SULTAN TO JONATHAN: Declare total amnesty for Boko Haram

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61832

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N150

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

I leave my husband's killers to God — Slain CP's widow — P.8

PIB splits Senators — P.9

Dr Eugene Juwah, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC (left) and Dr Hamadoun Toure, ITU Secretary General, after a meeting at the Mobile World Congress, in Barcelona.

S U LTA N T O J O N AT H A N :

Declare total amnesty for Boko Haram

BY LUKA BINNIYAT

zSays Muslims were major victims of Wukari ‘madness’ z98% of polio victims have Muslim names — Minister zHow Northern govs split Boko Haram — Pg. 9 zGunmen kill DPO, 9 others in Borno — Pg. 6 OGUN HOUSE IN ROWDY SESSION

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ADUNA — THE Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, yesterday, asked President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately grant amnesty to all members of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, as a way of encouraging them to lay down their arms.

Abubakar, who is also the President-General of Ja’matu Nasril Islam, Continues on Page 5

COLUMNISTS:

•P.17

DEAR BUNMI •P.35

ROTIMI FASAN •P.19

OGAGA IFOWODO

•P.19

Mr & Mrs

Opposition members took over the hallowed chambers of the Ogun State House of Assembly, yesterday. (INSET LEFT): The broken Mace. Photo: WUNMI AKINOLA. C M Y K

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POCKET CARTOON

of days. And praise be to God, that the Shehu of Borno is here and he will be briefing us this evening.

JNI MEETING: From right: Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Jama'atu Nasril Islam, JNI,

Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III; Secretary-General, JNI, Dr. Khalid Abubakar and the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai El-Kanemi, during the JNI Annual Central Council meeting, in Kaduna, yesterday. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

Declare total amnesty for Boko Haram —Sultan Continues from page 1 JNI, the umbrella association of all Muslim unions, also denounced the recent violence in Wukari, Taraba State, where several people died, describing it as “madness beyond comprehension” lamenting

that Muslims were the major victims.

The Sultan spoke at the opening of the annual central meeting of the JNI in Kaduna where the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Mohammed Aliyu Pate, was invited to enlighten

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Don’t envy the signs of happiness in any man, because you do not know the secret grief he is experiencing; an average man has a grief unknown to most. Happiness is the capacity to carry life experiences well!

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

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URROUND yourself only with people who are going to take you higher – Oprah Winfrey.

A summary of an astonishing perspective and pearls of wisdom from Adrienne Rich.

She said responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking and talking. It means insisting that those to whom you give your friendship and love are able to respect your mind and heart.

Responsibility to yourself means that you don’t fall for shallow and easy solutions. For women, she advised that marrying early as an escape from real decisions, getting pregnant as an evasion of already existing problems. It also means that you refuse to sell your talents and aspirations short...and this, in turn, means resisting the forces in the society which say that you should be nice, play safe and have low professional expectations, drown in love and forgets about work, live through others, and stay in the places assigned to us.

It means that we insist on a life of meaningful work, insist that work be as meaningful as love and friendship in our lives. It means, therefore, the courage to be “different”...The difference between a life lived actively, and a life of passive drifting and dispersal of energies, is an immense difference.

Once we begin to feel committed to our lives, responsible to ourselves, we can never again be satisfied with the old, passive way.

the gathering on the c o n t r o v e r s y s u r r o u n d i n g vaccination against polio.

Those who attended the meeting were mainly Northern Muslims, traditional leaders and clerics.

Sultan Abubakar, who expressed deep concern over the spate of bomb attacks and kidnappings by terrorists in parts of the country, argued that extending amnesty to the sect members would pave the way for dialogue between the sect and the Federal Government.

Making reference to a similar amnesty declared for militants in the Niger Delta, he said: “The type of amnesty that ended militants’ unrest in the Niger Delta will be suitable for the North.

Initiating a restoration and rehabilitation programme that would integrate the terrorists into the larger society will pave the way for dialogue rather than engaging them in an endless war.

Spate of insecurity "We want to bring to attention of the government our challenges. As Muslim leaders, we feel very concerned and very worried the way things are going on in Nigeria today, especially the insecurity issue in this

countr y. We have problems in the North, we have in the SouthEast, we have in the South-West and in the South-South.

We believe it is the duty of the government to protect all of us.

What happened in Wukari was total madness "My brothers and sisters, what happened in Wukari a few days ago is total madness b e y o n d comprehension.

Because if you follow the news, how can an issue between the youths playing football turn into what happened in Wukari where the major victims have been Muslims?

“You have been living together for centuries why all of a sudden do you say you do not want to live with one another? These are some of the things we shall be discussing.

Either there is something somewhere we do not know, or we come to the table together (with the other side) and seek the solution.

“By the grace of God, we believe that the issue of security or rather, insecurity, terrorism and their likes shall be discussed. We hear of terrorism everywhere, everyday.

We have heard in the news that the President shall be visiting Maiduguri in a couple

Amnesty for Boko Haram “We want to use this opportunity to call on the government, especially Mr President, to see how he can declare total amnesty for all combatants (Boko Haram) without thinking twice. That will make any other person who picks up arms to be termed a criminal.

“If amnesty is declared, it will give so many of those young men who have been running and hiding to embrace that amnesty.

Some of them have already come out, because we have read in the papers that some have already come out.

"Even if it is only one person that denounces terrorism, it is the duty of the government to accept that person and see how he can be used to reach out to others.

It is left for the government to use that person, evaluate him and see whether he is genuine or fake.

“These are some of the things we are pushing for, yet people will be saying that we are not doing anything as Muslim leaders in the north. No! We are doing much more than what any other person has done. And I want to commend you all. We will continue to do more despite criticisms.”

98% of polio victims have Muslim names — Minister On polio outbreak and other epidemics in some states of the North, the Sultan said JNI would continue to

work with the Ministry of Health and other relevant agencies of government to ensure that children in the region are immunised against such deadly diseases.

Addressing the JNI leaders on polio, Minister of State for Health, Dr. Mohammed Aliyu Pate, regretted that only three countries in the world, including Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan, still recorded incidences of the wild polio, pointing out that “98 per cent of the children that are victims of this disease have Muslim names."

He said: "It is unfortunate that there have been a lot of false claims going on about the wild polio virus in Nigeria.

"The opposition to it led to the unfortunate death of nine innocent female health workers in Kano State. That should not happen because immunisation of children is in the best interest of the children and our society.

"By 2007, Niger, India, Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan were the only countries in the world that had polio cases. Today, India and Niger are off that list.

Go to our streets today in the north, you will see how polio has crippled our children, turning them to disables and beggars.’’

The Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Mukhtar Yero, who declared the meeting open, enjoined Muslim leaders to preach peace to their followers, promising to ensure that Q’uranic Schools built in the state teach quality Western and Islamic education. The meeting is expected to issue a communiqué today.

6 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

Villagers discover corpses dumped in pit

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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WERRI— UNIDENTI FIED corpses in varying stages of decomposition have been found in a pit at Mgbirichi, along the Owerri-Port Harcourt federal highway.

Vanguard learnt that the shocking discovery was made by some women, who were on their way to their farms.

Scared by the finding, the women rushed back home to announce the development to their fellow villagers.

Confirming this to Vanguard, one of the villagers who spoke on ground of anonymity, said “the community leaders quickly reported the incident to the Divisional Police Headquarters, Umuagwo.

“Health workers supervised by policemen later buried the two fresh bodies in the pit, while the other decayed human parts, including bones which littered the place, were not attended to”, the villager said.

Mimiko's wife raises alarm over fake facebook account

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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KURE—THE wife of Ondo State Governor, Mrs Olukemi Mimiko yesterday raised the alarm over activities of swindlers who have been operating a false facebook account in her name.

According to a statement

by Mrs Mimiko, fraudsters have been using the fake social media account to fleece innocent people in the name and an image of her person as well as placing her biography on the facebook account.

She said: “ My attention has been drawn to the existence of a fake facebook account created by some cyber criminals in the popular social media network .

“The purported facebooksocial media account with the name Mrs Olukemi Mimiko has my personal and official pictures.”

She pleaded with the unsuspecting public to be vigilant so as not to fall prey to the antics of the fraudsters.

Gunmen kill DPO, deputy, 8 others; set ablaze police station, bank in Borno

BY NDAHI MARAMA

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AIGUDURI—BARELY 17 hours after the assassination of Mobile Police Training Camp, MPTC, commandant and a traditional ruler, gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect attacked the Gwoza Divisional Police Station and Mainstreet Bank, killing the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Abubakar Digire Ahamdu, his deputy; and eight civilians caught up in the crossfire on Monday.

Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State is a border town with Cameroun; and 135 kilometres south-east of Maiduguri, the state capital and epicenter of activities of the Islamist sect group.

The gunmen, according to residents who do not want their names mentioned for security reasons told Vanguard that the attackers used Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, and petrol-bombs in torching the police station and the bank, before carting away undisclosed amount of money from the bank some 750 metres away from the torched station.

Narrating the incident, a source said: “We were about going to bed when we heard multiple explosions and gunshots at the divisional police station on market road. The dogs started barking, while the few people remaining at the main junction of Maiduguri-Mubi road; ran for safety, as the gunmen exchanged gunfire with the policemen at the station for over two hours.

“Twenty minutes after, I heard another explosion at the Mainstreet Bank premises; followed by sporadic gunshots that lasted for another half an hour. My neighbours hurriedly shut their doors, because the gunmen could burst into their houses.”

Another source from the Gwoza General Hospital also told newsmen that the bodies of the DPO and seven others were brought in by the police in two Hilux patrol vehicles for identification.

He further disclosed that the gunmen got into the bank, after dragging the bank manager from his house at gunpoint to its doors, before carting away undisclosed sums of money from the strong room and torching it at about 10.25pm.

Another resident said that their children and wives could not sleep, as the gunshots continued into the early hours of Tuesday.

“The whole area covering Gwoza Wakane and the residential north flank of Market road

were scary with sporadic gunshots that lasted for over four hours. This is the first time in Gwoza we are having this type

of multiple attacks by Boko Haram gunmen”, said residents.

The Borno State Police Command spokesman, Gideon Ji-

brin, yesterday confirmed the incident, adding that there have been no arrest made, as investigation has commenced.

Commissioner of Police, Enugu State, Mr Tonye Ebitibituwa (left) and Deputy Commissioner in-charge of Operations, ACP Isaac Akinmoyede at a briefing on the slain Kwara State Police Commissioner, Late Mr Chinwike Asadu in Enugu, yesterday.

Nollywood actor on the run over alleged N20m fraud

BY GODFREY BIVBERE

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HE police are on the trail of a Nollywood actor (name withheld), alleged to have masterminded a N20 million fraud in a freight forwarding company Vanguard gathered that the Nollywood star allegedly perpetrated the act over several months because of his strategic position in the company which gave him access to vital documents and account details of many clients.

The Nollywood star was said to be the account officer of a particular ‘big client’ of the firm, a position which made him to be privy to outflow and inflow in that particular account.

From this position, the actor allegedly received cheques of various sums, which he allegedly diverted to private interests through a microfinance bank with allegedly connivance of officials of a commercial bank in Lagos.

Police sources, however, told Vanguard that the bubble burst when the company embarked on a comprehensive audit of its 2012 books.

Our source at the Apapa Area Command of the Police who pleaded anonymity disclosed that the matter is still under investigation, but he confirmed that, when the Police went after the said staff of the company at Aboru in Ipaja, a Lagos suburb, but the actor was said to have

moved out.

He was however traced to the new hiding place where Police

reportedly met the family members who also claimed not to know his whereabout.

11 arraigned for allegedly stealing generators worth N40m ...woman docked for breach of peace

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS—A 50 year old man, Abiodun Ashiru and 10 others, were yesterday arraigned for allegedly stealing 22 generating sets, belonging to Mantrac Caterpillar company valued at N40 million.

The 11 suspects, who were arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court, are facing twocount charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.

The police prosecutor, inspector Iranus Nnamonu, told the court that Abiodun Ashiru, 50, Afeez Kolawole 23, Musliu Oyedele, 32, Sunday Thomas, 32, Emmanuel Effiong, 23, Sunday Omadachi, 27, Dele Babajide, 38, Oche Stephen 36, Ogedegbe Afolabi 33, Kabiru Aliu 33 and Jubril Sulaiman 39 and others now at large, committed the said offence, at Caterpillar Company Oregun Ikeja area of Lagos.

Nnamonu said that the de-

fendants, who were casual workers were said to have committed the offence between July 2012 and January 6, 2013.

He alleged that they committed the crime while they were still working with the company.

According to him, the offence committed is punishable under section 409,285 (8) of the criminal laws of Lagos state 2011.

However, when the two-count charge was read to the defendants, they pleaded not guilty.

Magistrate A.O Komolafe, granted them bail in the sum of N100,000, with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the matter till April 9, 2013.

Meantime, a 21-year-old woman, Doris Aliboro, was also docked before Magistrate Demi Ajayi, of an Ikeja Magistrate Court, for allegedly causing breach of peace.

Aliboro, who is facing a one count charge, was said to have constituted herself a nuisance to the public by breaking the decking of her apartment.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013—7

Decomposed bodies of 2 missing babies found in Ketu

BY EVELYN USMAN

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HE Lagos State Police Com mand, yesterday, said it was on the trail of the owner of a vehicle in which corpses of two children were found, Monday, in Ketu area of Lagos.

The dead bodies, were identified as those of Toheeb Adedokun and Falilu Tajudeen, both three years old, who disappeared from their parents’ house located at 18 Taike street, Ketu on January 25, 2013.

Police sources told Vanguard that the bodies were found following report by two staff of the Ketu branch of a micro finance bank.

The bodies of the children were reportedly in their decomposing state. But the circumstances surrounding their death could, however, not be ascertained.

It was gathered that they probably strayed or were kidnapped that fateful day, following the rowdiness of the area, as a result of the burial ceremony of the owner of the building.

Since their disappearance, both

parents have made frantic efforts to locate their whereabouts. They were therefore, taken by surprise when they were invited by the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, incharge of Ketu division yesterday,

where the news was broken to them.

Father of one of the children, Rasaq Adedokun, a commercial driver, who was too stunned to speak, simply stated that he was

at work when he was informed about his son’s disappearance.

Meanwhile, operatives at the Special Anti Robbery Squad have reportedly taken over the investigation.

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KURE– A middle-aged man, Alfa Kabiru, was crushed to death in an auto crash in Akure, capital of Ondo State Monday.

Vanguard gathered that the crash occurred at about 9.00pm and it involved a truck with number plate Lagos FKJ 944 XA said to be loaded with newsprints.

It was learnt that the truck had only two occupants, the driver and the deceased person.

Eyewitness account had it that the accident occurred when the driver who was on top speed lost control of the vehicle.

The truck which was coming from Oba Adesida road and was descending the sloppy Adegbemile Cultural Centre lost control and rammed into a building at the First Bank roundabout.

The driver who lost control of the truck reportedly swerved off the road and somersaulted before crushing the deceased to death.

Vanguard learnt that the driver was seriously injured in the crash and was rushed to the hospital while the remains of the deceased had also been deposited at the mortuary of the hospital.

It took more than two hours for the officials of state Fire Service, Ministry of Works and men of the state Police command could remove the victim from wreckage of the truck.

A colleague of the deceased who said he was in another vehicle

We'll prosecute suspect — Ondo CP

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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Staff of the National Hospital protesting over delay in promotion and welfare in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Man crushed to death in auto crash

BY DAYO JOHNSON

Alleged murder of policeman: Ondo NBA threatens to sue police

explained that their trucks were traveling to Abuja from Lagos to deliver newsprints.

He said: “We were going to Abuja from Lagos to deliver some goods. We left Lagos together the same time but I overtook them when they were buying fuel before we got to Akure.

“When I got to Owo, I called Kabiru only for me to hear a voice of a police officer who told me their vehicle had an accident and later informed me that Alfa Kabiru was dead.”

Displaced market women protesting evacuation from AbuleOsun market, Oriade Local Council Development Area in Lagos State, yesterday.

Ex-'Bakassi' member arrested for alleged robbery As police, suspects trade words over extortion

BY IFEANYI OKOLIE & DONALD ARJI

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AGOS—THE Ilemba Police Division, yesterday, said it has arrested a suspected armed robber said to have been terrorizing the residents of Sabo Oniba community of Ojo local Government Area .

The suspect, identified as Christain Umini, 22, said to be a dismissed member of the proscribed vigilante group in the community, “Bakassi”, reportedly used a gun-like object to dispose his victims of their property.

He also allegedly confessed that he was responsible for the vandalisation of a car owned by a community head and other

residents of the community, claiming that he ventured into robbery because of his dismissal from the community vigilante.

He said: “I decided to venture into robbery after I was dismissed from the community vigilante group. As a former member of the group, I knew the nooks and crannies of the community".

Police sources confirmed the arrest to Vanguard, adding that the suspect will soon be charged to court after further investigation.

Meantime, two suspects accused of drugging and robbing a Chinese national, Zhang Bafan, in his hotel room at Ojo area of Lagos State, have petitioned the Inspector General of Police, MD Abubakar, over al-

leged attempts by the Area E Commander, Dan Okoro, to circumvent investigation, illegal arrest and prolonged detention.

Dan Okoro, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, however told Vanguard, that he was aware of the petition explaining that the suspects were arrested following complaints from a Chinese national who accused them of drugging and robbing him.

The suspects identified as Rowland Okorie and Ifeanyi Ndubisi, who were paraded last Wednesday, by the Area E Commander before newsmen at the State Command Headquarters, Ikeja, told Vanguard that they’ve been detained for more that 13 days by the area commander on a crime they didn’t commit.

KURE – THE Ondo State chapter of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, yesterday, threatened to sue the Nigeria Police Force if the senior police officer who allegedly shot his junior colleague in Ondo town was not brought to book.

Inspector Adelaku Lawal was allegedly murdered by an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, Kazeem Shehu, at a relaxation centre in Ondo town.

The chairman of Ondo chapter of the Association, Mr Kunle Adetowubo, said the NBA would challenge the action at the law court if necessary action was not taken against the assailant.

Adetowubo said the association would take all legitimate means to ensure that the matter was not swept under the carpet by compelling the Police authority to investigate the suspect.

However reacting to this, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Patrick Dokumor confirmed that the Criminal Investigation Department, CID, of the Ondo State Police Command would soon prosecute the suspect, Mr. Kazeem Shehu, an Assistant Superintended of Police, ASP.

22-yr-old jailed for theft

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BADAN—A 22-year-old, Gbenga Oladeru, has been sentenced to one and half years imprisonment for stealing two motorcycles valued at N380,000.

An Ibadan Chief Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday sentenced the convict who was said to specialise in stealing of motorcycles.

The prosecutor, Insp. Olalekan Obayanju, told the court that the defendant was arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

He said Oladeru and a collaborator committed the crime on November 22, 2012 at Gbenla area of Ibadan.

Obayanju said the offence contravened Section 516 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap 38 Vol. II Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

The defendant had at an initial hearing pleaded guilty, but changed his plea.

8—Vanguard , WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

Nigeria never had $67bn external reserves, says CBN Gov

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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AGOS—GOVERNOR of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday, said the country never had up to $67 billion as external reserves, adding that the highest level of reserves attained by the country was $62 billion.

He said this at the Metropolitan Club Luncheon in Lagos, in reaction to the recent debate over the nation’s external reserve between the Federal Government and former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili.

The former Minister had said that the Federal Government, under former President, Yar’Adua and President Goodluck Jonathan had wasted external reserves of $67 billion saved under the Obasanjo’s administration.

Commenting on debate, Sanusi said: “First, let us talk about the numbers.

Nigeria never had $67 billion of reserves in its history. The highest level of reserves was $62 billion under late President Yar’Adua.

“There is also a certain truth to a basic proposition that if we saved money when oil price was high, it is expected that when oil price crashes, we would de-save.

“Look at Germany, US, UK, after the crisis. They all had huge deficits. So our incurring of deficit was a reduction in reserves.

“Now having said that, no one can deny that between 2010 and 2011, when oil price was going up, we should have saved more than we actually did and we spent more than we ought to. As CBN Governor, I spent the whole of those two years talking about fiscal leakages.

“We cannot deny that there is need for serious governance review of transparency and accountability in the oil sector.”

I leave my husband's killers to God— Slain CP's widow

BY TONY EDIKE

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NUGU—MRS Oby Asadu, wife of the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chinwike Asadu, who was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Enugu last Saturday, said, yesterday, that she had decided to allow God handle the murderers of her husband in His own way.

She told Vanguard at their Amorji Nike residence in Enugu, where she was receiving sympathisers, yesterday, that her late husband was a very quiet person who could not have hurt anybody to warrant being killed.

Mrs. Asadu spoke just as the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tonye Ebitibituwa, disclosed that several arrests had been made in connection with the murder of the police boss and the shooting of his two police escorts but declined to give details of their number and identity.

The CP met with top security officials, comprising the Garrison Commander, 82 Division of Nigerian Army, Enugu, and the Director of Department of State Services, DSS, where they discussed crucial security issues at the state Police Command Headquarters, Enugu.

They reviewed the existing security strategies with a view to adopting new measures to tackle current security challenges in the state.

band did not know him very well as, according to her, he could not have done anything bad to the extent of anybody deciding to take his life prematurely.

She said: “I leave the killers of my husband in the hands of the Almighty God because I depend solely on Him to fight our battle. Whatever happened only God knows, because He sees both in day and at night.

