CCT TRIAL: We'll swim and sink with Saraki — SENATORS

...towards a better life for the people

**

VOL. 25: NO. 63001

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N200

THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

Humanitarian crisis in Borno, worst ever — UN >>9

Oba Otudeko chairs

Vanguard

PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR AWARDS tomorrow >>11

Dr. Oba Otudeko

CCT TRIAL: We'll swim and

sink with Saraki — SENATORS • His loyalists in marathon meetings to save him •Rule out impeachment, soft-landing •Saraki earned salary as governor till August, 2015—EFCC •Kwara Govt denies paying him salaries •See P.15

By Henry Umoru

A

BUJA —THE prospects of a prolonged crisis in the Senate was, yesterday, in the offing following the decision by loyalists of Senate President Bukola Saraki to sink or swim with him in his continued trial at the Code of Conduct

Continues on Page 5

TCN, GENCOs, DISCOs trade blames over electricity crisis >>5

Mr & Mrs ZENITH AGM—From right: Chairman, Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia; Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Peter Amangbo and Executive Director, Adaora Umeoji, at the bank’s 25th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the Civic Centre, Lagos, yesterday.

COLUMNISTS:

The political elite and immoral emoluments •P.17 C M Y K

Sectional The unprotected rumpus in police 10,000 jobs •P.19 consumer •P.19

NASS sends details of 2016 budget to Buhari >>9

2—

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016 — 3

C M Y K

4—

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016—5

POCKET CARTOON

SARAKI AT CCT AGAIN—Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki at Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, on day 2 of his trial, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

CCT TRIAL: We'll swim and sink with Saraki—SENATORS Continues from Page 1 Tribunal, CCT. The affirmation of the Saraki loyalists is in the wake of agitations by some senators to give the Senate President a soft landing through a possible resignation from office in the interest of the legislative body.

Senator Saraki is currently facing trial at the CCT following a 13count charge levelled against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, bordering on alleged corruption and false declaration of assets.

The contrasting views were inevitably widening the chasm that preceded the Senate leadership election that saw the All Progressives Congress, APC senators divide between Senators Saraki and Ahmad Lawan.

Meanwhile, allies of the Senate President in their response to the increasing pressure on him to step down, yesterday, vowed to resist the pressures saying that Saraki would not resign from office.

The pro-Saraki senators met at the Asokoro residence of Senator Magartarkada Wammako, APC, Sokoto Central and Chairman, Senate Committee on Education.

At the end of the meeting, some of the senators believed the Senate President must continue in office, stressing that for whatever it was worth, they would continue to stand firmly behind Saraki and ensure that his Senate Presidency seat was protected.

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO

I

F for any reason you have doubted your capacity to succeed, repent now and give it all it takes. nothing can stop you now. It's up to you.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Higher Consciousness is attained by those who care about little things —Take Heart Quotes

L

IFE in retrospective is well summed by Thomas Menton. He says, “the beginning of love is the will to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and the resolution not to change them to fit our own image.”

In reality, power takes and loves gives. True love therefore is entered not for one’s own gain but rather to give the spirit of life to another or to experience loving another as much or more than oneself.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

A

MAN who defecates on the bush path to his farm, is likely to step on faeces on his way back.

Addressing journalists on behalf of the senators, Senator Ibrahim Rafiu, APC, Kwara South and Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, reiterated their earlier stance that Saraki’s trial was a ‘mere persecution’ and an attempt to tarnish

his image in ways not experienced before.

He said: “We have since discovered that the trial of the Senate President is a mere attempt to blackmail him and make him look bad in the court of public opinion. No more, no less. A dispassionate analysis of the proceedings at the CCT, yesterday, has pointed to the fact that the APC-led executive is still embittered against Dr. Saraki over the manner of his election as Senate President.

“This is why we are standing for the Senate President and we will so do till the very end. We are doing this not for him but for the institution of the Senate that he eminently represents. We will never allow any arm of government to rubbish the cherished autonomy of the Senate.”

Commenting on the calls in some quarters that the Senate President should resign from his position, the senators insisted that the calls were borne out of ignorance and pure hatred, describing such calls as ‘ wicked and unfounded.’

“For those calling for the impeachment of the Senate President, we urge them to avail themselves of the

provisions of the law relating to such a sensitive step.

"As far as we are concerned, there is nothing like that on the table, and if anybody is trying to import that from outside of the Senate, God help them.

"All I know is that they will have to produce as many as a 100 senators to achieve that aim. As long as they don’t have the majority, the call is a tall dream that will remain a figment of the imagination of the groups and their sponsors," the senators said.

Vanguard gathered, yesterday, that both the Senate Unity Forum, SUF and the Likemind Senators of the APC, may

be returning to their battle moods ahead of another potential face off.

The SUF was a political pressure group formed to support Senator Ahmed Lawan, APC, Yobe North for the position of Senate President, while Likemind Senators was a pro-Saraki’s group.

According to a source, the senators are divided as to whether Senate President should step down or not.

While some of the senators are pushing for his resignation to save the image of the Senate which they see as already being rubbished before the public and the international community, others are of the view that he should remain till the end of the case.

TCN, GENCOs, DISCOs trade blames over electricity crisis

By Clara Nwachukwuu & Ediri Ejoh

L

A G O S — OPERATORS in the electricity value chain – generation, tra nsmission and distribution companies are trading blames over the current power crisis, with each blaming the other for the very poor power supply situation witnessed in the last few weeks.

The crisis came to a climax, last week, when there was a complete system collapse for three hours when not even one megawatt of electricity was generated in the country.

Since the year began, there have been three systems collapse, two complete and one partial, even as there was no word of explanation or admonishment from the Ministry of Power or the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC. Whereas the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, exonerated itself, saying, “we cannot transmit what has not been generated, the generation companies, GENCOs, blame the weak transmission grid

for its inability to carry the quantity generated, while the distribution companies, DISCOs, admit they have had to load-shed due to poor allocations."

Specifically, a top management staff at Egbin Power Plant, Nigeria’s biggest GENCO, who spoke in confidence, noted that what happened was “ground zero transmission and not generation”.

According to him, “what was experienced last week was not a problem from our (GENCO) end but rather from the transmission company, TCN, as we had generated over 3, 766.7megawatt as at March 30.”

But a TCN source, who also pleaded anonymity, said: “The system collapse recorded on March 30, can be attributed to generation companies and not the transmission as widely speculated.

“Since the first quarter of this year, we have recorded a total of three systems collapse – two complete and one partial.

This is a grand improvement compared to previous years when we

could have over 20 systems collapse. For this development alone, we could say there is a great improvement from our end.”

Load shedding

Spokesmen for the Eko and Ikeja DISCOs, Mr Godwin Idemudia, and Mr. Felix Ofulue, after admitting to loadshedding, however, said that power supply was gradually gaining strength, even as millions of Nigerians remain in darkness.

According to Idemudia: “We are engaged in serious loadshedding because of the non-availability of energy which has to be rationed based on what we receive.

We draw out a time table on how to distribute to everybody. If we had enough, there would be no need for load shedding.”

With regard to improvement in supply he said: “For the past weeks, we have received between 319 and 320 megawatts. On a good day, we receive 450 megawatts but to make us comfortable we would need about 700 megawatts. For now, we operate on load shedding, which enables us rationalise what we

received across our networks.

“However, there are maximum demand meters, which are the industrial customers, who pay higher than residential. In a good business environment the system allows that but that does not mean we would dessert the residential because they are our customers also.”

But Ofulue said the situation in Ikeja, which usually receives the highest allocation, is not very encouraging, as the DISCO receives less than 300megawatt.

As a result, he argued, “since we are given this little, we do share equitably across our customers. The problem has always been from the National grid, as the power supplied to us is not enough.”

Access restriction

Meanwhile, at about 12:00 noon, March 30, the Nigerian System Operator, NSO, unit of the TCN, began to restrict public access to the daily output, from its official output website, www.nsong.org, which indicates power generated and the allocations to the various DISCOs.

6 — Vanguard, THURSDAY APRIL 7 , 2016

Ladipo spare parts trader remanded over alleged murder

By Onozure Dania

L

AGOS—A 36-year-old Ladipo Auto Spareparts Market trader, Chigozie Obi, who allegedly murdered a fellow trader was yesterday remanded in Ikoyi Prison custody by an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court.

The Magistrate, Mrs O Kusanu remanded the defendant in prison pending the legal advice from the office of the Director of Public prosecution, DPP. The defendant who resides at 26 Wale Akintoye Street area of Lagos state, is facing a two count charge bordering on conspiracy and murder preferred against him by the police.

The defendant was accused of unlawfully causing the death of one Anene Utazi by attacking him with dangerous weapons and inflicting several machete cuts on him which caused his death.

The plea of the defendant was not taken.

Ekiti Works commissioner resigns

Lagos bans indiscriminate queues at petrol stations

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsuru Olowoopejo

T

HE Lagos State government yesterday said it would no longer allow indiscriminate parking of vehicles on the road networks across the state on the basis of queuing up for Premium Motor Spirit otherwise known as petrol, just as it threatened to sanction any erring filling station and motorist who flout the directive.

Rising from the weekly State Executive Council Meeting, the government said it can no longer tolerate the attendant traffic gridlock associated with the

DO-EKITI—THE Ekiti State government yesterday announced the resignation of the Commissioner for Works and Transportation, Mr Kayode Oso. The announcement was contained in a statement made available in Ado Ekiti by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Modupe Alade.

According to the statement, Oso, known to be one of the closest political associates of Governor Ayo Fayose, resigned on health grounds.

“Mr Kayode Oso has worked assiduously to add value to this administration going by his effort towards the development of our state.

“His letter of resignation has been fully accepted by His Excellency, Mr Ayo Fayose.

“Oso, in his notice to the governor, stated that he decided to resign to attend to his health challenges.

“We wish him quick recovery, the Government of Ekiti State will stand by him while he overcomes his health challenges,” Alade said.

C M Y K

and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde and heads of all the government agencies involved in traffic management in the state, said the resolution of the State Government was borne out of the need to prevent the fuel shortage from degenerating into a state of anarchy.

He said; “Having empathized with the citizens, we are all aware that it is important to keep certain things in check and this is why we are addressing this press briefing in sync with the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company, PPMC and the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, to send a strong signal to those who

AGM: From left; Mr. Segun A g b a j e , M a n a g i n g Director, Mrs. O s a r e t i n D e m u r e n , Chairman and Mrs. Olutola O m o t o l a , C o m p a n y Secretary, all of GTBank at the bank's 26th Annual General Meeting in Lagos, yesterday.

do not appear to be very mindful of the law particularly in the manner in which they are administering the sale of fuel all over time.

“In essence, what we are saying is that we will no longer accept indiscriminate queues that result in blocking traffic and easy flow of movement all over the state and that wherever this happen, we would have to deal decisively with any erring filling or petrol stations according to the law”.

Giving further details, Mobereola clarified that the action of the State Government became imperative owing to the fact that the state had been almost at a standstill as a result of fuel dispensation, saying it was the responsibility of dispensing filling stations to ensure that same was managed appropriately.

On the vehicles forming more than one lane, the Commissioner said; “Let me make it very clear that we will apprehend the vehicles that are going beyond one lane in queuing up for fuel. We will tow them away, charge them and fine them appropriately.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Mr. Chris Olakpe reminded motorists that the fine for wilful obstruction of traffic ranges from N10, 000 to N100, 000, while owners of impounded vehicles would also pay fines for towing ranging from N10, 000 to N100, 000 as the case may be.

Olubadan-in-council places Eze Ndigbo under Baales

By Ola Ajayi

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

A

indiscriminate parking of vehicles on the road, adding that the enforcement on the directive would commence from today.

While addressing a joint press briefing in Alausa, the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, said as much as the government empathized with the people on the difficulties they have been subjected to as a result of shortage of petroleum products, it would however not watch and allow the situation cripple the flow of traffic in the state.

Mobereola, who addressed newsmen alongside the Commissioner for Information

I

BADAN—IN order to stop the royal battle among three contenders for the Eze Ndigbo of Ibadanland and Oyo State, the Olubadan-in-council led by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso 1, has said henceforth holders of the title should subject themselves to the authority of the community leaders in their vicinity.

As a result of the new arrangement, the claimants of the titles of Eze Ndigbo of Ibadanland, and the Onye Ndu Ndigbo are now placed under the Baale of Ekotedo, Elder Taiye Ayorinde.

Dr. Alex Anozie and Chief Alloy Obi are laying claims to Eze Ndigbo and Onye Ndu respectively and this has resulted into litigation.

In attendance at the meeting were the Otun Olubadan, Chief Lekan Balogun; Osi Olubadan, Chief Rashidi Ladoja; the Otun Balogun of Ibadanland, Dr. Olufemi Olaifa; Osi Balogun, Chief Tajudeen Ajibola; Ashipa Olubadan, Chief Eddy Oyewole; Ekerin Olubadan, Chief Abiodun Kola-Daisi and many others.

While speaking with newsmen, the Osi Balogun, Chief Tajudeen Ajibola, who spoke on behalf of the council said: “In any

community, you cannot have two royal fathers. The only king of Ibadan is our royal father, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso I; no other person can call himself his royal highness in Ibadan. We have three levels in the traditional institution in Ibadan. We have the Olubadan, his high chiefs and the Baales. These are the three levels we have. So, no other person can

force himself to be royal highness without falling into any of the three levels.” ”So, the heads of clubs, associations and so on fall under the Baale in that domain. The Eze Ndigbo falls under the Baale of Ekotedo. Anything they have to do, they cannot come directly to the Kabiyesi, they have to go through the Baale, who reports

to the Olubadan or the Olubadan-in-Council. ”The council reiterated its earlier decision that it would not regard holders of titles as chiefs in Ibadanland.

“We are not bordered about whatever title they are called.

They are not our royal highness and they are not our Baale. We don’t recognise them.”

Opadokun wants Judges, lawyers found aiding corruption punished against them in different courts.” the legislature and even the

By Dapo Akinrefon

L

AGOS—GENERAL Secretary of National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, has called on the National Judicial Council, NJC, to penalise judicial officers, who aid politicians in corrupt practices.

He also advocated the need for the convening of a Conference of Nigerian Ethnic Nationalities which will address the problems facing the nation.

Addressing a press conference on the state of the nation, in Lagos, Opadokun said it was imperative to curb the excesses of culpable lawyers who support their “clients refusal to attend further trials in fresh charges brought

Stressing the restoration of the credibility of the Nigerian Bench and Bar, he said “generally, the Nigerian Bench and Bar used to have mostly credible, intellectually sound men of highest credentials until the military times through such degree as Suspension and Modification Decree No.1 of 1966 and 1984, Federal Military Government (Supremacy and Enforcement of Powers) Decree 28 of 1970/ 1984 and the Tribunal (Miscellaneous Offences) Decree N0.7 of Gowon, Murtala, Obasanjo, Buhari, Babangida and Abacha’s decrees, which illegally permitted them to appropriate all the powers of the executive,

judiciary to the military.”

He expressed worry over the level of indiscipline that has permeated the law profession.

He said: “The current despicable activities of many senior lawyers and judges from the electoral petition matters to the current war on corruption have reached their intolerable level beyond which those of us who had lost our sweet, blood, liberty, possession and even life in the struggle for restoration of democracy to Nigeria and the silent majority of the citizens who trust us as credible leaders can no more siddon look but must rise up immediately to start exposing them and taking street actions to vigorously campaign against them.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016 — 7

FAYOSE vs ALUKO: Aluko and I prostrated while begging Fayose — OLUGBEMI It's all lies — ALUKO

By Leke Adeseri, South West Regional Editor & Rotimi Owomoyela

I

MMEDIATE past Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dele Olugbemi yesterday debunked Dr Tope Aluko’s claim that Governor Ayodele Fayose stage-managed the reconciliatory meeting he held with the embattled former Secretary of state chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Olugbemi said he took Aluko to Fayose on Sunday, saying; “It was a lie that Governor Fayose stagemanaged the reconciliatory meeting,'' adding that himself, and Aluko prostrated for the governor three times while begging that Aluko be forgiven.”

But in a swift response, Aluko said, “It is all lies. It is part of the plot to sustain the propaganda against me. Olugbemi is an appointee of the governor in the State Universal Basic Education Board. So, he is doing the bid of his master.

“I only saw him when he barged into the meeting with the governor.

I didn’t have any discussion with him and couldn’t have gone with him to the meeting. He is only being used.”

Olugbemi, who said he was surprised that Aluko could address the press to deny that he willingly attended the Sunday night meeting with Governor Fayose and that he spoke to the press under duress after the meeting, disclosing that he, out of genuine concern for peace took Aluko to Eko Hotel, Lagos venue of the meeting.

He said; “The existing cordial relationship between Aluko and myself brought us to a discussion that eventually led to the last Sunday April 3, 2016 meeting.''

The former speaker said Aluko cannot deny that he re-affirmed that Governor Fayose remained his mentor and father, that all his previous actions were the devil's work, and that he was under spiritual attack when he said all those things against the governor.

“Even when the Governor told him to sit down, he prostrated and I also prostrated along with him to beg the governor for forgiveness.

“The Governor asked Aluko four questions: Whether he knew the implication of his coming to him; why he behaved in that manner; how old he was; and whether he wanted the reconciliation to be total or partial and he (Aluko) replied that he knew the consequence of coming to him and that if he did not want total reconciliation, he would not come to see the governor.

“At this point, Aluko stood up again, saying my mentor, my leader, my egbon, I am your boy, you know, I am your boy. Whatever steps I have taken before now, forgive me. Aluko and myself C M Y K

prostrated again.”

Narrating how the meeting was arranged, Olugbemi said; “Before we agreed to meet in Lagos, I first suggested that the meeting should take place in Ekiti State Government House after the wedding of the niece of Governor Fayose but Aluko said he was not too comfortable with the arrangement because of fear that he might be arrested.

“I re-assured him that the intention of the meeting was not to arrest, embarrass or humiliate him rather than to reconcile with Governor Fayose, whom he called his mentor.

“In the morning Sunday, April 3, we agreed to meet in Lagos and I left Ekiti for Lagos. I got to Lagos at 12 noon; I lodged in a hotel at Magodo Area of Lagos.

“At 1 pm, Aluko called me to confirm my hotel room number and I gave it to him. Aluko called me back and promised to be with me within 20 minutes. 15 minutes later, he called me again, and I told him that I was barbing my hair at a salon in Magodo. He asked me to come out of the salon and we met. He came in a blue Ford Sports Utility Van, SUV together with his wife.

“I joined them in the car and we

drove to my hotel room where Aluko stayed with me till 2 pm.

He later instructed me to call the governor to ascertain the time and place of the meeting.

“I called the governor, he did not pick the call. I later called Chief of Staff to the governor. The Chief of Staff told me to call either the ADC or CSO to the governor for further directive. The CSO told us that the meeting will take place at the governor’s residence in Magodo at 7.30pm.

“I told Aluko but he was not too comfortable with venue of the meeting. He said if the meeting is about reconciliation, it should hold elsewhere and not the governor’s residence. I pleaded with the governor that the meeting should hold elsewhere as demanded by Tope Aluko, which the governor obliged.

“All these I was doing because I wanted the crisis to be totally resolved. Immediately we were told of a new venue for the meeting, Aluko left my hotel room for Victoria Island and promised to come back at 7pm. At 7.45pm, Aluko came back to meet me at my Magodo hotel room. At 9pm, I called the governor to inform him of Aluko’s arrival. The governor asked if I was sure Aluko

was with me and I said yes.

“The governor told to us to come to Eko Hotel and his friend will welcome us and that he would join us later. We drove in Aluko’s car, myself, a woman, a driver and my Personal Assistant.

“We got to the Eko Hotel at 9.50pm. We were taken to the Hotel waiting room. Myself, Aluko, ADC, the governor’s friend entered the same lift to the fourth floor of the hotel.

“At the hotel room, I pleaded with the governor to forgive and forget about the previous comments and allegations made

by Aluko against him since he is father to us all. Aluko interjected and said that I should allow him to lead the talk.

“The governor told him to stop fooling himself at 50 and since he allowed himself to be used by the APC at 50, what legacy will he leave for his children?The governor told him that there were going to be reactions to this meeting by the APC and therefore advised Aluko to switch off his phones and rest for at least two weeks to avoid counter allegations. The governor said that the APC will fire back at Aluko because of the money he had received to malign them.''

CONDOLENCE VISIT: From left; Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko; wife of the deceased, Dr Mrs Grace Braithwaite, and wife of former Vice PresIdent, Dr. (Mrs) Alex Ekwueme, during a condolence visit by Governor Mimiko to the Braithwaite family, at their residence in Lagos, yesterday.

OSUN BYE-ELECTION: Assembly sues for peace

By Gbenga Olarinoye

O

SOGBO—OSUN State House of Assembly has called on the security agencies in the state to be proactive towards ensuring that lives and properties are protected in the Saturday’s bye-election in Ife Central Constituency of the state.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has fixed April 9 for the election to fill the vacant seat of Ife Central constituency in the Assembly following the death of the late Dejo Makinde on December 27, 2015.

Makinde, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP was until his death the Minority Leader of the House.

In a statement by the Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, the Assembly said every machinery should be set in motion to ensure violence free election.

Ooni canvasses agric revolution

Meantime, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11, has charged government at all levels to ensure

massive agricultural revolution in the country to achieve food security for the citizenry.

According to him, the country should seize the opportunity of the current economic recession occasioned by the fall in oil revenue to go back to land and cultivate both cash and food crops for industries and consumption.

The royal father spoke at a one day forum of plantain innovation cluster/stakeholders interactive session, a presentation of Humid Tropics and Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa, FARA, at Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife.

Stakeholders reject Iree as Boripe North LCDA hqtrs

By Dapo Akinrefon

T

HREE communities in the newly-created Boripe North Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Osun State have insisted that the idea of making Iree the headquarters of the LCDA is unacceptable and that they would pursue their position to have Modaa, Ada as the headquarters, as contained in a letter of protest earlier presented to Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

In a communiqué issued at the end of a stakeholders’ meeting of traditional rulers, religious groups, opinion and political leaders, youths and market women from the communities of Ada, Aagba and Ororuwo held recently.

They dissociated themselves from the so-called rejoinder by some members of Aagba community, saying it was authored by impostors, impersonators and disgruntled elements who are still smarting from their loss in an obaship tussle that has been laid to rest.

The stakeholders added that many of those named as signatories to the rejoinder have complained that their signatures were forged and that those responsible are wellknown figures with criminal records in the community.

According to the communiqué, signed by 15 representatives, the three communities remained undaunted in their request to have Modaa, Ada as the headquarters of the new LCDA. Representatives of the three communities said if the government cannot rescind the decision to make Iree an LCDA headquarters, then it should accede to their request to make Modaa, Ada, their own headquarters, as contained in the memorandum they presented for the creation of the Boripe North LCDA, “which Iree was never a party to.”

It added: “We shall continue to maintain peace in pursuit of our legitimate demand never to have or allow the imposition of Iree as the headquarters of our LCDA.” Those who signed the communiqué include: Oba Abimbola Olalekan Abioye II, the Olona of Ada; Oba Rufus Ilufemiloye Ogunwole, Kujoosin I, the Alaagba of Aagbaland; Mr. Adewale Olugbemiga Abimbola, Chairman, Ada Development Council; Hon. Anthony Oladipupo, Chairman, Aagba Development Council; and Mr. Oderinu Folorunso, Chairman, Ororuwo Development Council and others.

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

PIB: NASS action ungodly — Niger Delta action was parochial — Abonta activists Your CEPEJ, IYC oppose move

By Samuel Oyadongha, Festus Ahon, Emman Ovuakporie, Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Egufe Yafugborhi, Godwin Oghre, Perez Brisibe & Ochuko Akuopha

R

EACTIONS have continued to trail the reported removal of Host Community Development Fund in the redesigned Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, with Niger Delta rights activist, Zik Gbemre, describing the action by the National Assembly as ungodly and morally wrong.

Also, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, Uzoma NkemAbonta, yesterday, described the PIB draft, submitted by the Senate for consideration, as parochial by excluding host communities from the 10 per cent development fund paid by oil companies operating in Nigeria.

Abonta, who represents Ukwa East/West in Abia State, said denying host communities development funds would make them perpetual spectators and not partakers in the resources exploited and explored from their lands.

Briefing journalists in Abuja, while reacting to the Senate draft, Abonta said those promoting such an agenda in the Senate have failed to understand the extent of the neglect and suffering experienced by host communities as a result of oil exploration activities by oil prospecting companies.

He cautioned that the Senate PIB legislation, if passed into law, “will keep restiveness alive in the oil producing communities.’’

According to him, it sounds ridiculous that “while you are denying host communities any financial benefits from the natural resources found in their backyard, you are taking money realized from the sale of crude oil to prospect for oil in other parts of the country.”

Ijaw Youth Council

Similarly, Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, called on legislators from the Niger Delta to oppose the removal of the fund from the new version of PIB. Spokesman for IYC, Mr Eric Omare, said the proposal was retrogressive and should be opposed by all legislators, especially those from the Niger Delta in both chambers of National Assembly.

He said: “The oil community development fund is a laudable initiative aimed at making oil producing communities stakeholders in the oil resources that is produced in their communities and address sabotage and associated challenges.

C M Y K

“We call on members of the National Assembly, especially those from the Niger Delta region, to reject this oppressive, antiNiger Delta and retrogressive decision. The IYC enjoin Nigerians and men of conscience to reject this decision.”

NDPC

Gbemre, National Coordinator, Niger Delta Peace Coalition, NDPC, said in Warri, yesterday, that the deliberate removal of the said provision in the original bill suggested that the 8th Assembly had strong hatred for the people of the Niger Delta.

He noted that all farmlands, rivers and creeks in the oil producing environment have suffered degradation and have been made unprofitable to nonoil investments, particularly agriculture over the past five decades of ceaseless oil and gas exploration and production in the Niger Delta.

He said: “By removing the said 10% Host Community Development Fund, what then do the host communities hold on

to as benefits to compensate for their sufferings incurred from the extractive industry all these years?

This sort of atrocity is not tenable in other countries where oil and gas production is mainstay.

“Host communities deserve better treatment. We, therefore, call on the National Assembly to, as a matter of urgency, retain the host community fund in their so called new version of the PIGB which has suffered all manner of political interests, abuse in the last eight years.”

Gbaramatu Ijaw

Godspower Gbenekama, Chairman, Fact Finding Committee on Pipeline Vandalism in Warri South-West, who spoke on behalf of Gbaramatu Ijaw, said: “We are warning that all members of the NASS from Niger Delta must resist the new bill with all sense of seriousness till the removed portion is restored.

“For those of our Niger Delta governors winning and dining with enemies of the Niger Delta, we are waiting for them back. If

they don’t sit up, we will show them the way out. Anyone involved in this unholy alliance to shortchange us is an enemy of the Niger Delta."

Another Niger Delta activist and National Coordinator, Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, Mr Sheriff Mulade, said the removal of the Host Community Development Fund from the new PIB smacked of irresponsibility.

Mulade, in a telephone chat with Vanguard, said the removal of the 10 per cent oil producing communities fund from the bill clearly showed the insensitivity of the Buhari-led Federal Government to the sufferings of the oil producing communities of the Niger Delta.

His words: “We make bold to state that the new bill is the handiwork of those who have always believed that the Niger Delta should be seen as a conquered territory and that it should continue to remain impoverished, despite the fact that it is the treasure trove of the nation.’’

UNVEILING: From left, Executive Director, Commercial Banking, Union Bank, Mr. Kunle Sonola; Head, Operations and Technology, Union Bank, Mr. Lucky Jayaratne; Commander, Abati Barracks, Ojuelegba branch Customer, Col. Gerald Azoro Nosike; Oba Samuel Adegboyega; and Group Head, Ikeja III, Retail Cluster, Union Bank, Mr. Olusegun Onagoruwa, at the unveiling of the bank's branch on Western Avenue, in Lagos, yesterday.

OPEC oil price crashes to $32

L

AGOS — THE basket price for the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) oil has fallen to $32.63, as President Muhammadu Buhari considers signing the $38 oil benchmark 2016 budget.

“OPEC daily basket price stood at $32.63 a barrel Tuesday, April 5, 2016, compared with $33.33 the previous day,” OPEC secretariat said, yesterday.

When the budget was presented on December 22,

2015, crude oil prices were hovering around $35 per barrel, only to fall further to prices below $30.

The National Assembly debated the oil benchmark price, considering different spots from $40 to $25, but eventually passed the budget with a $38 per barrel oil benchmark.

The production mark was also set at 2.2 million barrels per day, a figure OPEC said Nigeria had been producing below for the past quarter.

With oil prices plunging to January 2016 levels, the record budget deficit is also on the rise, and may hit predicted N3 trillion as seen in January.

Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil, was trading at $38.68, yesterday, while the US oil (WTI), traded at $36.85 from $35.54 on Tuesday.

With fluctuating oil prices playing a crucial role in the realisation of the 2016 budget, falling oil prices remain a threat to the 2016 budget.

Why we can't execute Boko Haram convicts —AGF

By Ben Agande & Ruth Akwubo

A

BUJA — THE Attorney General of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami, said yesterday that convicted members of the Boko Haram sect in the country could not be executed because the laws under which they were tried did not prescribe death sentence.

He disclosed this at the launch of amnesty’s report on Global Death Sentences and Executions 2015, in Abuja, yesterday.

The attorney-general, who was represented by Sylvester Imahanobe, also promised to work with Amnesty International to stop executition of convicted criminals in the country, if the international human rights body proposed a bill to that effect.

He said: “Terrorists in Nigeria are tried under the Terrorism Prevention Act which does not carry death penalty. That is why even those Boko Haram members, who have been convicted cannot be executed because the maximum sentence prescribed by the law is life sentence.”

The AGF said he would be pleased to support any bill that came from Amnesty International on the abolition of death sentence in the country, pointing out that “studies have shown that death penalty has not stopped people from committing crimes."

Malami revealed that the country was working towards ensuring that the prison system was corrective and not punitive, as it is currently.

