How Oshiomhole won Edo guber battle

C M Y K

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61666

** MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012

N150

How to achieve 10% real sector contribution to GDP by 2015•PG.17

THE SCORE CARD 2012 EDO GOVERNORSHIP RESULT ACN

477, 478

ANPP

3,642

CPC

SWEEPING VICTORY —ACN supporters celebrate in Edo State. Inset top left: An Okada rider jubilates. Right: A Sweeping victory.

2,793

LP

604

NCP

540

PDP

144, 235

SDMP

807

•See details on Pg.12

How Oshiomhole won Edo guber battle •President Jonathan congratulates, assures of FG's support •End of an era as PDP chieftain, Anenih, loses ward •All hail Oshiomhole — See more stories and pictures on Pages 8,51&52

We lost over 10,000 EDO POLLS: people to Fulani How police •Pg.46 attacks — Berom •Pg.6

scaled acid test

Car bomb explodes in Kogi, suspect arrested •Pg.7

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR, SIMON EBEGBULEM & GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE ENIN—AFTER weeks of preparation, alignment, re-alignment and anxiety, the Edo State governorship

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Continues on Page 5

Mr & Mrs

2 — Vanguard, MONDAY,

JULY 16, 2012

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012 —

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4 — Vanguard, MONDAY,

JULY 16, 2012

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012—5

How Oshiomhole won Edo guber battle Continues from Page 1 election ended in a dramatic fashion weekend with Governor Adams Oshiomhole retaining his seat with a landslide victory.

Out of a total of 630,099 valid votes cast, Oshiomhole clinched victory by amassing 477,478 votes representing 76% of the valid votes, leaving Major Gen. Charles Airhiavbare of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with 144,235 votes representing 23% of the valid total votes cast. Chief Solomon Edebiri who flew the flag of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP and had been seen as an alternative was only able to manage 3,642 votes representing less than 1% of the valid votes cast.

Commercial motorcyclists who had been at the vanguard of Oshiomhole’s campaigns took to the streets in wild celebration riding even in the thick of a heavy downpour.

Yesterday ’s rains in the opinion of many, was heaven’s own tide to sweep out the opposition PDP from the state.

“It is finished,” Oshiomhole shouted out in a tone reflective of the messianic image he has cut for himself yesterday afternoon as he moved in carnival fashion along one of the major roads of the ancient town.

End of an era in Edo It is indeed the end of an era not just for the PDP but for the leader of the party, Chief Tony Anenih, the former chairman of the PDP board of trustees. Anenih since he entered politics in the early eighties had without exception influenced the election of all civilian governors that ruled the state. Not one governor entered the Governor ’s Office without his approval.

Yesterday, as he savoured the fresh scent of victory, Oshiomhole was humble in victory pledging that he would continue to accord Anenih, 79, the respect he deserves.

“Many believe that the election was between myself and Anenih,” Oshiomhole told newsmen at a post-election press conference.

“I appreciate him as a leader in our state, who deserves respect from all of us. I will continue to respect him and show respect to him and members of his great party inspite of our political differences,” the reelected governor said.

He, however, affirmed that he had no regrets over the taunts he heaped on the elderly politician during the campaign declaring that it was his own style.

Senator Ehigie Uzamere, ACN, Edo South, who championed

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Often people attempt to live their lives backwards; they try to have more things, or more money, in order to do more of what they want, so they will be happier. The way it actually works is the reverse. You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want —Margaret Young OME of the greatest joys in life are also the simplest. Beran Wolfe sums it beautifully: “If you observe a really happy man you will find him building a boat, writing a symphony, educating his son, growing double dahlias in his garden, or looking for dinosaur eggs in the Gobi desert. He will not be searching for happiness as if it were a collar button that has rolled under the radiator. He will not be striving for it as a goal in itself. He will have become aware that he is happy in the course of living life twenty-four crowded hours of the day.

Loving others and being loved is central to the happiness of people. Everyone needs to know they are loved and people usually find great satisfaction in loving others in meaningful ways.

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the campaign to stop the PDP’s gubernatorial candidate, on his part, saw the result as the determination of the people to build a new Edo State.

“It shows that people resented the old order and we stood by a man who has given us hope and a man who has given us the things that we have for long been seeking,” Senator Uzamere said.

Senator Uzamere was neck deep in the campaign and fought to stop Airhiavbare who incidentally is his maternal nephew.

How Oshiomhole broke opposition's challenge How Oshiomhole was able to break down the challenge of the opposition was no easy task. It was a combination of intrigues, deployment of forces, good performance and despondency on the part of the PDP’s foot soldiers.

The governor also used the time tested practice of crying wolf to unnerve the opposition.

When last Saturday voting materials failed to arrive early enough at some strongholds of the governor, Oshiomhole at about 11.45 a.m. in press interviews denounced Prof. Attahiru Jega, the national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC as having failed.

The governor particularly singled out the deployment of an INEC National Commissioner, Ishmael Igbani to Edo State alleging past electoral misdeeds by the commissioner that made him not to be trusted for the sensitive job.

There are now indications that Oshiomhole’s assertion that the election was compromised would be used as an issue by the PDP. “For the first time we agree with Adams and wholeheartedly adopt his claim that the election was not free and fair. He said it and we believe him,” a high ranking official of the PDP told Vanguard yesterday.

PDP chieftains were meeting in Benin, yesterday, to appraise the situation and give a formal response. A statement earlier prepared

POCKET CARTOON

alleging loopholes in the conduct of the election was hurriedly withdrawn as the party’s top brass reviewed the development yesterday. Among the considerations before the party officials was the fact that the party’s national leader, President Goodluck Jonathan had congratulated Oshiomhole whose victory the president said was a reward for his good performance.

Jonathan congratulates Oshiomhole Congratulating the governor, President Jonathan had urged Oshiomhole to see his reelection as “an endorsement of his outstanding performance in his first term and an expression of their desire for a continuation of his focused, purposeful and dynamic leadership.”

Ahead of the election the ACN had envisaged that the PDP would concentrate its energies on the Edo South Senatorial District which has 58% of the voting population.

Remarkably, the ACN guessed the PDP well and sought to checkmate the opposition there. It is no surprise that while it was able to check the PDP in Edo South which is incidentally the PDP’s candidate’s base, it allowed the PDP room to move in the two other senatorial districts.

It was as such astonishing to some that the PDP did fairly well in Edo North. Even though it still lost there, but the opposition party was able to gain almost 30% in Akoko Edo and 32% in Owan West. The surprising performance was accredited to the determination of Chief Michael Oghiadomhe, the Chief of Staff to the President to show electoral value at home. The PDP also did measurably well in Esan North East and Esan North West largely on account of the influence of Chief Anenih getting as much as 40% in those areas but still not winning the total votes.

one vote. The PDP won by 40 to 39 votes in Anenih’s booth, but then he still lost his ward to the ACN by as much as 2,000 votes.

In Edo South that had the bulk of the votes, the ACN’s strategy as implemented by Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the director general of the Oshiomhole Campaign Organisation was to deploy what one source said yesterday were “ready tested ACN loyalists as agents in Edo South.”

The deployment of tested hands it was learnt was to avoid the situation where agents would be compromised.

Indeed, these die-hard enthusiasts of the ACN followed the officials and the votes from booth to ward and LGA compilation centres. At the George Idah Primary School centre that also was the compilation centre for Ward 2, in Oredo Local Government Area, soldiers had to be called in after the PDP agent for one of the units disappeared at the end of the voting leaving the space for his signature blank.

ACN operatives were set to descend on one PDP official who they identified to compel him to sign the space for the agent. Their fear was that the strategy of the PDP was to leave the signatures blank opening room for denial during a possible litigation.

In Uhumwonde Local Government Area, Mr. Charles Idahosa, the Political Adviser to the Governor led the attack against the forces of the PDP led by an old reliable in the person of Senator Roland Owie.

Owie’s experience was indeed of little help as the PDP still lost.

THE VICTIMS:

Lucky escape for Anenih For Anenih, it was a lucky escape as he managed to deliver his polling booth to the PDP by

In Oredo, Bob Izua led the ACN election machine against the PDP that was in the last week re-energised with the emergence of the billionaire businessman, Captain Hosa Okunbor on its side.

While Captain Hosa pumped in money, his money could really not do much. Many of his reliable operatives it was learnt had abandoned him for the ACN. The influence of money one PDP chieftain said, yesterday, became a matter of concern as he lamented the refusal of the “Second layer ” that is the foot soldiers, who he said collected money from the PDP hierarchy without passing on the money to bring out or buy out the votes. Our problem was to say the least disillusionment.

"The foot soldiers were simply disillusioned and believed that there was nothing they could do,” a top ranking member of the PDP disclosed yesterday, ahead of the party ’s caucus meeting in Benin.

Also in Edo South the husband and wife tag team of Harrison and Lucy Omagbon combined to demystify the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion ensuring that the PDP candidate did not win up to 16% of the votes cast.

Also strategic to the ACN was the employment of the old PDP hands in hitting back at their former party. Mrs. Omagbon was, for instance, a former State Woman Leader of the PDP and like IzeIyamu and many others in the ACN who exited the party, knew how to plug the loopholes."

6—VANGUARD, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012

We lost over 10,000 people to Fulani attacks — Berom

BY TAYE OBATERU

OS—THE Berom of Plateau State say they have lost over 10,000 people and property worth more than N180 billion to Fulani herdsmen since the attacks began.

This was disclosed, weekend, by Chairman of the Berom Community in Abuja, Mr. Peter Gai, who told journalists in Jos that his people had always been at the receiving end of the attacks and were always having to react to defend themselves.

He said given their experience with the Fulani, they would resist any attempt to carve out any part of Berom land as grazing reserve as being proposed in the Grazing Bill currently before the National Assembly.

He said: “If the National Assembly insists on passing that bill into law, as far as

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From left: Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Kaduna State, Amb. Nuhu Audu Bajoga; his wife; Vice President Namadi Sambo; and Gov. Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State during a thanksgiving reception for PDP chairman, Kaduna State, in Kaduna, weekend.

STF clarifies quit order on Plateau villages As air and land assault imminent

BY TAYE OBATERU & KINGSLEY OMONOBI

OS— COMMANDER of the Special Task Force, STF, maintaining security in Plateau State, Major General Henry Ayoola, has explained that the recent order to people in the troubled villages of Barkin Ladi and Riyom Local Government Areas to relocate within 48 hours was in line with international convention guiding military operations and not targeted at any group.

He gave the clarification following speculations surrounding the ultimatum which some have interpreted as designed to displace certain people from their homes.

Ayoola told newsmen that contrary to the insinuations, asking civilians to evacuate an area where military operation is going to begin was in line with global practices and international law.

He said since full military operation was to commence in the affected areas which had been largely deserted, it was important to ask those remaining in the affected villages to move out because of the operations, for their safety.

He stressed that the order was not targeted at any particular group but

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in the best interest and safety of the people.

The STF had some days ago temporarily moved its operational base to the troubled area in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area in an apparent move to stem the tide of killings and invasion of villages by gunmen which had resulted in several deaths.

In a statement, weekend, it gave those still inhabiting the devastated villages like Mahanga, Kakuruk, Kuzen, Maseh and Song to vacate within 48 hours when the military operation is expected to begin.

The statement signed by STF’s Media Offficer, Captain Salisu, also advised residents of Kura Falls, Kuzuk and Sharuk, Rim of Gashish and Bachit Districts which are close to the affected villages to be careful of their movement in view of the military operation.

Air and land assault imminent According to Vanguard sources, the military operation which will involve the use of Air Force helicopter gunships, artillery and infantry components of the Nigerian Army will see the Special Task Force operatives embarking on swift and precise attacks

to dislodge the criminal elements.

According to a statement by the Defence Headquarters confirming the planned attack, entitled ‘Defence Headquarters Orders Raid on Criminal Hideouts in Plateau State’ and signed by Col. Mohammed Yerima, Director of Defence Information, DHQ, said: “The Special Task Force in Jos has found out that some of the criminals who carried out last week’s attack on innocent people are still hiding around some villages in order to continue to perpetrate crimes against the good people of Plateau State.

The Task Force is determined to rid the state of these murderers.

“Having failed in their attempts to continue to instigate communal strife in Plateau State, criminal elements who are enemies of the people decided to wear military type uniforms and attack directly innocent citizens in some parts of the state.

“This direct attack was obviously decided upon when these criminals realised that their previous tactics of inciting one section of the populace against another is no longer working because the people of Plateau State have seen through the divisive technique of these

ungodly people.

“The Defence Headquarters wishes to inform the villages where these criminal elements use as hideouts to vacate to a safer place where an arrangement is being made for them by the state government to avoid collateral damage.

“This temporary relocation is for a while and the villagers will relocate when the operation is completed.

The villages affected are: Mahanga, Kakuruk, Kuzen, Maseh and Shong.

"Residents of Kura-falls, Kuzukand Sharuk, Rim of Gashish and Bachit districts respectively are enjoined not to panic and to be careful of their movement within the area and avoid places of military operations until further notice. People are also advised to report any suspicious movement/ activities in their areas to security agencies.

“These are temporary measures put in place by the Defence Headquarters for the safety of the inhabitants of the affected areas. The residents should be rest assured that as soon as the operations are over, they will be called back to their r e s i d e n c e s .

Inconveniences caused are highly regretted.”

Berom land is concerned, that law is dead on arrival because no one would like to surrender his land to somebody who would not want to live in peace with his host.”

The group called for the evacuation of the Fulani inhabiting Berom land as a way out of the spate of attacks and clashes that have resulted in the loss of innocent lives.

It said it was unfortunate that the hospitality the Berom people accorded the Fulani by accommodating them had become a nightmare as they were being paid back with violence.

The Grazing Bill seeks to carve out grazing reserves for Fulani herdsmen in different parts of the country where they can graze unmolested and without straying into people’s farms which is often a source of clash between them and farmers.

Middle Belt Forum urges FG to end bloodshed in Plateau, others

BY TAYE OBATERU

OS — THE Middle Belt Forum, MBF, has called on the Federal Government to take decisive steps to end the killings in Plateau and other parts of the Middle Belt or the people might be forced to defend themselves.

Former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, said this, yesterday, when he led a delegation of the forum on a condolence visit to Governor Jonah Jang over the recent killings in the state which resulted in the death of two legislators and several others.

He urged President Goodluck Jonathan to act fast to check the bloodshed in different parts of the country, adding: “We want to use this opportunity to tell Mr. President to act effectively and stop these killings here and there.”

According to Gana, “if the Federal Government cannot defend our people, Mr. President should come out clearly and tell us. If our people cannot be defended, they are ready to defend themselves. So, Mr. President should act effectively before the situation gets out of hand.

“We are now been pushed to the wall and we are saying enough is

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enough. Our people laid down their lives to defend this country; we deserve to be defended as well, but if Mr. President cannot defend us he should let us know now.”

He assured the governor and the people of the state of the support of the forum at this trying time, saying time had come for all Middle Belters to unite to, according to him,”act together and think together.”

Reacting, Gov. Jang described the visit as encouraging and an indication that they shared in the pains the state was going through.

He lamented that terrorists had taken over part of the state and were unleashing mayhem on the people while the cries of the state over this in the past were not taken seriously.

He said: “It is sad that since 1994 there have been consistent plots to destabilise Plateau State, but unfortunately the Federal Government is not doing anything."

Also on the MBF delegation were General Zamani Lekwot and Joshua Dogonyaro (rtd), Dr. Bala Takaya, Dr Philp Salawu, Mr. John Dara, Chief Michael Abdul and Mr. Ibrahim Bangulu, among others.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012—7

SERAP asks US to deposit Alamieyeseigha's $400,000 assets into trust fund

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

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An auto crash involving two trailer trucks with number plates XD207LND and XB461UGH, and LASTMA towing van which resulted in the death of one person at the Mile 2-Oshodi expressway, yesterday.

Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

AGF okays draft bills for laws against terrorism, corruption

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

BUJA — THE Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, has okayed five draft bills for new laws that will strengthen the fight against terrorism and corruption in the country.

The five draft bills that he proposed for enacting into new laws are “Witness Protection Bills, Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters Bill, Administration of Criminal Justice Bill, Whistle Blowers Bill and Proceeds of Offences Bill.”

Besides, the AGF, according to a document made available to Vanguard, has equally pinpointed grey areas in the existing laws of Nigeria, which he said ought to be amended with a view to curbing the spate of economic crimes in the private and public sectors of the economy.

According to him, there is need for an immediate amendment of the “AntiMoney Laundering Act, Independent Corrupt Practices Act, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act, Public Complaints Commission Amendment Bill and the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal.”

It would be recalled that the AGF had on Friday, decried the increasing spate of violence across the country, saying the Federal Government was “working hard to stem the gradual decent to anarchy by diligently prosecuting all those indicted for civil disturbances to serve as

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deterrence.”

In a speech he presented at a valedictory court session held in honour of the outgoing Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, the AGF noted: “The recent Boko Haram and Jos crises are unfortunate examples that have evoked a lot of emotions and public condemnation both in Nigeria and from the

international community.

“May I also use this auspicious occasion to reiterate government’s commitment to the war against corruption and our collective determination to prosecute the war within the confines of the rule of law.

To this end, government has concluded arrangements to commence the prosecution of those

recently indicted in the fuel subsidy probe report and the charges arising from the investigation conducted by relevant law enforcement agencies will be filed very soon.

“Efforts are also being made to strengthen our institutions and processes to prevent future occurrence as well as curb corruption.”

Labour raises alarm over mass retrenchment in banks Says over 9000 workers sacked in last 12 months

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

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AGOS — WORKERS in the banking sector have raised alarm over ongoing mass retrenchment in the sector, saying no fewer than 9,000 workers have been retrenched in the last 12 months.

Under the umbrella of the Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, ASSBIFI, labour named five new generation banks as alleged major culprits and lamented that the affected workers were disengaged without recourse to the subsisting procedural agreement.

In a statement by Emeka Ogene and Obukese Orere, ASSBIFI vowed that the full weight of labour movement would be brought against the banks should they continue to sack workers

indiscriminately and fail to follow due process by meeting with organised labour to negotiate the full benefits of the already retrenched workers.

Giving detail of the retrenchment, Orere said: “It is mind bugling and the process sadly has not stopped. In the last 12 months, the banks have disengaged over 9,000 workers.

"It is a serious issue and organised labour will be forced to bring its full weight on the affected banks should they fail to meet with labour to discuss full payment of benefits to the affected workers in accordance with the industry ’s procedural agreement.”

According to the statement, “if the job loss in the finance industry between 2004 and 2008 was disturbing, the loss of jobs between 2009 and now is colossal.

"It is worthy of note that

while the NDIC was set up to insure only depositors in the banks, no institution has been set up to take care of the workers in these organisations.

"This loophole is now being capitalised upon by the CBN and the management of these various institutions, in their policies to arbitrarily terminate the appointments of their workers.

“Managements of banks are hereby called upon to respect the sanctity of the collective agreement as it affects redundancy and engage the national unions in dialogue. We hereby call on the managements of the banks that have recently disengaged their staff, to urgently engage the national unions in the sector for proper negotiation and urgent settlement of the full entitlements of their disengaged staff.”

