OBJ/PDP ELDERS TO JONATHAN: Sack Tukur, Baraje; hold new convention

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61964

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

Palace chiefs ask Olu of Warri to •P.51 rescind statement

Ozekhome may be released today •P.11

OBJ/PDP ELDERS TO JONATHAN:

Sack Tukur, Baraje; hold new convention •Ask him to produce a neutral chairman •Anenih, Akpabio to suggest deputy chairman •OBJ to select S-West officers, wants Ladoja as National Sec.

•Jonathan likely to reject proposals •APC irrelevant in our crisis — Olisa Metuh Why foreign investors shun Nigeria — EU •P.12

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

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AGOS—THE Kawu Baraje and Bamanga Tukur factions of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP were last night poised for a Continues on page 6

•P.21

COLUMNISTS:

DELE SOBOWALE •P.36

LES LEBA •P.44

GUEST COLUMNIST GORDON•P.53

Mr & Mrs

DINNER: President Goodluck Jonathan flanked by Vice President Namadi Sambo (L) and the National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, while the Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih (R) watches during the Post-National Convention Dinner of the party at the Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Jonathan, Gordon Brown launch 8 back-to-school campaign for 10.5m children C M Y K

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POCKET CARTOON

YOUTH SUMMIT—First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan being received on arrival at the San Jose Airport by Ambassador Zhiri Hydia, Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico, for this year's Global Youth Summit on Internet Security holding in Costa-Rica.

Sack Tukur, Baraje, PDP elders tell Jonathan Continues from page 1 long standoff, following apparent efforts by the

Presidency to fight off proposals being articulated by the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo-led

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

The acronyms of LOVE: L- listen(paying attention, comprehended listening) O- observe (study one another) V- value (honour) E- embrace (acceptance) Life and Living is based on Love.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Beware of allowing a tactless word, a rebuttal, to obliterate the whole sky —Anaïs Nin This story shared by Steve Goodier best illustrates the principle of tactfulness, being nice to others even though it seems their behaviour deserves much less from us. In reality, how a person treats you is their concern and how you react is up to you. Remember, that no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.

A well-to-do woman sipped tea with a younger and not-so-well to do acquaintance on the veranda of her spacious mansion. “When my first child was born,” she said, “I decided to do something especially nice for myself. So I built this exquisite home.”

“Well, isn’t that nice,” said the other with a bright smile.

“And on my 40th birthday I bought myself that beautiful antique Rolls Royce in the driveway. Why, I think it’s the most gorgeous automobile in the world.” “Well, isn’t that nice,” said her friend.

“And for no reason at all, I decided I needed a special gift, so I acquired the most wonderful collection of ridiculously expensive art I only show to my most cherished friends. I hope you can see it someday.” “Well, isn’t that nice,” came the pleasant response.

“Now tell me, what have you done for yourself lately?” she asked.“ I went to charm school.”

“Charm school! What on earth for?” The younger lady muttered silently to herself “So when I feel like saying, ‘Lady, who gives a rip?’ I smile and say, ‘Well, isn’t that nice.’” How often is tact just having something you want to say and not saying it?

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elders' committee.

The elders committee which met at the weekend following meetings with the two factions, it was learnt, had made some proposals towards resolution of the crisis in the party. Among the recommendations were dissolution of the executives of the Tukur and Barajeled factions of the party and the scheduling of a fresh convention for the election of a fresh and united executive. Under the arrangement it was learnt the office of National Chairman will be conceded to President Goodluck Jonathan; Deputy National Chairman conceded to either the Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, Chief Tony Anenih, or Governor Godswill Akpabio, Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum. Both Anenih and Akpabio are from the South-South where the office of Deputy National Chairman is zoned to.

Obasanjo favours Ladoja as National Secretary The office of National Secretary and other offices zoned to the SouthWest it was learnt, would be conceded to President Obasanjo who, it was learnt, was already set to shove his new-found friend, Senator Rasheed

Ladoja for the prime position.

Proposal for Amaechi's return Under the proposals, the Adamawa and Rivers State executives of the party that were put at abeyance on account of the lingering crises in the party will be restored just as Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State who was suspended would be reinstated upon expiration of the 30-day period as provided by the constitution.

Meanwhile, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh has fended off insinuations of a role by the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC in the crisis in the party. Metuh, in a session with newsmen in Lagos, said the APC is too insignificant and minuscule to be a factor in what he described as an intra-party dispute. He also put in a robust defence of Tukur's leadership of the party, describing the National Chairman as the kind of elixir needed to manage the PDP at this time.

The Obasanjo panel included Anenih and former military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.

The report is yet to be presented to President Jonathan who is the

leader of the party.

In proposing a fresh convention, sources disclosed that the Obasanjo panel was not unmindful of the financial implications of holding a new convention but as it was learnt, panellists were said to have affirmed that “money should not be a hindrance to doing the right thing.”

Jonathan 2015 The panel report did not touch on the sensitive matter of President Jonathan contesting another term in office. Vanguard learnt that the panel decided not to touch the issue because of both parties' strong positions on it.

However, there were indications that President Jonathan may not acquiesce to the proposals as raised by the elders.

Presidency sources disclosed that dissolving the Tukur executive and going with most of the other recommendations would mean the Presidency losing its present advantages.

In an apparent effort to bolster its forces in the ensuing battle, it was learnt that three ad-hoc committees were constituted by the President before he travelled to Kenya last week to articulate possible solutions to the crisis.

The committees it was learnt include Legal, Political and Contact. The committees are now working on ways of quenching the crisis in the party and to contain the Baraje forces. Presidency sources disclosed that the committees are to propose their recommendations to the President tomorrow.

The President, it was learnt, was inclined towards a holistic solution of the crisis to restore order in the party without

condoning indiscipline.

In that direction, the President it was understood, may not give in to the demands of some of the governors that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC be pulled out from investigating some states. Some of the seven governors aligned to the Baraje faction of the party were alleged to have bitterly complained of being harassed by the EFCC purely on political grounds.

We give no attention to APC Meanwhile, the Chief Olisa Metuh has dismissed insinuations of the involvement of the APC in the unfolding crisis in the ruling party.

Metuh in an interview in Lagos said: "The APC as currently constituted has no capacity, no power to have any influence whatsoever in the challenges in the party and they are of no consequences whatsoever and we do not pay any attention to them.

They have no power, no influence, no position, no capacity to influence anything that is happening in the party.

“The APC is insignificant and they are unimportant in the scheme of things. What is important to us as a party is to resolve with our brothers and to have a final resolution of this matter, to be in one accord and have unity with our brothers so that the PDP can continue to rule. But the role of APC is non-existent in this matter. They are unimportant, they are insignificant and of no effect and we do not pay attention to the APC as a body and the individuals therein. They are of no consequence whatsoever.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013—7

Man stabs lover to death in Bomadi

BY EMMA AMAIZE

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ARRI — THERE was pandemonium in the riverside Bomadi community, Bomad Local Government Area, Delta State, weekend, when a jealous young man allegedly stabbed his girlfriend to death with a broken bottle.

The killer-boyfriend, identified as Lucky, who escaped being lynched by an irate mob, it was gathered, had a misunderstanding with the girl over alleged fidelity.

The deceased, who, it was gathered, did not take kindly to his rebuke, walked out on Lucky, but the furious boyfriend gave her several slaps.

A source said: “It was when the girl was trying to fight back that the boy went for a bottle of beer, hit it on his head before stabbing the girl. When he saw that the girl was bleeding profusely, he attempted to run, but was apprehended by onlookers."

Vanguard gathered that the girl's corpse had been deposited at Bomadi General Hospital.

Police apprehend five for raping teenager, robbery

BY PETER DURU

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AKURDI — MEN of the Benue State Police Command have arrested a three-man gang, which allegedly kidnapped and raped a 15-year-old girl in Makurdi, the Benue State capital.

Also nabbed by the command was a two-man robbery gang, which specialised in dispossessing their victims of their Ipads and computers.

According to a statement by the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr Daniel Ezeala, the police were “alerted by a man that his 15-year-old cousin was last Friday repeatedly raped by a fourman gang, which kidnapped her at 7:30pm.

“They abducted their victim into a red Toyota Camry and drove her to Apir, in the outskirts of Makurdi town, where they took turns to have carnal knowledge of her against her consent."

BABY FACTORY: Hairdresser, 3 others nabbed in Enugu zPregnant girl, baby recovered

BY TONY EDIKE

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NUGU — AN Enugua s e d female hairdresser, Ifeoma Obike, who allegedly combined her business with the illicit trade of baby factory, has been arrested by operatives of Anti Human Trafficking Unit of the Criminal Investigation Department of Enugu State Police Command.

Ifeoma, who claimed to be a native of Oguta in Imo State and a popular hairstylist in New Haven, Enugu, according to the police, allegedly tried to augment her earnings from her legitimate business by engaging in the “baby for sale” trade which had been thriving in many parts of the South-East for some time.

Ifeoma who claimed to have five children out of wedlock, however, denied being involved in child trafficking but she was found with a baby, which she claimed belonged to her sister in Lagos.

The police said she would be taken to Lagos to confirm her claim though the operatives doubted her because the baby was too tender to be cared for by any person other than her mother.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who announced the arrest of Ifeoma and three members of the syndicate, weekend, said the long arm of the law caught up with them last Thursday when men of the Anti Human Trafficking squad, acting on a tip off, swooped on them.

He said: “On September 5, 2013, the long arm of the law visited Ifeoma as the operatives of the Anti Human Trafficking Unit of the state Criminal and Investigation Department of the Enugu State police command, acting on information received that Ifeoma combines the newly discovered lucrative business of baby factory with the saloon business, arrested her and someone whom she identified as a wouldbe husband.

“The alleged fiancé, a patent medicine dealer and self-acclaimed doctor and the pregnant girl, who was on the verge of delivery, Ujunwa, were apprehended and are now being interrogated.”

He said Ifeoma had taken Ujunwa into custody to enable her deliver her baby from an unwanted pregnancy with the intention of taking the baby, adding that they had agreed that Ujunwa would upon delivery be settled with N100,000 to forfeit her baby. b

Ujunwa (middle), Ifeoma (2nd right) with the baby and suspected members of the syndicate

My ordeal, by Ujunwa Ujunwa, who narrated her ordeal to the police, said she was impregnated by someone and had wanted to abort the pregnancy.

Confused about what to do with the pregnancy, Ujunwa who hails from Ituku in Awgu Local Government Area of the state, went to a patent medicine dealer identified as Obinna of Obofia Awkunanaw but resides in New Haven Extension, Enugu, to abort it but was advised to keep the baby.

Before then, she had made attempts to get rid of the baby to no avail.

“Obinna, however, linked

Ujunwa with Ifeoma who would take care of her pregnancy and later be given N100,000 after delivery to forfeit the baby which Ifeoma will at the appropriate time, sell to couples desirous of baby,” the police spokesman said.

According to him, Ujunwa further disclosed that while she was with Ifeoma, “the woman insisted that if her financial condition dwindles, that the initial agreed amount of N100,000 could be reduced to an amount that she can afford.

“One of the accomplices, a native of Ezeagu, who was also apprehended, denied being part of the syndicate. But he revealed that there was a certain time a pregnant girl was brought to him to be delivered of a baby, which

he carried out and later the baby was released to someone identified as a sister to the girl and that he also issued a receipt for the hospital expenses incurred.”

On his part, Obike from Isiukwuato, Abia State, whom Ifeoma described as her fiancé, revealed that he was yet to marry Ifeoma even though they have five children, whose whereabouts could not be explained.

Obike, who claimed to be a businessman dealing on wears, however, declined to give further details about the baby found in possession of his alleged fiancée.

Amaraizu said that full investigations into the matter had already commenced with a view to ascertaining further details of the illicit activities of the syndicate.

Navy arrests Cameroonian, 9 Nigerians over alleged crude oil theft

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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ENAGOA —THE Nigerian Navy has arrested a Cameroonian and nine Nigerians on board a vessel laden with diesel, suspected to have been stolen on the Atlantic fringe of Brass in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The suspects were intercepted, weekend, by operatives of the Forward Operating Base, FOB, of the Nigerian Navy known as FORMOSO. According to the navy, the suspects were apprehended on board a vessel, MT

Pauline, loaded with over 360,000 litres of diesel suspected to have been stolen.

The captain of the vessel, according to a statement by the Central Naval Command, yesterday, in Yenagoa, was unable to tender relevant documents, such as the NPA bunkering permit, the certificate of registration with the joint task force and the approval for the movement of petroleum product by the naval headquarters.

The statement by the Command Operations Officer, Commodore Emmanuel Enemor, said: “On September 6, 2013, at 8 am, a Naval pa-

trol team from the Forward Operating Base, FORMOSO, intercepted and arrested MT Pauline offshore Brass River in the Brass council area of Bayelsa State. " At the time of arrest, the vessel was loaded with over 360,000 litres of diesel. The ship was arrested with 10 crew members made up of nine Nigerians and a Cameroonian.”

The arrest and many others recorded in the past, according to the statement, “is a clear display of the determination of the Navy commands to eradicate oil theft, illegal bunkering and other illegalities in the maritime environment.”

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8—Vanguard , MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

Jonathan launches back-to-school campaign for 10.5m children P

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan will, today, host the world, with Gordon Brown, former British Prime Minister and the United Nations Special Envoy for Education in attendance, as Nigeria launches a campaign to return 10.5 million outof-school children back to school.

It will be recalled that on Thursday, Mr. Gordon Brown brought two young women together in an online video exchange.

They are Ojonwa Miachi, an Economics graduate from Bingham University in Karu, who is Nigeria’s National Youth Advocate for Universal Education and the Millennium Development Goals; and Malala Yousafzai, the 16-year-old Pakistani girl shot by the Taliban and has also had to leave her country.

Both are demanding what 57 million girls and boys like them cannot have— the right to go to school even in times of conflict and, as a result, both see themselves at the centre of a 21st-century civil rights struggle.

This freedom fight— as Malala and Ojonwa show— is now being led not by familiar adult voices but by young people themselves.

Malala said: “Innocent girls only want to empower themselves through education. Obtaining education is every man and woman’s birthright and no

one is allowed to take away this right from them.”

Ojonwa and Malala’s missions— to get girls to school—are the inspiration behind today’s Abuja summit, led by President Jonathan and Nigeria’s state governors.

The landmark event will bring cabinet ministers, state governors and state education commissioners together with global development partners to get Nigeria’s 10 million out-of-school children into education.

Event's mission

Today’s event will discuss how Nigeria can allocate new financial support for school building,

teachers' recruitment, teachertraining and new technology with tablets, phones and online school courses.

This is part of a global initiative to get every boy and girl to school by the end of 2015. The movement will build a world where for the first time no boy or girl is denied their right to education.

Leaders will assemble from USAID, Qatar ’s Educate a Child, led by Sheikha Moza, from the Global Partnership for Education, whose head is Alice Albright, and from the global business community led by the Global Business Coalition for Education.

Each will pledge additional support.

The United Kingdom is also ready to boost its help this year with a visit from the Permanent Head of Department for International Development, DFID. Ojonwa, who spoke to Malala on the video link about her fight for education for girls in Nigeria, emphasised the scale of the uphill struggle the country has to face. The aim is to move the country with the world’s largest population of out-of-school children to universal education.

Out of school

Ten million children are yet to go to school because of teach-

Solutions

SERVICE: From left— Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; his wife, Ebere; Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Commission, Dr. Osita Chidoka, and his wife, Mrs. Chidoka, after a special thanksgiving service for Chidoka's family at the Cathedral Church of The Advent, Gwarimpa, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Abayomi Adeshida.

Security fears at Akanu Ibiam Int'l Airport

BY TONY EDIKE

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NUGU—THERE are fears that Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, may become transit route for drug traffickers as screening machines and other essential facilities that would enhance smooth operation were yet to be provided at the airport, which commenced international commercial flights on August 24.

However, the security issues raised by some concerned users of the airport, during the maiden flag-off of international flight operation, had been addressed with the deployment of all the armed forces required to maintain security at the airport.

Officials of the airport said some vital security gadgets needed for thorough screening of passengers were yet to be installed at the airport.

The frequent arrests of traffickers at other international airports in the country have been attributed to the presence of such screening machines.