Earlier in his remarks, the Country Director of Amnesty International, Mohammed Ibrahim, said there was a “dramatic global rise in the number of executions recorded in 2015 which saw more people put to death than at any point in the last quartercentury."

He said the surge was largely fuelled by Iran, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, which brought the number of people executed worldwide to 1,634 people, a rise of more than 50 per cent on the year before and the highest number Amnesty International had recorded since 1989.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016—9

Humanitatrian crisis in Borno worst ever —UN

By Ndahi Marama

M

AIDUGURI— Assistant Secretary General of the United Nations and the regional coordinator, UN Humanitarian Service, Sahel region, Mr. Toby Lanzer, has said the humanitarian situation in Borno State was worse than anywhere else he had visited.

Lanzer, who disclosed this to newsmen in Maiduguri, shortly after returning from Bama to assess the level of destruction in the area, said: “The humanitarian consequences here is very high due to abject poverty, unemployment and illiteracy

ravaging these parts of the world that need the attention and concerted effort by the global community.

“I believe that abject poverty, violence, extremism, climate change and unemployment are some of the issues that resulted in the untold sufferings.

"As we were travelling, we passed through Konduga and Bama, we have seen the level of destruction by Boko Haram, which I believe the international community has to intervene to bring succour to the people of Borno and the North East in general.

“I was really touched. Houses,

markets, places of worship and public buildings were destroyed, in addition to the quantum of lives lost, just because some groups believe that they don’t share the same ideology with them. We in United Nations stand with the Nigerian government, we are going to support them. By my coming here, it is a testimony of the United Nations’ commitment to the war-torn region”.

Lanzer said the UN would work with all stakeholders to better the lives of the people, stressing that they were going to step up their humanitarian response by introducing cashbased programmes to inject cash

to the people, so that they could buy foods of their choice for survival.

While taking the UN Assistant Secretary General round the destroyed town of Bama, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State said the state government would build 1000 units of houses at Bama, in addition to the reconstruction of all public institutions.

He said the state government had to reconstruct all the destroyed communities, so that the people would go back to their communities and called on the international community and individuals to assist the state in the herculean task.

NASS transmits detailed Budget 2016 to Buhari

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

Most challenging budget—Jibrin We’ve right to pad the budget—Abonta

A

BUJA—AT last, the National Assembly, yesterday, transmitted the detailed Budget 2016 to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.

Indications that the budget would be sent, yesterday, emerged when Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmunin Jibrin (APC, Kano), was sighted by journalists at NASS lobby carrying the 1,800-page document at about 4.30pm.

He was confronted by journalists and he begged that he be allowed to deliver the document first to the Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr Salisu Maikasuwa, for onward transmission to the President.

At precisely 4.57pm, Jibrin stepped out of Maikusuwa’s office and addressed the press.

He said the 2016 budget remained one of the most challenging budgets they (lawmakers) ever experienced.

He explained that the Senior Special Assistant to the President on NASS Affairs had been duly informed and was expected to deliver it as soon as possible.

He said: “While we thank Nigerians for their patience and understanding, it is important to reiterate that it took us extra weeks to get the details ready not because there was anything untoward going on but rather so we could correct all the inconsistencies, errors, omissions and padding in the document submitted to us in December last year.

“Being the most important economic policy tool of government, the budget provides a comprehensive statement of our priorities as a nation.

And as representatives of the people, the National Assembly remains the appropriate place to ensure that the details of such a document best match our national goals and aspirations”.

“Therefore, what we have been doing in these past few weeks is to balance the projections for revenue against the estimates for expenditure, based on the reality C M Y K

2016 Budget: Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, with details of 2016 Budget heading to Office of the Clark of the National Assembly to forward it to President, for assent. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan. of our situation today.

“Unfortunately, that task has been made very difficult by the sloppy manner the 2016 Appropriation Bill was prepared by the executive, such that many of the officials who came before our various committees practically disowned the inputs from their own departments and ministries.”

We’ve right to pad —Abonta

In his reaction to the transmission of the budget to the Presidency, Chairman House Committee on Public Petitions, Uzoma Nkem-Abonta (PDP, Abia) said the transmission was a welcome development but noted

that people should stop saying lawmakers padded the budget.

“We’ve right to pad or depad because we have legal padding and illegal padding, what we do is legal padding which is the right to appropriate.

“So, when people say we are padding the budget, they are simply asking us not to do our job.”

Policemen to undergo psychological, drug abuse test — IGP

By Kingsley Omonobi, with agency reports

A

BUJA —THE InspectorGeneral of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, has said that henceforth, all policemen will undergo snap urine tests to ascertain signs of drug abuse before they could be issued firearms.

Arase disclosed this at the launch of drug testing kits and campaign against sudden death of police officers in Abuja, yesterday.

The programme was organised by the Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with the Hypertension and Diabetes Awareness Foundation.

He said apart from denying officers, who failed the test access to firearms, the force would wean them off drugs or other psychological problems.

Arase noted that the killing of Nigerians from misapplication of firearms by policemen had made the public to cast aspersions on the police.

He said: “After an in-depth study, my team and I have found out that some of these fatal cases could be due to mishandling of firearms by police officers who are psychologically unfit to handle firearms at that time.

“We have, therefore, decided that the medical assessment of persons we recruit into the police force will include a psychological assessment, “he said.

He said that some of these psychological problems could also have resulted from drug abuse by few of the officers.

Arase said that the police had also initiated a policing strategy that would witness the transition of the police from relying on firearms to manage social disorders.

#PanamaPapers: Lawyer hired by Nigeria to track Abacha loot has 178 firms in tax havens No valid contract with Monfrini—FG

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor, with agency reports

A

BUJA—ENRICO Monfrini, the Swiss attorney hired by the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to track missing Abacha loot in Swiss banks is himself operating over 178 companies in offshore tax havens, a massive leak secret documents belonging to offshore shell companies has revealed.

Mr. Monfrini was hired in 2000 by the then new civilian government of the country to help establish the existence of and

repatriate over $4 billion allegedly looted by former military dictator, Sani Abacha.

The documents showed that Mr. Monfrini, an influential legal practitioner in Switzerland, is director of 178 companies scattered around Panama and the British Virgin Island.

The revelations are among the findings of a lengthy investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung, and more than 100 other global news organizations.

Although the documents did not directly implicate Mr. Monfrini as having committed any crime, still,

the revelation points to the hypocrisy of a man widely revered for his remarkable ability to dismantle tax evaders and looters across jurisdictions.

Mr. Monfrini is a founding partner of Monfrini Crettol & Associates, one of the most recognised legal services provider in Switzerland.

No valid contract with Monfrini —FG

Meanwhile, the Federal Government said, yesterday, that it did not have a valid and subsisting contract with Monfrini.

Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar

Malami, made the position of the government known in an exclusive interview with Vanguard.

Malami admitted that although the Nigerian government engaged the said consultant in 2000 to track and recover Abacha’s loot in Swiss banks, the said contract had since lapsed.

According to Malami, the foreign lawyer has, however, reapplied to be retained by the Federal Government to continue with the tracking and recovery of money stashed away in Switzerland but added that the government was yet to take a decision on his new application.

10—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

Tragedy in Lagos, as father, two daughters die in fuel explosion ....Candle light consumes Synagogue worshipper

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

I

T WAS a harvest of fire disasters in Lagos State, Tuesday night, as four persons were killed in separate fire incidents in Shomolu Oja and Ikotun areas of the state.

At Shomolu Oja area of Shomolu Local Government, Lagos, a man and his two daughters were burnt to death while the man was trying to re-fuel his generating set.

Just as a bed-ridden man seeking spiritual cure at the Synagogue Church of All Nation, SCOAN, was also burnt to death in a hotel in Ikotun area.

The Shomolu deceased identified as Alhaji Kamorudeen Ajibade, 65 years

Pandemonium in Festac as Civil Defence officials kill two petrol hawkers

old; his daughters, Miss Wuraola, 19 years old, and Shakirat, 15-year-old, were consumed in an explosion at about 10p.m.

It was gathered that the late children died trying to rescue their father who got trapped after the explosion as he tried to re-fuel his generator as the wife of the deceased, Mrs. Rachael Ajibade, was able to escape the inferno with the last child of the family.

The late Ajibade, sources said, was expected to be sworn in as the unit chairman of Onipanu Phase 2, branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, yesterday (Wednesday) before his demise.

When Vanguard visited the scene, yesterday, it was observed that the fire did not spread to other apartments in the building, just as traders on the street locked their shops.

The late Ajibade’s colleagues at NURTW also withdrew their vehicles from the major roads in the area in his honour.

The Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit, SEHMU,

was said to have evacuated the corpses and deposited their remains at the Mainland General Hospital Mortuary.

fuel scarcity, this could have been averted. It was the fuel scarcity that caused the incident.”

I don’t believe my father, siblings are dead —daughter Mrs. Shukurat Shabi, daughter of late Ajibade, said: “I am yet to come to terms with the fact that my father and sisters are dead.”

According to her: “My father was a hard-working man.

When it was time for him to be rewarded for his efforts towards the progress of transportation business in Shomolu, he died suddenly.

“He just bought a bus three weeks ago to complement the one he had before and it was the same bus he used to siphon the fuel which he was putting into the generating set that exploded.

Eyewitness accounts A neighbour, Mr. Vincent Achum, described the incident as mysterious fire, adding that about N400,000 that the deceased collected from his cooperative also got burnt while the burnt money litter the compound.

His words: “He doesn’t return home early because he plies Fola Agoro to Onipanu.

But on Tuesday he returned home early. We met at the filling station on Tuesday evening. He talked about celebrating his appointment.

“Even before the fire fighters gained access to the house, it was not easy. The crowd was massive. Nobody knew they were trapped there. We thought they escaped. It was until the fire fighters passed through another building they saw the three lifeless bodies,” he added.

We never stored fuel at home —Deceased's brother Ajibade's younger brother, Mr. Oriade Ajibade, debunked claims that he stored fuel at home, “we never stored fuel in our house.”

His word: “If there was no

PRESENTATION: From left, Governor Ahmed Nasiru Elrufai of Kaduna State, presenting a cheque to Mallam Yahaya Gimba, next of kin, and Miss Gladis Yahaya (daugther) to the victim of the SabonGari Iga, Zaria bomb blast, at the Government House, Kaduna, Tuesday.

Photo: Olu Ajayi

By Okolie Ifeanyi

F

ESTAC TOWN, in Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos State, was yesterday thrown into chaos, as men of the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), opened fire on some youths hawking fuel, killing two, while several others sustained severe injuries.

Vanguard gathered that the incident which occurred around 1:pm on 21 Road, close to a popular filling station, was caused by an attempts by the NSCDC men to arrest and seize jerry-cans with petrol from the hawkers.

An eyewitness , Jacob, told Vanguard that he narrowly escaped when the NSCDC men started shooting, explaining that they were overzealous.

According to him “ I am a resident of FESTAC, and I live very close to the this place.

While reacting to the report the spokesperson at the Lagos State Police Command, DSP Dolapo Badmus, in a text message confirmed that one person was killed and she added that the situation has been brought under control and investigation into the incident has commenced.

C M Y K

….I am shocked —NURTW chairman

Tipper driver, conductor set ablaze for killing pregnant woman, 4 others

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—THREE persons, including a pregnant woman were allegedly crushed to death at Osholo village in Etsako East Local Government of Edo State, last week, after a tipper lorry ran into a crowd injuring several persons.

However, it was learnt that while the driver and his conductor were making efforts to evacuate the dead and the injured persons

to nearby hospital, some angry people from Osholo community descended on them and set the tipper, the driver and the conductor ablaze.

It was gathered that the driver of the tipper lorry was coming from Ekperi in Etsako Central Local Government Area, and heading towards Weppa in Etsako East when he ran into the crowd, killing three people, including the pregnant woman.

Angered by the action of the

Osholo community, some people from Weppa community allegedly invaded Osholo, setting some houses ablaze, but the timely intervention of the law enforcement agents prevented it from escalating.

Confirming the report, Edo State Commissioner of Police, Chris Ejike, said five persons died in the incident adding that as soon as reports of the incident got to the police, action was taken to forestal further aggression.

NURTW Chairman, Bajulaiye Abiodun Unit, Alhaji Sulaiman Allison, said, “We were together Tuesday at the motor park joking about his inauguration, and he promised to take care of every one of us who honoured him.

“I was surprised when I received a phone call about his death. That is why I came to sympathise with his family.

His death is a big loss to NURTW family in Somolu. We will miss him.” …..Fire services blame explosion on fuel storage Confirming the disaster, Director Lagos State Fire Service Rasaq Fadipe, who confirmed the incident, said the fire was caused as a result of fuel storage in the country.

However, he advised residents to desist from storing petroleum products in their homes so as to prevent loss of lives and property.

Meanwhile, a bedridden man seeking for cure at the Synagogue Church of All Nation, SCOAN, was Tuesday night also burnt to death in a hotel his family secured for him close to the church in Ikotun area of Lagos.

The man identified as Felix Ifeanyi reportedly put on candle light which fell on the furniture while he fell asleep with his grandson, and later caught fire which consumed him as he was burnt to death.

Sources said that the late Ifeanyi, a worshipper at the Synagogue Church of All Nation, SCOAN, had been bedridden for months after contracting an unknown ailment, and efforts to get cure at different hospitals proved abortive.

It was learned other lodgers at the hotel were not aware of the inferno until his five yearold grandson ran out calling for assistance in putting out the fire.

Efforts to put out the fire early, according to the sources, proved abortive because they were unable to source for water.

We will conduct autopsy on the corpse-Police Also confirming the incident, the Police Public Relation Officer, PPRO, Dolapo Badmus, said that they have commenced investigation into the inferno, saying “we would conduct an autopsy on the corpse.”

According to her, “At 23: 35 pm, one Emmanuel Eze, the Manager of High Climax Hotel in Egbe reported that one Ifeanyi Felix, a lodger in the hotel put on candle light which resulted in fire outbreak, and the said ifeanyi was burnt to dead.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016—11

Soldiers gun down three suspected cultists, militants

By Jimitota Onoyume & Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—THREE suspected cultists reportedly lost their lives in a fierce gun battle on Tuesday with soldiers at Obuburu community in Rivers state, just as the Joint Force in the Niger Delta, code named Operation Pulo Shield also shot dead one of the suspected militants that killed two soldiers in Bayelsa state recently.

Community sources at Obuburu community, Ogba Egbema Ndoni local government area, River state , said the soldiers first encountered cultists in the community in a gun battle about a month ago but they could not dislodge the hoodlums from the area.

The sources added the soldiers had to go back to reinforce before storming the place again on Tuesday leading to killing of three boys, “About a month ago, the soldiers engaged the cultists in the community but could not really

do much because of the purported charms the boys had which made it impossible for bullets to penetrate their bodies.

This time the soldiers had to come back with greater force, killing three of them in the gun battle,” the source said.

Vanguard gathered that the soldiers deployed Armoured Personnel Carrier, APC, and other superior fire power to the area on Tuesday for the battle.

At press time, community sources said security men had taken over the area that was hitherto a den of cultists.

Spokesman of the 2 Amphibious Brigade, Port Harcourt, Captain Lazarus Eli had not responded to a text message from our Correspondent to him for comment on the incident.

In related development, the Joint Force in the Niger Delta code named Operation Pulo Shield, yesterday, said its operatives shot dead one of the suspected militants that killed two soldiers on the Ogbia-Nembe Road in the Bayelsa East senatorial district.

By Omoh Gabriel & Emma Ujah

T

RISKY RIDE: Okada rider carrying a passenger with a car's door on Lagos-Apapa Expressway, in Lagos. What a risky ride! Photo: Joe Akintola

Arrest of Jonathan’s cousin, Azibaola, vendetta against ex-President —Lawyer ...accuses FG of owing Azibaola $4m

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

M

ORE THAN two weeks after the Managing Director of Kakatar Civil Engineering Company, Robert Azibaola, and his Executive Director, Projects, were arrested and detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over a $40 million pipeline job, their lawyer, Gordy Uche (SAN), has accused the commission of embarking on a vendetta mission against former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Uche alleged that the commission was trying to shop for non-existent evidence against

Jonathan by arresting and detaining Azibaola just because he is seen as one of his closest confidants and relatives from Bayelsa State.

“My client is being persecuted and punished by the EFCC because of his DNA, as a relative of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan,” he said.

This lawyer posited that the Federal Government was still owing his client $4million, being balance of the contract sum for successfully securing oil pipelines which saw Nigeria reap billions of US dollars from increased oil production.

He challenged the EFCC to either charge his clients to court

or release them on bail.

The arrests have generated controversy between lawyers to Roberts and that of the EFCC over who should refund money to who.

The EFCC had on March 23, 2016, arrested Robert, a cousin and close confidant of former President Goodluck Jonathan, on accusation of diversion of public funds through Oneplus Holdings, sister company of his other company, Kakatar Construction and Engineering Company Limited.

One-plus Holdings was paid $40m by the detained former National Security Adviser, NSA, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd) for oil pipelines security contract.

It has been gathered that the EFCC is insisting that Oneplus Holdings should show proof of work done, including receipts of payments made to third parties from the proceeds of the said contract, or in the alternative, refund the $40m to government coffers. It is for this reason that Robert and Atukpa have been held incommunicado by the EFCC for over two weeks.

Spokesman for the commission, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed to Vanguard that both Azibaola and Atukpa were admitted to bail two days after their arrest but were unable to fulfill the conditions attached to the bail.

Oba Otudeko chaIrs Vanguard’s PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR AWARDS tomorrow

By Babajide Komolafe

F

OUNDER AND Executive Chairman of Honeywell Group, Dr. Ayoola Oba Otudeko will chair the 2015 Vanguard's PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR Awards ceremony holding in Lagos tomorrow.

The high profile event, scheduled to hold at the prestigious Eko Le Meridian Hotel, will feature presentation of five categories of awards to eminent and distinguished Nigerians, including the duo of President Muhammadu Buhari and former President Goodluck Jonathan. They were voted as the Vanguard Personalities of the year 2015.

Other award categories are: Hero of Democracy; Life time

Achievement award; African Businessman of the Year Award; Businessman of the year and Governors of the Year Awards.

As chairman of the glamorous event, Dr. Otudeko will bring to bear his celebrated corporate leadership skills to coordinate the proceedings and presentations of the awards.

Dr. Oba Otudeko, CFR , born August 18, 1943, is an astute and highly successful Nigerian investor and entrepreneur whose domestic and foreign interests cut across diverse sectors of the economy.

He is a self-made man in the field of manufacturing and telecoms. He is renowned for being in the Forbe's lists of Africa’s 50 richest people, ranking at 33 with a net worth of $575 million as of November

Efficiency Unit: FG reduces use of first, business class air travels

2013.

Dr Oba has contributed in various ways to his country, leading him to be awarded the following national honors: Commander of the Federal Republic in 2011, Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic in 2002 and the Member of the Order of the Federal Republic.

Recently awarded the 2016 Africa CEO of the year by the Africa CEO Forum for his outstanding contributions to the development of the African continent, Otudeko is a corporate titan, entrepreneur, philanthropist.

A Chartered Accountant, Chartered Banker, and Chartered Secretary by profession, Otudeko was voted as Business Person of the Year 2015 by the Board of

Leadership Newspapers, “for his relentless appetite for risk, his zeal to impact lives by creating jobs and transforming the business landscape with legacy projects and his philanthropy.”

Otudeko is currently Chairman, Honeywell Group, Airtel Nigeria and Fan Milk of Nigeria Plc. He retired as the Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria Plc after 12 meritorious years on the Board of the bank. He also served on several Boards, including the Boards of Central Bank of Nigeria, Guinness Nigeria Plc and Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, ETI. Between September 2006 and August 2009, he was the 16th President and Chairman of Council of Nigerian Stock Exchange.

HE FEDERAL Government in the spirit of change will soon limit the use of first class and business class ticket to ministers, permanent secretaries and head of parastatals. This is coming on the heels of the Efficiency Unit negotiation for bulk discount with local and international airlines to cut on cost of governance, especially cost of travels.

A release from the ministry of Finance by the Special Adviser, Media to the Minister, Mr. Festus Akanbi, said: “In line with its mandate, the Efficiency Unit of the Federal Ministry of Finance is collaborating very closely with the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation OSGF, and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, OHCSF, to review the provisions of some extant government Circulars on Overhead Expenses, one of which is on Travels.

“The Efficiency Unit, in its negotiation for discounts with local and international airlines also recommended other measures for reducing the government’s large expenditure on travels to the OSGF. "This includes the need to restrict Business Class travel to Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Chairmen of Federal Government Committees, as well as Chairmen and Chief Executives of Parastatals and Agencies.

"In the past, some government officials, who should have been on Business Class usually travelled First Class, while many others travelled Business Class instead of Economy.

“The second recommendation bordered on the need to reduce the frequency of travels by ensuring that Board and Committee events such as meetings, workshops and conferences in Nigeria are held in locations where the institutions or persons participating in the event are domiciled.

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

6 more persons feared killed as cult war persists in Rivers Police arrest 4 suspects

By Davies Iheamnachor

P

ORT HARCOURT—SIX more persons have been feared killed in the ongoing cult battle for supremacy in Rumuodogo 1 community, Emohua Local Government Area, Rivers State, bringing the total number of deaths to 10.

Two cult groups, Icelanders and Deygbam, for about four days now, have been locked in a supremacy battle resulting in several deaths.

At the time of filing this report, yesterday, a resident of the crisis-ridden community told Vanguard that no single person was still in the village.

The source who gave his name as Emenike, claimed that six persons were shot dead by the cult boys, Tuesday.

He revealed that on Sunday, some persons believed to be members of the dreaded Icelanders that have been terrorising the area invaded the community killing two people.

On Tuesday, at about 3:20p.m., the Icelanders on hearing the action of their rival revisited the community in a frightening manner and allegedly killed six people.

Emenike said the news was

rarely reported because there were no persons in the community to relate it to outsiders.

But when contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, said the police were aware of the incident.

Muhammad said after the Sunday shooting that peace had returned in the troubled community.

The PPRO said the incident was a cult war between Icelanders and Deygbam cult groups.

He said: “The incident happened on Sunday and we

have deployed a unit of Mobile Police personnel who are now stationed in the community.

When it happened, the Rumuji Police Divisional Headquarters was alerted and policemen were sent immediately. As it stands now there is peace. We have also arrested four suspects in relation to the cult war.”

SWEARING-IN: Members of Justice Monima Danagogo-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry into the violence and killings of March 19, re-run election in Port Harcourt taking oath of office before the state governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, yesterday.

Rights groups in Edo fault Buhari’s foreign trips

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—AS fuel scarcity bites harder across the country, civil society groups in Edo State have faulted President Muhammadu Buhari’s frequent trips abroad and advised him to cut down on the trips and face the economic difficulties Nigerians are going through.

The groups, on the platform of Talakawa Parliament and Returnee Foundation and Traders Welfare Union of Nigeria, lamented the lingering economic crunch that has affected most Nigerian homes, saying the President should stay at home to proffer solutions to the fuel crisis and other problems.

The groups who called for the resignation of the President from office if he was unable to solve the economic woes and scarcity of petroleum products which it said hasd entered four months, said Nigerians did not deserve what was happening to them from the man who promised them change during the electioneering campaign last year.

Presidents of the Talakawa Parliament Retur nee Foundation and Traders Welfare Union of Nigeria, Kola Edokayi and Solomom Okoduwa, who spoke in Benin, C M Y K

Bayelsa gov poll: INEC grants Dickson’s request to inspect ballot papers

Y

By Emem Idio

ENAGOA—THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday, granted Governor Seriake Dickson’s request to inspect ballot papers and other sensitive electoral materials used in the conduct of the December 5 and January 9 governorship election in Bayelsa State.

The inspection of the electoral materials was sequel to the ruling of the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, which granted the governor ’s request to inspect ballot papers used for the last governorship election in the state.

Addressing the governor’s legal team before the commencement of the inspection exercise at the INEC state office in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Austin Okojie, said as a transparent body, the commission was ready and prepared to comply with all the orders of the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal.

government. We want to see action taken, not excuses. We want employment for the youths, we want to see food on our tables. We want to see petroleum products at our petrol stations,” they said.

Labour Party decries lack of harmony between three arms of govt

With Azura, Edo now hub of power generation —Oshiomhole

By Chris Ochayi

Edo State, yesterday, during a peaceful protest at the premises of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, on the lingering fuel scarcity, said it was out of place and painful to see the President

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has said the Azura Power Plant in Benin City has the capacity to produce almost 50 percent of what Nigeria currently boasts of when it generates at its peak of 4,000 megawatts, maintaining that Edo is now a hub of power generation in Nigeria.

Speaking during an inspection

touring the countries of the world without realizing that Nigerians were being ravaged by poverty, hunger and unemployment.

“Nigerians are tired of the daily excuses from the

visit to the Azura Power Plant at Ahor, in Benin City, Oshiomhole said: “Let me appreciate your vision, your courage and your determination to navigate through all the technical, political, socio-economic and logistics issues that you had to go through to get to this level. It requires a measure of confidence in our country, people, and about our future to initiate a gigantic project such as this. Even while

you are at the stage of construction, all of us here are already beneficiaries of that vision.

“Like we have always said and there is nobody to say it better than you, that what Nigeria needs, Edo possesses suitable land and nature, good people that are friendly to investors. Our people are educated enough to know that this project, the Azura Power Project, has become an indigene of this community and Edo State."

BFI flays Bayelsa Speaker's refusal to swear in elected Assembly members leaderships could also follow.

T

HE Bayelsa First Initiative BFI, has condemned the alleged antidemocratic stance of the state governor, Mr Seriake Dickson and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Kombowei Benson, in refusing to administer oath of office on three duly elected members of Bayelsa State House of Assembly.

In a statement in Yenagoa, Executive Director of BFI, Chief Nathan Egba, warned that the continued refusal by Governor Dickson to allow the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP- controlled House to swear in the three minority parties members portendsed a great danger for the future of Bayelsa State, as it was laying a bad precedent which future House

Chief Egba also described Governor Dickson’s directive to his Special Adviser on Treasury Matters, Mr Seipulo, to remove the names of over 500 civil servants from the staff payroll, on the excuse that they allegedly supported All Progressives Congress, APC during the last governorship election as the worst decision any sitting governor in Bayelsa State had ever taken.

A

BUJA—LABOUR Party, LP, yesterday, raised alarm over alleged frosty relationship between the executive, legislature and judiciary, which it said was threatening political stability in the country.

The party warned that the trend if not checked would spell doom for the nation’s democracy because it was not allowing a deeper analysis on the workings of the different branches of government.

National Chairman of LP, Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, who made the remark at an interactive session with newsmen in Abuja, noted that a situation where the Senate would pass a resolution and a minister would refuse to honour it called for serious concern.

Abdulsalam, who criticised the administrative style of President Muhammadu Buhari, said, “Everything seems to be about corruption with no credible alternative for transformation projected."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016—13

Felix Ibru: Olu of Warri condoles with family ...pledges support during funeral

By Egufe Yafugborhi

W

ARRI—THE Olu of Warri, HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli, has pledged his kingdom’s commitment to stand by the Ibru family when the time comes for the burial of the first governor of Delta State, Olorogun Felix Ibru, who passed on recently.

The Olu made the pledge through a delegation he sent to condole with the Ibrus at the Ughelli residence of the late Felix Ibru, Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state, where a personal condolence letter from the Warri monarch was also delivered.

After signing the condolence register, Chief Charles Ikomi, Ero of Warri, who led the threeman delegation, told Vanguard: “The Olu of Warri, HRM Ogiame Ikenwoli, chiefs and the entire Itsekiri nation heard of the demise of the first governor of Delta State, Senator Felix Ibru.

“The Olu is a man of peace.

He could not have heard of the death of such an icon and not commiserate with the family and entire Delta State. We have come today on behalf of the Olu to pay condolence. We hope that during his obsequies, we shall

be around to play our part.

May his soul rest in peace.”

Responding on behalf of the Ibrus, Benson Uwhe, Personal Assistant to late Senator Ibru, said: “We are not surprised at this solidarity from the Olu of

Warri as we mourn Olorogun Ibru. My boss maintained strong ties with the Itsekiri to whom he professed great respect throughout his stay on earth. We are honoured by your presence and the Olu’s

heartfelt condolence.”

In company of Chief Ikomi on the Olu’s delegation were Chief Emmanuel Jones, Olutimeyin of Warri and Chief Billy Besigiwa, Osolor of Warri Kingdom.

CONDOLENCE: Chief Charles Ikomi, in company of Chief Jones and Chief Besigiwa, signing the condolence register on behalf of the Olu of Warri at the Ughelli, Delta State, residence of late Chief Felix Ibru.

Oath of Office: Bayelsa Assembly members-elect petition NASS, IG

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—THREE aggrieved state Assembly members-elect in Bayelsa State have sent a protest letter to the leadership of the National Assembly and the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, AGF, following the decision of the Speaker, Kombowei Benson, not to administer on them the oath of office as duly elected members of the Assembly.

The members-elect, Watson Belemote of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, representing Brass Constituency II, Gibson Munalayefa of the Labour Party, representing Ogbia constituency II and Gabriel Ogbara of African Democratic Congress, ADC, representing Ogbia constituency III, were, two months ago, declared winners by the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt and issued with Certificates of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. In the protest to the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the aggrieved members-elect warned that though they had resolved to explore various legal and peaceful means to compel the Bayelsa Speaker to administer oath of office on them, the continued

C M Y K

failure might result in security breach and breakdown of law and order.

The aggrieved members-elect, in the letter by their counsel,

Jude Rex-Ogbuku, said that upon the receipt of the certificate of return and formal presentation of the letter to the Clerk of the state House of

Assembly, “it has taken two months since the court order and the forwarding of the various certificates of return to the state Assembly with no reply.”

Edo 2016: APC won't impose guber candidate —Idahosa

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—A CHIEFTAIN of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo State and Special Adviser to Governor Adams Oshiomhole on Political Matters, Chief Charles Idahosa, has said that Governor Oshiomhole has ended the era of imposition of candidates in the state. According to him, the party will not make the mistakes of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state which, he claimed, had imposed candidates since 1999.