“I am worried about all sorts of things people are saying and writing in the papers about what they claim to have known about my husband because they know nothing about him. They are all false.

“They are trying to portray my husband as a public figure but he is not. Until his re-

cent appointment as Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, many people did not know him as he had chosen to live a quiet life.”

‘We've made some arrests'

Briefing newsmen on the upsurge of violent crimes in Enugu State in recent times, CP Ebitibituwa, who assumed office as the state police boss two weeks ago, said the command has made some arrests in the effort to unravel the motive behind the killing of the Kwara State CP. But he insisted that he would not disclose the number of those in police net or their identity as doing so might jeopardise the process of investigation, adding that the

suspects are still undergoing interrogation.

Army lends support

Meanwhile, General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigeria Army, Enugu, Major General Adebayo Olaniyi, has pledged that the military command would support the police in ensuring that perpetrators of the crime were fished out as quickly as possible and brought to book.

He described the death as shocking and unfortunate, saying God in His infinite mercy will expose his killers.

The GOC stated this during a condolence visit to State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tonye Ebitibituwa at the Police Headquarters, Enugu over the death of the Kwara State police boss.

‘He was harmless'

The widow, however, frowned at the insinuations regarding the motive of the police boss, saying those speaking about her late hus-

NDDC REPORT: From left— President Goodluck Jonathan (left) receiving the report of the Presidential Monitoring Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, from Chief Isaac Jamide, Chairman of the Committee in Abuja, yesterday. STATE HOUSE PHOTO.

Rapists to get life sentence, as female circumcision than 14 years, he shall Aiding female circumcision on conviction to imprisonattracts 2yrs isbeless liable to a maximum of 14 attracts N100,000 or two year ment for a term not exceedBY OKEY NDIRIBE & EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

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BUJA—NIGERIAN men, who forcibly have carnal knowledge of women, may end up spending the rest of their lives in jail if the executive arm adopts the recommendations of the House Representatives report on a bill for an Act on Violence Against Persons (Prohibition).

Any man convicted of rape is liable to life imprisonment.

Also, persons convicted of gang-raping any victim shall be liable, jointly and severally, to a minimum of 20 years imprisonment without an option of fine.

However, where the offender

years imprisonment and a minimum of 12 years, without an option of fine.

Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency in Lagos, while presenting the 51clause bill that was extensively considered and adopted by the lawmakers yesterday, said it had become expedient for the bill to become law going by the rising cases of violence against persons in the country.

Female circumcision and general mutilation also drew punishments as any person convicted of performing it or engaging someone to carry it out risks four year jail term or a fine not more than N200,000 or both.

jail term or both, while any person convicted of frustrating investigation and prosecution of offenders is guilty of felony and liable on conviction to imprisonment not more than three years or a fine not exceeding N500,000.

The legislators are also recommending imprisonment not exceeding five years or a fine of N100,000 or both for anyone convicted of willfully causing or inflicting physical injury on another person by means of any weapon, substance or object.

Also anybody who incites, aids, abets, or counsels another person to commit the act of violence and is guilty of the offense is also liable

ing three years or to a fine not exceeding N200,000 or to both fine and imprisonment.

The lawmakers also recommended that any person who compels another by force or threat to engage in any conduct or act of sexual or otherwise to the detriment of the victim’s physical or psychological well-being, commits an offense and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine not exceeding N500,000 or both.

However, the recommendation that the victim has the right to terminate pregnancy resulting from rape and proved harmful to the health of the victim was rejected by the lawmakers and deleted.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013 — 9

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, Political Editor

PIB splits senators

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AGOS—THE recent split in the ranks of the Islamist insurgent group, Boko Haram, leading to a division over a ceasefire, has been traced to a recent peace initiative spearheaded by the Northern States Governors Forum, NSGF. The peace offensive, which saw a delegation of the forum meet with the second-in-command of the Boko Haram group, it was learnt yesterday, may also have opened way for the proposed presidential visit to Maiduguri, Borno State, scheduled for tomorrow.

The peace initiative, under the auspices of NSGF, was spearheaded by the Committee on Reconciliation, Healing and Security headed by Ambassador Zakari Ibrahim, a former Director-General of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency, NIA. It also recommended a comprehensive amnesty for the combatants and rehabilitation of all those affected by the crisis.

The committee, Vanguard learnt yesterday, has written the chairman of NSGF and Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, detailing a rundown of the process that led to the declaration of the ceasefire which has now been rebutted by the acclaimed leader of the group, Abubakar Shekau.

C'ttee's letter to NSGF

In the letter dispatched to Governor Aliyu, yesterday, and which gave an account of the visit to Borno and Yobe states by a subcommittee of the main committee, Ambassador Ibrahim was quoted to have said: “In Maiduguri, the Committee was able to meet with some people strongly believed to be members of the sect, and had very useful discussions with them

BY HENRY UMORU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

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MEETING: Baroness Lynda Chalker, Coordinator, Honourary International Investors Council, HIIC, and Chairman, Africa Matters Limited (right), and Dr. Olusegun Aganga, Minister of Trade and Investment, addressing newsmen after her meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja, yesterday. STATE HOUSE PHOTO.

How northern governors split Boko Haram which culminated into the offer for ceasefire and subsequent press briefing by the leader, which has given rise to the confidence building that culminated in the visitation by the Chief of Defence Staff and other security chiefs, the Vice President and 10 All Progressive Congress, APC, governors.

“The meeting was held at the Government House, Maiduguri, where useful and important critical issues were discussed and at the end they vowed to cease hostilities and are prepared to surrender themselves and their weapons.

“During the discussions, the leader of t h e group, who is secondin-command to I m a m Shekau, promised to meet and con-

vince him to publicly renounce hostilities and also designate a place of his choice for further discussions and negotiations with the Federal Government.

“They also dissociated themselves from other criminal groups that perpetrate atrocities in the name of Boko Haram for various selfish reasons, and promised to assist authorities in fishing out all such perpetrators of criminal acts.

Sect's demands

"Having agreed to cease hostilities, they also made certain demands: That all detainees against whom a case of criminal involvement was established should be prosecuted by courts of competent jurisdiction.

Conversely, all those against whom there is no evidence of criminal involvement should be released unconditionally; "An area should be designated for all combatants to voluntarily surrender themselves and their weapons without fear of harassment or molestations."

Recommedations

In their recommendations on the way forward, the committee said: “This Committee should arrange for further visits to Borno and Yobe states to meet with this group and other groups that have now indicated their willingness to come into the peace process. Accordingly, these discussions should be in conjunction with the governments and the Elders Forum of each of the states.

“This Committee recom-

mends that the President visits Borno, Yobe and Kano states and should meet not only governments of these states but also with a cross section of the elders of the various communities.”

The committee sugested that the President should declare a general and unconditional amnesty; order the immediate release of all detainees against whom there is no established case of criminal involvement, and the immediate prosecution of those against whom there is evidence of criminal involvement, before courts of competent jurisdictions.

On Yusuf's killers

Other recommendations are that the protracted court case against the suspected killers of Mohammed Yusuf be brought to a quick determination; Federal Government should consider not only the rehabilitation of combatants, but also compensation for those who have suffered in one way or the other during the period as a sign of goodwill and national cohesion; and some of t h e northern governors should accompany t h e President on his visit to the states.

BUJA—THERE was a sharp split in the Senate, yesterday, between the Southern and Northern Senators, when discussions on the new Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, commenced on the floor of the Senate.

But for the maturity of the Senators, the entire session would have been rowdy as members shouted down one another when discussions started on the Bill.

The lawmakers, yesterday, had opposing views over the host community development fund and the national frontier exploration agency, just as some of the northern Senators strongly challenged the 10 percent allocation for host communities and the structuring of the national frontier exploration agency.

These were some of the issues raised when Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, presented for discussion a Bill for an Act to provide for the Establishment of a Legal, Fiscal and Regulatory Framework for the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria and for Other Related Matters for Second reading.

Also yesterday, following a motion by NdomaEgba and supported by Senator Ganiyu Solomon, a minute silence was observed by the Senators for late Assistant Political Editor of Guardian Newspapers, Ogbodo John who died last Thursday in a ghastly motor accident.

At the beginning of a three-day debate on the bill yesterday, majority of the senators who spoke, however, regretted that in spite of the money the

Continues on Page 14

10—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

Alleged fraud: Court grants Alex Okoh leave to travel abroad

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH & ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS—ALEX Okoh, arraigned alongside lawyer and businessman, Dr Wale Babalakin was yesterday, granted leave to travel abroad by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo of an Ikeja High court on medical ground.

The leave of court was sequel to an application from his counsel, Mr. Olaniran Obele, who prayed the court to allow the defendant to travel to the United Kingdom for medical check-up.

The duo of Babalakin and Okoh are facing trial over alleged transfer of N4.7 billion on behalf of former Delta State governor, James Ibori, as preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. They were arraigned with their companies; Stabilini Visioni Ltd., Bi-Courtney Ltd. and Renix Nigeria Ltd. Ruling on their application, Justice Onigbanjo ordered the EFCC to release his travelling documents to enable him keep his medical appointment with the UK hospital between March 6 and 19.

I never endorsed National Good Governance Tour —Fashola

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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AGOS—GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, said he never endorsed the National Good Governance Tour, NGGT, by the Federal Government to the 36 states of federation as being claimed in some quarters.

Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, had claimed that Governor Fashola was present at the discussions that led to the birth of the tour.

Fashola, while addressing news men during an inspection tour of ongoing projects in Lekki and Victoria Island axis of the state, said: “The fact that you present something at the Governor’s Forum does not mean that all of us are bound by decisions if we express our disagreements.

“If we do not express our disagreement, clearly we would be bound by decisions that are taken.

Again, all of that is subject to laws and people must understand what the Governor’s Forum is for.

“It’s a peer review mechanism by association to learn from one another. So, I can’t submit for example the independence and sovereignty of the people of Lagos at the Governor’s Forum and I express my clear disapproval of the initiative because the question I asked was that, what was the purpose of the tour?

“It does not matter what it costs or what it does not cost, that is another debate, and first of all I want to understand what it is about.”

“Do the people of Nigeria need a tour to know that they are being well governed? That is the real question, what is the tour supposed to achieve? Are they resolving problems at project sites?

Where are their projects? What is the value of a Good Governance Tour when you can’t implement a budget?

“I can go on tour of projects because my budget performed 89 per cent last year and I am not on a good governance tour, I am on a project inspection tour trying to

solve problems at project sites.”

Fashola noted that a major yardstick for measuring good governance could only be done by those who know, saying “the economy of Lagos is now rated ahead that of Ghana and the United Kingdom.

“Presently the Lagos State economy is being upgraded from stable to positive, that is good governance, you don’t need any campaign to do that.

So people should take themselves seriously and take all of us seriously when they talk about these things some of us

listen and it offends us. That is mediocre level to which governance is sometimes being taken and we hope they will take this criticism as a need to change the game. We can do better than this, I am convinced, my country can offer a lot more better than it is giving now.”

Fashola, who added that his administration was currently executing no fewer than 1,966 projects across the state in furtherance of its objective of turning it into Africa’s modern mega city, accused FG of starving the state of ecological fund.

INSPECTION: From left: Prince Adesegun Oniru, Commissioner for Waterfront and Infrastructure, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State; Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, Commissioner for Works; Dr. Taofik Folami, Special Adviser on Environment to Gov. Fashola and others, at Goshen Beach, Victoria Island, during the inspection of ongoing projects in the state, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

Hugo Chavez, Venezuelan president dies at 58

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ENEZUELA— President Hugo Chavez, of Venezuela is dead. He died at the age of 58.

Vice President Nicolas Maduro, surrounded by other government officials, announced the death in a national television broadcast. He said Chavez died at 4:25

p.m. local time yesterday.

During more than 14 years in office, Chavez routinely challenged the status quo at home and internationally. He polarized Venezuelans with his confrontational and domineering style, He repeatedly proved himself a political survivor. As an army paratroop commander, he led a failed coup in 1992, then was pardoned and elected president in 1998. He survived a coup against his own

presidency in 2002 and won re-election two more times.

Chavez underwent surgery in Cuba in June 2011 to remove what he said was a baseball-size tumor from his pelvic region, and the cancer returned repeatedly over the next 18 months despite more surger y, chemotherapy and radiation treatments. He kept secret key details of his illness, including the type of cancer and the precise location of the tumors.

Tackle terrorism, oil theft, Chalker advises Jonathan

BY BEN AGANDE

A *Late Hugo Chavez

buja—Despite the remarkable improvement in Nigeria’s economic outlook recently, the Honorar y International Investors Council, HIIC, has warned that the gains would be lost unless decisive steps were taken by the Federal Government to check the bourgeoning terrorism in the northern part of the country and oil theft in

the south.

Coordinator of HIIC, a body that advises President Jonathan on building positive image to attract international investors into the country, Lynda Chalker, told State House correspondents after meeting with President Jonathan that Nigeria had to be up and doing as it would face stiff competition from other African countries with equal endowments in natural resources.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013 —11

Ogun Assembly crisis gets messier Two factions lay claim to speakership Mace, symbol of authority broken Both factions have members suspended

BY OLAAJAYI

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BEOKUTA—THERE was commotion at the Ogun State House of Assembly, yesterday, after the mace, a symbol of authority of the House, was broken by aggrieved lawmakers obstructing the Speaker, Suraj Adekunbi, from announcing the suspension of four members.

Already two lawmakers, Suraj Adekunbi ane Remmy Hassan are laying claim to the speakership.

This was compounded by alleged possession of guns by some lawmakers prompting the security agents to thoroughly search some of the lawmakers, journalists and visitors to the chamber.

As if this was not enough, another Speaker, Remmy Hassan was purportedly elected by 14 lawmakers after the first rowdy plenary where four of them were suspended.

Trouble started few minutes after the commencement of the proceedings around 11a.m. when the Speaker announced the plan to sanction four members that allegedly disregarded the House rules at the last sitting.

According to Adekunbi, Remmy Hassan, Olufemi Akintan, Adija Adeleye-Oladapo and John Obafemi reprenting Odogbolu; Egbado North 11; Ifo 11 and Remo North constituencies had been suspended for “various acts bordering on unparliamentary behaviour and gross disrespect to the legislative

institution.”

In an attempt to counter their suspension one of the affected lawmakers, Khadijat AdeleyeOladapo rose, allegedly grabbed the mace placed before the Speaker and broke it.

She was subsequently joined by other aggrieved lawmakers numbering about 13 who then smashed the mace.

Adekunbi had called the majority leader of the House, Isreal Jolaosho, to move the motion for the suspension of the four lawmakers before the lawmakers broke the mace.

Announcing their suspension Adekunbi said: “Consequently, these Honourable members are not to be seen within the premises of the Ogun State House of As-

sembly henceforth.”

The House comprising 26 lawmakers has been polarised into two groups with both Adekunbi and Remmy Hassan leading the factions.

Attempt by the Speaker, to reconvene the House at 2:30pm was aborted as Remmy Hassan prevented the Speaker from seating, saying “Suraju has been suspended, he is no more our Speaker, I am the Speaker protem.”

Briefing after the commotion, Adekunbi explained that he tried to give all the lawmakers equal right during the plenary.

SWEARING IN: Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, presenting certificate of office to the newly appointed Acting Chief Judge of the State, Justice Oyebola Adepele, after she was sworn in, at the Governor’s Office in Osogbo, yesterday.

I ’ll defend Nigeria with my last blood —Obasanjo As Jonathan lauds him @ 76

BY DAUD OLATUNJI B E O K U TA — FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, said he would use the last drop of his blood to defend the unity and progress of Nigeria.

This came as President Goodluck Jonathan described Obasanjo as “a true nationalist and promoter of national unity.”

Obasanjo spoke during his 76th birthday celebration, at Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta.

The birthday celebration also featured a public presentation of a book titled “Olusegun Obasanjo- the Presidential Legacy-1999-2003.”

Obasanjo said: “Even if it remains the last breadth in me, I will work, preserve and promote the unity and progress of Nigeria,

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work for Africa development and indeed promote humanity.

“If you are in public service and you expect commendation of men and women, you may be the most disappointed human being on earth.

So, if commendations do come, take it as it comes and accept it and if it does not come, don’t worry.

“Some people had made it a point of duty to run this place (Presidential Library) down even before it started.

One day we were here and one man said he wanted to apologise. He said he joined people to condemn the library without even knowing what it is all about. I told him that it does not really matter, since God has not condemned us.”

In his goodwill message, President

Jonathan, represented at the celebration by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Mike Oghiadomhe, said Obasanjo was a true elder statesman and peace loving person.

The President said: “Your success are well placed in the history of our dear country. We celebrate with you as you continue to contribute to the growth and development of Nigeria.

“You demonstrated this when military regimes were still fashionable, you shunned the unusual temptation of regime extension to usher in democracy in 1979.

“You have served Nigeria diligently and with total commitment, when in 1999 after the unfortunate incidences in our country and the opportunity came and you were beckoned upon to serve as elected president.”

FG to commence EIA of Arepo pipeline site

BY MICHAEL EBOH

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BEOKUTA—THE Federal Government, yesterday, said it would soon begin the Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA, of the vandalised pipeline site at Arepo, Ogun State, to determine the extent of pollution and the damage done to the environment.

Speaking during an inspection of vandalized pipeline sites at Arepo and Diamond Estate, Lagos, Mrs. Joy Nunieh-Okunnu, National Coordinator, Hydrocarbon Pollution Restoration Project, HYPREP, said the government would carry out an environmental impact assessment of both sites and would take action if it was discovered that the area was unfit for human habitation.

She said: “We are here because the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke asked us to come here and see things for ourselves. We intend to deploy our resources and commence work at Arepo as soon as the Ogun State Government gives us an office from where we can operate from.”

Ogun PDP youths reject dissolution of S-West exco

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B E O K U TA — YOUTH forum of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State, yesterday, rejected the dissolution of the party’s executives in the South West as well as the State executives by the national leadership.

Operating under the umbrella of Ogun State Progressive Youth Forum, OPPYF, in a communiqué by its Chairman, Alhaji Akintunde Farouk and Secretary, Mr. Musa Akinlolu, demanded that the party’s lead Counsel, Mr. J. K. Gadzama, SAN, tender unreserved apology to the Party in the next seven days for allegedly “misleading the party in taking a decision that was not in the party’s interest and against the constitution of Nigeria.”

PDP’s South West executive and state executives were two weeks ago sacked based on the recommendation of Gadzama to the party’s National Working Committee,NWC.

12 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013 — 13

Presidential c'ttee scores NDDC low zCompleted only 36.5% of 609 projects monitored

BY BEN. AGANDE

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BUJA—THE Presidential Committee on the monitoring of activities of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, returned a damning verdict on the activities of the commission since its inception, saying that the commission’s activities were characterised by abandoned projects, unjustified and arbitrary variation of projects costs and retention of incompetent contractors.

Submitting its report to President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, Chairman of the Committee, Chief Isaac Jemide, called on the Federal Government to urgently implement the recommendations contained in the report in order to reposition the commission to perform its intended role.

President Jonathan, who received the report, thanked members of the committee for a job well done and promised that government will study the report and take necessary action.

While presenting the executive summary of the report, Chief Jemide said that his committee undertook a “painstaking inspection, assessment and evaluation of projects and programmes executed by NNDC, as well as other relevant activities.

Specifically, I wish to report to Mr. President that a total of 609 projects spread across the three states were physically inspected and evaluated. Of the 609 projects monitored, 222 (36.5%) were completed, 102 (16.7%) are on-going and 285 (46.8%) were abandoned at various levels of completion. The monitoring of 1,510 projects for the period 2005-2011 in the remaining six NNDC states had been completed and the reports are being

compiled for submission to Mr. President.

“To further enrich its findings, the committee interacted with host communities, stakeholders, NDDC contractors and officials and discussed grey areas, with a view to correcting the anomalies identified in the course of the project inspections. The details of the projects monitored and the specific recommendations thereon are contained in the report."

Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, Delta State Commissioner of Police (middle); Mr. Chris Ubani, member ,Igbodo Development Union,UK Branch (right), and others, during the foundation stone laying ceremony of the new Igbodo Police Station. Photo Nath Onojake.

Edo House orders commissioner-nominee to appear today her doctor’s report, she present- tee chairman ordered that the

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—EDO State House of Assembly, yesterday, ordered Aanena Jemitola, the commissioner- nominee, who absented herself from the screening, to appear today, with an authentic copy of her doctor’s report, following her excuse that she was ill.

The House Committee in charge of screening of the 19 commissioner-nominees, submitted by Governor Adams Oshiomhole, had reported to the entire House, Monday, that it had concluded the screening of 18 of the nominees and lamented that Jemitola did not present herself for screening nor submit her curriculum vitae to the committee.

Chairman of the Committee and Majority Leader of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Philip Shuaibu, expressed shock over her non-appearance, but said that the nominee from Akoko Edo informed the House last Thursday that she was ill.

However, the commissionernominee appeared before members of the Committee, yesterday, and informed them that she was hospitalised in Benin City before she was moved to another hospital in Lagos.

When she was asked to present

ed a doctor’s report that had the date of February 17, 2013, while the Committee members observed that that particular Friday was February 15 and not 17.

Sensing foul play, the Commit-

doctor, who issued her with the report at the state hospital should appear before the House, just as she was also asked to present the doctor’s report from the hospital that attended to her in Lagos.