Ethiopian Air

Ethiopian Airlines kick-started the international flight operation

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ers' shortage of nearly 1.3 million, and shortage of 1.2 million classrooms.

Child labour, child marriage and child trafficking prevent thousands getting to school.

For those that do find ways to get their children into school, there is doubt as to the effectiveness of the courses.

Approximately, 52 percent of young women, who complete primary education, remain illiterate. The large amount of illiteracy is now an economic problem and a social disaster, with the number of adults, who cannot read or write, up to 35 million.

Illiteracy is said to be standing between Nigeria and its deserved success as an economic powerhouse of the world.

In the midst of the education crisis, President Jonathan said getting every child into school and learning is feasible and achievable, and the key to Nigeria's prosperity.

from the airport after a symbolic ceremony attended by a Federal Government delegation led by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Pius Anyim and personalities from the SouthEast. It has so far operated eight flights to and from the airport to different countries.

Vanguard reliably gathered that some key facilities needed for smooth operation by the airlines were still being expected.

The Traffic and Sales Manager of Ethiopian Airlines in Enugu, Mr. Theodros M’Silassie, told Vanguard that although they had maintained steady international flight operations since they arrived Enugu two weeks ago, there were some basic facilities still lacking at the airport.

Lacking, facilities

He particularly identified absence of conveyor belt as constituting a major impediment to their operations and urged the authorities to provide the necessary facilities that would enhance their service delivery.

He, however, admitted that the airport environment was conducive for their operation, saying the airline had not encountered

any major problem since they began flight operations in Enugu.

The airline operates international flights to and from Akanu Ibiam Airport on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and has recorded impressive patronage since it began operation in Enugu on August 24.

Vanguard gathered that night flight operation, which was suspended at the airport since March 18, 2012, when the airport was shut for rehabilitation, resumed recently as the runway lights had been fully installed and any aircraft could land and take-off at any time.

Armed Forces on ground

Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Department of State Services, Nigeria Air Force and the Nigeria Police have deployed their officials to handle the airport security and no security breach had been recorded either from the domestic or international wing since

they arrived the airport about two weeks ago.

An official of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, who spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity, said the airport had taken off fully although rehabilitation works were still in progress in some sections.

The official said: “Akanu Ibiam (Enugu) is one of the best airports in Nigeria today and I can tell you that at the end of ongoing rehabilitation, we will have the most modern facilities that you can find in any airport in the world.

“There is no cause for alarm because the Federal Government is determined to address all the challenges we have at the moment.”

When Vanguard visited the airport last Wednesday, some top officials of FAAN from Lagos were seen inspecting facilities and taking inventories of some offices that were yet to be equipped.

Enugu Airport Manager, Mr. Chuma Nwobi, could not be reached for comments as he was said to be conducting the visiting FAAN officials round the airport to inspect facilities and ongoing projects.

It was noted that what works best were financial incentives, which must be fine-tuned to help state governments deliver; teacher training and professional development, which must be effectively taken to scale by leveraging technology.

The curriculum of all schools must be strengthened to develop literacy and numeracy skills and families must be supported in their demand for education through conditional cash transfers.

These transfers, now being pioneered in some states, can be taken up in all states and encourage enrolment and attendance particularly of girls.

There should also be a delegation of business, educational and political leaders working to present financing options and concrete proposals to support the implementation of state plans.

They will also look at what more can be done to incentivise the education, and leveraging up resources, including the use of Universal Basic Education Fund to provide central ministry incentives alongside investments from UK, US, Educate a Child, the Global Partnership for Education, and specific offers from the business community through the Global Business Coalition for Education.

Nigerians sign petition

It was noted that Nigeria was calling for the education it needs for the future.

Despite the violence against education from extremist groups, in addition to the peaceful civil society movements that have occurred over the past few months, Nigerians are signing the petition to support Jonathan’s commitment to education.

They are calling for safe schools for all of Nigeria’s children and for state level implementation of plans for universal education.

Vanguard MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013—9

APC condemns closure of nPDP secretariat

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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AWARD: From left,US Commercial Attaché, Rebecca Armand; US Consul General, Mr. Jeffrey Hawkins, and CEO, Al-Khezai Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Kizito Alakwe, during the presentation of US International Partner Awards 2013 to Mr. Alakwe, in Lagos.

Lagos govt probes students’ riot at Epe

NUPENG delighted over Dangote refinery

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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AGOS — GOVER NOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has inaugurated a sixman panel of enquiry into the students’ riot at the Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Noforija, Epe on Monday, June, 17 2013, charging it to determine the immediate, remote or other contributory causes of the protest.

The tribunal is chaired by Prof.

Idowu Sobowale, a one-time Commissioner for Education in the state and an accomplished educationalist, journalist and versatile human resource manager.

Other members include, Professor Funke Lawal, a scholar of Distance Learning; Dr. Moshood Babatunde Lawal, an academic; Mr. Tajedeen Oshikoya, a legal practitioner; and Mr. Ayodeji Adenekan, while Mr. Sulaimon Ajayi will serve as its secretary.

Fashola, who was represented by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, urged the tribunal to assess the roles or degree of culpability of staff, students, police and or anybody in the incident, evaluate the extent of damage and casualties in the riot and recommend appropriate amount to surcharge the students for the damages.

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LL PROGRESSIVES Congress, APC, has condemned the seal-up of the secretariat of new Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, in Abuja, saying those behind the action must be “identified and jailed for “crass lawlessness and palpable impunity.”

APC said: “Only God knows what those who orchestrated the sealing up of the secretariat of the new PDP will do to stifle the opposition if they could go to this shameful length to get at their dissenting members, even as ‘peace’ talks supposedly continue between them.”

The party in a statement by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, yesterday, stated: ‘’The festering crisis in the PDP is not our business, but when the crisis leads to repression, disregard for court orders and constitutional provisions, we cannot keep quiet because those issues have grave implications for our democracy,’’ It described the sealing up of nPDP secretariat as a throwback to the nation’s darkest era.

It argued that it confirmed the fears being expressed by the opposition that the Jonathan Administration,now being hoisted by its own petard, would become increasingly intolerant and re-

AGOS — NIGERIA Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, weekend, expressed delight over the proposed N9billion Dangote refinery/petro-chemical and fertiliser complex expected to assume production in 2016.

NUPENG said the refinery would go a long way to ending the perennial scarcity of petroleum products and put an end to the current massive importation of products.

While commending the President/Chief Executive of Dangote Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, for the project, the union called on other private investors and the multinational oil companies to take a cue from Dangote, especially 18 firms that were granted licences to establish refineries under Obasanjo regime and have not made any move to live up to expectations.

The Dangote Group and a consortium of local banks and international investors, last Wednesday, signed N9billion to build a refinery/petrolchemical and fertiliser complex at the Olokola Liquefied Natural PUBLIC NOTICE Gas, OKLNG, Free Trade Zone, This is to notify the general public that Meela between Ogun and Travels Limited, of No. 254, Agege Motor Ondo states.

Road, by Airport B/Stop, Ikeja Lagos, has NUPENG in a applied to NIGERIAN CIVIL AVIATION statement through AUTHORITY (NCAA) for Air Travels its General SecreOrganizers License (ATOL) for the services of tary, Isaac Aberare, said: “NUPENG Umrah ,Hajj and other organized tours. Any commends Nigerobjection should be forwarded within 28 days ia’s great entrepreof this publication. neur, Alhaji Aliko Signed: Management Dangote for his initiative and bold PUBLIC NOTICE DAIRY AND FRUITDRINK MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA step to establish the Notice is hereby given to the general public that the above named largest refinery in Association is applying to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration the country. under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:“The union is 1. MR. BONIFACE NWATU happy with this de2. HON. ADOKIYE O. HORSFALL 3. MR. ENIEDI ESSIEN EKPE velopment coming 4. MR. OBASHE AKHABIGHIME OLORUNFEMI from the private 5. ANIKPEH NDIDI EBENEZER 6. CHIEF OKECHUKWU DOMINIC ANOLUE sector, because it 7. MR. CHRISTIAN OKECHUKWU DURUJI will go a long way 8. MRS. JOY OKOLI 9. MR. PATRICK OTOIDE to end the perenAIMS AND OBJECTIVES: nial scarcity of pe1. To promote unity and co-operation among its members.

2. To ensure compliance to minimum standards of regulatory bodies. troleum products 3. To ensure adherence to best manufacturing practices as specified by and put an end to regulatory bodies 4. To inculcate in our members the need to maintain healthy environment the current massive suitable for food production. importation of prodAny objection to this registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission, Maitama Abuja, within 28 days ucts from abroad by of this publication.

2016, when the PIUS EJIKEME OKAFOR ESQ. No.4 Central School Road, Onitsha, Anambra State, refinery comes on Solicitor to the Association stream.

pressive with the approach of the 2015 general elections.

APC said: ‘’There is no doubt that the rump of the ruling PDP which has the ears of President Jonathan is behind the sealing up of the new PDP secretariat, in a dangerous defiance of a court order that the parties

must maintain the status quo.

“The egregious nature of this action becomes even clearer when viewed against the lies being peddled by the old PDP, that the sealing of the secretariat, which it instigated, has the imprimatur of the courts.”

Gunmen kill 13 Civilian JTF in Borno

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HIRTEEN members of the civilian JTF were shot dead by suspected Boko Haram militants in an early of yesterday attack on Benesheikh in Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State.

Benesheikh is about 75 kilometres from Maiduguri, the capital of the state.

One of survivors Malam Zanna Fannami told newsmen on his hospital bed at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, UMTH, that the attack took place around 12.30 a.m.

Fannami, a leader of the vigilance group, said 17 persons were also injured in the attack.

“The whole thing started around 12.30 a.m as we were keeping vigil at the entrance of the town.

“We heard an explosion near a military checkpoint, but before we could find out what was going on we began to hear spo-

radic gunshots,’’ he said.

Fannami said the group tried to repulse the attackers by fighting back.

He said: “Unknown to us, the attackers were hiding on top of trees all over the place. They succeeded in killing 12 persons on the spot, while another person died while receiving treatment at the hospital.

“Seventeen other persons were also injured. But we did not give up, as we kept fighting them until we chased them away.

“We also killed four of the attackers as they fled.”

We got five pump action guns from them,’’ he said.

Mohammed Abuwar, another survivor, corroborated Fannami’s claim, saying the attackers came barefooted.

“They kept their vehicles faraway to avoid being detected before attacking us,’’ he said.

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10—Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

Activists, labour, journalists, lawyers move against electricity tariffs, petition UN A

COALITION of human rights activists, labour, journalists and lawyers have moved against the recent increase in electricity tariffs and petitioned Ms. Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights.

In the petition dated September 6, 2013 the coalition requested the

Special Rapporteur to send “an urgent appeal to the government of President Goodluck Jonathan to delay the increased fixed rate electricity tariffs until the government is able to put in place mechanisms to ensure regular and uninterrupted electricity supply, and to carry out the impact assessment of the increase on people living in extreme poverty.”

According to the coalition: “By introducing fixed rate electricity tariffs, the government is complicit in violating the human rights of people living in poverty and undermining their personal development and prosperity.

“We believe that it is premature for the government to increase electricity tariff prior to taking effective measures to

guarantee and ensure regular and uninterrupted electricity supply across the country.”

The coalition also requested the Special Rapporteur to visit the country to “conduct an indepth investigation into the effects of the increased electricity tariff on people living in poverty,” and to urge the government to “take all reasonable measures to protect, re-

spect and fulfil the rights of people living in poverty and social exclusion across the country.”

Signatories to the petition are: Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP; Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, WSCIJ; Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Lagos State Council; Nigerian Labour Congress’ NLC, Lagos State branch; Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Ikeja branch; National Union of Food Beverage and Tobacco

Employees,NUFBTE; and Joint Action Front, JAF. Others are: Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, WARDC; Women Empowerment and Legal Aid Initiative, WELA; Partnership for Justice, PJ; Campaign for Democratic Workers, CDWR; Democratic Socialist Movement, DSM; Civil Society Network Against Corruption, CSNAC, and Education Rights Campaign,ERC.

Why I teamed up with Baraje — Oyinlola

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

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RECEPTION: From left, Mrs. Tina Olumese, H R M, Oba Michael Adedotun Gbadebo (Alake of Egbaland) with his Olori, and Guv’nor of The Coliseun Night Club, Ken Olumese, during ‘Grand House Reception,’ in honour of the Alake of Egbaland, weekend, at The Coliseum, Ikeja. Photo: Shola Oyelese

Ecobank disburses MDG funds to beneficiaries in Ekiti via MobileMoney

BY PETER EGWUATU

Ecobank Nigeria Limited and the Ekiti State government have commenced the disbursement of funds to over 2,250 residents earmarked in the state as the first set of beneficiaries of the Federal Government Conditional Cash Transfer, CCT, Scheme.

The scheme is under the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, project of Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President, OSSAP, on MDGs. The intervention fund has so far been successfully disbursed to all the beneficiaries through cash transfers on the Ecobank Mobile Money platform.

Each of the beneficiaries received N5,000 which will be paid monthly as grant for the up-keep of their families while a lump sum of N100,000 will be paid to them for start-up of small agriculture business after 12 months.

SOGBO — FORMER National Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and National Secretary of the new Peoples Democratic Party,“nPDP, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, yesterday, explained why he parted way with National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, to team up with Alhaji Kawu Baraje.

He also disclosed how members of the faction beat the security operatives to form new PDP at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua International Conference Centre, Abuja.

Oyinlola, who spoke while addressing members of the nPDP loyal to him from all the 30 local government areas of the state, at a rally in Okuku, his home town, said his travails in the PDP started in 2011 as a result of his loyalty to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

He recalled that the current crisis which polarised the PDP started in 2010 when President Goodluck Jonathan declared his intention to contest the 2011 presidential election and perceived some serving governors as not being supportive of his ambition.

Obasanjo behind PDP crisis, Kashamu alleges

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA — A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State, Prince Buruji Kashamu, has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of master-minding the ongoing crisis in the ruling party at the national level.

Kashamu in a statement, yesterday, in Abeokuta, described Obasanjo action as deceitful.

He said the actions of the “so-called seven aggrieved governors and their collaborators” explained better.

According to him: “The events leading to the current storm in a tea cup are all too familiar to warrant a recount here. But true to my character, what I find unsettling and difficult to stomach is the pretensions of some of our leaders who are now masquerading as peace makers.”

“There is sufficient evidence that they were part and parcel of the gang up against the Presidency and the leadership of the party.

“Let me state from the outset that while it is true that former President Olusegun Obasanjo is my adopted political father and I am one of his foot soldiers, it is also true that I have learnt from him the virtues of courage and how to speak the truth to power, irrespective of whose ox is gored.”

Vanguard MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 — 11

Ozekhome: Kidnappers release Ugbome, may free human rights lawyer today

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM & GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE ENIN—THERE are indications that human rights lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, who has been in kidnappers’ den these past two weeks may regain his freedom today, following what Vanguard learnt were positive discussions between the kidnappers and the family.

Hopes of his imminent release rose, following the kidnappers’ release of the chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Athanasius Ugbome, who was abducted with him. Ugbome regained his freedom at 1am, yesterday, less than 14 hours after the Edo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Funso Adebanjo and his counterpart in Delta State, Ikechukwu Aduba reportedly mapped out strategies to secure the victims’ release.

Though a private radio station monitored in Benin, had reported that Ozekhome had been released, Vanguard, however, learnt that the origi-

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nal plan was to secure the release of all those that were abducted on the Benin-Auchi Road, on August 23 on the same day.

It was further learnt that there were disagreements between the kidnappers and the family as regards the payment of ransom.

While it can be confirmed that Ugbome was released, yesterday, uncertainty continues to surround that of Ozekhome, who, it was learnt is hale and hearty. There was jubilation in Benin City and his Oviukwe community, when it was rumoured that he had been released, but the jubilation was cut short when residents of Benin only sighted Ugbome while Ozekhome was not with him.

Confirming Ugbome’s release, his elder brother Paschal, in a short message, said: “Praise be to God, he has been released.”

Sources at the Edo State Police Command also confirmed the release of Ugbome, adding: “We are also expecting

the release of Ozekhome any moment from now. Like we said earlier, we want him released unhurt and that we are working on.”

