IMMIGRATION TRAGEDY:Labour, NHRC demand sack of Moro, NIS boss

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62101

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N150

MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

Sanusi hits back as FG plans to probe him 10 National Confab: FG insists on 15 no-go areas

IMMIGRATION TRAGEDY:

From left: Engr. Tom Allen, Chief Operating Officer; Dr. Ernest Azudialu Obiejesi, Chairman, both of Smile Communications Nigeria Limited and Mr. Kamar Abass, Managing Director, Ericsson Nigeria at a special press conference announcing rollout of 4G broadband internet services by Smile Communications, in Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

Labour, NHRC demand sack of Moro, NIS boss •It will be better to be alive and remain unemployed than to die unemployed — Survivor

By INNOCENT ANABA, VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG,JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU& VICTORIA OJEME

O

UTRAGED by weekend's tragedy which claimed at least 16 job applicants, including four pregnant women who turned up for the aptitude test for employment into the Nigeria Immigration Service at various centres across the federation, National Continues on page 8

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COLUMNIST:

LES LEBA •P.40

Mr & Mrs

TRAGEDY: Interior Minister, Abba Moro, with one of the victims of Nigeria Immigration Service aptitude test tragedy, at the National Hospital, Abuja, yesterday.

Mass burial for Kaduna attack victims

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POCKET CARTOON

RECEPTION: From left: Kwara State Interim Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Hon. Ishola Balogun Fulani; former Minister of Sports, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi; Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State; Speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Rasaz Atunwa and Deputy Speaker, Prof. Mohammed Gana Yisa during a reception in honour of the former minister at Government House, Ilorin, weekend.

Labour, NHRC demand sack of Moro, NIS boss Continues from page 1 Human Rights Commission Chairman and 54 other eminent Nigerians as well as labour unions, yesterday, called for the resignation of the Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro and Comptroller General of Immigration, Mr David Parradang.

Former Presidential candidate in 1993 general elections, Alhaji Bashir Tofa, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, former FTC Minister; Dr. Chidi Odinkalu, Chairman, Governing Council of the National Human Rights

Commission; Ayo Obe, former President, Civil Liberties Organisation and 53 others, said in a joint statement in Abuja, “On March 15, thousands of job-seekers attended job-seeking examinations organised by the NIS, in different centres in Nigeria to fill 4,556 vacancies.

“The ministry and the NIS had compelled each job-seeker, as an eligibility condition for participating in this hire process, to pay N1,000. There is no evidence that these sums were remitted to the Federation Account as required by law. In most

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world—Oscar Wilde.

Always have a way to look ahead.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

The more you see yourself as what you’d like to become, and act as if what you want is already there, the more you’ll activate those dormant forces that will collaborate to transform your dream into your reality —Wayne W. Dyer Let go of your need to have more. The language of the ego is more. It is never satisfied. No matter how much you achieve or acquire, your ego will insist that it isn’t enough, you find yourself in a perpetual state of striving, and eliminate the possibility of ever arriving. Yet in reality, you already have arrived and how you choose to use this present moment of your life is your choice.

Ironically, when you stop needing more, more of what you desire seems to arrive in your life. Since you are detached from the need for it, you find it easier to pass it along to others, because you realise how little you need in order to be satistified and at peace.

The universal source is content with itself, constantly expanding and creating new life, never trying to hold on to its creation for its own selfish means. It creates and let go. As you let go of ego’s need to have more, you unify with that source. You create, attract to yourself, and let it go, never demanding that more come your way.

As an appreciation for all that shows up, you learn the powerful lesson that St Francis of Assisi thought" “...It is in giving that we receive.”

By allowing abundance to flow to and through you, you’ll match up with your source and guarantee that this energy will continue to flow.

places, these job-seeking examinations took place in stadia, suggesting that the organisers anticipated large turn outs.

Inexplicably, they failed to make adequate or any arrangements for crowd management and control.

“At different centres around the country, including Abuja, Benin, Kano, Minna, and Port-Harcourt, many job-seekers, including pregnant mothers, were killed and lots more were injured in stampedes caused by grossly negligent and uncaring ground arrangements.

This tragedy was needless, foreseeable, and avoidable. The failures of the Ministry of the Interior and NIS to adequately manage the process and safeguard the safety and security of the jobseekers is inexcusable. The deaths that resulted from these failures, therefore, were unlawful. If the lives of Nigerians mean anything, the leadership and management teams in the Ministry of the Interior and the NIS must be held to account for these deaths.

“In his reaction to the deaths, Moro accused the victims of 'impatience,' claiming that the deaths resulted because 'they did not follow the laid down procedures spelt out to them before the exercise.'

The effort by the minister responsible for citizenship in Nigeria to blame the victims rather than take responsibility shows a callous disregard for the lives of Nigerians incompatible with his high Ministerial brief. It brings public service into disrepute.

"In the circumstances, we the undersigned, as citizens of Nigeria, respectfully demand that Moro; and the Controller -General of Immigration,

Mr. Parradang, be immediately relieved of their positions. The Attorney-General of the Federation and the Inspector-General of Police together with the Director-General of State Security, should launch a joint criminal investigation into the deaths of these jobseekers.

An independent audit should immediately be instituted into the monies made by the Ministry and the NIS from the job seekers and criminal investigations should be commenced as appropriate.

Problem of youth unemployment “Government should demonstrate a readiness to address the problem of youth unemployment as a national security priority through a partnership involving the agricultural sector, public sector, private sector, voluntary sector, and multi-laterals.

To the families across the country bereaved as a result of these and other on going challenges in our country, we take this opportunity to transmit heartfelt condolences and pray for the peaceful repose of the souls of our deceased brothers and sisters.”

The multitudes of applicants who came for the test were said to have overwhelmed both the coordinators and the security personnel a situation that degenerated into stampede. In Abuja, eight persons were reported dead while in Niger State, three persons died. In Rivers State four persons were said to have died even as one person died in Benin. Many others were also injured and were rushed to hospitals just as original certificates of many of the applicants were lost

during the stampede.

Amidst condemnations of the incident from the labour, the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the All Progressives Congress, APC, some families of those who died during the exercise besieged the National Hospital yesterday demanding the immediate release of corpses of their relative for burial according to religious rites.

Among the dead was one Miss Oyiza Yusuf, a mother of one. According to Oyiza's brother, Engr.

Mohammed Hakeem, "I was informed of my sister's death and I came to verify.

I regretted that my sister who was defrauded last year of N150,000 for the same job had to finally pay with her life. A situation where people were made to suffer and die for jobs that probably have been allocated to the children of highly placed individuals, is lamentable, the government should be sensitive to the plight of ordinary Nigerians.".

Vanguard investigations at the National Hospital, yesterday, revealed that of the 40 injured brought in for treatment only 11 are still on admission. The hospital's Head of Information, Mr Taiwo Haastrup said "out of the forty persons that were brought in with different injuries, many have been discharged and only eleven persons are still on admission, and are doing very well."

Stampede at Elekahia stadium In Port Harcourt, some of those who survived the stampede recounted their experiences describing it as horrible. Blessing Uzor and Chinemen Isaac who were recuperating at Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital, BMSH, and Glory Hospital Ogbunabali said the stampede at the Elekahia stadium was caused by the directive of

the immigration officers to force applicants to squat.

Uzor who was recuperating at Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital said she could recall when some Military officers told them to squat on the floor which later led to disaster when those standing at their back fell on them.