Describing as unfair, allegations that the governor intended to impose Mr Godwin Obaseki on the party as the governorship candidate, Idahosa explained: “This one is not imposition but he is saying that this is his preferred candidate. There is no way a governor of a state will not have an interest in who succeeds him, particularly when you talk about Edo State that was dead before Oshiomhole came in.

"Today, we know what Edo

State looks like. Oshiomhole has worked very hard, whether anybody likes his face or not, there is nothing you can do about that. He has worked very hard and he must be concerned about who takes over from him.

Let me tell you, I have gone through this road before. I contested for governorship against Oshiomhole. I ran for Senate in this state some time ago.

“In the senatorial race when most of us were in the PDP, there were no primaries. They took us to the residence of Chief Igbinedion and decided that the choice was Daisy Danjuma.

The heavens did not fall.

"When people start shouting Oshiomhole’s name when he has not done anything, I begin to wonder whether they are all right. In the governorship election, the same thing happened.

“It may interest you to know that in 2006-2007, Osagie IzeIyamu was interested in running for governorship and I was equally interested. But

Igbinedion called us to his swimming pool in his house and said that all of us should get out of the race and he warned IzeIyamu.

“That was the power of incumbency. Lucky warned everybody that he would decide who would take over from him.

So, if Oshiomhole comes out now to say I have worked with all these people and it is Obaseki I feel should take over from me, I don’t see why the hue and cry. I am the only living person in Edo State today that contested the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, primaries with Oshiomhole. He won and I accepted to be his Political Adviser.”

13 sacked VCs: NANS calls for Education Minister's resignation

By Laide Akinboade-Ori

A

BUJA—THE National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, yesterday called on the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, to immediately resign his appointment and reinstate the sacked 13 Vice Chancellors.

National President of NANS, Mr. Tijani Shehu, stated this in Abuja while briefing newsmen on happenings in the education sector.

He insisted that due process as spelt out by the Universities Act must be followed in the removal and appointment of vice chancellors.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for apologising and cancelling the unconstitutional sacking of the Governing Boards of federal universities.

It would be recalled that in February, the Federal Government sacked the vice chancellors of 13 federal universities established by former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration but President Buhari apologised for the action he deemed unconstitutional.

The NANS president said: “Education Minister, Mallam Adamu Adamu, should tender an unreserved apology to Nigerian students and the entire academic community for his misleading actions and statements. ‘’Conversely, he should resign his appointment. In the first instance, he misdirected the Federal Government to also go ahead and implement the new directive of President Muhammadu Buhari."

14—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

Fraudsters clone EFCC boss' phone number

By Soni Daniel

A

BUJA—CRIMINALS have allegedly cloned the phone number of Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, and used same to defraud people.

EFCC raised the alarm yesterday, asking Nigerians to beware of the suspects who were being trailed for appropriate punishment.

A statement by spokesman for EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the fraudsters had successfully impersonated Magu and extorted money from members of the public.

Part of the statemen read: “For the avoidance of doubts, the EFCC Chairman and, indeed, all officials of the agency, do not solicit for nor accept payments/gratification from persons or organisations under any guise.”

C M Y K

Lassa Fever, Cholera kill 90 in Ebonyi

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIKI—EBONYI State government, yesterday, said 14 persons died of Lassa fever disease, while 83 suspected cases were recorded since the outbreak in January.

It also lamented that the state lost 76 lives to Cholera outbreak, which affected 38 communities.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezurike, who spoke while briefing newsmen on the level of successes the ministry had recorded, noted that the ongoing construction of the South-East Virology within the premises of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, FETHA, was already 95 percent completed, as all the equipment needed for the centre would arrive within the week.

The commissioner said over 76 persons had died in 38 communities across 11 local government areas of the state since the outbreak of Cholera in February 2015, and that within five months of its outbreak, only two councils,

Afikpo North and Onicha, were not affected by the epidemic.

He said: “To curb the cholera outbreak, we quickly mobilised our Surveillance and Response Team to all the places discovered to have been ravaged by the deadly disease and with the help and logistics support of Governor David

Umahi, we were able to control the five months old epidemic within two weeks.”

According to him, in the last one month there had not been any case of Lassa fever in the state following community sensitisation and campaigns by the three Special Assistants to Governor Umahi on Primary

Health Care across the 13 Local Government areas.

He added that his ministry had attracted two incinerators from the National Primary Healthcare and Development Agency, which would assist in the management of medical wastes in hospitals across the state and would be sited at General Hospitals, Ezzamgbo and Onicha.

FG laments poor attitude to ecological crisis

By Emeka Mamah & By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—THE Presidential Committee on Flood and Fire Relief Materials and Distribution to Victims has expressed concern over alleged high level of negligence, poor and negative attitude of Nigerians towards ecological problems and policies.

Chairman of the committee, Mr. John Owoicho, made the observations when he donated relief materials to victims of the 2015 flood and fire disasters in Enugu State, on behalf of the Federal Government, yesterday.

He said that such negative tendencies were some of the major causes of fire and flood disasters in the country.

Owoicho explained that despite its numerous challenges, government was ready to assist and rehabilitate the victims to get back to their former positions through the provision and distribution of relief items to them through their state governments.

According to him, the committee members were in Enugu to sympathise with the victims and make some items available for distribution to them, stressing that since natural disasters were

unavoidable phenomena, government would not relent in its effort to bring the victims back to life, urging the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the items.

The Executive Secretary, Enugu State Emergency Management Agency, ESEMA, Mr. Josephat Offor, received the materials, pledging that the items would be judiciously distributed to the beneficiaries, with the help of recorded data.

The materials include bags of rice, beans, salt and gari, corrugated iron sheets, towels, mosquito nets, buckets, blankets, bags of cement, gallons of vegetable oil, palm oil and cartons of assorted tomato paste.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016—15

By Demola Akinyemi & Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—THE Federal Government, yesterday, told the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, sitting in Abuja, how the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, collected salaries as the governor of Kwara State for four years after his tenure had elapsed.

However, Kwara State government, in a swift reaction, denied paying the former governor salary after he left office in May 2011.

Furthermore, Abdulwahab Isa, the Director-General of Abubakar Bukola Saraki Constituency Office, otherwise known as Mandate, said the Senate President does not have access to his pension account, which is dedicated to helping students across the state.

At the CCT sitting yesterday, a star prosecution witness, Mr. Michael Wetkass, who is a Detective Superintendent with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, told the tribunal that investigation revealed that, whereas Saraki’s tenure as governor of the state ended on May 29, 2011, he stopped collecting salary on August 31, 2015.

Wetkass was the head of a threeman crack team that investigated six separate petitions that culminated in the 13-count criminal charge the Senate President is facing before CCT. The charge preferred against Saraki by Federal Government borders on false/anticipatory declaration of assets, operation of foreign bank accounts while in office as governor and allegation that he acquired wealth beyond his legitimate earnings.

At the resumed sitting yesterday, the witness told the tribunal that as at September 16, 2015, when the Access Bank Plc account Saraki used for his governorship salary and pension was closed, it had a debit balance of N599,091.63, and that the account had a balance of N52,372,417 as at June 3, 2015.

Cash flow The witness said investigations revealed that Saraki’s salary as a governor in 2007 was N254,412.

25; N291,134 as at May 2011, and increased to N572,236.32 in June the same year.

He said: “On August 29, 2011, there was another payment into the account by order of Kwara State government for N744, 002.

“On September 29, 2011, the salary was N743,902. 33; October 27, 2011, N1,165, 466.12 and the same amount was also paid to the defendant in November and December 28, 2011.

“The same N1,165,466.12 was paid to the defendant as salary on February 1, 2012. Payment of salary into the account stopped on August 31, 2015.

“Funds that entered into this account was from the Kwara State government. The salary and pension that was later paid into the account, the balance as at June C M Y K

Saraki received salary as governor till August 2015—Witness He’s only receiving pension—Kwara govt Saraki has no access to pension account; dedicated to education endowment—TRUSTEE

Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki (middle) at Code of Conduct Tribunal, yesterday.

PHOTO: Gbemiga Olamikan.

3, 2015, was N52,372,417.

“On June 3, there was a transfer from the account in the sum of N25 million to Guarantee Trust Bank, GTB, leaving the account in debit balance of N2,628,632.39. There was also debit transfer of N30 million to GTB from this salary account of the defendant in Access Bank.

“At the closing of the account on September 16, 2015, it was in a debit balance of N599,091.63.”

Giving a chronological account of financial activities of the defendant, the witness said: “There was N10 million cash lodgement by Abdul, who was personal assistant to the defendant. On March 24, 2005, there was another transaction by the same Abdul to the tune of N8.24 million. On March 29, 2006, there was transaction of N200.640 million in favour of Implementation Committee on the sale of government properties. It was a bank draft.

“On the same March 29, 2006, there was also credit disbursement of loan in favour of the defendant to the tune of N200 million, which preceded the bank draft. On the same day, there was another loan disbursement of N380 million from GTB. “On the same day, there were two bank drafts compiled in one transaction for the sum of N256,312,815, in favour of the implementation committee on Federal Government landed property. On October 16, 2005, there was another draft of N12,815,000, in favour of the implementation committee.

“The bank drafts were meant for the purchase of properties from the implementation committee by Saraki. On February 5, 2007, there was another disbursement by GTB into the Naira account, of N380 million.

“On February 27, 2007, there was cash deposit of N3 million

by one Josiah Samuel, while on April 3, 2007, there was a telegraphic transfer of N180,675,000.

“According to the narration in the account, the transaction was on instruction of the defendant in favour of the Presidential Committee, as part payment for a property.

“On September 18, 2007, Ubi made cash deposits in five tranches on the same day into the same account in GTB. The sums are N11 million, N20 million, N20 million, N20 million and N6 million. The total amount was N77 million.

“Before the lodgements were made, the account had a debit balance of N81,960,289. On November 22, 2007, there were cash lodgements into the account by Abdul Adama in 50 different transactions, totalling about N45 million. Before the lodgements, the account was in a debit balance of N80,210,976.70.

“On November 29, 2007, there were cash lodgements by Ubi, in over 20 transactions and the total sum is about N20 million.

“On March 14, 2008, there were several cash lodgements by different individuals. Before then, the account had a debit of N96,857,885.17.

“On April 18, it was the same thing; there were cash lodgements by various individuals. On September 23, 2008, the same thing happened; there were several cash lodgements by different individuals with different names.

“On April 30, 2009, there was a draft in favour of BGL Assets Management Limited for N400 million. On same day, there were also several cash lodgements by several individuals.

“There was a lodgement of N65 million after which there was a loan disbursement of N400 million, followed by several cash lodgements by different individuals.”

FG’s evidence

Meanwhile, Federal Government, yesterday, tendered 25 different sets of documents into evidence before CCT. Among the exhibits admitted into evidence by the tribunal were the letter EFCC wrote to GTB for details of the telex transactions, statements of accounts, request of information on the Pounds Sterling account and financial details from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. Other exhibits were letters of investigation on ownership of the three Abuja choice properties traced to Saraki and replies from Abuja Geographical Information Service, AGIS, as well as copies of the petitions that led to the trial.

However, Saraki, through his lead counsel, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), said he would reserve his objections to the documents till a later stage of the trial.

It will be recalled that FG had on Tuesday tendered into evidence six separate assets declaration forms the defendant filed and submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, between 2003 and 2015.

Whereas Saraki was said to have submitted four of the assets declaration forms while he held sway as governor of Kwara State from 2003 to 2011, the other two forms contained the list of assets he declared in 2015.

Saraki’s only receiving pension—Kwara govt

Meanwhile, Kwara State g o v e r n m e n t , yesterday, denied paying Dr. Bukola Saraki, salary after he left office in May 2011.

Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, in a reaction,

explained that Dr Saraki’s last salary was N291,474.00 for the month of May 2011.

The SSG said in a statement: “From June 2011, former Governor Saraki started receiving his pension which was N578,188.00 as other past governors in the country.”

He added that after the review of pensions of former political office holders by the State Pension Board, the former governor’s pension increased to N1,239,493.94 monthly from October 2014 to date.

Alhaji Gold dismissed as false and misleading the allegation that the former Governor, Saraki, was receiving salaries after the expiration of his two-term tenure as governor of the state.

He advised interested stakeholders to seek clarification from appropriate authorities to avoid misleading the public.

‘... donates pension for education endowment’

Meanwhile, Abdulwahab Isa, the Director-General of Abubakar Bukola Saraki Constituency Office, otherwise known as Mandate, has said that since Saraki left office in May 2011, his pension, which was paid into a special account, had been managed by a group of trustees and used for education endowment for students across the state.

Isa, in a statement in Ilorin yesterday, said the Senate President did not even have access to the account. He said a group of trustees, led by him, were mandated to use the money to pay scholarship grants and funds for Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, forms for students across the state.

He said: “We have also used the money to pay for coaching of students, who were preparing for JAMB examinations. For example, the most recent beneficiaries from the funds were two University of Ilorin Faculty of Law students, who were the best in their set and needed money for their enrollment into the Nigerian Law School.”

Isa added that the funds from the pension account had been utilised in fulfillment of a pledge publicly made by Dr. Saraki to the people.

Meanwhile, the Justice Danladi Umar led two-man panel tribunal has adjourned further hearing on the matter till April 18.

There were not up to 20 senators that accompanied Saraki to CCT during his trial, yesterday, and most of the lawmakers that came to show solidarity with him belong to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. This development may be connected with intensified moves to remove Saraki as Senate President, in view of the criminal charge pending against him.

16 — Vanguard, THURSDAY APRIL 7 , 2016

Falana meets El Zakzaky in solitary confinement, demands his release

By Ben Agande

A

BUJA—AFTER several months of being in solitary confinement without access to his lawyers and members of his Islamic Movement of Nigeria, the leader of the Shiites sect in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem El Zakzaky, was allowed to meet with his team of lawyers, led by Femi Falana and a member of his movement at the detention facility last week Friday, Vanguard exclusively gathered in Abuja, yesterday.

According to impeccable sources close to the Islamic Movement of Nigeria and security services, Sheikh El Zakzaky met Femi Falana and two other lawyers; Maxwell Nkiyom and Kabir Muhammad, who had been retained as lawyers for the Islamic Movement of Nigeria and a member of the Movement, Sheikh AbdulRahman Abubakar Yola, at the invitation of the security services who had been holding him in an unknown detention facility in Abuja for more than four months.

Recall that in the aftermath of the bloody clash between the Nigerian Army and members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, which led to the death of hundreds of members of the movement in December last year, El Zakzaky and his wife were arrested and had been in detention since then.

Sheikh El Zakzaky was allegedly wounded and was secretly flown out to France for an emergency operation before being returned to the country.

According to sources in the IMN, following the refusal of members of the Movement to appear before Judicial Panel of inquiry set up by Kaduna State government, the Federal Government was left with no option but to allow the legal team of the leader of the movement meet with his lawyers in order to placate his members and possibly sway them to appear before the panel.

The meeting lasted for about one hour.

Labour to Buhari: Nigerian economy on verge of total collapse ...Raises alarm over massive retrenchment

By Victor Ahiuma-Young & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

O

RGANISED Labour has called on the Federal Government to do something urgently to stop the Nigerian economy from total collapse as almost all productive activities have been grounded by the prevailing harsh socio-economic situations in the country, especially the twin crises of power and fuel.

Both the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and its Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, counterpart, raised the alarm over ongoing massive retrenchment of workers in every sector of the economy due to

unfavourable business environment among others.

In a statement yesterday in Lagos, TUC through its President and Acting Secretary General, Bobboi Bala Kaigama and Simeso Amachree said: “We are saddled with the responsibility of functioning as change agents and watchdogs of both government and private business, and ensuring better welfare for workers. Of late, our desk has been inundated with industrial issues, redundancy complaints, antilabour practices, casualisation of workers, mass sack of workers, etc.

All these are caused because of

unfriendly business environment.

For instance, the food and beverage sector alone in the last few months lost over 500 employees.

Speaking at the opening session of the Central Working Committee, the factional President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba, though commended efforts of government towards repositioning the economy, expressed worry that Nigerians were passing through serious pains.

According to him, “Government must consult more widely and come up with an enduring solution. In spite of its effort so far,

there is no credible economic team with a policy capable of responding to the present challenges. Labour is serious enough a component of this polity to be considered to be part of this team when government constitutes one.

Similarly, in a communiqué at the end of its CWC meeting in Lagos, Joe Ajaero-led faction of NLC said: “Electricity has become an essential commodity, public utilities, staple food items have been priced completely out of reach of the ordinary people, Petroleum products have vanished. Nigeria is indeed at crossroads today and the extent of suffering is such that this nation has not witnessed in its history.''

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016— —17

W

E must thank DAILY TRUST for concentrating our minds on Monday this week, on the huge sums of money that Nigerian states have continued to pay, as pensions to their former governors. These sums run into billions of naira, and as the newspaper was quick to point out, these ex-governors, who have become senators or ministers, “are also drawing salaries from public purse as serving senators and ministers”.

It is important to recall that President Muhammadu Buhari himself recently pointed out that 27 states were struggling to pay salaries, despite collecting N662billion bailout funds from the federal government last year.

All over the country, many of the states have become almost completely insolvent for all intents and purposes, because they are unable to meet the basic responsibility of payment of salaries to their workers. Osun state’s allocation last month was less than N10million! That is a product of all kinds of financial encumbrances that the state has been plunged into by a succession of wasteful governors. The red herring they have often waved about their inability to pay workers salaries has long been the drastic fall in the monthly allocation to Nigerian states, arising from the sharp drop in the price of Nigerian petroleum exports.

Last November, at the end of one of its meetings, the Nigerian Governors Forum claimed that it could no longer pay the N18, 000 national minimum wage that had been signed into law in March 2011. They premised their threat not to pay, on “the poor state of the economy”.

Thinking they would get empathy from Nigerians, our governors stated that: “the situation is no longer the same when we were asked to pay N18, 000 minimum wage, when oil price was $126 (per barrel) and we continue paying N18, 000 minimum wage when oil price is $41, while the source of government expenditure is from oil, and we have not seen prospects in the oil industry in the near future”. Of course, the governors ran into a head stream of opposition immediately, with the Nigerian trade union movement warning that they risked a complete shut

We cannot afford billionaire pensioner governors, who retire into senate or become ministers, to continue fleecing Nigeria. It is immoral; it is unsustainable and should be ended C M Y K

The political elite and immoral emoluments down of the country, with plans to stop payment of the national minimum wage. As NLC President Ayuba Wabba warned: “the governors should not think the Nigerian workers do not have the capacity to retrench them…We are not the cause of the problem. When there was excess crude money, the workers did not benefit and so, we cannot bear the brunt. If the governors want us to close down the country, we will do that. What about their outrageous salaries, bloated overhead cost, inflated contracts and others”? Ayuba Wabba forgot to add the unconscionable pensions paid ex-governors!

And this is where the problem lies. We run a state structure located in a class system that prioritizes the comfort of the Nigerian ruling elite. This elite abhors any reference to its parasitic existence on the resources of the country. Their natural response to financial difficulties is to shift the burden of sacrifices on the working people and the poor. Never a reference to the immoral emoluments that they continued to take, even with acute shortage of funds to meet the basic functions of a state. Governors who became fabulously rich after two four year terms in power would still not let go of their states’ funds.

They arm twist complicit and supine Houses of Assembly to approve pensions that allow them live forever on state resources. Bola Tinubu’s Lagos state was one of the earliest to approve these pensions, effectively for Bola Tinubu himself. The trend was to spread like veldt fire. Bukola Saraki got a similar law for himself in 2010.

And when incumbent governor, Abdulfatai Ahmed ends his tenure a few years down the line, he would draw similar levels of pension. Under the Akwa Ibom law, the “retired Governor” is provided N200m annual pay; He enjoys a pension for life at a rate equivalent to the salary of the incumbent governor; a new official car and a utility vehicle every four years; one personal aide and provision of adequate security; a cook, chauffeurs and security guards for the governor at a sum not exceeding N5million per month; free medical services for governor and spouse at an amount not exceeding N100million per annum; a five-bedroom mansion in Abuja and Akwa Ibom plus furniture allowance of 300% of

annual basic salary every four years in addition to severance gratuity.

An unsustainable process This unsustainable process of taking from Nigeria manifests at all levels. For instance, David Mark earns a military pension; he earns pension as former Senate President and collects a salary as an ordinary senator now. At the weekend, the Senate President’s spokesperson, told DAILY TRUST that the pension “…money goes as scholarship for indigent students”. He could

not see that the “indigent students” won’t have been so, in the first place. The spokesperson forgot to state that his “Oga at the top” has only given a few scholarships so far.

If monies Bukola Saraki took, takes, and continues to take from Kwara state, had been used for development or even allocated for a well-structured, statesponsored scholarships programme. Yet, even in death, the Adisa Bakare Educational Endowment Fund (ABEEF), instituted by late General Abdulkareem Adisa, has awarded hundreds of scholarships in Kwara state,

without being premised on being clever by a half, through an immoral pension scheme that fleeces Kwara state, despite a paucity of funds! In truth, the APC as the party of power today, owes Nigeria the duty to end the perpetual fleecing of Nigeria by people who have held power in Nigerian states. These pensions that governors have awarded themselves should be ended to free money for vital developments or to just simply pay workers salaries, in states that are mere civil service states.

Take Kwara state; one of the more popular statements amongst people in the state is that even if allocations drop to less than five hundred million naira a month, Bukola Saraki’s pension will remain one of the first items of expenditure. And with ever more two-term governors, we might end up with states existing only to pay ex-governors’ pensions, with little left for meaningful development.

Surely, Nigerian states have a right to sustainable existence.

We cannot afford billionaire pensioner governors, who retire into senate or become ministers, to continue fleecing Nigeria. It is immoral; it is unsustainable and should be ended.

$800m World Bank commitment to North-East rehabilitation

D

URING a courtesy visit to the Borno state Governor, Kashim Shettima, last week, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Fatma Samoura, disclosed that the World Bank was setting aside $800million to support rebuilding of infrastructure, devastated by the Boko Haram insurgency. Samoura said that the World Bank was leveraging the $800million for the region, in response to recovery, rehabilitation, de-mining, waste management and debris processing. The UN visitor pointed out that the Syrian crisis was taking a heavy toll in terms of funding from traditional donors. But there was plan to rev up advocacy and communication to focus more attention to the serious situation in Northeast Nigeria.

The humanitarian response plan for the region has just received 10% funding of only $24million, out of the $248million budgeted for the Northeast in 2016. She added that the UN would support Borno in the work of recovery and rehabilitation for safe return of the 1.8million IDPs to their homes.

The Borno Governor, Kashim Shettima, expressed gratitude to the UN for identifying with Borno, in trying to assist with ending the insurgency, but noted that $800million was grossly inadequate, considering the enormous destruction wrought by the Boko Haram insurgency.

Kashim Shettima told Fatma Samoura that: “It is in the interest of humanity to rally round Nigeria against Boko Haram”. Indeed, the world must rally round Nigeria, given the

international nature of the links between terror groups. The bombings in Paris have been linked to terror cells that were located in and perpetrated the outrages in Brussels.

Similarly, early this week, even Boko Haram issued a new video that reiterated its loyalty to ISIS and it’s a well-known fact that there are links between insurgency in Nigeria and the Lake Chad region and the jihadi networks in the Sahel and the Maghreb. As we noted on this page two weeks ago, Borno has been at the epicenter of the Boko Haram insurgency and has therefore suffered the most substantial levels of destruction of properties; of the killings and the injuries. The state has lost an estimated 20, 000 people and property damage has been estimated to be about $5.9Billion (about N1.9Trillion).

An estimated 30% of all private dwellings in Borno state were destroyed, that is about 956, 453 residences. Boko Haram destroyed 201 health centres, and these are mainly primary health clinics, dispensaries and some General Hospitals. And in its crusade against education, the insurgency destroyed 5, 335 classrooms and other school buildings along with the killing of dozens of teachers.

This is the kind of depressing background against which the governor was arguing that the sum of $800million was grossly inadequate for the task at hand for rehabilitation. The fact is that these sums have been dedicated to the entire Northeast region, and would especially be used in Yobe, Adamawa and to a lesser extent Gombe and Bauchi. I have travelled extensively and

regularly in the Northeast, but most especially in Borno, and I have seen at first hand, the extent of the destruction wrought by Boko Haram.

I have also seen at close quarters the enormous resources that the state government has committed to ameliorating the circumstances of people at the receiving end of the insurgency and the plans and efforts to rehabilitate the state, in terms of reconstruction; rehabilitation of infrastructure; return of people to their communities; regeneration of economic activities and so on. It is a very costly venture and it is a process that will take many years. The resources of these states will not be enough; Federal resources will also play a part, but there are contesting issues that must be addressed as well.

The international community needs to put a lot more resources into the effort to end the insurgency; reclaim communities and rehabilitate infrastructure. There is also long term work that must be carried out in counseling of women, children and victims of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which must be a serious problem into the future. The training of counsellors and sociologists, psychiatrists and psychologists will also be part of a drawn out programmme of community renewal in Borno and Northeast Nigeria.

It’s a long haul and as Governor Kashim Shettima underlined: “It is in the interest of humanity to rally round Nigeria against Boko Haram”. That is the truth of the contemporary international situation.

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016 Last week Wednesday, 30th March, 2016 marked exactly one year when Nigeria boldly joined the league of nations with civilised democratic behaviour following the peaceful conclusion of the presidential election. For the first time in the country’s history, the then incumbent President, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, readily conceded victory to his challenger, General Muhammadu Buhari, an act that perplexed doomsayers at home and abroad.

President Goodluck Jonathan’s finest hour came on that evening of March 30, 2015, when he called General Muhammadu Buhari and conceded the most closely fought presidential election in our history. The impact of this gesture was underlined by the many intelligence reports in the West which showed that Nigeria stood in danger of bloody disintegration after the election. Matters were not helped by the truculent propagan-

Remembering Jonathan’s finest hour da and sabre-rattling between the front-running incumbents, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and arch rivals, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Between March 28th when the presidential election took place and March 30th when ex-President Jonathan conceded, the entire nation was like a tense time bomb waiting to explode. But that patriotic action he took defused the tension and brought relief. It saved unquantifiable lives and property and ensured that the nation would continue to exist as one while the search for the peaceful formula for national unity and development would continue.

Opinions will continue to be divided over the stewardship of former President Jonathan for decades to come. However, no one would fault his successful transitional programme, which he permitted to reach a logical conclusion even though it did not favour him.

We remember with delight the role played by the General Abdulsalami Abubakar-led Peace Committee, which laboured to commit Jonathan and Buhari to the two peace pacts they signed in Abuja.

We also commend the role played by the Professor Attahiru Jega-led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which took

steps to conduct almost fool-proof, technology-driven elections.

What happened on March 30, 2015, should ordinarily have become the new standard of democratic conduct for our politicians.

It is, however, a matter of regret that this has not been so. Indeed, a year later, the elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Rivers, which were marred by violence and killings and ended up inconclusively, showed a slide into reverse gear.

The growing culture of losers congratulating winners has not been repeated, and the era of do-or-die democracy popularised by former President Olusegun Obasanjo seems to be back in full swing.

We call on all stakeholders in our democracy, especially the new INEC led by Prof Mahmood Yakubu and the political practitioners, to learn from our best precedents, build on them and return Nigeria to the path of civilised democratic progression.

OPINION Horrendous burial ceremonies In Urhoboland (2) Continued from yesterday

By Bobson Gbinije

A

S soon as an Urhobo man or woman dies the family is thrown into jubilation because an opportunity for social recklessness has been opened. Each member or each gate is asked to pay some money and they go on to erect temporary brothels euphemistically called family booths or canopies. Members of each gate or the general family go into a competition of “my Mercedes is bigger than yours”.

Some go to money lenders for loans, whilst some sell their properties to enable them massage their egos and give a so called good account of themselves during the burial ceremonies.

During the burial, expensive clothes, drinks and dance groups are flaunted with wicked devilry. Women, both married and single move, dance, talk, sing and dress with sensual and libidinous suggestiveness. It is, however, instructive to note that in most families when the deceased was alive nobody cared to assist him or her. There is a family that gave one of the most wasteful burials in Sapele.

It is on record that the deceased suffered from diabetes, but nobody could afford to buy him his dose of insulin. Another case in Ughelli was that of a Chief who suffered from stroke. He defecated and urinated on his bed. None of his children could assist.

He died out of frustration. But as soon as C M Y K

he died all the children and their friends arranged and held the most terrifyingly explosive burial in Ughelli. Why can’t we care for the living?

Virtually every Urhobo man or woman belongs to one social club or the other. The aims and objectives of such clubs are mainly to assist its members during burials. The clubs have extended their tentacles to the churches. During burials, the groups from the churches are placed side by side with the social clubs, old boys and girls associations, town or village unions, etc. They then start their senseless jamboree. There is so much of boisterous carousal and waste that you will begin to wonder whether these people have no problems like building of schools,hospitals, roads and other welfare facilities in their towns and villages.

As soon as you mention development projects to these ones they develop cold sweat, cold feet and the donor fatigue syndrome. Their greatest love is for this meaningless waste. Sometimes they use these burials as political campaign ground and for snatching other people’s wives.

Burial has become a major industry in Urhoboland. The media is also involved.

Any burial that is beyond laid down criteria should attract fines for community development

These senseless burials have become the greatest catalyst of corruption and moral decadence, because everybody wants cursed monies for frivolous extravaganzas. We know of people who have become financially insolvent and bankrupt because of these burials. Are these lunatic fixations and deliriums part of Urhobo burial tradition?

The time has come and it is now for Urhobos to start re-orientating their social and traditional thought patterns on burials, to mirror what is reflective of modicum of moral moderacy and discipline. The traditional rulers in their various domains and kingdoms have a great role to play here, by letting burial mongers know where tradition starts and where it stops. They should draw a line between traditional degeneracy and abuse, and where it is loftily lifted up. Any burial that is beyond laid down criteria should attract fines for community development. The blocking of roads for burials must be stopped and the immorality inherent in most burials must be checkmated. The Urhobos will be lifting up the banner of social decorum if they implosively forestall these antediluvian antics.