Meanwhile, anxiety has continued to mount in Iviukwe,

Agenebode, as members of the community continued their fasting and prayers for the release of their son.

Vanguard was informed that discussions between the family and the kidnappers had

been fruitful and he may be freed today. The state CP, Mr Adebanjo, when contacted, said: “This is a security matter; that is all I can tell you.

Like I said earlier, we will ensure that all of them are freed unhurt.”

LAUNCHING: Wife of Cross River State Governor, Mrs. Obioma Liyel-Imoke (right), presenting a copy of Power Magazine, published by her NGO, Partnership Opportunities For Women Empowerment Realisation, Power, to Dr. Michael Barry, author of The Forgiveness Project, during the launch of her NGO in the United States.

....As Gani Chambers’ Alumni plead for Ozekhome’s release

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HE Gani Fawehinmi Chambers Alumni Association, GFCAA, has called on abductors of Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, to immediately release him.

GFCAA, in a statement

by Mr. Tayo Oyetibo, SAN; Mr. Rotimi Jacob, SAN and Adindu Ugwuzor, in Lagos, said: “On August 23, 2013, Chief Ozekhome, was kidnapped by some unknown persons. The abduction which took place on the Benin/Auchi Road marked another sad development in the history of security of lives and property in this country.

“It is now two weeks since his abduction and he is still not released despite pleas from well meaning Nigerians and his family. GFCAA feels concerned about this unfortunate situation. Whilst we sympathise with the Inspector-General of Police, IG, and the relations of the Police officers, who were reported to have been killed by the abductors, we call on the IG to take urgent steps towards the release of Ozekhome, in order to reassure Nigerians of their safety wherever they may be in the country.

“We urge the abductors to take into consideration that Ozekhome, who is a prominent member of GFCAA, was a close ally of Chief Fawehinmi, who lived and died for the masses of this country. We draw the attention of the abduc-

tors to the fact that the September 5, 2013 marked the fourth anniversary of the death of the late sage. It will be a great honour if the abductors could please release Ozekhome, as a mark of respect for the memory of Chief Fawehinmi.”

Ozekhome doesn’t deserve his ordeal—Iviukwe Association

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BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

BUJA—FOLLOWING uncertainty trailing his whereabouts, the Iviukwe Community Development Association has pleaded with Chief Mike Ozekhome abductors to release him, noting that “Ozekhome, as an advocate for the down trodden and less privileged, did not deserve such ordeal.”

President of the association, Chief Thomas Ugiah in a statement in Abuja, reminded the abductors that Ozekhome has been a fearless fighter for the rights of the masses and had taken many cases for the indigent at his own cost.

He said: “We appeal to those that are holding him to release him, so that he can rejoin his family. Chief Ozekhome is a God fearing and compassionate humanist, has always fought for the underprivileged in this country and does not deserve this ordeal.

“We will continue to pray for Almighty God to touch the heart of his kidnappers, so that they will release him without further delay. They should consider the trauma which this incident has caused his wife, children and the entire community, and release him and his driver unhurt.

“This unfortunate incident has thrown his family and the entire community into distress.”

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12— Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

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Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013—13

STRIKE: Information minister's statement careless, says ASUU

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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MUAHIA—THE Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has lashed out at the Information Minister, Labaran Maku, for saying Nigeria would shut down if the Federal Government conceded to the demands of university teachers.

ASUU described the minister’s statement as a careless utterance, and urged Nigerians to ignore him.

The union in a statement

by Zonal Coordinator, Calabar zone, Dr. Charles Ononuju, said Maku was ignorant of the agreement between it and the Federal Government.

It asked Maku to apologise to Nigerians for such unguarded comments and warned him to stop playing politics with the future of the Nigerian child.

ASUU said: “Nigerians should ignore the careless utterance by the Minister of Information that the country will shut down if ASUU’s demand is met. It seems the minister has not

seen or read the 2009 ASUU/ FG agreement.

“The country has not shut down with constant

government wastages and billions of dollars being stolen. The minister should apologise to Nigerians for

such unguarded comments and stop playing politics with the future of Nigerian child.”

Nsukka youths protest imposition of candidates

BY CHINENYEH OZOR

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SUKKA—AS the November 2013 local government election approaches in Enugu State, over 500 youths of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Enugu North senatorial district, yesterday, took to the streets of Nsukka, to protest imposition of candidates.

According to the youths, such impositions are contrary to democratic principles.

The first port of call of the youths was Nsukka local government secretariat where they were addressed

by Paulinus Eze, Personal Assistant to the local

government chairman on projects.

Eze told the protesters that they were at a wrong place and advised them to channel their grievances to the state PDP chairman at the party secretariat as the issue was a party matter.

He commended the youths for the peaceful manner they conducted themselves.

At the party secretariat, the youths brought activities to a halt, compelling chairman of PDP in the local government area, Chief Alpho.Nweze, to abandon urgent party matters to attend to them.

The protesters chanted derogatory songs against Chief Nweze, accusing

him of imposing candidates on the party.

Spokesperson of the protesting youths, Ezeagbo Ikenna, urged the party to provide a level playing ground for all contestants.

Ikenna said: “As youths and future leaders, we refuse to align ourselves with persons whose unbridled inclination to political sycophancy and bigotry know no bounds.”

The youths, therefore, called for free and fair election in November, assuring that they would continue to work assiduously to achieve hitch free election.

However, Nweze denied the allegation, saying no single PDP official could return a candidate unopposed.

According to him, the PDP is a family where stakeholders are consulted before decisions are made.

He said PDP had the capacity to handle its internal crisis.

Community petitions Gov Chime ...alleges imposition of chairmanship candidate

BY KEN EHIGIATOR

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HE people of Agbani in Nkanu-West local government area of Enugu State have petitioned Governor Sullivan Chime over plans by a top official of Nkanu local council, Mr. Ekene Okenwa, to impose a candudate for the forthcoming council poll in the state.

In the petition, the people said the official's action was contrary to the directive given by the governor that candidates should not be imposed for the council election scheduled for November.

According to Agbani people, the council has been bragging that he can use his closeness to the Chief of Staff to the governor to impose his replacement without hindrances.

The people said in a petition to the governor: “Contrary to the clear and unambiguous instructions you gave that there would be no imposition of candidates, what is currently playing out at Agbani ward of NkanuWest, by virtue of forceful imposition of a candidate

by the council official, is gross violation of your directives.”

They alleged that though candidates had since Friday, August 30, 2013, submitted EOI and nomination forms to the party secretariat, the official was bent on having his way by imposing his replacement.

The people also alleged that the official had done nothing tangible for their communities in his fouryear stay in office, wondering why he wanted to impose a replacement to continue with his record of non-performance.

They said: “Sir, much as we are not against anyone’s political aspiration, we are saying that the top council official, having failed woefully in his four years in power at Nkanu-West, can not transfer his failure to Agbani by imposing his unknown first cousin on the people of Agbani.

“Agbani should be allowed to elect, select or appoint candidate of their choice. The official in question should leave Agbani to chart their political future by themselves."

14 — Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

2015: North should forget presidency— Suleiman

By EMMA UJAH, Abuja Bureau Chief

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OORDINATOR of Northern Emancipation Network, Mal. Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, yesterday, advised the North to forget presidency in 2015.

Suleiman who spoke with newsmen in Abuja, said that the Northern political elite had deceived ordinary Northerners for too long for their selfish benefits and that the game has changed.

He noted that the North has held the office of the President longer than any other region since independence, but that ironically it remained the most backward because the Northerners who held the nation’s highest office, worked only for their allies and their children, leaving the bulk of the Northern populace in abject poverty and under-development.

His words: “What we have today is a conscious North versus the Northern political elite. Before now, wherever the elite decided to go, the crowd followed them.

But now, it is no longer the same.

People have started thinking that they should not allow the elite to pull them wherever they go. So, you can see even the political game is being played by the elite.

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“By virtue of my position one as a journalist and coordinator of the Northern Emancipation Network, I really have the opportunity of meeting some of these players to discuss so many things and we agreed and disagreed. So, I am talking to you from the point of view of an insider. An insider who they know is not in their squad (the elite). Those of us in the Northern Emancipation Network and our affiliates do not see the necessity of the north insisting on the presidency in 2015 or any time in the near future.

Holding of central power “Our reasons are that if holding central power is the only key in the success of a people then the North ought to have been the most successful region in Nigeria by now! If that yardstick is true the Igbo nation ought to have been the most backward. Because historically the Igbo nation has not in practical terms had power at the centre. It only had Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe who was a ceremonial president and policies were executed by the prime minister then. And the brief stint by Ironsi

in a tumultuous situation, he did not have the time to do anything either for himself nor his people.

The Igbo nation would have been the most backward now the re-

verse is the case. The North held power for the most part of Nigeria’s existence as an independent nation yet we are the most backward.”

Suleiman said that the five northern governors: Murtala Nyako, Adamawa; Sule Lamido, Jigawa; Babangida Aliyu, Niger; Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto, and Musa Kwankwaso of Kano, are former President Olusegun Obasanjo “boys” who are acting a script by their godfather.

PDP crisis: Give Jonathan, Tukur a chance —Jaja

By SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

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S the crisis in the ruling People’s Democratic Party escalates, a prominent Ijaw leader, Dr. Reuben Mietamuno Jaja, has pleaded with those moving against President Gooluck Jonathan to sheath their sword and give the president and the National Chairman of the party, Bamanga Tukur, a chance to rebuild Nigeria.

Jaja, who is the former Chairman, Ijaw Foundation, the apex organization for the Ijaw in the Diaspora, noted with concern the current attempt by some aggrieved PDP members to split the party and distract the President from the transformation agenda he has been championing for the good of all Nigerians.

Jaja, who is also a one-time member of the Board of the African Business Roundtable (ABR),

headed by Tukur, expressed dismay that despite the phenomenal achievements recorded by the Jonathan administration in the various sectors of the nation’s economy, his detractors within and outside the party were still bent on discrediting him and his administration for selfish political gains.

Stressing that Jonathan was not part of those who created these problems, but was doing his best to tackle them head on, Jaja said, “Critics need to step back, reevaluate these phenomenal achievements by the administration within so short a time. All that the Jonathan administration needs at this point in time, is the support of wellmeaning Nigerians to enable him to steer the course and continue with the transformation agenda and reform processes.

“Worthy of note is the achieve-

ments in the power sector. There is no administration in the history of this country that has been so focused on giving the people a stable power supply than the Jonathan administration. President Jonathan is doing his very best. He deserves the support of all Nigerians to continue with his transformation agenda. The circumstances of operation are complex. My candid opinion is that this is one of the most sincere leaders the country has been blessed with in recent history.

“As the first President from the Niger Delta, he should be allowed to exercise peacefully the mandate freely given to him by all Nigerians, in appreciation of the fact that region has always supported leaders from other regions to lead the country at various times in our national political history.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013—15

FG worries over insecurity

BY PETER DURU AKURDI—PRESI DENT Goodluck Jonathan has decried the level of insecurity in the country describing it as a major source of worry for his administration and Nigeria’s allies.

He expressed concern over easy access to firearms lamenting that “even people with sinister motives are also now being trained on how to use arms.”

The President spoke yesterday at the opening ceremony of the Second Plenary Session of the All Nigeria Catholic Bishops’ Conference held in Otukpo, Benue State.

Represented by the Senate President, David Mark, the President condemned what he termed the “recent utter-

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VISIT: From left: Governor Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State; Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe and Managing Director, Upper Niger Basin River Development Authority, Professor Paul Marley, during the Minister's visit to Galma Multipurpose Dam in Kubau Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Photo:Olu Ajayi.

We won't compromise equity, fairness in nPDP —Saraki

BY DEMOLAAKINYEMI LORIN—FORMER Kwara State governor and one of the leaders of the breakaway New Peoples Democratic Party, “ nPDP”, Senator Bukola Saraki, representing Kwara central in the Senate, yesterday, insisted that the group would not compromise on the principle of ‘fairness and equity’ in the affairs of the party in the bid to settle the ongoing logjam in the ruling party.

Saraki who spoke to newsmen in Ilorin, also expressed concern over alleged withdrawal of his security aides by the Inspector General of Police, saying the Federal Government should be held responsible if any anything happened to him.

The former governor who said he was in Ilorin to brief his followers on development

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in the party, dismissed claims by any group to the leadership of the party in the state, arguing that it would be impossible for any politician to use ‘the tactics of 1999’ to handle the political strategy of 2013.

Saraki said: “My assurance to all my people since I came for this series of meeting with the various levels of leadership is that negotiations are still ongoing but we won’t compromise some fundamentals; we won’t compromise on fairness and equity.

"And what the people are telling me is that they are with me wherever we go. Politics is all about people, how many people are with you irrespective of the nomenclature or press statements? You can see all the members of the House of Assembly, the, Central Working Commottee, CWC, of the party, the executive of local govern-

ments etc are here with me.

"The politics of 2013 is different from that of 1999. What could be done then cannot be done now. Now you have to fight for the confidence of the people.”

On alleged withdrawal of security personnel attached to him, his media aide, Mr. Bamikole Omishore, in a statement said the development was a breach of the law and could only be linked with the crisis in the PDP.

Labour asks KWASIEC to release authentic Offa re-run election results

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ADUNA—A VICE President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and General Secretary of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, weekend called on Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission, KWASIEC, to abide by it's rules and release the alleged authentic results of the re-run local government election in Offa Local Government Area.

In a statement, Aremu called on the Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed to ensure that the votes counted

in Offa council area within the context of local government autonomy.

The statement reads in part: "We call on Gov Abdulfatah Ahmed to make sure that the votes count in Offa LG within the context of local government autonomy. It will be double standard for the governor to rightly champion the cause of justice and fairness within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abuja when injustice is being perpetrated or perceived to be encouraged by the same governor in Offa Local Government. Equity and electoral justice are not divis-

ible.

"What is good for the aggrieved members of the new PDP is even more desirable for the aggreived people of Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State.

“As a democratic movement, democracy is a means as well as an end for trade unions. Organised labour has always been at the vanguard of the struggle for democracy especially during the military dictatorship and at a time it was not fashionable to do so. Labour cannot therefore watch while electoral injustice is being encouraged."

ances by highly placed Nigerians which if not checked could aggravate the security challenges facing the country” He reiterated the determination of his administration to frontally tackle the developmental challenges facing the country urging Nigerians to rally round his government in its quest to better the lot of all Nigerians.

In his speech, Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State called on Catholic Bishops in the country to condemn same sex marriage as well as child marriage in the country.

Earlier, the President of Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, Most Rev Ignatius Kaigama condemned the use of death penalty in Nigeria’s legal system.

Maku lauds PAWA on Achebe

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BY EMMA ELEBEKE

BUJA—THE Minis ter of Information, Labaran Maku, has commended the Pan African Writers Association, PAWA, for its plan to honour the late literary icon, Chinua Achebe in its forthcoming international conference.

The Minister gave the commendation, yesterday, when a delegation, led by the Secretary-General of the Association, Atukwei Okai, visited him in Abuja.

The minister said Achebe

was a source of inspiration to many generations of African writers and activists, saying that the literary giant was “ worthy of any kind of honour.”

Maku said: “We are highly elated to hear that African writers have decided to devote the forthcoming international conference to Chinua Achebe, one of Africa’s foremost novelists.

“Achebe has inspired generations of African writers to write with confidence, to tell the African story from the African perspective."

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY,SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

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VERYONE talks about accountability, demands it, makes an issue of its importance to governance, but it must be noted that those who are being called to account, are the least interested in the matter. It is an endless tango.

Former Education Minister, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili has become a frequent caller for accountability of national resources. She finds every platform an opportunity to carry on the crusade which could benefit the public.

At the moment she concentrates on the budget of the National Assembly, which at N150 billion in 2013, is about three per cent of the federal budget. Her argument is that the money should be put into better use by either making the legislature part time, or have one chamber instead of the Senate and House of Representatives.

We require a more stringent approach to managing costs of governance. There is no proof that a single chamber for the legislature would be less expensive than the cur rent practice. To address cost of governance, a holistic approach that eliminates the wastes in government should be used. Wastes are not limited to a

Accountability Crusades particular arm of government.

