market was flooded with plastic rice.”

“Plastic rice? What does that taste like?”

“I guess like plastic. “ “Never heard of that. Plastic rice?”

“To be on the safe side, these days, I only eat Ofada rice. Local rice.”

“All kinds of things happen during recession.

Plastic rice. Empty pockets.”

“I know something about empty pockets, my brother. Imagine what I went through trying to get money from the ATM, two days to Christmas.

I went to about five banks, you’d think people were queuing for fuel, with everyone looking anxious.”

“I know.”

“One queue covered an entire street. When I eventually found an ATM and it was my turn, the machine just started blinking. I didn’t know when I started shouting Blood of Jesus, Blood of Jesus.”

“You should have planned ahead. I don’t know why people have to wait till the last minute before withdrawing money. Nigerians should learn to plan ahead.”

“I did. The ATMs misbehave a lot these days and they are always crowded.”

“There is no money in circulation. I hear the Central Bank is broke. The banks are just managing.”

“You have started, hen? How can the Central Bank of Nigeria be broke? For the past three weeks now, the spot price of crude oil has been over $50 per barrel. That’s some good revenue.”

“May be it is the banks that are broke then. I

Pastor Adeboye just hope nobody has taken depositors’ funds to go and invest in the MMM.” “What nonsense!”

“MMM was giving people better returns on their investments. Even bankers invested in the scheme. And now that the scheme has been frozen till January ending, there is panic everywhere. You would be surprised the kind of revelations that would come up if the profile of investors in the scheme is investigated.”

“Nigerians are always looking for quick profit, but I don’t believe that a bank will invest in MMM” “Dey there. Look at the way special prayers, night vigils and deliverance sessions are being held over this MMM thing. Some churches are holding getyour-MMM-money-back prayer sessions, and when you attend those sessions, come and see crowd! If that Ponzi scheme should crash eh, a lot of people will commit suicide.”

“One man sold his only car and invested the money in MMM.” “I know. Some people sold their houses too.”

“The MMM scheme is a comment on the Nigerian banking system. Obviously, Nigerians don’t trust the banks and their miserable deposit interest rates.”

“Tell me, did you invest in the MMM?” “No. But I almost did. I know some people who made huge profits from it. I was still contemplating putting some money down to test the waters when the alarm blew.”

“You are lucky, then.”

“I guess every investment is a risk.”

“I tried to make fun of some of my friends who invested in the MMM the other day. January 2017 has suddenly become the most important month in their lives. The way they reacted, hen. I was accused of being insensitive and sadistic. I quickly shut up”.

“So, what are your plans for the new year?”

“I have no plans yet. But I have been following what the prophets are predicting.”

“You believe those predictions? I just read them for fun. But this December, I have only read the predictions by Prophet Ayo Fayose” “Prophet Ayo Fayose. Never heard of him. Which Christian Ministry does he lead?”

“The Ayo Fayose Evangelical Church of Yahweh, Iyana Jogunomi, Ori oke Ekiti-Kete.”

“You are joking!”

“Yes, I am. But you mean you don’t know

that the Governor of Ekiti State is a prophet?.

Every year, he also makes predictions about the coming year. He has released his 2017 predictions” “Seriously, is he also among the Prophets?”

“Uhn hun. In his latest predictions, he talks about how the Holy Spirit directed him.”

“I hear, though, that he has been anointed by Daddy G.O. Pastor Adeboye.”

“Anointment comes from God. What happened is that Pastor Adeboye commended Fayose publicly for leading his people courageously and defending their interests.”

“The APC won’t like that” “Daddy G.O is not a politician.”

“But have you not heard that the Ekiti Chapter of the APC issued a statement to say that Fayose bribed Pastor Adeboye?”

“May the Holy Ghost slap the mouth of anybody who utters that blasphemy. The Bible says touch not my anointed. The Bible also says He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world. The word of God is greater than politics. “ “The way you are carrying on, the APC in Ekiti will issue another statement to say you have also been bribed by Fayose. Anyway don’t worry, they have denied the statement. But the PDP in Ekiti has also issued a statement saying the denial is an after-thought. Too much politics in that their Ekiti.”

