CONFAB: Jonathan to nominate 120 delegates

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62031

ASUU refuses to budge as 9 Senate mediates

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013

AlisonMadueke appointed OPEC alternative president

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, at the Forbes award ceremony in Nairobi, Kenya.

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CONFAB: Jonathan to nominate 120 delegates •Committee seeks referendum on outcome •Talks to have 6-month life span

TRIBUTE TO MANDELA

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR & CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

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AGOS —PRESI DENT Goodluck Jonathan is to nominate 120 members to the proContinues on Page 4

CONFERENCE HALL Modalities for representation in the National Confab •INSIDE TOMORROW

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COLUMNIST:

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Mr & Mrs

FOR MANDELA — From left: President Goodluck Jonathan; his wife, Patience; mother of the President, Mrs Eunice Jonathan; wife of the Senate President, Mrs Helen Mark; Senate President David Mark; Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; Sen. Hope Uzodimma; Sen. Philip Aduda; and the Chief of Staff, Chief Mike Ighiadomhe during a Memorial Service for the Late Nelson Mandela at Aso Villa Chapel, Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Inset: The choir (R) and President Jonathan (L) paying tribute to Mandela. Photos: Abayomi Adeshida.

Nigeria's politicians can't compare with Nelson Mandela, says Jonathan 8

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POCKET CARTOON

RETREAT—From left, CBN Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi; wife of the Cross River State Governor, Obioma Imoke; Governor, Cross River State, Liyel Imoke and Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, GMD/CEO, Access Bank Plc; at the 5th Bankers’ committee retreat with the theme: “The Bankers’ Committee as an agent of Transformation: Sustaining the Momentum” in Calabar, Cross River State.

CONFAB: Jonathan to nominate 120 delegates Continues from page 1 posed national conference scheduled to take off early next year, the Presidential Advisory

Committee on National Dialogue has recommended.

The Senator Femi Okurounmu led-committee, according to the

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Never stop doing little things for others, you will be surprised that those little things occupy the biggest parts of their hearts.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. Murphy’s Law is much less sanguine about it: If you never try anything new, you’ll miss out on many of life’s great disappointments — Thomas Edison

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HE beautiful outcome of Thomas Edison’s ex periments is the electricity we all enjoy today.

“Our lives are not so different. Of course we need to accept ourselves as we are, but we can’t stop there.

We also need to value ourselves enough to make needed changes. It’s a simple formula: If we want to live fully we have to keep growing. If we want to keep growing we have to adapt. And if we want to adapt we have to try on new ways of thinking and new ways of doing. For me it’s about making my life an active science.”

I recall the story of Vincent Van Gogh, one the most successful impressionist artist of all times, he was not recognized for his gifts and talents during his era. He says, “what am I in the eyes of most people — an unknown, an eccentric, someone to like or not, even if that were absolutely true, then I should one day like to show by my work what such an eccentric has in his heart. That my creativity, based more on love in spite of everything, based more on a feeling of serenity than on passion. Though I feel life’s pain sometimes, there is still calmness, pure harmony and music inside me. I see paintings or drawings in the poorest cottages, in the dirtiest corners. And my heart is driven towards these things with an irresistible momentum.” Ironically this artist was way ahead of his times and his work is most renowned today. Hold on to your dreams and do everything you can to realise them; they do come true.

recommendations proposed to the President, wants the national conference to run for six months well ahead of the commencement of campaigns for the next general elections.

The Okurounmu committee according to findings has also recommended that President Jonathan forwards an executive bill to the National Assembly for constitutional amendment to allow the incorporation of referendum in the constitution.

The constitutional amendment sought by the Committee through the bill, it was learnt at the weekend, is to enable issues and outcomes of the proposed National Dialogue be subject of a referendum.

Subjecting the dialogue outcomes to a referendum, the source added, is to avoid ongoing issues about allowing the National Assembly to approve the recommendations of the national conference.

President to nominate 120 members An authoritative source close to the committee also told Vanguard that one of its recommendations is that the President will nominate 120 delegates to the

conference, whose membership is recommended to be between 500 and 700.

Vanguard also learnt that the conference should take off early next year, with the President’s nominees joining the other delegates to the conference who would be elected based on senatorial or federal constituencies.

If senatorial districts are used, there may not be more than 300 elected delegates as the committee had already recommended nomination of 120 by the President. Conversely, if federal constituencies are used, there will be 580 delegates to be elected.

The proposal for the national conference to take off early next year, according to the source, will help stave off tensions ahead of the campaigns for the next round of general elections.

The conference according to the committee report already prepared for submission to the President is to take place for six months during which Nigerians would discuss all issues bordering on the nation’s life.

The report of the Senator Femi Okurounmu-led committee which has concluded its deliberations had been slated for submission on Wednesday. The date was slated

well ahead of President Goodluck Jonathan’s trip to South Africa for the burial ceremonies of late anti-apartheid icon, Nelson Mandela. However, with the President out of the country it was unclear last night whether the committee would seek another date for submission of the report or present the report to the vice-president or any other senior official of the Federal Government.

The committee in its recommendations, Vanguard learnt, took the stand that all its submissions were simply suggestions which were meant for the president’s consideration.

The panel would have turned in its report detailing modalities for organizing the proposed national conference on November 19, but was granted two weeks extension by the presidency to wrap up its work.

However, the committee over-shot the 14 days extension by nine days.

The committee concluded its zonal tours across 13 cities in the six geo-political zones, three weeks ago with a visit to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

President Jonathan raised the Senator Femi Okurounmu-led committee on October 1 and inaugurated it on October 7 with a six-week time frame to establish the modalities for a national dialogue or conference.

The Committee was also assigned the duty of designing a framework and come up with recommendations as to the form, structure and mechanism of the process.

The cities visited by the committee were Akure, Jos, Minna, Calabar, Benin, Enugu, Umuahia, Lagos, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Lagos, Bauchi, Kaduna and Abuja.

We didn't print N5,000 notes, coins — CBN Gov

BY PETER EGWUATU

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AGOS—THE Cen tral Bank of Nigeria, CBN weekend, refuted the rumour that it had printed the controversial new N5,000 notes and coins that the law makers had earlier stopped it from printing.

The CBN Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, disclosed this while responding to a question on the scarcity of lower denomination and increase in the volume of dirty banknotes in the economy after the 5th Bankers’ Committee retreat held in Calabar.

He said “as a result of all the noise around N5, 000 notes and coins, that process was stopped. We did not print the new

notes. I know some people think we have already printed, but we did not print the new notes and we did not award the contracts for the new notes. We have re-ordered banknotes and I think they have started arriving and probably you would have seen some improvements on that by now.”

It was gathered at the retreat that the CBN, Bankers committee agreed to deliver price stability and economic growth in 2014.

The Bankers’ Committee also assured Nigerians and other stakeholders in the banking sector of its continuous collaboration to promote an efficient and stable economy for the country.

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Baby factory: Abia demolishes affected hospital

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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MUAHIA — ABIA State government has demolished a five-storey building in Aba, housing a hospital, Ezuma Hospitals, allegedly used in the sale of babies.

Also, a branch of the hospital in Owerri, the Imo State capital, was last week raided by the police where 16 teenage pregnant girls were rescued.

Meantime, disturbed by the rampant cases of sales of babies in the state, especially in Aba and its environs, the state government has constituted a committee for the revalidation of motherless babies homes in the state said to be the usual conduit for the nefarious act.

Inaugurating the committee, Governor Theodore Orji charged members made up of operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and officials of the Ministry of Women Affairs, to fish out all illegal babies’ homes operating in the state.

He urged the committee to redeem the image of the state which was being stained by the ugly act.

He said: “It is your assignment to ensure that the image of our state is redeemed.”

Police arrest man, 26, for defiling 2-yr-old girl in Ogun

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA — THE Ogun State Police Command said it has arrested one Kehinde Adejuwon, 26, for allegedly having carnal knowledge of a two-year-old girl at Oja Odan in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi stated this in a statement in Abeokuta.

According to Adejobi, “the suspect was arrested by a team of detectives attached to Ayetoro Division of the command, led by the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ayetoro, Superintendent of Police Gbola Adigun, when the father of the victim alerted the police “The suspect, who confessed to the crime, regretted his actions but he will be made to face the wrath of the law as the offence he committed is condemned by the law of our land and Nigerian culture and tradition.

“The Commissioner of Police

Ogun State, CP Ikemefuna Okoye, has ordered that the case be transferred to the Anti Human Trafficking and Child Labour Unit of the State CID, Eleweran, Abeokuta for necessary action.

“The command will always

wage war against such terrible individuals who are fond of engaging themselves in ungodly acts.

“We will always work hand in hand with relevant agencies to put and end to this menace. Enough is enough.”

A group of hunters displaying during the conferment of chietaincy titles on three sons of Mwaghavul Nation by the Mishkaham Mwaghavul in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN.

Two UK-based Nigerians jailed over £19m internet scam

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WO young Nigerians based in Manchester, United Kingdom have been punished by a Crown Court for their part in a Nigerian inspired internet banking scam which could have netted a phenomenal £19 million after hacking the accounts of nearly 2,500 people.

The Mail Online reported, yesterday, that Aderoju Bammeke, 22, and his girlfriend, Jessica Ogunyemi, 20, both of Manchester, were the UK ‘platform’ for a Nigerian ‘phishing’ scam that made £41,000 in just two months.

The plot, alleged to be master-

The demolished building housing the Ezuma Hospital

Navy arrests 4 suspected pirates in Rivers

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ORT HARCOURT – THE Nigerian Navy has announced the arrest of four alleged sea pirates suspected to be behind various breach of maritime security in the nation’s waterways.

This is contained in a statement by the The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS), Pathfinder, Base Information Officer, Lt.Cdr. Abdulsalam Sani, yesterday in Port Harcourt.

It stated that the suspects were arrested by troops of the Nigerian Navy Ship, Burutu, while on routine patrol.

The statement quoted the Commanding Officer of the Forward Operating Base Bonny, Navy Capt.

Matthew Daupreye as saying that it impounded three cutlasses, four knives, and pumping machines from the suspects.

It added that three hammers, cell phones, eye glasses and an undisclosed amount of money were also recovered from the suspects.

Police patrol van kills tricycle rider in Bayelsa

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Aderoju Bammeke minded by a gang based in Nigeria, involved sending fake emails to customers of banks including Barclays and Halifax.

According to The Mail report, the emails told recipients that their accounts had been hacked and asked them to complete a form with their log-in details.

“But when victims obliged, Bammeke stepped in and helped the gang log in to steal money.

“Fashion marketing student, Ogunyemi, his girlfriend at the time, helped him launder the proceeds by putting funds in accounts, hiding cash and allowing him to buy her a £2,400 Vauxhall Corsa.

“Bammeke has now been jailed for three-and-a-half years at Manchester Crown Court after admitting conspiracy to commit fraud and unauthorised computer use.

“Ogunyemi admitted five counts of money laundering and was given a suspended prison sentence.

“Investigators found evidence

Jessica Ogunyemi of the scam on seven devices at Bammeke’s home, which had accessed 181 accounts from his address.

“But Barclays found 2,439 customers had been affected and investigators say the true scale of the fraud will never be known.

“Bammeke admitted he had been involved in the scam for more than a year. He played a ‘key role’ as England’s ‘platform’ for the scam, the court heard."

“He said if the gang had tried to log into accounts from Nigeria it would have triggered the banks’ alarm systems.

“Simon Nichol, defending Bammeke, said he felt regret and remorse for his actions.

“He said his involvement – which began in an effort to tackle student debt – was ‘sporadic’ and although the scam was large scale with international dimensions, Bammeke’s part was not.

“He added: ‘They needed a platform in this jurisdiction and they needed someone to provide that platform. He allowed them to use his computer remotely."

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ENAGOA — A com mercial tricyclist was reportedly crushed to death, weekend, by a police patrol van along Sani Abacha expressway in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The incident occurred at Amarata, a suburb of Yenagoa and the deceased tricyclist was identified simply as Bobby.

An eyewitness, who identified himself as Lawal, said the police driver, suspected to be drunk, ran into the fast moving tricycle.

The impact of the crash was said to have thrown out the two passengers in the tricycle while the driver died on the spot.

Contacted on the development, spokesman of the Bayelsa Police Command, Mr.Alex Akhigbe, said though some concerned residents have notified him, he was yet to get the detail from the Divisional Command.

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World leaders commend Nigeria on global trade deal

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ORLD leaders have commended Nigeria for helping to facilitate the first global trade reform agreement, which has the potential to add $1 trillion to global economy.

The leaders made the commendation weekend after the ninth Ministerial Conference, MC9, in Bali, Indonesia, where they said the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, who chaired the MC8, drew the path for success at the just concluded conference.

Delegations from many countries said the success recorded after five-days of negotiation in Bali, Indonesia, was an offshoot of the work done at the World Trade Organisation, WTO's eight Ministerial Conference, MC8, in Geneva, where it was agreed that the WTO should end the fruitless years of negotiations and identify key elements of the Doha Round.

The delegation said members would want to continue engagement with Aganga in view of the quality of leadership he had displayed, adding that his wealth of experience would help in the completion of many of the outstanding issues.