She said, "The only thing I can remember now is when Army officers who were assisting the Immigration officers ordered some of us to squat and while we were doing that a crowd of candidates were standing at our back.

Five minutes later the crowd fell on us, and that is the only thing I can tell you now. I regained my consciousness at 4:45 am on Sunday, that was when I started to ask about my bag and other writing materials I took to the recruitment exercise, I thank God that I can talk now."

Also at Glory Hospital, Isaac, who is still struggling with the shock told Vanguard that it will be better to be alive and remain unemployed than to die unemployed. His words: "I didn't know when they fell on me, I was squatting as directed by officers, because they were sharing question papers and some persons wanted to grasp it when it was not yet their turn, that was why the Army came to maintain orderliness. The next thing that happened was that some people started pushing to make way for themselves and they fell on top of one another. About 15 persons were on top me, I was later rushed to BMSH but later my parent came and took me away to where I am now.

Responding, Mr. Abang Bisong, the Public Relations Officer, PRO, Nigeria Immigration Service, Port Harcourt command, said it is untrue that the order for some applicants to squat led to death of five persons. He explained that there was

Continues on page 47

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014 — 9

KIDNAP: I ate biscuits for 10 days, says freed lawmaker

SEIZED: Vandals' boats loaded with jerry cans.

INSET: Abbey Daniel, arrested suspect.

PHOTO: EVELYN USMAN.

BY SUZAN EDEH

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AUCHI— THE member of Bauchi State House of Assembly representing Jema constituency under All Progressives Congress, APC, Yusuf Nuhu, that was kidnapped in Toro Local Government Area of the state has said that he was fed biscuits all the days he was in captivity.

Nuhu stated this while speaking, yesterday, at Bauchi State Police command shortly after a briefing on his rescue by the State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ladan.

The lawmaker, who was kidnapped on March 3, was rescued by the police after a gun battle between the abductors and the police, a situation that led to the death of a 10-yearold girl that was hit by a stray bullet.

Nuhu said: “It was a terrible experience because I have never found myself in such a situation before.”

Police foil N50m robbery attempt in Shagamu

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA— THE Ogun State Police Command, yesterday, said it killed two suspected armed robbers and arrested one, while they attempted to rob a man of his N50 million at Sagamu in the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement said: “A Special AntiRobbery Squad in the state led by Superintendent of Police Mohammed Tijani on Friday, March 14, engaged some suspected armed robbers, who came from Anambra State, in a fierce gun duel in GRA Area Sagamu, Ogun State at 8pm.”

Pipeline vandals engage police in shootout

Monarch, brother docked over N40m fraud

BY CALEB AYANSINA

zI wanted to reduce fuel scarcity, says arrested suspect

BY EVELYN USMAN

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ANDEMONIUM broke out, weekend, along Ikate-Akute area of Ogun State following a shootout between operatives of the Inspector General of Police Special Task Force on Anti Pipeline Vandalism Unit and pipeline vandals.

A suspected pipeline vandal was arrested, while others reportedly escaped, abandoning five of their operational speed boats with 4,000 empty 50-litre jerry cans.

The vandals, said to be numbering over 12, reportedly stormed the spot apparently to vandalise a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, petroleum pipeline on Saturday morning, when the operatives swooped on them.

During interrogation, the arrested suspect, who identified himself as Abbey Daniel, said he indulged in vandalism to save Nigerians from fuel scarcity.

He said: “I am terribly sorry. But we did it in an attempt to help Nigerians to get fuel, which has become scarce.

“Since the scarcity, Nigerians have been suffering, particularly artisans. And since there is high demand for fuel in Lagos and the buyers are paying good money, we

decided to venture into it. We even sell to owners of petrol stations.

“On Saturday, we came as usual to siphon petroleum product after we received information that NNPC were pumping fuel through the channel. We knew quite well that before the police would get across to the other side we would have disappeared.

How police got us

“What I did not know was that the Police also had got wind of our escapade. When my colleagues started shooting on sighting the policemen, I hid because I was not armed.

“They all jumped into the river and swam to safety. I remained in the bush because I cannot swim. When it was morning, I discovered that my phone was not in my pocket.

“I was arrested as I was

leaving the scene. All I am asking is for them (police) to have mercy on me.”

Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of the Task Force, Friday Ibrahim, said the Unit got a tip-off that vandals were operating along Ikate-Akute axis of NNPC right-of-way at 1am.

“Policemen, led by the newly-posted Lagos Sector Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police Samson Olawoyin, cordoned off the area and the vandals who realised that the policemen were on their trail opened fire.

“The vandals absconded when they realised that their game was up and fled. The boats containing countless numbers of 50 litres gallons have been destroyed, while one of the suspects was arrested.”

A

BUJA— THE traditional ruler of Ipupe community in Ubalaka Umuahia South Local Government of Abia State, Eze Chima Ubiaru and his brother, Patrick Ubiaru, a soldier, have been docked before an Abia State High Court sitting in Umuahia over alleged misappropriation of N40 million.

Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission said the money was part of the N60 million released by the Federal Government, through the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited, to the community as compensation for the relocation of shrines in the sacred forest of Okota.

Ex-council boss kidnapped in Ebonyi church

BY PETER OKUTU

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B A K A L I K I — S U S P E C T E D kidnappers, weekend, abducted the former Coordinator of Okposi Development Centre, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Mr. Ihebunandu Okorie.

He was abducted inside the premises of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, Obioha

Okposi at 1pm after attending a church service.

It was gathered that the gunmen, who were heavily armed, waited for him in the premises and promptly whisked him away in his car, a Toyota four runner, with plate number, NCA 94 AA. An eyewitness said the kidnappers came with a green-coloured Mercedes 230 Benz, V boot, with a Lagos number plate, BS 559 KJA.

He said: “As Okorie was coming out of the church, they began shooting into the air, sending members of the church scampering for safety.

“Before escaping, they shot at the tires and fuel tank of the Benz in an attempt to set it ablaze.”

Police spokesman, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Chris Anyanwu, said he was yet to be briefed on the development.

10—Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

BY HENRY UMORU & PETER EGWUATU

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BUJA—STRONG indications emerged yesterday that President Goodluck Jonathan may soon commence a probe into the tenure of immediate past governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mallam Lamido Sanusi Lamido.

This comes as ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, yesterday, called for a detailed forensic audit of all the accounts and financial activities of the Central Bank of Nigeria from 2009 till date, stressing that in carrying out the probe, the audit must establish and publish all movement of monies from the CBN accounts, such as contract sums, donations and other extra budgetary spending under the suspended CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

The party, reiterated by alleging that a fraudulent N48 billion contract was awarded to a leader of the APC, while N5 billion was further paid to another stalwart of the party as consultancy fee.

But the suspended Central Bank governor weekend reacted to the 35 allegations levelled against him by the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, FRCN, saying he saw the FRCN Briefing Note for the first time when it was attached to his suspension letter.

It will be recalled that following the suspension of Sanusi as CBN governor last month, the Presidency explained that his suspension was not related to witch hunt, but alleged cases of impunity, incompetence, non-challance , fraud, wastefulness, and gross abuse of and noncompliance with provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2007.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, had in a statement explained that Sanusi’s sack by President Goodluck Jonathan was also not a deviation from the anticorruption drive of the present administration.

He added that the issues that culminated in the suspension of the CBN governor dated back to April 2013, following the submission of the CBN audited accounts for the year that ended on December 31, 2012, and which was submitted to the President by the apex bank.