AGOS — Social Economic Rights Advocacy Project, SERAP, has asked the United States government to deposit into an established trust fund, the $400,000 in assets belonging to former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, which were forfeited after he was convicted for money laundering offences.

SERAP’s advice to the US authority was sequel to a request by the US government asking SERAP for input on how to release the fund stolen by the former governor, for the use of the people of Bayelsa State.

The US Department of Justice in a letter signed by Jeffrey Benzing of the Department of Justice to SERAP’s volunteer attorney in the US, Professor Alexander Sierck, had demanded what to do with $400,000 in assets traced to Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

In its response, SERAP urged the US to adopt the provisions of Article 79 of the Rome Statute that established the International Criminal Court, ICC, which provides for the establishment of separate trust funds into which criminal penalties and asset forfeiture

proceeds are paid.

These trust funds, according to SERAP, “should benefit the victims of the crimes committed by the accused.”

The intervention roles being played by SERAP on issues of corruption, especially its recent request and proposal to the US SECs Enforcement Division concerning proceeds of FCPA civil penalty and disgorgement payments led to the US recognition of the organisation.

The organisation asked the Department of Justice in its first Asset Recovery Initiative forfeiture judgment of $400,000 in assets traced to Alamieyeseigha to deposit the fund for direct use of the people of the state. It suggested that a direct payout from the trust fund to adult citizens of the state would seem to be “impractical and inefficient.”

According to the organisation, “in the specific context of the Alamieyeseigha case, the US should establish a trust fund comprised of present and future civil asset forfeiture proceeds to be paid, ultimately to a future benefit of the people of Baylelsa State.

Car bomb explodes in Kogi, suspect arrested

BY BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO

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OKOJA — A CAR carrying explosive devices, yesterday, exploded along OkeneObehira road just by The Living Faith Church in Okene Local Government Area of Kogi State.

The blast came on the heels of apprehension occasioned by alleged rumour from a pastor in the area of an intending attack on some locations in the state by members of the Boko Haram group.

The Kogi State Police Command spokesman, Mr Ile Simon, who confirmed the explosion in Lokoja, said the suspect was driving in a car and heading towards the church when he was accosted by security men.

Ile said that it was while the suspect was still undergoing screening that a “big” explosion occurred.

He said the security men deployed to the church then

arrested the suspect before he could escape. He added that no report of death was received but some people were being treated for shock and injuries from the stampede that followed the blast.

But another eye witness claimed that the occupants of the said vehicle were apparently waiting for the church service to end before carrying out their attack when they were accosted by the manager of the NNPC filling station where the vehicle was parked to move the car away.

The source added that it was in the process of moving the vehicle from the station that it exploded, though he said there was no casualty aside the occupant of the car Simon said one person had been arrested in connection with the incident and was being interrogated while the security agents were on the trail of another suspect who was said to have escaped.

8—Vanguard , MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012

THE ACTION CONGRESS OF NIGERIA, ACN, VICTORY IN EDO Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, announced the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN's candidate, Adams Oshiomhole, as winner of the Saturday governorship election in Edo State, yesterday. Photos by Nath Onojake and NAN capture supporters' celebration and Oshiomhole's thankgiving in Benin.

Children on Wire Road, Benin.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and his Deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu, at the thanksgiving service at St Paul's Catholic Church, Benin.

Ring Road, Benin.

ACN supporters at St Paul's Catholic Church, Benin City, yesterday.

Prof. Osayuki Oshodi (left), Edo State, Returning Officer, announcing the result of the governorship election.

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INEC headquarters in Benin after the announcement of election results.

Oshiomhole (left) and Senator Chris Ngige.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012 — 9

From left; Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye, Member, Board of Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism; Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, General Manager, Publication/Editorin-Chief, Vanguard Newspapers and Professor Lai Oso, Dean, School of Communication, Lagos State University, at the 4th Wole Soyinka Annual Lecture, weekend, in Ikeja, Lagos.

Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi

5 policemen How TV presenter, Gawat's arrested for car was found, by LASTMA allegedly killing We're still investigating — Police Okada rider BY OLASUNKANMI Olowu Zone of the agen- parked, it did not suggest

BY ALBERT AKPOR

AGOS—FIVE police men attached to Isashi Divisional Headquarters, Lagos, have been arrested for allegedly pushing a motorcycle operator out of their fast-moving patrol van around Iba new site area of the state.

The man, simply identified as Effiong, allegedly died in the process.

An eye-witness narrated that the policemen had impounded Effiong’s bike for undisclosed reason.

As he was being taken away to an unknown destination he protested and jumped into the police van, insisting to know where his bike was being taken to.

When contacted Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer,PPRO, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Ngozi Braide, said the arrested policemen had been transferred to SCID for further investigation.

She said that only an autopsy report could determine whether Effiong was pushed from a moving patrol van or not.

According to reliable sources, when the news of Efiong’s death broke, other motor-bike operators in the area quickly mobilised and chased the police patrol van which later ran into a gridlock where the policemen were overpowered.

The mob was said to have surged towards the Isashi Division protesting police extortion and high- handedness.

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AKONI & EVELYN USMAN

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KEJA—GENERAL Manager of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Mr. Babatunde Edu, has explained how the agency recovered the abandoned vehicle of the missing popular television presenter, Alhaji Rasak Gawat, who was declared missing since last Wednesday.

He said a black colour four-runner Toyota SUV with number-plate RE 77 AAA was discovered on Eko Bridge inward Apongbon at 11:45p.m. on Tuesday by LASTMA officials led by the Zonal Head, Mr. Akinpelu Ayuba, while conducting safety checks on the bridge.

The vehicle was parked close to the kerb with no sign of accident except that the hazard light of the vehicle was on and the four doors locked.

According to Edu: “Our officials, thinking that the unknown occupant (s) had ran out of fuel and had gone to source for same or in dire need of assistance, and to ensure the safety of the occupant (s) and also render assistance if need be, formed a search group to look out for the owner of the vehicle.”

Edu said the search went on for over an hour with no trace of the owner.

To guide against stealing of the vehicle and to ensure that in-coming vehicles and other road-users did not run into the vehicle, the black jeep was towed away in the early hour of Wednesday to the

cy’s office in Lagos Island.

Investigation still on – Police Six days into the mysterious disappearance of Gawat, the Lagos State Police Command said it was still investigating the case.

Although there was news, weekend, that Gawat was found in Ibadan, a development that threw family members, staff of Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, and well-wishers into wild jubilation.

Their joy was short-lived after several calls to the Oyo State Police Command revealed that it was mere rumour.

At the Dolphin Estate, Adeniji-Adele Phase 2, Lagos Island, abode of Gawat, members of his family wore long faces, unsure of what would have happened to their bread winner.

There are, however, fears that Gawat’s life could be in danger. While some concluded he could have been abducted, others ruled out that possibility, positing that there could have been calls from his abductors demanding ransom.

The Lagos State Police Command, maintained, yesterday, that the case was that of a missing person and not kidnap.

Investigation so far, according to police sources, showed that there was no sign of struggle where his vehicle was found at Apongbon end of Eko Bridge. The car, sources said, was neatly parked.

“From the way it was

it was intercepted, except that the hazard lights were on, with his Identity card on the front seat.”

Sources also informed that when his phone was dialed as at Friday, it rang without response.

Spokesman for the command, Ngozi Braide, said policemen, were not resting on the incident. Although she declined comments on how far investigation had gone, she assured that the command would make headway soon.

Meantime, Lagos State chapter of National Council of Muslim Youths Organisation,NACOMYO, has appealed for his release by whosoever kept him.

At a briefing in Lagos, NACOMYO decried the inability of the police to give a clue on the fate of the broadcaster, who was a former state coordinator of NACOMYO since last Tuesday when he was declared missing.

2 die, many injured in Lagos auto crashes

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI AGOS—NO fewer than two persons died and several others injured, yesterday, in separate auto accidents on on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, involving Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, towing truck, three container-laden articulated vehicles and a Danfo bus.

Involved at one accident spot, on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, at Mile 2 Area, opposite Fatgbems Filling Station, were a LASTMA towing truck and two container vehicles.

At press time, the maimed and lifeless body of the victim was still on the expressway with one of his legs few metres away from the half cut body.

The victim was said to be a pedestrian trying to cross the expressway when the container vehicle crushed him to death.

The accident, which was said to have happened about 12.35 p.m, occurred due to over-speeding by the container driver while escaping from street urchins, “Area boys” who were allegedly trying to extort money from him.

In the process, he was

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Man, 29, docked over alleged N11m theft

BY IFEANYI OKOLIE AGOS—A 29-year-old man, Obinna Onyekelu, was, weekend, arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate's Court, Lagos, for allegedly stealing goods worth N11million from a warehouse in the Abule-Ado area of the state.

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Lagos property owners get title documents

BY MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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KEJA—GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, weekend, presented sub-lease title documents to 1,000 allottees who bought property from government agencies before January 1, 2000 and before the presentation, had no title documents.

The beneficiaries include occupants of Ministry of Housing, Lagos State Development and

said to have rammed into the LASTMA towing vehicle and the container vehicle with number-plate Lagos XD 207 LND. An unidentified LASTMA official, who sustained serious injury was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

As at 1 pm, no rescue team was on hand to help out with the clearing of the vehicles involved in the accident.

LASTMA official were said to have stayed back because of fear of attack by “Area boys” who besieged the scene. The development led to gridlock, stretching for over two kilometres along the expressway.

It was learnt that men of the Federal Road Safety Corps took the victims to the hospital.

Relatedly, at Iyana-Isolo under Bridge, the lifeless body of a man was retrieved from beneath a container vehicle, while other victims of the accident, who sustained injuries were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

An eyewitness narrated that the Apapa-bound container vehicle, apparently, in an attempt to avoid a pot hole, rammed into the stationary bus with passengers on board.

Property Corporation, LSDPC and Lagos Building Investment Company.

Presenting the documents at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, the governor, said on assumption of office for the first term in 2007, his administration was concerned about the large number of properties in Lagos State without registered titles.

Fashola was represented by Commissioner for Housing, Bosun Jeje, at the presentation.

The accused, who was arraigned before Magistrate F.O. Aigbokhavbo, on a two-count charge of stealing, punishable under Section 409 and 326 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, was said to have burgled the warehouse belonging to one Charles Izundu some time in August 2009 and carted away all the goods in it.

However, the stolen goods which includes; 1682 sets of Twyford W/C, 843 Twyford basins, 6820 extra-fitting valued at N11 million, were transported and stored at a warehouse allegedly belonging to one Chief Jude Umeh from where the goods were sold.

Vanguard gathered that policemen at Festac Police Station, where the matter was reported, after the goods were declared missing, arrested a man who took part in the loading of the goods and he allegedly led them to Onyekelu.

10—Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012

AGAIN, FLOOD RAVAGES IBADAN Ibadan, Oyo State Capital, yesterday, experienced another flood disaster, after a downpour, the previous day. Pix: Dare Fasube.

Flood sacks Ibadan residents

BY OLA AJAYI

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A Peugeot 504 Station Wagon that ran into a bridge washed away on Arulogun Road.

A make-shift pedestrian bridge at Apete, washed away by the flood.

BADAN—SOME resi dents of Ibadan metropolis have been sacked from their homes bya heavy rain which started Saturday evening.

Though, there was no reported casualty, many residents at Challenge, Oke-Ayo and Eleyele abandoned their residence to prevent loss of lives as happened last August 26, which sent hundreds of people to their early graves.

As at 4pm, yesterday, the rain still continued and even prevented some Christians from going to churches in the morning.

As a result of the continuous rainfall, some bridges and culverts caved in.

Areas worst hit included Apete and a link road that leads to Army Barracks and Sabo.

Other places affected are Odo-Ona/Apata and Oluyole Estate in Oluyole and Ibadan South-West local government areas where two bridges caved in.

A Mercedes Benz car fell into the stream at Mokola area when the bridge gave way.

Jolted by the effects of

the flood, the state government said some structures on waterways had to be demolished.

Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Bosun Oladele, said there was no casualty as

a result of the flooding.

The commissioner said the incident had further exposed some of the structures that should be demolished on the water ways, especially at OritaChallenge.

Ekiti Fed varsity admits 400 pioneer students

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

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DO-EKITI—THE management of newly-established Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, has said only 400 students out of 11,560 that applied for admission would be admitted as pioneer students, for the Oye and Ikole campuses of the institution.

Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Chinedu Nebo, said this in Oye-Ekiti, weekend, at a briefing to wrap up the post-JAMB test for prospective students.

Nebo,who spoke through the university’s Acting Registrar, Mr. Abiodun Adeyemo, said the institution would commence academic activities with five faculties; namely Humanities, Sciences, Agriculture, Social Sci-

ences and Engineering.

The Acting Registrar said the pioneer students would resume formally on July 25, making the university the first to take off among the nine newlyestablished universities by the Federal Government last year.

The Vice-Chancellor assured that the students shall not only be sufficiently made to pass through academic training alone, but would be exposed to skills acquisition programmes that will guarantee self-employment after the completion of their courses.

He said the dream of the institution was to train students that will be employers of labour rather than the situation in conventional universities, where graduands turn out to be jobless for several years after graduation.

Don't politicise our leaders' death — Ondo students

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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KURE—NATIONAL Association of Ondo State Students,NAOSS, yesterday, took exception to politicians in the state playing politics with the death of the three student union leaders who died in an auto crash,weekend.

In a statement, its National President, Victor Oguntoyinbo, in Akure, the students’ body said it was unfortunate that some politicians were blaming the state government for the illfated crash.

The students, who died in the road mishap were the Student Union Presidents

of Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA; Awopegba Oluwaseun, popularly known as “DCO”, Adeyemi College of Education,ACE, Akintola Abiodun and that of Ondo State School of Midwifery Miss Oyikan Olotu.

The students were re-

turning from an award ceremony organised in honour of Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja by the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS. Oguntoyinbo while commerating with the families and the institution of the student union leaders,

dispelled claims by some people that the students were invited to Abuja for the award programme by the governor.

He said the students attended the programme based on the invitation sent to them by NANS national executives.

The statement reads in part, “The award programme was organised by National Association of Nigerian Students, which is the apex body for all Nigerian students both home and in diaspora. It is mandatory for NANS to invite all student leaders across the

globe, which Ondo State students were not exempted.

“Governor Olusegun Mimiko did not invite us to the award programme to show its popularity among the students of Ondo State; we attended the programme on the basis of invitation sent by National Association of Nigerian Students.

“We are urging some politicians who are using this pathetic incident to gain cheap popularity to desist from it or else Ondo State students we moved against them.''

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012 —11

Ewherido pushes for State Police

BY FESTUS AHON

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President Goodluck Jonathan (2nd right) flanked by the First Lady, Dame Goodluck Jonathan (right) and wife of the Chief Security Offier, CSO, to the President, Mrs. Gordons Obuah and Mr. Gordons Obuah during a thanksgiving service to mark the first year anniversary of the Obuah triplets at the Aso Villa Chapel, State House, Abuja. yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

GHELLI—SENA TOR Pius Ewherido, representing the Delta Central Senatorial District, has stressed the need for the establishment of State Police, arguing that if established, it would go a long way to address the new security challenges facing the country.

Calling for greater commitment to the issue of insecurity bedevilling the country, he said that the death of Senator Gyang Dantong suggested that “nobody is immune to the effects of terrorism in the

Abavo crisis deepens as traditional council denounces new monarch

BY EMMAAMAIZE

ARRI—THE Abavo Traditional Council, ATC, Abavo Kingdom in Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, has described the purported crowning of a new monarch by some persons in the community as taboo, insisting that HRM Uche Irenuma II, remains the lawful monarch.

About 20 persons were arrested, weekend, for allegedly engaging in violent acts in the kingdom, while a source said security agents were looking for the supposed new monarch and others, whose whereabouts remain unknown.

HRM Irenuma, it was gathered, made statement to police detectives at the General Investigation Department of Delta State Police, Command, Asaba, which is handling the matter on Saturday.

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The traditional council in a statement by the Ero of Abavo kingdom, Chief Agbeje Osameha, said: “It is sheer madness for somebody to go to any market to buy traditional ruler’s regalia, put them on and proclaim himself traditional ruler.

“Where and who crowned the purported king? Did he perform any traditional rites that lead to the ascendency to the throne? In addition, on whose authority was he purportedly crowned?” the

GHELLI—THE peo ple of Ovwor-Olomu Community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State, have commended Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for his developmental strides in the community.

President-General of the community, Chief Amos Oyoroko, Pa John Efeurhiewe, Chief Samuel Ichipi, Chief M. Ovbagbedia and the Secretary General, Mr. Jonathan Ofuyovwi, in a statement noted that the Uduaghan administration

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was a manhunt for the new monarch, he said he was not in Abavo now, adding, “He is undergoing traditional purification that goes with the crowning of a new king and I can tell you, he is in a safe place.”

Delta Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, deployed police officers to Abavo, weekend, to quell the violence that erupted following the purported installation of a new monarch by one of the parties.

Devt fund for Ogbe-Ijoh not diverted —DESOPADEC

BY EMMAAMAIZE

A R R I — D E LTA State Oil Producing Areas Development C o m m i s s i o n , DESOPADEC, has denied

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Urhobo community pledges support for Uduaghan, Utuama

BY GAB EJUWA

council queried.

The council said that a king was not crowned outside his kingdom and in the history of humanity, two kings were not known to have ruled one kingdom at a time.

However, legal officer to the assumed new monarch, Mr. Nwadozie Okonta, told Vanguard, yesterday, that he had sent a delegation to the Inspector General of Police over the partisan role of the police in the state.

On the report that there

had tarred the nine roads in the community, which were in deplorable situation.

“No chronicle of Ovwor Olomu will be complete without reference to Prof Amos Utuama, whose love and effort made the government to tar all the streets in the community at once,” the statement said.

They observed that infrastructural development was animpetustosocialdevelopment, stressing that the Uduaghan administration had done a lot to improvethelivingstandardofthe people and should therefore be commended.

allegation that some persons had hijacked the funds meant for the development of Ogbe-Ijoh kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area.

The traditional ruler of Ogbe-Ijoh, Pere Amakosu Oduwor III, had recently raised alarm over alleged diversion of DESOPADEC funds meant for development of the area by some persons for their selfcentered aim and called on Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to probe all contracts awarded by the commission to save the community from another round of crisis.

He had said: “You can't believe that as the traditional ruler, I don’t know what is going on in DESOPADEC as regards contracts awarded for the developmentofmykingdom.Ihadwritten several times to the Commission but no response. I only hear that they had awarded one contract or the other in my community.”

But the Commissioner repre-

senting Ijaw ethnic nationality in DESOPADEC, Mr. Kingsley Otuaro, has denied the claim, saying, the current board, which was about 10 months old, had not awarded any contract since it was inaugurated.

Similarly, deputy head, Press Unit, DESOPADEC, Mr. Rutherford Adowei, said: “DESOPADEC does not give cash to any community for development. Nothing could be more absurd than saying that DESOPADEC gave cash to some people in Ogbe-Ijoh.”

country.”