AWARD: From left— Dr. Ausbeth Ajagu, President, Governing Board of AES Excellence Club; Cross River State's First Lady, Mrs Obioma Imoke; Governor Liyel Imoke and Dr. Nike Akande, Chairman, AES Excellence Club, during the conferment of AES award on Governor Imoke at the the club's fourth annual CEOs' Dinner/Awards' Nite in Lagos. PHOTO: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

Nigerian politicians can't compare with Mandela— Jonathan

BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North, BEN AGENDA & VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

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BUJA— PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, paid tribute to antiApartheid icon, Dr. Nelson Mandela who died last Thursday, saying Nigerian politicians could not be compared with him as they threaten, boast and play little gods.

He said such Nigerian politicians are tiny men and it

is antithetical to good character of leadership He stated this at a memorial service in honour of the late leader of South Africa, at Aso Rock Chapel in Abuja.

He said Mandela was filled with humility, forgiving spirit and the ability to unite people, which he said sharply contrasted with the utterances of some Nigerian politicians who speak “as if Nigeria is their bedroom” from where they make proclamation and intimidate others.

The President said: “When I

listen to some politicians older than me, I come to the conclusion that it is truly difficult for a camel to pass through the eyes of a needle than for a politician to achieve greatness.

“The great names we hear today in Nigeria are not enough” as the same names played repressive roles and ruled repressively during their days as rulers in this country.”

While extolling Mandela’s selfless service to his country and people, President Jonathan noted that it was

REPS TO JONATHAN: Accept $79 benchmark or forget 2014 budget

BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North, & LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

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BUJA— INDICATION emerged last night that the House of Representatives would not change its position on the $79 per barrel as the oil benchmark for the 2014 budget.

Findings by Vanguard revealed that the Presidency was upset with the resolve by a majority of the lawmakers to ensure that the $75 oil benchmark being proposed by the Federal Government did not see the light of the day.

It was learnt that in a bid to checkmate the stiff opposition to the $75 per barrel being tabled by the government, some lawmakers loyal to the

Presidency had been trying to lobby their colleagues to support their position.

The lobby, however, appears to have failed to sway the majority, Vanguard was told last night.

A member of the National Assembly leadership confirmed, yesterday, that the lawmakers were not ready to go below the $79 per barrel benchmark.

The lawmaker said that it would be wrong for the people that were elected by Nigerians to accept something that was inimical to their progress and well being because it was being proposed by the President.

The source said: “The plot to recruit sympathisers of the Presidency to talk to us

concerning the oil benchmark has failed woefully because the protagonists of $75 per barrel cannot justify what they will do with the excess funds arising from rising oil price which at all times is above $100 per barrel.

On $100,000 bribe

“It was when they failed to impress their logic of stagnation on us that they went to town with the allegation that the Presidency bribed us with $100,000 each.

“But they have forgotten that we are not children who can easily be hoodwinked.

“Now, if the Presidency claims it gave us the money they are talking about, how come that we insist that the oil benchmark must remain at

$79 per barrel?

“Let me assure all Nigerians that even if the Presidency gives us the money today, we won’t softpedal on the $79 benchmark,” the official added.

When contacted, the spokesman for the House, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, said those peddling the rumour of $100,000 bribe were agents of blackmail, out to cause disaffection among the members and derail them from serving Nigerians.

Mohammed pointed out that no amount of blackmail and intimidation would sway the lawmakers from doing what is right and in the interest of the people that elected them.

ironic that all those who fought him and called him terrorists were now singing his praises He said: “Anybody that will make changes should not expect praises. They will call you names but the end matters much.”

Senate President, David Mark, in his tribute enjoined Africans to fight for economic independence and democracy as the struggle is still ongoing.

He noted that Mandela lived and died for Africa, adding that if the campaign for a United Africa had been championed by Mandela instead of the late Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi, it would have succeeded.

The South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Louis Mnguni, said Mandela was indeed selfless, adding that even though he could have made money for himself as a lawyer, he chose to remain and die a combatant.

Mnguni also appreciated Nigeria for all the support it has always rendered, stating that “despite its own numerous challenges, Nigeria has not taken its eyes off South Africa.”

In his tribute, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Matthew Kukah, who was amongst the six people that paid tribute at the ceremony, emphasised the need to remember those who fought with Mandela.

He noted that the unsung heroes of the apartheid struggle should be celebrated with much emphasis on reducing persisting institutional injustices.

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013—9

FG'S ULTIMATUM: ASUU refuses to budge, as Senate mediates

BY LAJU ARENYEKA & IKENNA ASOMBA

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S the ultimatum given to striking university lecturers to resume work or get sacked expires today, the lecturers under the aegis of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, say they remain unmoved in their determination to continue the six months old strike, until government addresses loopholes in the union’s agreement with President Goodluck Jonathan.

Last Tuesday, Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, Professor Julius Okojie, had told newsmen that only lecturers that comply with the Federal Government’s directive to resume work would be paid salary arrears owed them, as they should not expect to be paid for work not done.

Speaking with Vanguard in a telephone interview, yesterday, ASUU's National Treasurer, Dr. Demola Aremu affirmed that “the union remains resolute to continue the strike, until government tidies up documents to meet four grey areas which the union raised in its letter on November 8 and 22.”

Similarly, ASUU Ibadan zonal coordinator, Dr. Adesola Nassir, yesterday, said the union resolved to continue with the strike because the government’s claim that it has deposited N200 billion at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, is only on the pages of newspapers.

Senate pleads

However, the Secretary, Senate Committee on Education, Senator Felix Orumwense, has appealed to ASUU to end the strike for the sake of millions of Nigerian students.

It will be recalled that last Wednesday, the government extended the deadline for lecturers' resumption to December 9.

Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, who announced the shift in the date, said it was as a mark of respect for the former National President of the union, Professor Festus Iyayi, who died in an auto accident on his way for a National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of ASUU. Orumwense said: “Our committee, under the leadership of Senator Uche Chukwumerije, has tried its best to intervene in the impasse between the executive and members of ASUU, which has unfortunately dragged on for six months.

“At the commencement of their strike in July, we made efforts to ensure that there was an opportunity for negotiation between the union and the executive.

“We were hopeful when they finally met, that the strike would soon be called-off, but unfortunately it lingered till today.

“What else can the committee do, when even the President met with the union and it has still remained adamant? As parents, we appeal to ASUU to at least, call-off the strike for the sake of our children.

The loss so far is unquantifiable.”

On the ultimatum

Reacting on the ultimatum, Aremu said: “It is the Federal Government that gave the ultimatum, not ASUU. We have no business with it.

“The Federal Government’s threat is not a valid one. All we know is that we

wrote to the Federal Government on November 22, asking that loopholes in our agreement with the President be addressed. Till date, the letter has not been replied.

“All the responses we are getting are from the media. You don’t deal with issues like that.

“As for the no work, no pay policy, we must remember that there are three functions of a university: teaching, research and community development.

“Research does not end for academics; we are not casual workers that should be paid by the day. What we teach is a function of our research which is ongoing even during a strike.

“For the past two weeks, we have been going to and fro on these issues alone. If the Federal Government really cares about the fact that students have been home for more than five months, then it should not have taken this long to tidy up documentation.”

On N200bn, sack threat

Nasir said: “As I speak, we are yet to get any official notice from the Federal Government. We have only seen the money on the pages of newspapers and other media.

“We don’t see this step as proper. Rather than going to the media, government should do the right thing and communicate to ASUU. “Honestly, government has bungled the whole thing.”

Reacting to the ultimatum that expires today, Nasir said: “Did the Federal Government ask us to go on strike? It is foolhardy to believe that we will immediately go back to the classrooms because they are threatening us.

“Rather than solving the problem, they are busy giving orders to academics. I am sure that even the government is aware that the threat will not hold water.

“If they sack us, who will they give our jobs to? As it stands, we need 30,000 more lecturers to adequately cater for the needs of the university education sector.

“If all the politicians are sacked today, it would not be difficult to replace them.

But if you sack one third of the academics, there will be a problem. Besides, there is a procedure for such things.

“You don’t sack lecturers by issuing threats on the pages of newspapers. They have stopped our salaries and attempted to starve us. Now, they are resorting to threats to sack us.

“If we go back to the classrooms without resolving the issues on ground, we would be betraying our students and the nation at large. We would have lost five months for nothing.”

LASU

The ASUU Chairman, Lagos State University, LASU, Dr. Idris Adekunle said: “There is no apprehension among our members at all. We are on the right path, and this is a just cause.

“We must deliver our nation’s educational system from destruction. We have counted the cost of this strike from the beginning, and we are convinced that the goals we have set up as a union for the future of education in Nigeria are worth the fight.

“ASUU has survived several military governments, so this kind of opposition is not new to us.”

10—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013

PDP CRISIS: Tukur must go, PDP governors tell Jonathan

BY HENRY UMORU

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BUJA — STRONG indications emerged yesterday that the days of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Alhaji Bamanga Tukur are numbered as the governors elected on the platform of the party yesterday resolved that he must go if there must be peace in the party.

Rising from a three-hour meeting held at the Akwa Ibom State Governor ’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, the PDP governors came to a conclusion that the PDP national Chairman must go as the only solution to the political logjam in the PDP. The governors argued that since he became chairman of the party in 2012, the party has not witnessed peace because of his administrative style which does not go down well with party members.

Vanguard gathered that the governors decided at the meeting that the North East geo-political zone of the country which produced Bamanga Tukur should immediately search for his replacement ahead of the March 2014 mid term Special convention where Tukur will finally leave as PDP national Chairman.

Meanwhile, from the zone, Bauchi state is actually angling for the position pushing for the former Acting National Secretary and a former Chairmanship aspirant, Dr. Musa Babayo as well as former Bauchi State governor, Alhaji Adamu Mauzu.

The governors at the end of yesterday’s meeting hurried to the Presidential villa for another round of meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, and chairman, PDP, Board of Trustees, BoT, Chief Tony Anenih where they will be briefed on the decision of the PDP governors.

It will be recalled that since the election of Tukur along side other members of the National Working Committee, NWC, the governors have been calling for the sack of Bamanga Tukur over his style of administration Vanguard gathered that at yesterday’s meeting, the PDP governors were said to have frowned at the attitude of the national chairman of the party which they noted has inflamed negative passion rather than calm frayed nerves as well as overheating the polity which culminated in the dumping of the party by five PDP governors to All Progressives Congress, APC. It will also be recalled that seven aggrieved governors under the name G7 were at logger head with the Tukur led National Working Committee, NWC.

INSPECTION: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN (3rd right); Commissioner for Commerce & Industry, Mrs. Olusola Oworu (2nd left); her Establishment and Training counterpart, Mrs. Florence Oguntuase (left); Managing Director of Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, LAMATA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola (2nd right), and other members of the Governor's entourage, being conducted round by the Vice President, Dalian Locomotive & Rolling Stock Co. Ltd., Mr. Zhu Zhiyong, during an inspection of the factory of the Dalian Group, in Dalian, China.

Three siblings burnt to death in Lagos The cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained, but sources said it started AGOS — A one and a at about 9:30p.m., Friday, from the half year old child with two of victims' one-room apartment before his siblings were, weekend burnt to spreading to other rooms. death in an inferno that engulfed a According to reports, efforts by the building and a church in Iba Local sympathisers to put out the fire proved Council Development Area, LCDA, abortive, as it later spread to the Lagos State, leaving property worth Cherubim and Seraphim Church of millions of Naira destroyed.

Zion at 41, Ogunyemi Street, Sabo Ilaje, Also, two unidentified dredgers got Ajangbadi, Iba LCDA. drowned in a 70-feet domestic well Sources said that the mother of the in Ojo Local Government, Lagos. three siblings, a petty trader, was still The deceased siblings identified as in shock over the death of her children.

Imoleayo, Ismaila who is eight years Speaking to Vanguard, Adeyemi old and Busayo Ganiyu, were said to Ayinla, a friend to the late Ismaila, said have been sleeping when the fire that his friend would have been alive if started. the neighbours who raised the alarm saw the fire early enough.

According to him: “We couldn’t get water early. And when we called the emergency numbers: 767 and 112, there wasn't any response. This I guess, was due to the network. Before we could get water to extinguish the fire, they had already died.”

BY INNOCENT ANABA A teacher in Sabo Oniba Primary School, Ajangbadi, AGOS — Director of Shipping Department, Iba LCDA, who spoke under Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety condition of anonymity, said Agency, NIMASA, Captain Warredi Enisuoh and that Ismaila was a primary some senior lawyers in Lagos, weekend, called for three pupil. stiffer penalties to check the menace of sea piracy He said: “I can't believe and kidnapping on the country's territorial waters. that he (Ismaila) is dead.

Speaking at the end of year lecture of the Apapa He was in school on lawyers' forum of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in Apapa Local Government Area, Lagos, Thursday, his mother also Enisuoh said that the Federal Government would attended the Parents / invest heavily in the coming years on security on Teachers Association, PTA, the countries waterways, which will include both meeting in the school that day.” patrol ships and air defence.

Meantime, Vanguard Dr. Joseph Nwabike, SAN on his part called for gathered that the two men special courts to trial maritime crime.

Meantime, some legal practitioners, yesterday, who died in a well were in also called for the establishment of special courts to their late 40's.

An eyewitness told our handle cases of human trafficking.

They said that the setting up of these courts, would correspondent that the enhance the speedy prosecution of offenders. younger dredger was the Dr. Didi Odigie-Bedell, the Director, Private Law first to drown. Effort to Department at the Nigerian Law Reform Commis- rescue him by his colleague sion, said that establishing special courts would proved unsuccessful and he hasten trials and offenders would be adequately also drowned. punished.