PDP calls for forensic audit The PDP, while calling for Sanusi’s probe, said: “Facts available to it, some of which have already been published by the Financial Reporting Council, show that within the period, the apex bank engaged in reckless award of

Sanusi hits back as FG moves to probe him ...Says each allegation false, malicious and fabricated ...PDP calls for forensic audit of CBN account from 2009 till date inflated contracts through which over N680 billion CBN money was frittered away.”

“The audit must expose the true beneficiaries of over N150 billion doled out as developmental donations especially as some of the institutions listed as beneficiaries such as the Bayero University Kano, BUK, have denied receiving the sums recorded against their names by the CBN. It noted that BUK was widely reported to have announced that it received only N1billion as against the N4 billion claimed by the apex bank.

Meanwhile, Sanusi further stated that each of the allegations was false, unfounded, malicious and fabricated to mislead the President, adding that if the CBN had received the FRCN Briefing Note prepared in June 2013, all misconceptions, misrepresentations, erroneous inferences would have been cleared.

Sanusi, also called on President Goodluck Jonathan to revisit and redress his suspension, urging the President to apply same rationale and rigour to other agencies of government with serious allegations and queries against them.

The suspended CBN governor called on the President to ask other agencies that had been queried of financial impropriety to provide responses and explanation with the same level of clarity and transparency as he had done.

In his defense, according to the report made available to Vanguard , Sanisi said: “ Indeed, it will be impossible for me to review almost five years of revolutionary change made possible by the work of thousands of employees in the CBN, in collaboration with other regulators, banks and other financial institutions and government ministries in this press statement. However, I will mention a few of the key highlights.

“The highlight include : improvement of the institutional framework for policy-making, local currency and maintenance of stability; Establishment of Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria , AMCON; monetary policy amongst others.”

On Briefing Note Allegation that there is weak corporate governance at the CBN on account of the fact

WORKSHOP: Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal (2nd right); Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State (2nd left); President, Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), Mr Murtala Aliyu (centre); Member, House of Representatives, Kamil Ajibola (left); President, African Association of Quantity Surveyors, Michael Frimpong (right) and others during a 2-day international workshop of the Institute at Leisure Spring Hotel, Osogbo, Osun State on Saturday. that the office of the governor is fused with that of the Chairman of CBN’s Board of Directors, Sanusi said the allegation ignored the fact that global best practice was that the governor of the central bank is the chairman of the Board of Directors of the central bank.

On alleged fraudulent activities; that the CBN’s breakdown of “Currency Issue Expenses” for 2011 and 2012 indicated that it paid the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc, NSPMP, N38.233 billion in 2011 for printing of banknotes, whereas the entire turnover of NSPMP was N29.370 million, Sanusi said the expense item of N38.233 billion to NSPMP was made up of N28.738 billion payment to NSPMP in 2011; N6.587 billion accrued liability in 2011 but paid in 2012 when deliveries were received; and N2.829Billion audit adjustment journal entry into the account at the end of 2011 in respect of prepayments to NSPMP. He said the difference between the numbers in the financial statements of CBN and NSPMP was a simple reflection of timing differences between recognition of expenses by the CBN and income recognition by the NSPMP, with both entities applying conservative accounting policies.

He said with respect to

Associated Air Limited, the CBN did in fact pay a total of N1.025 billion to Associated Airlines Limited but noted that the CBN was not responsible for how the company reported its turnover.

On Akingbola’s petition and the N40bn loan waiver; Sanusi said Akingbola was a man found by a final judgment of the Courts in England to have been liable for financial improprieties in the management of the affairs of ICB. He said: “In his self-serving petition, Mr. Akingbola alleged that the CBN, on my watch, wrote-off a loan in favour of Dr. Bukola Saraki.

This is untrue. The CBN was at no time involved in the decision of ICB (or any other bank for that matter) to writeoff its loans.

“The CBN never gave prior approval to the Management and Board of ICB to write-off any particular loan. It is important to state up-front that all the non-executive directors on the Board of ICB were appointed by its shareholders, while Akingbola was CEO and they were the majority on the Board that approved the write-offs.”

In his conclusion to the response, Sanusi stated: “ It is now clear that each of the allegations made by the FRCN in the briefing note could easily have been

resolved upon a simple request to the CBN for clarification or a little more careful review.

“There is no doubt that if the CBN had received the briefing note, which was prepared in June 2013, all the misconceptions, misrepresentations and erroneous inferences contained therein would have been cleared, and the misleading of His Excellency would have been avoided.

“It is now my sincere hope that, having painstakingly provided detailed explanations, backed by verifiable documents, His Excellency, Mr President will find the response satisfactory, and in line with his adherence to fairness and justice, revisit and redress the issue of my suspension.

“Furthermore, it is my wish that His Excellency, Mr President, will apply the same rationale and rigour to other agencies of the Federal Government that have had serious allegations and queries levied against them, and presume upon them to provide responses and explanations with the same level of clarity and transparency.

“In closing, I would like to place on record the dogged professionalism and patriotism of the staff of the CBN. They have, over the years, served this country creditably, loyally and diligently.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014 — 11

Firm approaches Supreme Court over case with NIMASA

BY INNOCENTANABA

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AGOS—HENSMOR Nigeria Limited has appealed at the Supreme Court, the judgment of Appeal Court in Lagos, which awarded N6.4 billion in its favour against Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA. The Appeal Court had on Friday, upturned the judgment of Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court, Lagos which earlier mandated NIMASA to pay Hensmor N6.4 billion over alleged unlawful detention of its vessel named M T Aigbomen.

Hensmor in the appeal wants the apex court to retain the judgment sum, which is currently in the custody of the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Federal High court in a fixed deposit interest yielding account in First Bank.

Court strikes out Awujale’s name from family suit

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

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JEBU ODE— JUSTICE S. A. Olugbemi of an Ogun State High Court sitting in IjebuOde has removed the name of the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona from a suit filed by the Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebu-Ode against Otunba Subomi Balogun, Otunba Olu Adebanjo and Alhaji A.O. Sote.

The court’s order was sequel to an application filed by the plaintiffs’ counsel on February 14 praying the court to expunge the name of the Awujale from the suit asking for a perpetual injunction restraining Otunba Subomi Balogun “from parading himself or holding himself out as Olori Ebi Funsengbunwa ruling house of Ijebuland.”

Mass burial for Kaduna attack victims

BY LUKA BINNIYAT

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ADUNA — THE remains of about 150 Southern Kaduna citizens, were, yesterday, buried in a mass grave in Unguwan Gata, Moroa Chiefdom of Karua Local Government Area of the state, according to a local chief from the area.

Sankwai, Tekum and Unguwan Gata villages in Maroa Chiefdom were, Saturday, invaded by what villagers said were Fulani gunmen, killing no fewer than 200 natives and burning the three villages, after plundering them.

It was gathered that all Southern Kaduna villages were sombre, over the attacks, as special prayers were offered for the deceased in all churches.

Meanwhile, the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union,

SOKAPU, the umbrella body for ethnic nationalities in the southern part of Kaduna State, has said that the people of the area, have no choice than to defend themselves against the frequent attacks and killings by the Fulani gunmen.

Addressing newsmen, yesterday, in Kaduna, President of SOKAPU, Dr. Ephraim Goje, said that the persistent attacks and massacres of their people was a clear indication that the government and the security agencies were not capable of protecting them.