Uduaghan explains delay in Refinery Road project

BY EMMA AMAIZE & AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE

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ARRI—DELTA State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, yesterday, said the delay in the completion of the five kilometre Refinery Road, Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area, was caused by problem of compensation.

Inspecting the project, he pointed out that the contending issues had been resolved.

The governor, consequently asked the contractor, ARC Construction, to deliver the project by the end of May, according to specification.

To avoid delay and high cost of compensation, he said the government had to redesign the road to cut off several property and assured that his government will not leave any uncompleted project at the completion of his tenure.

He said: “There will be no uncompleted project when I am leaving office. I expect the job to be completed by May 31 or they should have done appreciable work but the standard must be maintained.”

Imoke writes C-River House, resumes work

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ROSS River State governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, has resumed work after a threemonth vacation.

Imoke, who returned to the country on Friday, had, in compliance with the provisions of the Constitution, written to the state House of Assembly, notifying them of his return.

Meanwhile, the governor has congratulated former President Olusegun Obasanjo on his 76th birthday. Imoke, in a statement, described Obasanjo as the father of modern Nigeria.

14 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

From left: Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria; his wife, Chief Bola Obasanjo and Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Ogun State Governor, during a book launch, organised by the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, OOPL, to mark the 76th birthday of the ex-President, in Abeokuta, yesterday. 'Photo:Wumi Akinola.

Shell declares force majeure on Bonny Light ….As oil theft soars in Niger Delta

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HELL PETROLEUM Development Company, SPDC, yesterday, declared force majeure on Bonny Light following the shutdown of Nembe Creek Trunkline (NCTL) after a leak was observed on Sunday.

The cause according to Shell in statement, made available to Vanguard, would be determined by a Joint Investigation Visit, which will be scheduled once the leak point had been excavated.

Shell’s Corporate Media Relations Manager,

Precious Okolobo explained in the statement that the company had mobilised a team to repair the line after the investigation.

“Then, NCTL will reopen for operations,” he said.

Shell had earlier threatened to completely shut down its 150,000 barrel per day Nembe Creek oil pipeline due to an “unprecedented” amount of oil theft.

Between the 22nd and 25th of February, the company said 12 flow stations producing into the pipeline were shut down by safety systems three times

due to oil theft.

The leak on Sunday according Shell occurred directly on the NCTL and necessitated its immediate shutdown for repairs.

The pipeline, according to Shell, was replaced in 2010 at a cost of $1.1billion.

“It is getting to the crunch that rather than allow people to continue to attack my pipeline and devastate the environment, I may actually consider shutting down the pipeline completely,” Shell Nigeria MD, Mutiu Sunmonu said.

PIB splits senators Continues from Page 9 region had received for development so far, there was nothing to show in terms of infrastructural development, especially in communities where oil was being produced.

There were accusations of mismanagement of 13 percent derivation fund and Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, fund amounting to the tune of N11.3 trillion, against the Niger Delta region governors since 1999.

This apparently influenced the senators to oppose the Host Communities Fund provided for in the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB. The bill is currently pending before the National Assembly.

Prior to yesterday’s plenary on a Bill for an Act to provide for the Establishment of a Legal, Fiscal and Regulatory Framework for the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria and for Other Related Matters, the senate, after one failed attempt, finally debated the PIB.

It was Senator Ahmed Lawan, ANPP, Yobe North, who first opposed the provision of 10 percent fund for the host communities in the bill, on the grounds that the extant laws did not only make provision for 13 percent as derivation fund but NDDC and other sources of funding for the Niger Delta States.

According to him, though he was in full support of the bill, there was undue financial attention on the Niger Delta region. Citing newspaper interview with Ijaw leader and elder statesman, Edwin Clark, and other newspaper references, Senator Lawan insisted that the region had so far received a total of N11 trillion between 1999 and date.

He expressed regret that those at the helm of affairs in the region had refused to carry out commensurate development, especially in the oil host communities, saying “I am in full support of the bill but with some massive reservation.”

Lawan regretted that at present, Nigeria has not

been able to disclose the real quantity of crude oil it was producing or the amount the country was realising on oil to its citizens. He contended that oil companies should be transparent and free from government interventions.

He demanded a research exploration to be carried out across the country, even as he urged his colleagues to strongly oppose the 10 percent for the host communities, adding that it shouldn’t have any room in the PIB as the current 13 percent derivation fund should take care of such.

His remark that most governors of the region had failed to live up to expectations, in spite of the huge amount made available to the region since 1999, attracted reaction from Senator James Manager, PDP, Delta South.

Manager, under the Senate’s Point of Order, geared for open confrontation, saying that Lawan was being unnecessarily emotional.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013 — 15

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16 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

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— 17 Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013— “No man is good enough to govern another man without that other’s consent.”- Abraham Lincoln

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State Electoral Commissions

Prof. Jega, INEC chair said there was heavy turnout and the elections were peaceful free and fair.

PDP won virtually all the positions at stake. The opposition claimed intimidation, threats and harassment, and said no elections took place. The PDP won all chairmanship positions.

CPC won in a few councillorship wards, lost an opportunity to make a positive impact on the merger talks, and created the impression of a party too poor and too disorganised to police the ballot.

The PDP had unopposed candidates for all positions in Akko, Balanga, Billiri, Nafada and Yamaltu Deba LGAs. Voters who turned up in LGAs where only PDP candidates were fielded were asked to “affirm” candidature, or candidates were “ returned unopposed” as winners.

Affirmation had been made illegal by the State Assembly just before the elections, but CPC cannot challenge it where it had no candidates contesting.

On the whole, “elections” took place in only two out of the 11 LGAs in Gombe State, and the ruling party coasted home, as it does everywhere, with a bagful of victories, leaving behind few councillorship positions for the opposition. What was unique about Gombe was that in 79 electoral wards, the PDP had no opposition at all, and the legality of the manner winners emerged is open to legal challenge. No one, however, will challenge these results. No one challenged results in Kaduna State recently when PDP won 22 of 23 LGA chairmanship positions.

No one raises eyebrows anywhere when results return 97 percent victories for ruling party candidates all over the

BY JOHN AINIOFENOKHAI

T

HE abandonment of ethics in the articulation of private fixations and resentment for Chief Tony Anenih was quite evident in Is’haq Modibbo Kawu’s column, entitled: “Anenih: The political dinosaur returns”, published on page 17 of Vanguard of Thursday, February 28, 2013. It was also published the same day on the back page of Blueprint newspapers, where Kawu is Chairman of Editorial Board.

Curiously, he had about two years earlier, in the August 11, 2011 issue of Vanguard newspaper, expressed the same fixations and resentment in an article with the title: “Chief Tony Anenih: A political dinosaur at 78.” Can you, here and now, spot the difference(s) in both titles? Except for the words “returns” and “at 78” which explicate the contexts of his writings, the titles of both articles and their theses are largely the same: To demonise Anenih.

In Kawu’s voyage of demonisation, the crux of his paranoia, which he desperately wants us to relate with in his argument ad-hominem is that Anenih is a political dinosaur, whereas he had on both occasions failed to offer explanations to justify his position. A quick check on the word “dinosaur ” in a dictionary explains it thus: “Somebody that is hopelessly out of date or incapable of adapting to change.”

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country, irrespective of the party in power.

No one should be surprised that our democracy is shriveling either.

Governors amass massive powers because they determine who becomes chairman and councilor, and they control the use of the funds of local councils. They also control, through such dominance, party structures from ward to state levels.

Even LGA elected officials from opposing parties are powerless against governors because the latter

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T will be difficult to find enthusiastic, independent support for the continued existence of State Electoral Commissions. But they will continue to exist because they serve very powerful interests that have nothing to do with the growth and development of the democratic system. They will continue to cause further damage, because they provide the pillars of the awesome powers of Governors. Governors have to agree to an amendment of the constitution, and they will not tolerate tinkering with election management bodies which guarantee them virtual control of all political power in the two tiers of government in states. Far from abolishing SIECs, governors will use their control of state legislators to make and amend electoral laws which can further enhance the electoral fortunes of ruling parties.

The recent elections into offices of local government councils in Gombe State remind us of the hopelessness of the struggle to entrench some semblance of democratic values and practices at the lowest levels of governance in this country. The Gombe variant is only one among many travesties which are only marginally affected by local coloration and whims of state chief executives.

Only two parties, PDP which rules and the CPC fielded candidates for the entire elections. CPC had candidates in only two out of the 11 LGAs. It had gone to court to challenge the high cost of the non-refundable deposit (N500,000, N250,000 and N150,000 for Chairmanship, Deputy and Councillor, respectively). It failed. It tried to stop the elections until its grievance over the fees was resolved, it failed. Apparently neither the party nor the candidates themselves could raise the amounts within the period allowed. So the party went to the elections to contest for a sprinkling of councilor positions and two out of 11 chairmanships positions.

One day before the elections, gunmen rode in on motorcycles and shot dead five people and injured seven in Gombe.

The levels of security were raised. All entrances and exists into Gombe and the neighbouring Kwami, the two LGAs where both PDP and CPC had chairmanship candidates were heavily manned. There was also visible and pronounced presence of security personnel in and around the town.

Voters who came out to vote were confronted by heavily armed security personnel moving around the town.

Many chose to give up voting and stay indoors. Others say they were told to go back home in explicit terms.

Interpretations of election day events in Gombe and Kwami LGAs were therefore heavily contested by voters and observers. Pro-government comments

State electoral commissions must be abolished, joint accounts abrogated, and state legislatures should have their powers to prescribe operations of local governments further limited

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control their purse strings. So people do not contest for positions of chairman and councilor to serve the people, but to become errand boys of governors.

They feed off the crumbs left, grow fat from exercising non-accountable power, and live permanently in hiding from people who they can neither serve nor help.

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residents who feel frustrated at the powers of Governors know the sources of such powers, but cannot do much about them. President Jonathan was a Deputy Governor, and a Governor.

He knows of the powers a governor exercises. The late Umaru Yar ’Adua could not stop his state from massively rigging the first LG elections under his

watch as President, even though he was seriously looking into how he can improve the electoral process. If presidents cannot reduce the unhealthy control of governors on LG funds, on who gets elected, and on how party machinery functions, who can?

You could start with a constitutional amendment which proscribes SIECS, but this will not succeed with the governors in place. They will exercise their control over state legislatures to frustrate any attempted amendment. The National Assembly cannot proscribe SIECS. The courts cannot do so. Yet, without allowing some genuine democracy at the lower levels, it is useless attempting to reform and improve the electoral process.

Governors and presidents emerge as candidates, and are elected through flawed processes. Party delegates from ward and local government levels are determined by governors, overseen by chairmen and councilors whose elections are rigged. Delegates are bought and paid for, and they do the bidding of governors, not their constituents. It goes all the way up. Control of political power and funds of LGAs is therefore a vital necessity for all State governors, and the single most destructive source of subversion of our democratic process.

Presidents owe their positions to the whims and dispositions of governors.

Governors garner massive powers to protect their positions, determine who becomes president, and determine how he works all because they have unhindered access to pervert the will of the people at the level which most intimately connects the citizen with the state.

Improvements in levels of accountability and responsibility of elected leaders will be impossible to achieve until local councils are freed from the damaging control of state governors.

When a state governor literally handpicks you, funds your campaign and virtually guarantees your “victory”, it will be impossible to say no when he demands all loyalty from you. Your funds are his. Your job is to enhance his political assets and fight his enemies. You have no responsibility to the local citizens, beyond reminding them daily that all money and power comes from state capital.

The current attempts to amend the constitution is likely to produce nothing.

The nation would have wasted billions, as is the tradition, in chasing shadows.

But constitutional amendments are too important to leave to law makers and governors. Nigerians must raise their voices in demanding that reforms that should free local governments from control of states must be made between now and 2015. State electoral commissions must be abolished, joint accounts abrogated, and state legislatures should have their powers to prescribe operations of local governments further limited.

OPINION

Anenih: Modibbo Kawu’s regurgitations and tyranny If that is so, it then means that, Kawu’s assessment of Anenih, as incapable of adapting to change, is defective.

For Kawu and his cohort to view Anenih from that prism is promotion of irrationality and seeming lack of knowledge to adequately appreciate the changing nature of politics. Have they forgotten that the only thing that is permanent in life is change?

How could Kawu have suggested that a man, who has so far been of, and lived for all times, as has been shown by his return to the position of Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which was crudely wrested from him in 2007 by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, is a political relic? This is standing logic on its head! Anenih is not outmoded as Kawu would want us to believe; he changes with the times.

If, however, the good fortunes of Anenih explain how to be a relic, not a few would consider it a complement.

Whereas, in the capacity to change his approaches, strategies and/or tactics to solve knotty issues lies the political dexterity of Anenih; otherwise, he would have been unable to always rebound in the fast changing and intriguing world of Nigerian politics where the name of the game is duplicity, treachery and tyranny, the last being the sort that Kawu has constantly demonstrated as a

columnist.

It is this tyranny of columnist Kawu that has enjoyed a vast flourish on the pages of Vanguard (and lately Blueprint) each time the world around Anenih has a good reason to celebrate him. Abusing the privilege of his chance meeting with Anenih in his Asokoro residence where he holds court like an archetypal political leader in 2006, he has simply resorted to declassifying in his column, in a bid to disparage him, details of that meeting.

Kawu’s tyrannical bashing of an innocent man without giving him an opportunity of defence in the body of the column is unfair.

When Anenih celebrated his 78th birthday in 2011; and, the volume of paid congratulatory/goodwill messages in newspapers by associates and loyalists was high for a man who was not holding any executive office in the government of the federation at that point, Kawu complained because Anenih’s influence transcended public office and because he has been able to deploy his wealth, which sources are legit to defend his followers and protect their interests.

Continues on pg 18

*Mr. Ainofenokhai, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Benin, Edo State.

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013 THE Presidential Amnesty Programme has to start taking responsibility for its shortcomings. At the moment, it thinks that others are to blame for lapses in its activities, some of which bring the programme to disrepute.

Last December, 67 students that it sent for skills training at a school in Larnaca, Cyprus, were withdrawn - after the discovery that the school had no accreditation for the courses it was offering the students.

Is the Amnesty Office apologising for the mistake? No, rather it is preparing to put the students through another set of tests, to determine who among them would be eligible for placement elsewhere. What happens to those who fail the new tests?

There are no answers.

Things are even a bit more bizarre, the students since their return had been kept in the dark about their future. The Amnesty Office is blaming the contractor who enlisted the school for the failed programme in Cyprus. The students went to the school in 2011.

If trainees had concluded the training,

Ho w Amnes ty TTraining raining How Amnesty Wor ks orks they would have returned with certificates that prospective employers would have rejected. Their time has been wasted and nobody is discussing recovering the money from the vendor who sold the fake programme to the Amnesty Office. Is that how government money is wasted? How would such vendors be deterred if they know they would get away with their deeds?

The unexplained maltreatment of the returnee trainees is another cause for concern. Why would the trainees be subjected to another round of tests as if they were responsible for their placement in a fake school? Were they, like the school, found unsuitable for the courses they were

studying? What would be their fate now that they would not be trained, after promises of training and an aborted one in Cyprus?

Mr. Daniel Alabra spokesman for the Amnesty Office mouthed an explanation.

“It is true that the students were brought back when we discovered that the school was not accredited, principally to save them from avoidable problems.

“We cannot allow them to waste their precious time and return with worthless certificates and be stranded in Nigeria.

That is why we are doing our best to sort their problems out once and for all.”

Nice as this sounded, “doing our best to sort their problems out once and for all,” does not appear to include ensuring that all the trainees who retuned from Cyprus would be given another chance to be saved “from avoidable problems”.

The Amnesty Office should do two things quickly: get all the returnees back to school and make the vendor return the payment for the fake school, to save itself “from avoidable problems”.

OPINION

BY JOHN AINIOFENOKHAI Continued from pg 17

T

HE columnist’s disposition, as a pseudomember of the faded clan of selfacclaimed Marxian apologists/socialists, perhaps, stemmed from the despicable chicanery of a patron-saint picture of him that readers are made to glean from his writings; whereas he and his cohort have the innate tendencies to acquire powers within their spheres of influence and exercise it even ruthlessly to preserve their selfish interests. But because he wields the power of the pen, he has derogatorily put his subject under public spotlight.

Kawu despises the ability of Anenih to survive, in his words, “in the dark, smokefilled inner recesses of the cloak-and-dagger world of politics, where he wields effective powers of influence and control.” Is Kawu a politician and is he angling to dislodge or take over from Anenih? Would he have been happy if Anenih had been long consumed in the world of politics that he so gruesomely depicted above? It seems so.

In his latest article on Anenih’s return as Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Kawu anchored his anger on the platform of his claims that Anenih has resided for too long in the inner recesses of “the cloakand-dagger world of politics (and) within that stuffy, hot-as-hell redoubt, what they cook is conspiracy against the best interests of the Nigerian people” and yet he is a

Anenih: Modibbo Kawu’s regurgitations and tyranny (2) survivor.

The conclusion that “what they cook is conspiracy against the best interests of the Nigerian people” is certainly not correct.

Again, he failed to explain this; and it is therefore difficult to speak to some particulars. But successive governments since 1999 have been working to build a virile and prosperous nation. Nigeria is work in progress.

The Federal Government under the able leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan is making significant progress in the various sectors of the economy. The nation may not have got to her Eldorado yet, but there are prospects that she will get there and this is in the best interest of Nigerians.

His further claim that “the broken and dysfunctional country in our hands today, is testimony to the politics which Anenih has represented since 1999,” is also fallacious. What is patently dishonest in Kawu’s verdict was the cruel attempt to reinvent the wheels. How could he have suggested that 14 years of democracy have left the country “broken and dysfunctional”?

That we have democracy, in the first instance, is functional.

This, no doubt, is the language of a member or an apologist of the opposition party. Perhaps, the newly-formed All

Progressive Congress, APC, should consider appointing him as its publicist or media consultant. And, again, to reinforce his proclivity for the opposition parties, Kawu had tried to condemn the PDP for taking steps to checkmate the excesses of its governors in the Nigeria Governors Forum.

He also spoke about the alleged de-robing of his friend, Obasanjo, whom he had bashed on several occasions in his columns when he was in Daily Trust.

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n the process, he exposed his lack of understanding of the essence of the recommendation by Professor Jerry Ganaled Committee that streamlined the membership of the Board of Trustees. There was no script, as he claimed, to remove Atiku Abubakar from the BoT. Atiku, by his act of leaving the PDP to AC to contest the 2007 presidential election, removed himself from the BoT. Therefore, he could not return to continue his tenure that he abandoned.

Atiku and someone like Ghali Na’Abba who also left the party and the BoT would not, punitively, be readmitted into the Board until 2014, when a new tenure is expected to begin. Both are respected leaders and members of the party.

Again, I laughed at Kawu when he naively suggested Anenih and co were aware “that

President Jonathan cannot go to the Nigerian people on the basis of his record of performance.” Although he did not give particulars to prove his claim, was he saying that the Jonathan administration has not done anything since coming in the saddle?

This, again, was playing the trump card of the opposition.

This government has built administrative infrastructure and frameworks that will drive the transformation process in the critical sectors of the economy. The critical work being done in the power sector with the building of independent power plants to boost generation and the privatization of the electricity distribution through the recent coming on board of Distribution Companies (Discos) are clear indicators of remarkable progress. President Jonathan had promised that the power situation would have remarkably improved by the end of this year.

What of the road infrastructure that government is building through the instrumentality of the Federal Ministry of Works and the rehabilitation being embarked upon by Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA? Well, back to Anenih, columnist Kawu should know that there is nothing he can do about the personality of this experienced and influential politician who is committed to his party and loyal to constituted authorities.

Concluded

*Mr. Ainofenokhai, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Benin.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013— —19

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LL Progressive Congress, the political party that was cobbled together from at least four other major parties, is the opposition answer to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, behemoth in a Nigeria where the idea of independent candidacy is yet to gain sound footing however desirable. These parties are considered regional in their power base but the PDP at the best of times reflects the ethnic origin/ biases of its most senior/vocal members from the president down to party leaders and governors.

It is therefore no less regional than the CPC, ACN, ANPP or APGA. Most times what unites the various units of power in the PDP as the other parties is class interest more than ethnic solidarity which comes into play only when members of the closeknit caucuses lose out in the power game. But is anything the matter with a party with national aspirations drawing most of its members from a particular region? Once the manifesto of that party speaks to the needs of the vast majority of the people of the country and is not aimed at

promoting sectional interest such party should, in my view, be able and ought to be allowed to function. It goes without saying that a party that emerges from such background must of necessity open up its ranks at all levels to people from other regions/backgrounds if it is to survive. The kind of human needs and aspirations political parties promise to uphold and pursue bear no regional, ethnic or religious labels. The necessity for solid education, affordable housing, proper health care, sufficient provision of food and employment all backed with appropriate infrastructure, among other requirements, are universal enough to command national allegiance for any party.

Without disrespect to other partners in the APC, the ‘coalition’ is held together mainly by the ACN and the CPC. This much is obvious in the visibility of the respective leaders of these two parties, Bola Tinubu and Muhammadu Buhari. It is a reflection of the elitist nature of our politics that we are not told when these parties sought and got the permission of their

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‘congresses’ to proceed into this merger that should in practical terms spell the end of each of the former parties as they were known. (This may be overlooked where leaders can be trusted to work in the interest of the people and also given the ‘emergency’ circumstances under which the parties are working). Otherwise, the likelihood is that some of them might want to declare their independence once things don’t go their way. But if this partnership is to go anywhere the imperative of equitable respect for all partners, irrespective of their individual strengths before coming together, must be stressed and adhered to as failure to observe this is often grounds for mumbled discontent growing into open disagreement and revolt. In this wise, both the APGA and ANPP ought to and should expect to be treated with equitable respect.