Ewherido, who fielded questions from newsmen, described late Senator Dantong as a gentleman and committed colleague.

He said: “We have always said that anybody could be victim of the problem of insecurity in the land.

“We lost a Senator and the Deputy Leader of the Plateau StateHouseofAssembly.Itisnow

C-River spends N1.7bn on border communities' devt

BY JOHNBOSCOAGBAK-

WURU ALABAR—GOVER NOR Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, has spent over N1.7 billion on the provision of basic infrastructure to 40 border communities in the state.

Cross River State shares international border with the Republic of Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and some states in the SouthSouth, South East and Northern part of the country with 245 border commu-

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RESIDENT GOODLUCK Jonathan has been commended for appointing Mr. Patrick Akpobuloukemi as Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA. Founders of Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, in Bomadi axis Delta State, Moses Eseimokumoh; Bedford Abule, Mr. Stanley Patrick and Phillip Kase, in a state-

nities.

Speaking in Calabar, weekend, Director General of the State Border Commission, Mr. Leo Aggrey, said the projects in the areas were to enhance the living standard of the people.

Aggrey said that Governor Imoke in his infrastructural development programme in the communities had committed N1.7 billion on the rehabilitation of schools, police stations, police quarters, hospital facilities and water projects.

Shell faults JTF on illegal oil bunkering

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HARCOURT— Shell Petroleum Development Company has described as untrue, allegations by Joint Task Force, JTF, that multinational oil companies in the Niger Delta region were not sincere in the crusade against illegal oil bunkering.

Managing Director of Shell, Mr Mutiu Sunmonu, weekend, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said there was noting the firm would gain by frustrating the crusade against oil theft.

He said Shell was suffering so much loss already from the activities of illegal oil bunkers, so would continue to support the fight against same.

It will be recalled that the Commander Sector II of JTF, Operation Pulo Shield and Brigade Commander, Port Harcourt Army Barracks; Brig Gen Tukur Buratai, had alleged that the oil companies were not serious in the fight to stop crude oil theft in the region.

He described their effort as lukewarm and unfortunate, assuring that JTF would continue to do its best.

Activist lauds Kuku on peace in N-Delta ARRI—CHIEF Kenneth Oboku, an activist in Niger Delta, has commended the effort of Mr Kingsley Kuku, Special Adviser to

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Jonathan gets commendation

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certain that it could be anybody.

What is required therefore is greater commitment to the issue of insecurity in the land.”

Noting that the Federal Government had not lost the battle against terrorism, he said, “The battle is not beyond the scope of the Federal Government. Government has not lost the battle.

What we have is a new trend to the challenges terrorism poses to Nigeria."

ment, noted that Akpobuloukemi’s accessibility/ empowermentstrideshadhelped reduce sea piracy in the Niger Delta region.

They also commended Presidential Adviser and Chairman of the Amnesty Programme, Mr Kingsley Kuku and Mr Nicholas Mutu,Bomadi/Patanirepresentative in the National Assembly, for collaborating with NIMASA DG to translate President Jonathan’s peace dream in Niger Delta into reality.

Goodluck Jonathan on Amnesty Programme, saying that there had been relative peace in the region since he assumed office.

Oboku, who addressed newsmen, also called on ex militants to be patient as Kuku, as means well for the people of Niger Delta region and Nigeria in general.

He said; “I commend the effort of Kuku so far. Since he assumed office, the rate of crude oil production in the region had increased drastically, compared to when there was crisis in the area. We were producing an average of 1.4milion barrels of crude before the amnesty programme but now, we are producing 2.4 million barrels of crude oil par day."

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012

Jubilation as Oshiomhole wins Edo Declaring the result, Government Area , three polling guber poll Prof.Oshodin noted that the units with 2,015 votes cancelled;

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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From left: Dr. Orji Kalu,Chairman,Slok Group; Mr. Jean-Louis Ekra, President, Afrexim Bank; Mr. Zhu, Xianqiang,Vice President, China Exim Bank; Mr. Emeka Ugwu-Oju,President, South-East South-South Professionals of Nigeria; and Dr.Francis Mbroh, Director, Research and International Cooperation, Afrexim Bank during the 19th General Meeting of shareholders of African Export-Import Bank of Africa in Beijing,China.

ENIN CITY— THERE was jubilation in the state capital Benin City and Auchi, yesterday after the Returning Officer in the governorship election in the state and Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, UNIBEN, Professor Osayuki Oshodin declared the result of the election at 8:45am.

The jubilant crowd including thousands of Okada riders, market women, youths and the elderly defied the rain, held procession round the town with placards someofwhichread“byebyePDP,” “Edo state has been liberated,” “The end of the god father and PDP.”

Sapele residents send SOS to FG over power outage

BY GODWIN OGHRE

APELE—RESI DENTS of Adidi Road in Sapele, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, have sent a save our soul, SOS, to the Federal Government to come to their aid by restoring public power supply to the area, following what they described as negligence of Sapele Distribution Unit of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, to provide them with electricity.

The residents, who staged a peaceful protest, said they were deliberately neglected by staff of the company, despite their repeated demands to the company to that effect, adding that they had suffered unimaginable economic losses, while the activities of night robbers, who operate under cover of darkness, had become frequent in the area.

One of the residents, Mr. Benson Tobi, told Vanguard that the people of the area had written several letters to Sapele and Benin offices of PHCN to fix the only transformer in the area,

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which he claimed was given to the area by the state government, but with no luck.

He described as laughable, claims by officials of Sapele business unit of PHCN, that the transformer was damaged by flood, noting that on the contrary, that the transformer was damaged as a result of negligence on the

part of officials of the company.

When contacted, the Sapele Business Unit manager, Engr.

Denis Okonkwo, said the Adidi Road transformer was parked off, when water entered its reserviour during a recent flooding of the area, which had presently made it difficult to repair and that unless another one was provided by the government, there was nothing they could do to correct the prob-

lem of power outage in the area.

Meanwhile, residents of Nana Road, Dore Numa Road and Water Soad in Sapele, have called on the state governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan to prevail on the Town PlanningOfficialsofSapelecounciltodemolishallillegalstructures blockingthenaturalwaterwaysin the area. They insisted that the illegal structures in the area had worsen the flooding, which destroyed their property and made life unbearable for them in recent times.

Utuama condoles with Uduaghan over mother-in-law's death

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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GHELLI—DELTA State Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama, SAN, has condoled with Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan on the death of his mother-in-law, Madam Rebecca Ayomike.

Utuama, in a statement by his Press Secretary, Mr Tunkeaye Bisina, described the death as painful and a great loss not only to the Ayomike family but the entire

Delta State.

He described the late octogenarian as a devout Christian and a “mother in Israel” whose godly counsel would be greatly missed by all who had come in contact with her.

He recalled with sadness, Mama Ayomike’s inspirational testimony during her 80th birthday celebration, “That her enthralling revelation about her encounter with Christ, left lasting and deep impressions in my heart.”

Utuama urged the governor, his wife, Roli, and the Ayomike family to take solace in the fact that “Mama” died in the Lord and prayed that God would help “each and every one of us to follow in Mama’s godly footsteps.”

Similarly, the Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Mr Basil Ganagana has lost his mother, Madam Patricia Ganagana.

She died at the age 64.

number of registered voters in the state stood at 1,651,099, but 667,933 were accredited, total votes cast 647,698, total valid votes630,099while17,599votes were rejected.

He said: “We had a summary of registered voters of polling units that elections were cancelled. This happened in eight local governments. These were Esan Central, where there was one polling unit with 700 voters; Esan West, nine polling units with 4,784 registered votes cancelled; Esako Central, two polling units, with1,149 votes cancelled; Egor Local Government Area one unit, with 856 votes cancelled.

Others are: “Esan South East, two units 1,539 votes cancelled; Ikpoba Okhai Local Government Area, five units 230 votes cancelled; Akoko Edo Local

and Ovia South West, with eight units and 5,971 votes cancelled.

The number of polling units affected is 31 and the total votes affected is17,282.”

He said: “Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, having satisfied the requirementofthelawandscored the highest number of votes cast isherebydeclaredthewinnerand he is returned elected.”

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Kassim Gaidam, expressed joy that the exercise was not marred with violence as earlier predicted, saying that the peaceful conduct of the election had proved that “Edo State is the heart of the nation.”

He, however, mourned the death of one ad-hoc staff of INEC andpoliceofficerswhodiedwhen their boat conveying election materials to the riverine areas in Ologbo,capsized.

Save us from kidnappers, Rep tells IG “to quickly intervene in the

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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GBOR—MEMBER representing Ika Federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Victor Nwokolo, has raised alarm over the frequent cases of kidnapping in Delta State, lamenting that more than five kidnap cases were recorded in the last one month in his constituency.

Nwokolo in a statement, weekend, urged the Inspector General of Police

security situation in Ika North East and Ika South local government areas of Delta State.”

He noted that the people of the two councils were known for their industry, trading, farming, and expressed fear that if the security situation was not urgently checked, “it has the tendency of negatively affecting the economic life of the people. In the last one month, more than five kidnap cases had been reported in the area.”

Ex-militant urges cooperation for Dasuki ARRI—PRESI DENT of Movement for the Actualization of the Dreams of Niger Deltans, MADND, and former Niger Delta militant, General Josiah Oyimi, has said that the National Security Adviser, NSA, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd) was capable of tackling the spate of insecurity facing the country.

Oyimi, said, yesterday, in Warri, Delta State, that for Nigeria to win the war

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against Boko Haram menace, Nigerians should stop laying blames only on the security operatives but join hands to fight the security challenges facing the country.

Hesaid:“Withcooperationfrom Nigerians, the NSA, police and the armed forces, insecurity will become a thing of the past. I urge the Northerners to shield their swords and support Dasuki in his new job of wiping out insecurity from the country, so that Nigeria will be the best place to live.”

Integrity Magazine holds confab in Accra NTEGRITY MEDIA Communications, publishers of Integrity Magazine will hold its fourth edition of International Leadership Conference on Development in Accra, Ghana, on September 1, 2012.

Dr. Richard Ikpada, Head Africa Operations of Integrity International Magazine in a statement, said the conference, is to

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sensitise world leaders on integrity in diverse leadership cadres for sustainable economic growth andsocio-politicaldevelopmentin the continent.

The event will attract accomplished professionals across the continent and beyond, who are expected to rub minds on issues affecting security, leadership and good governance in Africa.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012 — 13

Orji sets up panel on housing, property devt

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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National Chairman, Forum for Local Government Nurses and Midwives in Nigeria, FOLGONM, Mr Peter Oyebamiji being assisted to decorate the Wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun as the Forum's Grand Patron at Valley View Auditorium, Isale-Igbein, Abeokuta weekend.

Court jails man for producing 200,000 fake injection valves

MUAHIA—GOVER NOR Theodore Orji of Abia State weekend inaugurated a six-man Judicial Panel of Inquiry to look into the activities of the state Housing and Property Development Corporation even as he tasked the panel not to witch-hunt anybody.

Governor Orji told the Justice Emele Onuoha-led panel that its duty was fact finding and advised members to do their job “without fear or favour”.

However, according to the governor, in the course of its assignment, the panel was at liberty to name people who it believes contributed one way or the other to the problems bedevilling the corporation.

Monarch decries neglect of agric sector

BY TONY EDIKE

BY VINCENT UJUMADU WKA—THE Federal High Court sitting in Awka has sentenced a 42 year old man, Mr. Peter Otuome to two years imprisonment for illegal production and distribution of fake water for injection.

Otuome, who was arrested by officials of National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, in 2007, was said to have used his house for the production of the counterfeit product and about 200,000 injection valves found during the raid by security operatives were also impounded.

The presiding judge, Justice Peter Olayiwola, who pronounced the accused person guilty as charged, ruled that he would also forfeit the seized valves to the Federal Government and that his sentence would run

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from July 13, 2012.

The judge expressed sadness that many Nigerians were losing their lives daily due to the nefarious activities of fake and substandard drugs and other products in circulation, adding that it was due to the seriousness of the issue that informed the decision of many countries to pass death sentence on any person caught in the manufacture, distribution and sale of counterfeit drugs so as to sanitize the drug industry.

NAFDAC deputy director in charge of legal services, Mr Kingsley Ejiofor, while hailing the judgment, hoped that it would serve as a deterrent to other manufacturers and distributors of fake drugs and other products.

The defence counsel, Mr. Emmanuel Obidinma however, expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment, adding that he would appeal

against it.

“I feel that from the way we presented our case be-

fore the court, the judge should not have sent my client to jail,” he said.

NUGU—THE Tradi tional ruler of Amuri community in Nkanu West local government area of Enugu state, Igwe Charles Nwoye has said the continued neglect of the agricultural sector by all levels of Province. government in the country Obinna was particularly would have dangerous conirked by what he termed sequences on the nation’s “the damnable activities of economy. kidnappers, armed robbers He warned that unless and the Boko Haram”, the disturbing trend was restressing that only recent- versed, the nation might be ly, a member of the Obi roy- plunged into serious food al family, whose forefather crisis in the nearest future. brought the Catholic Igwe Nwoye who spoke Church to the area, was kidnapped by criminals.

While saying that corruption, robbery, kidnapping and Boko Haram are some of the crimes bedevilling

BY VINCENT UJUour day and age, the fiery MADU Catholic cleric however wondered if the perpetraWKA—GOVERNOR tors of these heinous crimes Peter Obi said weekwere stronger than the govend that his administration ernment. would not relent in ensuring that the entrance into Anambra State looked beautiful.

S p e a k i n g while inspecting the progress of work at the Upper-Iweka area of the commercial city of Onitsha, the governor called on those obstructing the progress of work to desist from doing so, expressing his preparedness to restore Onitsha to the standards where Anambra people would be proud of it.

According to him, the on- going work on the road was as a result of the per-

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Insecurity, siege against Nigeria — Cleric

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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WERRI—CATHOLIC Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, Most Rev. Dr. Anthony J.V. Obinna, has described the growing state of insecurity in parts of Nigeria as “a deliberate but senseless siege against the country and its citizens”.

Archbishop Obinna, stated this at Emekuku, Owerri North local council area of Imo State, while preaching the homily during a concelebrated Pontifical sung mass to mark 100 years of the arrival of Catholic missionaries in the

Vanguard learnt that the corporation is indebted to some financial institutions and others to the tune of over N1.3 billion.

The governor said, “do not witch-hunt any person but bring out facts that will make us move the corporation forward. The panel is not for witch-hunting, it is a fact finding panel. The company has existed for years but we have not seen anything there. We are disillusioned.

“The people have been complaining. The people want government to look into the activities of the corporation. It is not an ordinary panel, it is a judicial panel and your decision can be taken as judicial pronouncement. We expect you to do your best for the state.”

at his Amuri palace while flagging off this year’s New Yam festival, wondered why government should relegate such an important sector to the background.

He noted that until policy makers in the country began to accord agriculture the attention it deserves, “our nation may soon be in for food calamity.”

The royal father said: “Paying of lip service to agriculture over the years had really done serious harm to the growth of the nation’s economy because if properly funded, the sector has the potentials to transform the entire country".

Obi assures on beautification of Anambra's entrance

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mission granted the state government by the Federal Government to fund the contract and called on those displaying their wares on the road in the area to relocate where space was provided for them.

Obi said Anambra people in various states do not obstruct progress of work meant to restore the beauty of the cities where they reside and wondered why the same situation should not apply in Anambra State.

The governor who also inspected the on-going Ugwuagba road at Nkpor, Obodoukwu road warned hoodlums who extort money from contractors in those areas, that his government would deal ruthlessly with them.

14—Vanguard , MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012

'FG needs N150bn to settle agreement with SSANU, others'

BY JOSEPH ERUNKE BUJA— NOT less than N150 billion is required by the Federal Government to honour its 2009 agreement with the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, and other unions in the universities.

This was the figure some trade unions in federal universities submitted to the Implementation Monitoring Committee, IMC, set up by the government to work with SSANU and other trade unions to address the demands of the university workers.

But the N150 billion contradicted that of the Committee of Vice Chancellors which had earlier pegged its own at N106 billion.

Vice Chairman of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi and Alternate Chairperson of the Committee of Vice Chancellors, CVC, Prof Daniel

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Airtel CEO, Rajan Swaroop (2nd left) assisted by Lagos FA chairman, Mr Seyi Akinwunmi presents a plaque to Aminu Nuhu captain of winning Jos team at AirtelRising Stars final yesterday.

Dana crash: OAUTH can now do DNA test on tissues—CMD HE Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, OAUTH, can now do DNA test on tissues, its Chief Medical Director, Prof. Olusanya Adejuyigbe has said.

The CMD who disclosed this weekend revealed that the teaching hospital now had the ability to conduct a full spectrum of DNA tests contrary to what obtained

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Pa Mobuogwu, 94, for burial HE death has been an nounced of Diokpa James Mobuogwu, 94, of Onicha-Uku Quarters, Ubulu-Uku, Delta State.

Until his death, Pa Mobuogwu was a devout Catholic, community leader, philanthropist and a principled man.

Service of songs wil hold on July 19, 2012, and will be followed by a funeral mass at St Charles Catholic Church, Ubulu-Uku on the following day. This will be followed by interment at the Mobuogwu family compound. He is survived by many children and grand children.

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Late Pa Mobuogwu

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during the Dana crash of June 3 in which over 153 passengers on board died.

The professor of Paediatric said the hospital could not assist in conducting the DNA test on the victims because they were burnt and had no blood in them and the reagent for conducting the test on tissues was not available at the time.

He explained “DNA is like an identification tag for individuals. If you know your DNA, no other person, except your identical twins can have it. So, if we can address the DNA, we may be able to address that individual. Or discover if you have blood relation with which you share genetic materials. "But as you know, many of the victims of the Dana crash were burnt, and blood was not available. We were advised to get the reagent to perform DNA on the tissue. So we were restricted at the time because blood was not available and that was the common requirement either for paternity dispute or for tissue. ”Now we have that reagent and we are now able to do any form of DNA investigation. We might even go beyond that to do DNA sequencing, and that is the ultimate,” Adejuyigbe said.

On the claims of some practitioners in the country that they can carry out DNA tests, the CMD cautioned that some of them were mere fronts for foreign agencies, and that all they do is collect specimens and send to the principal companies overseas where the real tests are carried out.

He stressed that the hospital was making efforts at go-

ing beyond the issues of conducting DNA test using human blood samples and tissues, but that the hospital was going to the next level of gene sequencing.

Adejuyigbe while speaking on the achievement of the Hospital said the OAUTH renal unit was one of the best in the country and had conducted nine

kidney transplants since 2001 till date.

On surgeries, Adejuyigbe said the Pediatrics Surgery Unit of the establishment had carried out two successful separation of siamese twin as well while 139 consecutive laparoscopic surgeries had also been performed in the institution as at August 2011.

Faulty masts: Lagos warns banks

BY EMEKA AGINAM

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O save lives and prop erty, the Lagos State Government, through the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, PPUD, has cautioned banks operating in the state to maintain existing communications masts and towers, warning that it would pull down weak masts occupying airspace in the state.