They must realise that life is like a tale told by an idiot packed full of sounds and fury, but in the end signifying nothing.

Our intellectual binoculars should be able to fathom the fact that life is more than

the physical embellishment we put into it.

The love of the mundane perishable and frail physical body has dwarfed the eternal essence of life. Man is so pestiferously committed to his solipsistic self centredness that he has become introspected in materialism. The essayist John L. Motley said “Deeds, not stones are the moment of the great”. Let Urhobos begin to think of things that will eternalise their names, and not transitory and impermanent hypnotic regression into yahoo-like burials.

The wanton desire for rapacious acquisition of material things has precipitated the fear of death in man. A man who luxuriates in wealth fears death, because he feels he will lose those empty things, which strangers will come and inherit and not even his children.

He is tortured emotionally on his death bed and on his way to the top because he must have stepped on so many toes to get to William Thackaray’s “VANITY FAIR”.

The wicked are hideously afraid of death because they are not sure of their destination. The Urhobos have become spectacle of ironies and comedy of errors in matters relating to burials. Our highly revered burial tradition is now submerged and sandwiched in and with duplicitous interpolations, which supplies incentive to base and deranged conduct. Urhobos be civilized in “Burial” matters.

Concluded •Mr. Gbinije, a social critic, wrote from Warri, Delta State.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7 7,, 2016 – 19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Sectional rumpus in police 10,000 jobs

Y

OU may have seen the copiously advertised job vacancies by the Police Service Commission (PSC) entitled: “Recruitment Into The Nigerian Police Force”. It was published over the past week in major national dailies. Going through the advert, you will not notice anything odd about it.

Usually in Nigeria, the devil is not in what is openly said. It is in what is not disclosed. Privileged information available to me from the PSC indicates that unless urgent action is taken, some well-connected, unpatriotic elements are set to undermine the Federal Character principle which, the Constitution insists, must be followed in all federal recruitments.

For the avoidance of doubt, let us refer to what the Constitution and the enabling laws say about the meaning of the Federal Character principle, its intendments and how it should be applied to achieve its national objectives.

Section 14 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) states as follows: “The composition of the Government of

the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the Federal Character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or any of its Agencies”.

To demonstrate the seriousness of this imperative, the same Constitution created the Federal Character Commission (FCC). Its mandate is captured in paragraph 8(1) (a) and (b) of Section C Part 1, the Third Schedule of the Constitution of the Federation as follows: To: “work out an equitable formula, subject to the approval of the National Assembly , for the distribution of all cadres of posts in the Public Service of the Federation, and of the States, the Armed Forces of the Federation, the Nigerian Police and other government security Agencies, government-owned companies/ parastatals of the States” , and to “promote, monitor and enforce

compliance with the principle of proportional sharing of all bureaucratic, economic, media and political posts at all levels of government”.

It is obvious to all that the unit of sharing of all federal government goodies is the states.

Even when the local governments are involved (as in the monthly Federal Allocation) it is still handed over to the states to administer. The local governments themselves are allocated to each state according to its landmass, population and other attributes. The states are the federal units.

The feelers we get from the PSC insiders who are raising the alarm, is that the guideline handed over to members “from above” directs them to adopt the local governments as the basis for sharing the 10,000 Police jobs.

For instance, there are 500 slots available for the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), 500 for Cadet Inspectors, 1,500 for Specialists (such as doctors, lawyers, nurses and other

This brazen, serial rape of the Federal Character principle, which has taken on a frenzied bearing since the past one year, is rapidly turning some Nigerians into second class citizens and slaves in their own country

The unprotected consumer

N

IGERIAN banks deserve some accolade, having come a long way from the dark ages when even the simplest bank transaction was an entire day’s job.

Today, depending on how fast you can speak the language of the Automated Teller Machine, ATM, in split seconds, you are done with your banking transaction – without interacting with any human.

On the debit side, though, banks and other institutions in Nigeria have, over the years, perfected their stealing techniques and they have discovered smoother ways of ripping off their customers. Banks have since taken on the role of the proverbial rat that would be eating a man’s leg and blow cold air into it so that the man does not feel the pain until much later, when the rat must have left.

Suddenly, Nigeria has become the seller’s market – a market in which the buyer has absolutely no voice. For the average Nigerian, there is no escape route from oppression. Any semblance of credit granted him is quickly snatched away with a corresponding debit. Two instances here will suffice: For a long time, electricity consumers in Nigeria have cried out over the nebulous fixed charge of N750 per month clamped on them whether they use the electricity or not. That explains why they felt relieved when the news came that the fixed charge, so called, was to be abolished, effective 1 February 2016.

On the same affective date, electricity tariff went up unceremoniously by some 50%. There is no better explanation to this than that what they gave with the right hand they snatched away with the left.

All along, the banks have been clever by half. We have cried out that they have been killing us with unnecessary charges, especially the Commission On Turnover, COT, and the associated “VAT on COT”.

These charges constituted total economic injustice, particularly against the back-drop C M Y K

that in the course of the month, the customer pays for virtually every service rendered to him by the bank – he pays for inter- and intra bank transfers, stamp duty, statement of account, alert charges and much more. Recently, the banks announced that the COT and its cohort, VAT on COT, were abolished.

As we speak, the COT has been brought back under another more elegant name, Account Maintenance Charge, AMC, still accompanied by “VAT on AMC”. The only difference is that the AMC is a lot higher than the COT. In Nigeria, nobody fights for the consumer. In other climes, the consumer has an all-round-protection. For instance, in order to safeguard consumer interest, eight consumer rights are clearly identified by the United Nations Consumer Bill of Rights: Right to Safety – safeguarding against goods that are hazardous to life and property.

Right to Information – consumers have a right to be informed regarding the price, quality, quantity, etc., of the products they buy.

Right to Choice – consumers should be provided with a wide variety of goods to choose from.

Right to be Heard – the right of consumers to have their complaints heard Right to Satisfaction of Basic Needs – People have access to basic essential goods and services: adequate food, clothing, shelter, education, public utilities, water, sanitation, etc.

Any society that leaves its consumer totally unprotected has no moral justification to expect good citizenry

specialised tradesmen/women) as well as 7,500 Constables.

If the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) share these positions in accordance with constitutional demands, there will be a situation of relative equity among the six geopolitical zones (though not ideal equity, because the North West will still get far more than other Zones, and the South East will, as usual, get the least).

The situation of absolute or ideal equity will arise when the six geopolitical zones are constitutionally adopted as the basis for the operation the Federal Character principle.

That way, each geopolitical zone will be given equal number of allotments, and no section of the country will benefit at the expense of others. The current use of states as the basis of sharing marginalises the South East and gives the lion’s share to the North West, which is antithetical to the principle and genuine spirit of the Federal Character.

Now, if the PSC is allowed to commit this rape on the Constitution, states with fewer local governments will get far less than those with more local councils. For instance, Kano State with 44 local governments will grab the alpha lion’s share and Bayelsa, with eight local councils will look like a poor relation at a funeral, despite the fact that the Bayelsa is one of the oil-rich federating units where the money for the sustenance of the Federation is derived. Using the local councils as the basis of sharing the 10,000 police jobs will worsen the already existing sectional lopsidedness in the Police, rather than address it as the Constitution demands.

Right to Redress – consumers have right to seek redress regarding their complaints.

Right to Consumer Education – the right of consumers to be educated about their rights.

Right to Healthy Environment – the right to live and work in a healthy environment.

Whereas elsewhere, these rights are religiously protected and enforced by appropriate government agencies, Nigeria is still faced with what has been appropriately described as rumble in the jungle. No one cares!

In the particular case of the banks, consumer right is still stoically neglected.

Elsewhere, cheque books are given to customers as inducement but in Nigeria, customers must buy their cheque books at very exorbitant costs.

Again, policy issues affecting banks/ customers relations are considered in the Bankers’ Committee, where the bank customers have no representation whatsoever. The Bankers’ Committee is composed as follows: The Governor of the CBN is Chairman; all the commercial banks are members; Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC, member: Chartered Institute of Bankers, member; Financial Institutions Training Centre, FITC, member; and Banking Supervision Department of CBN, Secretary.

That the customer is left out of a body in which he is a major stakeholder bespeaks him as totally unprotected. Not even the Association of Bank Customers of Nigeria is considered fit for inclusion on the Bankers’ Committee.

Banks today can no longer claim to be centres of security, as they did in the beginning, where people sent their money to banks for safe-keeping. Rather, a bulk of them has become “Stealing Centres”, if we

The evil of sectional lopsidedness, especially in the Police is evident in the situation that exists in Agatu, Benue State today, where armed Fulani herdsmen move about freely with banned, sophisticated machine guns with which they invade communities and turn their indigenes into refugees in their land. Because the Police is dominated by Northerners, it loses its willingness to bring the hoodlums to justice. It is this same evil that has made it possible for Christian girls to be abducted from all parts of Nigeria and hidden in the palaces of emirs and Muslim clerics, and the Police is unwilling to visit them with the full wrath of the law.

This brazen, serial rape of the Federal Character principle, which has taken on a frenzied bearing since the past one year, is rapidly turning some Nigerians into second class citizens and slaves in their own country. It is eroding the confidence of many Nigerians in their own country and creating conclaves of alienation. Why are Nigerians bursting pipelines and making it impossible for gas and generated electricity to flow?

Why are Nigerians agitating for separation and calling Nigeria “the Zoo”? Why is the country not working?

The answer is simple. More and more Nigerians are losing hope in their beloved country because of the ballooning alienation caused by sectional domination, which the non-stop rape of the Federal Character principle generates.

Luckily, the evil about to be perpetrated in the PSC can be stopped, by you and I!

must borrow the elegant phraseology of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Besides the overt pilfering and the numerous covert charges on the customer’s account, there are countless instances of people who were robbed of their hard-earned money on their way to and from the banks, perhaps not without the active connivance of bank employees!

We are also not in a hurry to forget the aspect of corporate prostitution, which has virtually become a way of life for many of the new generation banks, so called.

Whether organised in the Red Light District or around the banking halls, prostitution by whatever name, is evil and stands condemned.

From every standpoint, the law-abiding citizen in Nigeria is on his own. This leads many to the wrong impression that crime pays. Rather than take active interest in the welfare of the law-abiding citizen, most civil society organisations exist to protect criminal elements – from the point of arrest down to the prisons and even postincarceration arrangements for rehabilitation! On a moral high-ground, why should people who declare stupendous profits annually not give back to society?

Instead, they keep exploiting the downtrodden!

The foregoing provides agenda for legislative actions. Any society that leaves its consumer totally unprotected has no moral justification to expect good citizenry.

After all, a nation is judged not by the way it treats its rich but by its attitude towards the poor.

20—Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

DISPUTE OVER TRADITIONAL STOOL:

Calm returns to Anambra community •As opposition bows to court ruling

By Nwabueze Okonkwo, Onitsha

*Obi Chidi Ezenwugo during his crowning as the Igwe of Uga

T

HE intrigues and protracted legal tussles behind the selection of a new traditional ruler of Uga community in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State was brought to a logical end recently following the crowning of the Igwe-elect, Obi Chidi Ezenwugo, a Lagos-based businessman and eldest son of the late traditional ruler of the community, Obi Felix Ezeobieri Ezenwugo, as the substantive Igwe or Obi of Uga. Processes leading to the selection of the new Igwe or Obi had commenced shortly after an Aguata High Court sitting at Ekwulobia and presided over by Justice Pete Obiora delivered a judgement in his favour. The suit filed by Oragwa, the regent seeking a declaration that selection of new Igwe should not take place without his consent.

Oragwa had dragged the town union leaders and the Igwe-elect to court seeking a declaration that following the death of Igwe Felix Ezenwugo, and by the provision of Section 69 of the Constitution of UIU, 1984, he, Oragwa, as the Ikenga of Uga should be recognised as the regent of Uga until the recognition of the next Igwe by the state government.

Installation of a new Igwe He also sought a declaration of the court that as the regent, he is entitled under the constitution to perform all the duties and functions of an Igwe, until the recognition of the next Igwe. He added that as the regent, he is entitled to prepare for and preside over the performance of the late Igwe Felix Ezenwugo’s last Ofala festival but regretted that the community was preparing to perform the ceremony without consulting him as the regent.

He therefore sought an order restraining the defendants, including the Igwe-elect, from interfering, obstructing or in any way meddling with his duties or functions as the regent. He also demanded that the defendants should be restrained from the selection, presentation and installation of a new Igwe, without following the provisions of the 1984 UIU constitution.

But in his judgement delivered C M Y K

Obi Chidi Ezenwugo before his crowning on May 26, 2015, Justice Obiora declared: “I have considered the submissions of counsel on this issue. I think the matter is quite simple. The 1984 constitution of UIU has richly provided for the steps and procedure for the selection, presentation and installation of a new Igwe.

“I find the agitation of the plaintiff, Oragwa, on this aspect of the case funny. This is because there is really nothing or much to be done by those saddled with the responsibility of selecting, presenting and installing a new Igwe. I say so because section 60 (1) of the 1984 constitution of UIU states that the office of Igwe of Uga shall be hereditary. The plaintiff in his testimony in court, admitted that the fourth defendant (Igwe-elect, Prince Chidi Ezenwugo, son of the late Igwe Felix Ezenwugo) is entitled to be the next Igwe in line with

Obi Chidi Ezenwugo thanked all segments of the community for their cooperation and assured them that his reign would be peaceful

the constitution of UIU”.

The judgement further read in part: “Let me categorically state that after a detailed and careful reading and consideration of the 1984 constitution of UIU, I find no specific role which has been assigned to the plaintiff (John Oragwa) to perform as the Ikenga or Regent in the selection, presentation and installation of a new Igwe of Uga. The plaintiff, no doubt, as a prominent person, and title holder in Uga, like any other patriotic native of Uga, may be interested in seeing how the new Igwe emerges but such interest cannot metamorphose to a role to be performed by himself in the process.

“In all, and in view of my resolution of all the issues in this case, it is my judgement that the suit succeeds in part as regards reliefs 1 and 2 of the claim. Reliefs 3, 4, 5 and 6 lack merit and are hereby dismissed”.

Incidentally, Chidi being the Isi Obi of Umueze village, the eldest of the four villages of Uga community, was crowned by the Isi Obi of three other villages, including Oka, Umuoru and Awarasi, having inherited the royal throne from his late father, Felix who joined his ancestors in 2012.

At the colourful ceremony jointly performed by Ichie Ngonadi Umeakubike, Isi Obi of Oka; Ichie Charles Esike, Isi Obi of Umuoru and Ichie Solomon Nzediegwu, Isi Obi of Awarasi, the community formally declared the royal throne fully occupied as according to them, the crowning ceremony has brought to an end everything pertaining to the selection and enthronement processes of a new monarch.

Speaking at the ceremony, the

President-General of Uga Improvement Union, UIU, Chief James Umezulora (Egbe Igwe III) and Chairman of the Crowning Ceremony Planning Committee, Chief Emmanuel Onyeharam (Eze Udo) noted that henceforth, Chidi Ezenwugo would be addressed as Obi of Uga and no longer the Obi-elect of Uga, as he was addressed since July last year when he was presented as Igweelect to Uga Representatives Assembly, URA and Uga General Assembly, UGA, respectively by the Chairman of Isiobi Uganano (Head of Kingmakers), Nze Rufus Ezeobi, shortly after his selection based on 1984 Constitution of UIU. Umezulora and Onyeharam contended that with the crowning ceremony which is a confirmation that he is now the substantive Obi of Uga, their expectation is that peace and progress would now reign in the area.

Crowning ceremony In his speech, the former Deputy Chairman of Aguata Local Government Area and Director of Protocol to the Obi’s Palace, Sir. R. N. Ezearigo, noted that with the crowning ceremony, the new Obi would now join Aguata traditional rulers council as a member, while awaiting his certificate of recognition and staff of office from the state government which he said is almost ready for presentation to him by Governor Willie Obiano at his convenient time.

Ezearigo who is also the Secretary of the Crowning Ceremony Planning Committee, admitted that the community had actually scaled so many hurdles in the process of selecting the new Obi that they decided to crown him and then wait for government recognition, adding: “He is no longer Igwe-elect but a substantive one, having presented him to both the state and local government authorities and they accepted him. We now have a generally accepted Igwe or Obi”.

Sir C. C. Ugoeri, Chairman of Umueze village; Chief Ben Unaka, First Vice President of UIU and Peter Eze, Command-

er of Umueze village Vigilante Services, regretted that the community had been humiliated and made a laughing stock for not having an Igwe for a long time now, adding that as if that was not enough, they lost so many facilities coming from the government.

Ugoeri, Unaka and Eze therefore expressed delight that henceforth the community would surely get all it is entitled, even as they advised the few aggrieved elements in the area to sheathe their sword since the Igweship is hereditary.

Neighbouring communities Responding, Obi Chidi Ezenwugo thanked all segments of the community, including the UIU, the Isiobis, the villages, the women groups, the youths and even their neighbouring communities for their cooperation and assured them that his reign would be peaceful from beginning till the end.

According to the monarch: “I shall maintain the truth and justice at all times. We will no longer lose our rights and my promise is that we shall progress in all aspects of human endeavour throughout my reign”.

During the ceremony, the Palace Secretary, Chief Ifeanyi Umejiburu had reeled out the succession to the Igwe Uga royal throne, saying that the throne started with Uga himself, the Patriach who had four sons, followed by his first son, Umueze who had eight sons with Onyike as his first son.

He said that after Onyike, his first son, Obieri which is the present Ezennwugo family inherited the throne, after which his son, the late Obi Felix Ezenwugo reigned and now left the throne for his eldest son and the incumbent Obi, Chidi.

Umejiburu further recalled that Obi Onyike lived from 7029 to 1824 and his son, Obi Ezeagu lived from 1840 to 1945, while Ezeagu’s son Ezenwugo Ezenwakpadoro lived from 1898 to 1978 and was succeeded by his own son, Obi Felix Ezenwugo who lived from 1935 to 2012 and now Chidi, his first son who has just taken over the throne.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

Zenith Bank shareholders endorse N62.7bn dividend

By Nkiruka Nnorom

S

hareholders of Zenith International Bank plc have approved the payment of N62.79 billion dividends earlier recommended by Board of Directors of the bank for the year ended December 31, 2015.

This translates to N1.80 per share dividend payable to shareholders whose names appeared on the register of members as at March 24, 2016.

Speaking on behalf of other shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos, the trio of Sir Sunny Nwosu, National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria ( ISAN); Mr. Boniface Okezie, National Chairman, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria ( PSAN); and Timothy Adesinya commended the bank on the performance and dividend recommended, saying that it is in tandem with shareholders’ expectations.

They observed that the performance was commendable in view of the global economic climate, regulatory headwinds and inconsistent policy pronouncements under which the bank operated.

Sir Sunny Nwosu also commended the bank for achieving 2.2 per cent Nonperforming Loan (NPL) ratio, which is far below five per cent regulatory requirements.

Earlier in his address, the Chairman, Mr. Jim Ovia, said:

$ 121.45 -0.55 $2,902.00 20.00 $ 14.66

0.02

$39.76

1.89

$ 37.66 1.77 CURRENCY BUYING US DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

196 278.1044 222.9304 204.7211 1.7733 0.3209 275.0701 30.2694 52.3804 29.9479 275.9288

A

From left, Vitafoam Nigeria Plc’s Head, Admin and Legal, Mr. Olalekan Sanni; Group Director,

Corporate Services, Mr Olatunji Anjorin; Group Managing Director, Mr Taiwo Adeniyi; Chairman, Dr Dele Makanjuola; Governor Ibikunle Amosu of Ogun State and Group CEO, Omatek Ventures Plc, Florence Seriki, during courtesy visit to Governor Amosu on industrial partnership in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

“2015 has been an interesting, challenging and successful year for Zenith Bank. However, the concerted efforts of all our stakeholders made it possible for us to sustain our profitability streak in the year.

“Even in the face of a very challenging operating

environment, Zenith Bank has maintained its culture of outstanding performance and industry leadership. As a bank, we are monitoring developments both in the domestic and global economy, and applying pragmatism and dynamism as appropriate.”

Laying the financial results before the shareholders, Ovia disclosed that the Group profit before tax grew by 4.9 per cent from N119.80 billion in year 201 to N125.62 billion. Profit after tax, according to him, jumped by 6.2 per cent during the period from N99.45 billion to N105.66 billion.

US firm to assist SMEs leverage $10bn credit line the country,” pointing out that, investment opportunities in

I

n a bid to ease indigenous entrepreneurs access to funds in the country, a financial consulting firm, King Solomon Capital Empire, has said it is set to assist them secure alternative funding solutions outside the local banks.

Speaking last week ahead of an impending business finance seminar billed for Lagos on Saturday, the Chief Executive of King Solomon Capital Empire, Dr. Wilson Christson, said the firm would help

197 279.5233 224.0678 205.7656 1.7823 0.3409 276.47635 30.4247 52.5137 30.1007 277.3366

CBN Exchange rate as at 06/04/2016

C M Y K

Nigeria ranked 142 in wealth to well-being convertibility

By Jonah Nwokpoku

SELLING 196.5 278.8139 223.4991 205.2434 1.7778 0.3309 275.7718 30.347 52.3804 30.0243 276.6327

— 21

entrepreneurs and financial institutions with consultancy services on how to access loans and financial instruments to the tune of $1 million to $10 billion.

Christson said, “local banks do not have enough cash flow to fund redundant projects littered across

“Nigeria banks, governments, entrepreneurs, importers and exporters should not have any issue raising funds to execute any kind of project.”

Speaking on the seminar being organised by the firm tagged, “Africa Business Opportunity Seminar”, which he said is a means to achieving the target, Christson said, “this is aimed at increasing business and

We’re ready to teach them how to understand and leverage financial instruments to generate funds so that they won’t be relying heavily on customers’ deposit

Nigeria and Africa at large, and also to provide for business owners, alternative funding solutions outside the local banks. Our aim also is to ensure that businesses we fund succeed.”

While acknowledging that Nigeria provides the highest return on investment than any other country in the world, the US-based businessman and financial analyst said, “for the seminar, we are expecting bankers, business owners, financial institutions, project owners, among others.

We’re ready to teach them how to understand and leverage financial instruments to generate funds so that they won’t be relying heavily on customers’ deposit. We are capable and ready to assist SMEs in Nigeria.”

Christson urged participants to come with their proposals and business partners for a one on one interaction with the firm to enable it know how best to assist them in starting up or expanding their businesses.

NEW report by Boston Consulting Group has shown that Nigeria ranks 142 out of 149 countries on ability to convert wealth into wellbeing.

According to the report which was released yesterday in Lagos, Nigeria ranks 142, ahead of Libya and Angola but behind countries like Swaziland and Pakistan.Nigeria also trails its Sub-Saharan peers such as Botswana, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia.The report which was based on BCG’s Sustainable Economic Development Assessment, SEDA looks at the direct bearing of wealth on wellbeing and examines the connection by looking at a country’s current level of wellbeing relative to income levels and at recent changes in wellbeing relative to economic growth.The relationships are reflected through wealth-towell-being and growth-towell-being coefficients.The wealth-to-well-being coefficient compares a country’s current level SEDA score with the score that would be expected given its GDP per capita. The coefficient is based on the average worldwide relationship between currentlevel scores and GDP per capita based on purchasingpower parity. Countries with coefficient greater than 1.0 have higher levels of wellbeing than would be expected given their GDP per capita while those with coefficient less than 1.0 have levels that are lower than expected.Commenting on the report, the consulting group said: “Our analysis reveals that although Nigeria is in line with its Sub-Saharan peers in many SEDA dimensions, such as income and economic stability, it trails most of these countries, as well as the global average, in the ability to convert wealth (as measured by GDP per capita) into well being.The report therefore recommended improvement in the country’s infrastructure through prioritized investments as this will help to secure its longterm success as Africa’s largest economy.

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

Most of the foreign loans obtained are yet to be utilised due to the dissolution of the NEXIM board

,

More women make 2016 Elumelu's entrepreneurship programme

,

BUSINESS

How to generate a business idea

By Yinka Kolawole

W

omen applicants make 32 per cent of new 1,000 African entrepreneurs selected for the round two of the $100 million Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP) for 2016.

Fifteen countries out of 53 which participated in the competition had a higher female-to male ration in the final 1,000 entries, Nigerian Tribune gathered.

The top 15 countries include Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Botswana, Cape Verde, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Gabon, The Gambia, Madagascar, Morocco, Senegal, Sierra Leone and South Sudan.

Countries like Nigeria, Gnana, Cote D’ivoire, Cameroon, Kenya, and Uganda, among others had a higher male-to female ration, while women in South Africa achieved almost parity with their male counterparts.

Keeping up with the surprises in this year’s applications, over 45,000 entrepreneurs from 54 African countries applied, more than doubling the number of applications received in 2015.

This year, applicants from Libya and joined the race this year, and Ethiopia made an impressive turn out, tripling the previous applications this year.

Exceeding expectations Elumelu, who announced the selection of the second round of the programme, said: “In TEEP’s first year we spent over $8 million of our $100 million commitment – with $5 million going directly to entrepreneurs as seed capital — and the results have far exceeded our expectations. ”We have funded entrepreneurs, established networks and helped extraordinary people take control of their destinies. The 2016 Tony Elumelu entrepreneurs will become a generation of newly empowered African business owners, who are the clearest evidence yet, that indigenous business growth will drive Africa’s economic and social transformation.”

As was done with the 2015 batch, in the next nine months, the 2016 cohort will receive the intensive online training, networking and mentoring, that provide a tool kit for success and sustainability.

Speaking, Parminder Vir OBE, CEO of The Tony Elumelu Foundation, said: “We saw phenomenal success with the first cycle of TEEP –the success stories of the TEEP 2015 alumni are a testament to the transformative power of the programme we have built. Through TEEP, we are proving to the next generation of entrepreneurs that their ideas can change their communities, their countries and their continent.”

I

deas rule the world. It was someone’s idea that manifested as the electric bulb, the computer, the automobile etc., all came from an idea. So you need ideas, but right ideas because you decide what ideas are right or wrong. For example, someone decides to sow and sell head pants, everyone laughs and say this is wrong idea. Guess what, he goes ahead, and suddenly, head pants hit the fashion scene and he makes his millions. So, it’s not getting the right idea but getting your idea right. It is one thing to get an idea and another to get it right.

In order to generate ideas, you must open yourself up to the process of getting ideas.

There are two methods of generating a business idea - Creative methods and Systematic methods.

Creative methods Creative methods often involve doing what feels right to you subconsciously, because we all have likes and dislikes. We are attracted to certain things that don’t attract other people. For example, you may like to clean and anytime you go into people’s homes, you spot the dirt and want to clean. Perhaps there is a business in it for you. Also each of us has things we do well and other things we don’t struggle to do at all. You can start your creative method by listing those things you do well; those things that bring out your smile. Take note of what friends tell you they have seen you do well. These may include: speaking, writing, organising, building, teaching, supporting people, gardening, selling, connecting people, and disciplining others. After creating a list of things you do well, decide which ones you prefer above others, and pursue it.

This brings us to the second creative methods: trying it out. Once you have an idea of what you would like to do, try it. So you believe you write well, try selling a piece of

your poetry or prose. If it works, you might have the beginning of a lucrative business. Don’t stop at trying only one of your ideas; try them all because people often establish many businesses in a lifetime. Also you might find

that it is better to combine two or three ideas than just one.

The following questions would help ideas: What talent do you have? What is your educational qualification? What are your hobbies? What are your character traits? How well do you relate with

Business insurance as tool f

By Olubusola Makinde

B

usiness insurance is a risk management tool that enables businesses to transfer the risk of a loss to an insurance company.

By paying a relatively small premium to the insurance company, the business can protect itself against the possibility of sustaining a much larger financial loss. All businesses need to insure against risks - such as fire, theft, natural disaster, legal liability, automobile accidents, and the death or disability of key employees but it is especially important for small businesses.

Oftentimes, the life savings of the small business owner are tied up in the company, so the owner must take steps to protect his or her family from the financial consequences of events that could disrupt operations, reduce profits, or even cause the business to go bankrupt. Insurance can help a small business be successful

by reducing the uncertainties under which it operates. It places the economic burden of risk elsewhere so that managers can focus their attention on running the business.

In addition, the premiums paid for many types of insurance are considered tax deductible business expenses.

Many large corporations employ a full-time risk management expert to identify and develop strategies to deal with the risks faced by the firm, but small business owners usually must take responsibility for risk management themselves. Though it is possible to avoid, reduce, or assume some risks, very few companies can afford to protect themselves fully without purchasing insurance. Yet many small businesses are either underinsured or uninsured.

Professional assistance A small business owner involved in risk management should 1) identify the risks faced by the company; 2) seek ways to reduce or eliminate the risks; 3) decide which risks the business can assume; 4) determine which risks should be transferred to an insurance company; and 5) shop around for

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016 — 23

,

During meetings, tell your people that you are the CEO but not the custodian of wisdom

& YOU people? What do you like to read about? What do you dream of doing with your life?

Systematic methods If you choose not to use the creative method to generate business ideas, you can use any systematic method. Any of these methods would help you to identify the kind of business you can start.

Find a need and fill it: While brainstorming ideas on starting a business, one can look around and find something people need but difficult to get and plan to meet the need. If you make a

In order to generate ideas, you must open yourself up to the process of getting ideas

habit of finding and meeting needs, there will be no limit to your business.

Improve existing goods and services: In many developing countries, most government owned organisation have collapsed due to lack of maintenance, but these services can be rendered to the masses through creative individuals ready to make money.

Take the case of water supply, where government water board no longer functions to supply water; you can start a business of drilling boreholes for the communities.

What about other sectors? What business could you build out of power shortage; lack of adequate sanitation etc. let your mind wander.

Identify future trends in an economic sector: If you can identify a future trend in an economic sector, you can create wealth. For example, if you can figure out what goods and services would need to be delivered to banks, telecommunications, oil companies and private companies, you can be a preferred supplier.