BY MONSURU OLOWOOPEJO

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Sea piracy: NIMASA boss, lawyers call for stiffer penalties L

Confirming this, the Director of the Lagos State Fire Service, Mr. Rasak Fadipe who spoke to our correspondent said that this was part of the four distress

calls they received from Ojo yesterday.

Fadipe said; AThat was one of the four distressed calls that came in but they came late. And it came from

Cholera: Lagos records 15 deaths

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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AGOS — A Consultant Public Health Physician and Epidemiologist with the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Ismail AbdulSalam has disclosed that 15 deaths have so far been recorded out of 354 suspected cases of cholera in the state.

Speaking, weekend, at a stakeholders' forum organised by the State Ministry of the Environment, Office of Environmental Services, Abdul-Salam, who presented a lecture entitled, 'Prevention and Control of Cholera,' said the figures were obtained from a study carried out following the outbreak of cholera in the state last month.

"The first case of suspected

cholera outbreak in Lagos was reported in September 19, 2013 on Lagos Island and later at Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area.

"As at the 12th week into the outbreak, 15 councils had reported at least one suspected case of cholera with 354 suspected cases.

"There are currently 15 labs and 109 Epilink confirmed cases. Fifteen deaths have been recorded.

Case fatality rate is 15 by 124, that is 12 per cent," he said.

Noting the results indicated that majority of the patients ate a local salad popularly called 'Abacha' and due to poor sanitary environment, he said prompt intervention management of cases at secondary health facilities, and availability of cholera kits and other consumables prevented the disease from spreading.

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013—11

Oyo Govt's destroyed civil service, — Ladoja zYour rule was barren, govt responds

BY OLA AJAYI

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BADAN — THE political rivalry between Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and a former governor of the state, Senator Rashidi Ladoja heightened, yesterday, as the two accused each other of destroying the state civil service.

Ladoja had reportedly said that the state government had destroyed the civil service by its sack of some Permanent Secretaries.

But the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state reacting through its Interim Publicity Secretary, Mr. Dauda Kolawole said the allegation was unbecoming of the ex-governor who did not have any concrete impact while in power.

According to the ruling party in the state, the Abiola Ajimobi-led government was concentrating on rebuilding the institution of the civil service which it said had long been bastardised by previous governments before it, stating that in the process, it could not but purge the service of long-held pollution.

"Ajimobi inherited accumulated dregs and dirt in all ramifications in the state. From Alao-Akala's debasement of the values of the

civil service, to Ladoja's lack of mental depth to understand the rudiments of the service, it was a civil service that needed purification and restructuring.

"Our concentration was on rebuilding the institution of the civil service and restoring the dignity of an average civil servant in himself as the engine room of governmental

development and not as a lap-dog to politicians in power," the statement said.

APC punctured Ladoja’s allegation, saying, "Ajimobi’s government had trained 12,211 teaching and non-teaching staff of secondary schools, promoted 1,714 civil servants from all cadres in 2012 alone, gave training and capacity building to over 13,000

civil and public servants, dedicated 10 out of the 100 43-seater buses we procured to civil servants which convey them free to and fro work, among others.

“We challenge Ladoja to tell the whole world what he did for civil servants in his barren and unimpressive rule of our state.

Tambuwal, Mimiko, Ihediorah weep at Rep's burial

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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KURE — THE Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, his Deputy Emeka Ihediorah and Governor Olusegun Mimiko betrayed their emotions when they wept as the body of a member of House of Representatives from Ondo State, Hon. Raphael Nomiye was buried,weekend, in Okitipupa.

Also, the wife of the deceased lawmaker, who represented Ilaje/ Ese-Odo Federal Constituency, Nabi, slumped few minutes before her husband interment.

She was immediately rushed to State Specialist Hospital, Okitipupa for medical attention and did not return to witness the interment.

Nomiye died on November 22 after he reportedly held a meeting with some of his close friends in his Abuja residence.

Speaking at the burial of the late legislator, the Speaker of the House of Representatives Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko described him as an unassuming, generous and cultured politician that contributed immensely to the development of his people.

The Speaker said he was to

attend an award ceremony in honour of the late member as the 'Ondo State Man of the Year' in Akure two days before he died.

Tambuwal described Nomiye's death as a big los to Ondo State and the National Assembly in particular.

He assured that the National Assembly will stand firmly by the immediate family of the deceased and ensure that they do not feel the vacuum created by their father's demise.

Governor Olusegun Mimiko, however, prayed that God should grant the family of the deceased the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Osun APC raises alarm over alleged planned assault

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E O P L E S DEMOCRATIC Party, PDP, governorship aspirant in Ekiti State and a chieftain of Afenifere, Prince Dayo Adeyeye has decried non-payment of gratuties of public servants in the state, who retired from the public service since last year.

Adeyeye, who described the non-payment as criminal, said: “The government has also refused to pay the pensioners their arrears of harmonisation, which is commensurate increment in pension in line with increment of workers salaries.”

Ogun Assembly laments poor condition of OOOTH

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BY GBEBGA OLARINOYE

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Adeyeye decries non-payment of Ekiti pensioners’ gratuities

SOGBO — THE ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in Osun State has raised the alarm that a highly connected Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stalwart in the state was planning to storm the home of a prominent APC chieftain with soldiers on suspicion that he is gun-running and stockpiling arms in his residence.

But the PDP challenged the ruling party to name the so called politician or for ever keep quiet.

The state chairman of PDP, Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa accused the APC of always raising false alarrn whenever it wanted to unleash terror on any opposition member in the state.

According to APC: “Information reaching the party's secretariat has it that the assault will happen anytime soon, and then the APC chieftain will be spirited away in the process.”

In a statement made available to the media in Osogbo, weekend, by APC Publicity Director, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi said that a palpable misuse of federal security force like the army by a private citizen for such operation is not only illegal, but an abuse of privilege in high places that has become the trademark of the PDP nation-wide.

BEOKUTA — THE Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation has decried the poor state of facilities in the state-owned Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, OOUTH, Sagamu.

The committee under the chairmanship of Olusola Bankole stated this when the officials of the Ministry of Health and those of the parastatals under it appeared before it for the year 2014 budget defence.

The committee lamented that the poor condition of infrastructure in the teaching hospital had become a source of concern to the people who patronise it.

It stressed that the only public teaching hospital in the state had fallen under a sorry condition, saying many of its facilities had dilapidated and in a state of disrepair.

FG bemoans state of its secretariats

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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KURE — THE Federal Government has expressed disgust at the sorry state of Federal Secretariat buildings and facilities across the country.

It has therefore put machinery in motion to rehabilitate the buildings and facilities in phases.

The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Bukar Goni-Aji said that the state of the buildings is worrisome and that urgent steps would be taken to salvage the situation.

Goni-Aji spoke during a visit to Ondo State where he held an interactive session with federal civil servants in the state.

He inspected the environment where the building was located and some offices within the complex and commended the federal workers for maintaining the environment.

Speaking through the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Mr. Taiye Haruna, he said that the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development would embark on the rehabilitation of federal secretariats across the country.

C M Y K

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013

NDDC: Edo youths demand Enofe’s screening

Aziza re-elected UPU PresidentGeneral

BY FESTUS AHON

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

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GHELLI—MAJORGeneral Patrick Aziza (rtd), has been reelected President-General of Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, after he polled 391 votes to beat his erstwhile 1st Deputy President-General, Chief O. C. Majoroh, who polled 224 votes.

Announcing the result of the election, which lasted till about 10pm on Saturday night, Mr Mike Igini said the position of the President-General was the most keenly contested, noting that “the total votes cast were 642, of which 27 were voided.”

Others elected include Chief Joseph Omene, 1st Deputy President General, Chief Tuesday Ologe, 2nd Deputy President General, Chief Austin Uloho, 3rd Deputy President General, Chief Albert Akpomudje, SAN, Secretary General, Chief Michael Ederewhevbe, Treasurer and Chief Dafe Akpeye as Legal Adviser.

In his acceptance speech, said: “A Roman general once came back victorious from a war and when asked to make a short speech, he said: ‘I came, I saw and I conquered.’ But in my own speech, I came, I saw but Urhobo conquered.

“The task ahead is great, we must all work together. The victory is one thing, but success is another. So, let us work together and move Urhobo forward.”

Speaking with newsmen after the election, Chief Austin Uloho said: “The victory is sweet; we worked for it; we believe in Aziza and we believe in his leadership. We know that with Aziza is a general who has open doors to Aso Rock.

“We are prepared to move on with him; we will give him all the support he needs.”

Meanwhile, former Secretary to Delta State Government, SSG, Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, has described Aziza’s victory as victory for the unity of the Urhobo people.

He expressed the hope that the Urhobos would witness better things under Aziza’s leadership.

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JAZZ FESTIVAL: Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State (right); South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Lulu Mnguni (2nd left); Minister of Culture, Chief Edem Duke (2nd right) and Rwandan High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Joseph Habineza, during Bayelsa State International Jazz Festival in Yenagoa. Photo: Lucky Francis.

Nigerian leaders should learn from Mandela’s life —OSHIOMHOLE

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

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ENIN—EDO State governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, has eulogised the late President of South Africa, Mr Nelson Mandela, saying there were a lot of lessons to be learnt from his life by Nigerian leaders.

In his tribute to the late antiapartheid crusader, he said people like Mandela don’t die, but only transit from this world to higher glory.

Oshiomhole said: “Mandela cannot be referred to as dead. The right word is transition. He had the real gift of leadership and that he came from this black continent of

giveness of those who imprisoned him for 27 years, provided the right atmosphere for prosperity for everyone, including those who deprived him of the good things of life.

“There are lots of lessons we should learn from this. Can we not afford to be Mandela in our homes, states and at the national level? For Nigerians, where leaders are busy contesting election on the basis of ethnic divide, can we learn from Mandela that it is possible to inspire a people to downplay those primordial sentiments and rise to national challenges and build the nation, create prosperity, address the challenges of the

poor and be loved by the poor?

“There won’t be another Mandela in the continent, or indeed, anywhere in the world. It is a shame Nigeria cannot claim to have anybody near him, even though we had the opportunity.

“There are other lessons for Nigeria. Mandela’s condition was managed in South Africa

by South African doctors. I want to see how this can help us to have a deeper reflection, so that Nigeria can learn from the positive side of South Africa.”

African leaders’re hypocrites —ACTIVIST

BY EMMA ARUBI

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ARRI—AN activist in Delta State, Mr. Emmanuel Edema, has described African leaders who are pouring encomiums on the late President Nelson Mandela of South African, as hypocrites and unworthy leaders of their various countries.

Speaking to a journalists in Warri, yesterday, Mr. Edema noted that “no leader in Africa has been able to emulate the Madiba in term of providing quality leadership and exhibiting exemplary character” starting that Mandela came out of prison after 27 years to become the first Black President of South Africa and ruled for only one term of 5 years.

He said other African leaders would have sat tight in office in their usual ways and deployed brute force to rule and reign over their people and mischievously scheme for third

term.

He said that Mandela’s death elicited deep sympathy across the globe because he stood as a world personality of sterling qualities.

ENIN—YOUTHS from oil producing communities of Oben, Ikobi, Obozogbe-Nugu and Iguelaba in Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State have protested the non-screening of Mr. Courage Enofe, nominated to represent Edo State on the board of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC. Recall that the nomination of a candidate that would represent Edo State on the board of NDDC had pitched core oil producing communities in the state against Governor Adams Oshiomhole and Senator Ehigie Uzamere who they accused of trying to bring in someone outside the area.

The youths, who besieged the palace of the Enogie of Oben, HRH Fred Odoligie Ogiemwonyi, alleged that Enofe, who they claimed was nominated by the four oil and gas producing communities suddenly disappeared from the list of nominees screened by the Senate.

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013—13

ALLEGED SALE OF BABIES: Abia demolishes building housing Ezuma Hospital U

BY ANAYO OKOLI

MUAHIA—ABIA State government has demolished in Aba the five storey building housing Ezuma Hospitals alleged to be notorious for sales of babies.

A branch of the hospital in Owerri, the capital, was last week raided by the police who rescued 16 teenage pregnant girls held there.

This came as the government yesterday constituted an Interagency committee for the revalidation of Social/Motherless Babies Homes in the state through which this nefarious act is committed.

Inaugurating the committee at Government House, Governor Theodore Orji charged members of the committee, made up of DSS operatives, Police, Civil Defence and officials of the Ministry of Women Affairs, to fish out all illegal babies’ homes operating in the state.

He urged the committee to redeem the image of the state which was being stained by the ugly act, saying “it is your assignment to ensure that the image of our state is redeemed.”

Governor Orji also directed the committee to revalidate the registered ones and ensure that they met up with the standards and comply to laid down rules of operations and regulations as

stipulated by the laws in the state According to Orji, the decision to set up the committee is informed by the alarming rate at which motherless babies homes were being misused in the state.

The governor said: “These compassionate institutions created to provide important social services to our people, are now being used for purposes other than what they are

supposed to serve.

“Our government has decided to take all necessary action to check the spread of this ugly situation.”

Governor Orji regretted that in the past two to three years, Abia and states in the South East Zone had been in the front line of states accused of baby sale and racketeering.

“These nefarious activities are

sometimes carried out by some unscrupulous owners of social/ motherless babies’ homes in the state.

“The truth is that most of the homes that perpetrate such atrocities may not be registered with our Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, but some registered homes are indirectly guilty of the same offence, ” Orji said.