The General Manager, Urban Furniture Regulatory Unit, UFRU, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, who made this call at a stakeholders’ meeting involving banks operating in the state said the measure became necessary, following incessant collapse of masts and towers in the state, damaging property worth billions of naira and in some cases, claiming lives of people and leaving many in critical health conditions.

He said there was need to remind them of the letters written to them to submit the list of all their existing structure for data base,

and to be prepared to subject all masts and tower structure to integrity test.

He said it was illegal for any bank to build mast, towers or antennae in the Lagos metropolis without seeking permit from UFRU, the body empowered by PPUD to regulate masts and towers installation in the state.

Vershima Uza and Comrade Samson Ugwoke, President of SSANU spoke at the union’s National Executive Council, NEC, in Makurdi But Prof Uza said the N150 billion was the final computation made available and presented by the trade unions to the IMC. He said the trade unions were asked by the IMC to come up with its own computation after the Committee of Vice-Chancellors had presented N106 billion as its own figure.

He said the Federal Government panel had accused the Committee of Vice Chancellors of inflating the figure, saying the computation presented by the trade unions had vindicated the vice-chancellors.

According to him, “This computation we arrived at is N150 billion. That has exonerated the position of Vice-Chancellors who did this job honestly".

Peer review: Wammako visits Orji

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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MUAHIA—GOVER NOR Wamatarkada Wammako of Sokoto State weekend visited his Abia state counterpart, Chief Theodore Orji, in line with recent resolution by the Governors’ Forum for the governors of the 36 states to engage in peer review visits and activities to exchange ideas.

Speaking to newsmen at the end of the visit, Governor Wammako explained that he was in the state in compliance with the Governors Forum directives.

According to him, regional pact among the federating units of the country was an antidote to achieving the desired unity amongst the people of the nation.

According to him, “I am here because of the resolution of the Governors’ Forum for us to exchange visit and engage in peer review. Governors will visit their colleagues across the nation and see how they carry out development activities and learn from each other. I am here to see what my friend and colleague is doing in Abia and how he is doing it, and learn from here as well".

BIRTHDAY—Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, presents a birthday card to Justice Nikki Tobi, former Justice of the Supreme Court who clocks 72 years last Saturday.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012 —

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16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012 ORMER Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, deserves pity in his defence of his EFCC days. His recent attempts at exonerating some individuals of corruption fail under the barrage of questions he posed about their conduct.

Ribadu would not accept he could have done things differently. He refuses to acknowledge that ineffectiveness of EFCC derives from scopes he permitted politicians. Cor r uption is a major challenge. The Ribadu strategy of selective blame, fails woefully, by circumstantially excluding some from the shame list. Often, he sounds confused about what transpired in his days.

At a lecture organised by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), he launched into his usual tirade.

“For decades, Nigeria has lacked leadership. I’ve seen it happen in the EFCC, the first set of people that we worked with at the Commission were policemen from the same Nigeria Police

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Ribadu’s interim regret that people talk about derisively and say all sorts of things about. They were just about 14 officers that we picked, and we decided to do things differently.

“One of my biggest regrets in life was our inability to accomplish that. Sadly, everything changed from 2007, when some people came from nowhere and said honesty and hard work do not pay, and brought in people who do not know anything other than making something for their own pockets.”

He said he invited foreign security agencies to investigate Olusegun Obasanjo and Abubakar Atiku, while they were President and Vice-President, the agencies cleared them of corruption. Why could his dedicated 14 not do the investigation?

At the same forum he stated: “You are a Minister, a Vice-President or the President, who couldn’t run our universities very well, and after you come out you end up having the best university in the land. It is a shame.” It is more than a shame. Ribadu, a lawyer, was in EFCC when licences for the universities were granted.

Was he unaware too that Corporate Nigeria raised billions of Naira for Obasanjo-Atiku campaign in 2003? Did he know it was contrary to Section 221 of the Constitution, which states: “No association, other than a political party, shall canvass for votes for any candidate at any election or contribute to the funds of any political party or to the election expenses of any candidate at an election”? Since the duo had immunity, did Ribadu investigate Corporate Nigeria?

Ribadu did his best at EFCC but he must admit that he either did not understand corruption, or set standards, which he now rates shameful. Either way, his confusing narratives create impressions that he battled corruption in similar manner.

OPINION

DANA crash and aviation industry (2) Continued from Friday

BY CHINEDU BOSAH

HE aviation sector best explains the scenario.

T For example, it is difficult for the domestic airlines to afford new and functional planes because they don’t have the financial muscle and so they buy relatively cheap and very old aircraft.

It is also very expensive maintaining an aircraft, especially the old ones due to high cost of aviation fuel and other associated costs. This is partly the reason why the airline operators repeatedly go cap in hand to government for bailout similar to the recent banks’ bailout. The big airlines that have the capacity to operate a functional airline service can hardly fly the domestic route since just a few people could afford the airfare. Patronage is a key aspect of business, particularly in a capital-intensive sector like aviation.

When patronage is low to the extent that profit is not guaranteed on a sustainable long term basis because of low purchasing power, the capitalist either do not venture into such business or move their capital to where profit is assured. Moreso, when profit is threatened or in pursuit of more of it, safety, standard and workers welfare are undermined, which will have negative impact on operations and services rendered. So, those who are waiting for private investors to develop or industrialise our economy are either wallowing in delusion or deliberately

spreading deception. The best we can get from private investors is to come and exploit for profit and not to meet the needs of all. It may take imperialism for strategic reason to massively invest in a Third World country like Nigeria in order to protect its interest or stabilise its pliant domestic rulers when it is threatened by either revolution or mass movement such as the Marshal Plan project after World War II. There is only one way out. And that way out is collective and democratic approach. There is no rationality that one man can best handle a situation better than the collective will of a people united in the quest for growth and development. f the present rulers can conveniently and I consistently bail out private investors to the tune of trillions of Naira owned by the public, while the same funds as well as the abundant human and natural resources can best be invested in a planned manner to rebuild the state of infrastructure to meet the needs of all in the long run, shows clearly the web of connection between those occupying public offices and private investors just for the purpose of protecting private interest against overall public interest. The Nigeria Airways was built by the state and with public funds but was run aground through the pursuit of private interest (corruption) like every other public utility. The only economic approach that will save such company is to keep it public and introduce democratic control and management

wherein workers/experts and the consumers shall be elected and subjected to recall anytime. Every transaction is done in an open and transparent manner alongside abrogation of official secrecy. These are key measures that will drastically reduce bureaucratic bottleneck and abrogate corruption.

Expectedly, government will set up panel to look into the crash; another panel will be set up later to scrutinize the earlier panel report and the rigmarole will continue in vicious circle, wasting public funds; those found wanting may not be prosecuted and business will continue as usual and with no lesson to be learnt. Beyond the crocodile tears, speechmaking and grandstanding, and waiting for another disaster to happen, government should resurrect the Nigeria Airways (a national public funded carrier) with massive investment, get modern aircraft on its fleet, employ the right set of experts and workers, pay living wage and introduce democratic management and control by workers in the sector and consumers if there must be any meaningful and sustainable development in the sector. This is the only sure way to sustain development in the aviation sector and to end the vicious circle.

I commiserate with the families of all victims of the Dana air crash, both on board and on ground. Hence, adequate compensation should be paid to all affected families, including those affected on the ground.

Concluded *Mr. Bosah, a social critic, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012—49

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destroying cultural sites prized by the United Nations as World Heritage sites. Their reasons are that these sites are contrary to their own perception of Islam. It is also for this reason that the Boko Haram insurgents in Nigeria perturb stakeholders in the Sokoto Caliphate. Assuming that Boko Haram is able to realise its dream of taking over northern Nigeria, it will be considered the second conquest of the north by Islam, and the new people in power might feel compelled to tear down many of the cultural legacies left behind by nearly two centuries of the Sokoto Jihads led by Usman Dan Fodio.

An eye on Egypt

sworn-in, but how long can they hold out?

Sites for penciled It is not just the for destruction Christians, secularists, Israel and the West that ne of the sites that might be have reason to worry pencilled for destruction is the about Egypt’s future hubbare in Sokoto, the tomb of the first under the FJP. It is left to Sultan of Sokoto. It today serves as a question exactly how far place of pilgrimage for Muslims from the Islamists are prepared all over West Africa, especially those to go when it comes to who are unable to travel to Mecca and reconciling with the Medina. Islamist groups typically prehistoric legacies of the regard such sites as relics set up by country. Today, the “unbelievers”, even if those were Dr. Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's new president accomplishments of the Jihadists. ancient Egyptian civilisations under Egypt in the hands of Islamists could Iran’s President rants about how the black Pharaohs remain its foremost mean the end of an era when the state of Israel does not exist and how he would obliterate it once he acquires source of foreign exchange. However, Muslim and Western civilisations the means to do so. If Morsi moves in there is a tendency for some Islamist found mutually beneficial cohabitation.

Iran’s direction and succeeds in using groups to embark on the destruction It might be the beginning of far more the popular protests to loosen the iron of relics of history that they consider pronounced and unending conflict of grip of the military on power, the out of line with their own perception values demonstrated through already dark clouds over the Middle of Islam. When Mullah Mohammed conventional and unconventional East might condense into a downpour Egypt in the hands of Islamists could of conflicts.

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T pays to keep an eye on Egypt – a wary eye at that, especially for those of us in this part of the world. Many so-called democracy lovers have been hailing the “Arab Spring”, the revolutionary explosion that detonated late in 2010, even though few can guess at the possibility that it might lead to a change in the world order, a change majority of us might find unpalatable.

It has led to the downfall of three despots – Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Muamar Gaddafi of Libya. The life President of Syria, Bashar al Assad would not go down without a fight, and a civil war is still raging in his country. The unfinished revolutions are still simmering in Yemen and Bahrain.

The Muslim Brotherhood-inspired Freedom for Justice Party ’s (FJP) candidate, Mohammed Morsi’s victory should not be seen as just another outcome of these democratic elections that routinely take place around the world. It simply means that the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) which had hitherto been kept at bay from partisan politics since it was formed, successfully hijacked a revolution it did not initiate. In fact, it was not until February 15th 2011, four days after Mubarak was pressured to resign from power and twenty one days after the protests started at the Tahrir Square, that the MB joined the protest.

It only formed a legal political party on the 15th of February 2011, which was why many were startled to see it winning the majority of seats in the parliament and the presidency. Since MB was formed by school teacher, Hassan al Banna in 1928, it has always been anti-West, anti-colonialist. Above all, it is an Islamist political movement.

Most terrorist groups now wreaking havoc in many parts of the world (including Al Qaeda) were inspired by the teachings of MB scholars. In fact, the current leader of the terrorist group, Ayman al Zawahiri, who led the Egyptian Jihad before merging with the late Osama bin Laden to form Al Qaeda, had his humble beginnings in the tutelage of al Banna’s Muslim Brotherhood.

When he was sworn in, Morsi seemed to confirm the fears of many that he would take Egypt down the path of radicalism; something akin to Mahmud Ahmedinejad’s Iran. We all know how the Islamic Republic of

Egypt's second conquest by Islam

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he peace accord that the US brokered between Egypt and Israel might be revoked and Israel might once again be designated an enemy state.

Already, Morsi has set the nerves of the ten per cent Christian population of Egypt astir, with his avowal to introduce Sharia, saying that those who do not want it should leave the country. He has already dubbed the revolution that chased out Mubarak as the second conquest of Egypt by Islam.The military institution, backed by the Judiciary, caged Morsi’s fervour by sending the Islamist majority parliament home just before Morsi was

mean the end of an era when the Muslim and Western civilisations found mutually beneficial cohabitation. It might be the beginning of far more pronounced and unending conflict of values demonstrated through conventional and unconventional wars

Omar’s Taliban took over Afghanistan from Mohammed Najibullah, they embarked on the destruction of cultural shrines they considered hallmarks of paganism.

Even here in West Africa, the Malian Islamists who have taken control of Timbuktu and Gao, which were famous centres of Old Mali Empire, have been

wars. This is probably what the military is trying to moderate. I wonder why the federal government has been strangely mute on happenings in Egypt unlike in Mali where it took a firm (if hasty) position. If Egypt becomes another Iran, then the prospects of peace in Nigeria are doomed.

OPINION

BY TOCHUKWU EZUKANMA

ITHOUT being hyperbolic, I can state that leadership is everything. It is leadership that builds or destroys a nation.

No wonder, the 18th Century French philosopher, Jean Jacques Rousseau, wrote that “... no nation would be other than what the nature of its leaders made it”.

Great leaders seek power with a sense of mission. They believe in their mission and their ability to change the course of history to the point that nothing, not personal gain, and, not even, their own personal survival matters to them. Bad leaders seek power for personal gains, thus, without a sense of mission or dedication to service. A one time president of United States of America, Richard Nixon, once wrote that: those who seek power without a sense of purpose, but for personal gains, will, at the very best, be dangerous leaders. The problem of the Igbo nation is bad, actually, dangerous leadership.

Up till 1966, the Igbo had good leaders.

They recognised the strengths and weaknesses of the Igbo nation. They took measures to harness Igbo strengths and ameliorate their weaknesses. They did such an outstanding job at these objectives. Not

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No to another Ezeigbo Gburugburu surprisingly, all over Nigeria, the Igbo excelled in business, politics and the professions. Our dazzling successes in all facets of the Nigerian social life got the other ethnic groups of Nigeria railing against “Igbo domination”.

Subsequently, the quality of Igbo leadership declined. Arrogance, recklessness and disdain for reason and caution became the hallmarks of Igbo leadership. Bravado and bombast were taken to unparalleled and pernicious heights. Image and makebelieves became more important than substance. Showmanship and oratorical pyrotechnics obviated somber reflection in statecraft. The leadership’s all or nothing politics marked by intransigence and disregard for counsel plunged the Igbo nation into a war.

According to General Dwight Eisenhower, “the object of war is victory”. To the Igbo, the object of war became blurry because the motivation for the war was inseparable from the personal ambition of an arrogant despot.

He rebuffed series of options for a peaceful settlement to the war and continued to waste more and more Igbo lives, even, as the futility

of continued fighting became blindingly clear. These set the Igbo nation many years, possibly, 100 years back; relegating us to the dregs of the Nigeria society.

Now, the Igbo have an opportunity to choose a new leader. In identifying this new leader, it is important to note that a leader is not a manager. A manager/administrator is usually a narrow-minded conformist preoccupied with the exigencies of the time.

And, as such, he can only manage/ administer the status quo. Management solves problems and improves existing conditions but leadership strives to bring about a new order. Management is prose but leadership is poetry.

Secondly, a leader is not a ruler. A ruler is appointed and/or coronated over a people.

To enable him exercise his control and authority over the people, some trappings and symbols of power, deliberately designed to intimidate the masses and hold them in awe the ruler, are fashioned around him. In his elitism, he can detach himself from the mood and sentiments of his subjects and choose not to share in their pains and sorrow.

He can therefore live in the comfort and

security of a bunker and indulge his hedonic and lecherous lifestyle while the generality of his people starve to death and die from bombardment and superior enemy fire power. He may have no qualms in sacrificing more than one million (of his people’s) lives in a futile enterprise. And finally, as the ravages of war and the risk of death close in on him, he can abandon the struggle and run for his own dear life.

On the other hand, a people willingly follow their leader because he personifies their dreams, hopes and aspirations. A leader is courageous and strong willed. He is farsighted - a dreamer and a visionary.

He sees more than others and then labours to bring into existence that which others, sometimes, can neither perceive nor comprehend. Richard Nixon called this farsightedness, this ability to dream, “having the mountain top view”.

We should reject the managers and prospective rulers posturing as the new Igbo leader. We should also reject that offensively self-assertive proponent of Igbo secession from Nigeria that is trying to forcefully impose himself on the Igbo as a leader.

•Mr. Ezukanma, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

50—Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012

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T was a small gesture that was insignificant to many. But when the fruits begin to germinate in the next few years, the youths of our country and the critically important education sector will be the better for it.

Indeed the flag-off of the distribution of books and instructional materials for basic education schools in the country under the Universal Basic Education, UBE, programme by the Federal Government is actually a robust attempt to ensure transformation of the critical education sector at its most important level. For it is generally agreed that it is better to catch them young. And the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan has started the process of not just catching them young but also nurturing them into maturity with this well thought out programme.

Not that it would be the first time that government at the centre will decisively intervene to change the fortune of the primary and junior schools in the country.However, this is the

most comprehensive in living memory since it touches all schools in the country and it is not designed to be a one-off intervention but a systemic and continuing initiative. Namadi Sambo, the Vice President, who performed the flag-off on behalf of his boss at the Model Primary School, Maitama, Abuja underscored this much when he said the initiative was carefully designed to bring added value to the education process at its most rudimentary level. As it takes root, it is expected that primary school pupils in the country will no longer study without the requisite instructional materials which has been the norm in the past.

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he initiative in the estima tion of its key driver, President Jonathan, underscores the importance the administration attaches to education as an important component of the transformation agenda. The President rightly sees basic education as providing a very solid foundation for the provision of quality education in the country. The President and his team

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are doing the right thing and are on the right course. If we miss it at the basic education level, we will continue to clutch at straws at the other levels.

We are all agreed that you cannot build something on nothing and those who should know believe that the downward trend in the sector is traceable in part to the neglect of the basic sector in the past. Most of the attempts to rejuvenate the sector by past administrations have been concentrated on the secondary and tertiary levels with token interventions at the basic education level which incidentally is the most critical foundation for sustainable growth and development in the education

Birth, prospects of Bioethics in Africa

BY CHIMA NWAFO

HILE the rest of the world is exploring new frontiers of knowledge within and outside the ivory towers, Nigerians are still grappling with corruption, examination malpractices and poorly equipped tertiary institutions that churn out half-baked graduates. Yet, problems of mankind hardly distinguish between advanced and crawling economies, producing and consumer nations or thinking and unthinking societies.

When it comes to thinking, one wonders whether Socrates had Nigerians in mind when he said that “unexamined life is not worth living”. Much as thinking alone is not enough, it is important for a people, especially the intelligentsia, to think seriously about societal problems with a ‘ view to proffering solutions.

Among the problems of mankind are illnesses that continue to multiply, the need to maintain the state of equilibrium in the ecosystem, how to make the positive laws of mankind serviceable and not disserviceable to himself. All these demand man’s prompt intervention as he struggles to render his socio-political activities more humanely.

Besides, the desire to maximise the supply of goods and services “needed to elevate his dignity and the insalubrious counter-action of the same by the more tantalizing demands to minimise man’s respect for the maximisation of profits in commerce, which propels him to widen his search for the best economic and political standards.

In these efforts to enhance his life and survival, man had employed a lot of other things: some salubrious while others were baneful. For example, the discovery of iron improved his life – living standards – and also imperilled his survival, by sharpening his will to go for wars. The fabrication of knife (that was useful for his domestic works) also marked the discovery of a weapon that could at the same time be useful for the killing of other human beings.