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quitable here because both responsibility and power and, of course, sharing of office would also follow the path of what each has brought to the

A President and his Lady Lazarus S

PEAKING at last of her hitherto ultrasecret six-week “rest” in Germany, Mrs Patience Jonathan, not known for nuance or circumspection, made a direct comparison to the Biblical Lazarus whom Jesus raised from the dead. “I am not Lazarus,” she said, then added “but my experience was similar to his.” Not merely similar but greater, as she soon showed why her back-to-life miracle tops the act by which Jesus sought to prove that he is “the resurrection and the life” and that whoever believes in him “ will live” even “though he were dead.” Lazarus had been dead for four days when Jesus raised him from the tomb; our First Lady Lazarus, on the other hand, had been dead for more than seven days. “I passed out for more than a week,” she said. “My intestine and tummy were opened. ... My doctors said all hope was lost. ... God woke me up after seven days.” It was a classic case of assertion by denial.

Since the odd mixture of carnival and pious devotion that characterised the Jonathans’ thanksgiving at the Aso Rock chapel 17 days ago, many have expressed outrage. Weary of remarking on the first couple’s many doings that display their singular lack of discretion in the use (not to say “abuse”) of power, I initially resolved not to write a word on this latest instance. I found myself only wishing that the attending Man of God at the thanksgiving, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, had been summoned to perform the miracle of healing Mrs Jonathan right from the start. That way, I thought ruefully, the nation would have been saved the huge

sums of money poured into her furtive medical tourism trip. Additionally, we would have been spared the saga of speculations by the public and childish denials by the Presidency’s spokesperson that ensued. And, also, the piety party. But then I was enveloped by a sense of sadness over yet another egregious show of contempt for the people on learning of the manner in which the President, through his wife, finally disclosed the reason for her stay abroad. And I kept asking: Why now? Why choose to disclose it to God, who must be presumed to have known all along anyway, and not to the people? Why hadn’t the President thought to address the nation and thank the people for footing the hefty bill of his wife’s expensive treatment; for their prayers? Surely, the people matter in all this, and it is better late than never to acknowledge them — if the great secret is to be (partially) revealed after all?

That was when it dawned on me that perhaps the President, as virtually all of our high political office holders, do really believe the claim they are fond of making: that it is God, not man (the electorate), that personally installs them in office.

Until now, I hadn’t imagined it to be a literal article of faith among our ruling class. Yet, there was the President who for six months had treated the cause of his wife’s mysterious disappearance from the country as a hyper-sensitive state secret, choosing, when he finally decided to part his lips, to address himself only to God. It is true that the disclosure was made by his wife, but aren’t the two one before God?

For the pious, it is of course an injunction to put God first in all things, though given t h e constitutionally guaranteed secularity of Nigeria it is not too much to ask our righteous leaders to separate their personal devotions from state matters. After all, as even Christ

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PDP, power mongering and the APC (2)

What unites the various units of power in parties is class interest more than ethnic solidarity which comes into play only when members lose out in the power game

table. That said, what are the motivations for the coming together of the parties?

If the inaugural address by Tom Ikimi announcing the birth of the APC is anything to go by, the party’s goals are no different from the usual goals political parties put in their shopping list and they are as basic as I have mentioned above. Ikimi did not elaborate on these. But should Nigerians take the APC on the strength of their claim? The claim needs to be tested and one way to go about this is to look at the pedigree of the leading members of the party. At least until they win at the polls if things work out for them. Let’s not forget though that both Buhari and Tinubu have been here before and nothing came out of their planned agenda. Personal aspirations, too strong to resolve before the election, proved the undoing of their understanding. The ACN all but disowned their presidential candidate who has since joined the government of his opponent at the polls, President Goodluck Jonathan. The CPC would have none but Buhari leading it to the polls and when it lost it took it too badly, more or less inciting violence by its members. The CPC’s arrangement with ANPP fell through with nothing to salvage. What are the assurances that things would work out this time?

Buhari has a lot going for him by way of integrity. But has the last ten years in active politics weaned him of his more autocratic tendencies? Could his readiness to work with a Christian leader like Tunde Bakare be sign that he would not seek to promote his religion at the expense of other religions?

And how ready would he be to step down for another member of the coalition who might be more

Among our many political challenges, one of the most urgent is how to make our “elected” leaders imbibe a basic minimum understanding of representative governance

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counselled, there are the things of God and there are the things of Caesar.

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n hindsight, I suspect that the belief in divine anointment to office is one reason why our rulers do not care for us mere mortals; why Jonathan could say “I don’t give a damn” when asked about the clamour for a public declaration of his assets. Compare that outburst with what Louis XIV of France purportedly said,

acceptable to the party than him?

The last question also applies to Tinubu whose campaign during the governorship election in Ondo State was like the outing of a bad-tempered school master out to beat an offending pupil into line. He fumed, cursed and bragged at the opposition LP and its candidate. This is saying nothing of the manner he breathed down the neck of Fashola, almost pushing him out of office at a point. Is he more amenable to a more democratic way of doing things now? There can be no doubt of his activist temper/credentials but how prepared is he, if the claim is true, to cut down on his tendency for primitive acquisition? We are told there are no permanent friends or enemies in politics- but how does this play out with a one time power monger like Ikimi?

For a man with an obese ego who tended to pretend he was a soldier in the arrogant manner he talked and carried himself as Abacha’s minister, can he be trusted to work for the new party? What forced him from the PDP in which he served as returning officer during the convention that brought Obasanjo into office?

Was it the loss of patronage and power in the PDP that led him into the APC? What assurances are there that he has weaned himself of his autocratic side?

The PDP is not going to and should not be expected to remain impervious to what the APC represents. It would bring in both fair and foul means to fight and in this it would be looking for the weakest links in the APC chain which are the uncommitted members, people easily blown aside by material wants. In the end, we might by default be closer to a two-party state than we care to know. A little to the right, a little to the left?

Concluded

“L’état c’est moi” (“I am the State”). Louis XIV ruled at a time when monarchs claimed to be the direct representatives of God. And if God is not accountable to any one, then neither are his appointed representatives.

I confess that I remain shocked by President Jonathan’s latest display of contempt for the people. Five months earlier, he had sparked another outrage by claiming that the masses of people who trooped to the streets last year to protest their further impoverishment through his removal of yet another phantom fuel subsidy were sponsored and manipulated by unnamed enemies. The people, he said, had been lured into risking life, limb and liberty with bribes of “pure water” and street music. Oh, the fools and simpletons he must lead!

If Jonathan didn’t believe that he was specially anointed by God to be president, that come 2015 God will renew the anointing on his head through Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and that the people do not matter a jot in the process, he might just give a damn about insulting them ever so often. It seems to me, then, that among our many political challenges, one of the most urgent is how to make our “elected” leaders imbibe a basic minimum understanding of representative governance and the character, attitude and comportment it demands of them.

20 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6 , 2013

Why suspected pipeline vandals want Kumuyi to intervene •We’re palm wine tappers—suspects •No, they’re pipeline vandals—NSCDC

BY BOSE ADELAJA

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OR suspected pipeline vandal, Imeh Etim, 27, only the urgent intervention of the General Overseer of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi, can rescue him from his present predicament. Ime who said he has been a member of Pastor Kumuyi’s church for the past 13 years wants the cleric to use his good office to save him from an uncertain fate. Imeh was arrested recently with two of his siblings, Bassey, 25 and Effiong, 32 and a family friend, Samuel Christopher, at Ojo area of Lagos during a raid by agents of the anti-vandals department of the The suspected pipeline vandals paraded by NSCDC in Lagos Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, ‘’He begged us for a ride into ‘’Despite the fact that he has NSCDC, Lagos State Comthe forest to tap palm wine as been in the palm wine business mand, in connection with pipehe did not have enough monfor many years, he cannot make line vandalism. ey for fare, but the law enforceends meet.

Apart from this, the But Imeh, who claimed he ment agents met us on the way job is strenuous and he usually was a fisherman, said he was and arrested us,’’ they said. runs to us for money. That is arrested when he paid a visit In his own account, Effiong why I asked him to stop the busito his elder brother, Effiong, a said: ‘’I am a palm wine tapness but he remained adamant palm wine taper, also in Ojo per and I am aware of illegal until law enforcement agents area of Lagos. The four were bunkering in the forest but I recame there and arrested us,’’ he paraded by NSCDC Lagos gret my failure to inform secusaid.

State Commandant Shem rity agents of the atrocities in Asked if he was aware of illeObafaye, at the State Secretarthe area until they raided the gal bunkering going on in the iat in Alausa, Ikeja. But in a place’’. area, he responded thus: ‘’Yes, dramatic twist, Imeh, Bassey Parading the suspects, Obafaye said two motorcycles He begged us for a ride into the forwere also impounded on that est to tap palm wine as he did not day as well as 750 litres of petroleum products, adding: ‘’We have enough money for fare, but the received an intelligent report law enforcement agents met us on the that some vandals wanted to operate in the area and we carway and arrested us ried out a surveillance; our men were inside the forest for over and Christopher are now accus14 hours and when the susing Effiong of being responsi- all of us are aware; and that is pected vandals eventually part of the reasons why I asked ble for their trouble. came around, we arrested. We While Imeh claimed he was a him to choose another vocation. have our intelligence team in fisherman, Bassey and Chris- Now see what his stubbornness every nook and cranny and totopher said they were commer- has caused the entire family. I day, we thank God that those cial motorcyclists, while Effiong usually go there to remind him who are actually perpetrating of the danger ahead not knowwas a palm wine tapper. the evil have been nabbed.

Speaking with Vanguard ing that last weekend’s visit will “Arepo is opened up now, the Metro, VM, Etim said he had land me in trouble’’. bush and illegal structures built Giving their own account, Basissued several warnings to his around the place have been sey and Christopher said on brother to quit the palm wine cleared. So, no more hiding business because of the danger that fateful day, Effiong visited place for the vandals at Arepo. associated with it but Effiong their park and asked for a ride But it’s like the vandals have had turned deaf ears to the to the forest in order to transcrossed over to places like port some gallons of palm wine. warnings.

Akute and Ojo. When your opImeh said he had repeatedly But it turned out to be a ride into ponent is stronger than you, you urged other members of their trouble as they landed into the have no option than to surrenfamily to use everything at their hands of law enforcement der; the vandals were overdisposal to stop Effiong from agents who arrested them and whelmed by the sheer number continuing with the business. impounded their motorcycles. of our men last weekend’’.

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Debate of the masses

PHCN at it again!

BY EBELE ORAKPO

“H

A! Man don suffer for this country oo!” exclaimed a commuter in the CMSbound bus by name Comfort as the bus crawled through the usual heavy Lagos traffic.

“My sister, you are not the only one. We are all suffering. Is it the unbearable heat, high cost of living, deplorable roads, rogue politicians?

Where do I start from?

See as people dey sweat like Christmas goats,” complained Iyabo.

“The heat is not peculiar to Nigeria abeg,” retorted Abu. “It’s everywhere. That is the result of the climate change we are experiencing the world over – extreme weather conditions like extreme heat and extreme cold. Unfortunately, we are the cause of that through our activities.”

“Yes, it may be global but other countries’ governments have a way of dealing with it to ameliorate the effects on the people, but not the Nigerian government,” countered Iyabo.

Said Comfort; “My grouse is with the electricity utility company, Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. They are adding salt to injury. I thought they had repented.” “Repented from red to black or from what to what? I think the correct name is Please Hold Candle, No light,” joked Abel.

Continued Comfort; “Could you believe that they brought our February bill on February 6?

What type of nonsense is that?” “We were accusing them of inefficiency and now they are trying to be efficient and you are still not happy. Na wah for Nigerians,” said Ify. “Over-efficiency dey worry them, period!” said Charles.

“I got mine at about the same time, I think on the 7th of February. I mean, it’s crazy. How can I pay for services not ren-

dered?” asked Iyabo.

“Don’t be melodramatic. They will provide the services,” said Ngozi.

“How did they know the amount of electricity we were going to consume for the month?” asked Comfort, to which Charles replied thus: “The usual outrageous estimated bills. They don’t read metres at all.

They just sit in their cosy offices and cook up figures and send to people.

Before you say Jack Robinson, they will come to disconnect you for not paying the bills. Na money dey insult person.

Otherwise, I would have installed full solar system and PHCN can go to hell.

Make dem no worry. Very soon, people will be so frustrated as to go back to the days of jungle justice where they kill and maim PHCN officials at the slightest provocation.”

Said Comfort; “The most annoying part was that two days after bringing the bills and urging us to pay, there was power outage for almost two weeks.

I made a pot of vegetable soup with the little money I had and had to keep warming and re-warming the poor soup until it began to swear for me. We did not have light until about two weeks later.”

Said Iyabo; “Thank God I did not bother to pay.

Many people went to complain about the crazy bills and they were told to either pay or have their lines cut. Imagine the insult!”

“No be small insult. A neighbour who lives in a single room was given a bill of N9,000. Our bill jumped from N6,000 to N15,000, meanwhile we hardly stay at home and we make sure we turn off lights when not in use,” said Comfort.

“The only solution is for people to get the pre-paid metres. But they stopped issuing the metres because it became difficult for them to cheat consumers. May God save us in this country,” said Charles.

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— 25 Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013—

26 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

Microsoft empowers developers for improved productivity

BY EMEKA AGINAM

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*L-r: Peter Garich, Service Director, Service Provider Infrastructure Current Analysis, USA; Mario Castillo, United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC); Gertsberg, Senior Vice President, Technology, Strategy, Governance and Programmes, Deutsche Telecom Ag, Germany; Wen, Vice President and Director, MIIT, Huawei; Eugene Juwah, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission, and Yu Quan, Chief Strategy Officer, Wireless Business Unit, Huawei at Huawei Broader Way Forum 2013 at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

‘ICT to contribute 15% to GDP by 2015’ S

MARTING from his exploits at the recently concluded Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Dr Eugene Juwah, has declared that Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, would enjoy up to 15 percent increase from ICT contributions in 2015.

The current ICT contribution to GDP is 5.6 percent and Juwah said that the massive jump to 15 percent would happen due to the government’s structured investment and regulatory intervention.

Juwah also highlighted on this projection at the Mobile World Congress when he appeared on the Broader Way 2013 Forum – Make it Possible, organised by equipment manufacturer, Huawei, in Barcelona last week.

Speaking among a panel of experts from industry and administrations, Juwah traced phenomenal developments in the country’s communications industry and submitted that current programmes and strategies will put Nigeria on a faster lane in Broadband deployment and development.

He however regretted a dearth of infrastructure in the sector which affected projections and growth when placed side by side with the country’s huge population, admitting that it resulted in only 6 percent data

penetration currently.

He therefore canvassed for synergy between government and the private sector in infrastructure funding and build out in order to stimulate demand and competition.

He said that although the licensing of 2.3GHz will be concluded this year; and thus be able to stimulate further competition in the telecommunications industry, the NCC has been developing a broadband concept for the country which will encourage government to give financial incentives to service pro-

encourage the two technologies.

Putting people at the centre of the business, almost all the experts gathered at the forum were of the opinion that competition should not only focus on prices but on services and quality as well.

Speaking in another forum, Dr Hamadoun Toure whose tenure at the ITU has witnessed ground-breaking developments in the ICT sector, including the digital migration, hailed the transformation in the telecommunications sector which is driving pro-

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BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

Africa is part of this inclusive technology that has given voice to the voiceless and allows even the ordinary folks in rural areas to participate in global discourse and share useful information

viders that will take services to far-flung areas, unserved and other under-served places.

In fact such incentives, according to him, will influence a commanding reduction in the cost of bandwidth and this expectedly, will put bandwidth in the hands of those who need it but are yet unable to afford it.

On the infrastructure side, he further advocated for equal focus on the wireless and wired technologies. He appealed to equipment manufacturers and suppliers to come out with products that can harmonise and

found changes in all sectors and helping countries to meet millennium development goals (MDGs), among others.

For instance, the digital economy allows anyone, anywhere play an active role in global issues and value chain, Toure said.

Toure was excited about ICT growth in Africa, a continent that has become an honey pot for mobile growth, and specially commended Nigeria for a good regulatory framework by the Juwah- led team which has exploded mobile phone growth in Africa’s

most populous nation.

Toure was particularly excited that "Africa is part of this inclusive technology that has given voice to the voiceless and allows even the ordinary folks in rural areas to participate in global discourse and share useful information."

He hailed manufacturers for turning the phone into some multi-purpose devices saying that “it is no longer a phone but multi-purpose devices.”

With these devices, people are able to share information and bounce them around the world.

Information when shared is divided between people but when it is communicated digitally so many people will have access to that information globally, Toure explained.

The ITU Secretary General was pained that a kind of technology cold war seems to be brewing between developed North and developing South, and appealed that such war should not be allowed to happen otherwise it will hurt growth being recorded in the sector.

Toure also stressed the importance of Cyber Security, saying it touches the life of everybody including government and children. Cyber Security is a very serious and sensitive issue, Toure said, adding that there was an overriding importance to protect children in Cyber Space. He commended administrators and regulators for teaming with the ITU for Child online protection.

t the just conclud ed developer ’s workshop held recently in Lagos, the global software giant, Microsoft sharpened developers’ skills using its innovative products and solutions.

Being one of the biggest technology workshop which drew a large attendance of the Nigerian developers’ community , the event was targeted at empowering developers to better position themselves within the industry.

Speaking on the rationale for the workshop, Shina Oyetosho, Developer Platform Evangelism Lead, Microsoft Anglophone West Africa said: “The workshop was part of the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative geared towards empowering individuals’ innovation for global competitiveness and to educate the developers on how to position their software.”

The Developers Workshop was an offshoot of the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative launched on February 5th aimed at sowing seeds of growth and investment on the African continent.

Earlier in his address, Emmanuel Onyeje, Country Manager Microsoft Anglophone West Africa, charged the developers to create more user-friendly and innovative Apps that will help to enhance users’ experience.

He encouraged them to come up with consumable content that people can easily buy into.

Onyeje advised that “Ac-

cess” one of the pillars of the 4Afrika Initiative was needed to drive content consumption through devices.

He said that the Corporation was focusing on giving people skills for them to employ people or to be employed.

According to him, the Microsoft was partnering with the Federal Government of Nigeria to launch an Innovation Centre in the country and to set-up an App Factory that will provide Windows apps by Nigerians for Nigerians, and also provide them skills for employability.

Donald Oyeleye, an app developer at Infoware Limited, developers of the Infoware Finance App spoke on apps for the financial industry.

He explained that the essence of developing apps is to help users solve specific problems in order to their enhance productivity.

Akinwale Ariwodola, an IT Consultant with Antinormal Limited and Sasha Winston-Onyiah, Lead Programmer at IDSL taught the developers on how to develop Apps for Windows store.

The workshop provided a strong networking platform for developers to interact and leverage on Microsoft products and solutions for effective application development. Participating developers commended the continuous efforts of Microsoft at encouraging technology penetration as well as personal growth.

MTN next business titans engages Nigerian youths

BY LAJA THOMAS

A

FTER a successful final audition in Lagos, the MTN Business Next Titan Reality show is setting up a boot camp to engage its 51 pre-academy contestants in a most thrilling capacity building and familiarity experience. Proposed for the third week of March 2013, the reality show in Nigeria will help contestants build charisma, strengthen character, enlighten personality; refine their ideas and empower them to enrich the national economy.

It will be recalled, however, that the organizers of the reality show threw open the gates for all Nigerian graduates, who are above 18 years and

below 35 years of age, precisely four weeks ago. The first audition was held in Abuja; the second was in Port Harcourt, and lastly Lagos.

Overall, more than five hundred contestants turned out in all the locations, whereas 16, 10, 25 contestants were selected respectively.

These Nigerians were selected based on the genuineness and feasibility of their business plans as adjudged by the sitting judges, whose experiences cut across the media, commerce and entrepreneurship.

The business ideas range from food processing and distribution to software manufacturing, alternative electric power source.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013 — 27

Govt must subsidize computers for students Continues from Page 23

L-r: Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Ms. Nonny Ugboma; Director MTN Foundation, Mrs. Aishatu .P. Sadauki handing over an MTNF Science and Technology Scholarship Award Certificate to Mr. Adamu Aliyu Jimoh, a beneficiary of the MTNF scholarship award and Assistant Director, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Florence Chukwu at the MTN Foundation’s scholarship award ceremony (phase four) at the National Universities Commission, Abuja recently.

pleased to partner with Zinox, a regional leader with the capacities and high ethical value required to deliver on its promise to use technology to drive development nationally and internationally.

Expressing enthusiasm for the Nigerian hardware industry, Pearson said that as a long-standing member of the Intel Diamond Club, Zinox would continue to enjoy information and technical exchanges to make the company more relevant to the economy.

He said that Zinox shared the Intel passion for adequately empowering the education sector. He informed that Zinox has been responsible for the computerization of over 65 per cent of the tertiary in-

stitutions in Nigeria. Of late, he said, Zinox developed and deployed the largest e-learning suite in Africa solely for the purpose of providing affordable access to content for the education sector.