RECEPTION: From left: Representative of President Goodluck Jonathan, Secretary to the Government ot the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, outgoing President, International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, Mr. Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez and the new President, Dr. Olumuyiwa Aliu, during the presidential reception in honour of Dr. Aliu as President of ICAO, in Abuja.

Ohanaeze seeks closer S-East, S-South cooperation

BY VINCENT UJUMADU WKA—APEX Igbo sociocultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has called for a closer cooperation between the South East and South South geopolitical zones for the purpose of improving the economic base of the two zones.

Anambra State chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Chris Eluomunoh, at a news conference in Awka, urged the two zones not to succumb to the antics of other sections of Nigeria who preferred that the two zones, which cooperated well in the defunct Eastern Region, be made to remain antagonistic to each other.

According to him, it is the people of the two zones that are losing out in the face of lack of cooperation between them.

He said: “This is the right time for these two zones to evolve ways of enhancing the welfare of their people and economy of their states.

“The campaign of divide and rule being championed by some people in the zone should be put behind. It is in the best interest of the Igbos, the Ijaws and other tribes in the two zones to work together as this will fast track development in the area.

“The first opportunity to begin this cooperation will be offered by the proposed national conference.

The two zones must work together

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and bring to the front burner issues that will be of great benefit to their people during the national conference.”

Eluomunoh also debunked the argument in some quarters that President Goodluck Jonathan had not done much for the

people of the South East, noting that it was only the present administration that had appointed Igbos into sensitive positions hitherto considered nogo areas for them.

He argued that the Jonathan administration had completed a

number of important projects in the zone, including Enugu International airport, Onitsha seaport and set a machinery in motion for the construction of the second Niger bridge and the rehabilitation of federal roads in the zone.

Family of deceased Ebonyi lawyer demands against traffic regulation.

N500m compensation The petition, made available

BY PETER OKUTU

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BAKALIKI—THE family of Mr. Joseph Nnaemeka Ogenyi, 29, an indigene of Ebonyi State who was fatally knocked down by a Coaster Bus belonging to the Federal High Court in Port-Harcourt on May 22, 2013, weekend, demanded a

compensation of N500 million.

In a petition to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Abuja, the family, through counsel, Mr. Anthony Oka, alleged that the deceased was knocked down by the federal high court vehicle driven by one Mr. Ekenedirichukwu Ojukwu, while driving on the wrong lane,

to journalists in Abakaliki, read: “We have been instructed by the family of the late Barrister Joseph Nnaemeka Ogenyi to demand from the Federal High Court the sum of N500 million as damages and compensation for the negligent causing of the death of Mr. Joseph Nnaemeka Ogenyi.”

Mandela, exceptional pan-Africanist, says Sen Okonkwo African whose deep convictions remain Africa’s finest testament

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AGOS—THE global celebration of the demise of South Africa’s political sage, Dr. Nelson Mandela, has been described by the deputy chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Annie Okonkwo, as a fitting tribute to a universal icon and exceptional pan-Africanist.

Acoording to Senator Okonkwo, Mandela is one rare

unnerved tyrants to reverse themselves, and whose elegant humanism compelled global adulation and praise.

In a statement by his media aide, Mr. Collins Ugwu, he said: “As a face to the faceless and a name to the nameless, Mandela bore the light of redemption with an intensity that scared darkness and a courage that conquered oppression without violence.

“Dr. Mandela was and will

to irreversibly banish the stigma that Africa was a dark continent, because in life and in death, he epitomised unblemished humanism to a diminishing humanity.

“The challenge now to African leaders and the led, is how to flourish upon Mandiba’s extraordinary compassion in leadership and accomplishments.”

PFN wants FG to step up fight against Boko Haram

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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W K A — T H E Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, has urged the federal government and security operatives to step up their battle against the Boko Haram insurgence, especially as the Yuletide celebration draws nearer.

Addressing reporters at Umunze in Orumba South local government area of Anambra State, state chairman of PFN, Bishop David Eberechukwu, said many Christians, especially those residing in the Northern part of the country, were already becoming apprehensive, in view of the increasing activities of Boko Haram in the area.

He said: “We are in December and we recall that this is the time of the year when the Boko Haram sect attacked many churches. Our own part is to continue to pray for peace in Nigeria and we expect the government to do what it can to solve this problem once and for all.”

Abia crying for emancipation, says APC

BY JOHNBOSCO

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AGBAKWURU

BUJA—THE All Progressives Congress, APC, has said that Abia State was weeping and in dire need of emancipation.

The interim chairman of APC in Abia State, Dr. Maxwell Adindu, who stated this shortly after the election for the state interim executive of the party, said with the calibre of members elected to supervise affairs of the party, there was hope that Abia would soon been emancipated.

In statement issued in Abuja by the interim publicity secretary, Dr. Onyeloha Chukwumerije, the interim chairman expressed delight in the confidence reposed in them by the party faithful in the state, describing the executive committee as tested politicians with impeccable records and achievements.

He said: “So much is expected of us, and so much we shall deliver. This state is controlled by tested and rugged politicians – those that the people trust to deliver dividends of democracy.”

14—Vanguard , MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013

2014 BUDGET: Reps insist on $79 oil benchmark

BY SONIDANIEL&LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

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BUJA—INDICATION emerged last night that the House of Representatives would not change its position on the $79 per barrel as the oil benchmark for the 2014 budget.

Findings by Vanguard revealed that the Presidency was upset with the resolve by a majority of the lawmakers to ensure that the $75 oil benchmark being proposed by the Federal Government was rejected.

It was learnt that in a bid to checkmate the stiff opposition to the $75 per barrel being tabled by the government, some lawmakers loyal to the Presidency had been trying to lobby their colleagues to support their position.

The lobby has, however, failed to sway the majority of the lawmakers to back the Presidency ’s proposal, Vanguard was told last night.

A member of the NASS leadership said the lawmakers were not ready to go below the $79 per barrel benchmark.

The lawmaker said it would be wrong for the people, who were elected by Nigerians to

accept something inimical to their progress and well being.

The source said: “The plot to recruit sympathisers of the Presidency to talk to us concerning the oil benchmark has failed woefully because the protagonists of $75 per barrel cannot justify what they will do with the excess funds arising from rising oil price which at all times is above $100 per barrel.

Alleged $100,000 bribe

“It was when they failed to impress their logic of stagnation on us that they went to town with the allegation that the Presidency bribed us with $100,000 each but they have forgotten that we are not children, who can easily be hoodwinked.

“Now, if the Presidency claims it gave us the money they are talking about, how come that we insist that the oil benchmark must remain at $79 per barrel?

“But let me assure all Nigerians that even if the Presidency gives us the money today, we won’t soft-pedal on the $79 benchmark,” the official said.

When contacted, the Spokesman for the House, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, told our correspondent that those peddling the rumour of $100,000 bribe were agents of blackmail, out to cause disaffection among the members and derail them from serving Nigerians.

Mohammed pointed out that no amount of blackmail and intimidation would sway the lawmakers from doing what was right and for the interest of the nation, which elected them to serve the people.

Tambuwal meets APC

leaders

Meanwhile, a source close to the Speaker of the House, Aminu Tambuwal, yesterday explained that the Speaker met with the leaders of the opposition, All Progressives Congress in order to save his position.

The source, who pleaded anonymity, said Tambuwal met with the APC figures in Abuja for hours last week in a strategic move to save his job from being swept away by the APC, which is apparently in the majority in the House.

“Tambuwal is a suave

politician, who wants to survive the emerging political scenario in the House and that is why he had to meet for hours with the leaders of the APC,” the source hinted.

“I can tell you that the Speaker wants to identify with the majority at all times.

“Even the Presidency is aware that the PDP is beginning to emerge as the minority party in the National Assembly but there is nothing they can do because they are using what I can call feather weight elements to fight against those working for the interest of Nigerians,” the lawmaker said.

Woman jailed 3 months over N8.3m fraud

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BY CALEB AYANSINA

BUJA—THE State High court sitting in KotonKarfe has sentenced an accounts clerk with the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, Kogi State, to three months imprisonment for defrauding the centre of N8.3m.

Mrs. Modupe Adeyemi arraigned by the Independent Corrupt

Practices And Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, was jailed without an option of fine.

The Accused person was alleged to have between October 2006 and April 2007 defrauded the Centre to the tune of N8.3 million, being part of the revenue accruing to the centre.

She was arraigned by ICPC on 30-count charge of allegedly misappropriating the sum of N8.3million belonging to the medical centre while serving as accounts clerk with the hospital.

Modupe was arraigned on November 29, 2009, before the State High court for the offences of using her office

to confer corrupt advantage upon herself, altering duplicate copies of various bank tellers with the intent to defraud and making false statements or returns, contrary to sections 19, section 15 sub-sections (a) & (c) and section 16 of the Corrupt practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 respectively.

ICPC prosecutor, Henry Emore, informed the trial judge that each time the accused person was sent to deposit some money in various banks belonging to the centre, she deposited only a part of the money and pocketed part of it.

According to the prosecutor, she did this successfully by altering duplicate copies of the bank tellers which she returned to the centre.

Alison-Madueke appointed OPEC alternate president

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AGOS — EFFEC TIVE from January 1, 2014, Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources, and Head of Delegation, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, becomes the Alternate President for the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, for the next one year.

Her appointment follows the election of Libya’s Minister of Oil and Gas, Dr Abdel Bari Ali Al-Arousi, as President of the Conference of OPEC for the same period of time.

The conference, during its last meeting for the year in Vienna, Austria, last week, reviewed the oil market outlook, as presented by the Secretary General. Of particular focus were supply/ demand projections for

2014 as well the global economic outlook.

The conference also noted the high sovereign debt in the Eurozone; high unemployment in the advanced economies, especially the Euro-zone; and slow growth, coupled with inflation risk, in the emerging economies.

The organisation concluded that the biggest challenge facing global oil markets in 2014, is the global economic uncertainty, with the fragility of the Euro-zone remaining a cause for concern. It was also noted that, although world oil demand is forecast to increase during 2014, this will be more than offset by the projected increase in non-OPEC supply.

However, in the interest of maintaining market equilibrium, the con-

ference decided to maintain the current production level of 30.0 million barrels a day.

“In taking this decision, member countries re-confirmed their readiness to swiftly respond to developments which could have an adverse impact on the maintenance of an orderly and balanced oil market,” it said.

Agreeing on the need to be vigilant, given the uncertainties arising from the enduring weaknesses in the world economy, the conference directed the secretariat to continue its close monitoring of developments in supply and demand, as well as nonfundamental factors such as speculative activity, keeping member countries well informed of developments.

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013—15

Kwara gov signs four bills into law

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

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LORIN—THE governor of Kwara State, Alhaji AbdulFatah Ahmed, has signed four bills into law with a commitment to further improve on the wellbeing of residents of the state in the years ahead.

Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Communications, Dr. Muideen Akorede, disclosed this in a statement in Ilorin on yest e r d a y .

The new laws are the N56.7 billion Supplementary Appropriation Law 2013, Kwara State Office of the Public Defender (Amendment) Law 2013, Kwara State Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency(Amendment) Law 2013 and Kwara State Citizen’s Mediation and Conciliation Centre (Amendment) Law 2013.

It said the Supplementary Appropriation Bill was to enable the state government fund programmes and projects not anticipated in the 2013 Appropriation bill, adding that it deemed necessary in view of current exigencies.

The statement, which commended the state House of Assembly for the timely passage of the bills, pledged that Governor Ahmed would build on the successes recorded by his administration in 2013.

The statement added that

key life transforming projects in the education, health, roads, sports, agriculture, and power sectors of the state’s economy would be implemented in 2014. It listed several empowerment programmes implemented in

2013 such as Micro-Credit for artisans and car loans for farmers, and stressed that many more people would be economically empowered in 2014 directly or indirectly through the forth coming socio-economic capital projects.

Lar for burial Dec 14 in Langtang

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BY TAYE OBATERU & MARIE-THERESE NANLONG

OS—ARRANGEMENTS are in top gear in Plateau State for the funeral of former governor of the state and PDP National Chairman, Chief Solomon Lar, who will be buried in Langtang, December 14.

Already, roads and other facilities are being given a facelift in preparation for various activities that would mark his final journey.

Addressing newsmen, yesterday, in Jos on preparedness for the funeral, the burial sub-committee, headed by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Yiljap Abrah a m said: “Plateau State Gernment

is finetuning all arrangements to ensure a successful funeral for this illustrious son of Plateau and the Middle Belt.”

He disclosed that the state government had resurfaced

over 200km of roads stretching from Plateau to Nasarawa State border, to Shendam and from Heipang to Langtang for a smooth drive by the casket bearing convoy and other sympathizers.

Revitalise agric sector —NSE

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IGERIAN Society of Engineers, NSE, has called for urgent revitalisation of the nation’s agriculture sector.

The group is also calling for stiffer penalty for quack engineers engaged in substandard projects across the country.

President of the association, Mr. Mustafa Shehu, made the call at a press briefing on the international engineering conference and annual general meeting holding in Abuja this

week.

Shehu said the action had become inevitable to enable Nigeria achieve food security for her teaming populace as a responsible nation and committed signatory to conventions of the United Nations.

He said: ’’Agriculture constitutes the premier source of our national income offering employment to about 70 per cent of our population and providing sufficient raw materials for our manufacturing outfits.”

Auchi Poly to award degrees in 11 courses

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—AUTHORITIES of Federal Polytechnic Auchi, Edo State, weekend, said the institution was set to award degrees in eleven courses.