The foregoing contradictions in the efforts of man to enhance the quality of his life and improve on the factors necessary for his survival, activated the ignition of his concern for the excesses of those means

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chosen to develop himself, most of which have instead, become devastating. As man moved from one stage of civilisation to another the situation became worse, as existence on earth became increasingly threatened. Troubled by what he described as a devastating approach of homotechnologicus, Van Rensellaer Potter “saw a quickly declining motivation in man to preserve his life and the life of all that contributes to the realisation of the objective of preserving his life and a proved incapability of both the science of life (the human sciences) and the empirical sciences in sustaining the needed equilibrium that only could guarantee the survival of man in a qualitative and sanctified way”. He saw a world deeply engrossed in the admiration and adoration of a vice, which had not only befuddled man but had also besmirched him. “The same vice had induced him to see the mass media - which is the protagonist clarion caller of this spectrum of war that helps to make man more bespectacled and more bespangled - as a mass-messiah. This situation, according to him, bemoans and bedevils man at the same time, making him accept what is “ignobling” as ennobling.

Potter, therefore, saw it as urgently apposite to carve out a new discipline that would disentangle man en masse from this scientific delight, which was only a furtive way of enshrouding the intellectual lucidity of man and invariably enmesh him to only a part of his life rather than his life as a whole. According to the second edition of the book, Bioethics, the first definitions of bioethics were those presented in the titles of the article and the book of V.R Potter: The Science of Survival in 1970 and The Bridge to the Future in 1971, respectively. “It is, however, true that the meanings of these definitions could seemingly be made from their wordings, but obviously they are not.

Their inability to formulate an unquestionable area of thought, which will be added to the existing areas urged the author to give a more elaborate and precise definition. One could no doubt, observe that to say ‘the science of survival’, one needs to specify what survival means in this context and also why a new discipline should be

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BY ADELAJA ADEBANJO

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Jonathan’s small meaningful gesture

There is no doubt that the FGNUBE intervention will certainly enhance the quality of basic education in the country, put the Nigerian child at an advantage and give the needed fillip to the sector as a whole

sector. This intervention by the Goodluck Jonathan administration, therefore, strikes at the very core of the problem besetting the education sector in the country and the process to get it right has simply been kick-started. What is more, it is part of the fouryear strategic plan principally targeted at improving and creating marked sustainable growth in the education sector.

Now that the President has delivered on another critical component of his transformation agenda, it is important for all stakeholders to own the process and deliver on their assigned responsibilities. This should be politics-blind. All states must buy into this vision and ensure the equitable distribution of the materials. Those in charge must not allow bureaucracy to frustrate the process. This is about the future of the Nigerian Child and it should not be turned into an occasion to score cheap political points or play dirty politics.

The process should be well monitored and effective measurements parameters put in place.

The collaboration between the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, and the 36 states and Abuja must be firmed up to ensure that the promised gains of this all-important gesture get to the all targeted pupils. The statement of Mr. President to the effect that: “This three-dimension strategy-

When it comes to thinking, one wonders whether Socrates had Nigerians in mind when he said that “unexamined life is not worth living”; it is important for a people to think seriously

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instituted to cater for it. On the other hand, the phrase ‘the bridge to the future’ is more opaque than the previous one. What type of bridge? What is being bridged by Bioethics, and so forth, are questions that must be inevitably asked. The author of Bioethics never hesitated to clarify his intentions or his use of the above phrases.

In an article, “Bioethics: The Science of Survival”, Potter intended Bioethics to be a biological wisdom, a biologically founded wisdom, the wisdom that knows how to realise a bridge between bio-experimental sciences and ethico-anthropological sciences. He stated that it is this type of a bridge between experimental and human sciences that could guarantee a ‘bridge’ to the future of man, the survival of the human race, and, in any case, the survival of the quality of life. Also in his book, Bioethics: Bridge to the Future, he stated that through the construction of the new discipline, it would be possible to construct a bridge between two cultures - experimental sciences and human sciences - which have for a very long time been disjointed and are apparently unable to talk with each other.

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ut for Andre‘ Hellegers, Bioethics is the bridge between medicine, philosophy and ethics. This quasi-reductive description of the term Bioethics, argued experts, played a very great and very “distortive” role in the history and institutionalisation of Bioethics. Hellegers’ reduced Bioethics from a bridge between experimental sciences (biology, zoology, etc.) and human sciences (ethics, anthropology, etc.) to a bridge between medicine, philosophy and ethics, thereby

quality production, equitable distribution and effective application, are essential steps that must be taken if we are to realise significant benefits from our enormous investment in quality education, over the years”, should be the guiding principle for all those involved in the process of getting the books and the instructional materials available to the end users. The process and its implementation should be finetuned from time to time to ensure that identified lapses are corrected while areas of successes are improved upon.

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e expect that with the dis tribution of English Language, Mathematics, Social Studies and Basic Science and Technology books to primary one and two pupils and library resources materials for Junior Secondary Schools all over the country, the youngsters will be given a head-start as they navigate their journey through life.

It is a small gesture that will turn out to be a giant leap forward for the education sector in the country before long. There is no doubt that the FGN-UBE intervention will certainly enhance the quality of basic education in the country, put the Nigerian child at an advantage and give the needed fillip to the sector as a whole.

•Mr Adebanjo, a teacher, wrote from Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

shifting the formal object of Bioethics – as originally conceived by its founder, Potter – from its cynosure interdisciplinary examination of the problems on the “life and survival” of man to its periphery: “life and its biological care”. It overlooked the place of other areas of life, such as social, religious (spiritual) and economic.

Warren T. Reich in the Encyclopaedia of Bioethics, defined it as “the systematic study of human conduct in the areas of the sciences of life and of health, examined in the light of values and of moral principles”.

The above definition given by Reich is the most generally accepted one. It is most generally accepted for the following reasons. Firstly, it presents Bioethics as a systematic study, therefore giving to it an epistemological status that is marking it out as an autonomous discipline. Secondly, it accentuates the field of study of this young discipline – the human conduct – and the areas of approach to this study – in the light of values and of moral principles.

However, the recently concluded first-ever Bioethics conference held at, Enugu, is the first of its type in the history of the African Region. Entitled "Bioethics in Africa: Challenges and Prospects", promoter of the conclave, Associate Professor Edmund Ugwu Agbo, articulated the aims and objectives of the international discourse as: “First, to galvanise thoughts, exchange ideas, and share insights on the adverse effects of science and technology, political leadership, social crusaders, the economic policy makers, religious leadership, ecologists, medical practice, agriculturists, mass media and liberal opinion leaders, etc, on man, using the bioethical lens.

Second, to search for a way to conscientise Africans on the adverse effects of the technological productions and how to promote those practices that are beneficial to the continent; how to adapt these productions by the various fields of life to African reality by giving them an African face, etc.

The conference discussed among other issues abortion and all it entails, artificial insemination and reproduction, drug abuse and experimentation on human beings, homo-sexualism and trans-sexualism, environmental degradation and economic dehumanisation; political and religious abuse of human rights.

•Mr. Nwafo wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012—51

All hail Oshiomhole •Jonathan, Mark, Tambuwal, Tinubu, govs, others greet Comrade Governor

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, TONY EDIKE, VINCENT UJUMADU, CHIOMA OBINNA, BEN AGANDE, VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG, OLASUNKANMI AKONI, HENRY UMORU, SIMON EBEGBULEM, DEMOLA AKINYEMI, EMMAN OVUAKPORIE, JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU & JOSEPH ERUNKE OR re-elected Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, it was torrents of commendations yesterday as a host of eminent Nigerians and groups saluted him on his victory at the Saturday polls and urged him to accelerate the pace of development in the state.

Running on the banner of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Oshiomhole beat his closest marker, Gen. Charles Airhiavbare of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with over 300,000 votes. He polled 477,478 votes while Airhiavbare scored 144,235 votes.

Among those who commended Oshiomhole yesterday were President Goodluck Jonathan; Senate President David Mark; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal; ACN National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Governors Peter Obi (Anambra), Raji Fashola (Lagos), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Gov Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun) and Liyel Imoke (Cross River).

Others include National Chairman of the Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, Chief Sam Nkire; National Chairman of United Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie; the ACN; Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM); June 12 Coalition of Democratic Formations (J12CODEF); National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN); Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU).

Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Oghiadohme, former Chief of General Staff, Admiral Mike Akhigbe and first Civilian Governor of Edo State, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, described the victory of Governor Oshiomhole as a good omen for the people of the state.

The salutation came as Edo State PDP commended Edo people for their conduct during the polls as Governor

as an elixir for greater performance. You must therefore continue to do only those things that have made you the best choice of your people. You must therefore continue to make service to your people the focal point of your administration.”

Urging Oshiomhole to be magnanimous in victory, Senator Mark said the issue of election had come and gone adding that Oshiomhole as well as his fellow contestants “must do the needed thing by joining hands together to build a new Edo state in the overall interest of the people.

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It’s manifestation of people’s trust — Tambuwal Also, Hon Tambuwal, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, noted that Oshiomhole’s victory was a manifestation of the people’s trust and confidence in his leadership.

The speaker implored the Governor to rise above partisan consideration and carry along all people along in the task of building the state.

The people have triumphed — Tinubu

*Gov Oshiomhole: Winner of the Edo guber poll Oshiomhole called on Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, to probe the lapses observed at the election.

Jonathan pledges FG’s support For his victory, Oshiomhole got words of encouragement and support from President Goodluck Jonathan.

In a statement, by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, the president urged Oshiomhole to receive the fresh mandate as an endorsement of his outstanding performance in his first term and an expression of their desire for a continuation of his focused, purposeful and dynamic leadership.

Wishing the governor continued good health and a successful second term in the service of Edo State and Nigeria, Jonathan said he expected that “the Governor will work even harder in his second term to

justify the confidence in his leadership clearly expressed by the Edo State electorate on Saturday and assures him that the Federal Government will continue to give all possible support and assistance for development in the state.”

The president also commended the INEC, its personnel and the nation’s security services for ensuring that the elections were free and fair in keeping with his administration’s commitment to continually strengthening democracy in Nigeria through the establishment of a more credible electoral system.

Mark to Oshiomhole: Victory, a reward for service To Senate David Mark, Oshiomhole’s re-election was a reward for his service to the people of the state.

In a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, Senator Mark said, “this re_election is a reward for service. It must serve

Also hailing the governor, Asiwaju Tinubu, in an eight paragraph statement titled: “Triumph of the People,” said by handing Oshiomhole an overwhelming victory, the people of Edo State had “served notice that ‘never again’ in their state will the public’s mandate and right to pick the leaders of their choice be stolen.”

He noted that the election was about more than Governor Oshiomhole and Edo State. “It was a contest pitting democracy and the people on one side against the powerful and corrupt ruling political elite on the other.

As such, this victory signals a new chapter in our democratic struggle. Try as they might, this elite employed every old election rigging trick and invented some new ones. It deployed the behemoth weight of government and party to break the democratic aspirations of the people of Edo State. However, the people stood firm because they know the difference between democracy and despotism, between economic development and economic depression, between justice and injustice. The people demonstrated that where they stand united and vigilant the powerful and mean cannot dispossess them of their democratic rights. The people

stood defiantly and democratically in the public square asserting their political rights and freedom. In the face of this popular demonstration, the powers that be were forced to retreat into the caverns and shadows of their political trickery and greed.

Tinubu, who stated that the INEC performed below standard and the rightful outcome was reached only because of the people’s diligence, urged people of other states to learn lessons from what the people of Edo achieved. “

Oshiomhole must not rest on his oars — Imoke Governor Imoke, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Ita, described Oshiomhole’s victory as impressive and a vote of confidence on the governor by Edo people.

He said that the Comrade Governor’s victory apart from further deepening the practice of democracy in Nigeria, demonstrated that the electorate had become politically conscious of their rights to vote for whomever they deemed fit to govern them.

It’s victory for democracy — Obi To Governor Obi, the reelection of Oshiomhole was victory for democracy and was expected.

In a statement in Awka yesterday, Obi said the victory of Oshiomhole was not a surprise to Nigerians in view of what he was able to achieve during his first four year years as governor.

His words: “I knew what Edo State used to be and what it is now due to Oshiomhole’s developmental strides. This is a good lesson of what politics should be – the promotion of the totality of the welfare of the people. I am happy to note that in Oshiomhole’s case, his work and not the amount of money he was able to share endeared him to the people.”

Fashola, Aregbesola salute Oshiomhole To Aregbesola, the victory of ACN was a triumph of peoples’ will and aspiration in the nation’s democratic evolution. According to him, it demonstrated Edo people’s love for democracy and good governance, which he said the ACN exemplified as a political party.

In a statement signed by the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, the governor stated that the superlative performance of Oshiomhole’s administration in nearly all sectors of governance, which had rescued the state from the precipice the PDP dragged it during its almost nine year’s reign of abysmal performance, worked the magic for the party Continues on page 52

52—Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012

EDO PDP hail Edo People

*Jonathan: Predicted victory for PDP

*Tinubu: Triumph of the People

All hail Oshiomhole Continues from page 51 in the weekends’ poll.

In like manner, Fashola congratulated Oshiomole saying his victory was never in doubt.

Fashola, who spoke to newsmen shortly after inspecting the task force clean up enforcement in Apapa and Obalende areas of Lagos, noted that Oshiolmole victory was “a sweet victory for the nation’s democracy and the social contract on which democracy finds its voice.”

He said, “For too long, our people have suffered bad governance, the social contract is beginning to make its impact. It was not whether Oshiomole will win, it was by what margin.”

Ajimobi, Amosun, Ahmed congratulate Oshiomhole Oshiomhole also got plaudits from Governor Ajimobi, who saw his triumph a demonstration of the love the people of the state had for him and the ruling ACN, adding that it was a further confirmation of the age_long progressive nature of Edo people.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, Governor, Ajimobi said Oshiomhole’s landslide victory at the poll was an appreciation of his outstanding performance in the last four years by the people of Edo State.

To Governor Ahmed, Oshiomhole’s election was another milestone in the collective efforts to strengthen democratic culture in the country.

Governor Ahmed, in a

congratulatory message issued in Ilorin by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahaab Oba, noted that it was very heart warming that despite the anxieties which preceded it, the election was largely peaceful, which he said ‘was an indication of the salient fact that we can get any national venture right if we show the required commitment and resolve’.

Felicitating with Oshiomhole, Governor Amosun, in a press release by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Mrs Funmi Wakama, described Oshiomhole’s victory as “a reward for hard work and commitment to the welfare of the people of Edo State.”

“Comrade Oshiomhole has set a new template for governance, which has led to the transformation of Edo State in an unprecedented scale in the last four years,” the governor said.

ACN salutes ‘people's power’ in Edo Also, the ACN hailed the courage and determination of the people of Edo State, whom it said, defied all odds to vote and defend their votes in order to re-elect Oshiomhole.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the good people of Edo state had shown, by the action, that true sovereignty lies with the people. ‘’The courageous and determined people of Edo State refused to be intimidated by the massive deployment of security forces by the PDP-controlled

Federal Government. They overcame the shenanigans of a colluding INEC and rendered irrelevant the dirty tricks of misguided moneybags. In the end, they shut out the do-nothing PDP,’’ it said.

Oshiomhole asks Jega to probe lapses in Edo polls To ensure a perfect election in future, Governor Oshiomhole has called on Jega to conduct an investigation into the delay in the arrival of election materials in Benin metropolis with a view to forestalling a repeat in other parts of the country.

Speaking with newsmen in Benin City yesterday, Oshiomhole said “I ask Jega to conduct an investigation into why for four hours, materials were not delivered in Benin City.

That investigation would help determine why some people were disenfranchised.”

Oshiomhole however commended the INEC Chairman and the State Resident Electoral Commissioner for conducting a free and fair election in the state.

He said “I believe that the State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Geidam demonstrated uncommon quality of leadership. He showed commitment and courage to duty.

Under tension he maintained his cool.”

The Governor said “some of the people posted to Edo are people that cannot be entrusted with responsible positions. I have argued that anybody in INEC who has conducted an election that was annulled has no basis to get involved in any other election. It is unacceptable for INEC to have been able to deliver materials to Edo Central and North that are over two hours drive, how can they explain that they could not deliver materials to areas that are within five to 10 minutes drive”?

Oshiomhole maintained that one outcome of the election was the unanimous agreement of the people that his government deserved a second term.

Reacting to the outcome of the exercise, Edo PDP, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Pharm.

Matthew Urhoghide (FPSN), congratulated Edo people “over their decision of July 14, 2012 on who rules them in the next four years. This is however without prejudice to all other latent issues that may arise subsequently after a thorough study of all the issues appertaining to the election.

Our party being part and parcel of the people, will always feel their pulse and do their bidding.

The PDP in Edo State will like to reassure Edo people that we have learnt from our immediate and past experiences and promise to always stand in the gap for Edo people in their quest to achieve to the fullest their aspiration of quality life.”

Outcome reflects the people’s will — NLC The NLC described the victory of Oshiomhole as true reflection of the will of Edo people of the state.

In a congratulatory letter to the re-elected governor of Edo State tagged “ Edo verdict: A victory foretold” and signed by its President, Comrade Abdulwahed Omar, the NLC urged Comrade Oshiomhole to see this victory as a challenge to take up the gauntlet once more and consolidate on the remarkable gains made in the last four years in Edo State and further expand on the dividends of democracy to the Edo people.

Edo State on his re-election saying that it was a reward for good performance.

Oghiadohme, Oyegun, Akhigbe, others congratulate Oshiomhole Oghiadohme in a statement congratulating the governor, described Oshiomhole’s victory as a “confirmation of the maturity of Nigeria’s democracy and urged him to be magnanimous in victory”.

On his part, Admiral Akhigbe stated: “I think this victory is just the end of cabalism and the beginning of one man one vote in Edo state. It is a landslide victory. This has reinforced a tradition which has always existed in Edo/Delta, people’s attitude towards one man one.

“You remember the old Midwest region was created out of one man one vote, and the campaign was championed by the late Oba Akenzua 11, and late Senator Lamai was also in the picture. It is also the beginning and the end of election rigging in Nigeria.

“My advise now is that Oshiomhole should sit down and rebuild the state and bring every body on board including those who misunderstood the project."

Chief Oyegun said: “It is just wonderful. The people have spoken and they have stated that they are happy with the governance which Oshiomhole is providing. Every nook and corner of the state voted massively for Oshiomhole. I hope the rest of Nigeria is watching. They should be courageous and take their destinies into their hands."'

PPA, UPP speak Chief Nkire of the PPA said ACN’s thrashing of the PDP “means a rejection of PDP not only in Edo State but throughout the country” because PDP had squandered the mandate Nigerians gave it in the last 13 years and should not expect people to trust the party with their votes anymore.

Nkire congratulated the Bini people of Edo State for rising above tribal sentiments in voting for Oshiomhole’s good performance and urged Oshiomhole reciprocate this gesture by doing more work for the people of Edo State On his part, Okorie said with Oshiomhole’s resounding victory at the polls, Edo people have “sent a strong signal that good governance shall always be rewarded with electoral solidarity.

Our democracy is on the path of steady development.”

Aside Oshiomhole, the UPP congratulated the ACN and the urged the INEC “to keep up the good work and build on the success recorded in their conduct of the governorship election. The election petition tribunal has no job to do in this matter.”