“The Zinox world-class hub, which went live, recently would bring relief to many educational institutions beginning from April 2013 when Zinox streams e- Content to educational institutions at half the present cost”, he stated.

The Zinox boss revealed that the ultra modern factory would begin production before the end of March while explaining that, the delay in bringing up the factory was due to the irregular power supply in the country.

MTN gives 238 less privileged students N47.6bn worth of scholarship

BY EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

A

BOUT 238 Nigeri an students in public tertiary institutions in the Northern zone, were recently presented with N200,000 scholarship awards, each, by the MTN foundation.

The scholarship, the 4th in the series of MTNF science and technology scholarship and MTNF Scholarship awards for blind students comprised of 205 science and technology students and 33 blind students, drawn from various institutions of higher learning across the country.

Presenting the award, Chairman, MTN Foundation, Ambassador Hamzat Ahmadu, said the gesture was born out

the organization’s passion to reward excellence in students who were found worthy and have worked extremely hard and deserve an opportunity to pursue their dreams of higher education. ‘‘We celebrate academic excellence in students who have worked extremely hard and who definitely deserve an opportunity to pursue their dreams of higher education. We also recognize the exemplary efforts of a special group of students who have to overcome daily challenges in their quest for a brighter future.’’ ‘‘It is about shaping Nigeria’s future through education. It is about making an investment in the lives of tomorrow’s

leaders, by providing them with an opportunity to pursue their dreams despite limitations. To the beneficiaries, you have done to earn a place in this scheme, and your parents and guardians should indeed be proud of you. Implore you not to rest on your oars,’’ said Ahmadu.

According to Amb. Hamzat, the gesture would also be extended to other successful students in Owerri and Lagos for the Eastern and Western zones on March 7th and 14th respectively.

In her goodwill message, the Minister of Women Affaires and Youth Development, Hajia Zainab Maina represented by Mr. George Osy described

the gesture as indication that the organization is commitment to academic pursuit of persons with disability and financial challenge.

For her, the gesture would bring unprecedented advancement and bridge the widening gap between the less privileged persons and the rest of the society. ‘‘It is an advancement of education equalization. It is coming at a time the present administration is committed to partnering with corporate entities to take education in Nigeria to the next level. This group constitutes 35 percent of the population, and I think that it is necessary to extend such support to them. I enjoin every beneficiary to see this as an opportunity to work

harder and contribute to the nation building,’’ he said. He then called on other corporate organizations to emulate the gesture,’’ noted.

Also speaking, the minister of education, Prof.

Tukayaatu Rufai represented by Mrs. Florence Chukwu, while commended MTN for rewarding hard-work, said that the importance of the gesture to nation’s building cannot be over emphasized and urged the company to sustain the initiative.

The executive Secretary of the Foundation, Ms. Nonny Ugboma said the benefiting students were considered worthy of the awards after series of test and examination procedures that revealed them as true champions in academics.

Dimension Data launches cloud services in Nigeria

BY PRINCE OSUAGWU

D

IMENSION Data last week introduced its global Managed Cloud Platform (MCP) in Nigeria, promising that it was going to serve the needs of both public and private enterprise, as well as service providers.

Dimension Data said that it’s cloud offering will enable clients to accelerate their adoption of cloud computing, increase strategic agility, lower ICT infrastructure management expenses, and reduce cloud migration complexity and risk.

Cloud technology presents a new consumption model for ICT

solutions and services wrapped in a predictable, monthly commercial model, which allows its adopters to reduce cost as cloud reduces the total cost of ownership of managing infrastructure and applications.

According to the General Manager, Enterprise Solutions, Dimension Data Nigeria, Jide Agbaje, “the availability of cloud computing in Nigeria makes it easier for organisations to harness the cost and agility benefits of Cloud as it provides organisations high speed access to secure, enterprise-class public, private, hybrid and hosted private cloud services in the country”

Meanwhile, Solutions Executive, Dimension Data Africa, Mr Tony Munro, had earlier declared that “ while the benefits of cloud computing are very compelling, the complexity of planning, building and managing cloud infrastructure, is significant.

Cloud providers need to address client concerns about security, compliance, integration, performance, capital expense requirements, as well as deployment and operational risks – to allow clients accelerate their Cloud journey,” The company’s public cloud services are said to be available immediately even as dedicated pri-

vate cloud services can be deployed in a matter of weeks, allowing clients to enjoy the benefits of a fully automated Cloud architecture without the risks or excessive time associated with building the architectures themselves.

Dimension Data says it offers public and private cloud Compute-asa-Service(CaaS) solutions that provide selfservice, on-demand, cloud-based compute, storage and networking resources which are fully managed using a Web-based or RESTbased Application Interface (API).Dimension Data’s managed hosting services go beyond infra-

structure hosting and also include deployment, management and delivery of applications.

The MCP is enterprisegrade, offering multiple layers of security, administrative controls, 99.99 percent availability SLAs on public cloud, 24/7 support and integrated management capabilities. Agbaje claimed that “our cloud IaaS offerings are designed to address the performance and security concerns of organisations. We have made it easier and less complex for organisations of every size to benefit from the flexibility and scale of cloud technologies through automation and broad global coverage”,

According to her, about 500 students joined the scheme while about 800 returned for maintaining their high grades. She noted that about 300 students graduated from the scheme in December 2012 and were given technical training to enable them become employable in the labour market. ‘‘For us, it is not just about award, we believe on building their capacities on interview techniques, building their Curriculum Vitae, all to make them employable.

Our reach is beyond universities. We also involve polytechnic and colleges of education students from both federal and state government. We are confident that when we give them the final handshake, they will be ready to face the labour market with prerequisite skills and capabilities,’’ she added.

President of the Joint Action for Persons with Disability, Barr. Danlami Basharu said it was uncommon to see organizations giving huge support to persons with disability. He called on the corporate world to reach out to empower people with disability, insisting that it is only when they invest their money wisely that peace can reign in the society.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, a Chemical Engineering student of Federal University of Technology, Minna, Agi Tyoor said ‘‘We are going to make good use of this opportunity. This is going to go a long way to making our studies easier.

28—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6,, 2013

o t s w o v e y Ajibo , a m a e y n E battle Ejide for .1 o N ’ s e l g a E 3

SC goalkeeper Dele Ajiboye has said that he will fight to be on the Super Eagles squad after he was handed a surprise call-up.

The 22-year-old shot stopper was among 24 players from the domestic league picked for a 2014 World Cup qualifier against Kenya and while he admitted he was surprised by his call-up, he hopes to take his chance. ”I am so happy by this invitation even though I wasn’t expecting it now, but I always knew my time to play in the Eagles will come. This is the chance I have been waiting for and I hope to do my best,” Ajiboye said.

On his chances against the likes of Vincent Enyeama, Austin Ejide and Chigozie Agbim, the former Pontevedra CF of Spain goalkeeper said he is ready to battle them for a place on the squad against Kenya in a World Cup qualifier on March 23 in Calabar. ”I know we have top goalkeepers in the Eagles, but I am ready for the challenges and I am confident I will do enough to be on the team to face Kenya.”

The former Olympic team international also disclosed he will join the Eagles training camp in Abuja on Monday. ”I know the camp will resume on Saturday, but we

By SOLOMON have a league game on NWOKE Sunday against Gombe and so I will be in camp on Monday,” Ajiboye said.

HEAD of this month’s 2014 World Cup qualifier against the Harambee Stars of Kenya in Calabar, former Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Alhaji Sani Ahmed Toro has cautioned the Super Eagles not to be swayed by their 2013 Afcon victory in South Africa.

Newly appointed head coach of Harambee Stars of Kenya, Adel Amrouche had boasted that Nigeria’s 2013 Afcon victory was not enough reason for Kenya to fear the Super Eagles.

He tasked Eagles’ head coach, Stephen Keshi and his players not to rest on their oars.

“I believe by now Keshi must have submitted his programme for the World Cup and the FIFA Confederation Cup and the earlier the FA approves of it, the better. I know Keshi is not going to gamble with or be •Ajiboye carried away by the victory in

•Eagles

2014 WORLD CUP QUALIFIER:

Toro cautions Eagles ahead of Harambee Stars clash A

South Africa. I also know that he will like to retain the crop of players that executed and won the African Cup of Nations.

“Yes we have won the Nations Cup, what remains now is the World Cup and most importantly, I don’t want Nigeria to underrate any team, not even Kenya”, he said.

The former Bauchi State Sports Commissioner said he is certain that Nigeria would qualify for the next World Cup

in Brazil as he expressed happiness over the role played by home-based players.

He said, “I am sure the Eagles will qualify. He should ensure everything is put in place for us to qualify .

Whether Nigeria is going to do well at the World Cup or win it, I don’t know. But I am certain that Nigeria will qualify for the World Cup. We have committed players from which Keshi is going to select the best for the country. Kenya must fall on March 23rd ”, he vowed.

Zebras 9-0 d n o m ia D d n u o p ts le g Golden Ea

G

• Keshi

OLDEN Eaglets pounded the Diamond Zebras of Botswana 9-0 in the reverse fixture of two-legged international friendly on Monday at the U J Esuene Stadium, Calabar to complete a 12-0 aggregate routing of the Southern African cadet side.

Last Saturday, the Nigerian Under-17 team beat their Botswana counterparts 3-0 with Eaglets’ head coach, Manu Garba describing his wards as wasteful.

Monday’s game was tighter with Botswana packing the defence with more players. The side coach, Kagiso Kobedi brought in four new players to fortify the team but in the end it did not stop rampaging Nigeria’s budding team.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY,, MARCH 6,, 2013— 29

Lagos Int’l Polo Tournament: Kano, Ibadan teams kickstart second phase H

•Zlatan Ibrahimovic

P

ARIS Saint-Germain’s inconsistency in the French league has yet to impact its Champions League campaign as the big spenders hold a 2-1 lead ahead of today’s return leg in the last 16 against Valencia.

PSG has not reached the Champions League quarterfinals since 1995 and will be favored to progress,

Pirlo warns Juventus against complacency J

UVENTUS playmaker Andrea Pirlo has warned his side against complacency when they host Celtic in the second leg of theirChampions League last-16 tie today.

The Italian champions lead their Scottish counterparts 30 from the first leg played in Glasgow last month. ”Celtic for a start will be wounded,” he told the Scottish Sun. “They are a very proud football club and have a very proud set of fans. ”It will have hurt them to see the way they were beaten at their home - and if we are complacent, then that is when they could have their revenge.

C M Y K

despite coping without top scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is suspended.

Ibrahimovic, who has scored 26 goals, has been masking PSG’s weaknesses.

When he’s out of form, like in Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Reims, the team seems short on options.

PSG’s win in Valencia three weeks ago contrasted sharply with Saturday’s poor display, which was PSG’s second straight away loss to a team fighting against relegation a worrying statistic for a club aspiring to join Europe’s elite.

VS

C

ELTIC full-back Mikael Lustig has warned his team-mates they cannot afford to go all out attack as they try to overturn Juventus’ Champions League lead.

The Hoops travel to Turin yesterday with only the faintest hopes of stunning the Old Lady in today’s last-16 second leg following their 3-0 defeat in Glasgow last month.

But Lustig, who will remain behind in Scotland alongside captain Scott Brown after both picked up injuries, realises a

PSG coach Carlo Ancelotti refused to criticize his players for their poor showing against Reims and said the loss does not change his plans for Valencia.

“I don’t think so,” the Italian said. “Wednesday’s match is important, that’s true, but we’ve already prepared for it.”

Ancelotti has Brazil center half Thiago Silva available again after nearly two months out with a hamstring injury, but winger Jeremy Menez is doubtful with a sore hip and sat out Monday’s training.

OSTILITIES resume today at the 2013 Lagos International Polo Tournament with Ibadan and Kano teams squaring up in crucial encounters.

Kano Susplan will take on Kano DMS for a place in the Low Cup Representative of MTN Nigeria, one of the major sponsors Kola Oyeyemi, General Manager, Consumer Marketing,, said the company had always been loyal to its core clientele, adding, “the rationale for sponsoring the Lagos Polo Tournament and others around the country, is based on seeking ways to connect with the passion points of MTN’s customers. Polo is a platform to associate with our customers because of their passion for the game of kings and the king of games.

We will continue to identify with the passion points of our customers as we continue to promote not only Polo, but other sporting activities so as to enrich their lives by making them to love more, laugh more and live more” he added.

Kano Ibah and Trivia/Trojan won the Dansa Cup and the Oba of Lagos Cup respectively in the opening week of the double edged tournament.

•An action from Lagos Int’l Polo Tournament

Celtic’ll be cautious against Juventus, insists Lustig gung-ho approach will only see the Clydesdale Bank Premier League champions cut open again.

Celtic conceded early in the first leg as Alessandro Matri pounced and were then hit with two late sucker-punches when Claudio Marchisio and Mirko Vucinic both struck as Neil Lennon’s men desperately sought a goal to take with them to Italy.

Having learned that harsh lesson, Lustig believes the manager will have to remain

cautious - even given Juve’s commanding lead.

He said: “We need to try to go forward and score some goals, but if we are too open in how we think, then Juventus are a really good team and will have a really good chance to score.

“So we will need to take it a little bit easy.”

Meanwhile, former Celtic assistant manager John Robertson reckons Celtic can be proud of the work they have done on the continent this year.

•Lustig

30 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

PenCom licenced PFAs * ARM Pension Managers Limited. * Leadway Pensure PFA Limited. * Premium Pension Limited. * Sigma Pensions Limited * Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited. * Trustfund Pensions Plc. * Aiico Pension Managers Limited. * APT Pension Fund Managers Limited. * Crusader Sterling Pensions Limited. * Fidelity Pension Managers Limited. * Future Unity Glanvills Pensions Limited. * IEI-Anchor Pension Managers Limited. * NLPC Pension Fund Administrators Limited.

•A third party policy could return your car to shape

How third party insurance works

By ROSEMARY ONUOHA

* Legacy Pension Managers Limited. * Oak Pensions Limited * Pensions Alliance Limited. * Penman Pensions Limited. * Royal Trust Pension Fund Administrator Limited.

NAICOM registered insurance companies continuation

L

ast week, in our haste to go to press, we omitted names of some insurance companies registered by the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM, to operate insurance business in the country. The omitted companies are hereby listed *Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc *FBN Life Assurance Ltd

I

N Nigeria, it is compulsory to have motor insurance before using or keeping a motor vehicle on public roads. However, since most Nigerians buy insurance just to get cleared from law enforcement agents on the roads, they choose to go for third party motor insurance which is a lot cheaper than comprehensive policy.

Consequently, because of the preconceived notions that third party policy is just to beat law enforcement agents, many don’t realize that a third party policy is actually legal and indemnifies the insured from third party losses.

Unfortunately, a lot of accidented vehicles which ordinarily would have been repaired by the insurance company are borne by the car owners.

How third party works

For a third party motor policy, the first party is you; the second party is the insurance company while the third party is everyone else.

So third party motor insurance means that if you damage (crash into) someone else’s vehicle, the insurance pays the owner of that vehicle (the third party), or more importantly if you injure someone else with your vehicle, the insurance pays. Third party liability coverage is part of your basic motor policy and covers you for claims made against you by other drivers after a crash.

In other words, under third party insurance you cannot claim for the

car you are driving regardless of whether it is a brand new tear rubber. You need a comprehensive cover for that. If you are driving someone else’s car, it won’t pay to have the car you are driving repaired. Only the car you hit. If you are responsible for a crash, you might also be responsible for paying to repair another vehicle or covering its driver ’s medical costs. Third party liability coverage protects you against these claims, covering the cost of damage and injuries sustained in a crash in which you were at fault.

It is worthy of note that the money to pay for damages comes from the premiums. Invariable, if premium has not been paid for a third party motor insurance, there won’t be any compensation whatsoever, in case of accident.

If you go for a third auto party insurance from a registered insurance company, you will be able to save yourself of the cost associated with causing damage to others. Assuming your car injured a pedestrian, the insurance company will pick up the medical bills and thus save you from being torn apart by the relatives of the injured.

However, note that the claim you can make on an auto insurance policy is limited. So, find out the limit to the loss the insurance policy covers before subscribing. For example, an auto insurance policy may only cover loss up to a certain amount say N1,000,000. This means that if the vehicle you damaged is worth more than that,

the insurance company will only provide N1,000,000.

More importantly, as soon as the insurer thinks you are not acting ‘in good faith’ in other words they think you are trying to rip them off, they will refuse to pay that claim, cancel your insurance, report you to the police for fraud and put you on a blacklist. To get a third party auto insurance policy contact a registered insurance company or use the services of an insurance broker.

Having good insurance

If you think you can fight off against an unexpected disaster by yourself then that is great; otherwise, insurance is your best shot. Insurance means you do not have to be on the streets, if somehow the main family bread earner passes away, or the roof over your head is snatched or your life savings are stolen. In all these cases, a good insurance is your road to quick recovery.

According to Mr. Yemi Soladoye, an insurance expert, the greatest asset insurance bestows is the absolute peace in case of most traumatic moments of ones life. “A dying man, who is insured for life, would breath his/her last in complete peace, knowing he/she can pass away without fretting over the financial state of his/her family.

In automobile accident, you do not lay down in a panic attack, if the vehicle is properly insured. Hence it would be justifiable to claim that insurance brings an extra strength to face the worst upsets of life”, Soladoye said.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013 — 31

Why you must update your PFA s t atus M

r. John Ugana (not real names) is a retired police officer who served in the Nigerian Police Force for 35 years. Before he retired, the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, came on stream and all his pension entitlements were transferred to his Retirement Savings Account, RSA. Ugana retired and relocated back to his village in Benue State and went back to his farm without collecting his pension.

When Ugana’s PFA discovered that he did not come to claim his pension, the PFA tried reaching him on his telephone line, but it was not connecting.

The PFA contacted his former office and was told that they know nothing of his where about.

The PFA went to the address he submitted as his residential address and his former neighbours said he just left without telling anybody where he was going.

Luckily for Ugana, in the process of trying to locate him, a close friend who knew of his whereabouts briefed the PFA about it, so the PFA went to his village to look for him.

When he was eventually found, he was asked why he didn’t bother to collect his pension; Ugana said he never knew the pension scheme was real and he never believed in it.

Scenarios like this are becoming commonplace with the CPS due to various

reasons. Reasons such as, RSA holders changing addresses and not informing their PFAs; RSA holders changing phone lines and still not informing their PFAs; account holders not telling their beneficiaries about their pension before dying; as well as RSA holders not writing Will to specify who their benefits should go to in case of death.

Only recently, Pension Fund Operators, PenOp, lamented that un-accessed pension benefits is growing on daily basis and it is becoming a big challenge to the pension sector on how to locate the actual beneficiaries.

Your contribution in the CPS is not money that you need for day to day living. Hence, there is need for you to give accurate

information to your PFA so that when you finally retire, controversy won’t arise. More so, if a retiree is not around to enjoy his pension benefits due to death, his/her real beneficiary is not in doubt.

Since pension remittances are made by employers and not even by individuals, there is need for the individual to update his/her PFA on recent

developments which the employer might not be aware of.

The desire of Pension Fund Operators is to grow the subscriber base of the CPS from about 5.2 million at present to over 20 million in the future. However, the desire is that every subscriber enjoys his pension and retirement at the end of the day.

,

By ROSEMARY ONUOHA

•Notify your PFA whenever you change address.

How do you see third party insurance?

Kenneth, a Car Dealer I don’t have any insurance policy and this has nothing to do with my understanding of the programme because I know there are various policies available, but to me, insurance cannot protect me against any risk, it is God who protects.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Godwin Kiroma, a Domestic Gas Seller We have it before but it has expired and that is due to the fact that I am just a manager here.

But as soon as the owner of this place arrives from abroad, we will renew it. But for all the vehicles we are using in moving our products, they are all insured. The reason why many people are no longer using insurance is because they felt cheated or because they have used it for a year and when they discovered that there was no problem in the whole of one year they then decided not to renew. Their thinking that it is only God that protects them, thus they see

no need in spending their money on something that they cannot get immediate value for if they even get it at all. ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Mr. okonko, Company Security Officer.

We all know that insurance works in many other countries but here in Nigeria, there are a lot of evil manipulations that surfaces. When we talk about insurance and to worsen the case, we don’t have a strong legal policy and backing that will rescue one that has been cheated.

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David, Oil Deport Security Man Insurance is very good and everybody love good things but in the Nigeria context, the story is not the same. Because as you see me here, I am working based on contract and though the nature of the work is very risky, and because of the style with which we are brought here we cannot even challenge our employee to get it for us. How much are we being paid that we will

By WILLIAM JIMOH

still be using our own money for insurance? ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

Okoro, Tanker driver I am a tanker driver by profession and every tanker that is loaded here just as in any other oil depots in Nigeria, the owners tell the drivers that if your vehicle is involved in any accident, they will pay you or probably your family certain amount of money. But all these are lies. You may not know this until a person close to you is involved in an accident or dies. Nobody will give them one kobo and then you will discover that there is nothing like insurance in the real sense. It is only talk that we know how to talk because when it comes to acting, we are nowhere to be found and the government is not helping too, they let this companies take advantage of Nigerians without paying for such action.

Please, send your questions and enquiries to insuranceandyou@yahoo.com

C M Y K

32—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6-, 2013

LEADERS OF TOMORROW:

Persons of character or criminals?