He said the people were being pushed to the wall as they were being killed and their homes and property destroyed, adding that it had become imperative for them to defend themselves by whatever means necessary.

Goje said, “the Fulanis have unofficially declared war on our people. No community has

Dopemu bridge maintenance: The traffic is challenging —OPEIFA

BY OLASUNKANMIAKONI

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AGOS—THE Lagos State government yesterday urged users of Dopemu and Iyana-Ipaja bridges undergoing repairs to endure the temporary pains the exercise will cause them.

Kayode Opeifa, the state Commissioner for Transport who was in the area yesterday to assess traffic situation, admitted that it was challenging, but stressed that it was a temporary pain which, in 10 days time, would allow for a more comfortable ride on the bridge which takes traffic from the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway to Alimosho/ Egbeda, densely populated area of the state.

He said the decision to repair the bridge was to ensure free flow of traffic and lessen the pain motorists often go through on the bridges, which for sometime had been in bad shape thereby, causing traffic gridlock.

When asked on modality put in place to manage traffic dur-

ing the period, Opeifa, said over 20 personnel from Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, officers of Nigeria Police Force, Federal Road Safety Corps, Special Traffic Marshals have been deployed to the area and would resume as early as six o’clock in the morning and work late into the night while the repair work on the bridge will last.

The commissioner also appealed to motorists and the residents to cooperate with the traffic officials, espec i a l l y , LASTMA men.

Ex-Gov Adeleke joins Osun guber race

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

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S O G B O — S T R O N G indications emerged last night that the first executive governor of Osun State, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke may have formally joined the governorship race in the forthcoming August 9 governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Sources close to Alhaji Adeleke, told Vanguard that the former chairman, Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, took the decision after meeting with community leaders in his home town, Ede.

the monopoly of violence, so our people are being pushed to a level that we may take certain actions aimed at defending ourselves and our land in order to put an end to this impunity and senseless killings.”

He added that over 5,000 people had been displaced in the 40 attacks on communities in the southern part of the state since 2011.

“We have identified the perpetrators as Fulani herdsmen as responsible for the attacks and killings, but each time we raise this observation, the Fulani socio-cultural organisations within the state have out-rightly denied the involvement of their people, asking for proofs.”

He added that two Fulani youths in Manchok led Saturday’s attack, during which 219 people were killed, noting that the Fulani youths died in the process and their corpses were identified by the locals.

“The recent attack was led by two well known young Fulanis resident in Manchock town, who died in the process. Their dead bodies had clearly and unambiguously been identified by the natives and their corpses are now kept by the Joint Task Force, JTF, Command in Kafanchan for further forensic screening.

“This has clearly vindicated us and confirms our earlier position that the Fulanis have declared a jihad on the people of Southern Kaduna and Nigeria, evidenced by this genocide in Bondong, the murder in Katsina State, Birnin Gwari, Plateau, Zamfara, Taraba, Benue, among others.

“In some of these attacks, suspects had been arrested and handed over to security agencies for prosecution, only for the culprits to be seen working freely on the streets the next day.

"What comes to our minds now is that, truly, the Fulanis have unofficially declared war on our people. Let it be placed on record that no community has the monopoly of violence, so our people are being pushed to the wall and we may take certain steps aimed at defending ourselves and our land in order to put an end to this impunity,” Goje warned.

He lamented the lack of collaboration between security agencies in Kaduna and Plateau states, noting that the attackers often come in from the Plateau axis to attack Atakar and Marwa chiefdoms, which are bordering Plateau State, adding that each time they are chased by security agents from Kaduna State, they run to the Plateau where they walk freely to celebrate their so-called victories.

12 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

Ekiti guber: No to consensus arrangement in PDP —FAYOSE A

DO EKITI—FORMER governor of Ekiti state and PDP governorship aspirant, Mr Ayo Fayose, has said that he would not be part of any consensus arrangement.

Fayose who stated this through his spokesman, Mr. Idowu Adelusi in Ado Ekiti yesterday, said consensus is another form of imposition especially when not all aspirants consented to it.

Fayose stated further; “Everybody who believes in democracy and in general election must believe in primary.

“I don’t want to be a consensus candidate, everybody must be given a right to exercise as a member of the party. “ I have obtained my form, I returned it, I was screened and the last leg is primary.

“If an aspirant has paid N11million for primary, he should have courage to face the electorate to elect him as candidate.

“ I reject consensus in totality, I am ready to face all other aspirants. After all, there will

be no consensus at general election.

“I believe in party

supremacy based on equity and fair play.”

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COMMISSIONING: From right: Founder, FCMB Group, Otunba Olasubomi Balogun, Awujale of Ijebuland,Oba Sikiru Adetona, and Olori Abimbola Balogun, during the commissioning of the Oba Adesimbo Tunwase Museum and Hall constructed by Otunba Olasubomi Balogun, at Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

Fulani herdsmen congest Oyo prison —CJ I

BY OLAAJAYI

BADAN—FULANI herdsmen outnumbered awaiting trial inmates in a congested prison at Abolongo in Oyo town, according to the Chief Justice of Oyo State, Justice Badejoko Adeniji.

They are awaiting trial in the facility for offences bordering on murder, armed robbery and stealing.

Adeniji said: “Most of them are answering for capital offenses and most of those cases are fatal. We have to wait until the cases are disposed of.”

The prison that should accommodate 160 inmates now houses 327.

The way the prison is congested, according to the Chief

Justice there could be jail break anytime.

She said this during a visit to the Medium Security Prison in the ancient town at the weekend.

Though, she wanted to decongest the prison, she was able to release just one prisoner out of the 327 in the facility after going through their files.

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Explaining what prevented her from releasing more prisoners, she said their offences were capital offences like armed robbery and murder.

“This prison is not expected to have more than 160 inmates but look at what we have here, 327 inmates! I tell you, if not for good management, there would have

been jail break. So, I really commend the Deputy Controller of Prisons who is in charge here,” she said.

The inmate she set free, Adamo Kazeem, was said to have been standing trial for alleged “unlawful carnal knowledge” for the past one year and three months.

Omisore wants killers of octogenarian PDP stalwart arrested

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE S O G B O — A governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Osun State, Senator Iyiola

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Daniel remains Ogun LP leader —ACTING CHAIRMAN

BY DAUD OLATUNJI BEOKUTA—THE acting Chairman of the Labour Party in Ogun state John Laleye said yesterday that erstwhile governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel remains a leader of the party.

Laleye while reacting to a media report credited to the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Ikpe Etokudm in a statement said the national leadership of the party has proclaimed the former governor as the leader of the party.

The acting chairman, however, disclosed that, he had reported

Amosun approves career adjustment for 1,345 stagnated teachers

the suspended members of the executive in the state led by Bode Simeon to the security agencies over their activities.

He accused the suspended members of being sponsored by a “known opposition in the state to cause chaos and confusion in our party."

He said: “Upon my appointment as the acting Chairman of the party, I have met with the leadership of various security agencies in the state namely; the Police, SSS, INEC and others to intimate them of the interim restructuring in the party."

Omisore has charged the police to fish out the killer of the octogenarian stalwart of the party, Pa Taiwo Ogundele who was assassinated at Okiti area of Ile-Ife. Senator Omissore gave the charge yesterday, after he visited the residence of the deceased to commiserate with the family over the gruesome murder of the late Politician.

He stressed the need for the law enforcement agencies in the country to investigate the matter and bring the culprits to book.