The Rector of the institution, Mrs. Philipa Idogho, who disclosed this at the 21stconvocation of the Polytechnic, said the institution had concluded arrangements with Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, to achieve this, explaining that the university approved the affiliation after carrying out an assessment of the infrastructures in the polytechnic.

She said some of the courses that would henceforth award degrees in the institution included Electrical/Electronics and Civil Engineering, Business Administration, Accounting, Building Technology, Estate Management, Education/Physics among others.

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16 Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013 KANO-BASED politician and commentator, Dr Junaidu Mohammed has declared that blood would flow if President Goodluck Jonathan runs for a second term.

This is the latest in a series of incendiary comments from Mohammed, who should otherwise stand as one of our elder statesmen.

The following statement was attributed to him in an interview he recently granted The SUN: “Quote me, if Jonathan insists on running, there will be bloodshed and those who feel short-changed may take the warpath and the country may not be the same again. His running will amount to taking about 85 million northerners for a ride and that is half of the country’s total population. So, there will be bloodshed. But we don’t pray to get to that level, before his ethnic and tribal advisers pull him back”.

Dr Mohammed, as a bona fide Nigerian citizen, is free under the constitution to hold the view that the president has not done well, and even to express it. But he does not have the right to threaten violence and attempt to pitch the northern part of the country

Calling Junaidu Mohammed To Order against anyone or part over the constitutional rights of any other Nigerian.

President Jonathan reserves the right to decide whether he wants to run for a second term. It is guaranteed by the same constitution that gives Mohammed the right to express his views. And it is left for Nigerians to decide whether they want to vote for Dr Jonathan for a second term or transfer the mandate to the candidate of another party.

When Dr Mohammed says “blood will flow”, we wonder whose blood he is referring to. Are we going to see him or people he holds dear leading the “fight”, or will it be the usual issue of mobilising impoverished and downtrodden Nigerians

to kill non-indigenes and people of other faiths in their midst in the north? Since hundreds of thousands of people have been sent to their untimely graves by disgruntled politicians like Mohammed over the decades, it has never fetched them any dividend.

Besides, there is no guarantee that Nigerians usually levied with violence after some political interests lose elections will fold their hands come 2015.

We call on the law enforcement agencies to be alive to their duties and bring to book those mistaking democratic rights for licence to threaten other Nigerians. This is even more imperative when we recall that about three years ago when some Nigerians insisted on producing the president of the country, they also threatened to make Nigeria ungovernable unless they were obliged.

Since the 2011 general elections came and went, the nation has been wracked by a campaign of terror, which the armed forces are battling in the North East.

Nigerians must be vigilant and close ranks to ensure that those seeking to set them at each other’s throats are consigned to the dung heap of irrelevance.

OPINION

BY AYUBA MOHAMMED

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OR the average Nigerian, it is always easy for the opposition political class to mislead him, saying that government has done nothing to improve his living condition. It is the same story for the average Nigerian nongovernmental organisation, NGO. They thrive on criticising government, no matter how noble government's actions are.

When in July 2013, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, embarked on a nationwide strike, they naturally got the sympathy of the ordinary Nigerians, students and NGOs, inclusive. But most Nigerians failed to consider the fact that they started that strike without following due process. That is, giving the Federal Government adequate notice.

As the strike continued, some discerning Nigerians began to pick holes in the unwholesome practices of the ASUU National President, Dr Nasir Fagge and his leadership. All they did was to prolong the strike without listening to any word of reason.

It was as if they were struggling to break the record on the longest lasting strike. Fagge bestrode negotiation rooms like a despot seeking who to damage. He was like a blind driver of a cement-laden truck heading for the centre of the market. Of course, his articulated truck appeared to have lost control, hence it could no longer be brought under any form of control.

In essence, ASUU grew beyond the Nigerian State and its representatives. It is needless to talk about the overwhelming support from the one-sided Nigerian mass media. They were led, like other members of the society, to believe that there was only one

ASUU’s political game and Nigeria’s university education side to the story. Therefore, it looked as if the Federal Government was fully intimidated by ASUU negotiators and the media to accept everything that the lecturers brought to the table. ASUU brought no compromise to the table, but ASUU could do no wrong.

The scales fell off the eyes of the students first and they refused to be deceived by the posturing of ASUU. The President of National Association of Nigerian Students, Yinka Gbadebo shouted at the roof tops, alerting Nigerians of the inordinate game the ASUU national leadership was playing against Nigerian university education system.

As expected, the opposition mobilised its media machine to shut him up.

Next was a media pressure group, Media Development Initiative, MDI, which raised alarm on the unconventional negative techniques adopted by ASUU to unduly prolong the strike. The Media Director of MDI, Mr Martins Onyilokwu urged Nigerians to rise up and challenge ASUU to respond positively to the good faith shown by the Federal Government. Of course, opposition paid hirelings controlling media outlets drowned the group’s words of reason.

After five months of rigmarole, ASUU has shocked the entire nation. The national leadership of the union has resolved to dishonour the decision reached by a referendum organised on whether or not the union should call off the strike. From what we heard, members voted 80percent to 20percent to call off the strike. To the dismay of Nigerians, a few hand-picked ASUU officials loyal to Dr Fagge met at his parent university, Bayero University Kano,

where they resolved to take a decision that was alien to the generality of ASUU members.

That is, give conditions to the Nigerian government in order to further prolong the strike.

As the issues stand today, ASUU should understand, as Bob Marley sang: you can fool some people sometimes, but you can’t fool all the people all the time. The truth travels slowly, but over time it overtakes propaganda and false stories. Those who always propagated the fallacy that ASUU does no wrong have seen clearly the present situation.

In every conflict situation, those in conflict agree to make compromises even as they continue fighting. By January, Syria and her rebels will hit the negotiating table. It does not mean any of the parties has been defeated. Agreeing to make compromises is not a sign of weakness. It is only a sign of courage. While the Federal Government continued back down on all its positions, ASUU remained rigid.

ASUU spurned all entreaties from the all levels of the Federal Government. President Goodluck Jonathan got personally involved and an agreement was reached with ASUU. This agreement was presented to ASUU members who supported President Jonathan. Now our brother, Fagge and his associates have brought another trick into this game, to destroy a process that went on smoothly, with government making all the required concessions.

Nigerians must begin to question the rationale behind ASUU’s games. What has ASUU brought to the table since the negotiations started? What positive changes

should Nigerian students and parents expect from ASUU members who have been part of the academic rot that has bedevilled our country? Why should ASUU after reaching an agreement with the President resolve to throw up fresh issues to destabilise a nation full of expectations? Is ASUU above the national authority voted freely by the people to move the nation forward?

For those who play the ostrich, they have conveniently forgotten that Jonathan has developed the nation’s university sector more than ever before. Nigeria has 12 new universities up and running without ASUU’s distractions. Nine of these universities are in the North. One of them located in Jigawa State, is close to Kano where ASUU’s National President, Dr Fagge is plying his trade.

Even though ASUU continued to dance to opposition tunes, the Federal Government last week released over N90billion to universities, polytechnics and colleges of education for the development of infrastructure. This has nothing to do with the agreed N1.2trillion agreed by President Jonathan.

Now to the crux of the matter. The firm decision of the Jonathan administration to rescue the nation’s university system by re-opening the schools, especially the Federal Universities, is a welcome one.

Remember, the state universities have no business being in this strike, but the usual ASUU technique of grounding the system by embarking on sympathy strikes. *Mr. Mohammed, A social critic, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013—41

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Is Nigerian Mandela possible?

So, we return to our question: Is Nigerian Mandela possible? Looking at our history, your answer is likely to be: No. The British colonialists did not lay a foundation that would allow a Nigerian Mandela to emerge.

Otherwise, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe would have been the nearest thing to that. He was one of the greatest exponents of Pan-Africanism.

In fact, Dr Mandela in the early 1960s, visited Nigeria and stayed awhile with a prominent Zikist, Chief Mbazulike Amechi, to receive schooling on the subject before he returned to South Africa. It is also on record that Dr Kwame Nkrumah, who later became a radical Pan-Africanist, also was

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OW do you define Nelson Mandela?

It is only when you do so that you are able to answer the question whether Nigerian Mandela is possible. Nelson Rolihlalala Mandela, the first president of democratic South Africa finally bowed to the superior argument of death as all mortals must last week Thursday, December 5, 2013.

He was renowned for so many inspiring statements and speeches both before and after he went to jail, came out, climbed into the presidency and bequeathed a stable and prosperous country to posterity.

Two of them will help us in defining the phenom called Nelson Mandela. The first is excerpted from the speech he made on gaining freedom after his 27 years incarceration: “I stand before you not as a prophet but as your humble servant. I place the rest of my life in your hands”. The second is taken from his inaugural speech as elected president in 1994: “Never again shall this beautiful land witness the oppression of one by another”.

Mandela committed his life to the fight for equality in South Africa, not the replacement of White supremacy with that of Black. He proved that even in continental Africa rent asunder by ethnic, tribal, racial and religious divisions, it is possible for a man to lay down his freedom to bring about a united “rainbow nation” after defeating the scourge of Apartheid. It is possible for an a Black man, an African Black for that matter, to carry power and authority with such grace, panache and dignity such that a grateful world through the United Nations decided to set aside July 18 every year as the Nelson Mandela International Day to encourage people to emulate his virtues.

No other human being, living or dead, has been so honoured. You only find that honour set aside for founders of major religions by their adherents.

We are told that man is a product of nature and nurture. The blood that flows in your veins; the genetic signature ruling your actions as well as the environment in which you grow up define who you are and what footprint you leave behind. Mandela was lucky to be born with a strong character, which helped him to stay in prison despite many offers for him to compromise for his freedom. In spite of his travails, he refused to be blinded by rage and vengeance, which would surely have destroyed South Africa by now. He meant it when he declared the end of oppression.

Macaulay and Azikiwe. Sardauna Ahmadu Bello was more interested in building the Northern Region, which was a colonial makeover of his grandfather’s Islamic empire, the Sokoto Caliphate. He had the grand design of the Caliphate ruling the rest of the country.

Zik thus became one of the few who led the fight for independence in Africa and the Third World but failed to emerge as the leader after independence. The foundations of Nigeria augured better for tribal and regional ascendancy over nationalism.

Nigeria ended up with sectional and tribal Mandelas: Ahmadu Bello for the North;

If we get a leader who will be selfless, give Nigerians their due without caring about religion, tribe or regions; fight corruption and devote himself whole-heartedly to the overall and even development of the country, Nigerians will follow him; he may not be a Mandela, but he will be enough

inspired by Dr Azikiwe when he was still a student in London.

Azikiwe’s National Council for Nigerian Citizens, NCNC, espoused that Nigerians should forget their differences and build a united nation. Unfortunately, his colleagues in the decolonisation effort had other ideas.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo wanted to control his region and from there attempt to spread his power base to other parts of the country.

He introduced tribalism into our politics and successfully pulled out his region from the national movement of which the West was once the leading light under Dr Herbert

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Awolowo for the West, and Dr Michael Okpara for the East. Even at that, the various Minorities sprouted their own little Mandelas, such as Isaac Adaka Boro for the Ijaw nation, Joseph Tarka for the Tiv, Justice Udo Udoma for the Ibibio and what have you.

Even after independence, Nigeria missed several opportunities to grow its Mandela.

The first military coup of January 15, 1966 was dubbed a revolution in which key members of the ruling party, the Northern People’s Congress, NPC, lost their lives.

Events from that precipitated a civil war because it was painted in tribal colours. But in Ghana, Flt Lt Jerry Rawlings similarly staged a coup and executed past leaders whom he blamed for Ghana’s underdevelopment. Even though Rawlings came from Ewe, a minority tribe, Ghanaians did not see what he did as a tribal agenda.

He succeeded in rebuilding Ghana to the stable democracy and progressive economy that it is today. Rawlings thus emerged as Ghana’s own Mandela, even though with bloodstained hands.

Nigeria, once again, lost a prime opportunity for a local Mandela to emerge when the presidential mandate of Chief Moshood Abiola was annulled in June 1993.

The kind of mandate Abiola received defied religion, region and tribe. Nigerians were ready for a Mandela, but the military refused to let them have it. Some have argued that if General Murtala Mohammed had lived a little longer he could have become our own Mandela. We can’t say for sure since he was with us only for six months, a period of the usual honeymoon leaders enjoy before they show their true colours. Besides, Mohammed rose to power on the crest of infamy. He had been a key figure in the massacre of Igbos both before and during the civil war when he committed so many war crimes.

It is still possible for a Nigerian Mandela to crop up. The reason is very simple.

Nigerians are hungry – in fact, famished for a Mandela of Nigerian extraction. When the late President Umaru Yar’ Adua declare himself our “servant-leader”, and proceeded to make his assets declaration public, Nigerians were already looking up to him.

But his ill health, the excesses of his wife, Turai, and the “cabal” banished the hope.

Also, when the former Minister of Power, Prof Barth Nnaji battled the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, workers’ unions and raised power supply to a level that was attested to by the generality of Nigerians, he was already being hailed.

If we get a leader who will be selfless, give Nigerians their due without caring about religion, tribe or regions; fight corruption and devote himself wholeheartedly to the overall and even development of the country, Nigerians will follow him.

He may not be a Mandela, but he will be enough.

OPINION

BY MOSHOOD ISAH

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ASICALLY, with a mere mention of Borno and Yobe states, what comes to the mind of Nigerians is virtually the same. The two states, including others in the North East, are synonymous with insecurity. The insecurity in the states has stalled major activities there.