Surf the internet: The internet is another way of generating business ideas to embark on. The internet is a place to learn so much from; you can get lots of business ideas on websites.

Culled from ‘How to Identify and Fund Your Business’ by Peter Osalor

for SME survival the best insurance coverage for the money. Obtaining the assistance of a professional insurance agent with all of these steps is highly recommended. To gain the most benefit from a relationship with an insurance agent or broker, experts recommend that business owners write down their needs and expectations ahead of time, avoid withholding information, check the credentials of the agents and their firms, obtain competitive bids, and keep careful records of coverage and losses.

Insurance agents often work independently and may select among the offerings of a variety of different insurance companies.

They may be able to offer expertise on the regulations that apply in the small business’s home state and tailor policy to meet the unique needs of a particular business. Many large insurance companies have also begun to focus on the needs of small businesses.

These companies offer the advantage of being able to provide legal assistance with liability claims, rehabilitation programs for injured workers, and inspection

of facilities for safety. Experts recommend that a small business owner select an insurance professional who offers experience working with small businesses, knowledge of the particular industry, and an ability to provide needed coverage at a competitive price.

Other helpful hints for small business owners include covering the largest area of exposure first, then adding other coverage as the budget permits; selecting the largest affordable deductible in order to save money on premiums; and reviewing costs and coverage periodically or whenever the company’s location or situation changes. Experts also warn small business owners against selfinsurance. Although it may be tempting to simply keep some funds in reserve in case problems occur, the pool of funds needed to provide adequate coverage is well beyond the capacity of most small businesses. In contrast, insurance premiums are relatively small, and their cost is often offset by a tax deduction. *Makinde is a Relationship Manager at Leadway Assurance

,

One trait every CEO needs in tough times “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function”… F. Scott Fitzgerald

T

he current economic challenges manager have left CEOs and senior will be a management with no choice than to superstar review their personal traits by which they without have worked in the time past. This is very employees important now more than ever given that that are what brought results in our organisations superstars. or for the CEO in the time past, may not And one of the bring results anymore.

BY ‘UJU ONWUZULIKE Speaking with leaders during my ways to executive management programs, one m a k e will easily decipher how uneasy most them superstars is to allow them to come leaders are when it comes to receiving up with their ideas and often opposing “opposing views” from the lower rungs views on how best to make things work. of the hierarchy. And this is why most Few weeks back, I had a discussion with a CEOs and managers of people often find newly appointed CEO in Nigeria, and I it difficult to gather candid advice from deliberately said to him, you are not made their people as they have been made to the CEO because you are the smartest or always tell the CEOs what they want to brightest. And that applies to every CEO hear and not what will make a difference or senior management. and ultimately stir a Having that in mind that turnaround for the you were not chosen organisation. In the area of not because you were the CEOs are telling the CEO the truth, my smartest goes a long way hardly insight titled, “The CEO Without to tell us that smartest ideas a Cloth”, threw more light. told the reside in everyone. Of a The unusual trait every CEO truth, CEOs and managers truth even and senior management should of any kind should be adept have in these challenging times when they in harvesting their peoples’ that will set him or her apart is ideas and views. Yes, I genuinely “the ability to hold understand in the time past request for contradictions”. This means, we have been told to having an uncanny categorize people’s views one predisposition, ability or or ideas to be bad or good, capacity to hold in their heads and as such we have been two opposing views or ideas at used to hold just one idea once without hounding anyone. I or view. Then anyone that goes outside deliberately referred to it as an unusual what we believe or our way of thinking is trait, because many CEOs and senior termed contradictory or at worse management are not used to having opposing. I quickly told him to hold dear people hold contrary views or oppose those that will always tell him views that their views and ideas. They often see it to are quite different from his. mean that their powers, expertise and As a leader or CEO, you have already intelligence are being undermined and known what you know. And chances are not recognised. Come to think of it, CEOs that what you know might not be enough are hardly told the truth even when they to drive your organisation to the desired genuinely request for one, let alone destination. Interestingly, what others getting them to see that their views and know are also required. So go out there and ideas are not seen to be superlative. encourage your people to come up with As the Chief Results Officer of my their views and you will see amazing company, I have been known to be a wonders. During meetings, tell your people proponent of “don’t tell me what I said that you are the CEO but not the custodian makes sense, rather, what do you have of wisdom and that way encourage them to say? So, with this, my associates at to be free and always come up with ideas work will always come with their views and suggestions that will give your and most times opposing or contrary company a competitive edge. views, but I have the large heart to In this age and time, what will stand a accommodate all their views. Years back, leader or manager out is his or her ability I remember asking someone a question to creatively resolve the apprehension during a retreat I was doing for an Oil and between two or more opposing ideas or Gas company, and a young man said, “I views by bringing about a new one that support what my MD has just said”. I contains elements of the others but is insisted he comes up with his own superior to all the views. These kinds of thought (original idea), lo and behold; his leaders or CEOs know that everyone's views views brought a turn around to the in their organisation matter so much, and company. This is exactly what I am having seen that believe, employees are talking about. But guess what, with that ready to come up with all kinds of views culture, everyone sees him or herself as that can transform the organisation. a superstar. No CEO, executive, or

C M Y K

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

Vanguard, THURSDAY, April 7, 2016

Is your water potable?

— 25

ke i l n e Wom too Sports

IF anyone is looking forward to a day when sports will stop being big business, they have a long wait ahead of them. Yet, it is on the rare occasion that women audiences and stakeholders are put into consideration when drawing up budgets. The figures suggest things ought to be different.

14 million

Females account for more than a third of 14 million-plus people that tune into major events like the NBA Finals, World Series, Daytona 500, and Stanley Cup Finals.

45.9%

In 2011, of the Super Bowl’s 45.9%, 111 million viewers were women. 50 million women were cheering on the Steelers or Packers. The NFL shop online puts out an entire line of femaletargeted merchandise for every team.

5.2 million

*In search of potable water

By Josephine Agbonkhese & Anino Aganbi

T

HE popular saying “Water, e no get enemy!” culled from one of late Fela Anikulapo’s hit tracks connotes the extremely essential role water plays in human life. From washing to cleaning and cooking, not a single home functions without water each day. But while this amenity may be available for such domestic uses most times, the unavailability of safe drinking water remains a major burden for most families and communities in Nigeria. In fact, as a recent World Health Organisation, WHO, report puts it, less than a fifth of Nigeria’s population has access to potable water.

Meanwhile, the average individual requires at least 8 glasses of water per day, as the body requires water for metabolic activities.

Burden on home-makers: The consequent burden on home-makers to make available, daily, safe drinking water for their families can therefore only be imagined.

“I have a family of five and I buy big bottles of purified water regularly.

Sometimes I even buy bags of sachet water.

Most times, we finish about two bags in one day. This might be financially tasking but it is better than letting any of my children fall ill because of bad water,” Mrs

Barisi Peters, a Port Harcourt-based business woman told Woman’s Own. “For me, I simply make sure I boil water every day and allow to cool for everyone to drink. Our borehole appears clean but I still boil it because that’s the only way I can feel safe,” another Abeokuta-based home-maker, Mrs Tajudeen, said.

“I don’t boil. We have a borehole equipped with a water purifier device. This takes care of the water for me,” says an Abuja-based banker.

Bought water and boiled water: While this burden persists, entrepreneurs have continued to thrive in the water business,

The distillation processes carried out in water factories could make a huge difference in their quality compared to simply boiling and drinking

with thousands of sachet and bottled water brands claiming to be providing ‘pure’ and ‘safe’ drinking water springing up almost on daily basis.

While some may indeed be potable, the quality of many of the so-called “pure water” remains questionable, especially as many have most times been caught filling refillable bottles with clean looking but untreated water.

People like Mrs. Peters who find sachet water most convenient however believe they are safer for consumption; while Mrs. Tajudeen was quick to condemn them.

She said: “I don’t trust them. In fact, everybody does the business these days.

There is also one behind my house whose hygiene practices I find very appalling.

Why would I then rely on such people for drinkable water?”

Water scientist: A water scientist with one of the biggest water producing companies in Lagos however told Woman’s Own that the distillation processes carried out in water factories could make a huge difference in their quality compared to simply boiling and drinking.

But while that may be true, the chemical components of products used in packaging these waters have remained subjects of discussion among health practitioners.

5.2 million women tuned into the Women’s World Cup final between Japan and the U.S. (compared to 8.3 million men), making it the fifth-most viewed sporting event among females.

The U.S. quarterfinal match against Brazil also squeezes onto the top ten list, just head of both the men’s and women’s Wimbledon finals, with 1.2 million female viewers

2.4 million

The recent U.S. Open Women’s final , won by Samantha Stosur over Serena Williams, had slightly more male viewers (2.7 million) than female (2.4 million). Women’s soccer, though, proved no different than men’s baseball, hockey or hoops – all rely on a solid female audience of 30% or so to complement a viewership that’s predominantly male.

70%

The only top ten female-viewed sport that actually has an overwhelmingly female audience is figure skating: about 70% of the 3.9 million viewers drawn to the U.S. Figure Skating Championships last January.

Source: Forbes; Nielson

Serena Williams.

26—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

r o f e f a s t i g Keepin ater-bottles w l o o h sc DO you give your child a water bottle to take to school/picnics? Your child’s water-bottle could be the most efficient incubator for germs and toxins your child could be exposed to. Needless to say, children need their water on the go and cannot be compromised.

The following tips will help:

BY JOSEPHINE AGBONKHESE

IN the absence of safe drinking water in most communities across the country, Covenant University Professor of Microbiology, Mr. Louis Egwari, in this interview, gives practical tips on how best to ensure water is devoid of microorganisms and safe for drinking, even up to storage methods.

W

Tutor your child to never ever allow another child to drink directly from her water bottle; and never to drink from a friend’s bottle too. Ensure your child takes a disposable cup to school if her bottle does not come with a cup. Ask teachers/supervisors to spy.

Empty bottle of any leftover water in the water bottle before replacing . There is a tendency for children to drink swigs with food in their mouth, resulting in residues left in the water. If left to incubate, this could be a source of food poisoning.

If your child’s water bottle is plastic, give it a good wash immediately after buying to ensure plastic residues and chemicals do not find their way into the water.

Never leave the water bottle in a vehicle or in the sun.

When buying water bottle, read up the labels and ensure the label says: NON-TOXIC materials.

Avoid leaving soda drinks in your child’s water bottle for long periods of time. Many of them have been proven to be corrosive, and will leave bits of material in the water.

Washing your child’s bottle is not a task that should be left to househelps. Soak in mild food-grade disinfectant before washing; disconnect every component of the bottle and wash inside and out. Rinse very thoroughly inside and out, then rinse again with drinking water before filling.

WHILE the woman is the canvas and the clothes are the painting, the accessories are the finishing in any fine work of art. The stylish woman can be referred to as the work of art and her accessories- the finishing- will fully determine whether she is just art, or fine art.

HAT are the implications of drinking water being unsafe?

There’s the risk of outbreak of diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery, water-borne viral infections, etc. The implication is devastating because it affects the individual and nation in general.

So, what in your opinion is the best source of potable water?

Relatively, borehole is the best source of water for now; but this is if it is well located because location also determines the quality of a borehole’s water.

Some people are still fortunate to get water from government sources; isn’t this also potable?

Results from studies we’ve done show that we still have issues with this water. Pipes run for long distances and what happens from the waterworks to various destinations of usage can only be imagined. If the pipes are broken, nobody will know because they run underground. And of course, depending on where the leaks are, there may be filtrates from

Boil your water no matter its source —Prof Egwari, Microbiologist

drainages and the rest. So, you find that water which was potable from the source may not be potable by the time it gets to the home or other points where it is consumed. The more the distance from the waterworks, the higher the chances of the water being contaminated.

Nutrients for microorganism Also, the taps dry-up from time to time; so, you have rust. Again, maintenance is lacking.

At times the flow is so sluggish also. Unfortunately, all of these enable microorganisms to grow.

Even the chemicals used to treat can become nutrients for microorganism because as they

deposit, they decompose and become some other compounds which microorganism can utilize.

Once the pipe is contaminated, it remains contaminated for as long as possible since there is neither maintenance nor change of those pipes. Again, there is the issue of vandalisation and of pipes being broken into by people constructing roads. The end user suffers the consequences.

Aside municipal water, most Nigerians with functional boreholes now believe water ‘bought’, like bottle and sachet water, are best for drinking. Is that correct?

That has to do with psychology.

Probably such people want to be sure of their safety, maybe because they’ve suffered

Statement Accesso Do it like: Betty & Nkiru headgear

*Betty & Nkiru

*

Nkiru Anumudu has always brought Ascot level panache into the Nigerian fashion scene for years now, but it was Genevieve publisher Betty Irabor that changed the game at a recent Polo club event, where the excitement following her magazine number has still calmed.

Do it like: Linda

*Linda

True, there has been more than a little controversy lately concerning the genuineness of the various designer arm candies displayed by superblogger Linda Ikeji. Love her or loathe her; real or fake, this is one lady who knows how to make a statement with her purses.

*Je

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016—27

By Dayo Adesulu THREE Ghanaians have clinched the three prestigious awards given by WAEC yearly to the best candidates in West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE. The trio; Miss Jessica Ayeley Quaye, Miss Ruth Ewuraama Awadzi and Miss Danielle AmoMensah all of Wesley Girls’ High School, Cape Coast, Ghana, beat other West African countries to emerge the best.

The result which was announced in Accra, Ghana at the 64th Annual Meeting, saw Miss Jessica Ayeley Quaye win the 1st Prize, Miss Ruth Ewura-Ama Awadzi came 2nd, while Miss Danielle Amo-Mensah won the 3rd prize. Miss Jessica Ayeley Quaye won the Augustus Bandele Oyediran Award for the Best Candidate in West Africa.

In the WASSCE contest among candidates in Gambia, Ghana and Nigeria, the three female candidates from Ghana were outstanding in the examination taken by a total of 1,883,775 candidates in the May/June 2015 exam.

Quaye is currently a 100-level student of the Ashesi University College, while Awadzi and AmoMensah are also 100-level students of the University of Ghana Medical School, studying medicine.

Excellence award Going down memory lane, the Republic of Ghana won the three prizes of the Excellence Awards and the Augustus Bandele Oyediran Award for four consecutive years (2012 – 2015).

In 2014, it was an all-Ghana affair as 17-year-old Hasan Michailand, 18-year-old Kenyah Blaykyi and Archibald Enninful Henry, 18, won all the three awards. The trio, beat over two million other candidates from Nigeria, Gambia, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Also in 2013, the trio of Miss Ivy Mannoh, Miss Rhoda AduBoafo and Master Mwinmaarong Dery from Ghana emerged 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively at the WAEC International Excellence Award. A total of 2,109,122 candidates sat for WAEC May/June, 2013 and the three Ghanaian students were the best.

In 2012, the three Ghanaians honoured with the Excellence Award, were Miss Yvette YeboahKordieh (1st), Master Josbert

Alcohol detector car demobiliser Page 30

C M Y K

TRAINING: From left, Dr Christopher Kolade, Founder, Christopher Kolade Foundation; Mrs Beatrice Kolade, Chairman, Board of Trustees, CKF; Mr Biodun Jaji, CKF, Trustee and Mrs Oguntola, representing Education District VI, Lagos, during the SHE initiative camp closing event at Thames Valley International School, Ogun State.

Wake-up call, as Nigeria loses out in WASSCE int'l Awards Abaasa Ayambire (2nd) and Master Bright Seyram Tsevi (3rd).

They were the best among the 1,936,728 candidates who wrote the examination in The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

Statistics revealed that the top three positions were once dominated by Nigerians in the 80s and 90s but Ghanaians have stayed at the top since 2012.

For a candidate to be eligible for the awards, he/she must go through three selection stages. All candidates with a minimum of eight A1s are eligible. This is in line with the regulation which stipulates that for the award of a WASSCE certificate, a candidate should register for a minimum of eight subjects. In the case of candidates with nine subjects, their best eight subjects would be used.

You would recall that WAEC in 1984, instituted two categories of awards: International Excellence/Merit and National Distinction/Merit Awards. The former is to be competed for by

Statistics revealed that the top three positions were once domi nated by Nigerians in the 80s and 90s but Ghanaians have stayed at the top since 2012

candidates in more than one member country of the Council, while the latter is restricted to each of the five countries.

The T-scores alone of the eligible candidates should be the basis for ranking of the candidates.

In the event of a tie, the T-scores

of the candidates in their common subjects (English and Math) should be used. Where there is still a tie, the raw scores of the candidates in English and Math should be used. In case of a further tie, the T-scores of the best of the candidates’ remaining core subjects should be used. The three candidates with the highest scores at stage 2 are adjudged the winners.

Distinction Awards: To be eligible for Distinction Awards, a candidate must go through three selection stages: *All candidates who have the minimum of seven A1s should be eligible for consideration. *The T-scores alone of the eligible candidates should be the basis for ranking of the candidates. In the event of a tie, the Tscores of the candidates in English and Math should be used.

Where there is still a tie, the raw scores of the candidates in English and Math should be used.

In case of a further tie, the Tscores of the best of the candidates’ remaining core subjects should be used. *The three candidates with the highest scores at the stage 2 are adjudged the winners.

JAMB: ‘Go back to shading until...'

By Prince Okafor & Glory Adukwu

D

ESPITE intense assurance from the coordinator of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, of fewer hitches in exams, the Proprietor, Mavir Schools, Lagos, Mr. Mike Ugwu, has called on the management to navigate the JAMB system to the days of pen and pencil shading.

Mr. Ugwu, who made this call at the school's 6th annual interhouse sports competition held recently in Lagos, said that, JAMB is yet to be fully competent onComputer-Based Test, CBT, system. “If they can go back to the drawing board and improve on their network system, it will raise the nation’s education standard, but until then, they need to revert to pen and pencil,” he said.

He noted that “if JAMB can improve on CBT, let them do it.

This same complaint was heard last year and is still repeating itself. They are still finding it difficult. A computer literate person won’t find it difficult but others will.”

On his view on the nation's education system, he stated that “there is a lot that has to be done.

The state of our education system is giving us sleepless nights.

Government has a lot to contribute. My children wrote the just-concluded exam, one of them got a particular result, but was later sent another, they scored him 99, later we got another alert and they gave him 239.”

Also speaking at the event, Principal, Mavir Leaders College, Mr. Ewetayo

Oluwafemi said the Federal Govt should show more commitment.

"They should empower private schools; it shouldn’t be all about private schools paying levy. We are partners in progress.

Government should encourage an environment such that we can develop these children to remain committed to their studies."

LASPOTECH honours Ooni, Ayangburen

By Dayo Adesulu

T

HE trio, Ooni of Ife, Ojaja II, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Adewale Shotobi and former Group Managing Director, Chams Plc, Engr. Ademola Benjamin Aladekomo will today, be conferred with Fellowship Award at the Lagos State Polytechnic, LASPOTECH, Ikorodu, Lagos.

Speaking at the institution’s preconvocation press conference, the Rector, Dr. Samuel Oluyinka Sogunro said: “The choice of these royal fathers is due to their role in brokering peace in the society.”

Sogunro pointed out the virtue of humility in the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi, adding that since he was crowned, he has never boasted.

“The Ooni has exemplified true leadership quality as he continues to play a mediating role among the young and old in the society. He is the epitome of a true leader society should seek to have,” he said.

Sogunro who disclosed that Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, will grace the ceremony, added that a total of 8,519 graduands would be graduating.

In the breakdown, he said that 71 Higher National Diploma, HND, full time students made Distinction, just as 71 National Diploma, ND, full time students made Distinction.

The Rector added: “Thirty-one HND students from the School of part time had Distinction, while 90 ND students graduated with distinction. On the whole, a total of 263 will graduate on Thursday with distinction.”

28—Vanguard, THURSDAY,

C M Y K

APRIL 7, 2016

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016—29

C M Y K

30—Vanguard, THURSDAY,

APRIL 7, 2016

Augustine varsity'll actualise vision – Archbishop

By Amaka Abayomi

T

HE Catholic Archbishop of Lagos Diocese, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martin, has a s s u r e d that the Church would ensure that the vision of the founding fathers of Augustine University, Epe, Lagos State, which is to groom individuals that would lead Nigeria to greater heights, would be actualised.

Speaking at the maiden matriculation ceremony of the varsity, Martin said the Catholic Church has been a major contributor to Nigeria's education sector through its numerous primary and secondary schools, and now a university.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof Julius Okojie, said any varsity not established on a set of rules and traditions is bound to fail.

His words: “the varsity education came to be through the efforts of the Catholic Church and are today rated as centers of academic excellence where knowledge is disseminated. Matriculation is like baptism which makes you a member of the varsity. What I have here is very encouraging as it is established on traditions of excellence and hardwork.”

Commending the management for ensuring that the varsity is fully residential, Okojie said: “when the town

and gown live together, the students tend to pick up the behaviours, some of which could have negative impact on their studies. Be that as it may, a varsity must be at peace with its host community and settle issues promptly and amicably.”

Pointing out that only 54 students fully registered out of the 787 applicants, the ViceChancellor, Prof. Stephen Afolami, disclosed that a reward system has been designed for students with Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.50 and above to be placed on the VC’s Honour List with some form of scholarship, adding that excellence in character would be publicly recognised while rules will be strictly enforced.

Yale varsity alumni plan scholarship scheme for students

By Tare Youdeowei

P

LANS are underway for the inauguration of a scholarship scheme that would provide exceptional Nigerian students with an opportunity to attend Yale University, a private, Ivy League research institution, based in Connecticut, United States of America (USA).

It was disclosed in Lagos when when the university’s prominent alumni members met for the second time within a year in Lagos, under the aegis of the Yale Club.

The club’s President and founder of Zaria Academy, Dr Haroun Adamu, said the club’s number one goal “is to create awareness about its existence and objectives.” According to him, one of the aims is to attract more qualified Nigerian students to the institution and encourage other accomplished alumni members in the diaspora, to return home and contribute their

C M Y K

quota to Nigeria’s development.

Adamu, an alumnous of 1966, noted that the club wants to sensitise Nigerians, who have either heard of Yale or would want their children to attend the institution, about its willingness to assist their wards not only for admission purposes, but also for s c h o l a r s h i p opportunities.

To him, any student that went through the rigorous Yale examination process and emerged s u c c e s s f u l l y, automatically deserves a scholarship. “There is no question about his ability or inability – he’s on s c h o l a r s h i p automatically,” he said.

On the club’s other aims, he said, “we intend to create a forum, organize lectures, and will invite Professors, Nobel Laureates, to come and share with us, their latest research findings in all fields. This will expose Nigerians to what is happening in the world of research. These are the kinds of things we are trying to achieve, apart

from Yale itself trying to engage with institutions within Africa.”

Yale’s Director of International Activities and Professor of Political Science, Ian Shapiro, also affirmed the club was working on developing a scholarship scheme for Nigerian students to attend the university. “We also would like to bring students and faculty members from Yale to Nigeria on exchange programmes.”

Shapiro said the institution also intends to facilitate research projects along many dimensions in the West African sub region. “We already have a long history in Ghana, but we don’t have any institutional history in Nigeria.”

Asked if the institution was planning to establish a campus in Nigeria, Shapiro said “no”. He declared: “we’re not in the satellite campus business.”

But he hopes to see more Nigerians at Yale, and more of Yale’s activities happening in the country. “I look forward to more students (going to Yale), more faculty (coming to Nigeria), more conferences, more exchanges and more alumni coming and going.”

On how many Nigerian students are currently studying in the university, Shapiro said: “I don’t have the exact number, probably 20 to 25, and when you include all the professional schools (within Yale), maybe 30.”

Explaining the motive behind the formation of the club, he said, “there are more than 100 graduates of Yale University in Lagos, but we haven’t had a formal Yale Club as we have in many other cities where we have a sizeable alumni of Yale University.

Alcohol detector car demobiliser

By Ebele Orakpo DRUNK-DRIVING or driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, is a crime and has sent millions of people to untimely grave both drunk-drivers and road users. At the recently held Nigerian Universities Research Fair at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, a student of Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, showcased her car demobiliser device using alcohol detector. She spoke to Vanguard Learning on the innovation. Excerpts

*The device

A

CCORDING to Inyang Comfort Ekaette, a 400-level Computer Science student at Babcock University, the device, car demobiliser using an alcohol detector sensor, was created to reduce the rate of accidents caused by drunk-driving.

How it works: "It has a sensor which is placed strategically opposite the driver. This sensor detects the amount of alcohol exhaled by the driver. If it detects up to 50 per cent or more

*Miss Comfort Inyang alcohol, it triggers the buzzer and turns off the car’s ignition. It also has a LED display that shows whether alcohol was detected or not, and if alcohol is detected, it displays the amount of alcohol detected," said Inyang.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016 —31

*Prof Egwari

typhoid, cholera or dysentery in the past and now feel borehole water is not good enough. Hence, they believe water ‘bought’ has been well treated and is best for drinking.

Unfortunately, the same people use borehole water for brushing their teeth, not realizing that once contaminated water touches your mouth, the organisms in it attaches to your buccal cavity and also move onto your bowel. Some of those waters may be relatively okay. But I do not take sachet water because I believe most of them are badly treated; besides, everybody does the business these days.

Are these sachets and bottles used for packaging generally safe?

They are all petroleum-based products and do have shelf lives as

ories

ennifer

pet bottles. The one you buy and consume is meant to be disposed and recycled. Instead, that is the same bottle we collect and store water in our fridge over and over again, even when it has already lost its integrity (withholding capacity) and has begun releasing its chemicals into contents stored in it.

That’s where problem is.

Sadly, it has become our culture to pour groundnut, herbal drinks, etc., in them over and over again.

So, while we consume these things with these bottles, the chemicals in them accumulate in our bio-system and appear many years after as heart-related diseases and more.

Are both borehole and municipal water 100% safe for drinking once boiled?

At least the micro-organisms in them would have been destroyed once boiled at a hundred degrees.

Some people also use alum to sediment particles. But it is important to use this in the right quantity so you don’t change the taste of the water.

However, if heavy metals are present in your water, boiling cannot be enough; not even filtration. So, in such cases, special means of

However, if heavy metals are present in your water, boiling cannot be enough...

extracting these chemicals are required, and that is done in waterworks with sophisticated filters that have activated carbon.

Ideally, water is supposed to be supplied by government.

Water, road, power and education are essential services every government should make available. But in the absence of such essential amenities as water, my advice to every Nigerian is to boil your water no matter its source; at least to destroy the micro-organisms that can cause diseases.

Absence of potable water This will help in the absence of potable water from government.

What’s your advice on water storage in the home?

When you store water, add alum or chlorine in the right quantity to sediment and kill whatever organism is in it. Also, wash your water tank at least twice a month because the tank becomes slimy after a short while.

To understand this better, store water in your bucket for three days and try to feel the bottom of the bucket afterwards. You’ll notice it is slimy. Because of nonchalance, we put whatever we like into our body and continue to unnecessarily overwork our body system.

Hence, the body spends so much time and energy to detoxify and when it breaks down, we start using antibiotics to augment. If we can be patient enough to observe these little hygiene practices, things will be better.

WaterAid backs national roadmap on hygiene, sanitation

By Funmi Olasupo

R

ECENTLY, the first ‘State of the World’s Toilets’ report by WaterAid uphold the fact that Nigeria is one of the most failing countries in the world on access to proper hygiene and sanitation Also, data has shown the worsening trend in Nigeria with a disheartening and steady decline in the number of people with access to improved sanitation facilities and an increase in Open Defecation (ODF) in urban areas, the number of people defecating in the open has more than doubled over the past 25 years.

The body in a workshop organised to train members of the press on WASH Media Network sanitation in Otukpo, Benue State recently, maintained that it is commitment to ensure that women and girls who are more vulnerable have full access to water, sanitation and proper hygiene most especially at the their menstrual period.

However, it engulfs a lot of risks for women and girls around the globe where millions of girls and women carry the responsibility for collecting water for their families.

It cost women and girls in the rural areas who do not have access to potable water to travel very far to get water for their families and for domestic use.

Most women and girls in the villages go very far as it takes them hours of their time everyday, preventing them from

going to school, earning a living and spending quality time with their families.

In a presentation at the workshop, the RLCC WaterAid West Africa Clarisse Baghnyan, who spoke on Menstrual Hygiene which is a woman’s monthly bleeding, said when a women menstruates, her body sheds the lining of the uterus (womb).

She explained that the natural process linked to the reproductive cycle of girls and women and a biological process just like defecation and urination should not be abuse either by societal belif or the lack of basic amenities to keep the woman or the girl clean.

She said, “Articulation, awareness, information and confidence to manage menstruation with safety and dignity using safe hygienic materials together with adequate water and agents and spaces for washing and bathing, disposal with privacy and dignity.

“Is not just the production and distribution of sanitary pads or hygiene education on its own, rather, the combination of all three dimensions is essential for ensuring that girls and women are able to break taboos and demand adequate facilities for Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) that suit their needs.”

She maintained that MHM is not just about the management of the menstrual period but also the need to address societal beliefs and taboos surrounding the issue Menstruation.

Being unreceptive to change does not stop it from happening —Yvonne Ruke Do it like: Jennifer ObawunayaShoes Famed for her unmatched collection of footwear, the socialite and accessory seller clearly knows what she is about. Her recent Gucci number is getting style calculators changing their equations.

Akpoveta, Change Consultant- Leadership Coach Yvonne Ruke Akpoveta is an International business change and motivational keynote speaker; who facilitates small and large group sessions to bring about positive change and desired results. Passionate about positive change, she works with entrepreneurs and leaders to help them transition through change, drive the results they desire and achieve their goals. It is this drive that has enabled her and her team to bring to the shores of Nigeria the change leadership series, which is a Pan-African corporate and entrepreneurial sequence of events held annually.

The event tagged “Change Leadership Executive Roundtable” is primarily targeted at bringing C-Suite executives together which encompasses a range of leaders from CEOs, Executive leaders, Senior Management of Organisations to Senior Public Sector leaders in Nigeria.

It is aimed at driving positive change by empowering individuals, entrepreneurs and corporations to become effective change leaders.