Omisore also warned Governor Rauf Aregbesola and other members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state against violence, just as he called on the presidency to call the Governor to order in the interest of peace in the state.

He hinted that a legal action would be taken against those found culpable in the alleged killing of his

supporter.

Ogundele who was until his death, a leader of the PDP in Ife East Local Government Area of the state was said to have been dragged to a hidden location at the back of his house by people suspected to be political thugs before he was shot in the stomach.

According to the son of the deceased politician, Adeleke Ogundele, the late Ogundele was lured out of his residence at 11.30 pm by some politicians who had earlier threatened him in the day while the voters’ registration exercise was going on at his Okerewe ward 02.

Also, the chairman of the PDP in the council area, Mr Omololu Olusegun explained that some politicians in the area had threatened to kill him for his loyalty to a chieftain of the PDP in the state, Senator Iyiola Omisore.

BEOKUTA—OGUN State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has approved the career adjustment of 1,345 stagnated teachers in the state’s Teaching Service Commission with immediate effect.

According to the approval dated March 6, 2014, the benefitting teachers, who have been stagnated on a particular grade-level due to the disparity in the years of obtaining their NCE and degree qualifications, would now be harmonised through career adjustment to their appropriate gradelevels In the career adjustment, grade levels of 83 teachers who have been stagnated since 2008 on grade 16 would now be adjusted to grade 17, 758 teachers on 15 to 16, while 504 teachers would be harmonized from 14 to 15.

The commission’s Chairman, Ms. Olubukunola Onabanjo expressed her appreciation to the governor for the gesture, noting that this has broken an age-long jinx in the lopsidedness in the career progression of teachers in the state.

Fayemi mourns former Ohanaeze president, Uwechue

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DO EKITI—EKITI State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has mourned the passage of the former President-General of the Ohaeneze Ndigbo, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue.

The Governor in a statement, said the death of Uwechue has robbed Nigeria of one of its committed patriots, peacemakers and distinguished statesmen.

Governor Fayemi described the late Uwechue as an outstanding panAfricanist, who was an embodiment of selfless service.

He described the late Uwechue as one of the pacesetters of the Nigeria diplomatic circles who helped cement the nation’s foothold in the international community.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014 — 13

Confab: UPC decries poor representation of Urhobo

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—NATIONAL Chairman of Urhobo Political Congress, UPC, Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, weekend, decried the poor representation of the Urhobo ethnic nationality at the forthcoming national conference.

Omo-Agege, in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of UPC, Dr. Ebenezer Okorodudu, said: “We condemn in its totality, the obvious plans to deprive the good and peace loving people of Urhobo nation of effective representation at the national conference.

“UPC commends the Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, for accepting the nomination of Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, Prof. G. G Darah, an erudite scholar of international repute. UPC takes exception to the fact that as it is now, Urhobo nation, which is the fifth largest ethnic group in Nigeria and second largest ethnic group in the SouthSouth, is only represented by one person.

“It is sad to note that despite the vast array of resourceful

persons amongst the Urhobo, who have made their marks in various walks of life, none could be considered for nomination. More pathetic is the fact that despite being the second largest ethnic nationality in the South-South, we were not also accommodated in the 15 slots given to the zone.

“We make bold to state that the essence of the national confer-

ence is to address the inherent injustice in our country.

A conference built on a foundation of injustice cannot deliver on the mandate of addressing injustice in our political system.

“This nomination has further compounded the pains of the Urhobo people occasioned by the political structural defects of the Nigeri-

PRESENTATION: From left: Mr. Uyi Igbe, Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly; Mr. Victor Edoror; Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and Prince Tony Omoaghe, at the presentation of All Progressives Congress, APC, flag to Edoror, after his defection to the APC from Peoples Democratic Party, at a rally in Irrua, weekend.

Rebuild our town, ravaged community begs Akpabio A

S the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Godswill Akpabio, holds a town hall meeting with Ikot Abasi federal constituency, Wednesday, the Village Head of Ikot Akpan Udo in Ukpum Ete clan, Eteidung Oscar Abel, yesterday, urged the governor to rebuild the community that was devastated by the Amazaba militants of Eastern Obolo Local Government Area of the state in August 2008.

Eteidung Abel, who spoke with Vanguard, said the governor has been silent on the Ikot Akpan Udo crisis for almost six years, adding that his visit to Ikot Abasi will offer him the opportunity to fully understand the issue and take necessary action.

The village head said more than 500 houses were burnt in Ikot Akpan Udo by the Andonis of Eastern Obolo Council, adding that the government should rebuild

an state, where with a population strength of about three million people, which is more populous than some states of the federation, the Urhobo nation has only eight local governments, three members of the House of Representatives and one in the Senate while other smaller ethnic nationalities have more.”

these homes to enable the internally displaced people to resume their economic activities since they have been scattered in several villages of Ukpum Ete clan and Ikot Abasi Local Government Area.

He said that while the state government has decided to release a white paper on the judicial commission of enquiry into Nkari crisis in Ini Local Government Area, inaugurated after the murder of three brothers by gunmen in 2013, the government had refused to release the white paper into the Eastern Obolo induced annihilation of Ikot Akpan Udo, which led to the killing of 13 Ikot Akpan Udo citizens and destruction of the community in August 2008.

Eteidung Abel said the state government had, despite appeals, also failed to provide relief materials to the displaced people of Ikot Akpan Udo, adding that

the people have become mendicants owing to no fault of theirs.

On the resettlement of Amazaba villagers of Eastern Obolo on Ikot Akpan Udo land, Eteidung Abel said his people would never allow the Amazabas to live with them again, stressing that given the penchant of Eastern Obolo people to shed blood of their neighbours, the only solution that would be acceptable was the relocation of the Amazaba Andonis to Otunene or Ememen, which is about seven nautical miles from Ikot Akpan Udo mainland, to stem future crisis.

He noted that since the initial attack on Ikot Akpan Udo in 2008, the Amazaba Andonis have invaded the conurbation up to five times, in the process abducting and killing more than 10 persons in Ikot Akpan Udo and five persons in neighbouring Nda Uko village.

Johnny’s detention political, says pro-Jonathan group

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pro-Jonathan group, the Nigerians Project for Goodluck Jonathan, NPGJ, has said that the arrest and continued detention of its founder and national coordinator, Chief Michael Johnny, over unproven allegations of threat to the life of Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, was political and anti-Jonathan’s re-election.

Spokesman of the group, Mr. Musa Yakubu, in Abuja, yesterday, described as shameful, the arrest and prosecution of Chief Johnny, a law abiding and peace advocate for crime he never committed.

He said the arrest of Johnny was hatched by enemies of President Jonathan to frustrate Yakubu’s efforts toward delivering his Gbaramatu area to the President in 2015.

14 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

Confab: S/E govs urge Igbo delegates, Ohanaeze to cooperate

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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RECEPTION: From left, Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia State, his wife, Mercy; Deputy Governor, Sir Emeka Ananaba, and his wife, Nene, at a grand civic reception, organised by government and people of Abia State, in honour of former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubike Ihejirika (rtd), in Umuahia.

MUAHIA — Chair-man of South East Governors’ Forum, Chief Theodore Orji, of Abia State, has called on Igbo delegates to the national confab to work in harmony with Ohanaeze to achieve a common goal for Ndigbo.

Orji, who spoke when the leadership of Oha-

Anambra: Obi hands over to Obiano today

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA — THE eight years of Chief Peter Obi’s regime as the governor of Anambra State comes to an end today, with his formal hand-over to Chief Willie Obiano.