Mrs Ezekwesili riles the National Assembly which came under public umbrage again with the publications over salaries of its members. The drawback expenditures of the legislature impose on the economy appears in other forms like its oversight functions. The consequences of the type of oversight the National Assembly conducts are not obvious and costs of the interruptions to the economy could be more than N150 billion.

It must be added that the work of the National Assembly cannot be comprehensively evaluated in terms of the immediate gains for Nigerians, but laws

that serve public interests readily translate to general improvements of the peoples’ condition. How much should we pay for that?

Where people tend to disagree with Mrs Ezekwesili, and not necessarily side with the National Assembly, is that she discusses the matter as if she was not once involved in a government that shunned accountability and laid the foundations for the stupendous allowances and appurtenances of office members of the National Assembly gladly claim.

The many commissions and agencies that have been created in the past 14 years have kept escalating the cost of governance. Many agencies simply duplicate functions of existing ones. Governments expend lots of resources funding these agencies and resolving the endless conflicts in their operations.

High cost of governance is more profound than is obvious. It permeates regimes, it clogs implementation of projects. Its critics have failed to state clear solutions to the challenge.

The issue is too critical to the future of Nigeria that it cannot be relegated to blame shifting and blame sharing.

OPINION

BY OLA LOOKMAN

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F there is any good any Nigerian, irrespective of tribe, religion, colour or political persuasion could do for this country at this very moment is simply to support genuine efforts towards halting insurgency and other nefarious activities capable of threatening our continued existence as a nation. Like other nations, Nigeria is not immune to insecurity. No country presently can deny the fact that it is not battling with one form of security challenge or the other. It is not peculiar to Nigeria. The difference, however, is how an individual nation handles its own.

Interestingly, while citizens of other nations play key roles in ensuring the protection of lives and property by voluntarily supplying security establishments with vital information for necessary actions, the reverse appears to be the case in our own society. Citizens of such nations have since realised that security is everyone’s responsibility and not that of government alone.

It appears some individuals are yet to accept the obvious fact that the dreaded Islamist group, Boko Haram, is not just an enemy of the government, but our common enemy as a people. We have every cause to be worried by the number of innocent Nigerians we have so far lost in different attacks orchestrated by the group. I sincerely do not expect anyone to be comfortable with the alarming state of insecurity in the country.

Recent revelations have shown that the Boko Haram group and its faceless

Boko Haram: What is Comrade Shehu Sani up to? adherents are enemies of both Muslim and Christian faithful.

It is, therefore, shocking when Kaduna based civil rights activist, Comrade Shehu Sani, blatantly faulted the Joint Military Task Force’s claim that Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, may have died during a gun duel with the JTF. Comrade Sani, who in the said press conference in Kaduna challenged government to present the late Shekau’s corpse if at all government wants to be taken serious, picked holes in government’s avowed determination to tackle insecurity frontally.

His action is not just uncalled for, but rather an attempt to portray the Nigerian military and the Federal Government as liars. The question is, what is Comrade Sani out to achieve? Is it relevance or recognition? One cannot but admit that Comrade Sani has indeed betrayed the confidence many had reposed in him in the years gone.

Expectedly, the flurry of condemnations that have greeted Comrade Sani’s unpatriotic disposition is an indication that most Nigerians are happy with what the government is doing to stamp out terrorism in the country.While right thinking Nigerians have no problem with Comrade Sani’s resolve to be heard, especially for his new found political party which he claimed he would use to contest

for the post of governor or senator, must he play dirty politics to the detriment of our security and innocent young civilian volunteers who are assisting the military in apprehending the volunteers.

Many are rather disappointed by his resolve to be a cog in our wheel of progress, especially in the fight against insurgency, a development that has cost Nigeria both human and material resources.

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s part of deliberate effort to get to the root of our security challenges, the President Goodluck Jonathan government has indeed opened its doors to all Nigerians to contribute their quota. The government believes strongly in the fact that all Nigerians should be part of running the affairs of the country. A landmark move made a few months back was the setting up of a Peace and Reconciliatory Committee headed by the Special Duties Minister, Tanimu Turaki.

The committee comprised of eminent Nigerians cut across the length and breadth of the country. You will recall that government had included Comrade Sani in the said committee, but shockingly, the Comrade rejected his nomination for reasons that were not made public.

Expectedly, many Nigerians, including this writer faulted Comrade Sani’s action.

Many had expected him to offer his sound

thoughts as well as enrich the committee’s deliberations by supplying them useful information. Instead, he turned down the offer. It never came to be so as he chose to distance himself from the committee.

Having distanced himself from the committee for reasons only known to him, we had expected him to allow the committee handle its assignment without distraction. Comrade Sani’s present claims are rather in bad taste. His present standpoint presents him more as one who is so pleased with Boko Haram’s continued attacks on innocent Nigerians. This, no doubt, is in sharp contrast with what Comrade Sani professes. A human rights crusader cannot afford to watch any human being, no matter how lowly placed, to be treated like an animal or being killed unjustly.

In sane societies, where much premium is attached to human life, a life lost is seen as a fatal blow on humanity. We have every reason to be worried. This mindless bloodletting must be halted. This is simply not the Nigeria that our founding fathers fought for with all they had to put in place.

It is high time we stopped playing politics with lives. It is not about the government of the day, it is about the innocent lives that are being sent to early graves in different parts of the country.

Since Comrade Sani had declined to be part of those selected to bring the Boko Haram carnage to an end, he should not frustrate genuine efforts to end insurgency in Nigeria. *Mr. Lookman , member YouthsAgainst Disaster Initiative, wrote from Abuja.

A1— Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

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VANGUARD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013—A7

APC, too insignificant in our crisis — Metuh •Says Fashola can't be compared to PDP govs CHIEF Olisa Metuh, the national publicity secretary of the Bamanga Tukur led Peoples Democratic Party, PDP spoke to newsmen at the weekend on the unfolding crisis in the PDP and efforts being made to resolve it. Frank, forceful and almost always forthright, Metuh who has had a large role in reinvigorating the publicity machinery of the PDP affirmed that the party needs a formidable chairman in the like of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur even as he was unapologetic on the party’s support for the Jonathan administration. Excerpts: POLITICAL EDITOR

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HAT is the state of affairs of things in your

party?

The present crisis rocking the PDP has shown clearly that we do not have credible opposition party in the country. There’s no viable opposition in Nigeria politics. Definitely we have issues and few challenges. The issues have been PDP and about PDP (and) so long as we are able to resolve our differences we will still fight our interest on a common front.

Whatever opposition (that is there) is minimal and insignificant and ineffective whatsoever.

What the crises has shown is that there is no viable opposition in Nigeria politics. They have no effect on the political setting at the national level except in some local government areas and states.

We as a party because we’re big, we had challenges in terms of interpretation of the constitution, procedure to run the party, ideas like people believing this is what we should be doing.

We appreciate that some colleagues, governors want internal democracy. The National Chairman is committed and the NWC are totally committed to internal democracy in the party.

But it depends on description of internal democracy. Internal

democracy and entrenching free and fair mechanism does not mean complete opposition to the party.

Don’t you think that it is a matter of honour for the president to abide by the alleged one term agreement he reached with governors?

Let us be honest. Is there any tape, any recording anywhere where the president of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan while he was campaigning ever said that he would run for one term.

But he never denied it when Obasanjo said it?

Are you aware that the issue of whether he can run or not is in court? There is a judicial interpretation being awaited. It will go to Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.

Resolving problems

Truncation of policies

So, why don’t you wait for the courts of our land to give their interpretation? So for now, the issue is not on the cards.

For me assuming the president was not even going to run, it would have been completely impolitic for him to have said so last year, this year or two years ago. He would have been a lameduck president, nobody would have obeyed him and his policies would be truncated.

So, there is no way you come on board and you start from your first day and say you are not going to run.

So, let us leave Mr. President to make up his mind, come up with his decision before the issue of the interpretation of his own decision can be given.

Why was Col. Oyinlola not reinstated along with others at the national convention?

Oyinlola’s matter is subjudice and the party merely stated that it would await the decision of the Court of Appeal. Oyinlola appealed and because he is in court there was no way we could take a decision.

But others...

The truth is that Oyinlola is my friend and I am one of those that believe that Oyinlola should have been national secretary. He is a •Metuh:There’s no viable opposition competent man and he did in Nigeria politics very well as national

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us what they want and not that Tukur should go because he is supporting the president in the administration of the country.

Every president in the history of this country worked with his party’s national chairman. Why should Tukur ’s own be an exception?

Former presidents in this country have worked with their party ’s chairmen and the National Working Committee of the party and the governors at the state level are being supported by the State Chairmen and the state executive committees of the party.

•Metuh: Those calling for Tukur's removal are being unfair secretary and administratively.

I sympathise with him about the fact that his own brothers, his own people went to court against him and it had nothing to do with the national secretariat. We hope it is resolved but now that he is saying that he belongs to a faction it is another thing.

Before we resigned we held a meeting and we were told that because of the INEC problem that we should resign and come for election at the national convention and that they will encourage all of us to run and that the people who do not make it because of one thing or the other that they will try and compensate them with appointments.

It has been claimed that your national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur is not a member of the party as he was

not formally readmitted after he was expelled in 2002?

Excuse me! You cannot just

,

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN,

Why is it now that there is a condition that Tukur should go?

Is it because of his support for President Jonathan’s administration?

It is undemocratic; it is unfair and unpolitical for anybody to give that as a condition.

We should try and resolve our problems with things that are tenable, practicable and things that we can achieve.

On Tukur’s membership, let us not go into details whether Tukur is expelled as a member or not.

Any member of our party, if he is very much aware, would remember that in 2006 and 2007, we had the Ekwueme Reconciliatory Panel that gave blanket amnesty to all members of this great party.

Whatever happened in this party pre-2006 and 2007, the Ekwueme’s Panel pardoned everybody and restored them to

Why is it now that there is a condition that Tukur should go? Is it because of his support for President Jonathan’s administration? It is undemocratic; it is unfair and un-political for anybody to give that as a condition

come out and say Bamanga Tukur should go like that. There are mechanisms for achieving that. You cannot say a national chairman of a ruling party should go like that.

If you have anything against his person, you need to wait for mid-term convention and you give the man a vote of no confidence by voting him out.

Those calling for his removal are being unfair. They should tell

,

their original positions prior to that crisis.

Anybody that is knowledgeable about history of our party and is truthful will stop talking about whether Tukur was expelled in the past or not.

I am not aware of it and it is immaterial to me because all that happened in the p arty before setting up Ekwueme’s Panel had been overtaken by the recommendations of that panel.

A8—VANGUARD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

Nwoye’s PDP ticket

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

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ESPITE assertions by the PDP hierarchy that it had concluded its primaries and chosen Comrade Tony Nwoye as its gubernatorial candidate, there are fears that the party is

facing increasing pressure to reverse the decision in favour of Senator Andy Uba. The pressure from interested parties it was learnt, follows suggestions from some sympathetic to Uba, that Nwoye at 38, is too young to be a governor. They are also

alleging that he may not have the financial clout to fight the contest.

However, those supportive of Nwoye are spoiling for a fight asserting that removing the ticket from Nwoye to Uba could spell the doom for the PDP given what they claim as the fact that Nwoye successfully fought off money bags through his activism on ground to grab the party’s ticket.

Supporters of Nwoye who are mostly youths are also affirming that they have the majority of the voting population who would come out on that day to vote.

Some are alleging that Senator Uba’s emergence as governorship candidate in Anambra State could become part of the deal that former President Olusegun Obasanjo could extract from President

Jonathan to settle the ensuing crisis rocking the foundations of the PDP. Party elders within and outside the state are, however, calling for caution warning that dislocating the ticket could be another way of PDP losing the state.

Ubah on his international motivations

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

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I L L I O N A I R E businessman, Chief Ifeanyi Uba has said that he is motivated by the success other great businessmen in other lands made in the political arena.

In his manifesto made available to Vanguard, Uba links his political adventure to the successes made by Governor Nelson Rockefeller, the tenacity of Nelson Mandela among others.

He said: “Some wonder why I chose to run for Governor. I believe that successful businessmen and women can make great leaders; one such icon is Nelson Rockefeller, former Governor of New York.

As governor, Rockefeller vastly increased the state’s role in education, environmental protection, transportation, housing, healthcare, welfare and the arts. I am in the race to do the same for Anambra.

“I am inspired by the tenacity, selflessness and statesmanship of the legendary Nelson Mandela, who put the public good above self.

"I am also inspired by the transformative actions of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice

•Ubah

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President and Prime Minister of U.A.E. and Ruler of Dubai.

In his instructive words: “Most people talk, we do things. They plan, we achieve. They hesitate, we

move ahead. We are living proof that when human beings have the courage and commitment to transform a dream into reality, there is nothing that can stop them.”

Those words reflect the philosophy behind my business achievement and drive my quest to make Anambra great, again.”

Why we called for rerun of APC primary — Election observer

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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HE Coalition of Civil Society Organizations on Election Observation and Monitoring in Nigeria, which monitored the recent governorship primaries of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Anambra State has said that its recommendation that the exercise be repeated was due to alleged anomalies it observed during the exercise.

After the exercise that took place in all the 326 wards in the state, with Senator Chris Ngige winning by a wide margin of 63255 votes against Godwin Ezemo’s 9554 votes, the group said it could not endorse it because it lacked credibility and fairness.

The group said: “If open

primaries should be held without delegates as we saw during APC’s 2nd September, 2013 gubernatorial primaries, INEC should ensure the deployment of security officials in all the polling units

HIEF Ugochukwu Okeke, one of the governorship aspirants that participated in the recently -concluded PDP primaries in Anambra has called on stakeholders of the party to close ranks and work for the upliftment and strengthening of the party, arguing that only a united PDP could win the Novemebr 16 election in Anambra State.

In a statement in Awka weekend, Okeke recalled that it was party crisis that had been responsible for the inability of PDP to produce the governor in the state despite its love by the people and reminded the party leaders that it is not late to chart a winning course before the November election.

While enjoining the major

to protect and secure the life of the voters and also checkmate the snatching of ballot result sheets.

"We also noticed late or non arrival of voting materials at some polling units, as well as

snatching of result sheets.

And even when some of the snatched result sheets were recovered by party officials, they were tampered with and manipulated in favour of a particular candidate,” the group said.

Arthur Eze blames Anambra PDP crisis on greed, selfishness

BY TONY EDIKE

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ILLIONAIRE businessman, Prince Arthur Eze, has said that the crisis that rocked the Anambra state chapter of the PDP was as a result of greed and selfishness by her leaders.

He vowed to put all in his ability to ensure that the scenario which, according to

Only unity can make PDP win poll — Okeke

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•Nwoye

players in the current dispute to put personal interests aside and work for the oneness and togetherness of PDP, he observed that it is necessary for the party to produce the next governor od the state so as to be in good standing before the 2015 general election.

He urged all party faithful in the state to be loyal to the President Goodluck Jonathan and give him total and undiluted support needed to move the country to greater heights.

He insisted that Anambra needs a good candidate that would serve and transform the state, adding that the earlier those fueling the crisis realized that their actions would only be counter productive, the better for everybody.

him, weakened the party in the state and made it impossible for it to retain power , does not repeat itself, stressing that the process of rebuilding the party had begun.

Eze, who reaffirmed his support for the candidacy of Comrade Tony Nwoye as the PDP flag-bearer for the November 16 governorship election , said there was no going back in restoring the state to PDP just as he expressed confidence that the party would take charge of Anambra Government House from February next year.

Speaking at Ukpo in Dunukofia local government during the presentation of campaign vehicles and motorcycles to party wards over the weekend, Eze stated that there was no going back in the choice of Nwoye, who he said, has the capacity to lead the state to the path of progress and prosperity.

He, therefore, asked members of the party who are aggrieved over the conduct of the party’s gubernatorial primaries to throw their support behind Nwoye and wait for another opportunity in future.

He said, “There cannot be two candidates at the same time and going from one court to another will not invalidate

•Eze the mandate given to Nwoye.

Those who are going to court are the ones that destroyed PDP in the state. They have had their turn but now, it will no longer be so. We must restore this party to serve the interest of our people; we must show that Anambra is for PDP. The mistakes and bickering of the past have robbed us the chances of ruling the state. We are no longer in support of these troubles by certain elements who feel they own the party. It is either they fall in line or they leave the party for good”.

Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 9,, 2013 — 49

Scientists declare beer a hazardous drink Using data from health surveys and military registries, a University of Essex researcher has found that Hospital offersthe average freeheight of European men ERTAIN beers can be more hazardous to your health

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• Clockwise from top: White rice, fried plantain, corn syrup, salad creamare not advised.

5 foods you should not eat again

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

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HEN you are trying to get healthy and lose weight, there are certain foods you should avoid. Most of these food are obvious because they contain ingredients known to cause weight gain.

There are some foods not as obvious and can be just as bad for you. These foods are a problem because most people do not know how to avoid them and therefore consume them more often than they should. Here are five such foods you should never eat again.

White bread White bread is a local staple but the truth is, it doesn’t have any nutritional value. It contains a lot of sugar and isn’t as filling as desired.

Substitute your white bread for whole grain or whole wheat bread when possible. Also substitute bread on your sandwiches with lettuce leaves or whole grain tortillas.

Fried Foods Many people only associate fried food with fast food restaurants and do not realize they

also consume them at home.

Avoid frying any meal, consider baking or broiling instead. Fried foods are not nutritious and can cause blood pressure and cholesterol levels to rise. They can also cause you to gain weight needlessly.

Cream-based salad dressings Salads can be very nutritious but can become unhealthy when covered in cream-based dressings that contain a lot of fat and calories. There can be more calories in your salad dressing than in the rest of your entire salad.

Try oil-based salad dressings instead. They taste lighter, and have less calories.

White rice Rice is a common staple but

the truth is, white rice can cause your body to store fat when it doesn’t need to. It also has no nutritional value. Local rice (Abakaliki) and brown rice is the best option because it is full of fibre, vitamins and nutrients.

It will also keep you satisfied longer so you are less likely to overeat.

High fructose corn syrup High fructose corn syrup can quickly cause you to gain weight and even make you have cravings for more sugar and sugary foods. Overeating sugary foods and foods that are high in fructose corn syrup can even lead to diabetes and other health problems. Avoid processed sugars and opt for fresh fruits and berries.

has grown 4.3 inches the early 1870s to 1980, according to a than others, newfrom research has suggested. new A small study published in the journal Substance Use & report inattributes the journal Oxford Economic Papers.

Misuse alcohol-related injuries to some of the most Timothy Hatton, a professor of economics at Essex, said the popular beers on the open market. development probably result of an overall improvement Researcherswas from Johnsthe Hopkins Hospital in Baltimorein population health, particularlyroom the drop in the who infanthad mortality rate. interviewed 105 emergency patients suffered “Increases in human stature are a key indicator of improvements alcohol-related injuries. They waited to let them sober upin the and give proper consent first. average of populations,” Hatton said.

“The evidence suggests Of thehealth top 20 varieties of alcohol consumed, 70 percent that the improving disease environment, asThree reflected in the fall were among the most favoured brands. of those fivein infant mortality, is the single most important factor driving the beers are malt liquors. increase in height.

The link between infant mortality and height The research only showed a correlation (not causation). has However, malt liquor has a higher alcohol content than other alreadyThe beenbottom demonstrated a number of studies.” beers. line is by this: Whenever you’re drinking While genetics are commonly thought to be thedangerous. major determining alcohol, consuming too much at once is And since drunk driving—and even walking—can put your safety at at risk, it’s smart to always arrange for a designated driver or call a taxi to get home at the end of the night.

• L-R: Mr. Dennis Okoro, Director, MTN Foundation; Mrs. Mercy. B. Daudu, Director of Rehabilitation, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development presenting a Certificate in Tailoring to Miss Christiana Olowolagba and Ms. Nonny Ugboma, Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation during the graduation ceremony of the MTNF/FOTD Skills Acquisition Project for persons witrecently.

Hospital offers free consultation, slashes treatment cost • Say no to white bread.

A

S part of its own contribution to wards provision of affordable and accessible healthcare to Nigerians, Primus International Super Speciality Hospital, Karu, Abuja is conducting a Free Consultation Health Camp session for patients.

During the offer which takes place from September 10 -21, 2013, patients are to enjoy reduced treatment cost for medical procedures such as joint replacement, spinal problems, internal medicine, diabetes and ENT. Others are procedures in gynaecology, neuro-surgery, dental, ophthalmology, plastic surgery and general surgery.

Patients seeking radiology and laboratory services will pay 30 percent less than normal while drugs purchased from the pharmacy will cost 20 percent less. Surgical procedures are also expected to attract very reasonable charges during the camp period.

For instance, use of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging, MRI, will attract charges beginning from N50, 000 onwards while use of the Computerised Tomography, CT, scan will start from N25, 000 onwards.

In a statement, spokesperson for the health facility, Umaru Jibia, said the decision behind the health camp initiative was borne out of desire to make treatment available to all at affordable cost especially for those unable to travel abroad.

Jibia said not less than N2 million had been committed towards provision of treatment for the poor and needy during the health camp.

In the last three years, an estimated 20,000 persons have benefitted from free consultation provided at the Free Camps conducted for traders and the general community at Wuse, Garki, Dei Dei, including churches and the National Mosque, Abuja.

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50 — Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

Aftermath of 2011 Bonga spill: 150 feared dead in Delta, Bayelsa

BY EMMA AMAIZE ARRI—OVER 150 riverine dwellers have reportedly lost their lives and about 5,000 presently sick in Delta and Bayelsa states because of the alleged destructive chemical dispersants used to clean the controversial crude spill from the Bonga Oil Field, belonging to Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, SNPECo, on December 20, 2011.

Chairman/Coordinator of Named Itsekiri/Ijaw Communities in Warri North, Warri SouthWest, Burutu and Ekeremor Local Government Areas in Delta and Bayelsa states, Mr. Francis Monday, told Vanguard, weekend that “The after effects of the deadly pollutants that were used to disperse the spill are now telling on the people and the situation is quite disturbing, as many are dying in strange circumstances.

“Over 150 persons have died and over 5,000 persons are now sick, while over 1,000 have been treated for various illnesses in hospitals in the communities in Delta and Bayelsa states affected by the SNEPCo crude oil spillage of December 20.”

He gave the names of some of the deceased persons to include Gowon Pessu, male, who died stooling blood in Ugbege

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community; Beatrice Amorighoye, female, in Ogidigben, died of stomach pain and other scientific findings at St. Luis Hospital, Warri and Thompson Mene, male in Elolo, near Ogidigben, who had a brief stroke and died while complaining of stomach pain in the village.

“Others are Tosan Nene, male, in Ugborodo, who died at Warri General Hospital, complaining of severe headache

and other scientific findings; and Friday Ofoayon, male, from Ugborodo, died at Benin Specialist Hospital and he complained of general body pains, but scientific findings showed many things, including kidney/liver problems.”

Monday said that the communities drew attention of the state government to the disaster, last week, through the representative of the Commissioner for Health, Mrs. Julie Young, donated relief materi-

als to the impacted communities, where people are still dying.

In response to the request by the communities for relief materials, Delta State Emergency Management Agency, last week, donated 40 bags of rice, 33 bags of garri, 200 cartons of noodles, 30 cartons of milk, 20 cartons of sachet powder milk, 20 cartons of sugar, 20 cartons of tomato puree, 10 bags of salt, 100 pieces of blankets, mosquito nets, mattresses, buckets and sleeping mats, to communities through their representatives.

COMMISSIONING: From left: Prof. Akin Osibogun, Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH; Dr. Patience Osinubi,Director, Hospital Services, Ministry of Health; Prof. Anthony Emeribe, Registrar/CEO,Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, at an event in Lagos. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

Delta commissioner stabbed by PDP youths

BY FESTUS AHON

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G H E L L I — PA N D E MONUIM broke out at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, secretariat in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, following a protest over the list of the party executives in Uwheru and Agbarho wards.

The state Commissioner for Secondary and Basic Education, Professor Partrick Muoboghare, was stabbed by aggrieved party youths from Uwheru, his home town, who accused him of manipulating the list of ward congresses held last year. Several other party members were injured in the fracas.

The aggrieved youths, who stormed the party secretariat in large numbers, disrupted the inauguration ceremony for hours, as party leaders and political office holders in the area ran for safety. The youths destroyed plastic chairs and other property belonging to the party.

According to a source, Professor Muoboghare was stabbed on his upper arm and abdomen. He was rushed to Ufor Hospital, Ughelli and later referred to Oghara Teaching Hos-

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pital for medical attention.

The source, who is close to the commissioner, said Muoboghare was receiving medical attention, adding that “he was stabbed by our Uwheru boys, who are opposed to the ward list.”

Pleading anonymity, the source said that the commissioner was placed on oxygen, Saturday, due to excessive

bleeding, which led to shortage of blood, adding that one of the suspects was intercepted by them and handed over to the Police in Ughelli.

At press time, efforts were still being made to reach the Ughelli ‘A’ Divisional Police Officer for comment. However, a senior police officer attached to the division confirmed the arrest, saying “it

took the combined intervention of the police and Joint Task Force, JTF soldiers to restore normalcy after the ugly incident.

“The police is investigating the matter. One person in our custody has made useful confessions. I can assure you that we will get other members of the gang and they will all be made to face the law. Nobody is above the law.”

Why foreign investors shun Nigeria, turn to Ghana, by EU

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

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ORT HARCOURT— THE European Union, EU, has that said Nigeria’s cry for sustained foreign direct investment would continue to fall on deaf ears unless the country showed commitment to tackle the challenges of corruption and insecurity.

Head, Governance Programme of the EU delegation, Alan Mundaay, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said that the collapsed foreign direct investment in Nigeria was self inflicted as no foreign inves-

tor would put his money in an environment that was not enabling.

Mundaay spoke to newsmen on the presentation of the report of the EU’s sponsored Tomorrow Is A New Day, a 21 months project aimed at supporting community level conflicting resolution and reintegration of ex-militants to promote sustainable peace and stability in seven Niger Delta communities.

The EU chief, said: “Foreign investors will not come to Nigeria to lose money. They come to make money. If there are growing threats to many Nigerians themselves here,

why will any foreign company put money and the lives of foreign human capital at risk in Nigeria under the prevailing security situation?

“It is easier for foreign airlines to work in Ghana in neglect of the far bigger Nigerian market because Ghana is more enabling and even Nigerians are running away from home to do business in Ghana. Nigeria does not need to beg for foreign investment.

People will come when their investments are guaranteed.

They will come without pushing when corruption is effectively tackled and the justice system reliable.”

Owie backs closure of nPDP Secretariat

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—FORMER Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Rowland Owie, has backed the decision of the Police to seal off the secretariat of Alhaji Abubakar Baraje-led faction of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abuja.

He argued that rather than the aggrieved PDP members describing their organisation as an nPDP, they should have left the party and formed another political party outside the PDP, adding that to adopt a name similar to that of the existing party was cowardly.

Owie, who spoke to Vanguard in Benin City, Edo State, however, appealed to former Vice President, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku and Governor Sule Lamido not to destroy PDP, which they all formed.

He said: “Some of us founding members of PDP, have passed through this same road before. The truth is that political relationship is voluntary. If one is tired of a system, he can decide to leave the system and go elsewhere.”

Madam Amaize passes on

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RS. Esther Amaize, a devout Catholic, housewife and mother of Regional Editor, South-South, Vanguard Newspaper, Mr. Emma Amaize, is dead.

A statement by Mr Amaize on behalf of the family, said Mrs. Amaize of Ogbe-Onihe village, Akwukwu-Igbo, in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State died at the age of 65.

She is survived by seven children, including Emma, Grace, Chekwube, Eziuno, Ifolo, Uju, Tobe and many other relations.

Burial arrangements are yet to be fixed.

Late Mrs. Amaize

Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013—51

Palace chiefs ask Olu of Warri to rescind statement

zUduaghan intervenes to save monarch z37 members of royal family disown Atuwatse II zPastor Okoni urges Itsekiri to support Olu

BY EMMAAMAIZE, REGIONAL EDITOR, SOUTHSOUTH & EMMAARUBI

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ARRI—PALACE chiefs rose from a meeting in Warri, Delta State, Sunday, asking the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II, to withdraw his controversial statement, last week, denouncing his “Ogiame” traditional title because it is purportedly associated to a river goddess.

The chiefs handed over the order to the monarch just as the Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, weekend, intervened in the feud between the monarch and his subjects.

In the past two days, some Itsekiri youths have laid siege to the palace of the monarch for allegedly renouncing his traditional title of Ogiame on grounds that it is associated with a sea goddess and also dissociating himself from some of the kingdom’s agelong traditional practices, which he described as paganism.

As tension builds up in Warri kingdom over the affair, security agencies have been forced to beef up security, both at the palace and the monarch’s residence, while the governor cut short state matters in Asaba to personally mediate in the matter in Warr i .

The governor is not alone in the peace moves. 37 members of the royal family had earlier waded into the matter. Vanguard learnt that when they met with the monarch in his palace, he stuck to his gun.

They had to dissociate themselves from his action.

Itsekiri woman leader, Chief Rita Lori-Ogbebor, had also met with Olu of Warri on the matter, but after their deliberation, she said there was no headway yet.

Uduaghan relocates to Warri On his part, Governor Uduaghan, abandoned other state matters to meet with some of the contending parties, yesterday.

The youths who occupied the palace grounds said they do not want to listen to any emissary and asked the governor to come and address them himself.

A source said it was obvious to the governor when his emissaries returned with the message of the protesters that

the crisis of confidence between the monarch and his subjects could go out of hand if not properly managed.

He, therefore, came and addressed the youths, urging them to maintain peace, as government would wade into the matter and ensure the matter was resolved amicably.

The governor implored them to allow the chiefs and elders to look into the matter, saying

intervention Delta State Government, yesterday, in a press statement also confirmed that the governor has waded into the internal crisis between the monarch, Ogiame Atuwatse II and his people.

“The Governor appealed to the men, women and youths to remain calm and peaceful as efforts were on to ensure that reasons prevailed over the matter.”

Itsekiri masquerades joined in the protest.

His words: “The Olu of Warri has taken the right decision by giving his life to Jesus Christ and renouncing everything that has to do with idol worship.

“All Christians in Itsekiriland should stand by him and support him in prayers. His fight is for the Lord’s people in Itsekiriland, it is not for himself alone, they should pray.

This is the time to pray, they should pray ceaselessly for the Lord to take control and speak to those who do not understand what the battle is all about.”

Olu should resign —Newuwumi

A cross section of chiefs barricading the entrance to Olu of Warri's palace.

that dialogue was the only way out.

So far, his intervention has calmed down frayed nerves, as some leaders urged him to meet with all the parties and talk to the Olu to be more diplomatic, while some hardliners insisted he should tell the monarch to resign.

The source said: “As I speak with you now (time was about 3.00 pm on Sunday), the governor is to meet with Itsekiri chiefs at the residence of the Iyatsere of Warri kingdom, Chief Gabriel Mabiaku over the matter.

“After the meeting with the chiefs, he will meet with the youths. But the meeting is yet to start.”

An aide of the governor, who did not know that his boss left Asaba for Warri told Vanguard at about 5.00pm, “I do not know the position now, and it is only the governor that can speak to you on the matter. What I know is that we are expecting him in Warri tomorrow (today), but if you say he had arrived quietly and is already meeting with them, I do not know.

"What I can tell you, however, is that the governor is particular about his peace and security agenda and he will do anything possible to ensure that the boat is not rocked.”

Govt confirms Uduaghan's

the statement said.

"Dr. Uduaghan who addressed them at the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atunwase II’s palace ground, assured the people that everything will come back to normal soon as all efforts were been made to address their grievances.

“He informed them that he has already discussed with Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II, chiefs and youths and all parties were willing to give peace a chance.

Governor thanks the youths “The Governor thanked the youths for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner and urged them to remain peaceful.

“The leader of the youths, Mr. Omolubi Newuwumi , had appealed to the youths to listen to the governor as he has come to ensure that peace was maintained in the kingdom.”

Pastor urges Itsekiri to support Olu However, Pastor K. Okoni, of Power Grace Ministries, Effurun, near Warri, urged the Itsekiri sons and daughters who have risen against their monarch because of his decision to renounce idolatry and other fetish practices to simmer down, as he was on the right track.