“The Change Leadership” is an organisation focused on empowering leaders and organisations in Africa to lead transformational change. In her chat with WO, she tells more.

By Anino Aganbi

H

OW receptive are Nigerian companies to Change?

We have often heard the saying by Heraclitus, the presocratic Greek philosopher who said that change is the only constant in life. Being receptive to change or not does not stop change from happening. In my experience, Nigerian companies understand this philosophy; from the banking to the telecommunications industry, taking on tremendous change in the past 10 years, constantly

reinventing themselves to stay relevant and some doing so successfully over the years. While some may fall through the cracks or struggle to remain relevant and successful; by and large every organisation is in the business of succeeding and therefore needs not only to be receptive to change, but to embrace it.

How will this event help to attract investment to Nigeria?

The event will enable participants to explore a range of investment opportunities, provide opportunities for networking with potential Canadian business partners,

Continues on page 32

32—Vanguard, THURSDAY,

APRIL 7, 2016

Being unreceptive to change does not stop it from happening...

Continues from page 31 The event will enable participants to explore a range of investment opportunities, provide opportunities for networking with potential Canadian business partners, high ranking officials and investors as well as provide the forum for high level dialogue between industry experts which will no doubt result in opportunities for diversification and investments to be made in Nigeria.

How have you been able to help most companies you have worked with achieve their objectives?

The Change Leadership series definitely recognises the need to tailor its content to fit the respective nuances and culture of its participants. The aim at the Executive Roundtable being held for Nigerian business leaders is to strive for the leaders to learn from one another on how they have been able to achieve success and manage challenges within the Nigerian context and culture.

OliveBlue Consultancy and our consultants have worked with various International organisations delivering

strategic and business critical projects.

We have done transformational projects such as organisational restructuring, mergers and acquisition, business reengineering, regulatory, and technology implementations.

Change management obviously involves identifying and adjusting to some form of cultural norms from country to country. Does your programme recognise this and adapt that to individuals or companies from different regions of the world?

We have done transformational projects such as organisational restructuring, mergers and acquisition

Give us an insight to the Change leadership executive holding in other parts of the world?This is an exclusive event that will bring together fifty executive and business leaders, enabling them to learn from the number one global leadership expert, John Maxwell. The Executive Roundtable would be holding in Toronto this year.Which major speakers would be participating at the event?

We would like to emphasize that this is not a conference where speakers talk to you from a podium. This is a roundtable focused on bringing to the table, hands-on strategies and experiences to create a collective agenda to move their corporations and the Nigerian economy forward. To this effect our line up speaks to individuals who have, over time, through experience gained strategies to lead change and innovative

*Yvonne Akpoveta

practices that work in our unique environment. These leaders are here to share and

impart knowledge as well as receive from their peers so there is something for everyone.

Timeless lessons for every woman in Abiola’s ‘Who Says It’s A Man’s World?’

By Josephine Agbonkhese

O

NLY a few ever query the old adage “It’s a man’ world” even though there are women everywhere reshaping their world, leading corporations, redefining professionalism, creating change in industries and continents, birthing and nurturing innovations, grooming future leaders and affecting their world in unimaginable ways.

Amazingly, and in fact, ironically, a young male writer, Abiola Salami, popularly known as Champ, however appears ready to set a trend with his inspiring women series, beginning with his latest book, “Who Says It’s a Man’s World?”, launched over the weekend in Lagos.

Constant reassurance The 48-page book which can be a powerful reference point for any young girl or woman seeking constant reassurance or who desires to be exceptional in her life pursuits, is divided into three segments- ‘Be Comfortable In Your Skin’, ‘Be Confident’ and ‘Be The #1 Lifter Of Other Women’, each embellished with about three to four colourful pages bearing crisp words of inspiration, written in bold prints.

Greatest love: Just like

Whitney Houston’s hit song The Greatest Love of All preaches, the first segment ‘Be Comfortable Your Skin’, captures the inexhaustible benefits of love for self. In this segment, the reader is taught how the mind can immensely influence and determine progress in life, even as the writer posits that women with good self-esteem tend to advance towards becoming exceptional, far more than women who have low selfesteem.

The writer goes further to tie advancement in life to the power of the mind, citing examples of how too many women lose faith in themselves (physical look, intelligence, etc.) and constantly require cosmetics or seek other

people’s approval and judgement before they can feel good about themselves.

“No matter how articulate their (other people) positive words are, you will always listen with your mind, not your ears. ...Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent. No matter what society says or what your friends say, it should not keep you down”page 11. “If you desire to become an exceptional woman, you need to look in the right direction for getting your self-approval”- page 13.

The panacea to guarding against other people’s ploy to deplete your self-esteem as a woman, the writer therefore suggests, is to cultivate the habit of holding yourself tight with a “Let Them Say Attitude” when people talk down on you out of jealousy. That way, you gain control over your reaction to words that get into your world and also out of your world.

As if also sending a ‘beware’ signal to male chauvinists, the writer, in the second segment, ‘Be Confident’, x-rays the ability of women to be extremely powerful

‘’if’’ they put their mind to it.

Disabusing the minds of female folks who have however accepted the “weaker vessel” label which is almost now synonymous with women, the writer says: “From historical times to contemporary time, when we consider what women have achieved in bringing peace to the world, in leading industries, nurturing human species, birthing innovations and several other first-rate achievements, we will see that the weaker vessel concept many hold is erroneous”- page 23.

Steel nature The writer goes further to cite proofs of the steel-nature of women, alluding the historic Trung Sisters, two courageous Vietnam women- Trung Trac and Trung Nhi, who successfully led the first national uprising against foreign domination by the Chinese, who had previously conquered Vietnam in the year 40 A.D. Talking about self-confidence, too many women unfortunately believe it can only emanate from physical beauty. As such, the writer says: “Your confidence should emanate from the conviction that you can deliver excellence far beyond your expectation...that you are the

finished product of creation...”page 26.

The first step to becoming confident, he however enthused, is by understanding that a woman is a steel inside but a velvet outside; she could be gentle but also firm.

Be the lifter: The icing on the cake in ‘Who Says It’s A Man’s World?’, however, is the third segment, ‘Be The #1 Lifter Of Other Women’, which, in actual fact, is a problem rife amongst women; so rife that some have opined that one reason many women hardly rise to the topparticularly in politics, is because some others, on reaching there, decide to push down the ladder with which they rose.

Hence, the writer, in this segment which chronicles the story of two women- Halima and Uche, proves that real success as an exceptional woman comes from lifting other women and comforting them in their times of need.

This segment also gives the reader a clear definition and understanding of who an exceptional woman truly is- one who empowers another; doesn’t measure herself against another woman but stands strong, calm and confident; and one who looks beyond the smiles of others and shows genuine concern and affection when they go through hard times.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016—33

34 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 7 , 2016

Is special court desirable to win anti-corruption war?

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

T

HE frontier of the anti corruption campaign of the Federal Government was expanded last week at a roundtable organised by the Department of Jurisprudence and International Law of the University of Lagos, Akoka.

The event which attracted legal luminaries and other scholars including the chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti-Corruption, Professor Sagay, SAN, focused on the topic: “Wining the War Against Corruption,” was held at the Ayo Ajomo hall of the Nigeria Institute of Advance Legal Studies.

Others at the session were the Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, Ayo Obe, a lawyer and civil rights activist, a former education minister, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, scholar cum controversial public affairs analyst, Dr. Femi Aribisala and the British Deputy High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr Ray Kyles.

The hall with over 1,000 capacity was filled to the brim with students and others who sat with rapt attention and listened to speakers who took their turns to discuss how best the cancer worm of corruption can be dealt with.

Recent frustration Keynote Speaker, Falana, SAN, represented by Mr Wahab Shittu, a lawyer, set the tone for the discussion with the topic : “Rule of Law and Treatment of Politically Exposed Persons in Corruption Cases,” where he advocated the creation of special courts to handle corruption cases as well as rejecting bail for those charged with the offence.

Falana started with the recent frustration expressed by President Muhamadu Buhari over the role of the courts in the prosecution of corruption cases. According to him, the situation is not likely to improve as the government has not demonstrated its capacity to confront corruption headlong in any sustained manner.

He said, considering the situation, especially the usual manipulation of the criminal justice system, “there is no indication that a substantial number of the cases will be concluded before 2019 when the present administration will leave office”.

He said to avoid “a situation whereby the trial of the looters is suspended indefinitely, the criminal justice system has to be C M Y K

reviewed as a matter of urgency.

As anti-corruption cases cannot be won through the regular courts we are going to make a strong case for the immediate establishment of a Special Court for the trial of economic and financial crimes including corruption.”

On the politically exposed persons, Falana said many of those entrusted with prominent political function have abused their offices by commiting offences such as money laundering, bribery as well as conducting activities related to terrorist financing. He noted there are several provisions of law put in place to combat these offences. He said to address the problem of corruption, there must be a special court as well as refusing bail to some of the accused persons.

Speaking on the rule of law and public accountability in Nigeria, Falana explained, “To stop corruption the government has to implement the fundamental objectives of state policy by providing adequate fund for the welfare and security of the people. This can only be possible if the resources of the nation are equitably distributed while the national economy is managed in the public interest.

“In addition, the criminal justice system has to be reorganised to deal ruthlessly with corrupt individuals and corporate bodies including transnational corporations and international financial institutions.” He added.

He also took a swipe at the Nigerian Bar Association and the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, who he said have called on Buhari to respect the rule of law, saying they were not sincere.

He pointed out that: “The Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria has urged the government to fight corruption under the rule of law.

On its own part the NBA has censored the Federal

There is no fight against corruption in Nigeria. And if there is no fight against corruption, you can’t even talk about war

Professor Itse Sagay, Femi Aribisala and Oby Ezekwesili at the Department of Jurisprudence and International law Roundtable at the University of Lagos Government for violating the human rights of certain suspects.

But neither the BOSAN nor the NBA has deemed it fit to call the members of the legal profession who are determined to frustrate the prosecution of corruption cases to order. As far as both bodies are concerned, human rights are the exclusive reserve of the bourgeois. Hence, the tenet of the rule of law are only invoked when the trial of VIPs is involved, while human rights are violated in Nigeria when the looters of the treasury are arrested and detained for a few days without trial.”

Falana wondered why BOSAN and NBA did not talk of human rights when “70 soldiers were recently tried in camera, convicted and sentenced to death for demanding weapons to fight the well-armed terrorists,” and why the two bodies were not bothered about the plight of “40,000 out of the 52,000 prison inmates are awaiting trial under dehumanising conditions.”

Reality of the moment Discussing the paper, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, said Falana was in tune with reality of the moment, arguing that “if Nigeria did not check corruption now, the situation may be worse than what obtained in Hong Kong where people became fed up and said enough is enough.”

She noted that, “The systemic nature of corruption as a cancer against a system of governance is demonstrated in the fact that the activity of corruption begins to happen at their different levels.”

Also contributing, Mrs Ayo Obe, said Falana has said it all. She however, disagreed with him on his call for a special court to try corrupt cases. Beside, she said the call for perpetual detention of those charged for corrupt related

offences will run foul of the constitution.

She advocated that the government should establish an enduring structures to tackle the menace of corruption.

Taken the podium, the controversial public affair analyst, Dr Femi Aribasala criticised Falana’s paper and said: “There is no fight against corruption in Nigeria. And if there is no fight against corruption, you can’t even talk about war,”

Tackling corrupt practices Aribisala also criticized Dr Ezekwezili’s contribution where she called for a superb structure put in place by government to permanently tackle corrupt practices in the country.

He said, “Corruption cannot be narrowly defined the way Dr. Ezekwesili defined it, only relating it to public institutions.

We are corrupt in Nigeria, the plumber, the tailor, the whole society is corrupt.

“And we have not yet taken a decision, we have not yet gotten to a point where we are fed up. I mean, she (Mrs. Ezekwesili) had given an example of Hong Kong where people became fed up and said enough is enough. We have not reached that situation yet, I don’t know why not, but we certainly have not.

Critizising the election that brought Buhari to power, he said: “The 2015 election was not an anti-corruption election. We did not have any political party that presented an anti-corruption mandate to us. The party that won the election was just a makeover of the PDP, I mean the PDP people moved from the PDP to the APC. If they were corrupt when they were in PDP, they became clean when they were in APC. “So there is no mandate against corruption. If President Buhari was determined to fight against

corruption, my feeling is that he gave up after losing election three times.

“Because the fourth time, he formed an alliance with people who he despised before. And they were not necessarily people who had a track record of being anticorruption. So today, I don’t know who is anti-corruption and who is fighting corruption.”

“We have to make up our minds if we really want to deal with the question of corruption, Nigerians themselves must insist on it and we have to deal with it at the institutional level,” he said.

However, Aribisala got a full measure of response to his criticism of Buhari’s war against corruption, when the fiery senior lawyer and human rights activist, Professor Sagay, SAN, described him as one of the “unserious people”.

Sagay who did not hide his anger told the gathering which included other scholars that, “We are not here to make students clap. We are here on a very serious business. And students, don’t behave like American electorate who are ignorant of Donald Trump. The appreciation of unserious people shows ignorance. How can someone come here and say there’s no war against corruption and people are clapping? “Invisibly angry Sagay said.

The development made Dr Ezekwesili not comfortbale. She also requested for another chance to further drive home her points against Aribisala’s argument.

She chided the students and other guests for their public applause on Aribisala’s argument. “ I wasn’t surprised that some of you were clapping. The reason you were clapping is that you are a page in your own level of corruption. There are many whose exam malpractice is the basis upon which they have come to school.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016 — 35

Petroleum Industry Governance Bill 2016 A

Bill for: An Act to Pro vide for the Governance and Institutional Framework for the Petroleum Industry and for Other Related Matters 1. Commencement Date: Enacted by the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

PART I - OBJECTIVES 1. Objectives The objectives of this Act shall be to: (a) Create efficient and effective governing institutions with clear and separate roles for the petroleum industry; (b) Establish a framework for the creation of commercially oriented and profit driven petroleum entities that ensures value addition and internationalization of the petroleum industry; (c) Promote transparency and accountability in the administration of the petroleum resources of Nigeria; and (d) Foster a conducive business environment for petroleum industry operations.

PART 2 - THE MINISTER 2. Functions and powers of the Minister (1) The Minister shall(a) be responsible for the determination, formulation and monitoring of Government policy for the petroleum indus-

try; (b) Exercise general supervision over the affairs and operations of the petroleum industry Subject to the provisions of this Act; (c) Report developments in the petroleum industry to the Federal Executive Council; (d) advise the Government on all matters pertaining to the petroleum industry; (e) Promote the development of local content in the Nigerian petroleum industry; (f) Represent Nigeria at international organisations that are primarily concerned with the petroleum industry; (g) Negotiate and execute international petroleum treaties and agreements with other sovereign countries, international organizations and other similar bodies on behalf of the Government; (h) upon the recommendation of the Commission, grant, amend, renew, extend or revoke any licence or lease required for petroleum exploration or production pursuant to the provisions of this Act or any other enactment; and (i) Do all such other things as are incidental to and necessary for the performance of the functions of the Minister under this Act. (2) The Minister may in writ-

Setting aside, recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards

T

HE Arbitration and Conciliation Act incorporated into the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, is a major milestone in the quest for the practice of arbitration. It has brought Nigerian practitioners and arbitrators into the league of recognised and acclaimed arbitrators.

The law on arbitration is globally becoming uniform, as same is modelled along line UNCITRAL Model Law. Harmonisation of national laws has helped in the advancement of international arbitration.

A Nigerian practitioner or arbitrator or lawyer for any party in countries such as Canada or Australia or Romania where the model law has been adopted will be well at ease with the arbitration law of the country. It is in line with the above that one profoundly welcomes the Nigerian Arbitration and Conciliation Laws.

The application to set aside an award can only be made to the High Court located in the place the award was made, while an application to refuse recognition or enforcement is usually made where the successful party intends or applies to enforce the C M Y K

award.

When an award is made in arbitration, a dissatisfied party may by the provisions of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act apply to court by way of originating summons to set aside the award.

A party who brings an application that an arbitral award be set aside must make a case under any of the following: 1.That the award was improperly procured i.e. through fraud or other dishonest practice.

2.That the arbitrator has misconducted himself.

3.That there is an error on the face of the record.

The operating word used here is ANY of the above stated, and not all.Usually what comes to play here includes the simplicity of the arbitral process, the speed, and sometimes an understanding of the technical knowledge of the subject matter, and not because the arbitrator could not make an error of law. When an arbitrator however makes an error of law which is apparent on the face of the record, the award can be disturbed.

By virtue of Section 29. A party who is aggrieved by an arbitral award may within three months,

ing delegate to any other person or institution any power or function conferred on him by or under this Act. 5 86 PETROLEUM INDUSTRY GOVERNANCE BILL 2016 3. Rights of pre-emption (1) In the event of a state of national emergency as specified in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the Minister shall have the right of pre-emption of all petroleum and petroleum products obtained, marketed or otherwise dealt with under any license

or lease granted under this Act or any other enactment.

(2) The provisions of the First Schedule to this Act shall have effect in relation to the rights referred to in subsection (1) of this section.

(3) Any person, who fails or neglects to comply with a requisition made by or on behalf of the Minister under paragraphs 1, 2 or 7 of the First Schedule to this Act, or fails to conform or to obey a direction issued by the Minister under paragraph 8 of the First Schedule to this Act, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not above N10, 000,000.00 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or both.

Exercise of the powers

Promote transparency and accountability in the administration of the petroleum resources of Nigeria

from the date of the award; or where there was a reason for correction and interpretation of award an additional ward, from the date the request for additional award is disposed of by the arbitral tribunal, and by way of an application for setting aside, request the court to set aside the award in accordance with Section 29 (2) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act. The court before which an application is brought, may at the request of a party where appropriate, suspend proceedings for such a period as it may determine to resume the arbitral proceedings or take such other action to eliminate the grounds for setting aside of the award. In some cases during the arbitration and where it relates to situations like the wrongful admission or exclusion of evidence, a party may apply to court under Section 15 of the Arbitration law, that the Arbitrator do state in the form of a special

Misconduct is a question of fact in each case and one can hardly do more than give examples

(4) Any person who obstructs or interferes with the Minister, his servants or agents in the exercise of the powers conferred on the Minister under paragraph 8 of the First Schedule to this Act, shall be guilty of an offence and on conviction shall be liable to a fine not above N5, 000,000.00 or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both.

(5) The Minister may by regulation increase the financial case for the opinion of the court any question of law arising in the course of the reference under Section 12 of the Arbitration law a party to the submission may apply to the court to remove the arbitrator who has misconducted himself. Also after the award but before leave of court to enforce it has been obtained from the court, a party may apply to the court that the award be set aside because the arbitrator has misconducted himself or on the ground that the award was improperly procured.

Corruption of the arbitrator A breach of the rule of natural justice is a misconduct bias or the likelihood of it was regarded as misconduct. The English case of WALFORD, BAKER & CO. VS. MACFIE & SONS (1915) 84 LJ K.B is germaine here, so is fraud or corruption of the arbitrator and error of law which appears on the force of the award.

Where an application to set aside an award or for clarification of same is pending before the court whom an application to enforce or recognise is brought or before any court that has jurisdiction so to do, it is wrong and improper to proceed and make orders for enforcement and/ or recognition of the award. To do so will be like making an order for the enforcement of a Judgment when there is pending before the court an application to set aside the same Judgment.

penalties imposed under subsections 3 and 4 of this section.

PART 3 - NIGERIA PETROLEUM REGULATORY COMMISSION 4. Establishment of the Nigeria Petroleum Regulatory Commission (1) There is established under this Act the Nigeria Petroleum Regulatory Commission (“the Commission”) as a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal and which may sue or be sued in its corporate name.

(2) The Commission shall have power to (a) enter into contracts and incur obligations; (b) acquire, hold, mortgage, purchase and deal with property, whether movable or immovable, real or personal; and (c) do-all such things as are necessary for or incidental to the carrying out of its functions and duties under this Act. (3) From the date of the commencement of this Act, without further assurance, the Commission shall be vested with all assets, funds, resources and other movable and immovable properties which immediately before the commencement of this Act were held by the Petroleum Inspectorate, the Department of Petroleum Resources and the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency.

The power to set aside an award is now statutory being now contained in section 29, 30 (1) and 48 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Law of Nigeria. The common law ground of “error of law or fact on the face of the award” is no longer a valid ground on its own for setting aside an award under the current law, since the grounds are now statutory, but they may in appropriate cases be treated as misconduct of the arbitrators. Nor is it now part of the arbitration law of England as shown under section 81 (2) of the U.K. Arbitration Act, 1996.

In Section 68 of the UK Arbitration Act 1996, the expression “serious irregularity affecting the tribunal, the proceedings of the award” is used instead of the word “misconduct”.

Misconduct is a question of fact in each case and one can hardly do more than give examples. In Nigeria, the locus classicus here is the leading Judgment of Justice Ogundare is the Supreme Court case of TALYOR WOODROW (NIG) LTD vs. S.E.GMBH (1993) NSCC 415.

“The word ‘misconduct’ is not defined in the law nor is it stated therein what would amount to misconduct on the part of an arbitrator to necessitate the setting aside of an award. It be necessary, therefore, to fall back on the common law to determine what constitute misconduct.”

36 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

Sign 2016 Budget now, Owie tells Buhari

By Henry Umoru

A

BUJA—FORMER Senate Chief Whip, Senator Rowland Owie, has taken a swipe at President Muhammadu Buhari for saying that he will not sign the 2016 Appropriation Bill passed by the National Assembly into law.

He warned that failure to assent to the bill would amount to starting a new budget presentation exercise.

According to Owie, “President Buhari has no right to tamper with the approved budget as submitted by the National Assembly,” adding that he should go ahead and assent to it, as refusing to sign it or removing any line from the already approved budget, would amount to taking the country to yet another five months of going through a fresh exercise.

That, he said, would entail fresh presentation, first reading, second reading and Committee stage, among others.

Speaking with Vanguard yesterday, Senator Owie asked the president to take counsel from aides in his cabinet with legislative experience.

Senator Owie who told President Buhari to sign and work with the approved budget

and later send an amendment to the National Assembly on some grey areas, said both the National Assembly and the state Houses of Assembly were by law permitted to reintroduce new items into the appropriation bill, reduce the amount for some items or

remove them entirely.

He said: “ I want to advise Mr. President to go ahead and assent to the budget. After that, whatever he feels he wants to do, he can then send it back to the National Assembly while he is scrutinizing it and if he does

not do that and he goes ahead to change a line of the budget, it will take another five months to go through a fresh exercise.

“My worry is that Mr. President is not listening to advice from aides in his cabinet who have legislative experience.”

GEMS COMPETITION: Miss Adeyeye Ayomide, winner of NDDC's GEMS Competition (right) receiving her prizes from Mrs Ibim Semenitari, Ag. MD/CEO, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, (2nd right); Mrs Nnenna Okoronkwo, Director, Chemical Techonology Department, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, representing the Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonna Onu (left) and Mr Glaxo Kenya, Director, Education and Health, NDDC, during the grand finale of NDDC’s Girls in Engineering, Maths and Science, GEMS, competition, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.

Delta gives contractor one week ultimatum to improve on performance

A

By Festus Ahon

SABA—DELTA State Government has given one week ultimatum to Levant Construction Company handling the Sapele Road dualization project to improve on its pace and quality of work or risk losing the contract.

Also commuters plying the Warri – Benin express section of the East/West Road can now heave a sigh of relief as the state government has started repairing all failed sections of the road within Delta state.

State Commissioner for Works, Chief James Augoyi, who issued the ultimatum while inspecting one of the failed portions of the road few metres away from the twin city of Warri and Effurun, where about 50 percent repairs had been done by Obakpor Engineering Limited, said that the state government could no longer sit and watch people continue to lose their lives due to bad spots on the road.

He commended Obakpor Engineering Limited for the pace and quality of work being done on the failed portions of the EastWest Road.

He said: “This section of the road has been a nightmare to the state.

We had written the Federal Ministry of Works and Federal Emergency Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA, but have waited

C M Y K

this long and the rains are approaching, we have no choice but to go about the repairs.

Before now, you know the traffic problem on the road, you can stay here for three to four hours and it was a problem to us and

to the people of Delta State.

“It has been a pain and the governor had to visit and saw things himself and promised Deltans that he was going to fix the road and that is what we have started. You understand

that this is a major road in and out of the state, it is the East/West road linking Port Harcourt and other states in the East and we cannot wait for the Federal Government.”

JTF laments death of two soldiers in Bayelsa

T

HE Joint Military Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield, deployed in the Niger Delta region, has said that it was saddened by the loss of two of its personnel on Tuesday in Bayelsa State.

Col. Isa Ado, spokesman of the task force, yesterday, confirmed the death of two soldiers in a gun duel with suspected kidnappers near Nembe in Bayelsa State.

He told NAN, on telephone, that the force remained resolute

in fishing out those behind the act.

He said that the troops, while in pursuit of the suspects, killed one and made some arrests.

According to him, details were still sketchy on the operation.

He said: “The unfortunate incident happened on Tuesday morning at OgbolomabiriNembe Junction, some two kilometres from Nembe, when our troops on escort duty

encountered some gunmen who happened to be kidnappers.

“The kidnappers attacked our soldiers and there was exchange of gunfire and we lost two of our personnel. They (suspected kidnappers) whisked away an expatriate who works for a construction firm, Setraco and fled through the waterways.

“The loss of our personnel is unfortunate, and their death in the line of duty for peace in the Niger Delta is very painful."

Danagogo heads probe on political killings in Rivers

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT— GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, yesterday, inaugurated the Judicial Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice Monima Danagogo, to look into the killings recorded during the March 19 re-run elections for the National and House of Assembly seats in the

state.

Expressing concern over reported killings during the exercise, the governor urged the commission to dig up every detail on the incidents, adding that it should also determine the extent of damages recorded in terms of property and other valuables during the re-run elections.

Wike said that the commission should submit its

report within one month.

He said: “The commission has one month, beginning today, to submit its report. We must know those involved in the killings. We must get to the root of the violence during the March 19 re-run elections.

Since we were not at the location of the violence, we rely on the Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate what took place.”

Isoko youths warned against acts inimical to devt

By Ochuko Akuopha

O

LEH—PRESIDENT of Isoko National Youths Assembly, INYA, Mr Emmanuel Omokero, has warned youths of Isoko nation against acts that are capable of impeding the growth, development and peaceful coexistence of the people of the ethnic nationality.

Speaking at a meeting of the body in Oleh, headquarters of Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, Omokero advised the youths to shun things that could cause disunity and breach of the peace in the Isoko nation.

He said: “Close ranks and work for the unity, growth, progress and development of the land.

“We must all work together as a team to move INYA and Isoko nation forward.

Whatever is due the Isoko youths from the multinationals and government at all levels must always be channeled through the only legitimate and recognised leadership of the Assembly.”

Delta PDP state congress: Youths fault aspirant over claim to Ethiope East

A

the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, congresses draw closer, the Ethiope East chapter of Delta Central PDP Youth Movement has accused one of the state chairmanship aspirants, Mr Kingsley Esiso, of not being an indigene of Okpara Inland.

The group, in a statement by its President, Mr. Philip Omoniorho, described Esiso’s claim to Okpara as the basis of his ambition for the state chairmanship of the party as suspicious, urging him to pursue his ambition in Sapele where he plays politics and not Ethiope East.

The statement reads: “We are not against Esiso’s ambition but he should go to Sapele Local Government Area where he served as party secretary and held other positions, including his current appointment as Special Adviser to the Governor under Sapele and not Okpara community as he claims.

“Esiso is not a card carrying member in any of the wards in Ethiope East. We see him and those behind this move as fighting Urhobo people and trying to shortchange us."

S

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016—37

C M Y K

38—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 07, 2016

Commercial bus driver docked for driving against traffic law

Imo LG women protest ‘incessant rape, murder of mothers by hoodlums'

By Chidi Nkwopara

By Bartholomew Madukwe

O

WERRI—AGGRIEVED women from Umuduruegwelle community in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, yesterday, took to the street to protest against what they described as “the incessant rape and murder of

A

COMMERCIAL u s driver, Adejoh Anthony, 48, has been arraigned before a Badagry Magistrate Court in Lagos for allegedly driving against traffic.

The accused was said to have committed the alleged offence on March 22, 2016 about 6:30p.m. at Olurunsogo Bus Stop, Ketu Ijanikin area of Lagos, which caused the death of one Adeyemi Adegoke.

“That you Adejoh Anthony ‘M’on March 22, 2016 about 6:30p.m. at Olurunsogo Bus Stop, Ketu Ijanikin along Lagos/ Badagry Expressway in the Badagry Magisterial District being the driver in charge of commercial bus with registration No. LND 498 XA, drove recklessly or negligently or in a manner dangerous to public having regards to all circumstances of the amount of traffic which might reasonably be expected to be on the highway,” the charge stated.

He was granted N500,000 bail and two sureties, and matter adjourned to April 18. b

innocent mothers in the area,” by faceless hoodlums.

The women displayed placards with inscriptions that portrayed their anger: 'We detest raping, killing of women in Umuduruegwelle,' 'NDLEA: Stop the selling and consumption of hard drugs in Umuduruegwelle,' 'IMSG and police, check activities of cultists in our community.'

Speaking on behalf of other protesters, Mrs. Theresa Iwundu, called on all the security agencies operating in the state, to save them from their current travails.

“We are tired of the rape and murder cases bedeviling our community. The ugly incidents are gradually destroying the peace of the community," Mrs.

South-East, South-South tasked on human capital devt ...as SESSPN set for 2nd regional forum

By Gabriel Olawale & Prince Okafor

S

OME INTELLECTUALS and professionals of SouthEast and South-South extraction of have said the discovery of crude oil in the region has destroyed the interest in human capital development in the area.

Speaking in Lagos while announcing the second edition of the region’s development forum slated for April 28 and 29, the Chairman, Planning Committee, Mr. Mazi Ohuabunwa, said prior to the advent of oil, the region was one of the fastest growing economies in the world through diversification of its economy and a conscientious intensive development of its human capital base.