An average resident of these vulnerable areas is psychologically drained and mentally affected with the spate of heinous activities afflicting the region. In a nutshell, no one is safe at any juncture, including the troops.

Even the chief executives of these states have become hapless like their populace, because virtually all the allocation they receive goes in the same direction: bringing back security which seem to have lost its way to the state.

There seem to be no succour for the people of the region until recently.

The recent visit by President Goodluck Jonathan to Gombe State for the Second North East Economic Summit proved to be the most memorable one because of the assurance of government immediate economic intervention in that region. During the visit, the President unveiled a new economic package aimed at boosting economic development in the North Eastern part of the country. This decision is coming in the wake of an attack on the airport and military formations in Maiduguri. The violence and destruction this region has experience with the dreaded insurgency have made the decision long overdue.

Still on the economic intervention in North-East President Jonathan said the government was evolving an intervention programme specifically targeted at accelerating the pace of socio-economic development in the NorthEast geo-political zone of the country. He said the restoration of peace and security in the zone was essential for the successful implementation of the measures and actions envisaged in the intervention programme.

The President, therefore, called on governments, traditional rulers, community leaders and the people of the North-East to give their full support to the armed forces and security agencies currently operating in the area to ensure the return of peace and normalcy.

There is need for the states in the region to come alive again, especially with economic activities that will enable the populace survive. The government is very determined to intervene in the predicament of this region as the Federal Government was currently consulting with state governments in the zone to define a shared vision, workable strategies and responsibilities of all stakeholders for the economic resurgence of the region. This shows the readiness of this administration to help the region with immediate effect.

Even a cynical critic will laud the effort of the President in bringing sanity back to the violence-ravaged region. Despite its effort in managing the security situation in the region, the government is still ready to implement

effective programmes that will accelerate the pace of post-crisis recovery and development.

This will surely give the government and people of the region a sense of belonging with regards to government transformation activities. Thus, government is ready to pounce on the vast and fertile lands in the region to make sure that agricultural activities begin to thrive in the region. Cash crops like groundnut, cotton, Gum Arabic, tea, coffee, oil palm and even cocoa could be profitably grown in the North-East. This will engage a considerably large number of individuals, especially the jobless and hopeless youths in the region.

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here is no gainsaying that the unemployment rate in the region has triggered the alarming crime wave as idle youths become readily available for recruitment by insurgents. In this vein, economic investments in the region will help engage the youths and prevent them from being used as pawns in achieving heinous objectives. This will ultimately revitalize the economy of the North Eastern states which is currently ravaged by the activities of the dreaded sect. The timeliness of the intervention would boost productivity and socio-economic development, and further alleviate poverty in the region.

Needless saying that poverty and hopelessness have also contributed to the

condition the region has currently found itself.

Meanwhile, there should be continuous, indeed assiduous, effort towards ending the security threat in the region. Security consciousness should be the watch-word as emergency management is everyone’s business. Thus, this is the only way the economic intervention can be fruitful.

We should now anticipate free flow of goods and services within the region and neighbouring states. We also hope the communication line which has been barricaded for more than six months will be gradually restored so that populace will no more feel ex-communicated from the nation.

The government should make sure it lives up to its promises so that the previous lack of hope in the administration will remain a thing of the past.

I believe strongly that Nigeria and Nigerians have no reason to be poor or deprived of their means of livelihood that could provoke ordinary citizens to engage in criminalities for survival.

While Borno, Yobe and other North-Eastern states should heave a sigh of relief on the government’s intervention, the people in the areas should also put their hands on the deck towards eradicating illiteracy, ignorance, poverty and joblessness.

*Mr Isah, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Garki, Abuja

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42—Vanguard, MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013

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BY SUNNY IKHIOYA

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INCE inception, Delta State has always given everything to sports of diverse types and age group categories. The benefits have been glaring: They are the undisputed number one state in sports being the reigning champion of the National Sports Festival. The state has also produced the likes of Blessing Okhagbare who is the only Nigerian world class athlete presently.

However, tried as they did, they have not succeeded in becoming champions in the sport of football. At the last Glo premier league competition, the state club side -Warri Wolves- finished at a miserable fifth position, despite being the best funded and motivated team in the competition.

I have always been an advocate of good leadership and merit when it comes to sporting issues.

Every time our coaches and leaders opt for merit at the national level, we have always excelled. Look at Stephen Keshi's Super Eagles and the recent success of the Golden Eaglets. If Keshi had not stubbornly resisted interference when he lined up the present bunch at the African Nations Cup competition, the song we are singing now would have

been different. Let me use this opportunity to advise Keshi to invite any of the deserving Eaglets to the national team. Age is not the issue.

The appointment of Davidson Owumi as the new boss of Warri Wolves Football Club is a breath of fresh air.

I have always wondered when he will have the opportunity to serve his own " mother land" as a true blooded 'wafi' boy. Born and bred in Daudu - Alder's town of Warri, landlords of the famous Warri Stadium that is the home of the Okwudilis, Owolos, Dediares, Usiyens, Okpodus and so on. So Owumi was one of those the Warri stadium produced and the chicken has now come home to roost.

He has served other states; it is now time to put this experience to work among his own kith and kin.

Why does Owumi's appointment bring so much joy?

Everyone that matter in football knows his pedigree in the game.

As a player of Sharks Football Club, he won the Bournvita award for the best goal scorer in a season; that is a record nobody can take away from him, being the first.

He was team manager of Enugu Rangers Football Club for many years and rose to become General

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Manager of the club, a feat being a non-indigene or Igbo. He was also to be appointed as Special Adviser to the Governor of the state.

All these assignments he carried out without any blemish.

Mr Owumi was a close adviser to Oyuiki Obaseki when the latter was boss of the Nigerian Premier League and he executed many assignments successfully for the league body.

His proven abilities encouraged Obaseki to give him all the needed support when Owumi contested for the chairmanship of the Nigerian Premier League Board.

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t is a paradox that, while other states supported Owumi in his quest, our own Delta State pitched on the side of those opposing his candidacy. And what was the grouse of the opposition?

He was not attached to any of the league clubs as an official. They did not take into consideration his pedigree as an ex-footballer, exadministrator of a top league club and ex-adviser to the premier

Owerri Spirit has deserted Okorocha

BY JUSTUS NWAKANMA

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NYBODY who does not hail from Owerri, Imo State, or does not understand the underlying philosophical historicity of the expression, Owerri Spirit, would be gullibly misinformed after reading Collins Obibi’s article, "Rochas Okorocha and the Owerri Spirit", published recently in some Nigerian newspapers. The article is at best, an embarrassingly supine endorsement and image-boosting stunt of the disappointment that has been the hallmark of the administration of Rochas Okorocha.

After aptly describing the Owerri Spirit as the spirit of justice, fair play and integrity; the spirit that defends human dignity, the piece veered off, like a drunken master-ofceremony, sweeping up sentiments, bedecking Okorocha in borrowed plumes and ornaments; giving his administration a new name and apotheosizing Owelle with such angelic adulations that belie the true position of things in the Heartland.

In summary, Obibi says the Owerri spirit has not moved against Okorocha and will not move against him in 2015, because Okorocha has not provoked the spirit, first, because of the value the Governor places on human capital in Imo State, and second, because “Imo as a whole today is one huge construction site and this has given a sense of belonging to the people.” This is far from being the truth.

More than anything else, Okorocha has depleted the human capital of the state rather than invest in it. It is a known fact that when he took over from Ikedi Ohakim, he sacked 10,000 youths employed by that regime and also placed an embargo on employment in the state. Two and half years later, Okorocha in lifting the embargo with his “Youth Must Work Programme", lamented that once enterprising Imo youths

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have now become decadent and have been turned mto beggars(See Daily Trust, July 29, 2013). Who turned Imo youths into beggars?

Has his Youth Must Work Programme solved the problem of unemployment in the state? The answer is No! During the launching of the programme the supposed beneficiaries protested vehemently that the scheme was another of the many deceitful “rescue missions” of the Governor. So how can the Owerri Spirit be stultifted and atrophied, unable to move?

Owerre wu oke Mba, is a philosophical deification of the moral compass, the ingenious strength, the infectious courage and the elastic hospitality that define a people's greatness. We cannot calculate the worth of a people without taking congnisance of their moral rectitude. Is Obibi not aware that the latest Youth Ambassador appointed by Okorocha to serve as a role model for Imo youths is a non-Imolite, a lady with a questionable character, whose nude pictures are all over the social media and on the cover of a USbased magazine? So why would Imo youths not undress in the market place and go to dogs if the trademark of their ambassador is marketing her nude pictures in such a brazen shamefacedness?

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s Obibi not aware that our dear Governor recently donated millions of naira to some youths who converted from Christianity to Islam, while the rest of the youths are hungry and decadent, according to him? When has change of religion become a virtue to be celebrated and rewarded, not just with personal money, but with state funds? Is the Owerri spirit such an indolent and drunken spirit that it cannot move against the elevation of mediocrity above merit?

Obibi eulogises Okorocha as “being mindful of the sensibilities of people ...

league board.

He clearly won election to the coveted position; but for such insignificant consideration, he was hounded out of the league governing body. Today Platini is the President of UEFA because such conditions or bottle-necks were not placed on his path. In advanced footballing countries, you are invited on board based on your ability to add value to the system. That was what Owumi did in his short stay as chairman of the premier league board, he brought in innovations that are still being enjoyed today.

It is therefore well that the Delta State government has decided to tap on the knowledge of this gentleman; it is a ray of hope for football in the state as his success(s) will serve as a catalyst for future successes.

Why will Delta benefit from Owumi's appointment? He has been at the top echelon of Nigerian football management for more than 20 years. Only one who understands human management could achieve this. At no time was there a player's revolt under his management; it takes a lot of inter-personal relationship skills.

As a top administrator, he is very much acquainted with the politics of football. It is a well known fact that football has its own politics that makes it possible for a club to enjoy benefits if their representatives are adept at it. It happens at the FIFA, CAF, NFA and other levels of football management. It is the benefit a club enjoys as a result of relationship with those who matter in football. It comes in the form of

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Delta State football: A glimmer of hope

The governor and his Commissioner for Sports must must give Owumi all the support he needs to make him succeed in this task

The Owerri spirit has been provoked and it is vexed; it is already armed and ready to confront Okorocha in 2015; if he escapes from the landmines he would not go home unscathed

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Okorocha dances with school children at assembly grounds and attends town hall meetings.” He goes on to say that nobody believed that education could be free and qualitative in Imo State. But this lie, like the million legs of the millipede, cannot carry Okorocha far. What has dancing with school children added to the standard of education in the state? The noise about free education in Imo State remains what it is- a noise. I am aware that undergraduates of Imo origin were asked by the state government to purchase forms from the banks for N500 each to qualify for the scholarship. Thousands of undergraduates purchased that form. Today, not a single student in the higher institutions outside Imo State has received any bursary or scholarship a year and half after. Only few students who study in tertiary institutions in the state have received this scholarship. Can we say, with all sense of modesty, that there is truly free education in the state? Yet, it is being trumpeted everyday that billions of Naira have been spent on this.

At the primary and secondary school levels we cannot say of a truth, that there is free education. The N100 daily allowance to primary school children has been stopped.

Only pupils in few urban schools have been privileged to receive the free school uniforms.

The rest received theirs on the pages of newspapers. These are verifiable facts. One then wonders, why in the midst of these

good promotional partnership, club sponsorship, trainings, exchange programmes, respect for officials and so on. This will be truly beneficial to Warri Wolves.

As an ex-footballer with a good pedigree, Owumi will also earn the respect of the footballers. Most times footballers assess their bosses through their knowledge and commitment to the game of football. Some administrators are there just for the pecuniary interest. With Owumi's pedigree, the case will be different; his commitment will see the club through.

He is also a goal getter. Already, he has gathered his team and given a direction of where he wants to take the club. Only performance will determine reward and not otherwise, as it was in the past.

For once, I am beginning to see real competition for places in the team and motivation to complement government spending on the team. For once, as a true Warri boy, I am interested in the affairs of my home team. Most of us had lost interest in the past because of the politics involved.

The Governor and his Commissioner for Sports must be applauded for making this appointment possible and must be available to give Owumi all the support he needs to make him succeed in this task.

It is a new dawn for Delta State football.

*Mr. Ikhioya, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

realities, the Owerri spirit will refuse to move against Okorocha. Or has he poured libations to cover the spirit’s eyes?’

Today, Imo is being touted as a huge construction site, but daily, we are being inundated with stories of abandoned and uncompleted projects. Contractors are abandoning construction sites because they are not being paid their money. Contracts are awarded without due process. These are not fairy tales but facts already in the public domain. Even the state government, twice, has admitted that its contractors bolted after collecting billions of naira for jobs they did not do.

If we must ignore Obibi’ s piece as an epistle of rhetoric and sophistry intended to massage his master’s ego, we cannot pardon the poverty of his summation which was laced with illogic, contradictions and halftruths which gave the writer away as an apologist of the Okorocha project.

According to him, when Okorocha left All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, he left with the soul of the party. No, please. Before he berthed in APGA, Okorocha was lost in the political wilderness without any antecedent of a progressive gadfly. APGA gave him a body andd a soul. He won the election not because of who he was, but because Imolites, with the support and conspiracy of the church, wanted Ohakim out by all means. Today, that same church that helped to install Okorocha is singing Nunc Dimitis.