A royal blood of Iwere (Warri) kingdom, Prince Omolubi Newuwumi, who led the protesters on the siege to the palace, told Vanguard, yesterday, “There is no going back on our position, it is either the Olu vacates the position, resign or we will force him to leave office.

He cannot sit on the throne and abuse our tradition.”

He said leaders from over 112 Itsekiri communities would form a congress to dethrone the monarch if he did not retrace his steps.

His words: “Yes, I am the leader of the protesters, Ogiame Atuwatse should withdraw his statement , he is not in the position to make a law on our traditional beliefs and let nobody deceive him, there are protocols that must be followed before certain things can be done.

“You must read what he said about the title of Ogiame being synonymous with the goddess of the sea. Let me tell you, there is nothing he can do about it, 75-80 per cent of Itsekiri people live within the sea environment. They are things that are natural to the sea, which he cannot change.

“Sometimes, you could see some violent moves in the sea, it suggests something, maybe a corpse refused to float or something happened, the gods have something to say in such cases. When we do Umolokun, it is respect we give to the goddess of the sea, it is our tradition, he cannot change it.

“Nobody is stopping him from being a Christian, he should vacate the stool and go and practice his Christianity but not to tell us that we should no

longer sing the Itsekiri national anthem because he is a Christian - is he the first Christian in Warri?

“If he says the tradition of Itsekiri people is making him ungodly or unholy, he should leave it for us and go with his holiness elsewhere. Does he know that a two-year Itsekiri boy can recite our national anthem and that there is a bond that ties us together when we sing it.

“As far as I am concerned, some of us now see him as a past Olu of Warri until he retraces his step.

More than 50 per cent of the chiefs of Warri kingdom are with us in this battle that Olu must go if he does not come back to his senses.”

Vanguard gathered that the Olu of Warri had sent emissaries to the protesting youths to meet with him, but Newuwumi said, “we are not ready to listen to him as long as he is not ready to listen to us.

“We have taken over the palace, it is our palace, he cannot dictate to us on our traditions. If he is not ready to abide by them, he should go.”

How

crisis

started

Trouble started, last Wednesday, when the monarch allegedly read out to a small crowd of Itsekiri people at his palace a message that he had renounced the title of “Ogiame”, as it is associated with a water deity and other gods.

He also said he was renouncing all pagan religious practices of his ancestors till date and submitted Warri Kingdom and its people to Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, as a born again Christian.

As soon as the news spread to Iteskiri towns and villages, anger was stirred against the monarch, who made it clear that he was changing the Ogiame title to a yet to be announced title.

Those against him said Warri kingdom has been synonymous with the Ogiame title since 1480 and it was wrong for the monarch to wake one day and upturn history.

Protests In a swift reaction, Itsekiri youths from across Delta State mobilized to the palace at Ajamimogha to protest what they

Continues on page 52

52 — Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

Presidency goes tough on nPDP members zMembers go underground zMy life in danger — Baraje

BY HENRY UMORU

A

BUJA — STRONG in dications emerged, yesterday, that members of the Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje-led new Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, may have gone underground following planned clamp down on them especially those without immunity.

This development is coming barely 24 hours after the Police sealed off the Baraje office located on Plot 3206A, 4, Oyi River Crescent, Maitama, Abuja.

Vanguard gathered, yesterday, that besides the seven governors who belong to the new PDP who have immunity, others have decided to hide against the backdrop that the closure of the faction’s secretariat on Thursday took them unaware especially following the Friday meeting convened by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and other elders of the party as part of moves to end the lingering political quagmire in the PDP.

The meeting which took place, Friday, was held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, but was inconclusive, though there were assurances from the elders that the two factions will once again come together as one indivisible party members and Chief Obasanjo disclosed that discussions and consultations would continue.

Vanguard also gathered that as part of the punishment for the Baraje’s group, the board of the Nigeria Railway Corporation, NRC, which has the Alhaji Baraje as Chairman, will soon be dissolved and will later be reconstituted after his name must have been removed.

Another problem confronting the new PDP is the sharp split and disagreement over the All Progressive Congress, APC and the new Peoples Democratic Movement, PDM. A source told Vanguard that while some members of the new group want to move to APC, majority of them want to identify with the PDM because they do

not want to be identified with the APC, thus further causing a big problem in the new PDP. It was also learnt that the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur-led National Working Committee, NWC, was said to have infiltrated the new PDP, thereby causing the bickering.

My life in danger —Baraje

Meanwhile, Baraje who spoke to Vanguard, yesterday, said his life was in danger following the withdrawal of his security personnel and threat to his life.

He said if anything happens to him, Nigerians and the world will know who to blame.

He said: “My security personnel have been removed from my house and in Abuja and somebody of my social status needs such.

"It is like when you hear the cry of a witch at night and a child dies the next day, you will know where to point the accusing fingers at."

Palace chiefs ask Olu of Warri to rescind statement Continues from page 51

C M Y K

termed sacrilegious and unacceptable action of their monarch.

They set up bonfires everywhere, chorusing the Itsekiri national anthem, which the monarch prohibited by his new order.

Comrade Omolubi Newuwumi, a prince of Warri Kingdom, confirmed that he was leading the “mutiny” against the monarch.

Vanguard learnt that night masquerades overtook the palace's surrounding throughout Friday night such that the DPO in-charge of the “A” Division had to come and inspect the place midnight to verify an allegation that some parts of the palace fence had been broken by the protesting Itsekiri youths, which turned out to be a false alarm.

Omolubi, however, said the youths were not out to destroy or cause any havoc but only to ensure that the culture was not bastard-

ized further and the name, Ogiame, retained as of old.

Royal family rejects Olu’s stand

In the face of the tense atmosphere, members of the ruling house of Warri Kingdom, the Emikos, went into the palace to discuss with the monarch, last Friday.

The meeting was deadlocked as 37 members of the royal family came out with a statement, dissociating themselves from the declaration made by HM Atuwatse 11, the Olu of Warri.

The statement read in part: “That historically when Prince Ginuwa left Benin to become the first monarch at about 1480, it was with the authority and blessing of his father (Olua, then Oba of Benin) to reign over the rivers, hence the title, OGIAME, meaning King of the rivers.

“That the whole gamut of history behind the Itsekiri throne is captured or en-

capsulated in the title, Ogiame.

"That the property in the title 'Ogiame' belongs to the Itsekiri people who have so addressed the monarch right from inception over 500 years ago.

“We consider the history/pedigree of the Ogiame title as sure that the Itsekiri people hold it dear and sacrosanct to the extent that it should not be cancelled for whatever reasons.”

Lori-Ogbebor, other chiefs meet Olu

Itsekiri chief and amazon, Mrs. Rita LoriOgbebor, led other chiefs to consult with the monarch for about three hours only to come back with no positive result.

She promised that they would return for further consultation with the hope of gaining some compromise from the king.

Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013—53

Challenges of educating Nigeria's out of school children T

O get Nigeria’s 10 mil lion out-of-school children into school and learning, today, alongside development partners, we will announce millions of dollars of international support in a joint effort with President Goodluck Jonathan and his state governors.

When the president convenes the inaugural education summit bringing his cabinet ministers, state governors and state education commissioners together with global partners - the international community will make an unprecedented commitment, which will bolster the $250 million of Nigerian government support with upwards of $250 million of global finance. This will be the first of a series of practical steps to-

Map of Nigeria

of a global initiative to get every boy and girl to school by the end of 2015 with quality

,

The challenges faced by Nigeria are real and many – with 10.5 million primary school-age children not in education, Nigeria is home to the world’s largest out-ofschool population

,

wards the delivery of education.

These arrangements - to support school building, recruitment and training of new teachers, and the implementation of new innovative teaching via tablets, phones and online school courses - are part

governments in their renewed drive to put Nigeria’s children into school.

Nigeria has a shortage of nearly 1.3 million teachers. Basic infrastructure is lacking and there is a shortfall of up to 1.2 million classrooms. Worse, each year there are fewer children in school due to child marriages, gender and religious biases, and sheer cost for poorer families. For those that do find ways to get their children into school, learning can be limited, if it happens at all.

The number of adults in Nigeria who cannot read or write has risen to 35 million, confirming that illiteracy is a huge barrier to the future success of Nigeria’s economy. The number of girls who are left unable

learning opportunities.

Our aim is to build a world where for the first time no boy or girl is denied the right to education. In this, the challenges faced by Nigeria are real and many – with 10.5 million primary school-age children not in education, Nige-

ria is home to the world’s largest out-of•President Goodluck Jonathan school population.

Today, leaders from USAID from Qatar’s Educate to read or write is worse still a Child, from the Global Part- with 52 per cent of young nership for Education, from women who complete primary the business community rep- education remaining illiterate. resented by the Global BusiBut with President Jonathan ness Coalition for Education, ready to take action, we know along with other global devel- what must be done. Financial opment partners, will be pre- incentives must be fine-tuned pared to discuss how their con- to help state governments detributions can best be lever- liver. Teacher training must be aged with federal and state improved by using new techplans of action. nology. The curriculum of IsThese leaders recognise Pres- lamic schools must be strengthident Jonathan’s vision, and ened to develop literacy and are standing by to give practi- numeracy skills. Families must cal support to the Nigerian be supported in sending their Federal Government and state children to school through con-

ditional cash transfers. These have already been pioneered in some states, and have been particularly successful in encouraging the enrolment and attendance of girls.

Our delegation will put their support behind the implementation of state plans for education. We will look at what more can be done by making better use of the Universal Basic Education Fund to provide central ministry incentives alongside investments from the delegation itself.

Central ministry incentives Nigerians themselves are calling for the education their country needs. In spite of the violence and attacks on education from extremist groups, nearly 20,000 Nigerians have signed the petition to support President Jonathan’s commitment to education. Nigerians seek safe schools for their children and, seeing President Jonathan’s commitment, are now looking to state governors to put in place the plans to deliver them. The continued mobilization of Nigerian citizens in solidarity with the global community, through petitions and letters of support, will be crucial in ensuring that the global community and government follow through on their promise of education.

Education in Nigeria will be revived – not simply because the Federal government is committed to doing so, and the state governments are receiving the support they need from the international community, but because all the people of Nigeria – from civil society and young people, to business and faith groups – are devoting their efforts and resources to making it a reality.

•Brown is a former Labour prime minister in UK

OPINION

BY BONAVENTURE MELAH

T

HE on-going strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has become a source of concern as it has brought untold pain to parents and guardians whose children and wards are idling away when they are supposed to be in classrooms.

ASUU wants government to implement a 2009 Joint Agreement it entered with government. Among other things, ASUU says university lecturers are being owed N80billion to which government did not dispute. The union also wants 26 percent annual budgetary allocation to the education sector out of which it wants 50 percent to be allocated to universities.

Government on its side has released N30billion with a promise to pay the remaining in instalments. The government has in addition set aside N400billion for Infrastructural development in the universities out of which it has released N100billion bringing to a total of N130billion.

While making these offers, the Chairman of the Universities Needs Implementation Committee, Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State assured ASUU of government’s determination to implement the content of the 2009 agreement and pleaded with the union to call off its strike. But ASUU’s president, Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge, has sworn to continue until their demands are met. But there is a need for ASUU and its members to borrow a leaf from teachers in Benue State and show some level of understanding in dealing with this matter.

C M Y K

ASUU: Emulate Benue teachers Not too long ago, teachers in Benue State went on strike.

Their grouse was that the state government had not implemented the N18,000 minimum wage approved by the Federal Government. While negotiating with the teachers, government had reminded them that Benue has over 29,000 teachers at the local government level alone making it one of the states with the highest number of teachers in the country.

It also reminded the teachers that Governor Suswam was among the first governors to implement the 21.5 percent salary increase before the minimum wage was introduced, a development that raised the salary of teachers in the state from grade level 7 and above to a minimum of N25,000 per month. Even without the minimum wage, Benue teachers are still among the highest paid in the country. The state government equally suggested that the teachers decide whether they would want a reversal to the status quo before the implementation of the 21.5 percent so that it can implement the N18,000 minimum wage or stick to their existing wage regime.

To address the matter, Suswam decided to set up a committee comprising representatives of teachers and those from government’s side. The committee was able to fashion out a mutually benefitting salary regime for the teachers in the state. He immediately approved the implementation of the new structure from August 1, thereby bringing the crisis to a peaceful end, with the teachers happily back to their classrooms.

Now, while the Federal Government is battling to settle with university teachers, medical doctors had gone on warning strike which brought untold hardship to their fellow citizens. They have again given another 21-day ultimatum to government. After the university teachers, it would be the turn of non- teaching staff of universities to begin their own strike; then nurses, followed by RATTAWU, Nigeria Labour Congress, TUC, all that.

Why should ASUU demand that 50 percent of budgetary allocation to education sector go to universities? Who told ASUU that university education is the most important in any nation? How many Nigerians have the opportunity to go to university? What about primary education that is regarded all over the world as the basic education and therefore the most important? How many universities do we have when compared to hundreds of thousands of primary and secondary schools in the country? Let us keep politics aside and tell these guys the whole truth.

ASUU should go back to the table and listen to Governor Suswam and his committee members. This is especially so because of Suswam’s track record as a lover of education who has achieved so much for the people of Benue State in the last six years. This is because ASUU cannot have a better mediator from Federal Government’s side in the present dispensation than Suswam who is highly regarded at the highest level of authority in the land. *Mr. Melah, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Abuja.

54— Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013— 55

Emergency rule (for chartered accountants) (2)

BY BASHORUN JK RANDLE

Continues from Friday edition

Akwa Ibom’s defence of unlawful acts (2)

B

J

Business of government “192(1) There shall be such offices of Commissioners of the government of a state as may be established by the Governor of the State.”

“193 The Governor of a State may, in his discretion, assign to the Deputy Governor or any Commissioner of the government of the state responsibility for any business of the government of that State, including the administration of any department of government.”

“208(1) Power to appoint persons to hold or act in the offices to which this section applies and to remove persons so appointed from such office shall vest in the Governor of the State.

(2) The offices to which this section applies are, namely: a.

Secretary to the Government of

VICTOR UKUT the State b.Head of the Civil Service of the State c. Permanent Secretary or other Chief Executives in any Ministry or Department of the Government of the State howsoever designated; and d. Any office on the personal staff of the Governor.

(5) Any appointment made pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (2) of this section

Akwa Ibom governor, Godswill Akpabio

Umana Umana, former SSG shall be at the pleasure of the Governor and shall cease when the governor ceases to hold office. Provided that where a person has been appointed from a public service of the Federation or a State, he shall be entitled to return to the public service of the Federation or of the State when the Governor ceases to hold office.

It is apparent from the wording of the forgoing provisions that the

,

UDGES are not called upon to apply their opinions of sound policy so as to modify the plain meaning of constitutional provisions or statutory words. See Nwangwu vs. Nzekwu (supra) at page 36, Lion Insurance vs.

Tucker (supra), Aqua Ltd. vs.

Ondo State Sports Council (supra) at page 622; Notes vs.

Donaster Almagamated Collieries Lts. (1940) A.C. 1014 at 1022.

In effect, the 1st and 2nd appellants are not in duty bound to give 30 days notice or one month’s notice as wrongly averred by the petitioners in paragraphs 6(p) of the petition or any notice at all. Equally relevant to fortify my view that the 1st and 2nd appellants are not public officers as defined by S. 318(1) of the 1999 Constitution are Sections 192(1), 193(1) and 208(1), 2(a)(b)(c)(d) and (5) of the same Constitution. They read in that order as follows:

Map of Akwa Ibom State 318(1)(Supra).

See also the case of Asogwa v.

Chukwu (2003) 4 NWLR (Pt. 811) 540 at 546 where it was held, inter-alia, that the interpretations in the two sections above are saying the same thing, that is to say, that the term public officer should only relate to the holder of the offices as reflected in S. 318, Supra, being employees whose appointments enjoy statutory flavour because it is only those set of people who have conditions of service and/or letters of appointment stipulating how many years they are to spend in service, at what age they should retire, the number of months to be given a notice either by the employer to mention a few conditions of service.

See also Governor, Ebonyi State v. Isuama (2004) 6 NWLR (Pt. 870) 511 at 528; Ojukwu v.