The famous Alex Ekwueme Square in the heart of Awka, the state capital, has been decorated for the hand-over and Obiano’s oath-taking ceremony is expected to attract people from all walks of life.

The hand-over committee, headed by Prince Chinedu Idigo, who was one of the governorship aspirants, as well as the office of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Mr. Oseloka Obaze, also a former governorship aspirant, have been working hard to ensure a smooth hand-over.

Similarly, the Commissioner for Local Government, Mrs. Azuka Enemuo, had been liaising with the chairmen of the 21 local government areas of the state to ensure the participation of the people at the grassroots in the epochmaking ceremony.

Bill-boards bearing photographs of the new governor and his deputy have been mounted in strategic places in the state, just as tailors had been making brisk business sewing various types of uniforms to be worn by groups.

Today’s event will be the first of such a hand-over ceremony in the history of Anambra State as the out-going governor, Obi, is the first to complete two tenures and hand-over to a governor elected on the same political party.

Activities for the hand-over began last Thursday with a dedication service at the Cathedral Church of Saint Faith, while the church service for the swearing-in took place yesterday at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, both in Awka.

By last Friday, most of the political appointees, who served during the regime of Chief Obi had moved out of their official residences and cleared tables in their offices, except for those whose duties would be required for smooth transition from Obi to Obiano.

BY ANAYO OKOLI At the Governor’s Lodge in the state capital, massive MUAHIA — ABIA tents have been mounted State governor, Chief Theodore Orji, has in almost every available described as shocking space for dinner party that news of the death of former will take place today.

Preaching a sermon at the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ambassa- special church service, yesterday, the Catholic Bishdor Ralph Uwechue.

Ambassador Uwechue op of Awka Diocese, Most Paulinus died last Thursday at the Reverend National Hospital, Abuja, Ezeokafor, enjoined the new governor and his depat the age of 80.

Governo Orji, in a state- uty, Dr. Nkem Okeke, to ment by his Chief Press strive to perform, noting Secretary, Charles Ajunwa, that Obi, the out-going govdescribed Uwechue’s ernor, did the state proud through his remarkable death as unfortunate.

Gov Orji mourns Amb. Ralph Uwechue

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achievements in all sectors, warning that the regime could, therefore, not afford to disappoint the people.

According to the cleric, with the solid foundation laid by Obi, the new administration will not find it difficult to chart the right course for itself so as to continue to put smiles on the faces of Anambra people.

As a parting gift to Governor Obi, traditional rulers from the 177 communities

in Anambra State, on Saturday, conferred on him chieftaincy title of Okwute (the rock), while his wife, Margaret, was conferred with the title of Ona (the ring) of her husband.

The Obi of Onitsha, who placed the traditional red cap on Obi, said the Royal Fathers decided to honour him because of the wonderful work he did for Anambra State.

naeze led by its President, Chief Garry Igariwey, paid him a visit in Umuahia, weekend, said Igbo delegates should not work in isolation with Ohanaeze.

His advice came just as a member of Ohanaeze Youth Wing, Mr. Chuks Ibegbu, warned Ndigbo at the conference not to speak in discordant voices.

According Ibegbu, if the representatives of Ndigbo do not speak with one voice, the entire Igbo nation will be the losers.

He also decried the exclusion of Ohanaeze youths from the National Confab list.

Governor Orji assured that as chairman of South East Governors, he would ensure there was peace, harmony and mutual respect among the governors, elders and Ohanaeze, assuring that that Ohanaeze would be carried along by the governors for the good of Ndigbo.

The South East Gover-

nors’ chairman also disclosed that they agreed that each state would take care of its delegates and also collectively sponsor a secretariat of delegates of Ndigbo.

He said: “Ohanaeze is ours, it is for all Igbo. I agree that Ohanaeze is not in competition with the governors. We don’t expect any conflict between them. If there were any conflicts at all, now that I am South East Governors' Forum chairman, I will try to resolve them.

“I urge you to continue to work hard. I know your constraints, it is not easy to run Ohanaeze empty-handed. With my emergence, let us see what we can do to be able to carry you along.

“As governors, we know our responsibility.

It is not our wish that Ohanaeze should die.

“If we don’t protect and fortify you, there is the tendency for politicians to hijack you. Be strong, don’t be deterred.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014 — 15

National Confab: FG insists on no-go areas .Delegates arrive, accredited by security agents could lead to the dismembering of Nigeria.

While unfolding the details of the National Conference in Abuja, the SecreHERE WERE indications tary to the Government of the Federalast night that the Federal Govern- tion, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, listed ment was serious about enforcing the the indivisibility and indissolubility of no-go area clauses contained in the re- Nigeria as the areas that the delegates port of the Presidential Committee on were not expected to deliberate on.

National Conference, as many of the delVanguard learnt from authoritative sourcegates began to arrive Abuja, yesterday, es that the government was bent on ensuring that the delegates kept to the issues for the confab inauguration today.

Vanguard learnt from competent Pres- canvassed by majority of Nigerians when idency sources that the government was the Femi Okurounmi-led Presidential Adworking hard to ensure that the dele- visory Committee on National Dialogue gates did not discuss any issue that went round the country to collate their views on what should form the issues for discussion at the conference.

It was gathered that the Federal Government through the Conference Planning Secretariat had also developed a set of rules Nigeria LNG Limited exBY CHRIS OCHAYI ported Nigeria’s 3000th and regulations to guide cargo since the company the delegates’ deliberations BUJA — NIGERIA began operations on Bon- and to ensure that they do has earned over $50 ny Island in 14 years, not go outside their brief billion as proceeds from would ever remain indeli- during plenary.

One source said that it exportation of liquefied ble in the life of the nation.

Amplifying the profile of was in recognition of the natural gas in the last 15 years, Managing Director the company, Omotowa need to ensure that the and Chief Executive Of- said: “Nigeria now owns delegates conform to what ficer of Nigeria LNG Lim- $14 billion of assets on Bon- Nigerians had already pinited, Mr. Babs Omotowa, ny Island; the country has pointed as the main areas earned $13 billion in divi- of interest, that each delehas said.

Omotowa, who dis- dends, another $11 billion gate would be given a set closed this at the celebra- earned in feed gas sales of rules and regulations tion of Nigeria’s mile- revenue, over $10 billion upon arrival in Abuja.

“While the government stone 3000th LNG Export expenditure in local econCargo, weekend, in Abu- omy on goods, services and would not gag the deleja, explained that the salaries of thousands of staff gates on what to discuss, it is also clear that the govhuge earnings sprouted employed.

“Corporate income tax ernment will not allow anyfrom a meagre $2.5 billion invested in the firm at its will exceed N220 billion per thing that could lead to the annum by far the highest break-up of Nigeria. inception in 1999.

It is important to say that He recalled that the event in Nigeria and sub-Saharthe committee planning the of January 2014, when the an Africa. conference had outlined the major areas of interest to Nigerians based on the views expressed by them when the committee went of PDP, Chief Olisa round the six geo-political

BY HENRY UMORU Metuh, recently that zones of the country.