He said: “But this progressive

match was terminated with the arrival of oil. Everything fell apart and the region lost focus and joined the band-wagon of dependents on a mono-cultural economy.”

Ohuabunwa pointed out the need for the region to return to pre-oil era where efforts would be channeled towards massive investments in agriculture, “agroprocessing, infrastructure, education, skills training and executive management manpower training.”

Earlier, the President of SouthEast and South-South Professionals of Nigeria, SESSPN, Mr. Emeka Ugwu-Oju said the forum aimed at preparing the region for a post-oil Nigeria by harnessing the abundant human and material resources through collaborative efforts.

Enugu State holds Igbo youth cultural fiesta

C

OAL CITY, Enugu, is set to witness another youth cultural fiesta, tagged ‘OMENKA 2016. It is an inter-school Igbo heritage talent competition aimed at discovering the creative prowess of secondary school students and showcasing the creative ingenuity of students in Igbo language.

The event slated to hold at Queens School Enugu from April

22 to May 7, 2016, endorsed by Ministry of Education, Enugu State, and being packaged by Magnus Media Investments Limited, also aimed at looking inward towards developing and protecting Igbo language, morals, crafts, creative arts and early detection of student's ingenuity for self-reliant productive growth, as obtained in other countries.

In a statement, Managing

Director of Magnus Media Limited, Mr. Cyril Odenigbo said other expected sponsors of this year ’s event included Pure Haven Companies, Airtel Nigeria, Heritage Bank PLC, Aqua Rapha Investment Limited, Sunchi farm Limited, Kendril Fashion Home, HRM Igwe Emma Oluchukwu Ugwu-JP, Hon. Chinedu Ani and Mr. Nestor Ezeme.

“This will transform the region into a global investment destination for investors and also build synergies and linkages that will create jobs for our teeming youth and help curb restiveness,” he explained.

Iwundu lamented.

After giving a graphic account of how Mrs. Esther Joseph was murdered in her farm, Mrs. Iwundu expressed shock that the hoodlums were gradually penetrating into the primary and secondary schools in the area.

“It is sad to note that our women no longer fancy going to their farms for fear of being either raped or murdered by the rampaging hoodlums,” Iwundu said.

She described the protest as “a last resort and another way of expressing our plight to government and the security agencies.”

Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports indicated that some equally aggrieved young men from the community stormed and destroyed suspected rendezvous where hard drugs were sold in the area.

NUPENG ready to partner NNPC to end products scarcity

By Victor AhiumaYoung

N

IGERIA UNION of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, yesterday, said it was ready to partner with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to end the perennial fuel scarcity in the country.

In a statement by its President, Mr. Achese Igwe, the union noted that it had the capacity, men and will to do that and called for collaboration with the NNPC to end the endemic shortage.

According to the statement: “NUPENG makes bold to say that 60 per cent of its members are involved in the distribution chain.

Most of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN and National Association of Road Transport

Owners, NARTO members are either NUPENG members or were former members and with collaboration with them, we will be able to get the issue right and end the present scarcity.”

On privatization, the union warned that “the Federal Government should be careful not to make the same mistakes made by the past administration in the country as it happened in the power sector. We caution that the government should not allow the failure of the privatization process in the power sector to rub on the oil & gas sector.

"NUPENG stresses that all the past privatization processes done by the Bureau for Public Corporation, BPE, were fraught with inadequacies and that government should review the exercises and where necessary revoke their licences."

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On validity of JAMB results to 3 years

J

AMB should either be com-pletely be cancelled, or let there be a law that anybody with five credits, including Maths and English should be given admission directly as it is happening in other countries. -Prince Shehu Anka Muhd, Student

C M Y K

T

his is not a solution to our educational problems. When JAMB validity is extended to three years, this will affect the younger ones. Government is supposed to build more universities, polytechnics, colleges and monotechnics.

-Mr. Gaddafi Muhammad, Graduate

T

hat is a good idea because what it means is that if you pass JAMB and you are unable to secure admission that year, then that result still remains useful for two more years. I believe it will go a long way in boosting our education.

-Mr. Samuel Ogungbemi, Statistician

J

AMB will conduct exam every year and students can use the result for three years before enrolling for another, except the result was not good. It will be the best achievement of our Senate because JAMB extorts students. Mr. Benjamin Onyenekwe, Businessman

P

ersonally, I have no qualms with JAMB’s validity for three years.

However, what happens to those that may fail, will they remain at home for three years or wait till the expiration of the three years before writing another JAMB? -Mrs. Mercy Atori, Worker

I

t's a welcome development which I support. I see the era of extortion coming to an end. Both the Federal Government and private bodies must put in place additional institutions to handle the problem of over-populated admission seekers. -Mr. Samuel Akang, Worker

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016 — 39

Troops rescue 11, 595 hostages from Boko Haram dens

By Kingsley Omonobi

T

HE Nigerian Army said yesterday that no fewer than 11, 595 civilians held at various enclaves by Boko Haram had been rescued.

This came as troops intensified efforts to clear and mop up all insurgent activities in the North East.

The army said the rescue operations were carried out within the past six weeks, noting that women and young children who

had been caught in the Boko Haram crossfire regained their freedom and settled temporarily in camps for internally displaced persons, IDPs. “In continuation of the clearance and mopping up operations of the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists in various parts of the North East geo-political region, troops have rescued no fewer than 11,595 persons held hostage by the terrorists within the last one month,” the army said in a statement signed by the Acting a Director of Army Public Relations, Sani Usman, yesterday.

The military explained that the

rescue operations were carried out by different military outposts across the region and a significant number of them were received from Cameroonian authorities.

Usman said: “On March 1, 2016, troops of 155 Task Force Battalion received 10,000 refugees from the Republic of Cameroon at Banki and Bama axis.

“Two days later, Army Headquarters Special Forces (AHQ SF) Battalion also rescued 63 persons held captives by terrorists at Maleri. The same unit on 5th March 2016 rescued 779 persons at Fotokol general area,

PARLEY: From left; Dr. Chris Okeke, representing the DG, Nigerian Information Te c h n o l o g y Development Agency, NITDA; Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, N i g e r i a n Communications Commission, NCC and Mr. Jonathan Mela Juma, Ag. DG, National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS at an interactive session between the EVC and participants of Senior Executive Course No. 38, held at the Institute.

My wife is a liar, Accountant tells court

By Bartholomew Madukwe

A

N Accountant, Ezekiel Onyemalu, has asked a Lagos State High Court sitting in Badagry to dissolve his 14 year marriage with his estranged wife, Joy, saying she is a liar and deceitful.

Onyemalu (petitioner) told the court presided by Justice Abolanle Okikiolu-Ighile that his wife used their child’s health challenge as an opportunity to extort money from him.

According to him, his wife had been living outside her matrimonial home for more than two years and the marriage had broken down irretrievably.

“I want the court to dissolve the marriage and grant me custody of my three children to enable me take proper care of them,” he said.

Responding to the petition, Joy told the court that she left her matrimonial home after family members of her husband came and beat her up.

After listening to the respondent, the trial judge, Justice Okikiolu-Ighile adjourned the matter to May 25 for adoption of written addresses.

a border town between Nigeria and Cameroon.

“Within the first week of March 2016, the 254 Task Force Battalion also rescued 45 persons at Kuaguru, while 143 Battalion similarly rescued 27 persons at Gadayamo,15 at Galadadani Dam in Madagali and 10 persons from Disa village. ‘’On March 11, 2016, troops of 231 Battalion and Armed Forces Strike Force (AFSF) also rescued seven persons held captives by Boko Haram terrorists at Betso village; 5 of whom were elderly women and 2 young girls.''

Buhari advises states to do background checks on foreign partners

K

ADUNA—PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari yesterday cautioned state governments and the private sector against engaging foreign partners without conducting proper background checks.

Buhari gave the advice in a message at the opening of the maiden Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit, organised by the Kaduna State Government, in Kaduna.

The President, whose speech was delivered by Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i, noted that various state

governments had been making efforts to shore up their revenue base in view of the current economic problems.

“In the face of dwindling oil revenue, I am very pleased to note the efforts being made by state governments to diversify their internally generated revenue sources by opening up their economy for investors and providing a conducive enabling environment.

“More recently, these efforts have been demonstrated not with mere rhetoric or political

statements, but with practical policies and well thought out legislation.

“The Kaduna Investment and Economic Summit is a pointer to one of these efforts. State governments and, indeed, the private sector should take care and make background checks before engaging with foreign partners.”

Buhari noted that the summit would help “diversify our oil dependent economy to other viable sectors, where we have competitive advantage.”

AGATU: Ortom decries crisis, calls for Presidential enquiry

By Peter Duru

M

A K U R D I — GOVERNOR Samuel Ortom of Benue State has urged the Federal Government to set up a commission of enquiry into the mayhem perpetrated in Agatu by Fulani herdsmen with a view to finding a lasting solution to the crisis.

Ortom, who made the call yesterday when he led heads of security agencies in the state and top government functionaries to an on-the-spot assessment of the devastation in Agatu communities, expressed shock at the level of destruction in the area.

While addressing the people at Aila, Okokolo and those displaced at Obagaji he described the level of destruction as monumental,

lamenting that the rehabilitaion of the affected communities was far beyond the financial capacity of the state.

Speaking in an emotion ladened voice, the governor said, “I have visited some of the places attacked by insurgents in the North East but the magnitude of devastation in Agatu far exceeds what happened in those places.”

He solicited assistance from the Federal Government, global agencies, organizations, and individuals to rehabilitate the destroyed communities in Agatu and other parts of the state to enable the inhabitants recover and get their lives together again.

The governor noted that farming and grazing were incompatible hence the urgent need for the establishment of ranches in the

country as a permanent solution to the recurrent

clashes between farmers and herders in parts of the country.

El-Rufai hailed over compensation for bomb blast victims' families

By Gloria Adokwu

N

ATIONAL Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, has commended Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State for paying N29.1 million as compensation to the families of workers killed in a bomb blast in Zaria nine months ago.

20 workers died in the incident on July 7, 2015 at the premises of Sabongari Local Government

Secretariat in Zaria.

Those affected were mostly local council workers from Lere and Kauru councils, who travelled to Zaria for the mandatory verification of their employment status ordered by the governor.

In a statement by its General Secretary, Issa Aremu, the union acknowledged what it described as “sensitivity” of the Governor to the demands of trade unions in the state that families of the 20 dead workers should be adequately compensated.

NASS seeks support for establishment of NEDCOM

By Ndahi Marama

M

AIDUGURI—THE National Assembly yesterday solicited the support of governors and stakeholders for the establishment of North-East Development Commission (NEDCOM), for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the affected sub-region, before the return of 2.8 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their communities.

The call was made in Maiduguri by Mohammed Monguno, representing Monguno/Marte/Nganzai federal constituency; when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno state at the Government House, Maiduguri.

He said the purpose of establishing NEDCOM was against the backdrop of myriads of problems caused by Boko Haram insurgency that lasted for over six years in the country.

Responding, Governor Shettima said if the legislators could pass the NEDCOM bill, they would have achieved more than 50 percent of what the people had elected them to do at the National Assembly.

Fleet Technologies lecture on economy holds today

F

LEET Technologies Limited, an Information, Communication and Technology, ICT Company will hold a technology-driven economy lecture in Lagos today. The theme of the lecture is: ‘Beyond Now: Nigeria without oil Prospects for Technology and Innovation.’

The lecture will be delivered

by Dr. Doyin Salami of the Lagos Business School, LBS, a consultant to the Department for International Development (DFID), World Bank, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

According to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Kunle Akinniran; who unveiled the plan by Fleet Technologies to rebrand its services; ‘’As Nigeria moves into the diversification phase of its history with robust innovative technological solutions and thoughtleadership vision, our company is excited to announce a new milestone today.’’

40 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016 — 41

C M Y K

42 —

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016 —43

PANAMA LEAK: Law firm says its leak of having “unautho- AU chief to resign in April, linked data was hacked rised access to propripartner at Mos “The world is already etary documents and in- to ANC chairmanship A sackFonseca, the accepting that privacy is formation taken from our

Panamanian law firm at the centre of a huge leak of confidential financial data, says it was the victim of a hack.

Ramon Fonseca said the leak was not an “inside job” - the company had been hacked by servers based abroad.

It had filed a complaint with the Panamanian attorney general’s office.

Several countries are investigating possible financial wrongdoing by the rich and powerful after the leak of more than 11 million documents.

“We are amazed that nobody has said: ‘Hey, a crime has been committed here,’” Mr Fonseca, one of the firm’s founding partners, told Reuters news agency.

not a human right,” he told AFP agency separately. Last week the company reportedly sent an email to its clients saying it had suffered “an unauthorised breach of our email server”. The company has accused media organisations reporting the

company” and of presenting this information out of context. In a letter to the Guardian newspaper on Sunday, the company’s head of public relations threatened possible legal action over the use of “unlawfully obtained” information.

*Ramon Fonseca

Trump in trouble as Cruz wins in Wisconsin *Says GOP trying to deny him nomination

R

EPUBLICAN presidential candidate Ted Cruz has decisively won the Wisconsin primary, complicating front-runner Donald Trump’s path to the nomination.

In the Democratic race, Bernie Sanders scored a strong victory over Hillary Clinton in the Midwestern state. Mr Trump leads the race, but could fall short of the number of delegates needed to secure the Republican nomination.

That would mean a contested convention where voting for candidates starts again from scratch.

Mr Trump said on Tuesday he would prevail despite the loss and took aim at hismain rival.

“Ted Cruz is worse than a puppet - he is a Trojan horse, being used by the party bosses attempting to steal the nomination,” the Trump campaign said in a statement. Party leaders are concerned that Mr Trump would be a weak candidate in the general election and could harm

other Republicans lawmakers on the ballot.

Polls show that the real estate tycoon is extremely unpopular among key voting blocs including women, Latinos and young people. Meanwhile, Trump laid low after his bruising defeat, foregoing a public election night appearance and instead having his campaign fire off a blistering statement claiming the deck was stacked against him.

“Donald J. Trump withstood the onslaught of the establishment yet again.

Putin creates new National Guard to fight terrorism been taken, we are creat- part of the interior ministry’s remit.

R

USSIAN President Vladimir Putin has announced the creation of a new National Guard, which he said would fight terrorism and organised crime.

The force will be formed of interior ministry troops and led by Mr Putin’s former bodyguard, Viktor Zolotov, who will report directly to the president. Mr Putin’s spokesman said the force could be used to maintain public order.

But Dmitry Peskov denied its creation was linked to elections in September. Some critics say Mr Putin fears unrest. Mr. Putin made the announcement during a meeting with key security officials at the Kremlin. “The decisions have C M Y K

ing a new federal body of executive power,” he said. He also announced that Russia’s drug control agency and federal migration service would become

As commander-in-chief of the National Guard, Mr Zolotov has been given a seat on Russia’s Security Council.

WHO reports alarming rise in diabetes affliction

T

HE number of adults estimated to be living with diabetes has nearly quadrupled over 35 years, the World Health Organization has said while calling for huge efforts to change eating habits and increase physical activity.

The disease directly caused 1.5 million deaths in 2012 - the latest available global figures - but elevated blood glucose levels linked to diabetes were responsible for an additional 2.2 million deaths that year, the report said.

“Globally, an estimated 422 million adults were living with diabetes in 2014, compared to 108 million in 1980,” the UN health agency said in its first-ever report on the disease on Wednesday, warning that the condition had spread because of worldwide changes “in the way people eat, move and live”.

The region worst affected, with 131 million estimated cases in 2014, was the WHO’s Western Pacific region, which includes China and Japan.

•As Zuma’s son alleges plot to remove SA president

A

FRICAN Union Commission head Nkosazana DlaminiZuma, who is tipped to take over the leadership of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress, will step down at the end of her four-year term in July, her spokesman said on Wednesday.

Dlamini-Zuma did not submit an application to remain as chairperson for a second term before the deadline for candidates closed last week, Jacob Enoh Eben said.

“She is not seeking a second term as chair of the African Union Commission,” he said.

The decision was personal, he said, without giving details. DlaminiZuma’s is a leading candidate to succeed South African President Jacob Zuma, her ex-husband, as ANC leader.

She served as home affairs minister in Zuma’s cabinet before becoming the first female head of the Addis Ababa-based bloc’s executive arm in 2012. She had also previously served as minister of health and of foreign affairs.

Zuma, who is expected to stay president until an election in 2019 and is likely to be influential behind the scenes in picking a new ANC leader at a conference in 2017, is expected to support Dlamini-Zuma.

Deputy president Cyril

*Dlamini-Zuma Ramaphosa is seen as head and has the supanother strong candidate port of powerful business to replace Zuma as party lobbies.

Patrice Talon sworn in as Benin’s president

BY TONY LOVU

B

USINESSMAN Patrice Talon was sworn in as Benin’s president before a large crowd on Wednesday, saying he would fostereconomicdevelopment and fight corruption and terrorism during what he pledged would be his only term in office.

Benin’s leader can serve two terms but Talon has said he will step down after five yearstoavoid“complacency” and seek to limit future presidents to a single term. The West African country is seen asabastionofdemocracyand stability in a troubled region where military coups are a regular occurrence and polls are often marred by violence.

“My mandate will be a mandateofrupture,transition

Angola’s yellow fever death toll rises to 225

T

HE death toll from yellow fever outbreak in Angola has risen to 225, with an estimated 1,600 cases now recorded, Health Minister Luis Sambo said on Tuesday.

Sambo told a news conference after meeting with World Health Organisation officials that the disease had spread to 16 of the country’s 18 provinces. “We need to increase the response capacity ... in both technological resources (such) as medicines and vaccines, as well as in personnel,” he said. A WHO official on March 18 said the outbreak, which broke out late last year, had killed 158 people in Angola.

Talon arriving the Charles de Gaulle Stadium for his swearing-in ceremony alongside his wife yesterday in Port-Novo.

and reforms,” said Talon, adding that he would strive to combat corruption, improve the economy and fight terrorism.

“I will make diplomacy an instrument of cooperation for development,” he told a crowd estimated by organiz-

ers at 20,000 at the ceremony in the capital Porto-Novo.

Beninalreadycontributesto a multinational task force fighting Boko Haram, a militant group that is based in the northeast of the country’s giant neighbour Nigeria.

Talon is a cotton magnate who handily beat former prime minister Lionel Zinsou in a run-off election last month. Zinsou was the preferred choice of former president Thomas Boni Yayi, who stepped down after 10 years in power.

Benin’s minister for energy and water resigned in May amid a corruption scandal that caused the Netherlands to suspend aid after $4 million went missing in 2014 from a project to improve the nation’s water supplies.

Talon, who was educated in Senegal and France, once supported Boni Yayi but the two fell out and the then president accused him of being involved with a plot to poison him.

TalonsoughtexileinFrance but was later pardoned, returning to Benin in October.

The new leader of Benin who has noted that he is committed to “ensuring and maintaining the freedom of thepressandequitableaccess foralltopublicmediaoutlets.”

He also announced strong measures socially. The National Board of Education will be restructured and a “free zone of knowledge and innovation” will be created in the education sector.

Accuracy and brevity have been the hallmark of this speech in which Talon said his tenure as one that “augurs happy prospects” “Now that I am committed to our country for a new start, together we will overcome fate. I believe in strongly. We have everything to succeed,” he stated.

44 —

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016 — 45

C M Y K

46 —

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016 —47

With diabetes, prevention of foot ulcers is better than care

By Sola Ogundipe

I

F you are diabetic and living in Lagos, this piece of information will interest you. As part of activities to mark this year ’s World Health Day, WHD, today April 7, Rainbow Specialist Medical Centre, Lekki, Lagos, is conducting free diabetes foot screening and diabetes foot care education for persons living with diabetes.

The hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Dr. Afoke Isiavwe, told Health & Living that the free foot screening exercise will be conducted from 12-3pm at the hospital premises, in view of the high number of cases of Diabetes Mellitus foot syndrome - one of the serious complications of diabetes infection - in the country.

Diabetes was chosen as the theme for the 2016 WHD in order to increase awareness about the rise of the disease, and its staggering burden and consequences, particularly in settings like Nigeria.

Isiavwe, an endocrinologist, says the theme should be of particular interest to Nigerians because the country has one of the highest numbers of persons living with diabetes in the Africa

ENDOMETRIOSIS: ESGN holds Gala Night Apr 9

W

region.

As at 2014, according to WHO, Nigeria had 1,707,000 cases of diabetes, one of the highest in the African region.

Persons with poor diabetes mellitus care will develop a wide range of complications linked with the disease, including diabetes mellitus foot syndrome, which leads to lengthy hospital stays, and sometimes amputations and death.

Rainbow Specialist Medical Centre is providing this screening free of charge to mark the WHD because, early detection of

diabetes-related foot problems through foot screening and good diabetes foot care habits will reduce the chances of this happening.

“Diabetes foot, in particular could be deadly if not detected on time. We will therefore urge people living with diabetes to come for the free screening and also be properly counselled on how they can prevent diabetes complications, especially diabetes foot,” Isiavwe noted. “Diabetes related foot ulcerations can have potential devastating complications as may lead to lower

extremity amputations.

“The person living with diabetes face a risk of foot amputation that may be more than 25 times greater than that in people without diabetes (International Diabetes Federation).

This is why Rainbow Specialist Medical Centre has in the last couple of years, in partnership with the World Diabetes Foundation embarked on a range of enlightening activities both for diabetes patients and care givers to help curb the growing incidence of diabetes foot complication in Nigeria.”

IFE of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo will be the Special Guest of Honour, at the grand finale of this year ’s Endo awareness month being organised by the Endometriosis Support Group Nigeria, ESGN. The Gala Night/Fund Raising dinner event, takes place at the Civic Center, Lagos April 9, 2016, was preceded by Endo awareness walks in Abuja and Lagos on February 18 and March 5 respectively.

The current Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, MBGN, Unouaku Ayandike, was one of the notable participants. Her pet project is Endometriosis. A former Miss Tanzania, Millem Magese, who suffers from the condition was also a participant.

For over 10 years, the ESGN, a Non-Governmental/Non Profit Organization with the sole aim of assisting women, young and old, challenged by endometriosis, has been at the forefront, actively lobbying for better outcomes, education, awareness, care, treatment options and support for women living with the condition.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

I

WANT your best male performance drug. I have used a lot of different types over the years and there is a lot of rubbish in the market. Please give me the best. Also, how can one identify a good performance enhancer when looking for one?

The best performance enhancers we have for men are Rhino 7, Boss Rhino Gold and Power Zen Gold. In addition to giving the user super hard erections, they also enlarge the penis, stop premature ejaculation and give massive performance stamina. One capsule works for days too. As for how to find the best performance enhancers, start by checking the grammage. The best enhancers are usually from 900mg upwards. Lower grammage pills can be very mild and sometimes it is either they take a long time to work or they don’t work at all. But they have their advantages too because some body types prefer the mild supplements. Boss Rhino Gold for instance is 1500mg so it is very powerful. Also look out for whether the supplement contains L-Arginine and herbs such as Maca and Ginko Biloba. These are popular enhancement herbs that help with stamina and arousal in natural aphrodisiacs – Uche My husband says I don’t show emotion during foreplay. I don’t know what to do. I can only say that I don’t always enjoy sex and sometimes it is dry and it hurts – Faith Vaginal dryness typically holds women back from wanting sex and enjoying it. But it can be easily handled with a lubricant. The Smooth and Slick lubricant will take care of this easily. Sometimes lack of sexual interest can also be hormonal and at other times, it could be due to inadequate foreplay. If you don’t get enough foreplay in bed, demand it. Slow your man down and initiate foreplay until you feel ready. If your hormones are out of sync and causing you to have low libido, a good supplement can restore it. G Female Oral Tabs is a very powerful supplement that aids female sexual desire, enjoyment and performance. Once you get all these issues fixed and you are able to enjoy intercourse again, C M Y K

communicate the joy you feel by being verbal. Men need to know that their women are well taken care of sexually.

That is all your husband wants – Uche I am interested in enlargement. Two friends of mine have recommended VigRx. I don’t know if they have used it but you are the expert. Should I go for VigRx or something else? Kayode VigRx is currently the best penis enlarger in the world.

Users have written very good reviews about it and doctors recommend it. So yes you can go for VigRx. But you must use every enlargement supplement with a penis pump to be able to get the best results of up to four inches in growth – Uche Please I need a dildo that looks and feels like the real thing and it has to be big – Angela I recommend the Jelly Chocolate Wall Banger Vibrator.

It is exactly as you described. If you prefer the one that does not vibrate, then go for the Hard Man Dong – Uche I just tried the Boss Rhino Pills and wow! I was in church on Sunday and all I thought about was sex. It is quite powerful - Bruce My friends and I will like to order two packs each of Libigrow erection enhancer. They took from mine the last time I ordered and liked it. But we are in different states. How will you deliver? Thanks – Kingsley Kingsley call customer service on the numbers below and tell them what you want and they will make it happen.

We deliver all over Nigeria – Uche I just want to thank you for your advice and everything you do. You helped me a great deal when you recommended Stay Hard Delay Cream for my premature ejaculation – Chinedu You are welcome – Uche Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can now call us now on 08171912551, 08027901621 or 07086754515 for help or visit www.zeevirtualmedia.com to place their orders. Zee Virtual Media delivers all over Nigeria. For enquiries email us at custserv@zeevirtualmedia.comUche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

48—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

W

HAT is the motivation for your ambition to govern Edo State?

I want to govern Edo State because I truly believe that the state is in the throes of a motor park democracy and I also believe that for us to move the state forward, we must change the way things are done. I also truly believe that the time has come when we cannot allow ourselves to continue to play the ostrich.

But to change Edo State, the people must change their state of mind.

Who is funding your ambition as elections in Nigeria is capital intensive?

I don’t have a godfather; my ambition is being funded by the people of Edo State and my campaign billboards have my bank account number on them.

So far contributions have come from not less than 17,000 people and that is something quite different. It is a new way of doing things. I have been to so many countries, talking to Edo people in Diaspora because they are the single largest investors in the state as a bloc in terms of remittances back home.

The difference between other aspirants and I is the package I have for Edo people. Even when some of them have made a plethora of promises, the question is: How do they intend to realise them and what is the difference between what they are offering and what we had had prior to now.

I want to reiterate this. Only God anoints. I am not rich in the interpretation of the billionaire space in Nigerian politics but I am very wealthy. I am wealthy in the sense that I am wealthy in ideas and belief. So, I believe that I alone among the army of aspirants in the All Progressives Congress have what it takes to make the party win Edo State because the state is not an APC state.

To say that Edo State is an APC state is to be economical with the political truth but I can leverage on the successes of Governor Adams Oshiomhole to win the state for APC. I call him the ‘Moses of our time’ because he had to fight Pharaoh. Edo political space before now was like living in Egypt but Oshiomhole’s coming took us across the Red Sea but I believe that I am the Joshua, who will lead the state to the Promised Land.

What new are you bringing to the table if elected the next governor of Edo State?

I have decided to do things in the familiar and I took EDO as my political message, ideology and mission. If you educate or employ a person, it comes under a larger umbrella which is empowerment.

So, ‘E’ in Edo stands for empowerment, ‘D’ stands for development whether human or infrastructural, while the ‘O’

C M Y K

EDO: The

war in Obaseki's

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

O

NLY the state that identifies itself as the Heartbeat of the Nation could have thrown up the promising matchup between uncle and nephew for a party governorship ticket. Edo State with its outgoing, very active comrade governor, Adams Oshiomhole has indeed not disappointed with its surfeit of governorship aspirants in the two major political parties.

However, the projection of two aspirants from the same family for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC is what has made the aspirations of Mr. Godwin Obaseki and Dr. Pedro Obaseki partially outstanding. The two candidates are also joined by the burden of defending the family name against the allegation of a conspiracy by their great grandfather to supposedly usurp the throne of the Oba of Benin. It is an allegation both men and their leading supporters have dismissed as

stands for opportunities, and that is creating the enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

Why did I decide to do it that way? As a little boy who was crazy about the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), we recited the four cardinal points of the party. We knew what to hold the government to task for but that is absent in our political space today.

What is your take on the allegation that the leadership of the APC in Edo State is plotting to doctor the delegates list to favour a particular aspirant in the primaries?

I was at a meeting with the other aspirants and the national leadership of the party made it clear that the rules of the game cannot be changed. APC is different from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In the PDP, the governors are the political leaders of the party in their respective states but in the APC, the state chairmen of the party, are the political leaders.

So, the primary election in Edo State is not going to be at the beck and call of the state government apparatus. It is the national headquarters of the party that would conduct the poll.

So, I am not scared as we were told during the meeting that nobody who is not a delegate as

So, I believe that I alone among the army of aspirants in the All Progressives Congress have what it takes to make the party win Edo State because the state is not an APC state

the machination of political detractors to outwit them. That, however, is where they only agree.

Godwin, chairman of the Edo State Economic Management Team, was the first to gain traction among the party establishment in Edo State supposedly on account of yet to be confirmed assertions of being backed by Governor Oshiomhole. A financial consultant with claims to many successful financial engineering in the country, Godwin in an encounter further claims to have been with Oshiomhole from the beginning of the comrade governor’s political emergence. Unlike many other foot soldiers, he, however, said that he remained in the background laying down the economic blueprint for the Oshiomhole administration.

His success in that regard could be measured by the degree to which the Edo State administration in the state has been able to push up internally generated revenue and draw in big time investors into the state, including the likes of Alhaji Aliko Dangote. Though the rumour is all there in the state that Dangote is also behind Godwin’s aspiration,

Oshiomhole, money can't make anyone governor — DON PEDRO OBASEKI

•Don Pedro Obaseki: Only God anoints at the time of the last convention would be a delegate during the forthcoming primaries because the Edo governorship election is actually a postponed 2015 poll and as a result, new rules cannot apply.

It was also agreed that if a delegate is dead, he can only be replaced at the next convention, which would not hold before the primaries. If the APC allows a free, fair and credible primary election; we will go to the field to ensure victory for the party in the main election despite whoever emerges the candidate. Nobody, no matter how big is greater than the corporate entity called Edo State. We are a different kind of people and anyone who takes us for granted is taking a big risk.

show an invincible governor.