Yar’dua (2008) 4 NWLR (Pt. 1078) 435 where this court held that Governors and Commissioners appointed by

Judges are not called upon to apply their opinions of sound policy so as to modify the plain meaning of constitutional provisions or statutory words

offices of the Chief of Staff being the head of the personal staff of the governor and the commissioner of the state being offices respectively held in the erstwhile government of Abia State by 1st and 2nd appellants are political office holders whose appointees among others, serve at the pleasure of the Governor of Abia State and accordingly not person in the public service of Abia State.

A judicial pronouncement was succinctly made in the case of Dada v. Adeyeye (2005) 6 NWLR (Pt. 920) 1 at 19-20; while considering the provisions of Section 182(1) (g) read together with S. 318(1) of the 1999 Constitution that the Governor of a State, his Deputy, the Speaker and all other political office holders are not in the public service of the State.

This Court expatiated that from the above definition, it is clear that the governor of a state is not in the public service of the State within the meaning of S.

,

them (the Governor) are not public officers who should resign their positions before contesting in an election.

It follows from the foregoing analysis by the Court that Umana O. Umana was not obliged to tender a resignation before embarking on his political intention or campaign (if any) for the Office of the Akwa Ibom State Governor in the 2015 elections.

Assuming without conceding that Umana O. Umana was a public servant, he was only obliged to tender a resignation 30 days before the date fixed by INEC for the election into the office of the Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

As a matter of fact, since Umana O. Umana was not a public servant, he could contest the election for the office of governor while still retaining the office of the SSG without any resignation as stated by the Court of Appeal in the case of Orji vs Ugechucku (Supra) To be concluded

,

Continues from Friday edition

ESIDES, we poached neither their clients nor their staff. On the contrary, we strove to engage them in joint audits during the course of which information, documentation and processes as well as technical expertise were shared freely and in utmost confidentiality. Beyond that, whenever we hosted experts from our international network we would invite our professional colleagues to participate in the knowledge sharing.

Indeed, I must emphasize that it was not only KPMG but virtually all the other leading firms - Coopers & Lybrand (now part of PricewaterhouseCoopers), Pannell Fitzpatrick; Arthur Young Osindero (now Ernst & Young); Deloitte; Arthur Anderson; Akintola Williams, etc., that were engaged in the collective effort to emphasize the drive for professional excellence.

of our audit work. We were also mindful that the standards to which we aspired would need to be cascaded down to the medium and small firms - right down to sole practitioners.

Indeed, we were committed to ensuring that there was space for both the big and the small firms to thrive, without compromising their integrity.

Therefore, it was a severe and painful jolt when under the Military Government of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, the Federal Government of Nigeria promulgated the ANAN decree on August 25, 1993 (by Decree 76 of 1993) which totally undermined ICAN’s authority and pre-eminence as regards the training of accountants.

Hitherto, the regulating aspect of accountancy had been the exclusive function/domain of ICAN. Suddenly, the military had outmaneouvered us.

It did not stop there. The real shocker was yet to come!!

Prince Bola Ajibola, who was

The Minister’s allegation took us by surprise because for those of us in the big firms it was inconceivable that we would ever engage in such malpractices or fraudulent activities

Ruthless competition and unsavoury rivalry were subjugated to the higher responsibility of ensuring that the quality of our work would pass muster when subjected to international scrutiny. Without being unduly sentimental, we saw ourselves as friends and colleagues with a common bond - as custodians of public trust and professional integrity.

Consequently, we constituted the “Big Eight” Committee which consisted of the eight largest accountancy firms in Nigeria with the clear objective of upholding the highest standards of our profession - in terms of ethics, technical expertise, training and professional conduct as the lightening rod for reinforcing the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.

It is a measure of the mutual respect and trust that prevailed that we not only met monthly (the participating firms took it in turn to host us), we carried out Peer Review amongst ourselves which entailed the swapping of our clients files/audit conclusions in an atmosphere of confidentiality.

Our common purpose was to ensure consistency in the quality

J.K. RANDLE

,

Babangida’s Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, was guest of honour at one of our diners when he rose to speak, only to deliver a bombshell. According to the Minister, there were complaints that some chartered accountants were in the habit of signing two different sets of accounts for the same client (for the same period).

Fraudulent activities Hence, in order to check such fraudulent activities which were aimed at denying the Government of much needed revenue and duties, the report of auditors would henceforth be co-signed by lawyers!! The Minister’s allegation took us by surprise because for those of us in the big firms it was inconceivable that we would ever engage in such malpractices or fraudulent activities.

Unfortunately, waters became murkier when several Nigerian banks collapsed and allegations of complicity by their auditors were all over the media. Equally damaging were allegations that some banks and other financial institutions kept different sets of books - one for the auditors and regulators and another one for the promoters/proprietors of the banks. It was a lethal weapon which the military government of General Sani Abacha deployed with brutal force to consign bankers, accountants, lawyers, and debtors into detention.

To be concluded C M Y K

56—Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

Inter-party advisory council advises PDP to settle differences

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

A

BUJA—THE Inter Party Advisory Council, IPAC, weekend, charged leaders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to sit down and iron their differences to save the nation from going through another round of agony and distractions.

Chairman of IPAC, Dr Yinusa Tanko, who gave the charge while addressing newsmen in Abuja, said lack of internal democracy was responsible for the current crisis in the party.

Tanko, who is also the National Chairman of National Conscience Party, NCP, charged political parties to focus on what the populace wanted rather than playing to the gallery.

He stated that it was time leaders of political parties entrenched internal democracy .

He also expressed concern over the alarm raised by chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, that fifth columnists were plotting his removal.

Tanko, who described the development as disturbing, noted that the claim could not be swept under the carpet, stressing that political parties would arrest move from any quarter to distract and cause instability in the commission.

He said there was nothing so far to show that Jega was not meeting the expectations of majority of Nigerians.

He warned against the media playing into the hands of some politicians who were averse to the conduct of credible and transparent elections.

On the controversy that has trailed moves to grant financial and political autonomy to local government, Tanko urged the National Assembly to ensure that autonomy formed part of the ongoing amendment of the 1999 constitution.

Tanko also challenged State Houses of Assembly to support move to make them financial independent, arguing that the current situation where the assemblies were mere appendages of governors was distasteful.

C M Y K

Tension in Borno as govt moves to demolish churches, schools zCAN kicks, says it is the beginning of Islamization

BY CALEB AYANSINA

A

BUJA—THERE is tension in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, as the state government has intensified efforts to demolish about 25 churches and schools, Vanguard has learnt.

The proposed demolition, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, told Vanguard might heighten insecurity challenges created by the Boko Haram.

The development has, therefore, continued to fuel speculations to Islamize the country, beginning from Northern Nigeria.

Vanguard reliably gathered that “the state government will embark on the demolition any moment from now.”

Although there are conflicting figures of the number of churches and schools to be affected, sources confirmed that it would be close to 25.

The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and owners of farmlands in the area had been served quit notices by the state government, intimating them of the plan to acquire the structures to construct 1,000 housing units.

A leaflet from the office of Borno State Ministry of Lands and Survey, dated August 20, and signed by one Musa Ummate (O/ C Land Administration) on behalf of the commissioner, was obtained by newsmen, yesterday, in Abuja.

The leaflet is entitled, “Notice of acquisition and assessment/ valuation of structures on proposed site for 1,000 housing units along Gubio road.”

It read: “I am directed to refer to you farmers and holders of structures on the proposed site for caption matter above and regret to inform you that the executive governor has on the power conferred on him by Section (2)b of the Land Use Act 1978 has directed through high powered committee on Construction Ref. no: HPCC/2500/HE/S/TEC/1 to notify you of his intention to acquire your farmlands and assessment/ valuation of the structures on the proposed site situated along Gubio road, Maiduguri.

"The acquisition is necessary, in view of requirements of the land by the state government for overriding public interest to construct housing estate.

“The affected farmers and holders of structures are to take note and appear on site for the above exercise, please.”

However, investigation revealed that the state government had no plan to develop any housing estate, but to destroy the churches and over 20 private schools built by the churches.

LAUNCH—From left: MTN's ambassadors, Mr. Kingsley Okonkwo (aka 'KCEE') and Mr. Michael Collins Ajereh, popularly called 'Don Jazzy'; Chief Marketing Officer, MTN, Mr. Larry Annetts and Chief Executive Officer, MTN, Mr. Michael Ikpoki, at the launch of Nigeria's first digital music app competition, MTN Songstar, weekend, at Golden Plaza, Falomo, Ikoyi.

A source told Vanguard: “Over 20 churches and many schools will be affected. The lands on which the churches were built were bought from farmers and have the authority and certificate of the District Head in Maiduguri, popularly called Bulama. The land was not under the ministry when it was bought.

"The Christians went for the meeting called by the governor and for several hours, the governor didn’t come out to see them.

“It is always difficult for Christians to get a land in Maiduguri. Even after getting the land, the government won’t give you Certificate of Occupancy.

“They compensated Borno Muslims who are victims of Boko Haram. But how many Christians were compensated?”

Nigerians and there are other places where the state government can develop. The areas being earmarked for demolition are already developed with churches and schools.

“We condemn the action and I think government should be sensitive to what the Christians in that state are going through not to come and add another problem, through demolition.

“Christians have suffered enough in Borno State. If the state government wants to destroy churches and build any housing estate, no Christian will see it as a sign of progress.”

Although, Asake disclosed

It's a ploy to persecute Christians — CAN

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, yesterday, said the demolition was another plot under the guise of public interest to persecute Christians in the state, saying it would not take it lightly.

The General Secretary of CAN, Dr. Musa Asake, who confirmed the development when contacted, called on Borno State government to have a rethink.

Dr. Asake said: “We have seen the eviction notice from Borno State government. We are

that they had not been able to authenticate the source of the letter, he added “we are going to reach out to the state government to make sure that Christians don’t lose their churches and lands.

“But we have no reason to doubt the source of the letter. We have suffered enough in Borno State and enough of all these things which are coming in another disguise.

"Borno State government should reconsider the decision to demolish churches and property because in Borno State, there are many vast lands. They should do that instead of going to these areas where Christians have settled. We are asking the Borno State government not to try it."

Okiro urges co-operation between PSC, Police Ministry

A

BUJA—CHAIRMAN of Police Service Commission, Mike Okiro, has said effective co-operation between the Police Service Commission, PSC, and the Ministry of Police Affairs will give the Nigeria Police Force the desired support in its reformation bid.

Speaking during a visit to the Police Affairs Minister, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd), Okiro reiterated that several developed nations had gone through similar security challenges Nigeria was going through today, pointing out that the country could learn from

their experiences.

He called on stakeholders in the policing sector to redouble their efforts towards the realization of President Jonathan’s Transformational Agenda of the Nigeria Police Force.

He promised the commission’s cooperation with the Ministry of Police Affairs in bringing about the best working environment for officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force to effectively secure the nation.

The minister, in appreciating the visit, stated that the appointment of Okiro was a thing of joy, adding that he was in a position to transform the Police, having seen it all.

V anguard AY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 — 57 Vanguard anguard,, MOND MONDA

Syria has crossed ‘global red line’ — Kerry U

S Secretary of State John Kerry has said that the United Sattes and Arab League foreign ministers have agreed that the Syrian president’s alleged use of chemical weapons crossed a “global red line”.

Mr Kerry, speaking in Paris, is in Europe to muster support for action against President Bashar al-Assad.

“Assad’s deplorable use of chemical weapons crosses an international, global red line,” he said.

Mr Assad has reportedly again denied any link to the attack.

In an interview for US broadcaster CBS, to be broadcast on Monday, Mr Assad also reportedly “suggested that there would be, among people that are aligned with him, some kind of retaliation if a strike was made”, CBS said.

Arab countries are divided on the question of military strikes on Syria.

The BBC’s Hugh Schofield reports from Paris that some like Saudi Arabia and Qatar are in favour while others

at a news conference after meeting Arab League foreign ministers.

Referring to Mr Assad’s regional allies in Lebanon and Iran, Mr Kerry said: “It is clear that if we don’t take action, the message to Hezbollah, Iran, Assad will be that nobody cares that you have broken this 100year-old standard.”

US supports political solution

U

like Syria’s neighbours Jordan and Lebanon are far more cautious, worried about the conflict spreading across their borders.

The US accuses Mr Assad’s forces of killing 1,429 people in a sarin gas attack on 21 August.

Mr Assad’s government blames the attack on rebels fighting to overthrow him in the coun-

Kabila, rebels to resume talks

R

EBELS from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s M23 movement have said they will resume peace talks with the government, agreeing to a demand from leaders of Africa’s Great Lakes region.

Talks between the two sides were suspended in May, and the agreement to reopen them follows a recent upsurge in violence in the country, where Congolese troops backed by a special United Nations force launched a fresh assault against the rebels late last month.

“Our delegates are already in Kampala. They are ready to negotiate with Kinshasa immediately as soon as the request has been passed on by the mediator,” M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa told AFP news agency over telephone.

The rebel leader said he hoped the talks would address the “deep-seated causes of the conflict” and that Kinshasa would “really get involved”.

The Congolese government cautiously welcomed the M23’s announcement.

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•Assad

•Kerry

•Kabila

try’s two-and-a-half-year civil war, which has claimed some 100,000 lives, according to UN

estimates.

There are reports that rebel forces have taken control of the historic

Christian town of Maaloula, north of Damascus.

Mr Kerry was speaking

Assad denies use of chemical weapon

S

YRIAN President Bashar al-Assad has denied that he was behind a chemical weapons attack on the Syrian people and said evidence was not conclusive that there had been such an attack, CBS reported.

“There has been no evidence that I used chemical weapons against my own people,” CBS on Sunday quoted Assad as saying in an interview conducted by Charlie Rose in Damascus.

The US, along with other Western and regional countries, accuse the Assad regime of carrying out

a chemical attack in Damascus suburbs on August 21, killing hundreds of people.

Speaking on the CBS Sunday morning show Face the Nation, Rose summarised the answers Assad gave in his first interview with an American television network in the last two years .

Rose said that the Syrian president did not confirm or deny that the regime has chemical weapons.

The US and France are seeking to build an international coalition to launch military strikes

against Syria in response to the alleged chemical attack.

Member countries of the European Union also blame the Syrian government for the attack said on Saturday that the world should wait for a report from UN weapons inspectors before any USled military response.

In another media report on Sunday, Germany’s Bild am Sonntag paper said Syrian government forces may have used chemical weapons without the personal permission of Assad.

Tunisians protest against Islamist govt T ENS of thousands of Tunisians have taken to the streets to renew their demands that the Islamist-led government step down and end a political deadlock threatening the North African country’s fledgling democracy.

Saturday’s rally was the largest protest since Tunisia’s crisis erupted over the killing of an opposition leader in July, increasing pressure on the ruling Ennahda party to make way for a caretaker government before proposed elections.

Waving red and white national flags and pictures of slain opposition leader Mohamed Brahmi, protesters packed

would not be welcome at any of the ceremonies in memory of her husband.

She too called for the government to go.

S Secretary of State John Kerry has met members of the Arab League in Paris to discuss the crisis in Syria and possible US-led military action against the country.

After more than two years of civil war, the US is trying to drum up support for limited strikes on Syria in response to an apparent chemical weapons attack that Washington blames on the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

However, in a joint news conference with Qatari foreign minister, Kerry acknowledged on Sunday that there is only a political solution to Syria’s war, not a military one.

Kerry also said that the US is considering a French suggestion of possibly bringing the Syria issue back to the UN Security Council after UN inspectors who investigated claims of chemical weapons use have finished their report.

He said President Barack Obama had not yet made a decision on the issue.

“Today we discussed the possible deterring methods that a number of countries have agreed on in the G20 meeting and they will make their own announcements in the next 24 hours” Kerry said.

Australia's new PM vows to cut aid

A

•A female protester on the street of Tunis yesterday.

streets around a building where a national assembly had been drafting a new constitution until its work was suspended due to unrest.

Protesters gathered at Bab Saadoun, on the out-

skirts of Tunis, before marching to Bardo square, the scene of regular protests after the killing of Brahmi.

Brahmi’s widow had made it clear that government representatives

new government prepared to take control of Australia, with policies to cut pledges in foreign aid and to wind back greenhouse gas reduction measures in an effort to balance the nation’s books.