BUJA — FORMER Atiku owed a debt of “There is no doubt that Vice President, gratitude for providing the submission of the comAtiku Abubakar, yester- him a political platform mittee will help immenseday, took a swipe at his that saw to his emer- ly in shaping the agenda former party, the Peoples gence as the former Vice of the meeting even Democratic Party, PDP, President, Atiku said in though the secretariat will saying it was owing him a statement that contrary not in any way try to gag a great debt of gratitude. to the claims by the lead- the delegates on what to He also urged the lead- ership of PDP, it was, in- say. ership of PDP to concen- deed, his erstwhile polit“It is also pertinent to say trate on improving lives ical party that owed him that anyone who wants to of the people, redressing a debt of thanks. deviate from the views of Atiku, who dumped the the majority of Nigerians at the parlous state of the nation’s economy and PDP recently for the All the conference will have to stem the state of insecu- Progressives Congress, test the superiority of their rity, rather than distort- APC, said Metuh was argument by winning by at distorting history by say- least 75 per cent votes,” the ing history.

Atiku, who boasted that ing he was ungrateful to source explained. he owed the ruling party the PDP. Vanguard also gathered The statement read: that in a bid to ensure the nothing, said those currently enjoying the par- “Neither Metuh, nor any- success of the exercise, the ty were not there when one currently in position secretariat might adopt a of authority in the PDP modified version of the the PDP was formed.

Apparently reacting to today was there when the Votes and Proceedings of a statement by PDP Na- PDP was being formed. the National Assembly for tional Publicity Secretary its work.

BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

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AWARD: From left, Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, CON; President, AES Excellence Club, Dr. Ausbeth Ajagu, MFR, and Governor elect, Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, at the Silverbird 2013 Man of the Year Award, in Lagos.

Nigeria earns $50bn from gas exportation in 15 years

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PDP's owing me —Atiku

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16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014 A MAJOR lesson the political class refuses to learn is that politics that excludes interests of the people would never work. The seasonal need for national conferences like the one that commences today confirms that past efforts failed to address issues that hurt Nigerians, yes majority of Nigerians.

The issues are basic – justice, equity, reflected in the rights to life, security, and access to education, employment, health services, housing and infrastructure like electricity, rails, roads and other means of transportation to support them.

Nigerians do not have drinking water; it is no little surprise that there is hardly water for industrial, commercial and agricultural uses. Even where there is a fire outbreak, we evince wonderment that fire trucks arrive without water. Failure to attend to these matters in sustainable manners leaves the country under-developed.

Millions of Nigerians are living through grinding poverty from childhood to adulthood. The political class in its hurry to succeed itself skips gloomy statistics that paint pictures of Nigeria’s poverty in bold, frightening hues.

BY TOCHUKWU EZUKANMA

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HE feverish disputation over the suspension of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, by President Goodluck Jonathan, dramatises a major problem of Nigerian politics. Nigerian political parties lack ideological and philosophical anchors. Without ideological and philosophical differences between the parties, Nigerian politicians skirt profound political discourse. They bicker over petty political questions and politicise every issue, no matter how trivial. The suspension of Sanusi is an example of a national concern politicised to a nauseating extreme.

To the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, Sanusi is an anti-corruption crusader who has been exposing and challenging the corrupt activities of the Jonathan administration.

And as such, his suspension from office by the President was to punish him for his recent allegation that $20 billion oil money is missing, and also to make it impossible for him to testify in the probe of the missing money. On the other hand, the Presidency insists that he was suspended because of his financial recklessness, fiscal misconducts, waste and fraud.

Again, the opposition contends that his suspension is unlawful because it violates the Central Bank of Nigeria Act of 2007.

The Act stipulates that both the President’s appointment and dismissal of the Governor of the Central Bank require the approval by two-thirds majority in the Senate. To the Presidency, the suspension is not tantamount to removal from office. He was

Here W e Go A gain We Again They speak about leadership, changes in the structure of governance, constitutional amendments, and most importantly, allocation of resources. Rights of the individual to life and the prosperity that our country holds are merely thrown in to complete the works, since modern constitution parade human rights credentials.

None of these suggests the unimportance of the gathering that commences today in Abuja with 496 men and women looking at making Nigeria work. If anything, the urgency of this undertaking is one that should be stated. Nigeria is hardly working; pretences to the contrary worsen the situation.

What is important is ensuring that the current attempt is made with more attention on the welfare of Nigerians. Past efforts concentrated on state and local government cre-

ation, system of government, revenue allocation: all of them centre on sharing power, not the welfare of the people.

Issues before the National Dialogue are broadly expected to be on the structure of government—presidential or parliamentary system, fiscal federalism, devolution of power, resource control, derivation and revenue sharing formula. They are not different from the blighted past.

Others are citizenship right, security of lives and property, state/local government creation, the federating units – two or three tiers and whether it should be states or geopolitical zones, regional autonomy, immunity for elected officials, state and regional police.

Would creation of more States make Nigerians more productive? Would a new revenue formula result in better management of our resources? Would the National Dialogue improve the circumstances of our children?

Nigeria is in dire need of practical ideas for its future. Expectations are that the National Dialogue should find those ideas in a setting where interests of Nigerians prevail.

OPINION Sanusi: Whistleblower or hypocrite suspended so as to facilitate an investigation into the allegations against him, after which he can still be reinstated as the Governor of the Central Bank.

However, despite the contending views on the suspension of the CBN Governor, it is important to note that as far back as June 7, 2013, the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, FRC, recommended to President Jonathan to dismiss Sanusi and investigate the operations of the Central Bank because he has reduced it to “a cesspool of corruption and unbridled waste”. In addition to incompetence, accounting sloppiness and tardiness in submitting financial reports, the FRC accused the Sanusi’s Central Bank of tax evasion by its staff, billions of naira spent on “spurious items” and additional billions of naira paid to an unregistered airline company.

Therefore, before the need to remove Sanusi, the whistleblower, arose there was already an indisputable need to remove Sanusi for alleged corruption and irresponsible behaviour. So, despite the President’s other considerations in dismissing him, he deserved to be relieved of his duties at the Central Bank. The CBN Act is silent on the authority of the President to suspend a CBN Governor. In section 11(1)(d), the Act states that the Governor can be removed when he or she is disqualified or suspended from practising his or her profession in Nigeria. However, whether the President bent the rules or exploited a lacuna in the CBN Act to suspend a reckless and irresponsible CBN

Governor, it is all still fine and I applaud it.

This is because as (according to Barry Goldwaters) “extremism in defense of liberty is no vice”, extremism in upholding the responsibilities and the obligations of the office of the President is no vice.

The distinguishing features of the Goodluck Jonathan administration include ineptitude and corruption. Therefore, many Nigerians believe the rumor mills that the Presidency sequestrated the missing $20 billion to be used to finance the President’s re-election campaign. They are also inclined to believe that the suspension of the CBN Governor was purely for political expediency: to remove a whistle blower and impede the probe into the missing billions of dollars. But then it was Sanusi that, by his moral and ethical lapses, armed the Presidency, and thus, made it possible for the President to suspend him and dissemble his real motives.

Undoubtedly, Nigerians need whistle blowers. With the gutlessness and cowardice that are the hallmarks of our beloved country, it is most refreshing to see the plucky few that have exhibited some guts and courage in exposing and confronting the power class for their corruption and abuse of power. Nigerians should applaud and admire Sanusi for his boldness and intrepidity. But he should have demonstrated some decency in his professional conduct at the Central Bank before demanding same from the other agencies of the government. It is hypocrisy for a man basking in “a cesspool of

corruption and unbridled waste” to lecture other government agencies on accountability and incorruptibility. As the trite but very instructive saying goes: “What you do not have you cannot give”. And to paraphrase Philip Massinger: He that would direct others should first direct himself.