“Forget about them. But what did the Governor predict, if I may ask? You mean, he has so much free time on his hands; he is busy making predictions. In any case, many of these predictions are somehow. Anybody can predict Nigeria’s future at anytime. It is always something like: I foresee a crisis in the Niger Delta. I foresee a change of cabinet. I foresee deaths in Nollywood. I foresee changes at the Central Bank. I foresee the emergence of a new political party…I foresee Donald Trump creating tension in the world. Three prominent traditional rulers should pray against sickness and bereavement…. Common sense.”

“Oh, oh.”

“But how come no prophet predicted that Nigerian soldiers will capture Sambisa forest and drive out the Boko Haram or that a day after, there will be suicide bombing at a cattle market in Maiduguri? “ “Suicide bombing at a cattle market? What is the target?”

“No prophet foresaw the killings in Southern Kaduna and the waste of human lives or that a white man will be arrested inside Sambisa forest. You don’t have to be a prophet to know tomorrow” “Whatever.”

“We should thank God for everything and for the joy of surviving Christmas in a season of recession. We should also thank God we are not in Saudi Arabia, but in our country, Nigeria.”

“What has Saudi Arabia got to do with Christmas?

I don’t get it.”

“It is a crime to celebrate Christmas in Saudi Arabia. This year, seven Africans – 4 Nigerians, 2 Ghanaians, and one Kenyan were arrested in Saudi Arabia for playing Christmas Carols,

they could be sent to jail for 10 years.”

“What? For playing Christmas songs?”

“I understand there is even an Islamic cleric in India, Zakir Abdul Karim Naik who told Muslim brothers and sisters not to wish Christians Merry Christmas, because it is a “big sin, worst evil, worse than fornication or murder.” What is the world turning into: A world of hate, bigotry and intolerance. Tell me it is not true. ” “It is true.”

“Sad.” “Sorry about the fire accident at Nigerian Breweries in Lagos. I know you drink beer.”

“If you want to talk about something else, do so” “I am just concerned that there are too many fire accidents taking place these days. When petrol tankers are not exploding on the highways, markets are being gutted by fire, companies and houses are going up in flames. The Lagos State Fire Service reported for example that 45 markets in Lagos had fire accidents between January and September 2016 alone.”

“The Fire Service should not moan. They need to do a lot more to educate the people about safety precautions and ensure that buildings respect the Fire Code. They also need to be better organized to deal with emergencies.”

“The Fire Service in Nigeria is poorly funded.”

“Harmattan. Dry season. The possibility of more fire accidents is high. The public should be sensitized all the same.”

“Most of the fire accidents are due to electrical faults, either faulty connections or power surge.

We need a national safety programme to prevent fire outbreaks. Every market and major company should have a fire station. There should be fire hydrants across every major city.”

“I’d just say that prevention is better than cure.”

“Who is your Man of the Year, 2016?”

“Man of the Year. Who is yours?”

“Yours first” “Let me see. I’ll choose the Nigerian Soldier.

The Nigerian soldier is practically holding Nigeria together. He is underpaid, over-used, overstretched, denied access to equipment, and money and often subjected to the harshest possible conditions. Our soldiers are involved in one operation or the other across the country, protecting the country and even doing police work. Operation Crocodile Tears, Operation Harmony, Operation Lafiya Dole, Operation Delta Safe, Operation Gama Aiki, Operation MESA, Operation Awatse, Operation Sharan Daji, Operation Maximum Security. From one region to the other, the Nigerian soldier is busy keeping Nigeria safe from kidnappers, terrorists, secessionists, oil bunkerers, cattle rustlers and extremists.”

“Our soldiers have even been sent abroad to learn cattle rearing because their next assignment includes the management of cattle ranches. I agree with you. I salute their courage.”

“And who is your own man of the year?”

“I’ll choose the average Nigerian for the resilience, the capacity and the courage to suffer and smile at the same time”.

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