The Owerri spirit has been provoked and it is vexed. It is already armed and ready to confront Okorocha in 2015. If he escapes from the landmines he would not go home unscathed, like Abubakar, in Cyprian Ekwensi’s African Nights Entertainment, who after visiting Kumin Rukuki, the forest of death, was never the same again.

Tonight, it is cold and asphyxiating. I have only one wish in my mind to get over this grueling stench of mediocrity pervading the Heartland landscape: Ntala ugba nuo mmi, Roehas na barama uba ya. Agbaeha oso, agua mile.

*Mr. Nwakanma, a journalist, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, MONDAY DECEMBER 9, 2013 — 43

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44 —

V anguard anguard,, MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013

Mandela: S/Africa starts week remembrance •World leaders prepare for burial

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OUTH Africa began a nationwide day of prayer yesterday , marking the beginning of a week of remembrance for Nelson Mandela, the country’s first black president and an anti-apartheid icon who died last Thursday aged 95.

Hundreds of mourners from all races and religions thronged churches, mosques, temples and synagogues across the country, united in an outpouring of prayer and song for the man credited with leading the country ’s transition from white-minority rule to mult-racial democracy.

From a Methodist Church in Johannesburg, President Jacob Zuma implored South Africans to keep lit Mandela’s flame of freedom and justice.

“He preached and practised reconciliation, to make those who had been fighting forgive one another and become one nation,” Zuma told a mixed race congregation of more than 1,000 worshippers.

“He preached and believed in peace, that we should live in peace, that we should live in unity.”

“He was more than just an individual soul, he was the exposition of the African spirit of generosity ... He’s only a reference and a marker to the better possibilities of our humanity,” said Dean Michael Weeder of St George’s Cathedral, Cape Town.

Pastor Niekie Lamprecht, of the Dutch Reformed Church, Pretoria East said: “May we as Christians in this Afrikaans church surprise the world by not responding with hate but with love and forgiveness.

Mandela completed the journey. We thank God for this person in our history.”

In the Regina Mundi Catholic church in Soweto, noted for its place in the struggle against apartheid, parish priest Sebastian Rossouw called Mandela “a light in the darkness” and praised his capacity for “humility and forgiveness”.

A week of remembrance for Mandela will culminate in a funeral attended by world leaders.

Meanwhile, at least 60 heads of state and government have so far confirmed they will attend Mandela’s funeral, according to the AFP news agency.

Citing South Africa’s foreign minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, AFP reported the dignitaries will include US President Barack Obama along with three former American presidents.

David Cameron, the British prime minister, will also attend the memorial service next week and Prince Charles will attend the funeral several days later, according to officials cited by AFP. Cameron announced on Twitter: “I’ll be at the memorial service in South Africa on Tuesday to com-

memorate the great man.”

Brazilian leader Dilma Rousseff and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas will also attend the funeral.

Queen Elizabeth II will not make the journey, although she has expressed how “deeply saddened” she was by Mandela’s death.

The monarch, 87, has begun cutting down her long-distance overseas trips, and was represented by her son and heir Charles at last month’s Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Sri Lanka.

An estimated 80,000 people are expected to attend a vast memorial service on Tuesday in the Soweto sports stadium which hosted the 2010 World Cup final.

Protest cripples Ukraine

H

UNDREDS of thou sands of people have taken to the streets in the Ukrainian capital Kiev seeking the resignation of the government for refusing a deal on closer ties with the European Union.

Protesters, who oppose a customs union with Russia, toppled a statue of Lenin and smashed it with hammers.

President Viktor Yanukovych has said he shelved the EU deal after Russian opposition.

Protest leaders have given him 48 hours to dismiss the government.

As darkness fell, protesters were blockading key government buildings with cars, barricades and tents.

Witnesses said a group of protesters toppled the statue of Soviet leader Lenin at the top of Shevchenko’s Boulevard using metal bars and ropes and then began smashing it up with hammers.

CAR president ‘not in complete control’

T

HE president of the Central African Republic has told Al Jazeera that he is not in complete control of his country.

Michel Djotodia said he could not stop armed groups operating in the country, as a wave of killings left hundreds dead in just a few days.

“It is too much to say I have no control. I control my men. The men I can’t

control are not my men,” said Djotodia, who came to power after a mainly-Muslim armed group now known as Seleka overthrew President Francois Bozize earlier this year.

The mostly Muslim former rebels who control the country are patrolling neighbourhoods across the capital of Bangui, despite an order to return to their barracks.

Vanguard, MONDAY DECEMBER 9, 2013 — 45

46— Vanguard ,

MONDAY MONDAY,, DECEMBER 9, 2013

Madiba’s marks on Nigeria IN his life time Nelson Mandela advertently and inadvertently made major marks in the shaping and system of Nigeria’s politics and policies

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

his colleagues in the army had usurped.

As the widely respected South Africa based Nigerian professor, Professor Kole Omotoso revealed last week, Abacha passed on funds for the maintenance of the Abiola family through South Africa.

Omotoso in his tribute to Mandela had said:“During the events that followed the June 12 annulment of the election that would have seen Bashorun Abiola as president of Nigeria, President Mandela continued to interact with Sani Abacha. One of his interventions had to do with the plight of Bashorun Abiola’s family. Bashor un Abiola was in prison.

His business had collapsed.

His accounts had been blocked. The family approached President Mandela and he approached Sani Abacha who arranged to send money to President Mandela to be given to the family of Bashorun Abiola.

And my former Vice

A

C M Y K

•Mandela

South African president on his unusual pattern of serving only one term against the culture of Africa’s sit tight leaders.

According to the former Nigeria president, “Nelson Mandela modestly refused to seek re-election after his first term in office as his presidency elapsed. I still recall his pragmatic words when he said to me “Olu, show me a place in the world where a man of 80 years is running the affairs of his country’.

Obasanjo’s comments on Mandela have, however, attracted negative response from some Nigerians many of who believe that the former Nigeria president lacked such disposition and was himself desperate for a third term in office.

Obasanjo’s second term in

office as civilian president it would be recalled was characterised by an expensive political game plan focussed on amending the constitution to allow the president contest

,

NY doubt as to the influence the late South African icon Nelson Mandela had on Nigeria politics is removed by the fact that one of the earliest political intrigues of the fourth republic was etched in his name; The Mandela Option was a deep political game orchestrated from the midpoint of President Olusegun Obasanjo’s first term supposedly by loyalists of his deputy, Atiku Abubakar aimed at persuading Obasanjo to serve one term just as Mandela did in South Africa.

Akin Oshuntokun, one of the key political associates of Obasanjo in a recent article distilled the Mandela Option thus:“There were orchestrated admonitions for Obasanjo to take the ‘Mandela option’; to follow the precedent of Nelson Mandela and step down after spending one term in office.

There were covert and subversive manipulation of the media to render Obasanjo so unpopular as to make him unelectable. All this antiObasanjo propaganda were being linked to the Atiku political machine.”

As the plot unfolded and leaked to Obasanjo, die hard partisans of Obasanjo and notably governors, including Governor Joshua Dariye of Plateau State met regularly in the Presidential Villa to counter it with their own schemes, one of which was to drop Atiku in the second term.

The consequence of the Mandela Option was that as Obasanjo made his public declaration for a second term in 2002, that Atiku was not mentioned as his running mate for the 2003 election.

At that point Obasanjo was himself under deep pressure from Atiku’s foes in the north to drop Atiku from the presidential ticket. But the weight and influence of Atiku advised Obasanjo otherwise, as he eventually resorted to his deputy to help him secure the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP presidential ticket.

It was remarkable that as the death of Mandela was announced last Thursday, that Obasanjo in an unusual step made a broadcast from his retirement home in Abeokuta on how he took up the then

the Mandela Option remain a divisive point in the country’s political landscape with the former president and his former deputy remaining ever suspicious of one another.

The consequence of the Mandela Option was that as Obasanjo made his public declaration for a second term in 2002, that Atiku was not mentioned as his running mate for the 2003 election

a third term in office.

Did Obasanjo draw any lesson from Mandela who despite all his sacrifices for his countrymen drew back from foisting his person on his people?

Remarkably, the jury is still out on that point, but it is a fact that the consequences of

,

Even before the advent of the fourth republic, Mandela also expressed himself on the country ’s affairs, notably during the Sani Abacha regime.

Mandela acted as a channel in drawing funds for family members of Moshood Abiola, whose mandate Abacha and

Chancellor Professor Jakes Gerwel was the conduit for this relief fund.”

But the relationship between Mandela and Abacha was to turn seriously frosty.

Mandela as South Africa president helped in negotiating for amnesty for the Ogoni activists imprisoned by the Abacha regime.

But the devil did not allow Abacha have mercy and hence Saro-Wiwa and his compatriots were executed by the Abacha regime drawing swift response from the international community including Mandela who in some circles had been chided for being too soft on Abacha.

Responding to the execution of the Ogoni activists, Mandela said in an interview that “Abacha is sitting on a

Continues on page 47

Vanguard , MONDAY MONDAY,, DECEMBER 9, 2013 — 47

Budget: We 'll not boo Jonathan — Rep Okwu Rep. Samson Okwu is the Deputy Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Pension and represents Oju/Obi Federal Constituency of Benue State. In this interview with Vanguard, he posits that President Jonathan should present 2014 Budget estimates irrespective of nonharmonziation of the Medium Term Economic Framework, MTEF.

T

BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

HREE weeks after the president expressed his comments on the differences between the Senate and the House on the benchmark, no change seems to have happened?

For me, it is not surprising but the only worry I have is the letter of Mr. President to the National Assembly saying that until both chambers agree on the benchmark, he will not present the budget.

That is actually my fear because should the two chambers fail to agree and the constitution says that the president must lay the document before the National Assembly before the end of the fiscal year. So, what do we do? According to the legislative calendar, the House is supposed to go on Christmas break on December 23. So what do we do? That is my worry.

But House spokesman Rep. Zakari Mohammed has said that the practice is not for the Senate and House to agree on the benchmark for the presentation of the budget.

So, why is the present insisting on that?

That’s why I said that, for me that reaction is unfair because last year, the House passed MTEF at 79, then the Senate had not even considered the MTEF at that point. But the President came and laid his budget and we considered it.

So, if you look at the Fiscal Responsibility Act, it says that the President shall send MTEF 90 days before the presentation of the Budget.

First of all, the President has violated that provision. So, he ought not to have said until the National Assembly agrees before he will now bring the budget.

That is the only problem. If not, there is none. Assuming the National Assembly agree on 79 which is not what he wanted, will he come and redo the Budget? He will not.

So, if he has a proposal let him bring the proposal and we will work on the budget. Our conference committee will continue to meet.

It has been claimed that the real fear is that the president would be booed whenever he

the PDP can have different opinions and views. If you have a different opinion from another person that does not mean you have a faction.

I think to that extent, there is nothing called faction in PDP as far as I am concerned.

And the Electoral Act is clear about it that where there is no faction, no body can defect from the party to another party.

•Okwu enters the chambers. Is that so?

No body can boo Mr. President. He is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Whether you are APC, PDP or whatever party you call it, the seal of the President is the symbol of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and nobody can do it. We are not talking about party politics in that respect.

Does that lend credence to an emerging situation in the House where APC members

are now having an edge?

What is important here is that we respect court decision that says that there is no faction in PDP. So, no body can move anywhere. The only problem is that some members now remain in PDP but take a decision with APC. That is the worry now.

But five PDP Governors have defected to APC and you still say no division?

That is not a division.

Members in a large party like

Madiba’s marks on Nigeria Continues from page 46 volcano and I am going to explode it underneath him.”

The killing of Ken Saro Wiwa and his compatriots brought a serious dent in the relationship between the two countries and between Mandela and Abacha as Mandela condemned it and joined the rest of the world in imposing sanctions against the Abacha regime.

In proposing for comprehensive sanctions against the Nigeria regime including prohibition of oil export, Mandela said:“What we are now proposing are short and sharp measures which will produce the results Nigerians and the world desire. We are dealing with an illegitimate, barbaric, arrogant, military dictatorship which has murdered activists, using a kangaroo court and using false evidence,” he told

•Obasanjo, Atiku: Whither Mandela's Option? the South Africa Independent. no option.

“It is of no use for Nigerian Mandela in the interview nevertheless defended his leaders to shout from abroad diplomatic engagements with and not to ensure that the the Abacha regime saying that fires of resistance are burning the docility of the opposition inside of Nigeria,” Mr within Nigeria left him with Mandela said.

In response, Abacha pulled Nigeria away from participating in the Cup of Nations tournament hosted by South Africa in January 1996 despite the fact that Nigeria was defending champion.

Comparing the weakness of the Nigerian opposition to the aggressiveness exhibited by the African National Congress, ANC against the apartheid regime, he said: “We did not give in because international opinion would not have been mobilised if there was no vigorous and effective resistance movement inside the country. That is what is lacking in Nigeria, and Nigerian leaders that are blaming South Africa and its president are merely diverting attention from their weakness; from their failure to do what all democrats do - to ensure that there are prominent leaders inside the country who are prepared to face the

But we have a situation where members pretend to be PDP whereas they belong to APC in spirit. Does that augur well for PDP? It does not augur well. But that means that the person does not work with the ideology of the party. If he does not work with the ideology of his party, well nobody can change it. But that does not mean that the party is not the majority in the House.

Well, what happens is that the decision of the House is by majority. So, anytime the decision comes and they take the majority, so be it but that does not stop PDP from being a majority party in the House.