Also, the days of money politics or what some people refer to as stomach infrastructure are over.

President Buhari proved this in the last elections. If money determines who wins election, former President Goodluck Jonathan would have won that election.

Edo people are tired, not tired of the party but tired of the recycled and reshuffled ideologically bereft politicians.

Those who are running for the governorship in the APC today, apart from one or two, are former members of the PDP, while those running in PDP are former APC/ Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Are you saying that not even the governor can do that?

I want to say this so that the governor can be mindful of what he is doing. In 2015, out of the three supposed candidates of the governor in the senatorial election, two lost. Senator Francis Alimikhena won in Edo North by a slim margin. That does not

Are you troubled that the governor is disposed to one of the aspirants in your party, and who happens to be your cousin?

The governor is not favouring anyone. He keeps saying that no man is God and that it is a game of one man, one vote. The governor is not a product of godfatherism, so he won’t subscribe to that. So, I say bring

it on because I will defeat all the aspirants on the field.

Don’t you see your family losing out over your insistence to contest the primaries against your cousin?

I want to make it clear that it was after due consultations with my corporate family that I declared my intention to run for the governorship of Edo State.

My family, at a well-attended festival in our patriarch’s palace in Benin on September 9, 2015 endorsed my ambition. And my cousin, Uncle Godwin happens to be my major supporter and I asked him to take me to Governor Oshiomhole because they are close.

It was on the day (September 24) that he was supposed to take me to the governor that he told me that he was also running for the governorship. My family is not divided and this is not an election, it is a party nomination.

If Uncle Godwin wins and he feels he needs my support, I will support him but I beg him to also support me if I win because I will need his support.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016—49

house

Godwin claims that his relationship with Africa’s richest man was when they served together on the governing council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE where he Godwin proved to be a truthful counsellor to the billionaire.

Pedro Obaseki unlike his uncle, however, is quick to tell whosoever is concerned that he has no such privilege of having billionaires as enthusiasts, rather he claims his support is from the masses, who he claims are supporting him through the crowd funding platform that was first introduced to these shores by Muhammadu Buhari last year. While Uncle Godwin is a renowned financial expert with great influence in boardrooms, Pedro or Don Pedro as he is fondly called has his niche remarkably drawn from various gamut of life. Radio Deejay, university lecturer, movie producer and administrator among others, the Don was a consultant to Raymond Dokpesi in the setting up of AIT and served as managing director of DAAR Communications Satellite Service, DAARSAT and was also the pioneer General Manager of DBN Television.

Given the high stake game they are involved in, it is not surprising that both Godwin and Don Pedro often shy away

from discussing their present relationship. Don Pedro, however, claims to have conceived a governorship aspiration and asked Uncle for his support.

However, both children of Obaseki play their game, they are not ignorant of the interest of other very strong contenders on the field desirous of the APC ticket among whom are Kenneth Imasuagbon, fondly known as the Rice Man with structures across the three senatorial districts, Prof. Osehrienmen Osunbor, a former governor of the state who has loyalists and possibly aides from his brief tenure hoping to revive their fortunes, the outgoing deputy governor with strong royal support, Chris Ogienmwonyi among many others.

However, no one is dismissing the prospect of the comrade governor overlooking the Obaseki family to pick a successor from outside the family in the event of his succession plan running aground. The prospect of such is especially so, given the saying that a house divided against itself cannot stand.

I can't distance myself from Oshiomhole’s success — GODWIN OBASEKI

Y

OU were part of the team that came in with Governor Adams Oshiomhole in 2008. Why was it that people didn’t get to know you until few years ago?

Certainly I was among the first and I will say that I paid to serve. Secondly, I thought that I would just come in and help organise things and go back to what I was doing. But as chairman of the Economic Team, I realised that what we had anticipated that existed in government did not exist.

I had on my instinct invited people to come and help the government to take off but I then realised that we cannot be talking about an economic policy or running an economy when there was no engine to drive the economy.

So, for me, I realised that it was much deeper, so I had to set up the Economic Team and institutionalise it and ensure that it was properly resourced to now support the Comrade’s effort.

My aim at that point was not become a political appointee.

So, to that extent I didn’t feel that I had to be in front. I was just there to support and help the Comrade Governor achieve the goals he had set out. And I felt that I would be more effective if I was apolitical.

We looked at decisions and issues dispassionately and the truth is that within the first two, three years, I had no interest in politics. I didn’t see myself dealing with the intrigues, subterfuge and

others.

It was during Governor Oshiomhole’s re-election that I understood and appreciated that one can fix the bureaucracy but it is beyond that because if you don’t also fix the politics, nothing will abide.

Looking at how far you and Governor Oshiomhole have come, can one say that your governorship ambition is payback time?

It is not payback because the question I had always asked after the governor ’s reelection is: Now that he is in the second and last term, what happens after him? The thought was always there;

•Godwin Obaseki: I can only improve on what Oshiomhole's has done

I cannot distance myself from any major policy of Governor Oshiomhole. I can only extend and improve on what he has done and we did it on the platform of our party – the APC

who will continue with what we started? But even if it was there, it wasn’t something that I pursued strongly because I didn’t see how I could even do that; the energy and time.

If you think about Nigeria’s politics before the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as president, you got to have a thick skin to be able to fight.

And, in any case, since I didn’t have that political background and history, it wasn’t something I thought about doing initially.

But after Buhari succeeded

despite all odds, I said it is possible. That gave me the perspective of the ability of an outsider to come in and take over power. More importantly, I looked around and said we’ve been here together in the last seven years; I cannot absolve myself of any key policy that was made.

And I said to myself, because the future is going to be more challenging than where we are coming from, we run a huge risk of losing the gains of what we have accomplished.

Do you stand a chance of picking the APC ’s ticket given the array of aspirants in the party?The truth is that after 16 weeks, I am the person to beat. A lot of political actors have failed to realise that the political environment has changed drastically; that the current economic reality is going to affect our politics more than we understand at the surface.

The thinking of most of them is let’s just grab power, once we are in Government House, everything will fall in place.

But I say that it is beyond that.

Being in Government House does not make things happen.

You have to possess the capability. With technology and improvement in our electoral process, people will now determine who governs them; people will now matter in the political process.

Having political structure alone will not in itself deliver political power.

The gist is that those worked for the emergence of Oshiomhole are not with you.

So, who is going to deliver you as governor?

First, Oshiomhole delivered himself. If he had not restored governance and built the infrastructure that he did. If he has not gotten the confidence of the people, nobody would have been able to perform any magic. People voted, and that’s the point I am making. Gone are the days when politicians think that the people don’t matter; when a few political elites will gather and say this is how we want it; when you can just carry the ballot boxes and fill in result sheets.

A lot of political actors just believe that there is a structure and system, so they don’t need to work. I have gone round the 18 local government areas in the state.

As I speak, I am going ward to ward. I have done 30 wards in the last two weeks and I am going to go round all the 192 wards. Somebody said something in one of the wards. He said: ‘But they said this man was imposed on the party but he is the only one that we are seeing. We don’t see those who were not imposed.’

Under whose credibility are you running; yours or that of Oshiomhole?

I don’t see the difference because I have been part of what we built in the last seven years. I cannot distance myself from any major policy of Governor Oshiomhole. I can only extend and improve on what he has done and we did it on the platform of our party – the APC. So, there is no difference as far as I am concerned.

C M Y K

50—Vanguard,THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

More than 30 percent RSA, unfunded —Trustfund Pensions

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

T

HE economic downturn is already hitting hard on the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, as Trustfund Pensions Plc, has raised alarm over more than 30 percent of Retirement Savings Accounts, RSAs that are unfunded.

The fund also warned that high employee turnover is a major contributor to the high number of unfunded and partially funded accounts in private sector.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Mrs. Helen Da-Souza, who spoke at th the 11 National Delegates Conference, NDC, of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, in Kano State, noted that misconceptions, apprehension and skepticism were parts of the challenges facing CPS. According to her: “It is pertinent to point out that, the implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, has witnessed general misconception, apprehension and skepticism among employers, employees and retirees alike.

Enlightenment by operators "In spite of frequent explanations and enlightenment by operators on the difference between the old and new Pensions Schemes, a lot of employees, both in the public and private sectors are still firmly of the opinion that the CPS is the same old scheme.

"Some employers, especially the recalcitrant ones in the private Sector, hide behind such beliefs to resist complying with the Pension Reform Act, PRA 2014.

"A most disturbing clog in the wheel of progress of the CPS is the non-remittance of pension contributions. Employers and State Government deduct the pension contribution from their employees and fail to remit these deductions and the employer counterpart to the PFAs. This is a major reason why over 30% of Retirement Savings Accounts, RSAs, are unfunded.”

Da-Souza also expressed worries over high employee turnover in the private sector, lamenting that “Organized Labour in the private sector face a herculean task in organizations where there is high employee turnover, such as the construction companies.

C M Y K

A cross section of pensioners at a sensitization programme in Lagos.

"Often times, these unions battle with the conditions of service of employment while negotiating to ensure that their disengaged members are not short-changed in terms of their

benefits and entitlements. High employee turnover is a major contributor to the high number of unfunded and partially funded accounts in these organisations. Labour’s

contribution to the success of the implementation of the CPS in the area of enlightenment and mobilization of its members cannot be over emphasised.

This is in addition to its role of

Prepare for retirement to avoid lamentation, says 56 years old pensioner FORMER staff of Federal Inland Revenue Service, 56 years old Mr Umaru Joel Abdul, retired from service on July 31, 2013, after 23 years.

In this interview with Pension and You, Mr. Abdul said both his retirement benefits including gratuity have been paid, he talks about other issues.

Exercepts Stories by Gloria Dokwu least, I invested my gratuity into some areas which later ID you retire voluntarily? turned into something else. In I retired on a normal fact, I am into business and count retirement. also into transportation.

How long did you prepare From your experience for your retirement? so far, what is your advice I started preparation for to those still working? retirement in 2012.

I think the advice I have for How has your those that are working is that retirement life been? two years before to your Well, I think retirement life retirement is already late. It is is another face of life entirely. good to prepare for this It is not easy but then one will retirement even 10 years have to accept it like that. So, *Abdul ahead so that you can retire since I retired from the service Like I told you earlier that well. It is just because some I knew that after a while, it is no longer business as of us do not care and we never things were no longer usual, I tried several ways to prepared early enough that is business as usual. see what I can do but you why we find ourselves in the What have you been doing know things are not really condition we find ourselves since retirement? working out as expected. At today.

D

Best way to live out retirement is to keep working-Ex-serviceman Stephen Egueme, 70 years old ex-service man, retired from Nigerian Army in March 1986, after over 20 years in service.

S

PEAKING with Pension and You, he confirmed that his r a t u i t y has been paid while he is also receiving his monthly pension.

According to him, I retired on request and I used three months to prepare for my retirement. Since then, I have been managing with the pension. I earlier worked with Nigerian Legion, but later stopped.

On his advice to those still in service, he said “I advice those working to keep on working.” g

*Egueme

enforcing compliance with the Pension Reform Act , PRA 2014 by employers.

“Labour is key in enforcing compliance on the part of the employers as it is common knowledge that a large number of employers would ordinarily not want to comply with the PRA but for Labour mediation. This has helped a great deal in improving partici pation by the private sector.

"We look forward to working with your union, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC in the area of mobilizing the affiliates of the NLC and the TUC to enlist their members. Trustfund is the only PFA in the country where the Trade Unions have real interests, as the NLC and TUC are institutional investors with 10 and 5 per cent shares in the company respectively.”

Retirement life, not easy-Apeh 57 years old retired policemen, Simon Apeh, who left the service after 20 years in 1997 voluntarily, said while his gratuity has been paid, his pension is also being paid.

*Apeh

A

CCORDING to him: “Retirement life is not that easy because the constitution warrants the federal government to increase our pension whenever other government officials’ salaries are increased. But they don’t follow it like that.

He said he has been retired for one year and since retirement, I have been a Pastor.

On his advice to those still working, he said, “My advice to those working is that they should be loyal to their duty, punctual and effective.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016—51

Home-based writers lack good editorial management — Kole Omotosho

By Prisca Sam-Duru Kole Omotosho is one of the Patrons of the prestigious Etisalat Prize for Literature and one of Nigeria’s veteran writers who has played leading roles in promoting African literature globally. In this interview, Omotosho shares his thoughts on the essence of Etisalat Prize for Literature, why no Nigerian has won the prize since inception and other sundry issues affecting writers.

Excerpt.

A

SIDE giving writers oppor tunity to showcase their debut novels, what has the Etisalat Prize For Literature done?

We try to define an area which we thought is not being catered for and also to expand the field so that its not just writers who are based on the continent and blacks writing in Englsh but writers irrespective of their language. Once the writers have ancestral link to Africa, their publishers can make their novels available. Also, to encourage quality works, we don’t deal with self publishing because of lack of critical...though I’ve known a few writers like Ken Saro Wiwa who would do incredible editing of their works as if they belong to somebody else. Yet we insist publishers make the works available. Insisting that publishers submit works of writers is just to ensure that there has been prior editing and re-editing because by the time you read a page or two of the poorly edited works you know they aren’t going anywhere. It is a major criteria that we don’t want self published works in the competition.

We’ve seen Zimbabwe, South Africa and DRC Congo come tops, considering quality of their works, how would you rate

•Prof Kole Omotosho African literature?

There’s no problem with the quality of works, our problem is how do we find the market for African literature, how do we create a ready market for it, and this is where Etisalat Prize is different. This Prize has a list of more than 50 outlets, libraries across the continent where copies of these books are sent each year.

I have about 5 different libraries, one in Cape Town, Jo’Burg, two in Akure, etc where I send each copy of the three final books to, each year. And I get feedback on how much people are reading them. So one of the things the Etisalat Prize does is to do the distribution to schools, state libraries and anywhere, just to make sure we find readers for African literature.

Are you not bothered that for three consecutive times, no Nigerian has won the Etisalat Prize For Literature.?

I’m not bothered , why should I be bothered, most of the people who have been winning the

Booker Prize are not all English people. People who win the Pulitzer Prize in America, Dele Olajede... we cannot begin with that limited vision. Yes, I think two or three Nigerians have appeared in the long and short list but its up to the judges, I don’t know what the result is gonna be until it is announced. None of us received the long list or shortlist. I mean I’ve

There is no problem with the quality of works, our problem is how do we find market for African literature..... and this is where Etisalat Prize is different

just started reading these three final books and I’m hoping that

by Saturday I would have finished them so that by the time the result is announced I would be able to say okay, this or that.

I’m not bothered.

Could it be that there is something we are not getting right?

Yes! there are things we are not getting right, our writings especially of those who are at home are not as tight and as rigorous as the writings by Nigerians outside.

You read Teju Coal or any of these other guys and compare with what is being published in the country, you will be surprised. There is need for greater editorial management but how many publishers in this country care about manuscripts. So the writer is thrown on his or her own and that is where work has to be done. We cannot interfere in terms of who wins or who doesn’t win.

After winning some laurels in the 80s, you moved to South Africa, what motivated such movement when you were already doing great?

Well the circumstance of my leaving Nigeria was basically, two things, I had a primary challenge with ‘Just Before Dawn’ when it came out, the Military going all out simply threatening saying that they are not going to court, they are not going to do anything, Obasanjo went to court to stop the publication of the book because he said I said something which he said wasn’t right, so I decided to simply get out and let my publisher handle it.The second was more of a fundamental problem. As a university professor, I looked at my prospects and I looked at the children I had to train and I couldn't see how if I continue as a university professor in Nigeria, I would be able to give them good education as I received from my parents. So, to that extent, I needed to go somewhere where I could be myself, practice my art as a

World Theatre Day: Profs Oduneye, Osofisan, others bag TFT award

By Japhet Alakam

O

NE of the lines in the Nigeria’s national anthem read, “ the labours of our heroes past shall never be in vain” and in line with that one of Nigeria’s leading theatre production companies, Thespian Family Theatre & Productions,TFT, recently honoured veteran theatre practitioners for their unrelenting efforts at promoting theatre arts and entertainment in Nigeria.

Those honoured include Nigeria’s matriarch of theatre, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett; Poet, Odia Ofeimun; acclaimed theatre practitioner and Professor of Theatre Arts, Kwara State University and first African recipient of the prestigious Thalia Prize by the International Association of Theatre Critics, Professor Femi Osofisan.

Also honoured were former

•A scene from Ayo Jaiyesimi's stage play ITAN Artistic Director of the National Troupe, Professor Bayo Oduneye; prolific Director and theatre teacher, Jahman Anikulapo; acclaimed Writer, Journalist, Culture Activist and Actor Ben Tomoloju.

Mr Tomoloju also doubles as a Playwright and Theatre Director who directed Ayo Jaiyesimi’s ÌTÀN. At the ceremony, the partici-

pants and other theatre lovers were thrilled to Ayo Jaiyesimi’s ÌTÀN stage play which was a rich blend of cultural and contemporary drama, music and dance, capturing the modern day relational tension between different generations.

The resounding message of ‘the oneness of man’ was excitingly projected and very well received by the audience at the

shows that had earlier been staged at the Lagos Theatre Festival 2016 and then recently, at MUSON Centre in Lagos. Speaking at the event, founder of Thespian Family Theatre & Productions, Ayo Jaiyesimi commended the veterans for the exemplary standards that they had set.

She also applauded the cast and technical crew of ÌTÀN (the Story) stage play who thrilled theatre lovers through out the shows from February through March.

She said: “Theatre is part of Nigeria’s entertainment roots.

It allows us to showcase our culture and amazing talents such as the actors that performed and the veterans who did not give up on the industry. I envision the Nigerian theatre industry being recognised globally for its originality and talent base in the next few years.

theatre person, do my teaching and writing. At that particular time, South Africa was going through major changes, but teaching engagements as well as theatre in London and Lesotho kept me busy as time went on.

One of the things that happened was that I did a small advert for an emerging phone company, Vodacom that became one of the major companies in the world and that cut on, for almost 15 to 20 years, I was involved in that and of course that gave me a greater profile in the country.

Yinka Davies, Kanu for Edak Willie Foundation’s workshop, book launch

By Prisca Sam-Duru

V

ERSATILE artiste, vocalist, dancer, lyricist and judge of reality show, Nigerian Idol, Yinka Davies is among top Nigerian artistes who will grace the launching of Edak Willie Empowerment Foundation launch, book presentation and documentary film screening.

Yinka Davies will thrill guests at the event which holds today, Thursday 7th April, at Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos, to celebrate World Health Day. According to Willie, the producer of the popular television magazine programme, Edak Willie Show, the book presentation and documentary are on Lassa fever adding that “It is Lassa Fever/Environmental Hygiene Sensitization Workshop for young Nigerians. It is organized

by Edak Willie Empowerment Foundation. Yinka Davies and Albert Kanu will perform and apart from the workshop, there is also a book presentation and documentary film screening.”

She disclosed that while HRM Oba Dokun Thompson, the Olooni of Eti-Oni, Osun State is Royal Father of the day, dignitaries will include Nollywood stars and musicians, Commissioner of Health Lagos State, Dr. Jide Idris, Commissioner of Health Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Dominic Ukpong, Commissioner of Health Bayelsa State, and Hon. Abike Dabiri Erewa, SSA on Foreign Affair and the Diaspora to President Buhari, etc. The event, she hinted, is in line with what Edak Willie Show, a 30 minutes TV magazine is designed to achieve in terms of educating its viewers on health and lifestyle issues.

“Sadly, norms and opinions in African societies today are still fuelled by ignorance. Man lives in constant fear of what he does not understand and so attributes it to the sketchy regions of the supernatural. The Edak Willie’ show aims to throw light on these issues thereby bring about better understanding for viewers through knowledge-based discourse”, Willie said.

52 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

Sports Editors’ Guild bemoan Eagles AFCON ouster •Say N19bn lost by Media

T

HE League of Nigerian Sports Editors, has said in wry that Nigeria’s back to back non-qualification for Africa’s Premier football competition, the Nations Cup, was a great set-back not only to the growth of the game but to the media, football administrators and the generality of Nigerians.

In a statement issued by the body’s President Tony Ubani and signed by the Secretary General, Dare Esan, the Editors’ Guild said that with the array of talents available to Nigeria, it was almost unthinkable that the country will not make it to the AFCON Championship in Gabon.

Part of the problems, the body observed is the appointment and sacking of technical staff in the national team and the constant quarrel among the football fraternity in the country. “Unity is key and we must be united at all times in pursuing the fame and wealth that football brings to the countr y ”, the statement observed.

The editors further stated that the media alone, print and electronic, may have

lost over N19billion in advert and sponsorship revenue as a result of the non-qualification of the Super Eagles for the January Afcon championships that will hold in Gabon.

It therefore called for immediate preparation for the next Nations Cup championship in 2019 and the World Cup in Russia in 2018.

“If it’s true that Nigeria want to host the Afcon Championship after the tournament in Gabon, now is the time to get government guarantee and throw everything

into preparations of both the team and facilities needed for the championship.

Nigerians have suffered enough pain

in other sectors and we cannot afford to allow football which is our source of succour bring more misery on Nigerians”.

Continues from BP NFF boss and his fellow Board members. Elder Oyewole, a renowned Match Commissioner in the Nigeria Professional Football League, in the note titled “A Personal Appeal To The NFF On A New Coach”, reminded the country ’s football administrators that “No foreigner can love us more than ourselves,” and asked, “Hasn’t the best European coaches failed, Jose Mourinho, Luis van Gaal, Raphael Benitez, among others?”

The Chairman, Spark Communications Limited, the new owner of Sketch Press Limited, advised the NFF that they should rather stick to a Nigerian coach who should be given the task of combing the local league for the talents that abound there. “Let us get a Nigerian coach, give him

a mandate to concentrate on the local league as a platform to put together a new team (and) you will be amazed at the outcome,” Elder Oyewole stressed, however, cautioning Pinnick to “check the overbearing attitude of your technical committee members.”

Meanwhile, a group by the name Sports Marketers Association of Nigeria couple of days ago in Abuja, protested to the Youth and Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung, rejecting the plan of the NFF president to appoint of a foreign coach for the Eagles. “We are rejecting his move to sign a foreign coach in totality because it is not all about foreign coach. Part of the reasons Oliseh resigned was because they could not pay his salary which is less than what the foreign coach will be requesting.”

Amuneke opens Flying Eagles’ camp H EAD Coach of the Nigeria U-20 boys, Emmanuel Amuneke has opted to have a three –day open screening for new players ahead of the team’s camping for a 2017 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations qualifying fixture against Burundi.

Burundi progressed to be eligible to square up with Cup holders Nigeria after the Democratic Republic of Congo withdrew from the race.

Amuneke has called for open screening between

Le Roy

Continues from BP talks with the West African countr y, the Togo Football Federation yesterday announced the engagement of the Africa Cup of Nations veteran. With his engagement, it is now clear that the choice open to the Nigeria Football Federation may have been narrowed to the only other Frenchman on their radar, Paul Le Guen Togo appointed Claude LeRoy to replace Tom Saintfiet. LeRoy, 68, has worked on the continent for almost 30 years and has coached at a record eight Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.

He has signed a threeyear contract and is tasked with trying to

President of AIDS, Mitchel Obi at the Awards night of the Moroccan Sports Press Association.

Oyewole begs Pinnick

qualify Togo for the 2017 Nations Cup in Gabon.

Togo are third in their qualifying group, two points behind leaders Liberia, who they play away in June.

LeRoy admitted: “We need a miracle to qualify for the 2017 Nations Cup, perhaps as the best second-placed team.”

However, Le Roy has the pedigree to turn around Togo’s fortunes.

He guided Cameroon to the 1988 Nations Cup title and has only failed to reach the quarterfinals once.

Among the other countries he has coached at the c o n t i n e n t a l championship are Senegal, Ghana, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Thursday, 7th April and Saturday, 9th April before a group of 30 invited players will arrive camp in Abuja on Monday, 11th April.

Team secretary Ibrahim Aliyu Lawal told thenff.com that 30 invited players will be camped at the Serob Legacy Hotel, in the Federal Capital Territory, ahead of the first leg of the fixture scheduled for Bujumbura on the weekend of 20th - 22nd May. The return leg will hold in Nigeria two weeks after.

The group of invited players is dominated by Nigeria’s 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup winners, including goalkeeper Akpan Udoh and attacking midfielders Chukwudi Agor and Orji Okoronkwo.

WINNERS: Chairman, Edo State Government Economic and Strategy Team, Godwin Obaseki (3rd left); Vice President, FROT Group, Regina Momoh (middle); Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Edo State, Henry Idiahagbon (3rd right); presenting the cash prize to captain of Ineh Stars, winners of the 2016 FROT Group/Edo FA Cup winners

Falcons arrive Dakar, train at match venue

T

HE Super Falcons arrived in Dakar on Wednesday morning ahead of their Africa Women Cup of Nations qualifying fixture with Senegal on Friday evening.

According to the schedule, the squad had their first training session hours after arrival at the Stade Demba Diop, venue of the game between the two West African teams.

Moroccan referee Lamyaa Lourarhi will

handle the match and he will be assisted by 41year-old female referee Souad Oulhaj, with Zahra Jalal the assistant referee 2.

Lourarhi officiated the first leg of the 2016 FIFA U-17 World Cup qualifier between Nigeria and Namibia in Abuja.

The Super Falcons have qualified for every edition of the Africa Women Cup of Nations since its inception.

Champions League: Enyimba fired up to reach group stage – Abu Azeez group stage and therefore

E

NYIMBA forward Abu Azeez has said his club are determined to overcome Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia to reach the moneyspinning stage of this year’s CAF Champions League.

Enyimba welcome the Tunisia league leaders on Sunday in Port Harcourt with the return leg in Tunisia slated for the weekend of April 19-20.

“We have to be in the

we are going to fight for it.

This is the Champions League, if you want to go far you must overcome small and big teams,” former Warri Wolves star Azeez told the Enyimba official website

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016 — 53

C M Y K

54 —

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016 — 55

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2016

Results

Sports Editors’ Guild bemoan Eagles AFCON ouster — P.52

NPFL

Foreign coach: Togo grabs Le Roy T

HE unending d r a m a surrounding the employment of a new manager for the Super Eagles may have forced Frenchman, Claude Le Roy, who was a contender for the job to jump at the offer put forward to him by the Togolese Football Federation.

Within days of opening Continues on Page 52

•Pinnick

Akwa Utd Giwa Ifeanyi Ubah Lobi MFM FC Tornadoes Rivers Utd Shooting

1 2 2 1 1 2 1 2

Abia Warriors Kano Plateau Wikki Enugu Sunshine El Kanemi Ikorodu Utd

2 0 0 1 1 2 0 0

NPFL: Ifeanyi Uba FC overtake Rangers

F

C IfeanyiUbah are the new leaders of the Nigeria league after they beat visiting Plateau United 2-0 to topple Enugu Rangers at the top of the standings.

IfeanyiUbah now have 19 points from 10 matches.

Erstwhile leaders Rangers could only manage a 1-1 draw at MFM FC and have now recorded 18 points.

Cameroonian midfielder Tamen Medrano gave IfeanyiUbah a comfortable home win when moments after coming off the bench, he struck from 20 yards to

double the home team’s advantage.

Ivorian Pascal Seka gave IfeanyiUbah a first-half lead from the penalty spot in the 18th minute, when goalbound Bright Onyedikachi was brought down inside the box.

In Lagos, former Nigeria U20 star Obinna Nwobodo put Rangers ahead in the 36th minute courtesy of a brilliant solo effort.

However, MFM drew level after 68 minutes through a superb volley by Stephen Odey.

Don’t appoint foreign coach for Eagles, Oyewole begs Pinnick

BY PATRICK OMORODION

A

•Le Roy

voice of dissent from Ibadan, Oyo State has been added on the planned appointment of a foreign coach for the

Super Eagles following the team’s inability to qualify for a second consecutive Africa Nations Cup scheduled to hold in Gabon in 2017.

Former Chairman of the Shooting Stars Football Club of Ibadan, Elder

Bode Oyewole joined those opposed to NFF president, Amaju Pinnick’s vow to engage a foreigner to handle the Eagles with a personal note of appeal to the

Continues on Page 52

•Medrano

QUICK CROSSWORD

T OD AY'S PUZZLE ODA

FRI DAY'S ANS WERS FRID ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Abandon (6) 5 Comply (4) 8 Presage (5) 9 Meadow (3) 10 Record (4) 11 Cultivate (4) 12 Twenty (5) 13 Appeared (6) 16 Lake (4) 18 Part (4) 20 Curve (3) 22 Unhappy (3) 23 Moose (3) 24 Singer (4) 25 Detail (4) 28 Guard (6) 30 Fragment (5) 32 Mirth (4) 33 Vessel (4) 34 Expert (3) 35 Grown-up (5) 36 Entrance (4) 37 Modern (6)

DOWN 1 Deceive (6) 2 Sturdy (8) 3 Save (6) 4 Followed (9) 5 Affront (7) 6 Cheese (4) 7 Shout (4) 8 Donkey (3) 14 Attractive (9) 15 Enquire (3) 17 Rodent (3) 19 Estrange (8) 20 Beer (3) 21 Surrender (7) 26 Spirit (6) 27 Coming (6) 29 Expectant (4) 30 Chair (4) 31 Tankard (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Scrape 5, Ring 8 Towed 9, Aim 10, Seem 11, Lost 12, Appal 13, Asleep 16, Real 18, Edit 20, One 22, Nil 23, Dim 24, Sign 25, Eden 28, Defile 30, Abort 32, Veil 33, Arch 34, Eft 35, Deity 36, Died 37, Writer.

DOWN: 1, Seaman 2, Rambling 3, Pester 4, Compelled 5, Related 6, Idol 7, Gate 8, Tea 14, Penetrate 15, Vim 17, Aid 19, Diligent 20, Oil 21, Enabled 26, Nether 27, Better 29, Avid 30, Aide 31, Try.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace 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.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355. Advert Dept Hotline: 014544821. Abuja Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.