Prime Minister-elect Tony Abbott also plans to visit Indonesia soon in part to discuss controversial plans to curb the number of asylum seekers reaching Australian shores in Indonesian fishing boats.

Abbott’s conservative Lib-

eral party-led coalition won a crushing victory at elections on Saturday against the centre-left Labor Party, which had ruled for six years, including during the turbulent global financial crisis.

The Australian Electoral Commission’s latest counting early on Sunday had the coalition likely to win a clear majority of 88 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives. Labor appeared likely to secure 57.

58 — Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

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Oil theft: Stakeholder advises on way out

C

HAIRMAN of Glad trico International Limited, Chief Eric Ebozele, weekend, advocated citadel fencing of areas where pipelines are located nationwide.

Ebozele who spoke to newsmen in Abuja after receiving an award of Best Citadel Fence Security Watchtower Construction and Installation services Company of the Year 2013 noted that with the specialized fencing, it would become impossible for oil vandals to gain access to pipeline sites in the country.

Giving a brief on what citadel fencing entails, Ebozele said the technology which his company was the exclusive agent in the country easily analyses threats because it is a seethrough device and has small opening (aperture) that it can deflect bullets fired into it.

Ebozele who said he felt great and fulfilled concerning the award given to him by the Institute for Government Research and Lead-

ership Technology, noted that his effort was being recognized and shows that he has to work harder and there was dignity in labour.

He cited the 1,200 per meter citadel fencing around the Forcados terminal airstrip and the 1,500 fencing in Shell Nigeria, Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) Pinnock Estate, Lekki, Lagos as some of the works his company has executed.

Ebozele who stressed that government should stop the neglect of host communities of oil exploration, said: “my heart bleeds each time I see the neglect of most host communities in the country. These are communities lack access roads, potable water and other basic amenities to make them feel a sense of belonging. They deserve more than they are getting now as the communities that produce the natural resources that brings so much wealth to the country."

Mrs. Imoke tasks African govts on NGOs

T

HE Founder/Board Chair of Partnership Opportunities for Women Empowerment Realization, POWER, Mrs. Obioma Liyel-Imoke has called on heads of governments in Africa to engage NGOs and other civil society organizations as partners in the development of their respective countries.

Presenting a keynote address at the Global Conference of International Association of African NGOs in Rockville, Maryland, USA, Mrs. Liyel-Imoke also said NGOs in Africa should move from being mere conduit for western aid and advocates for policy change to taking the lead in providing practical solutions as a way of achieving sustainable development and economic growth in Africa.

Mrs. Liyel-Imoke who is also the wife of the Governor of Cross River State challenged NGOs to wean themselves from total dependence on Europe and America for funding and rather, look inwards for their resource mobilization.

That way, international donors, according to her, would not force their agenda through the throats of Africans.

She described Africa as a metaphor for everything that is good, regretting, however, that the continent

has been bedeviled by all kinds of challenges including poverty, hunger, wars, famine, drought and HIV/ AIDS. Quoting the Vice President, The World Bank Group Africa Region, Makhtar Diop, Mrs. Liyel-Imoke said “although poverty is declining, Africa has the highest poverty rate in the world, with 47.5 percent of the population living on $1.25 a day. They account for 30 percent of the world’s poor.”

Mrs. Liyel-Imoke said her husband, the Governor of Cross River State in Nigeria, consciously engaged NGOs and international donor agencies as partners in the development of the state as a creative funding option in realization of the limitation of oil as a major revenue earner.

In a presentation titled, “Educate A Rural Child”, the Wife of the Governor of Oyo State, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi said there was a wide gap in rural and urban school children output in Nigeria particularly in Oyo State. Mrs. Ajimobi, who is the Founder of “Access to Basic Care” and initiator of “Educate a Rural Child”, also emphasized on the importance of NGOs in providing services to the most vulnerable segment of the society.

Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 9,, 2013 — 59

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60 — Vanguard, MONDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

2020 Olympic Games:

Why Tokyo won — Rogge F

OR Tokyo the dark clouds and thunderstorms over the Argentine capital skyline as heavy rains pounded on Saturday were nothing but showers of blessings.

They sprinkled Olympic luck yet again for the Japanese who were awarded the hosting rights for the Summer 2020 games, the second time the high-tech Asian capital will play host after the 1964 edition.

The Prime Minister Shinzo Abe soothed the fears over worrisome leaks of contaminated water at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

When Jacque Rogge announced Tokyo as the winners at 5:30pm local time, it was confirmation that ‘there was always one winner’.

The IOC members kept faith Tokyo’s experience and stability as pointed out by Rogge who did not take part in the vote.

“I feel Tokyo prevailed

on the basis of their excellent bid and their experience in the previous games played a role too in what they described as a safe pair of hands.

“Tokyo is honoured and

ELGIAN Tom Saintfiet position as Malawi national football team coach is untenable following his side’s 0-2 loss to Nigeria at UJ Usuene Stadium in Calabar in a 2014 World Cup qualifying game on Saturday.

Saintfiet whose appointment was ratified on July 2 by the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) explained that he had an “agreement till midnight on Saturday” with FAM. The Belgian also revealed that his objective was to help qualify Malawi for the World Cup 2014 in Brazil, a feat he failed to achieve.

“I don’t feel any pressure because (the Football Association of Malawi) had an agreement till midnight on Saturday.”

“From Sunday morning, I have no agreement with [FAM] and that was clear so I am a professional coach and my future? That we will see in the coming weeks but I am not worried about that,” he said.

Saintfiet said that in

spite of the loss to Nigeria, his players did well and deserved to be commended.

“Actually, as a coach, I came here to win the match but Nigeria carried the day afterwards.

I wish Nigeria well in the final qualifying matche and pray that they qualify for the World Cup’,’ he said.

The 40-year-old Saintfiet, who has coached in Africa with Namibia, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia,

W

RESTLING has won back its spot

said he volunteered his services to Malawi for free.

FAM officials said the preference is for Eddie Ng’onamo to continue the role of the national coach but they are ‘keeping an open mind’.

Eagles, Etalons tango in Kaduna

F

RESH from soullifting progress into the final elimination round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification series, African champions Nigeria and African vice champions Burkina Faso clash in a high-profile international friendly at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna on Tuesday evening.

The Super Eagles did the expected by seeing off Malawi 2-0 in Calabar in one of the final matches of Africa’s group phase attrition on Saturday, meaning they reach the 10-team final battle easily, consigning the Flames to seven points and second place in the pool.

Only group winners are eligible for the Draw in Cairo on Monday next week.

Despite being docked points for fielding an ineligible player earlier in the campaign, the Etalons picked up efficiently, winning in Nig e r and Congo-Brazzaville before pipping Gabon 1-

0 in Ouagadougou on Saturday to finish top of their pool.

Scenes of supreme glee took over the streets of Ouagadougou and other major Burkinabe cities on Saturday after news filtered in that rivals Congo could only draw in Niamey, leaving the Etalons to emerge group winners.

Cameroun

Continues from BP the two teams met in June.

Aurelien Chedjou headed home the only goal of the match in the first half.

Chedjou scored three minutes before the break and the victory saw Cam-

to deliver the memorable Games we have promised, and we will not let them down,”said IOC Member and President of both Tokyo 2020 and the Japanese Olympic Committee Tsunekazu Takeda.

Wrestling wins Olympic vote

Saintfiet quits after loss to Eagles B

humbled by the International Olympic Committee’s decision to award us the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.The Olympic Family has put its faith in our great city

eroon clinch top place in Group I with 13 points from their six matches.

Libya finished four points behind after arriving in Yaounde needing to win the match to secure a place in the final round of qualifiers.

The Indomitable Lions

as an Olympic sport and will be contested at both the 2020 and 2024 Games.

In a vote take by International Olympic Committee members in Buenos Aires yesterday, wrestling held off rivals squash and baseball.

Wrestling had been an Olympic sport for more than a hundred years until being dropped from its programme earlier in 2013.

However, wrestling needed just one round of voting to secure its spot in Japan for seven years’ time, collecting 49 of the 95 cast.

The joint bid by baseball/softball was second with 24 votes while

squash received 22.

Nenad Lalovic of Serbia, who took over as president of the International Wrestling Federation in February, said: “We made mistakes but we decided to listen and learn and those mistakes will not happen again.

“We have modernised our Federation, our constitution has become much more democratic with more women and athletes in the administration and with the referees absolutely independent.”

The decision comes less than 24 hours after Tokyo were awarded the 2020 Games at the expense of Istanbul and Madrid.

Nov 23 date for 2013 Obudu Mountain Race

T

HE Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 9th Obudu International Mountain Race and the 5th African Mountain Running Championships has fixed Saturday November 23 as date for the two-in-one race. remain on course to extend their World Cup finals appearances to seven at Brazil 2014.

Other group winners to qualify for the two-legged play-offs are Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Senegal.

The draw will take place in Cairo on 16 September.

It will be based on the latest Fifa rankings to be released on Thursday and will create five twoleg ties, with the winners going to the finals in Brazil.

The decisive games will be played in October and November.

Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 9,, 2013 — 61

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62— Vanguard, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

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Vanguard, MONDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 — 63

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Super Eagles versus Cameroun, Senegal, Egypt? ...tough

,

OOTBALL will not seize to amaze me. Some call it the beautiful game. Others believe it is a “ wicked game” like death, football has a mind of its own, it is no respecter of persons, class or pedigree.

Ask the Tunisians.

Saturday evening, I sat at the impressive and imposing Rades Stadium in the outskirt of Tunis wondering what could have been. After their match against Equatorial Guinea, Tunisia were already Group B qualifiers with a match to spare.

Then came the faux pas by Equatorial Guinea and Cape Verde who in three matches were pointless were gifted three points and subsequent victories against Equatorial Guinea and Sierra Leone took them just two points close to Tunisia.

Not to worry, the final match was to be held in Tunis and with two superior points, all the Tunisians needed was to draw and that will be it. But a draw was far from their minds. Tunisia, four time World Cup qualifiers who beat Cape Verde 2-1 at away was very sure the Cape Verdians will be taken for dinner.

No sooner had the match started that reality dawned. Like lighting, counter attacks, goal….not once, but twice…..Two merited goals in the first half and the damage had been done.

Tr y a s m u c h a s t h e y d i d i n t h e s e c o n d half…..there was no coming back…..Cape Verde has eliminated giants Tunisia. An upset by all standards.

A similar story was told in Durban where South Africa rallied to trounce Botswana 4-1, but it was a little too late. The Ethiopians rallied back from a goal down to beat hapless and homeless Central African Republic 2-1 in Congo to top the group and oust their more illustrious opponents.

At the time of writing this report, all the qualifiers but one had been known. (The match pitching Cameroun against Libya in Yaounde was yet to be played. But all those, including yours truly, tipping the Indomitable Lions should not FORGET THE Cape Verde story…)

What this means is that pending the latest FIFACoca-Cola ranking that will be released on Thursday, all those to be in the first hat for the

…Cameroun any day is a danger to Nigeria. They have our number

,

September 16 draw in Cairo have stood out. Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Algeria, Nigeria and Cape Verde…yes Cape Verde. At the last ranking, Cape Verde Nations Cup quarter finalists were lying sixth behind Nigeria, but now with the elimination of Mali, losers to Algeria in Group H, Cape Verde has sneaked into the top five.

Though the rankings sometimes defy mere mortals comprehension, let us assume this is the scenario, leaving the other hat for Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Senegal and Cameroun (Why am I underrating Lybya?)

Look at the above paragraph again and you will agree that qualifying for this world cup will be quite a challenge as we stand to draw either Cameroun(!) Egypt or Senegal. Even Ethiopia will not be easy. Ask Coach Keshi. You can also ask Keshi whether he will prefer to face Burki-

na Faso again.

Talking about preference, I have had readers who are convinced that we can handle Egypt easily. That the North Africans have seized to be a threat to the Super Eagles, while they dread Senegal and Cameroun. What about those who dismiss Cameroun as a spent force? To this Romanus Ibe has a view “……….Cameroun any day is a danger to Nigeria. They have our number.

They have a way of rising to the occasion whenever the foe is Nigeria and history can attest to this. I prefer we avoid them, let them take their wahala go” One advantage that the seeded teams will have is the luxury of playing their return leg at home.

But does it matter? How much can you do after losing say 3-0 at away?

The fairy tale of Cape Verde and Ethiopia is brought to the fore by the sixteen qualifiers for African Nations Championship (CHAN) scheduled for South Africa early January next year.

The host on paper would have preferred names different from those listed. They are lucky to have Nigeria….for the first time ….thanks to a Keshi policy of identifying with domestic based players.

Others are host South Africa, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Congo Braza, Congo DR, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Mozambique….dont ask me about former host and Africa football power house Cote D’Ivoire.

What about defending champions Tunisia?

Egypt, Algeria, Cameroun, Zambia and Senegal among others?

African football is taking a turn, perhaps for the better, one in which traditional names are losing power and fast too, that is why I am happy that we are not playing Cape Verde….why I may not celebrate a fixture against Ethiopia….yes qualification for the World Cup is not moi moi. Wanting to be among the best, you must beat the best…..so, bring them on….WHOEVER… See you next week

VANGUARD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 , 2013

Cameroun claims final place C

Saintfiet quits after loss to Eagles

—Details inside

AMEROON claimed the 10th and final place in Africa’s final qualifying round for the 2014 World Cup The Indomitable Lions beat Libya 1-0 in a winner-takes-all showdown

Italy, Germany to qualify tomorrow if....

10 Qualifiers Nigeria Cameroon Algeria

N

Burkina Faso Cape Verde

Mikel Obi (L) tries to dribble past Malawian defender Douglas Chirambo during their World Cup qualifier in Calabar. Nigeria won 2-0.

Photo: AFP.

Egypt Ethiopia Ghana Ivory Coast Senegal

RESULTS Kenya 1 Namibia Cameroon 1 Libya Zimbabwe Mozambique 1 Benin 2 Rwanda Togo 2 D.R Congo

•Saintfiet

in Yaounde on Sunday.

They went into the match knowing a draw would be good enough thanks to Togo’s use of a suspended player Alexis Romao - when Continues on Page 60

0 0 1 0 1

O World Cup fi nals would be complete without Italy and Germany on the cast list, and both nations will take their places in next year’s Brazil showpiece with victories tomorrow.

Four-times world champions Italy will qualify if they beat the Czech Republic in Turin, while Germany, bidding for their 16th successive appearance, can follow suit with a win over the Faroe Islands, though a Sweden victory against Kazakhstan would delay the Germans’ passage.

Eagles, Etalons tango in Kaduna — P.60

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 3 Test (5) 9 Fat (6) 10 Jammed (6) 11 Deride (5) 12 Intellect (4) 15 Lake (4) 17 Beer-mug (7) 20 Defective (3) 21 Premature (5) 23 Vend (4) 25 Lament (4) 26 Paramour (5) 28 Chop (3) 30 Obedient (7) 33 Soon (4) 35 Roll (4) 36 Match (5) 38 Item (6) 39 Surpass (6) 40 Evade (5)

DOWN 1 Representative (5) 2 Started (5) 3 Donkey (3) 4 Obtain (6) 5 Askew (4) 6 Longing (3) 7 Leered (5) 8 Appended (5) 13 Rowers (7) 14 Art (5) 16 Harmful (7) 18 Challenged (5) 19 Tree (3) 22 Rustic (5) 24 Fate (3) 27 Corroded (6) 28 Robust (5) 29 Value (5) 31 Lubricated (5) 32 Scrutinize (5) 34 Healthy (4) 36 Strive (3) 37 Hatchet (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Despot 5, United 9, Whine 10, Feeler 11, Debris 12, Doped 14, Meek 17, War 18, Bare 20, Ended 22, Order 23, Tornado 24, React 26, Dated 29, Arch 30, Fee 32, Dire 33, Moral 35, Shiver 36, Settle 37, Agree 38, Denote 39, Drudge.

How to Play Sudoku

DOWN: 1, Slander 2, Seemed 3, Owed 4, Throw 5, Under 6, Need 7, Thread 8, Duster 13, Pannier 15, Enter 16, Ketch 18, Broad 19, Refer 21, Dot 22, Odd 24, Raised 25, Action 27, Tilted 28, Delete 30, Forge 31, Eased 33, Meat 34, Leer.

TWO WEEKS TO LIVE

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.

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