•On Confraternities as secret cults Ifowodo delivered this lecture at Oleh, Delta State, under the auspices of the Solomon Ogba Peace Group in Collaboration with Flomat Books

O

UR subject is grim, a cause of one of our deepest anxieties - bordering on the nervous kind - about the present and future of this headache country called Nigeria. If education is both the nursery and bedrock of the future, the place where the intellect and character of the men and women to lead a society, shape its political vision, and engage in its productive work are trained, then there is good cause for the nervous anxiety we all feel with literally every report that comes these days from the schools, in particular - and only because of our topic today - the universities and other tertiary institutions.

And, no, I am not now thinking of the national embarrassment of so-called university students who cannot spell their names - okay, if that is putting it too bluntly -

OGAGA IFOWODO who cannot tell a noun from a verb or finish three sentences without an embarrassing grammatical or semantic error. There are, indeed, “the miracles,” the desert flowers, that astonish us through sheer improbability. But they exist in spite, and not because, of the current state of our tertiary institutions. To return to the point, I am, rather, thinking of what has been dubbed “the menace” or “scourge of secret cults.”

Confraternities and secret cults: Separating the dream from the nightmare: Let us be-

gin with an attempt to clarify what secret cults are by first going to the origin of confraternities in Nigeria. For, today, the terms “confraternities” and “secret cults” do not mean separate things in the mind of the public: the one immediately suggests the other.

The word confraternity, according Webster’s dictionary, means “a lay brotherhood devoted to some religious or charitable service; a society, especially of men, united for some purpose or in some profession.” The root word is the Latinate “frater” which means brother. The first fraternity, Phi Beta Kappa, was formed on December 5, 1776 in the United States of America. It was founded at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, in the colony of Virginia; a college second only to Harvard as the oldest institution of higher learning in America.

Even that long ago, it had all the features associated with the fraternities that are a part and parcel of American universities today, such as lofty principles, a motto, an insignia, rituals, a code of friendship and camaraderie. Phi Beta Kappa held regular meetings during which its members discussed literary and social questions of the day, including such hot political topics as taxation and representative democracy.

Because it was formed during the period of revolution, it could only hold its meetings in secret.

Three years after it was formed, chapters were established at Yale and Harvard. This became the model for all subsequent fraternities and sororities (the sisterhoods) as well.

The manifestoes of nearly, if not all, of the “secret cults” known to operate within but also outside the campuses profess adherence to these characteristics. At least, that is what you will find with respect to the five oldest and better known ones. It is undoubtedly what any-

Map of Nigeria

one who cares to look will find in the manifesto of the Pyrates Confraternity, or the Seadogs, the oldest. It was founded, according to the history published on its website, to combat class privilege or elitism, affectations or the blind aping of British colonial culture and social mannerisms, tribalism, discrimination, convention or stasis, and social injustice of any kind.

Its members also sought to live by the code of chivalry - to defer to and protect the weaker sex (presumably from gender discrimination as well, although this is not explicitly stated). In other words, its primary concern was to do whatever it could to ensure that the first university college in Nigeria would produce thinkers and visionaries and not yes-men and women dying to cast themselves in the image of the coloniser.

Ethnic chauvinism Today, the pernicious mix of class and ethnic chauvinism that served as its impetus might sound strange, but here is how the Pyrates Confraternity described the context of its emergence, a view corroborated by objective studies, as in the essay “Violence in the Citadel: The Menace of Secret Cults in the Nigerian Universities” by AdewaleRotimi, published in a 2005 issue of the Nordic Journal of African Studies, and to which I will make further reference below. Meanwhile, here is how the Pyrates Confraternity describes the context of their emergence: “In the early days of the University College of Ibadan … higher education was a near exclusive preserve of children from wealthy homes. The product of this middle [sic] upbringing, sci-

Education minister, Prof Ruqqayatu Rufai

ons of business tycoons and colonial aristocracy, brought into the University College all their notions of class privilege and indifference to the social realities of the nation. The handful of students from poorer backgrounds either stuck doggedly to their books, looking forward to the day when the prize of an academic degree would compensate their

sity campus. Not surprisingly, student clubs were a reflection of these ambitions; so also was the orientation of the Student’ Representative Council, which often made demands on the rest of the Nigerian community as if it was a body of exotic strangers from outer space.

“In the 1950s, Nigeria was in a nationalist ferment and along with

The founders of the Eiye Confraternity, we are informed, believed strongly in the espousal of the traditional African teachings towards human and spiritual excellence against the backdrop of colonial subversion of the African mind

,

By OGAGA IFOWODO

present indignities, or strove assiduously to be admitted to the sophisticated circle of their flashier peers. Ashamed of their peasant or worker background, some played on the ignorance of their parents who made prodigious sacrifices to enable their children join the aristocratic sets, in appearance and acquisitions at least.

So thoroughly did they absorb the habits and ethics of the class to which they desperately aspired that they, in effect, even outdid the “natural” elite of the univer-

,

the heightened agitation for independence came the sad and predictable appeal to tribal sentiments as the motley array of ethnic nationalities, not previously under one national government, jockeyed for position and power.

This tendency was absorbed by the University College, Ibadan, which “became a breeding ground for the worst kind of tribal thinking clubs,” such that the Students’ Representative CounContinues on page 33

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013—37

Delta LG boss assures on peace, security

BY FESTUS AHON

U

VISIT: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State (left) and Senator Uche Chukwumerije, Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, during a courtesy visit by the Senate Committee on the governor in Benin City, yesterday.

JTF averts bloodshed in Delta

BY EMMA AMAIZE

W

ARRI—JOINT Task Force, JTF, in the Niger Delta, has averted bloodshed between Orugbene and Afougbene communities in Burutu Local Government Area of Del-

ta State.

Vanguard learnt that tension mounted following the attack on Orugbene community leader, Chief Johnbull Febakumor, by suspected Afougbene youths, who laid siege to Burutu River with

two speed boats and stopped boats conveying passengers.

Reports said the youths, armed with wood and other dangerous weapons, pounced on Febakumor, accusing him of standing as a witness in a land dispute

JTF to Shell: We're winning battle against crude oil theft

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA—JOINT Task Force, JTF, in the Niger Delta code named Operation Pulo Shield, weekend, said though it does not have the manpower to position operatives permanently to monitor crude pipelines spanning over 6,000km across the mangrove swamp of the Delta, it had recorded major successes in its fight against crude oil theft in the last 15 months in the region.

Reacting to claims by Shell Petroleum Development Company that oil thieves were setting up tank farms and barge building yards, JTF, through its spokesman, Lt. Col Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement, said: “We are fighting a good fight in combating the menace of oil theft in the Niger Delta. This is evident in the number of successful interceptions and arrests that we had made, not only in 2012, but even in the two months that we have spent in the new year.

“Last year alone, 7,585 anti-illegal bunkering patrols were con-

ducted. A total of 18 vessels and 1,945 suspects were arrested while 4,349 illegal crude oil distilleries were destroyed.

Also destroyed were 133 barges, 1,215 open wooden boats (Cotonu boats), 187 oil theft tanker trucks, 178 illegally distilled fuel dumps as well as 5,574 surface tanks."

On Shell’s claim that oil

thieves were setting up tank farms and barge building yards, he said: “I suppose that the oil companies are stakeholders in the security of Nigeria’s oil sector and there should to be a synergy between them and security agencies in the country including the JTF, which is at their beck and call, wondering why the oil companies were not giving security agencies such information."

between Afougbene and Ogulagha communities.

Chief Febakumor, who spoke to Vanguard from his hospital bed in Warrri, yesterday, said: “It is God that saved my life, they almost killed me. On Monday morning, two speedboats carrying about seven persons each stopped the passenger boat that was carrying me alongside others and they started beating me.

“I asked them why they were beating me and they said I was a witness in the land dispute between Afougbene and Ogulagha communities. If not for the JTF, they would have killed me.”

Tension rose between both communities because of the incident, but soldiers mounted surveillance on the waterways and saved the situation from degenerating.

Edo among three fastest growing states in Nigeria —Chukwumerije

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM & GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

B

ENIN—CHAIRMAN, Senate Committee on Education, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, has rated Edo State among the three fastest developing states in the country, attributing same to the character and political leadership of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

Senator Chukwumerije,

who gave the assessment during a courtesy call on the governor in Benin City, yesterday, said: “In terms of resources, you are not as rich as the richest states or the first segment of the richest in the country, but in terms of achievements, you share with two other states that feat of being the fastest developing state in the country.”

Noting that his committee was in the state to oversee the most distressed sector of

the country and yet a sector that is most pivotal to the future of the country, he said: “We have a governor that has the trait, which has been proved in the theatre of popular struggles. You see yourself particularly excited because, if you transfer that trait into education, you will help us bring into education the kind of transformation which anybody who believes in the future of the country would wish for.”

G H E L L I — CHAIRMAN, Isoko North Local Government Transition Committee, Delta State, Mr. Samuel Idise, yesterday, said his committee was committed to the sustenance of peace and security in the council.

Idise, who spoke when he led the Head of Personnel Management and members of the council’s transition committee on courtesy visit to traditional rulers in the area, solicited for the support of the monarchs in the task of securing lives and property of the people of the council.

He said: “We are here to get your royal blessings and ask for your support in the area of community policing, so as to keep the peace and secure lives and property of our people. The issue of peace and security should not be left to government alone; it should be everybody’s business.”

Mutu urged to re-contest in 2015

Y

OUTHS, in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State,under the aegis of Bomadi Youth Consultative Forum, BYCF, have called on their representative at the National Assembly, Mr. Nicholas Mutu, to re-contest the House of Representatives seat in 20015.

BYCF, in a statement by its chairman, Mr. Joseph Bekesuoyeibo, said after a careful analysis of the antecedents of Mutu's activities, all stakeholders and leaders have resolved to urge him to serve again.

Passing a confidence vote on Mutu, the group said he had done exceedingly well in the areas of effective representation, infrastructural development and human capital development.

BYCF urged Mutu to listened to the yearnings of the electorate as he continues to transform the lives of his constituents.

38 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

Water scarcity hits Owerri, environs

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

O

WERRI— ACUTE water scarcity has hit residents of Owerri metropolis and adjoining communities, even as nobody knows when the ugly situation will abate.

V a n g u a r d investigations revealed that the affected citizens are already suspecting that epidemic of unimaginable proportion may soon hit the municipality, if nothing was done immediately to restore water supply.

It was also gathered, yesterday, that the management of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, disconnected electricity supply to Otamiri Regional Water Works and other water establishments, over N65,378,596.95 debt standing against the state government as

unpaid bills.

One of the workers, who spoke on grounds of anonymity, explained that the current situation in the place was made worse by the nonavailability of a functional electric generating set.

Confirming the development in a telephone conversation, PHCN Senior Manager, Public Relations, Owerri Business Unit, Mr. Ositadinma Ugwuafor, said the state g o v e r n m e n t cumulatively owed the establishment over N224.2 million.

He said: “PHCN actually disconnected public power supply to Otamiri Water Works.

The state government owes PHCN a lot of money. We even intend to disconnect other offices, since government does not want or is reluctant to clear the bills.”

Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State (left) receiving a signed Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with Shanid Agricultural Company Ltd. from the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Prof.

Mkpa Agu Mkpa, in Umuahia.

Abia govt, Police dismiss reported shooting at Kalu's home

BY ANAYO OKOLI

U

MUAHIA — ABIA State Government has dismissed as a hoax

reported shooting at the gate of the country home of former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, last weekend, saying it was part of the orchestrated mudslinging to smear the image of the state.

Abia State Police Command had also dismissed it and asked the public to regard the report of the said invasion of the former governor’s home “as sponsored and diversionary.”

State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dr. Eze Chikamnayo, said the whole thing was a fabricated story.

An aide to the former governor, Pastor Chukwudi Okoroafor, had last weekend claimed that he was trailed by gunmen on motorcycle to the gate of Camp Neya Estate, home of the former governor, who opened fire on the bus he was driving, believing he was still inside the vehicle.

The incident was said to have occurred about 10 p.m while the aide was said to be waiting for the gate to be opened for him to drive inside the compound..

But Chikamnayo dismissed the claim as “a fabrication from the pit of hell which only happened at the gate of his cerebral imagination.”

The commissioner said the former governor used that as one of his ways to raise false alarm to create a false impression that there was insecurity in the state.

He, therefore, advised the former governor to give respect to his former office and behave like “a

statesman whose voice should rather be of modulation instead of instigating crisis or crying wolf where there was none.

Chikamnayo also accused the former governor of planning to incite students of the state university, ABSU, which revoke his degree certificate last week, to embark on protests in order to disrupt the prevailing peace in the state.

The commissioner warned that government would not fold its arms and allow “disgruntled

politicians” to drag the state back to the dark days of insecurity and criminality.

Meanwhile, the new commissioner of police in the state, Mr. Usman Tilli Abubakar, had in a statement by his PPRO, Geoffrey Ogbonna, ASP, said the incident was not reported anywhere in the command.

According to him, “when police visited the purported scene of the incident, there were no empty shells of expended ammunition or cartridges to suggest occurrence of such incident.”

Govt sets up panel to probe comatose Abia newspapers

BY ANAYO OKOLI

U

MUAHIA — ABIA State government has constituted a judicial commission of inquiry into the management of Abia Newspapers and Publishing Company, publishers of the stateowned Ambassador Newspapers, which has been in comatose for years.

The five-member panel, headed by Justice Amaobi Agbara, has the mandate to, among other things, investigate the immediate and remote causes of nonfunctional state of Abia Publishing Company from 1999 till date.

Inaugurating the panel, Governor Theodore Orji said it should also identify the assets, including printing machines and vehicles, acquired by the

publishing company from 1999 till date.

Orji also urged the commission to investigate and determine whether the funds and assets appropriated to Abia Newspapers and Publishing Company were properly managed within this period, 1999 till date, and identify those involved in the mismanagement of funds appropriated to the corporation.

The governor further tasked the panel to make recommendations on how the company could be made functional and better efficient, saying the panel was not targeted at any individual or group.

Orji explained that the panel was raised following petitions received from concerned citizens of the state.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013—39

Briefing on Boko Haram victims, in Abuja

From left: Musa Asaka, Christians Association of Nigerian, CAN, National Secretary; James Fadele, President, Christian Association of Nigerian Americans, CANAN, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, former Minister of Education and member of the Board of Trustees, CANAN and Pastor Laolu Akande of CANAN, addressing a press conference on Victims of Boko Haram, jointly organised by CAN and CANAN, in Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamika

From right: Mrs. Deborah Shettima from Maiduguri who lost her husband with two daughters kidnapped by members of Boko Haram; Adamu Abila from Yobe State, displaying his photograph taken shortly after he was shot by members of Boko Haram and a pastor Saranal Chinda, who lost almost all his church members, during a press conference by CAN and CANAN, in Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili consoling Mrs.. Deborah Shettima from Maiduguri.

Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili (2nd right) condoling Mrs. Deborah Shettima, from Maiduguri (2nd left), Adamu Abila from Yobe (middle), Moses Ezekiel (left) and other Boko Haram victims

Glo ambassadors: Chioma Chukwuka-Akpotha and Desmond Elliot (left) Mr. Mike Omeri, Director General, National Orientation Agency, NOA (left), re- presenting a BlackBerry Z10 phone to Barrister Ogboru Elmoni, a postceiving the official kolanuts from HRM. Obi Chike Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba, paid subscriber and Principal Partner of E.E. Ogboru and Associates, at the commencement of sale of the handset to customers, at Glo CorpoDelta State, during a courtesy visit to the palace, weekend. rate Sales office, in Lagos.

From left: Haruna Jalo-Waziri, Executive Director, Business Development, Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE; Hakeem Ogunniran, Man- Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy President of the Senate (right) with Mrs. Veronica aging Director, UACN Property Development Company, UPDC and Ogbodo, the widow of late John Abba Ogbodo of The Guardian Newspapers (2nd left; Folashade Ogunde, Finance Director, UPDC, during the presenta- other family members of the deceased, during a condolence visit to the family of late tion of facts behind the offer of UPDC REIT, at the Nigerian Stock Ogbodo, who died in a motor accident, while on official duty in Kogi State, last week.

Exchange.

40 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

Damaturu wears new look ahead of Jonathan’s visit

D

AMATURU—THE Ministry of Environment in Yobe State, yesterday, embarked on an intensive cleaning exercise in Damaturu, ahead of President Goodluck Jonathan’s scheduled visit on Friday.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that areas expected to be visited by the president such as the ‘Red Bricks’ Housing Estate, the ultra-modern Damaturu Hospital and the State University are wearing new looks.

The Commissioner for Environment, Alhaji Wakil Sarki, told NAN that the ministry embarked on the exercise to add aesthetic value to the city.

The commssioner said: “We are using the newly procured sanitation equipment for a clean and healthy environment before, during and after Mr. President’s visit to the state.”

Group wants prominent role for Lokoja in centenary celebration

L

OKOJA—A sociocultural group, Nigerian Cultural Development Consultants, yesterday, asked the Federal Government to accord Lokoja a prominent position in the celebration of the country’s 100 years of nationhood.

The call is contained in a statement by the Chairman of the group, Dr. Hinmikalu Paul and Secretary, Dr Jacob Olorunshola, in Lokoja.

It said the call was necessary due to the prominence of the historical and political roles of Lokoja in the emergence of Nigeria.

It said the anniversary, slated for 2014, was worthy of celebration because it would be a period of national rebirth.

Retreat

T

HE VINCENTIAN Retreat Centre, Ojodu-Ikeja, comences its monthly three-day retreat today by 5p.m., and will end on Friday, March 8.

The event with the theme: Cross to Crown will feature Confession, Stations of the Cross, Adoration, Vigil and Holy Mass.

It will be hosted by the Vincentian fathers.

Nigeria records 60,000 maternal deaths annually —NPHCDA boss Blames it on lack of qualified health workers, others

BY PETER DURU & TINA AKANNAM, WITHAGENCY REPORT AKURDI—NO fewer than 60,000 Nigerian women die annually as a result of complications in pregnancy and dearth of qualified health workers to cater for pregnant women in the country.

This was made known in Makurdi, by the Director General of National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Ado Mohammed, while flagging off the scholarship scheme instituted by CapacityPlus Nigeria for 874 student Nurses, Midwifery and Community Health Extension Workers drawn from health institutions across the country.

In Jigawa State, three children were also said to have died of measles while over 240 others were reported to have been infected with the disease just as the Kano State Government said yesterday, that it recorded 800 cases of measles in 11 local government areas of the state since the outbreak of the disease last week, bringing the total cases of measles reported in the two states to 1,043 within the period.

Dr. Abubakar Labaran, the state Commissioner for Health, who spoke in Kano while fielding questions

M

from the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, listed the affected local government areas as Kabo, Gwale, Dala, Kumbotso, Madobi, Ungoggo, Tarauni, Karaye, Municipal, Fagge and Tsanyawa.

Labaran said: “The eight local government areas that made up Kano metropolis are the worst affected.”

He added that the state gov-

ernment had taken measures to control the spread of the disease “as no death has been recorded by any of the hospitals in the state.”

However, in Makurdi, Benue State, Mohammed said: “With close to 60,000 pregnant women dying annually as a result of lack of well trained personnel and complications in pregnancy, it is indeed a

welcome relief to see this initiative by CapacityPlus; a USAID funded organisation, become a reality in Nigeria.”

Represented by a Director in the Agency, Dr. Eric Nwanze, Mohammed noted that the initiative would go a long way in addressing the dearth of professionals in the health sector especially in the training of nurses and midwives.”

VISIT: From left: Mr. Anil Nair, General Manager, Olam Nigeria Ltd; Mr. George Reji, Plant Manager, Olam Nigeria Ltd, and Mallam Dahiru Ado-Kurawa, Chairman, Presidential Committee on Benchmark on Rice, during the committee’s visit to Olam mechanised rice farm at Doma, Nasarawa State.

Insecurity: Suswam urges proper education for northern youths

M

BY PETER DURU

AKURDI—GOVER NOR Gabriel Suswam of Benue State has advocated proper education for northern youths as the only panacea for

peace in the region.

Suswam spoke against the backdrop of the security challenges confronting some northern states including Yobe, Borno, Kaduna, Kano and Adamawa, among others.

The governor spoke yesterday, while laying the foundation stone of Ashi Skills Acquisition Centre at Anyii in Logo Local Government Area of the state.

Represented by his deputy, Chief Steven Lawani, the Gover-

Plateau teachers shun govt’s offer to end strike mands from government “so the

J

BY TAYE OBATERU

OS—THE strike by work ers in six state-owned tertiary institutions in Plateau State may linger as the state government has not responded to the demands of the workers almost two weeks into the strike.

The joint staff unions of the institutions had on February 22, resumed the strike which they suspended last year demanding the payment of unpaid arrears and allowances, among others.

However, it was gathered that the state government has so far ignored the workers refusing to

engage them in any negotiation towards ending the strike.

Government officials had accused the workers of refusing to give the state government any notice on the strike asking the workers to return to work and embrace dialogue.

The workers have so far stuck to their guns insisting that their demands had long been tabled before government without any positive response.

President of the Joint Unions of Plateau State-owned Tertiary Institutions, Mr. Victor Dawurung confirmed to Vanguard yesterday, that there had been no response to their de-

strike continues.”

The grievances of the workers include alleged refusal of the state government to pay the three months salary arrears which accumulated during the last year’s strike, the 27 months arrears of increment on the new salary structure and the non-implementation of seven per cent peculiar allowance and two per cent allowance for non-teaching staff.