Senator Ewherido lauds Oshiomhole Senator Pius Ewherido (DPP, Delta Central) has congratulated Governor Adams Oshiomhole of

SSANU, NUTGTWN, NMA speak Apart from NLC, the Comrade Governor received commendations from other sections of his primary constituency – the Labour movement.

The NUTGTWN via a statement by its General Secretary and NLC Vice President, Issa Aremu, lauded Edo people and the political parties in the state for allowing the electoral process to run through despite initial challenges and described Oshiomhole’s victory as a vote for development politics as opposed to corruption politics of the past.

Also SSANU’s General Secretary, Promise Adewusi, said the outcome of the polls had testified that power truly belongs to the people in a free and plural democracy.

And the NMA in a statement by its National President, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, while commended the governor, urged him to build on his previous performance, strengthen the institutions, industriliase Edo, increase physical and financial access to quality healthcare, create more jobs and improve the standard of living of the people.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012 —

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Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012

Research links spanking to mental illness H ARSH corporal punishment meted out to a child in the form of spanking, hitting, slapping and other forms of punishments – even in the absence of full-scale maltreatment – has been associated with an increased risk of mental disorders in adulthood.

A group of University researchers in the United States of America, who studied a general population sample of adults, found that adults who reported such punishments in their childhood had a greater risk of mood disorders, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug abuse dependence, and several personality disorders.

In their report, published in the online edition of Pediatrics, they said up to 7 percent of some adult disorders can be attributed to "harsh physical punishment" in childhood.

The link between child abuse – both physical and sexual – and mental disorders in adulthood has long been established, the researchers noted.

Studies of milder forms of punishment that had similar findings have been disputed as having "weaknesses in design, measurement, and analysis," they added, including the lack of adjustment for confounding factors such as full-scale abuse.

In interviews, participants were asked: "As a child how often were you ever pushed, grabbed, shoved, slapped or hit by your parents or any adult living in your house?"

Answers, on a five-point Likert scale,

could be never, almost never, sometimes, fairly often, and very often. Participants who answered sometimes or higher were defined to have experienced harsh physical punishment.

For this analysis, participants who also reported severe physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, or exposure to intimate partner violence were excluded. The final analytic sample included 20,607 participants.

Overall, the researchers wrote that 1,258 participants reported physical punishment, or 5.9 percent of the total.

They were more likely to be male, black, and to have a family history of dysfunction.

The findings "provide evidence that harsh physical punishment independent of child maltreatment is related to mental disorders."

• From left: Dame Abimbola Fashola, First Lady of Lagos state, Special Guest of Hounor, Mr. Peter Eshikena, Deputy Managing Director Friesland Campina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, Mrs Ganiyu Solomon and Mrs. Ore Famurewa, Coporate affairs manager, During the Enjoy today the goodness of milk seminar organized by Friesland Campina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, in Lagos. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

R&D, collaboration, key to local manufacturing — PMGMAN

BY EBELE ONUORAH

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HE Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to invest more in research and development whilst also stating that mergers and acquisition is the way forward in growing the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in Africa.

This was made known during the 4th Conference and Annual General Meeting of West African Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (WAPMA) tagged: " Growing the Africa- based Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Industry", in Lagos recently.

Presenting an address, Chairman, PMGMAN, Mr. Bunmi Olaopa, identified concerted effort as one of the most effective options towards moulding

Phamatex wins pharma fellowship for excellence

BY EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

N recognition of its contribution in drug manufacturing and compliance to quality standards, the Board of Fellows, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN has awarded Phamatex Nigeria Limited award for excellence in Lagos just as Nigerian pharmacists have been admonished to approach their profession with commitment to mankind.

Presenting the award, Chairman of the Board, Pharm. John Nwaiwu said Phamatex was chosen after careful and thorough research on its brands and quality over the years. The award, he said, had been sustained over the years due to the importance the members of the Board attached to it.

Responding, MD, Phamatex, Prince Onyeka Nnebe described the award as an inspiration. “With this award, we feel we can do more. Quality is our inspiration.

Despite the faking issue, we will not be deterred but must do more in fighting fake and substandard products.”

Nnebe who called for the stregthening of all border posts, stressed the need for law makers to put in place stringent laws that could deter people from embarking on faking of genuine products.

“I don’t think our laws are effective. For us to make progress, law makers should be make good laws that can deter fakers,” he added.

General Manager of the company, Mr. George Friday said “Our products have delivered what we claim. For this award to come from a highly distinguished segment of pharmacists it is a challenge for us and we will continue to sustain that

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standard we were known for. And to justify the confidence the general public have for us. We will also continue to work in consistence with the law of all the regulatory agencies.”

Speaking on the theme “Consistent Government Fiscal Policy: A Key to Sound Industrial Development”, Friday said the topic was informed by the fact that one of the key determinants to industrial growth is a consistent fiscal policy, which helps in planning, projections and in attracting foreign investment.

Former Minister of Health, Prince Julius

Adelusi-Adeluyi who chaired the occasion urged Nigerian pharmacists to approach the practice of their profession with wholesome sense of commitment to the course of mankind.

Adelusi who described pharmacy as the mirror of the society urged pharmacists to use their individual potentials to transform the country. “This profession is the mirror of the country. Nigeria has untapped potentials that must be explored to transform the country, which pharmacists have a duty to do. Let us turn our potential into success,” he urged.

• L-R: MD/CEO Phamatex(Hovid) Nig Ltd, Prince Christopher Nebe and his wife receiving the award for consistent and innovative quality products from the Chairman Board of Fellows, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Pharm. (DR.) John Nwaiwu at Mid Year Meeting and Award for Excellence Dinner 2012 of Board of Fellows,PSN in Lagos recently.

pharmaceutical firms in Africa to stand firm in the global sphere and thrive successfully.

Corroborating his views, Deputy Director, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN), Mrs Emily Olalere who was representing the Acting Registrar of the Council said : "To grow the local manufacturing industry, we have to invest more in research and in doing so, collaborate with the academia and other develop countries like India and Europe.

With that, we would get closer to manufacturing essential drugs for use in the African sub-region and even globally."

Meanwhile, Mr Olaopa expressed displeasure at the fact that only four African manufacturers were listed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) 's pre - qualification programme, with none coming from the West African sub-region.

Lamenting further he said that the continent still lagged behind in major breakthroughs, financial benefits and global funding of industry-developing initiatives.

According to him, the current turnover of Africa-based pharmaceutical industry is less than five per cent of global business. "The level of research and development is still too low."

Citing the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation’s position, Olaopa said Nigeria and Africa had immense potential in agriculture and pharmaceuticals but despite the potential, fails to keep apace with the global trend.

He enlisted poor infrastructure, which has continued to engender high cost of production; low level of technology; continued importation of active ingredients; persistent barriers to crossborder trade, and human resource development needs as some of the obstacles to the industry's growth.

According to him, for these obstacles to be dealt with, certain things must be put in place. For instance, such measures, he said, would include improvement in good manufacturing practice and processing of international certificate and encouragement of mergers and acquisition across African borders.

Vanguard,MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012 — 55

Edo polls: How Police scaled the acid test

By EMMA NNADOZIE, Crime Editor HE battle for the soul of Edo State has come and gone. At long, long last, victory has gone to the popular choice of the people while other contenders are left to lick their wounds. However, where ever

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the pendulum swung to, what is p a r a m o u n t presently is that against all predictions and expectations of violence and anarchy, the election has come out to be successfully concluded with little or no skirmishes.

With the conclusive end coming few hours after Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar was confirmed as the 16 th substantive Inspector-General of Police in Nigeria,

it would be appropriate to make an appraisal of the build-up to the election against anticipated violence, fear of all manners and lawlessness. It is pertinent to point out that while campaigns and its anticipated propaganda were going on, police authorities in Abuja commenced its own intensive preparation towards making the exercise a huge success.

Firstly, the then acting Inspector-General of Police visited the state months before the election and held a closed-door meeting with all his officers and men with the forthcoming election as top agenda. After, he commenced a predeployment training for all the officers that would participate in the election. While this was going on, the state police boss, Olayinka Balogun was directed to carry out a meeting

The coordination and collaboration between the police and other security agencies was perfact

of all the stakeholders in the election with leaders of all the political parties. The IGP then deployed m a s s i v e undercover operatives with stern directives to provide streams of uninterrupted intelligence information to

IGP, MD Abubakar

him personally.

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ew days before the election, the IGP, in a deft move aimed at forestalling perceived pre-arraigned compromises, pulled out the state Commissioner of police and posted him to the Force headquarters, Abuja temporarily. In his place, he deployed three Commissioners of Police to man the three senatorial zones in the state. A deputy

Inspector-General of Police was also deployed to the state to coordinate the entire security apparatus for the election.

The Inspector-General of Police also deployed policemen from the conventional unit, crack squad from the dreaded Police Mobile Force, PMF, and policemen from the counterterrorism squad and intelligence unit popularly called undercover operatives.

The Marine Police were also deployed to the creeks and

Navy clamps down on illegal Maritime Association •arrest 4 suspects

By EVELYN USMAN

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HE Nigerian Navy has clamped down on a group of persons discovered to be training Nigerian youths on military activities and rescue operations illegally. Already, the group known as Merchant Maritime Transport Safety Association, according to the Navy, had trained over 200 youths, with a promise to engage them in the Military and Marine sectors .

But the bubble burst, Monday, following discovery by the Nigerian Navy that the group’s operation was illegal, as it was infringing on the constitutional roles of the Nigerian Navy, Marine Police, NIMASA, Customs and other government maritime agencies.

They were also discovered to have swindled unsuspecting members of the public to the tune of N14 million, an amount realized from the sale of recruitment forms.

Suspected members of the group: Parading four suspected members of the group before newsmen, the Western Naval

Command Operation Officer, Commodore Henry Babalola, disclosed that the group was also using similar logo with that of the Nigerian Navy, a development he described as ‘worrisome’, considering the security situation of the country.

For instance, Babalola noted that while the Nigerian Navy had “Onward Together’ as its motto, the group, had ‘Onward Forever’ as its own, an indication which he said, was to give unsuspecting members of the public the impression that the group was affiliated to the Navy.

The cat was let out of the bag following a disagreement between members of the group over the sharing formula of the N14million realized from the sale of forms thereby leading to the splitting of the group.

Explaining how they were arrested, Babalola said: “the group was to commence sales of another set of forms at N5,000 each. They were detained when they wrote a letter to the Nigerian Navy for support. The association, though registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission,

•The suspects is a dubious association seeking relevance in the nation’s maritime sector. The association has no relationship or approval from NIMASA which they claimed they were to help collect fund or other maritime agencies, to undertake the task/duties the organization claims to be discharging or intends to undertake.

Babalola said: “More worrisome is the fact that the association has been training unsuspecting members of the public on Maritime Safety and Security duties with the promise of job opportunities. Therefore, in view of the prevailing security situation in the country coupled with the menace of sea robbers and other criminal elements in the nation’s maritime environment, there is urgent need for the CAC to deregister the association.”

One of the suspects who gave

•Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Sa'ad Ibrahim his name as Godwin Awuku, also identified himself as leader of the new faction of the group, saying that he was not aware that the act was illegal. According to the 38 year-old Bayelsa born and graduate of Maritime University of Ghana, “I am into marine transport. We wrote a letter to introduce the organization to the Nigerian Navy for recruitment and transport. We are into transport, secu-

waterways while those from the Air wings were fully on the air through out the election.

At the end of the day, what was seen was a perfect security arraignment that was able to checkmate any form of thuggery or violence, cases of hijacking of election materials or stuffing of ballot boxes, cases of assault or intimidation of INEC officials or anybody whatsoever. Most importantly, no form of accidental discharge or mis-use of firearms were recorded.

It should be noted that the cor-ordination and collaboration between the police and other security agencies was perfect.

All expectations and fears that the election was going to be rancorous and full of violence turned out the other way round because the police provided a perfect, peaceful and conducive environment for the people of Edo State to exercise their franchise and vote in a Governor of their choice.

From all indications, the recently concluded election in Edo which was like an acid test for, not just the police, but all other embattled security agencies, has turned out to prove that with proper coordination and planning, our security agencies would, no doubt, prove their mettle against all expectations. rity and our aim is to support government agencies for marine transport. We have an agenda to help NIMASA. We have a base at Erewe in Ojo local government area of Lagos.”

On the illegal training and recruitment, he said: “The first chairman, one Simeon Omofuwa and the vice president, Ogundipe, were involved in the training. The aim was to train the youths for marine related work. But along the line, things turned apart because of the way they were running it. For instance, the money realized was swindled by these persons. Trouble started when they were selling the forms and collecting cash from applicants and when we demanded for the money, they could not give account. Already, we have reported the case at Ojo police station and even the EFCC. “Their action led to the splitting of the group, with majority leaving with the chairman and vice chairman, leaving me and three others. I brought the idea after attending an International Shipping and vessel course in Ghana.”

Asked if those trained would at the end be enlisted into any of the military or maritime formations they promised them, he simply maintained that they were only trained on Safety and Sea surviving, adding that the training was not on weapon handling. “I never knew the action was illegal. But that is left to the court to decide”, he stated.

56—Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012

corded information on weather and airfield conditions in arriving/departing aircraft, hence, reduced fatigue on air traffic controllers. It would also ensure accuracy of information.

76. NCAA should perform oversight functions in the area of aeronautical/MET and should position itself to carry this out. Meteorological services are not regulated as required by ICAO. NCAA when adequately staffed, should provide oversight for both services and personnel of NIMET. This would also encourage NIMET to remain proactive in its duties at all times.

77. NCAA should adopt regulations to codify and publicise the flights of consumers of all aviation services and take steps to protect their rights. NCAA/airlines should have a consumer complaint desk manned by a manager. This is a desirable practice to protect consumers. It would also bring the industry in line with current best practices. Consumer satisfaction would help expand air travel if properly handled since the current level of patronage is low, relative to the size of the population.

Critical phases of landing Sosoliso plane crash

Why our planes crash (4) The summary of the final report of the Presidential Task Force on Aviation Industry submitted by the Task Force team headed by Air Vice Marshal Paul Dike (rtd) on March 2006 Continues from Friday EDIUM TERM (6 — 12 MONTHS) 70. Government should grant customs duty waivers on aircraft spares, engines and test equipment. This would reduce financial burden on the airlines. It would also encourage good maintenance practices since spare parts would be more easily available. It would also remove the extra delay occasioned by cumbersome custom procedures.

71. The Accident Investigation and Prevention Bureau (AIPB) in the Federal Ministry of Aviation should be well funded. Recruitment into the Bureau should be made from qualified and experienced professionals.

The Bureau blamed its current poor performance on inadequate funding and manning. To facilitate its role of providing information on previous accidents which would be used as a corrective input to the aviation industry, this problem needs to be urgently addressed. Accordingly, government could consider making annual budgetary provisions to the Bureau. Furthermore, the Bureau could compile a list of experts,

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NCAA should make it mandatory that all aircraft above 5,700kg should have detective device. This should provide additional warning to pilots at the critical phases of landing and taking off

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both serving and retired from which it can co-opt persons when needed to participate in accident investigations.

72. The Civil Aviation (Investigation of Accidents) Regulations should be amended to reflect the present status of the AIPB as well as make provisions for the setting up of an Accident Review Board whenever the need arises.

The Civil Aviation Regulations have not yet been updated to include the establishment and functions of the AIPB. The update is necessary to remove any duplication or ambiguity in functions of the AIPB and the NCAA in accident investigation and accident information dissemination.

73. Summaries of all Accident Reports should be available to aviation stakeholders, free of charge within 30 days of their publication. AIPB should work out an effective mechanism for dissemination of accident reports within the Aviation Industry. Furthermore, disagreements with the content of an accident report should be referred by the Honourable Minister of Aviation to an adhoc accident review board. Aviation accident reports provide a major feedback to the industry on

appropriate corrective measures.

The reports should therefore be readily available especially within the industry. However, accident reports are not sacrosanct. Provision should be made for an independent board to review appeals whenever the need arises.

74. NCAA should provide guidelines on Air Traffic Incident Investigation functions by: (I) Ensuring that in all cases air traffic incident investigation complies with ICAO guidelines; (ii)Government should provide terminal radars for the airports on 24-hour basis.

Total radar coverage It’s requirement does not preclude government’s efforts on the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) which is mainly for identifying - anywhere in the Nigerian airspace. Terminal radars are shorter in range and used for separation of aircraft in controlled airspace around the airport where air traffic is dense.

75. NAMA should install automated terminal information service equipment at the four major airports. This would relay pre-re-

78. NCAA should make it mandatory that all aircraft above 5,700kg should have detective device. This should provide additional warning to pilots at the critical phases of landing and taking off.

79. NCAA/AIPB should procure flight data recorder reading equipment. This would give them the capability to read flight data recorders at any time, not necessarily after an air crash. Thus, they may not necessarily rely entirely on pilot’s feedbacks to detect breach of flight operations or incidents that may not be reported in flight.

80. Relevant agencies should produce qualification-training manual for their various functions.

This would improve the quality of training and provide background for NCAA to assess performance. The manuals would also be relevant for on-the-job training.

81. NCAA should expand its published requirements to include a licencing procedure for air traffic engineers/technicians and flight dispatches. This would not only ensure that standards are maintained but also enhance the career progression of these categories of staff. It would also boost their morale and performance on the job.

82. NCAA should set up ad-hoc Examination Review Board to consider cases of appeal on licences. This is to ensure speedy and dispassionate treatment of complaints. The composition of the board should reflect the type of licence examination in quesContinues on page 57

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Why our planes crash (4) tion.

83. NCAA should establish an effective Aeromedical Unit and appoint assessors from among its medical personnel. A medical assessor shall not be appointed as an authorized medical examiner at the same time and vice versa. This is to ensure that medical reports of crew are reported dispassionately.

84. NCAA should regulate developments around the airport.

This is to ensure that the approach paths are cleared of obstacles. There are reported cases of obstructions by masts and high tension pylon/cable at the runway ends.

Presence of masts The Task Force observed the presence of masts very close to the runways at Benin, Katsina and Calabar. This constitutes serious danger to flight operations and should be dismantled as a matter of urgency.

85. NCAA should develop and enforce regulations to minimise health hazards to airline workers.

There is the need to establish and monitor standards for steady safe noise levels at airports especially hangars and workers. NCAA should also direct airlines and agencies to provide appropriate protective clothing and devices to their ground crew/technicians.

86. NCAA should review all safety procedures within the industry to encourage self policing and reporting. This would be enhanced by having regular meetings between the Director of Air-

ing, would raise the quality of our flight crew re-currency training.

88. All agencies should institute regular and adequate continuous training of their staff to keep them abreast with new technologies/ practices in the industry. This would enhance the knowledge base of staff on current best practices and boost their morale.

89 Government should gurantee the tenure of the chief executives of the aviation agencies. The completion of the tenure should be subject to good conduct and satisfactory performance. This would give the chief executive more confidence to resist outside interences.