Doesn’t that amount to anti-party activity?

It could be anti party but it is subject to a decision. That is it. The party can allow you to take a decision that favors your constituents. If it does not favour your constituents, it is only your constituents that can call you to order.

music, and to challenge Abacha.”

Given Mandela’s not too commendable estimation of the Nigerian political class some would be surprised at the avalanche of commendations from the same class towards the South African former president.

Afenifere summarized the matter in a press statement entitled Emulate Mandela, Stop The Crocodile Tears” – Afenifere.

"All sides of the political equation in the country have practically taken steps to commend Mandela as a worthy son of Africa, but how many of them are ready to lay down self considerations in pursuit of the collective good for four years, not even the 74% that Mandela sat in prison, unmoving on the issue that pertain to his people!"

C M Y K

48 — Vanguard, MONDAY DECEMBER 9, 2013

Vanguard, MONDAY DECEMBER 9, 2013 — 49

50 — Vanguard, MONDAY DECEMBER 9, 2013

Vanguard, MONDAY DECEMBER 9, 2013 — 51

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Vanguard, MONDAY DECEMBER 9, 2013

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Uduaghan wins another sports award

A

FTER voters of the Nigeria Sports Awards voted Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, the Sports Governor Of The Year, the Delta State Governor Saturday night bagged another award meant for the best sports and business governor of the year.

Keshi •Continued from BP ished the opportunity by the Aminu Maigari administration and would always strive for the best for Nigeria.

“I am happy to have been given the free hand to select the Team Base Camp. You may think it is a small gesture but not every Head Coach has that privilege. I am certainly going to use the opportunity to select the best for our team.”

Keshi’s African champions will contend with two-time world champions Argentina, BosniaHerzegovina and Iran in Group F. Keshi is presently inspecting a number of possible camps in the South American nation, and specifically around Sao Paulo.

Most of the 32 participating member associations are also looking around Sao Paulo for their

Sodje •Continued from BP involved in fixing football matches.

Sam Sodje was filmed by the Sun on Sunday describing how he punched an opponent in a League One game to get a red card in exchange for £70,000.

He also said he arranged for another player to be paid £30,000 for getting a yellow card in a Championship match.

Portsmouth Football Club said it was “shocked and saddened” by the claims.

The three people being held have not been named.

In the video, which was filmed secretly, Mr Sodje also claimed he could rig Premier League games and was prepared to fix matches at next year ’s World Cup.

Today’s Match Swansea

v

Hull 9pm

SERIE A Roma 2 Fiorentina 1 Caglairi 2 Genoa 1 Verona 2 Atalanta 1 Sampdoria 2 Catania 0 Sassuolo 0 Chievo 1 Torino 1 Lazio 0 LIGUE I Bordeaux1 Lille 0 Bastia 1 Lyon 3 Toulouse 1 Montpellier 1 BUNDESLIGA Freiburg 0 Wolfsburg 3

“It rarely happens in this country or anywhere for that matter that a governor, within one month, wins three prestigious awards,’’ Delta State Chairman of the Sports Commission Amaju Pinnick said Saturday night.

Uduaghan Saturday won the Sports, Business team base camp. A total of 83 TBCs were offered in the final TBC Brochure.

A Team Base Camp consists of a Team Base Camp Hotel and a Team Camp Base Training Site.

All participating member associations must confirm their Team Base Camp before the end of next month.

Enyeama •Continued from BP goal by Lille teammate Simon Kjaer in the Ligue 1 clash with Bordeaux.

The Danish defender deflected a harmless looking shot by Bordeaux’ Landry N’Guemo which tantalisingly hit the post before entering the net in the 28th minute of the match.

It was the first time Enyeama had had to pick the ball out of his net since

Drogba

•Continued from BP after the death of South African icon Mandela.

Chelsea legend Drogba peeled off his shirt at the 2-0 win to reveal a tribute which said: ‘Thank you Madiba’ and former Arsenal defender Eboue’s vest said: ‘Rest in Peace Nelson Mandela’.

The Turkish FA (TFF) are planning to summon the Galatasaray pair to appear before the Professional Football Discipline Committee because they had not sought prior permission to display their messages.

and Media Awards for the governor who has supported and developed sports more than the rest.

It was after winning the Nigeria Sports Awards and the Businessday Award for his policies and programmes that have great potential to attract business to Delta State.

“Going by what Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has done for track and field, for football, wrestling, swimming and his economic projects he rightly deserves these awards,” Amaju said, adding “and he is not done yet. He is doing more and I’m sure that generations will feel the impact of the foundation he has built for sports in Delta.”

September 15 in the 2-0 defeat by Nice.

Enyeama, who captained Nigeria to the Africa Cup of Nations title in February this year, had been closing in on the overall Ligue 1 record of 1176 minutes held by Gaetan Huard for Bordeaux during the 1992-93 campaign.

“I cannot hide my relief because I was worried the record would go,” Huard told French sports channel Bein Sport.

It is in contrast to England where games this weekend have been preceded by a minute of applause in celebration of Mandela’s life and his role in ending apartheid in South Africa and transforming the international profile of Africa.

Plans to discipline Drogba and Eboue are certain to attract criticism and fuel debate in Turkey, where the TFF are trying to keep political imagery out of football as directed

by FIFA, although it has proved increasingly difficult in a football-crazy nation beset by political tension.

Iran Coach •Continued from BP Queroiz stated that Nigeria are a good team, but was quick to warn that it would be wrong for anyone to write his team off.

“Nigeria are playing very well at the moment,” Queroiz said after

Bosnia Coach •Continued from BP Soon after the draw held in Brazil Friday, the coach who will be leading his country to the Mundial for the first time said, “Argentina is the favorite in the group. We will fight for the second place with Nigeria.”

The Bosnia sweat merchant claimed he has limited knowledge about

Friday’s draw.

“Playing in the World Cup is an opportunity for every participating team, and based on this, it will be wrong for anybody to write off any team.”

The other teams that make up Group F are Argentina and BosniaHerzogovinia.

Iran but said he will not underrate them. “I don’t know much about Iran and Nigeria, but I know that Nigeria played frequently at the World Cups and we should not underestimate Iran. We have good chances of making it to the second round. When I see whom Croatia has drawn, we have to be happy with our group.”

Vanguard, MONDAY DECEMBER 9, 2013 — 53

That ‘favourable’ World Cup draw

,

Two key phrases rule sports draws all over the world.

The first is what is called “The luck of the draw” while the other is “group of death “ The direct meaning of the first contention is that there is a possibility of a team having the “luck” of finding itself in a group that it can easily top or come out from, depending on the perceived quality of its components.

The second assumption is that the group is peopled by teams believed tough and it will take a war, a battle of survival to be able to triumph therein.

Having said this much, we can understand why some of us insisted and prayed for a “favourable” draw for the Eagles, one that they will be able to maze through on the way to tougher successive rounds.

I wondered, for instance why anybody will want to play Brazil in Brazil in the very first round of the competition. With due respect to quality and the availability of players in her ranks, why will any coach wish for a confrontation against Germany, Spain and so called power houses of football, so early in the day?

Agreed that any team that wants to win the world cup must be ready to play and beat any team that crosses its path, but for me the key word there is READY. With the draw that has been handed to us, even the luck of the pairings, by the time we have played Iran and Bosnia we will be READY to play Argentina and go for broke.

I was reminded by my son that four years ago, that is how I celebrated the draw that put Nigeria in the same group with Argentina, South Korea and Greece and concluded that Argentina and the Super Eagles were going to progress in that order, yet we ended up drawing only one match and came out last in the group.

Yes, I like to be reminded, that is why I have not suggested that this is a WEAK group. I have conveniently called it a FAVOURABLE GROUP. I want to believe that between now and when the world cup starts, the Technical Department and the Technical Committee of the NFF will start work immediately to put at the disposal of the Keshi led techni-

,

By now we should be able to know how these teams qualified for the world cup, their strengths and weaknesses and the depth of individual players

cal crew all the information, logistics and player by player profile on Argentina, Iran and Bosnia. By now we should be able to know how these teams qualified for the world cup, their strengths and weaknesses and the depth of individual players.

As you are reading this, Coach Keshi would have taken a decision on the friendly matches he wants to play, those teams and countries that have similar playing patterns and cultures with the teams in our group.

By the time coach Keshi receives the files containing all the information on our opponents, he should be able to monitor ALL the players in their clubs and national teams. In other words if Argentina plays a friendly match today, Keshi MUST endeavour to be present, just as he will be interested in the form and progress of Argentine players in their different clubs, ditto Iran and Bosnia players.

The minutest detail are taken into consideration, to the point where the Eagles goalkeeper trainer will want to know who takes the opposition penalties and

in what pattern over the last two and three years.

This is what the other teams will be doing against us and we cannot feign ignorance. This is what draws are all about, the opportunity to plan as the days tick by.

What about training camp venue and the availability of necessary infrastructure? During the FIFA World Cup in France in 1998, as FIFA Media Officer I had accompanied the General Coordinator in Marseille to go and visit the German team in their camp. A detention facility could not have been better fortified. When we finally got in, we met the team in a two hour training regime in a swimming pool. Yes swimming pool.

We also visited the gym that was laid out for the team and we were told by some of the physical trainers that the maximum days they train with the ball in a week is four days. That set me thinking, that “training” IS NOT eleven a side or the running round the field eleven times before the players settle down to play “ “probables” against “possibles Football is a science, where even the rooming policy is consciously decided as an off the field strategy to help cohesion on the field of play.

With Friday’s draw, the qualification party has been brought to an end. The competition is now here with us. For us to go to Brazil and not do better than the four previous qualifications will amount to an anti climax.

The Aminu Maigari led NFF must therefore do all in their power to liaise with government with a view to extending full support to the team to succeed. This is the time to sit down and talk bonuses and allowances.

This is the time to decide on and thrash out all those components that have in the past impacted negatively on our success.

Akin to the rites of Christian marriage, Maigari should now address the Nigerian football community and ask if there is any one that feels he has anything against Nigeria winning the cup! If so, let him or her speak now or forever remain silent …….because we will not tolerate any distraction from any level.

SO HELP US GOD. See you next week.

54 —

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Vanguard, MONDAY DECEMBER 9, 2013 — 55

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VANGUARD, MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013

Drogba, Eboue face fines over Mandela tributes

D

IDIER Drogba and Emmanuel Eboue face fines from the Turkish FA after displaying vests bearing tributes to Nelson Mandela.

The two Ivory Coast internationals unveiled

Keshi to pick World Cup base F

OR the very first time in the history of Nigeria’s participation in the FIFA World Cup finals, the Nigeria Football Federation has given Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, the free hand to determine where his wards will make home at next year’s finals.

Keshi, who captained Nigeria in her very first appearance at the FIFA World Cup finals, in USA in 1994, said he cher

their personal messages after Galatasaray’s game against Elazigspor on Friday, their first game

Continues on Page 52

Sodje in match-fixing probe

•Sam Sodje

T

HREE people are in police custody after an ex-Portsmouth player told an undercover reporter he had been Continues on Page 52

Enyeama's clean sheet record ends

Continues on Page 52

We ‘ll fight Nigeria for 2nd place — Bosnia coach

•Drogba

B

OSNIA Herzegovina coach Saft Susic has already conceded Brazil 2014 Group F leadership to former champions, Argentina even before the first ball is kicked.

Continues on Page 52

Don’t write us off — Iran coach

I

RAN coach Carlos Queiroz has acknowledged Nigeria as strong opposition after his team were placed in the same group as the African champions in Friday’s World Cup draw.

Continues on Page 52

•Eboue

•Enyeama

V

I N C E N T Enyeama’s run of not conceding a goal ended after 1 062 minutes yesterday with an own Continues on Page 52

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

Across 3 Employees (5) 9 Writer (6) 10 Clothes (6) 11 Nobleman (5) 12 Cheese (4) 15 Gala (4) 17 Harmed (7) 20 And not (3) 21 Trench (5) 23 Grasp (4) 25 Ripped (4) 26 Cringe (5) 28 Wager (3) 30 Demean (7) 33 Paradise (4) 35 Fall (4) 36 Fragment (5) 38 Gamin (6) 39 Sarcastic (6) 40 Prompt (5)

Down 1 Relaxed (5) 2 Vapour (5) 3 Weep (3) 4 Dealt (6) 5 Idiot (4) 6 Sport (3) 7 Frequently (5) 8 Alternative (5) 13 Swung (7) 14 Sorcery (5) 16 Storm (7) 18 Plunged (5) 19 Deed (3) 22 Store (5) 28 Started (5) 29 Instruct (5) 31 Stadium (5) 32 Era (5) 34 Skin-trouble (4) 36 Title (3) 37 Snoop (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

Across: 1, Ripped 5, Sacred 9, Voter 10, Loosen 11, Victor 12, Noted 14, Stem 17, Ran 18, Cede 20, Hades 22, Dined 23, Ringlet 24, Learn 26, Never 29, Eddy 30, Jet 32, Waded 35, Sordid 36, Native 37, Reset 38, Nudged 39, Talent.

Down: 1, Relish 2, Proved 3, Even 4, Donor 5, Seven 6, Arid 7, Rotten 8, Darted 13, Tangled 15, Tamed 16, Merry 18, Cited 19, Deter 21, Sin 22, Den 24, Lesson 25, Adored 27, Valise 28, Recent 30, Jaded 31, Tenet 33, Wire 34, Data.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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