Dawurung had at a briefing preceding the strike said members were disillusioned by government’s insensitivity, adding that over 150 members of the joint unions have left the institutions to seek greener pasture.

nor said: “I sincerely believe that, while addressing the security challenges in the North, the provision of qualitative education for our youths remains a potent weapon against the security situation we are living with today. ”Our leaders and stakeholders owe it a responsibility to invest in education and the provision of vocational training for our youths in order to place them on a better stead to become useful to themselves. ”I commend the proprietor of this centre for embarking on a project that would positively impact on the lives of the youths of the state; I urge others to emulate him since government alone cannot adequately fund education.”

In his speech, proprietor of the centre, Dr. Terkura Suswam, said when completed, the centre would be made of five departments that would be manned by Chinese experts who would train youths from across the country on various skills including arts and crafts.’’

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013 — 41

42 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013 — 43

44 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6 , 2013 — 45

Kenyatta leads in Kenya vote count

U

HURU Kenyatta, a Kenyan politician who has been charged by the International Criminal Court with crimes against humanity, was leading by a wide margin in the Kenya election yesterday , with nearly half the votes counted.

Mr. Kenyatta, who comes from one of the richest, most powerful families in Africa and has been accused of bankrolling death squads that killed women and children during the chaos of

Kenya’s election five years ago, was leading 54 percent to 42 percent over the second-place candidate, Raila Odinga, Kenya’s prime minister.

Kenyan election law says that the winning candidate must secure more than 50 percent of “all the votes cast” and Mr. Odinga’s supporters say that the election commission must consider the more than 300,000 rejected ballots as part of the total. If that is the case, some analysts predicted that

Mr. Kenyatta might not clear the 50 percent threshold, prompting a runoff.

Ahmed Hassan, the head of Kenya’s election commission, conceded that the number of ballots rejected for stray marks and other irregularities was “quite worrying,” though election observers said it was not particularly surprising given the complexity of these elections and that voters had six ballots in their hands, for national and local races.

US empowers Nigerian women

BY VERA SAMUEL ANYAGAFU AND PRISCA SAM-DURU

T

HE United States yesterday, pledged to enhance the status of women in Nigeria with

training and skill a c q u i s i t i o n .

This came as the US Consulate in Lagos offered 30 women training and skill acquisition workshop, to equip them with the

German law makers visit Nigeria for trade talk

BY EMEKA AGINAM

A

Delegation from German Federal Parliament will arrive Lagos this weekend for talks on federal government and parliamentary level.

The Delegation, according to a statement from the German embassy Lagos is expected to visit Eco Atlantic City site, obtain information about problems of coastal erosion due to climate change and man interventions, visit Beachland Estate at Ibafon, former nucleus of the German community.

Accordingly, according to German embassy, the delegation will visit EFInA (Enhancing Financial Innovation &

Access) dealing with financial inclusion and micro others by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The German MPs, among the highly Africa interested and experienced Mr Hartmut Fischer MP, too, will meet with persons active in the cultural sector, research scholarship holders of Alexander-vonHumboldt Foundation and members of the German business community.

On a reception to be hosted by General Walter von den Driesch, the delegation will meet with Members of Lagos State House of Assembly and members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps in Lagos as well as members of the media.

capacity to face the economic challenges in N i g e r i a .

The two day leadership workshop, which held at the U.S Consulate Lagos, availed them the opportunity of being placed at the forefront of steering the leadership wheel for a better Nigeria economy, had the duo of US Diplomacy Officers, Rhonda Watson, and Chinenye Nwadike pledging that aside empowering the women with the skills, they will individually be followed up with necessary assistance to enable them achieve their set goals.

The workshop Watson noted, is the focus of the US department of States, on how to empower women “because women make up more than 50% of the population all over the world. We thought it will be very helpful to have a program that allows women who are trying to do something positive in their community to have opportunity to get training that will enable them push forward the massages that they want to convey.

Prankster nearly sneaks into meeting of Cardinals

A

MONG the men in red gathering today at the Vatican ahead of the papal election, the impostor in purple was easy enough to spot.

The meeting had not yet begun when someone noticed that one of the bishops posing for pictures with the arriving cardinals was wearing his cassock and his crucifix slightly too short.

On closer inspection they realized his purple sash was just a scarf.

The impostor’s phony ecclesiastical robes were convincing enough that

he nearly managed to get past the door of the

cardinals first crucial meeting since the pope resigned.

Hugo Chavez suffers new severe infection

V

ENEZUELAN President Hugo Chavez is suffering from a new,severe respiratory infection following cancer surgery, the government has said.

Information Minister Ernesto Villegas said Mr Chavez’s condition continued to be very delicate.

Mr Chavez, 58, returned to Venezuela

last month after being treated for cancer in Cuba, but has not appeared in public since.

Many Venezuelans have been demanding full details about his health.

The information minister chose to speak on national radio and TV, at 22:00 on Monday night. His tone was stern.

46 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

The Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos

Day thunderstorm crippled flight operations at MMIA

BY KENNETH EHIGIATOR, LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE

O

N Tuesday night in Lagos, nature barred its fangs as the storm that accompanied the heavy downpour of the night in some parts of the metropolis left destruction in its wake. Road traffic was grounded, commuters were stranded at bus stops and those who managed to get vehicles to their destinations spent hours on the road. Many did not get to their homes until yesterday morning. The devastation was even more pronounced in the aviation sector due to flight disruptions. Flights were delayed and aircraft already in the air were diverted to alternative airports to land to avert disaster.

This is because the storm had already impacted negatively on electricity supply to the Murtala Muhammed Airport, making it impossible for any aircraft to take off and land.

Emirates flight from Dubai which was on its way to land at the airport had to be diverted to Lome, Togo, as the Lagos airport was in pitch darkness. It is not immediately clear if navigational equipment were damaged by the storm but the weather element disrupted flight operations into and out of the airport.

Industry regulator, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, had always advised pilots to adhere to weather reports from Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET, especially at this time of year when such debilitating weather phenomena as windshear, microburst and thunderstorm hover around airports.

Aside from direct power source from Power Holdings Company of Nigeria, PHCN, the airport in Lagos is also connected to two standby automatic generators, which should set off when power from the electricity company goes off. This did not happen because the generator was also submerged in the flood that trailed the rainfall. But spokesman of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mr Yakubu Datti, said in a statement, yesterday, that the outage at the airport was due to power surge from the power company. In the past such power surges had damaged sensitive navigational facilities as Instrument Landing System, ILS, and radar systems.

According to Datti, the incident only occurred for about six minutes before power was fully restored to the airport.

He explained: “The airport is connected to two main power sources from Ejigbo and Egbin power stations. The storm initially knocked off the power supply from

Ejigbo which led to a three-minute outage at the airport before our engineers switched over to the alternate power supply source from Egbin.

“That supply line was later affected by the storm, leading to another three minute power outage. Our engineers then switched over to the airport’s standby generators, some panels of which were unfortunately soaked with water, due to the heavy flooding that resulted from the heavy rainfall. This resulted in a blackout at the “E” wing of the airport, including the avio bridges. It was for this reason that arriving passengers on an international flight were processed through an alternative route at the terminal and in the process, were exposed momentarily to the rain.”

Departing flights He further explained that all departing flights were delayed for about 30 minutes, to enable FAAN engineers rectify the faults in the generators before full power supply was later restored to the airport leading to resumption of all operations.

Vanguard investigation revealed that the outage prevented United Airlines, Delta and Air France passengers who were already on ground before the rain started from disembarking from the plane until power and normalcy were restored. It was gathered that the power improvement project at the airport which would eliminate incidents such as this had been completed and is being test run, preparatory to formal commissioning by the airports authorities.

Although what happened last Tuesday was a natural phenomenon which was nobody’s fault, it is, however, an indication of what level of disruptions weather would cause airline operations in the country this year, and the need for the authorities to be prepared for the occurrence. Power outage at the Lagos airport had been a recurring decimal as the airports authorities had not been able to really put a seal to the problem. Last year, the airport suffered an outage that last for over thirty minutes, following collapse of both sources of power supply, prompting both local and international airlines to divert to alternate airports, while those on ground were temporarily grounded. A similar incident occurred two years ago. The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja is not insulated from this problem as airlines have suffered a similar fate at the airport.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013 — 47

48 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

Aerial view of the 2012 flooding in Bayelsa State.

Anxiety reigns over imminent flood THOUGH Nigerians are yet to recover from the devastating effects of the 2012 excessive rainfall, the nation is again confronted with predictions of unusual rainfall in 2013. In view of the havoc this might create if the predictions become real, fear is the word across the country. CHARLES KUMOLU reports.

W

HEN the DirectorGeneral of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NIMET, Dr. Anthony Anuforom, while presenting the 2012 seasonal rainfall prediction and the review of 2011 Nigerian climate, last year, said Nigeria was expected to witness normal rainfall, while some parts would experience flooding that may likely wash away houses and farmlands, not a few heeded the warning. And by the time the rains came, the states of Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Kogi, Kwara and Niger, among others, were virtually submerged by floods.

First, it was the flood which ravaged Lokoja and parts of Kogi that made the headlines.

Then came more reports of other incidents of flooding across the country. Areas that were never imagined would be flooded recorded same in destructive forms. By the time the raging

flood had calmed down, the country reportedly lost assets worth N300 billion which is equivalent to two percent of its Gross Domestic Product GDP. Like the previous year, NIMET had on February 15, made public its 2013 weather predictions for the country, predicting normal rainfall, except in Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger and Kwara states, where it might be excessive.

2013 predictions on rainfall pattern Anuforom noted that the rainfall pattern in most parts of Nigeria was likely to be similar to that of 2012. “However, some areas in the North-Western parts of the country, which also fall within the catchment area of the River Niger, the total rainfall predicted for 2013 may exceed that of 2012. Rainfall for 2013 is predicted to be normal over

large areas of the country. The expected changes in the annual rainfall are well below normal in Abeokuta and above normal over Ibadan and Yelwa areas.

Predicted rainfall for the Northwest areas of Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara and environs is likely to be above normal in comparison to 2012,” he said.

Consequently, he advised relevant authorities to use NIMET’s updates issued regularly to control possible adverse impacts. Anuforom also said the forecast was not automatic as the predictions could change due to climate change, adding that the volume of rainfall for the year would range from 420 cubic metres spread over 120 days in the extreme North-East to 2,980 cubic metres over a period of 290 days. “These forecasts are statements of probability and are based on the available scientific

,

2013 RAINFALL

knowledge and data. Man’s knowledge is still limited and, therefore, some margin of error within tolerable limits is not unusual. The conditions that determine the rainfall pattern over Nigeria have become more variable due to the effects of climate change and global warming.

Adequate preparation against risks: “This is a big challenge for atmospheric scientists all over the world. NIMET will continue to monitor the trend in all parts of the country and publish updates as the rainy season progresses, early release of the forecast is to create good leadtime for adequate preparation against risks and hazards associated with weather and climate extremes.” In the heels

state government was ready for the rains as it had started mapping out strategies to ensure that disasters were mitigated during the period. He added that the state government, through the Ministry of the Environment was working hard to ensure that flooding was minimised this year.

Similarly, the Head of Geography Department, University of Lagos, Prof. Iyiola Oni, had at a recent workshop on Mainstreaming Climate Change in the university’s curricula, warned that the probability of flooding was more because of the unusual rainfall appearing in January this year. He noted: “We are not supposed to have rainfalls in January, as we have in some cities like Lagos. It is part of the changing climate patterns that we

We have initiated awareness on basic safety measures like clearing of water channels of refuse and debris

of this was the recent call by the Lagos State government on residents of the state, to be prepared for heavier rainfall this year.

General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said NIMET had predicted heavier rainfall for Lagos this year. He said: “NIMET has informed us that there will be heavier rainfall in Lagos State this year but we are well prepared. We have changed the way we are now doing our roads.” Accordingly, he said the

,

have been experiencing over the years which is one of the effects of climate change.”

Fears of excessive early rains: On the strength of these frightening predictions, VanguardFeatures, VF, findings indicated that many are worried given that the nation is yet to recover from the devastation of the 2012 excessive rainfall which resulted in destructive flooding across the country. This apprehension is further heightened by the early rains recorded in some states recently, Continues on page 49

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013 — 49

Anxiety reigns over imminent flood Continues from page 48 which could be an indication of what to expect during the year.

Accordingly, the states of Lagos, Ogun, Kaduna, Plateau, Oyo, Anambra, Ondo, Cross River, Imo, the FCT, among others, have recorded first rainfall in January-a period which before now falls under the dry season.

With the development increasing fears of excessive rainfall, not a few are scared about the possibility of having another year of damaging rains. For instance, the first rain in Ibadan this year was accompanied by heavy storm, destroying many building roofs, filling stations, shops, worship centres, and the Power Holding of Nigeria, PHCN, poles. Worst hit were Ajegunle, Olorunsogo, Toll Gate, Felele, Basorun, Muslim, Soka, Fodasis, Ring Road, Baba Nla, Challenge, Molete and Olunloyo. Also affected are Ighodalo, Academy, Omiyale, Olomi, Olunde, Ayegun, AbaAlfa, Jaloke, Papa-Eleye, Aladi, Ire-Akari all in Oluyole Local Government Area. It is against the backdrop of this scenario, that many question the preparedness of concerned agencies at all levels of government in the event

that the predictions become true.

Disaster reduction strategies: Responding to the level of preparedness for the rains this year, Head, Public Relations of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mr. Yushau Shuaib, told VF that the agency had prepared for this year’s rainfall before NIMET’s prediction.

Disaster reduction strategies Shuaib said: “Before the prediction, NEMA had intensified its efforts in its Disaster Reduction Strategies to ensure that the major stakeholders at the national, states and local governments are abreast of their responsibilities in putting in place structures and programmes that could reduce the negative effect of heavy rainfall.” While debunking the view in some quarters that NEMA’s handling of last year ’s flooding was unsatisfactory, Shuiab said the agency was presently introducing new measures in disaster management.

He noted: “While there were some challenges during last year’s flooding in the country,

there were some levels of accomplishment in ensuring minimal damages to people and their properties. We were able to deploy massive public awareness campaigns as *Governor Obi (4th left) wading through a flooded area in Anambra State, early warning last year mechanism as well as stakeholders, especially response force evacuation of some instructed the zonal coordinators agencies and volunteers group. residents living on flood plains. of the agencies to examine the For that reason we have continued This year NEMA has started in structures in areas that were to build the capacity of earnest its consultations with adversely affected last year emergency workers and the stakeholders like respective State whether they could withstand training of our different Emergency Management heavy rainstorms and also volunteers groups that could Agencies, SEMAs, and the whether there are buildings assist whenever the need arises.” respective Local Emergency along the flood plains and water Further speaking on efforts to Committees, LEMECs, to be channels that could be reported ensure that 2013 rainfall does not proactive in their strategies to to appropriate authorities. In fact, catch Nigerians unawares, Okereduce the risk since as humans the assessment tour would Osanyintolu told VF that Lagos we can’t prevent or control heavy commence very soon based on State is putting all necessary rainfall and overflowing of dams. the directive of the Director measures in place to handle the We have initiated awareness on General. resultant effects of the rains. He “NEMA is a federal body with basic safety measures like said: “Lagos State is ready and clearing of water channels of only seven zonal offices located we are doing everything in each of the geo-political zones. refuse and debris.”

Therefore, since the agency necessary to ensure that could not be at each of the 36 Lagosians are not taken Building along the states and 774 local governments unawares. LASEMA as an flood plains of the federation at all times and agency has continued to sensitise stakeholders on the matter and In addition, Shuaib said: at each emergency situation, as our sister agency, LAWMA, is also “Since the prediction this year is the coordinating agency on assisting in addressing any more specific to some states, the disaster management in the impediments that would work Director General of NEMA, country, we rely on the against our efforts to handle any Muhammad Sani-Sidi, has cooperation and supports of other situation that might arise.”

50—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

•Ekweremadu: lecturer

FEEDING BOTTLE FEDERALISM:

Ekweremadu’s musings on policing and politicians T

HE congregation of local and international guests that gathered at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State last Friday for the public lecture was the unusual lot. Seated in the university hall were distinguished men and women from varied professions, arguably the most urbane congregation the university had received in recent years.

It of course had to do with the personality and position of the lecturer, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the deputy president of the senate and chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitution Review, SCCR. The lecture titled “Policing and national security in Nigeria: The choices before us” was understandably selected in the light of the ongoing security challenges in the country that have brought renewed focus on the nation’s security architecture.

To discuss Senator Ekweremadu’s paper were some distinguished Nigerians drawn from the professions, among whom were Mr. Simon Kolawole, Thisday former editor, Newspaper and presently a member of the paper’s Editorial Board; Mr. Brian Browne former

Consular, US Embassy, Nigeria; Prof. Cyprian Okonkwo, Commissioner, Nigeria Law Reforms Commission, Abuja; Prof. Nuhu Yakubu, former Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja and presently vice chancellor, Sokoto State University, Sokoto and Prof. OBC Nwoliseh, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ibadan.

The governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi was present as the chief host of the event.

Ekweremadu, remarkably, is not new to the advocacy for the restructuring of the country’s federalism, which last year, he dubbed as feeding bottle federalism arising from the skewed operation of the structures of the federation.

Structures of the federation From the onset, Senator Ekweremadu made it clear that the presentation was essentially his personal opinion and not reflective of the senate or the Senate Committee on Constitution Review which he heads. The DSP commenced the lecture with the classic definition of the role of the state in the lives of the populace. He said: “It was the Greek philosopher, Aristotle who said that the state exists for the sake of life, and continues for

the sake of the best life. Along the same line, the Constitution of the United States of America succinctly captures the essence of government. It reads: We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice,

,

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

various stages of colonialism and were primarily aimed at ministering to the imperial interests of the British overlords.

The history of the Nigeria police can be traced back to the year 1861, when the British Consul in Lagos established a 30-man strong Consular Guard. This was to later become the “Hausa Guard” in 1863 which was regularised by an Ordinance in 1879 to become the Constabulary for the Colony of Lagos or more popularly as the “Hausa Constabulary” commanded by an Inspector-General of Police.”

“The Lagos Police Force was created on January 1, 1896.

Following the creation of the Oil Rivers Protectorate in 1891 which had its headquarters in Calabar, another constabulary was formed for the protectorate. The area was further declared the Niger Coast in 1893 with a Niger Coast Constabulary. The Royal Niger Constabulary was created in 1888 by the Royal Niger Company after the company was granted the Royal Charter by Britain in 1886. The Royal Niger Constabulary had its headquarters in Lokoja where the Royal Niger Company had important installations and business interests along the River Niger.”

“The Constabulary was later divided into the Northern Nigeria Police Force and the Northern Nigeria Regiment following the proclamation of the Northern Protectorate and Southern Protectorate at the expiration of Royal Niger Company’s Charter. Part of the Niger Coast Constabulary and the Lagos Police Force formed the Southern Nigeria Police Force in

Nwolisa was to also proffer consideration of what was called as Strategic Spiritual Intelligence, SSI in the resolution of unresolved crimes

insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

It was significant that the classic definition of the role of the state as enumerated by Ekweremadu has also found bearing in the much touted constitutional provision that is much quoted by some Nigerian parliamentarians, to wit, that “The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.”

He then proceeded to trace the evolution of the Nigeria Police from its first days in the 19th century.

“The Nigeria Police emerged from various constabularies at

,

1906, whereas the major remnant of what was the Niger Coast Constabulary formed the Southern Nigeria Regiment.”

In context, Ekweremadu’s assertion was to prove that the Nigeria Police from the colonial era to the demise of the first republic was decentralized to the various regions.

The organization of the police into a federal hierarchy commenced after the military intervention and has progressed until now.

Enumerating the advantages of state policing, he cited among others, the competition that would arise in various states seeking to establish better police forces, better training, job creation, the fact that policemen would better police environments they are familiar with. “The current situation

where a policeman born and bred in Bayelsa, for instance, is posted to Sokoto or Yobe already puts such police officer in a disadvantageous position by reason of language barrier, cultural differences and limited knowledge of the environment.

So, the police officer is rendered ineffective ab initio,” he said.

Senator Ekweremadu also marshalled points adduced by opponents of state police, notably, the possibility of secession and political abuse by governors.

While appreciating the concern of sceptics he, nevertheless, pointed out that the disadvantage arising from abuse of state police by governors did not as much as outweigh the advantages he enumerated.

Besides, he said that operational guidelines could be made that would limit the role of governors in the operations of state police.

He enumerated a number of other federations operating multi level policing from where Nigeria could learn from even as he powerfully asserted that Nigeria’s continued policing system was archaic, dysfunctional and out of tune with the nation’s federalism.

National security In the discussion that followed, Professor Onyeka Nwolisa of the University of Ibadan, noted his concern that the concept of national security in Nigeria had been narrowed to the provision of logistics such as vehicles and arms without consideration of the environmental concerns. He particularly cited the provision of jobs and infrastructure as a complement to the security architecture towards reducing breaches in the security network.

Nwolisa was to also proffer consideration of what was called as Strategic Spiritual Intelligence, SSI in the resolution of unresolved crimes. He wondered why babalawos and other native means were not being used to resolve difficult crimes.

Governor Obi the chief host in his own remarks called for the full implementation of federalism. The public lecture which was organised by the university through its department of public administration was indeed a bold intervention into an issue of topical debate. It was as such not surprising that Ekweremadu paid glowing tributes to the university vicechancellor, Prof. Boniface Egboka for the initiative.