90. NCAT should focus its attention to producing manpower to meet the areas where the industry is in dire need, in the next five years. These areas are: I) Pilots (up to Airline Transport Pilot (ALTP) licence and including helicopter training) II) Aircraft Maintenance Engineers III) Air Traffic System Controller IV) Air Traffic System Personnel V) Flight dispatchers Training on Human Factor/Risk Management should also be instituted. This would facilitate new entrants to the industry. It would also ease current manpower shortages in the medium and long terms, and provide for more orderly succession.

91. NCAT should commence refresher courses on basis instrument flying review of West Africa meteorology; use of Global Positioning System (GPS), Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) and around Proxinity Warning System (GPWS). The Task Force

Plane crash survivors worthiness at NCAA and Quality Assurance Managers of Airlines.

87. NCAA should ensure that operators meet either the FAA (USA) or Joint Aviation Authority (JAA) of the European Union (EU) standard during aircrew simulator training, and that appropriate fees are paid to avoid skipping some aspects of the training. The FAA (USA, and the JAA (EU) are the highest standards in the industry and if used as the basis for NCAA simulator train-

observed that most of the crew have not updated their knowledge in these critical safety areas, mainly due to non-availability of training facilities in the country.

NCAT is better positioned to run the course for the entire industry, and this would enable NCAA to monitor standards attained.

92. Government should raise the age limit for retirement of instrument staff at NCAT and some other Aviation Training Organisations (ATOs) to 65 years as is

the case in tertiary institutions. This would guarantee a reasonable period of service for highly trained professionals; more so, as there are no younger ones to succeed them.

91. Government (Federal and State) and Airlines should sponsor students into NCAT. A major problem of NCAT is low patronage. This •Air Vice Marshal Paul Dike (rtd), chairman, Task Force on Aviation Industry problem of low capacity utilisation can be immediately addressed by Federal, State expand the membership of its and Corporate sponsorship of stu- Project Monitoring Committee to include Internal Audit and Comdents to the College.

92. NCAT should introduce mercial Department.

95. NCAA should correct and modern instructional methods.

This should include the instruc- stabilise its accounting system. tional system development (ISD) The full implementation of SAGE methodology of ICAO TRAINAIR Accounting Package should be programme, and various comput- viewed as a matter of high priorier-based training system. This ty. Part of the implementation probwould improve the quality of lems arose because users were not properly involved in the specifitraining at the college.

93. NCAA should revise its bud- cation for the set up of SAGE Acgetary process. The revision counting System such as the conshould provide for budgets re- trol parameters, charts of account, maining uncommitted to be can- systems test results and financial celled at the end of the quarter opening balance.

96. Aviation Agencies should following the year to which they relate. There should be a defined make concerted efforts to recover procedure for budget set-offs. This debts owed themselves NCAA would need to recover a debt of would prevent abuse.

94. NCAA should comprehen- appropriately N2.6 billion. sively overhaul its contract procurement procedures, and this Corrective should be made known, embed- action ded and complied with throughout the organisation. The proceThis represents debt due from dures should set out the contract local and international airlines for cycle from award through to exe- remittance of five per cent ticket sales and cargo charges (TSC).

Recovery of this debt would help meet some requirements of the Agencies preparatory to the ICAO audit in November 2006.

97. NCAA should instruct its line management to take corrective action on a prompt basis on internal audit recommendations. The internal audit should be given a higher profile in the organisation.

Internal audit reports and observations are often ignored. Also, the Head of Audit should report to the DG and not to Dirctor of Finance.

107 Government should revisit the whole issue of the aircraft (5N AVK) sent to South Africa for repairs by NCAA. This is to ensure that value for money on the contract is received as well as to recover any money lost as a result of cution and completion. The ac- splitting of the contract. The recoutability and actions of the par- pair of aircraft in South Africa is a ties involved and the relevant re- worst case of project splitting as porting systems should be spelt all the three companies are owned out. Contracts should only be by the same person. awarded to contractors who have 108. FAAN should review its the technical and financial capa- budgetary process. The budget bility to execute the work. Con- should be integrated with the rolltracts should only be awarded ing plan to enable the achievement where budget cover is available of the plan objectives. The creation and funds are on hand. Further- of this linkage would ensure that more, to ensure that price verifi- the plan receives the necessary cation is carried out before the support. award of contracts, NCAA should To be continued

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Continues frompage 56

Training on Human Factor/ Risk Management should also be instituted. This would facilitate new entrants to the industry

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58—Vanguard , MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012

Lawmaker tasks NCC on ‘private calls' S part of efforts to ensure adequate security and to check kidnapping in the country, a member of House of Representatives, Alhaji Yakub Balogun, has asked the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, to direct all telecommunications service providers to stop all local calls made under the guise of ‘hidden numbers’.

Balogun, representing Lagos Island Federal Constituency II in the House of Representatives, in a motion, said the telecommunication

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WEDDING: From left— Former military President Ibrahim Babangida; Vice President Namadi Sambo; Gen. Mohammed Buhari (rtd), former Head of State, and Nasir El-Rufai, former FCT Minister, and others at the wedding Fathia of Nasir el-Rufai's elder brother's daughter in Kaduna State, Saturday.

Shareholders appeal Afribank's liquidation

BY INNOCENT ANABA

OME shareholders of Afribank Plc have appealed last week’s Federal High Court, Lagos, decision, which granted an application by Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC, to liquidate the bank.

Justice Charles Archibong of the Federal High Court, Lagos, had wound up Afribank on the ground that it was no longer necessary for the bank to continue to exist since the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, had revoked its operating licence and same had been properly gazetted.

The bank’s shareholders, through their counsel, Mr. Onyebuchi Aniakor, in the appeal before the Court of

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Appeal, are contending that the trial judge erred in law and committed grave miscarriage of justice by his order.

The shareholders, Igbrude Oke, Rasak Mumuni, Akinsanya Sunday, Suleiman Babatunde and Igba Olatomide, on behalf of themselves and other shareholders of the bank, are contending in the appeal that Justice Archibong struck out a preliminary objection they filed to the winding up petition, without hearing same.

They argued that the winding up order was made by Justice Archibong, when the matter was slated for mention and not hearing, adding that by so doing the judge had committed grave miscarriage of justice.

NAFDAC boss urges support for FG on education

BY PETYER DURU

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AKURDI—DIREC TOR-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, has urged organised private sector to support the Federal Government’s initiatives

Valediction ICTORY Group of Schools will hold its annual valedictory graduation on its school premises in Ikeja, Tuesday, July 24.

The ceremony, where best students will go home with prizes and awards, according to the Managing Proprietor, Chief C. F. I. Olaniyan, will be graced by prominent Nigerians.

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aimed at checking the falling standard of education in the country.

He said the slide in the sector was a wake-up call to all stakeholders to rally round government’s efforts at revamping the sector.

Orhii, weekend, while presenting seven computers to outstanding students and teachers of his alma mater, St. Francis’ College, Otukpo, in commemoration of the school’s 2012 prize and award ceremony, said: “The time has come for all stakeholders in the Nigerian project, especially organised private sector, to rally round the efforts of the Federal and state governments to revamp the educational sector.”

operators can put a check to hidden numbers calls through activation of Caller Line Identification System, CLIS. He said cases of hidden number calls, used by people to perpetrate all manner of atrocities, was alien to the country until the advent of GSM. Balogun explained that calls from hidden numbers were dangerous and capable of undermining security in the country, adding that such exercise could make nonsense of the recent registration exercise of GSM lines.

250 couples wed in Kano Get N20,000 from govt, sewing machines from Sambo

BY ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD ANO—NO fewer than 250 couples were joined in matrimony in Kano State, weekend, during the second batch of mass wedding organised by Hisbah Board, a parastatal in the state.

Unlike the previous one held May 15, where 100 couples took the marriage vow at the Kano Central Mosque, weekend’s ceremony was decentralised as 220 couples wed in their respective local government areas, while 30 were joined in the state capital.

Among the newly-wed was an octogenarian, Malam Uba AbdulRahaman, 82, who took a 70-year-old woman, Amina Usman, as wife in the ceremony that had Hajiya Amina Sambo, wife of Vice President Namadi Sambo, top government official, clerics, traditional rulers, businessmen and women in attendance.

The couples were lectured bytheChiefImamoftheKano Central Mosque on their du-

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ties and responsibilities.

Speaking on the occasion, Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, who had earlier presented bed and bedding, bags of rice, cartons of spaghetti, household items and N20,000 each as take-off capital, said his administration had committed N46.6 mil-

lion to the project.

He said the state government introduced mass wedding as a measure to tackle the high rate of divorce cases and reduce poverty.

He pointed out that poverty was the major factor that leads to early breakage of marriages

in the state, a development that informed his decision to initiate poverty alleviation programmes, focused on youths and women.

Hajiya Sambo donated 250 sewing machines, worth about N3.73 million to all the brides.

Strike grounds research institutions mon Badejo as Executive Gamaliel Onosode report

BY JOSEPH ERUNKE

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BUJA—ACADEMIC activities in research and allied institutions in the country have been suspended following a nationwide strike by academic workers under the aegis of Academic Staff Union of Research Institutions, ASURI. The strike followed the expiration of a 24-hour ultimatum earlier given the Federal Government by the union to address their grievances. Top among the issues was the disparity in research grant to university professors and the continued stay in office of Dr. Solo-

Director of Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, FRIN. The workers had earlier called on the Federal Government to desist from giving preferential treatment to university professors, saying there was no basis for the university professors to be placed above them, threatening to shut all research institutions within 24 hours if their demand on the removal of FRIN boss was not met.

Briefing newsmen, weekend, National President, ASURI, Dr. Alhassan Maji, claimed that they were more grounded in research work than the universities professors, adding that the

alluded to their claim.

He said: “Researchers and university professors are all academics but with a difference in conditions of service. So academic staff of research institutions should not be inferior to those of federal universities.

“Also, the Onosode report on comparisons of the nature and content of academic duties of research institutions and those of Nigerian universities confirmed the superiority of the former in research endeavour to the latter.”

He decried what he called “imposition of university professors on research institutions as executive directors.”

Missing N44bn: Miners task FG on solid mineral funds

BY JOSEPH ERUNKE

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BUJA—MINERS As sociation of Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to stop allocating money meant for solid minerals development to Special Intervention Fund on Solid Minerals.

The association said the Solid Minerals Commission was the body meant to

receive any money in respect of development of solid minerals.

The organisation’s position came amidst last week’s revelation by the Senator Ahmad Lawan-led Senate Committee on Public Accounts that N44 billion was missing from the Federal Government’s Special Intervention Fund on Solid Minerals.

The committee discovered the missing funds during an interactive session it had with officials of Federal Ministry of Finance; Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN and Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, AGF. The association’s National President, Alhaji Sani Shehu, reacting to the development, weekend, in

Abuja, said: He said: “There is no basis for the Federal Government to keep sending money meant for development of solid minerals to Special Intervention Fund, when the Solid Minerals Commission, the body meant to carry out functions in respect of development of the nation’s solid minerals, is in existence.”

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US pastor abducted in Egypt

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61-year-old US pastor Rev. Michel Louis and two others have been abducted while on a church trip to the Middle East, U.S. officials told NBC News on Sunday.

The son of Louis told The Associated Press that his father was on a church trip to retrace Jesus’ steps through the Holy Land with 23 other members of the clergy and worshippers when he was abducted. Along with him, a 39-year-old Boston woman in the group and a tour guide were kidnapped Friday.

The AP said an Egyptian Bedouin, Jirmy Abu-Masuh, was the captor – and that he was demanding police release his uncle from prison. It reported AbuMasuh vowed to take more hostages of different nationalities if his demands were not met.

US mostwanted fugitive nabbed HE U.S. Marshals Service announced the capture of Vincent Legrend Walters, one of the law enforcement agency’s 15 most wanted fugitives, in the resort city of Cancun.

Walters, 45, was wanted on kidnapping, murder and drug charges stemming from a 1988 San Diego, Calif., case.

The agency said Walters was apprehended Friday morning, then transported to Mexico City where he will await extradition to the United States. Walters had been working at the Cancun International Airport under the assumed name Oscar Rivera, according to a statement released by the agency.

Walters is accused in the kidnapping and murder of Christina Reyes in September 1 9 8 8 , U . S .

Marshals said in a statement obtained by NBC News. He was also indicted by a federal grand jury in 1989 on conspiracy to manufacture, possess and distribute crystal methamphetamine, carrying firearms during a drug trafficking crime and possession of unregistered firearms and explosives.

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•Syrians praying during the funeral procession of a man killed, in Homs, Syria. (AP Photo/Shaam News Network, SNN) .

Syria is in civil war — Red Cross HE Red Cross (ICRC) says fighting in Syria has become so widespread that the conflict is now in effect a civil war. The change in status means combatants will now be officially subject to the Geneva Conventions, leaving them more exposed to war crimes prosecutions. The Red Cross had previously regarded only the areas around Idlib, Homs and Hama as war zones.

Meanwhile, the Syrian government denied Sunday that it used tanks and helicopters to attack the village of Tremseh in Hama province on Thursday.

Activists reported mass killings in the village, but a government spokesman said only two civilians and 37 armed individuals were killed in what Damascus said was a

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•There was massacre but... Syrian Govt defensive operation.

The U.N. observers were at Tremseh on Sunday investigating events.

At a news conference in Damascus Sunday, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Jihad Makdissi denied the army had used tanks, helicopters and heavy weapons to target the town. He said yes, there was a massacre. What

HE mother of the Tunisian peddler whose suicide sparked the Arab Spring was arrested after getting into a scuffle with a court official, a family member said on Friday.

Salem Bouazizi, brother of Mohammed Bouazizi, whose death made him a symbol for the frustrations of many, said their mother was arrested for allegedly attacking the official in Sidi Bouzid, the central town where Tunisia’s revolution began.

Numerous residents contacted by Reuters said they could hear loud explosions, persistent gunfire and sirens wailing. Thick black smoke was visible above the Damascus skyline in live internet video links.

Activist Samir al-Shami, who spoke to Reuters by Skype from Damascus, said the fighting was under way in the al-

Tadamon district in the capital’s south, after a night of sustained battles in the nearby Hajar alAswad district. A spokesman for U.N.-Arab League mediator Kofi Annan said he would travel to Moscow on Monday for two days of talks with President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

AU seeks regional response to conflicts

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HE African Union summit opened in Ethiopia on Sunday with an appeal for a regional

response to conflicts. AU Chairman Jean Ping called for Africa to solve its own problems. The

summit is to focus on trade and security.

The AU said it may send forces to battle armed

France to arrest E’ Guinea leader’s son French judge has issued an international arrest

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Mother of Tunisian who sparked Arab Spring arrested

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happened, he said, was not an attack by the army on innocent civilians but a clash between regular forces and armed groups.

Meanwhile, opposition fighters battled Syrian government forces in Damascus on Sunday in what residents described as the fiercest fighting yet inside the city limits of the capital.

Bouazizi said his mother, Manoubia Bouazizi, 60, returned an insult after the court employee insulted her, pushed her and slammed a door in her face, refusing to assist her application for documents.

According to the AFP news agency, Salem Bouazizi said the documents she was there to sign would have allowed her to receive compensation from the government given to “martyrs of the revolution.”

warrant for the son of the president of oil-rich Equatorial Guinea, reports say.

Teodorin Nguema Obiang Mangue is being sought on moneylaundering charges. He serves as Equatorial Guinea’s agriculture minister Obiang, the son of President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mbasogo, denies any wrongdoing.

The judge, Roger Le Loire, issued the warrant after Mr Obiang refused to be interviewed by magistrates on charges of corruption, legal sources say. Obiang’s lawyer told the AFP news agency that he had not been informed that any mandate for his client’s arrest had been issued.

He added that any such warrant would be a “non-

event” due to Obiang’s status.

“Mr Obiang has judicial immunity as he is the vice-president of Equatorial Guinea and therefore could not attend the summons,” Emmanuel Marsigny told AFP. According to French newspaper Le Monde, the warrant for Mr Obiang - known as Teodorin in his country was issued on Thursday.

French judges are investigating allegations that several African leaders have bought assets in France with embezzled state funds.

They are looking at President Obiang as well as Congo-Brazzaville’s President Denis Sassou Nguesso, and Omar Bongo, the late president of Gabon.

rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It also backed a plan by West African nations to battle Islamist militants in northern Mali.

The summit will also address a stalemate over the AU’s chairmanship.

Ping is being challenged by South Africa’s Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. During an election in January, both candidates failed to garner the two-thirds majority needed to win the chairmanship.

•Jean Ping at the opening session of the AU Peace and Security council meeting in Addis Ababa, July 14, 2012.

60—Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012

Vanguard CLASSIFIED Reconciliation of Names I am Dafe Akpotor Success Ese Mercy and that my name was written in my WAEC result as Dafe Akpotor Success, whereas my international passport bears Dafe Akpotor Success Ese Mercy. All the above names belong to me. All former documents bearing any of the names remain valid. General public please take note.

EZENWOKE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Agwabunma Victoria Ezenwoke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Agwabunma Victoria Diri. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

BURAIMO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Buraimo Bolanle Afusat, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Sanni Bolanle Afusat. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

REYENIEJU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Reyenieju Joy, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Shandorf Joy. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

EZIKANYI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ezikanyi Eucharia Onyinyechi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Eucharia Onyinyechi Ejike-Ani. All former documents remain valid. DAAR communications plc (Ray Power) and general public please take note.

OSHIFOLA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oshifola Yewande, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Muritala Yewande Oluwatosin. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NKENCHOR—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nkenchor Vera Chinye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Vera Chinye Obiodogwu.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NJOKU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Precious Oluomachi Njoku, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwaoguala Precious Oluomachi.

All former documents remain valid. Shell SCP PortHarcourt and general public please take note.

OKONO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Arit Tom Okono, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Arit-Tom Eyamba Essien. All former documents remain valid. Dept of State Services and general public please take note.

OGUNYANWO— I, formerly known and addressed as Ogunyanwo Opeyemi Abidemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Olaseni Opeyemi Abidemi.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EDA M R E R E — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Edamrere Eunice Oghenewvogaga, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okokuje Eunice Oghenewvogaga. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AHANEKU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ahaneku Patricia Obiageri, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akpaka Patricia Obiageri. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ILOMUAYA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Amaka Blessing Ilomuaya, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Amaka Blessing Ajah. All former documents remain valid. ECOWAS and general public please take note.

EREMUTHA—I, formerly known and addressed as Dr. Eremutha Aghorghor Theodora, now wish to be known and addressed as Dr. (Mrs) Ashaolu Aghorghor Theodora. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EHIKWE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ehikwe Uzoma Rita, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ehiobu Rita Uzoma.

All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

IMIDORO—I, formerly known and addressed as Efedue Ovuakpor Gift, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Imidoro Liveth Ovuakpor Gift. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NZOTTA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Chinyere Joy Nzotta, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chinyere Favour Joy Uche-Eyinnaya.

All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

AJUYAH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oritsebemigho Sarah Ajuyah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oritsebemigho Sarah Eyewuoma.

All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

OTEWU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Lilian Kosisochukwu Otewu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Lilian Kosisochukwu Adigwe. All former documents remain valid. Guarantee Trust Bank Plc, WAEC and general public please take note.

ODO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Stella Ukamaka Odo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Stella Ukamaka Ugwu. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

UNUATA—I, formerly known and addressed as Eseoghene Gabriel Unuata and Eseoghene Frank Ezekiel is one and same person, now wish to be known and addressed as Eseoghene Frank Ezekiel. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

ABIJOR — I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Abijor Clementina Oghenero, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Aganmwonyi Clementina Oghenero.

All former documents remain valid. Post Primary Education Board, Delta State and general public please take note.

Confirmation of Name This is to confirm that the name Ezuma Gabriel Damian, refers to one and the same person as Ezuma Gabriel Damian Mbanefor, now wish to be known and addressed as Ezuma Gabriel Damian Mbanefor. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc, First Registrar Office and general public please take note.

OGBUNUKO—I, formerly known as Tochukwu Emmanuel Ogbunuko, now wish to be known as Tochukwu Emmanuel Chibueze. General public please take note.

NWAFOREZEH—I, formerly known as Mr. Francis Chukwuma Nwaforezeh, now wish to be known as Mr. Francis Chukwuma Nwafor-Ezeh General public please take note.

ETUK—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Etuk Pamela Friday, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Pamela Stanley Akpanah.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

L-R: Hon. Kamal Salau-Bashua, Chairman Lagos Island East LCDA, Senator Gbenga B. Ashafa, representative of Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and Mr Toyin Jimba, representative of the Commissioner for Environment, Tunji Bello, during the tree Planting Campaign 2012 at Lagos Island East LCDA, on Saturday

L-r: Lagos State Governor and guest speaker, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN; Chairman of the Governing Board of Whitesands School, Professor Albert Alos and the Principal, Dr. Lorenzo David during the School’s Graduation Ceremony on Saturday

L-r: Mr. Hassan Taj Alssir M. (Sudan Standards Monitoring Org.), Mrs. T.N. Ojomo (Head, Chemtech Div. S.O.N), Chief Emma Orizu (Managing Director, Chikki Foods Industries Ltd), Mr. Philip Okungu-Kenyan (ARSO representative) and Mr. Kofi Kankam (Ghana Standard Authority) when the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) team visited Chikki Foods Industries factory in Ikorodu after the 19th ARSO General Assembly held in Lagos and sponsored by Chikki Foods Industries.

L-R: Wing Commander Paul Trumhesun, representing Commander, 107 Nigerian Airforce Camp, Lagos; Master Ayobami Olounfemi, the graduand, Mrs Modupe Owolabi, guest speaker; and Mr. Jso Audu, at the Nigerian Air Force Primary School Lagos organised annual speech and prize giving ceremony. Photo: Diran Oshe

VANGUARD'S LAGOS OFFICE YOU CAN B O O K Y O U R A D V E R T S AT OU R L A G O S I S L A N D O F FI C E — VA N G U A R D MEDIA LIMITED (LAGOS OFFICE) K I O S K 4 8 E A S T P AV I L I O N T B S , L A G O S .

L-r: Mr Kola Fadairo, Director, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA; Engr Adebola Shabi, General Manager, LASEPA; Mr Parimal Vipani, Group Executive Director, Sunplast Industries Limited, and Mr Arun Ghate, General Manger Sunplast Industries, during the 2012 Tree Planting Campaign, orgasnised by LASEPA at Ilasamaja, Lagos, yesterday.

Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012 —

61

62 —

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012

repeat here verbatim a column that I wrote last year concerning the denial of visa to Nigerians on official sports assignment. Specifically the beach soccer team to Italy.

I wrote then that we cannot allow any country to mess us up concerning the issuance of visas under flimsy excuses. This column has become relevant today as I have sat through one week of the world junior championship in Barcelona without Nigeria due to the reported refusal of the Spanish Embassy in Nigeria to give them visa.

For these young athletes denied the opportunity of a life time, the scars will not heal in a hurry.

Last year, I wrote.

'From September 1-11 2011 in Ravenna Italy, Nigerians sat through a harrowing experience as their decimated beach soccer team, faced a herculean task in the 5th FIFA beach Soccer competition.

Vice champions of Africa, Nigeria competed with 15 other countries for the prized beach soccer trophy.

'Contesting in Group C the Beach Eagles as the country’s national team is known and called faced Russia in the first match and lost 4-8. It was in the course of that match, during the commentaries, that Nigerians got to know that Nigeria arrived the competition with 9 players instead of 12 as stipulated in the rules and regulations.

matter of urgency file a protest to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the National Sports Commission seeking an explanation on why those three Nigerian players were dropped.

‘Being a law abiding country we are ready to make amends if reasons so advanced are tenable.

If not, we should demand unreserved apology for an act that is believed to have contributed to our early ouster from the competition.

I

N enquiry it was discovered that the remain ing players could not get visa in time and were likely to join their colleagues later. By the time Nigeria lined out against Venezuela in their next match, Emmanuel Zabi, Shehu Maijana and Musa Najare were still yet to arrive Italy.

‘Gratefully, we won that match 5-3 and went on to face Tahiti in the last group match which we also won 4-1.

'At this point it was believed, perhaps that all was well as no one seemed to bother anymore about the need to get those players flown in. It was when we faced defending Champions Brazil in the quarter final that it dawned on us that extra feet were needed in a sport that is as physical as it is exhausting.

'In what was considered the most exciting match of the championship, our boys fought back gallantly to level with the Brazilians 8-8 at full time only to lose 8-10 in extra time, no thanks to the absence of extra man power. On September 8 at the Stadio del Mare in Ravanne, the Nigerian players according to FIFA ‘sprawled on the ground’ after the energy sapping encounter. FIFA had entitled the match BRAZIL OUTLAST BRAVE NIGERIANS. ‘outlast’ was definitely the word that best describes a team that was not complete even for a top class tournament of that nature.

'Question. Why did the three players not make it to Italy?

‘The shocking reply was that they were denied visas!

'This is as unbelievable as it is true.

O

One Visa denial too T many

,

For these young athletes denied the opportunity of a life time, the scars will not heal in a hurry

,

'The story has it that when the team was departing for a training tour of Portugal, the NFF applied for Shengen visas for the squad, one in which they could easily use to cross over to Italy for the competition. Portugal granted nine players visa and left out three.

‘Efforts to get the players visa met a diplomatic brick wall.

HE NFF I gathered then approached the Ital ian Embassy and asked for visa for the three to proceed straight to competition venue. Again the request was turned down the technical reason being that since one European country had turned down the request, another could not grant same.

'Bizarre as this may sound, the next step was to inform FIFA given the very explicit hosting demands that makes it mandatory for visa doors to be thrown open to participating countries.

‘Abridging a very long story, FIFA did not succeed to get Italy to give the players visa, nor did it consent to their substitution on health grounds, as the time for such had elapsed.

'Question. Why were Messrs Zabi, Maijana and Najare denied visas?

'Nobody claims to know. Did the Embassies not state the reason for the visa denial? NFF sources say ‘no’.

'This is definitely one visa denial too many.

'We cannot allow ourselves further humiliation by embassies even on the flimsiest of excuses.

‘The Nigeria Football Federation should as a

T

HERE may also be need to mention here the psychological trauma that the trio are going through for being punished as it were for a sin they are so far ignorant about.

‘Cases like this are common within our sports environment and should not be allowed to continue. This is definitely a slap on a country that presented those players as her ambassadors.

‘Never again.

This time around we should not take things lying low. If we do, like we did last year the probability of a repeat remainsis very high.

AS CHIEF OJIDOH CLOCKS 86 'On Thursday July 19, Chief John Ojidoh will be 86.

During the problem days of our football, when “honorary membership” of the NFF became a subject of litigation a colleague asked me the where about of “…….people like Chief John Ojidoh….people who deserve to be honoured for past services to the game.” I said to him that Chief Ojidoh was very much alive and kicking and did not spare any opportunity to lend his voice to issues of national sports importance.

Just recently I got a text from him saluting the column on Chief J. B. Ogufere and wishing that veterans of the round leather game are accorded due recognition and prominence.

T

HURSDAY will be the turn of a tested and es tablished Football administrator, one who lived his life for sports, especially football. Those who can tell the story of Chief Ojidoh go back to that top referee and gamesmaster who created waves with unknown Abudu Rovers and went on to become Chairman of the then Midwest football association piloting it in the golden era of Bendel Insurance and New Nigeria Bank.

Also, the then Nigeria Football Association had to fall back on the expertise of Chief Ojidoh as chairman of the NFA Constitution and act review panel. His honesty and integrity informed his appointment as pioneer chairman of the Pepsi Football Awards. 86 cheers to a man commonly referred to by his friends as “ Old Bobo” May you live long IJN See you next week.

Okagbare dedicates London feat to Uduaghan

BY ONOCHIE ANIBEZE FTER the Olympic trials in Calabar and Africa’s Championships in Benin Republic Blessing Okagbare moved to Delta State to use one of their many facilities to continue preparation for the Olympic Games. But, in the main, she trained for the Samsung Diamond League in Crystal Palace Saturday.

Blessing trained in Oghara since returning from Port Novo. And

A

Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan supported her with some funding, the same way he had done to other Olympic bound athletes from Delta State.

And for his continued fatherly support Blessing dedicated her feat in London on Saturday when she caused an upset, beating the best in the world to win the 100m event in 11.01 seconds.

The pack included Olympic champion and the fastest woman this year Shelly-Ann FraserPryce of Jamaica, the reigning world champi-

on Carmelita Jeter who came second in 11.03 seconds. Tianna Madison was third in 11.13 as Fraser-Pryce had stumbled on leaving the blocks and never recovered. Delta sports boss, Amaju Pinnick said this about the London race: “I spoke with Blessing after the race and she dedicated her victory to our governor who has been of tremendous support to her and the Nigerian team in particular because he has done a lot for the Delta athletes going to the Olympics and you know

that more than half of the athletes are from Delta. Blessing trained in Oghara and only left two days before the race in London. She has been so

•Gov. Uduaghan

delighted and grateful for the assistance from Governor Uduaghan and has dedicated the London feat to him. Blessing is a serving civil servant in Delta. All our athletes are so employed.”

•Okagbare

Messi threatens legal action against Hungarian magazine IONEL Messi is considering the possibility of taking legal action against a Hungarian magazine after theBarcelonaforwarddenied claimsbythepublicationthat his teammates in La Masia thought he was ‘dumb’.

TheArgentinainternational had been quoted as saying

by Kepes Sport that his colleagues in the Catalan side’s youth ranks, including Cesc Fabregas and Gerard Pique, initiallybelievedhehadproblems as a teenager.

L

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012 — 63

Going!

Going!!

HAMMERED ... Haye sends the Upton Park crowd wild with a crushing blow

DEREK DECKED ... Haye lands a hard left hook to send Chisora crashing to the canvas

Haye KO’s Chisora AVID HAYE smashed Dereck Chisora to Brits — then called for world champion Vitali Klitschko.

Haye knocked out Del Boy in the fifth round with a flurry of punches in the grudge match.

And the Hayemaker roared: “That performance shows you what I can do and if Vitali thinks he can handle it, then let’s fight. He will probably want to fight some chump and then retire to become a politician.

“I’d be very surprised if Vitali wants to fight me after that.

“But if he wants to give the world a great fight I’m ready to go.”

Haye showed awesome power and speed to floor Chisora twice in the fifth to take the bragging rights as well as the WBA and WBO international heavyweight title belts.

A five-punch combination put an end to a fight arranged on the back of their Munich maul in February.

Haye, who wore

D

trainers in the ring to get more grip at rain-swept Upton Park, added: “This is one of the best ever nights for British boxing.

“Two warriors went at it from the first bell and gave the crowd what they wanted. I didn’t give Chisora much respect before the fight because I had never experienced what he could bring to the ring.

Good night ... Chisora is flat out on the canvas after Haye’s power punching

Garcia teaches Amir a harsh lesson

SHAF promises enduring awards PORTS Heroes Awards Foundation has promised an enduring award that will not only reward excellence but that which will live with the athlete thereafter.

According to the initiator, Philip Balepo, the award which is simply called “The Sports Award” promises to be different in a lot of ways: He said, “first, it rewards the present, reveres the past and encourages the future. It is one award that strives to bring all sports under one roof. It is not a football only award.”

Above all, Balepo said, “the Life Time Achievement Award is for many of our truly committed but never celebrated athletes and administrators, who would be forever remembered; which shall eventually give birth to TSA Hall of Fame.”

The Sports Award - TSA -has 19 categories lined up and each category has three (3) nominees from which the actual winner will emerge. SHAF as a foundation, has different programmes lined up for our sports men and women; both the normal and the physically challenged, including the coaches, administrators, sponsors and even the fans.

S

AFN Continues from BP president Solomon Ogba.

“What is even more painful is the effort of the athletes who have been in camp since April. They were hopeful of putting in their best, but this was not to be,” added the AFN boss.

He submitted that the trip cost the federation N10m and the National Sports Commission have told the AFN to make up for the balance as they were not in a position to do so.

“But I now know Chisora has one of the best chins in the business — how he was standing after some of my shots landed I don’t know.

“The atmosphere here is the best I have ever experienced.”

Chisora has to pay up a £20,000 bet to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children after the KO.

Gone!!!

Nigeria was two days late into the championships, after the athletes were delayed in Lagos by Spanish Embassy officials. This made the depleted team to miss their strong hold events. Nigeria was not represented in the 4x400m after key members of the quartet were denied visas.

However the women 4x100m team fought their way into the final, Only to be disqualified after running a good race.

Amir Khan on the canvas after being knocked down by Danny Garcia.

A

MIR KHAN was made to pay for claiming he was a ‘superstar ’ as Danny Garcia ripped the WBA light-welterweight title from his grasp.

With Khan looking to step up to welterweight and secure a moneyspinning fight with Floyd Mayweather, Garcia brought his world crashing down around him.

Bolton ace Khan went

Carl Lewis Continues from BP in 100m at the 1984 Los Angeles showpiece and four years later in Seoul, said it was difficult for sprinters to remain in peak condition for extended periods.

“The reason it hasn’t been done is because it’s hard to stay at that level for a long period of time. People are always trying to beat you when you are a champion,” the American pointed out. “(Yohan) Blake has beaten Bolt two years in a row now after the World Championships in 2011 and we

don’t know what Bolt’s head is like when he loses.”

He continued: “It’s a challenge to win two in a row but history defines greatness. You don’t have greatness in your time - you are great because of history.

“We always try to predict which races are going to be great but you just don’t know and that is the brilliant thing about it.”

Chinks appeared in Bolt’s armour two weeks ago when he was twice beaten by training partner Blake at

into the fight in Las Vegas as the overwhelming favourite — despite the fact Garcia holds the prestigious WBC crown.

The 25-year-old was looking to make a statement but was floored three times on the way to being saved from further punishment by referee Kenny Bayless, who waved the fight off in the fourth round.

And while Garcia stretched his unbeaten record to 24 fights, Khan was left to reflect on what could have been.

He said: “It wasn’t my night. After watching the replays a little bit I thought I was coming in with my hands down and Danny took advantage.

“I respect Danny, he was countering very well against me.”

the Jamaica National Trials.

On both occasions, Blake clocked world-leading

times - 9.75 seconds in the 100m and 19.80 in the 200m - to install himself as one of the favourites in London.

Yakubu Continues from BP Yakubu, who only moved to the club during the past week, scored his debut goal on 86 minutes to start his China sojourn on a bright note.

This victory means that R&F move up to the fifth position after defeating the league leaders. They now have 27 points from 17 matches.

Yakubu is among a trio

of top African footballers who recently made the move across to China as that country hopes to increase the popularity of the game among locals.

Didier Drogba and Seydou Keita have both moved to Shanghai Shenhua and Dalian Aerbin respectively bringing lots of attention to the world’s most populated country.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, JULY 16, 2012

Haye KO’s Chisora DOWN ‘N OUT ...

Haye sends Chisora crashing — See story and pictures on P.63

GOLDEN DIAMOND•••Nigeria’s London 2012 Olympics medal hopeful, Blessing Okagbare, centre, wins the women’s 100m race at the London Diamond League weekend.

Yakubu scores in Chinese debut HE Yak has hit the ground running as his lone strike put R&F

T

AFN in pain for fumbling in Spain

BY BEN EFE, Barcelona

N

IGERIAN athletics officials are sulking for participating in the IAAF World Junior Championships that TODAY'S

ended in Barcelona, Spain yesterday.

This was after the team failed to win a single medal in the Championships, despite the spirited attempt made by the athletes. Besides, the

PUZZLES

federation is now saddle with the responsibility of shouldering expenses incurred after last minute cancellation of flights, as a result of the team’s inability to travel on schedule.

FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

above their opponents in the Guangzhou derby on Sunday afternoon The Nigerian international justified his signing as he scored to give them a lone goal victory over local rivals Guangzhou Evergrande in Sunday’s match.

Continues on Page 63

•Yakubu

Carl Lewis doubts Bolt’s Olympics 100m title defence

“Maybe we shouldn’t have come after all that trouble of securing visa.

This is because our team’s performances were affected and also we have been left with a

debt burden,” said AFN Continues on Page 63

O

LYMPIC legend Carl Lewis has cast doubts on sprint sensation Usain Bolt repeating his Beijing exploits at the London Olympics starting later this month.

Jamaican Bolt will start

the Games as the defending champion in both sprints after dominating in Beijing four years ago, reports CMC. Lewis, who won gold Continues on Page 63

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Blemish (4) 4 Cushion (3) 6 Bulk (4) 9 Vase (3) 10 Splendid (8) 11 Remain (4) 14 Resin (3) 16 Climb (5) 19 Hugged (8) 21 Danger (5) 23 Differ (8) 24 Choose (5) 27 Knock (3) 31 Unfasten (4) 33 Adorned (8) 34 Fire-arm (3) 35 Yield (4) 36 Plaything (3 37 Dumb (4)

DOWN 2 Chef (4) 3 Rant (4) 4 Manufactured (8) 5 Run (4) 6 Melody (5) 7 Skill (3) 8 Growl (5) 12 Barrier (5) 13 Overhead (5) 14 Breach (3) 15 Deserve (5) 17 Grant (5) 18 Eject (5) 20 Disorder (8) 22 Circuit (3) 25 Thrust (5) 26 Hag (5) 28 Warmth (4) 29 Dross (4) 30 Exploit (4) 32 Counterfeit (3)

FRIDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Lawful 5, Thwart 8, Maintain 9, Loud 10, Fen 12, Pater 15, Sew 17, Use 18, Irk 19, Air 20, Demon 21, Inn 22, Spa 23, Sum 24, Lee 26, Ladle 29, Pie 33, Base 34, Inclined 35, Severe 36, Tangle.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 2, Awake 3, Fang 4, Llma 5, Tingle 6, Walk 7, Route 10, Frail 11, Nurse 12, Pedal 13, Timid 14, Rinse 15, Skimp 16, Wince 25, Evade 27, Agile 28, Licit 30, Ideal 31, Fete 32, Kiln

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

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

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

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

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