The only scar to the lecture was the loss of Mr. John AbbaOgbodo, a journalist with The Guardian who died in an accident on his way to attend the lecture.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013 —51

APC: Greed 'll destroy them — Ambakederimo COMRADE Joseph Ambakederimo, an environ mentalist, is the National Chairman, South South Elements Progressive Union (SSEPU) and the Executive Director, Nigeria Rebirth Initiative. In this interview with Vanguard he bared his mind on governance, the role of South-South officials around President Jonathan, the emergence of a strong opposition among other national issues. Excerpts:

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA ON the merger by members of the opposition parties ahead of 2015 Merger is not new in Nigerian politics. We have seen some alliances in the past that worked but there is a difference between alliance and merger. Political parties have merged before and we saw the fallout. This one that they are doing now that is referred to as All Progressive Congress (APC), I don’t see how far they can go yet. The greed in our politicians will not make them to be able to settle down to discuss on how they can manage who will be where. What have they done up till now? They have not come out with their manifesto, no ideology of the party yet.

We haven’t seen the logo yet and we know that before 2015 there will be cracks. Financial inducement from the ruling party cannot be ruled out. Already we are hearing of persons being sponsored by the ruling party to discontinue the merger, to withdraw from the merger that their party is not part of the merger and do not support it. So,

T

HE news that the Abia State University, ABSU withdrew the university degree awarded the immediate past governor of the state, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu was not surprising to many.

For some folks, it was a logical step in the continuing mutual war of attrition between the incumbent governor, Chief Theodore Orji and Kalu.

But how the “intellectual assets” of Dr. Kalu became an issue in the acrimonious war between the governor and his predecessor is something that is bound to worry many otherwise academically inclined Nigerians.

It would be especially so, if the underlining reason for the withdrawal of Kalu’s degree was based on political consideration.

The effect would be that academic credentials of oppositionists in the land would be open to political permutations.

As governor of Abia State, Kalu had caused a spectacle when he enrolled in the university raising moral questions as to how a visitor could at the same time be a student in the same university.

It all passed away as the many intrigues and wonders of the Kalu years in Abia. That was until last week’s revelation of the

we are already seeing the crack.

For me, I don’t think it is a threat to the PDP because the Nigerian opposition from the beginning cannot put their act together.

After every election they go and sleep. It is only when election is approaching that they come together. You don’t see their manifesto when that is what they should have done shortly after the election in 2011 to sensitize the people that they are desirous of wresting power from the ruling party.

The President has not signified interest in contesting 2015 but there has been rising opposition within his own party against his running..

2015 will definitely come and go. And the President will contest since he is qualified to run for the office. There shouldn’t be any contention to that. So long as he is interested in going for a second term there should be no contention from within his own party. That is how it is supposed to be. If Jonathan says he wants to contest in 2015 every party member should jettison their ambition and support him.

But there should be room for others to challenge the President

•Ambakederimo if they believe they have something to offer (Cuts in) Not when you have a sitting president with the ambition to run. If he completes his eight years then those who are interested can come forward.

It is just pure greed, you definitely cannot defeat the man so why waste your time.

We know how it works, knowing the kind of politics we play in Nigeria, money politics.

He has the wherewithal to run for the office, the corporate Nigeria will not give you money to come and fight the man who has been their benefactor. It is not

POLITICAL METABOLISM with

EMMANUEL AZIKEN detritetradetoxifiedpolitics@gmail.com SMS 08052201189

Now, what of Kalu’s WASC result? revocation of the degree and the political reverberations that came with it.

When in 2007 Kalu handed over the instruments of office to Orji, few expected the kind of bickering between the two men as we are now seeing.

Kalu had against all odds defied the then authorities by presenting Orji, his chief of staff for eight years, as the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Progressive Alliance, PPA, the party he nurtured after he lost out in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Governor Orji’s transition from custody to the council chambers

of the Abia State government in May 2007 was a remarkable act of political ingenuity crafted by the brawny and brainy Kalu that not many university degree holders could have pulled through.

Following the transfer of power, Kalu’s junior brother, Mascot Uzor Kalu emerged as the new chief of staff in the Theodore Orji administration that was, however, largely alleged to be programmed by the former governor and his mother.

The mutual tolerance of the old and the new continued until the emergence of the Goodluck Jonathan administration in 2010

failed woefully, so what do we have to complain about? Who do we run to? Do we now say the Hausa man in Kafanchan is our problem or do we now say the Yoruba man from Ibadan is our problem? It is a shame as far I am concerned.

The president is my friend, Orubebe is my friend I will tell them to the ear, if they so insist they don’t want to do anything in the South South after their tenure, they will come back home. If the East-West road were in good state the people that died in that helicopter crash wouldn’t have died because there would have been no need to fly the helicopter in the first place.

possible. So, if the President says he wants to run for eight years interested parties within his own party should just forget it.

Federal Presence in South South zone There is nothing to write home about this except that some few governors are trying. I have not been to Uyo but I have read in the papers that the gentleman there is trying; the gentleman in Rivers State is also trying his best, same in Edo State.

In Bayelsa, Dickson just came on board and we are seeing what he is doing and in the next 3-4years we will see a lot of changes, trying to catch up with the other states.

We have wasted about five years as a result of bad leadership and governance in the state. My take is that the people in authority right now are from the South South. The president is from the South South, the minister of Niger Delta Affairs Ministry is from the South South, same with the ministers of Petroleum, Housing and Urban Development.

We have the NDDC that has

How many minutes will it take to drive from here (Yenogoa) to Port Harcourt airport or if Sylva had built and completed the state airport. What is there to build an airport? We all went to Dubai and saw in a space of ten years the growth of a city and ask question, is it not the same money that we use in Nigeria that they use in Dubai, in Indonesia and Malaysia? Is it not the same money?

These are countries that do not have money like us but within the space of ten years development has come to their people. That is the real meaning of transformation. Here we are still talking of East-West road for six years. We are still talking of one ministry building skills acquisition centre for six years just to put block on top of block like building a house?

when enemies of Kalu went through the first lady, Patience Jonathan who is partly from the state, to help Orji out of Kalu’s grip. Before then, there were suggestions that Kalu was about using the two governors in his PPA, - Ikedi Ohakim in Imo State and Orji- as bargaining chips in his own bid to return to mainstream party politics in the PDP. But Ohakim, reportedly a street wise man like Kalu, pulled a fast one on Kalu, and returned to the PDP ahead of Kalu.

Orji, who was the only remaining governor in Kalu’s PPA when Jonathan emerged, inevitably grabbed the opportunity when the PDP Abia caucus, led by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, went on a carefully crafted mission in 2010 to “woo” Orji to the PDP. Chief Orji’s condition for accepting the offer, it seemed, was that the door being opened to him must surely be locked against Kalu.

Since that separation which has largely been celebrated as the liberation of the state, and Governor Orji hailed as the champion of the liberation, the politics of the state has inevitably

put both men at odds.

Remarkably, most of those who dined and wined with Kalu and used his political machine to achieve one political seat or the other in 2007 moved along with Orji to the PDP. Since his famed liberation in 2010, Chief Orji according to some who have visited the state, has progressed in the delivery of democracy dividends to the electorate. Visitors to the state claim a spurt in infrastructure development with new constructions here and there.

One notable political development is the emergence of a new set of political lords.

Where mother and son reigned in the past, a new set of power wheelers has emerged.

The new power peddlers may have checked Kalu, albeit for now. Given the controversies that trailed Kalu’s admission into ABSU, it is not unlikely that those that did this to him could go further to probe the circumstances under which Kalu obtained his secondary school certificate! But Kalu it is said has long reaches that make the present developments just a stop gap in the running feud between the two men.

Helicopter crash

52 —

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

Soccerex commends minister on award

T

HE world’s leading sports consulting and management firm, Soccerex has congratulated the Honourable Minister of Sports and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi on being conferred with the African Sports Minister of the Year Award.

In a letter to the Honourable Minister, Daniel Krebs, a director at Soccerex stated that the body was pleased to learn of the award to the minister. “The Soccerex

team would like to congratulate you for this achievement,” he stated.

Krebs further stated that “we from Soccerex would like to sincerely thank you again for the support you have shown us and thank you for all your work in developing sports in Nigeria.”

The Honourable Minister was honoured recently by the Institute of Leadership and Management in Nairobi, Kenya as the African Sports Minister of the Year. The body said it honored the minister

•Mallam Abdullahi because of the on-going reforms in the sports sector and his effort to build an enduring governance system in the sector.

Citec wins MTN Corporate Golf Challenge healthy living. We, as a AFTER two days of exciting golf, among 82 players, the duo of Bello Oludare and Dapo Sanya of Citec International Team, won the 2013 edition of the MTN World Corporate Golf Challenge, which took place at Le Meridien Ibom Golf Club and Resort, last weekend.

The team finished with an impressive total of 127 points, to dethrone the duo of Okey Igwe and Sa’ad Baloni of Team Bolingo that won the 2012 edition played in April, at the same venue.

With the result, Citec also stayed ahead of ICMA Services and Oak Pensions which placed third and fourth respectively.

Speaking about the tournament, MTN’s General Manager, Sales, Kunle Adebiyi revealed why the company was sponsoring the tournament.

“Our sponsorship of the tournament is about corporate health and

DOAMF holds golf tourney

A

S part of initiatives to reduce child mortality, improve maternal health and combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, the Daniel Ogechi Akujobi Memorial Foundation will host friends and business partners to its 3rd

Barca sign 3-year partnership with Qatar Airways

F

C Barcelona’s first team shirts will next season be branded by Qatar Airways as they both sign a three year agreement Monday.

The three-year agreement which see with the airline’s brand name will appear on first team shirts from the start

•Messi

company are interested in the health and wellbeing of our customers, Nigerians and the people we deal with. It is our way of giving to the society.

Golf is a great game and you have to be healthy to play it. So, MTN is interested in making our customers healthy.”

of the 2013/14 season will be effective from 1 July 2013.

Qatar Airways will become the club’s Global Main Partner, signaling the first time the airline has engaged in a sponsorship with a major soccer club.

The airline’s Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said it will be a unique partnership between the World’s best Club and the best Airline in the World, describing the alignment with Barca as a “fitting match for both organisations, which will elevate the brands to a new platform on the global stage and sharing the same values – passionate about being the best at what we do in our respective fields.”

Charity Golf tournament this Saturday at the golf section of Ikoyi Club 1938.

The event is in remembrance of late Master Daniel Akujobi, who was involved in a fatal auto crash along the L a g o s - I b a d a n Expressway, Ogun State while on his way back to school.

Speaking ahead of the event, the foundation’s programme manager, Sorochi Ugorji, said the choice of golf a sport was because of its capacity to allow over 100 players of various ages and social class, among other things, to actively compete, adding that it has the ability to improve the health condition of the players.

According to Ugorji, a golfer generally understands the needs of the less-privileged and disadvantaged in the society and golf was also a favorite sport of the late Master Akujobi. The event kicked off with a qualifier on the 3rd of March 2013, at the Golf Section, Ikoyi Club 1938, and will be closely followed by the main event on March 9.

Winners and guests will be hosted to a cocktail later in the evening.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013 — 53

54 —

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

Levante block Obafemi’s transfer O

BAFEMI Martins’ wish of leaving Spanish side Levante mid season has hit the brick wall as the club is not willing to let go of the player.

Levante and Major Soccer League club Seattle Sounders have been in negotiation, but the US club it seems are not ready to part with the N617m (about 3m Euro) buyout clause on the players contract.

Obafemi met with the club president, Quico Catalan yesterday to force the move through but he got a negative response from Mr. Catalan. He said it will not be fair to let one of their best striker go midseason without Levante getting any financial benefit.

Levante are preparing for two of the biggest matches in the team’s recent history, as they will take on Rubin Kazan in the Europa League Round of 16. The first leg is Thursday with the return leg next week.

R

T

EAL Madrid man ager Jose Mourinho has hailed Cristiano Ronaldo as the “best ever ” player in the world.

The two-time European Cup-winning coach has labelled the Portugal international as better than Diego Maradona and Pele. ”He is the best. The best in the world, yes.

Probably the best ever.

“I saw Maradona a couple of times. I never saw Pele. But Cristiano is amazing.

This man is the best.

But even he can’t win it

•Eagles celebrate in South Africa.

Eagles for honour in Calabar T

HE Executive Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke is top of the list of personalities to be honoured at the first-ever Night of Stars, preceding the inaugural Nigeria

Pitch Awards, which hold at the Conference Hall of Tinapa Lakeside Hotel and Resort, Calabar on Saturday, March 23.

Governor Imoke, whose administration has hugely supported the re-

Abdullahi CAF Presidency: CAS rejects hails Anouma’s appeal Adeboye over had HE Court of Committee jurisdiction to refuse the table tennis TArbitration for Sport HE Honourable Minister of Sports and Chairman National Sports Commission (NSC) Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi has commended the General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor Adejare Adeboye for the organization and sponsorship of the Adeboye U-20 Table Tennis Championship the final of which was held at the Redemption Camp over the weekend.

Mallam Abdullahi who graced the finals of the Championship at the Youth Center, Redemption Camp, commended Pastor Adeboye for investing in sports development, “ I am very happy, that the RCCG is interested in sports development, especially, sponsorship of table tennis, this championship will not only help discover new talents, but it will also keep our youth in good shape and top form for future championships”.

Ronaldo better than Pele, Maradona — Mourinho

(CAS) has dismissed the appeal filed by Jacques Anouma against the African Football Confederation (CAF) regarding his candidacy for the CAF presidency.

The Ivorian Football Federation (FIF) had proposed the candidature of Mr Anouma for the presidential election of 10 March 2013, a nomination which was declared inadmissible by the CAF Executive Committee.

The CAS has confirmed that the CAF Executive

•Hayatou

candidature of Jacques Anouma, that the CAF Statutes adopted in September 2012 were applicable in assessing the validity of the candidates in the presidential election and that Jacques Anouma did not meet these criteria because he had never been a member the CAF Executive Committee.

invigoration of the Senior National Football Team, Super Eagles and the U17 Team, Golden Eaglets, will be honoured alongside the Honourable Minister/ Chairman, National Sports Commission, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, NFF Executive Committee and Management, Super Eagles’ players, and a dozen stars of the Nollywood industry on a night that aptly marries football and entertainment. The twohour event starts at 9pm, with the red carpet on from 8pm.

Matchmakers Consult International Limited, endorsed by the Nigeria Football Federation to organize the Nigeria Pitch Awards, is putting together this event that

Champions League •Continued from BP to turn the tie around.

Neil Lennon’s side will feel a sense of injustice given they enjoyed quality possession for large parts of the match after Alessandro Matri’s third-minute strike put the Italian champions ahead.

It was a tale of missed opportunities for the Scottish side and a classic case of razor sharp counter-attacking from Juventus at the other end.

Anthony Stokes could be in line for a starting berth at the top of the

Celtic attack after his winner against St Mirren secured his team a place in the last four of the Scottish Cup. Celtic held firm to win 21 and with their virtually unassailable 14-point lead at the top of the SPL, there will be a clear directive to throw everything at Juventus.

Adil Rami’s stoppagetime strike in the first leg avoided complete catastrophe for Valencia and changed the complexion of the Parc des Princes return fixture, but the advantage still lies clearly with Carlo Ancelotti’s PSG.

will annually precede the Awards, and has gone to great length to ensure it would be a roaring success.

Keshi •Continued from BP Calabar on March 23.

The full list of foreignbased professionals will be announced on Thursday morning, officials said.

The call-ups from tje local league include six of those who made the squad to the recent AFCON - Chigozie Agbim, Sunday Mba, Godfrey Oboabona, Gabriel Reuben and Azubuike Egwuekwe.

Obi

•Continued from BP while Ameobi’s contract at English premier League club Newcastle prevented him from the tournament.

However, defensive midfielder Obi has not been involved with his Italian Serie A club lately.

Officials are also insisting that injured Spartak Moscow striker Emmanuel Emenike will be fit in time for the March 23 clash against the Harambee Stars in Calabar.

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi is expected to meet with the technical committee of the Nigeria Football

•Ronaldo on his own. The key is the team and the team needs balance and people doing different tasks. At this level, if somebody fails, we have no chance. ”We never say Cristiano is responsible when we lose a match and we can’t think he is the only one who wins it. Without the team he is nothing but the team without him is not the same.”

There were also recalls for Papa Idris, Daniel Akpeyi, Chibuzor Okonkwo, Zango Umar and Solomon Kwambe.

Fresh invitees are Shooting Stars duo of Dele Ajiboye and Taofeek Adepoju, Zubairu Mohammed from Niger Tornadoes and Jiya Mohammed of Bayelsa United.

The players will open training camp in Abuja from Sunday, from where they will be joined by foreign-based players next week for the trip to Calabar.

Federation on Wednesday to defend his call-ups.

Top officials of the Federation told MTNFootball.com,”Keshi is to defend his team list for the World Cup qualifier against Kenya on Wednesday before the list is released.” ”Coach Stephen Keshi is expected to come up with a 25-man list for the game against Kenya,” further stated NFF general secretary Musa Amadu.

The Super Eagles are expected to re-group this weekend at a training camp in Abuja with players from the domestic league before they relocate to Calabar a week to the match.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013 — 55

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2013

Champions League: Juve, PSG almost there

Vucinic strikes leaving Celtic needing a miracle •Continues on Page 54 UVENTUS will take a More stories on commanding 3-0 lead into the second leg of their Champions League Pages 28-29 last 16-clash with Celtic tonight. Also tonight, Valencia take their last-minute Tonight’s Matches lifeline to Paris in a bid to overhaul PSG’s 2-1 lead in the Champions Juventus v Celtic 8:45pm League round of 16.

(Juve leading 3-0 from the 1st Leg) The Scottish giants were on the end v Valencia 8:45pm of a football lesson at Celtic Park with PSG late Claudio Marchisio and Mirko (PSG leading 2-1 from the 1st Leg)

J

World Cup Qualifier:

Keshi lists 24 home stars for Kenya S

UPER Eagles Cpach, Stephen has picked 24 players from the domestic league for a 2014 World Cup qualifier against Kenya in

•Continues on Page 54

•Oboabona

•Agbim

Full squad Goalkeepers: Chigozie Agbim (Enugu Rangers), Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland) Dele Ajiboye (3SC) Defenders: Egwueke Azubuike (Warri Wolves), Papa Idris , Zango Umar (Kano Pillars), Godfrey Oboabona, Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars), Chibuzor Okonkwo (Rangers), Ezekiel Bassey (Lobi Stars), Benjamin Francis (Heartland), Zubairu Muhammed (Tornadoes) Midfielders and Forwards: Sunday Mba (Nigeria), Gabriel Ruben, Gambo Muhammed, Ubale Mannir (Kano Pillars), Pius Samson (Ranchers Bees) Gomo Onduku (Sharks), Obinna Nwanchukwu (Heartland), Ayo Saka (Enyimba), Jiya Muhammed (Bayelsa FC), Emeka Eze (Rangers), Anthony Okputu (Lobi Stars), Adepoju Taofeek (3SC)

Obi, Ameobi for Eagles recall I

NTER Milan ace Joel Obi and Shola Ameobi are likely to make the 25-man Eagles squad for a 2014 World Cup qualifier against Kenya later this month.

Obi missed the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa due to a long-term muscle injury,

•Continues on Page 54

Inside

PUZZLE

•Levante block Obafemi’s transfer •Ronaldo better than Pele, Maradona — Mourinho •CAF Presidency: CAS rejects Anouma’s appeal

•Coach Keshi

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

•Joel Obi

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

Across 3 Waterway (5) 9 Toil (6) 10 Spin (6) 11 Decree (5) 12 Dumb (4) 15 Agitate (4) 17 Thwart (7) 20 Finish (3) 21 Rubbish (5) 23 Every (4) 25 Ballot (4) 26 Savour (5) 28 Deed (3) 30 Obvious (7) 33 Learner (4) 35 Always (4) 36 Ledge (5) 38 Sickness (6) 39 Criminal (6) 40 Attempted (5)

Down 1 Rotund (5) 2 Diminish (5) 3 Billiard-stick (3) 4 Fiery (6) 5 Roguish (4) 6 Fortune (3) 7 Squander (5) 8 Eerie (5) 13 Haste (7) 14 Eject (5) 16 Lean (7) 18 Hackneyed (5) 19 Serpent (3) 22 Throng (5) 24 Crone (3) 27 Develop (6) 28 Expiate (5) 29 Fish (5) 31 Avoid (5) 32 Elf (5) 34 Scorch (4) 36 Clique (3) 37 Whim (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

Across: 1, Resist 5, Spiral 9, Loyal 10, Pellet 11, Damage 12, Dally 14, Item 17, Lay 18, Vote 20, Dared 22, Fined 23, Langur 24, Totem 26, Burst 29, Roue 30, Jet 32, Seer 33, Hades 35, Gagged 36, Pagoda 37, Resin 38, Cadged 39, Deftly.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

Down: 1, Repaid 2, Salver 3, Sled 4, Total 5, Sadly 6, Play 7, Reason 8, Leered 13, Laughed 15, Taboo 16, Melee 18, Virus 19, Tense 21, Dam 22, Fob 24, Tragic 25, Turgid 27, Report 28, Treaty 30, Jaded 31, Tepid 33, Here 34, Sane.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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