Nigerians need moral and social crusaders that can denounce official corruption, grasping avarice, arrogance of power and the other excesses of the evil oligarchy that presides over this country. However, it is imperative that these crusaders uphold elevated moral and ethical standards in their own conducts, especially public conducts, before demanding them from others. Already, Nigerians are sick and tired of the hypocrisy of the Nigerian power elite.

They posture as democrats, but cling to dictatorial and undemocratic methods.

They desire to be esteemed as democratically elected leaders but rig elections. They pretend to be sentinels of the public good, but then steal, share and salt away billions of dollars budgeted for the public good.

Despite his posturing as an anti-corruption crusader, Sanusi is not, in anyway, different from the other hypocrites that suffuse the precincts of the Nigerian power elite.

Essentially, he is just one of them.

*Mr. Ezukanma, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Lagos

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IGERIANS are a good people - no matter what the critics say. They are law abiding, hard working and obedient. That is the true characterisation of the average Nigerian man, amongst our various ethnic groups. This was the situation, until the White man introduced extreme deviancy into our culture - armed robbery, pen robbery,drugs, lust for money, betrayal, looting and so on.

Recently, the Ogun State government announced a programme for land/ house owners in the state, giving them opportunities to legally own their properties at very discounted rates and without recourse to bureaucratic bottlenecks. A lot of these houses have been built decades ago, many without approved building and survey plans. The response from the people was overwhelming, so much so that the government had to extend the date for registration by another one month.

If the government had attempted this programme about two years ago, I am very sure the response would have been, at best, lukewarm. What has given the impetus is the massive reconstruction works going on across various towns and cities in Ogun State - from Sango Ota to Ijoko, Lambe, Akute, Abeokuta and the rest.

Many of the towns listed here have not enjoyed government presence for as long as one could remember. It was so bad that people coming to Ijoko from Agbado had to do an Israelite journey through the Abeokuta express toll gate, through Sango Ota. For those who are not familiar with the description that I have given here, it is like a 360 degrees journey, very draining, both physically and financially.

Now, construction works have started, despite the massive destruction of properties along the right of way; the people are happy because such project will bring benefits to the greatest number of people, compared to the few displaced ones. Unfortunately, most of the properties that faced demolition lacked genuine papers, and therefore, not properly compensated. That is why the opportunity offered now, to regularise particulars, must not be missed.

The people have rushed to register their properties because they perceive in the present government, a genuine intention to reduce the burden of transportation affecting all the neighbouring towns. We cannot over flog the values of good roads to the development of a place.

The Sango Ota roads, people thought would take a considerable amount of time to complete, are nearing completion. The benefits are so obvious that you can see

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hope on the faces of the people.

If the programme was not people oriented, there is no way it would have gotten the support of the people. All of the border towns with Lagos that fall under Ogun State jurisdiction had no government presence, apart from the local government touts, that usually mount road blocks to extort money from smugglers and drivers of company vehicles.

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hat am I trying to say? You do not need the use of force or propaganda to get the people to approve and support your programmes; show them through performance. I am sure that the rating of Amosun has gone up amongst the residents of the areas and if elections are to be called up today, he will get rewarded, despite the many challenges facing him from his fellow APC colleagues in Ogun State.

Some of our leaders in

Clark’s cross

BY MICHAEL OBERABOR

E

DWIN CLARK is many things to many people. To some, he is a quarrelsome old man, cantankerous, bombastic, a bigot and an ethnic irredentist. He is short-fused, a wily fox, abusive and quick to go to press whether or not his pronunciation is right or wrong. They may be correct. To others he is an elderly statesman, a senator of the Federal Republic, a leader of his people. He was a former commissioner in the Midwest, later becoming the Federal Commissioner for Information under Yakubu Gowon. He had his property seized during Murtala’s inquisition, a position reversed by Babangida. This school of thought is also correct. Clark comes from a privileged background with a father who saw the importance of education at a time when your position in society was determined by the number of wives you had and the size of your farm. One brother, John Pepper, is the famous poet and emeritus professor of the University of Ibadan; another, Akporode was Nigeria’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations; and Henry Udumebraye Clark was a General in the Army who established the elite corps of paratroopers; Peter recently disengaged from the Army, a General himself and Grade One as his name suggests is a cerebral wizard any day.

Between these two extreme views lies a wide vacuum of the personality of Edwin Clark, discoverable only by those quite close to him.

This middle ground is the sum total of his personality. It is also his cross, which he must bear. Edwin Clark, or simply EK, reminds me of a portion of a story I gleaned from Professor Stephen Hawking's book, The Grand Design. Hawking himself is another remarkable man. He held the chair of the Lucasian professor of Mathematics at Cambridge for 30 years- a position once occupied by Isaac Newton, father of gravity, despite suffering an incurable motor neuron disease, an ailment that crippled him. In the book, Hawking tells of a time in Viking

mythology when the earth was flat and two wolves, Skoll and Hati, were always after the sun and moon. And whenever the wolves clutched any of the celestial bodies, there would be an eclipse of the sun or the moon.

Then the people would rise as one and make a cacophony, banging and clanging on every available drum and plate. Hawking observed that after a time, the people would have realised that the sun and moon recovered from the grip of their nemesis whether they made noise or not. And they would also have realised that these eclipses occurred with a repeated regularity. What the people missed at that time was the image the earth cast on the moon during an eclipse.

It was always spherical; a clue that earth was indeed a sphere and was not flat.

This is what people miss in Edwin Clark today. It is the cross he carries for the entire long suffering minorities of the South of Nigeria, a people impoverished through the discovery of oil in their terrain and its attendant litany of woes. The minorities of Southern Nigeria today can never again have their pre-oil era environment. A remediation would take 30 years in a global economy that seeks a bypass of the cheap energy from oil. The reversal of the environmental degradation would also take tonnes of money from the Nigerian purse, a treasury empty at most times, no thanks to official profligacy and bare-faced daylight robbery and pillage of resources, theft of the commonwealth and misappropriation of the heirloom. Many years ago, in Calabar, Clark and his army threw down the gauntlet: it is the Presidency of the country at the next count or we all die! Succour came the way of the minorities when Dr Goodluck Jonathan came on board as a Vice President and Clark settled for second best, a position accepted by the people in order for peace to reign. As things turned out Jonathan became President and all hell broke loose.

Reparations to the people of the Niger Delta were started by his predecessor and were expected to be completed by a son of the soil. Suddenly, and from nowhere, the dread

government will continue to complain about inadequate funding. My response: Use the little you have, even the much talked about security vote, to make a positive impact and the people will be happy with you. Chris Ngige proved, when he was governor of Anambra State, that it is not the amount that is allocated to a state government that determines their development performances, but the prudent and focused use of resources. This has been replicated in Oshiomhole's Edo State. Edo State allocation from the Federal Government is very little compared to the big oil states like Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom. But in terms of visible development, you will rate Edo State very high. This is a state that did not witness any tangible project on ground during the eight years of Igbinedion's rule. I am not saying that Ngige and Oshiomhole are saints, but they ruled with conscience.

Serve the people and you will get their support. When Tinubu came in as governor of Lagos State, the challenge of Lagos filth was so overwhelming. When Tinubu tried to belittle Marwa's contribution to Lagos State development, the critical Lagos press directed him to face what is on ground and forget about Marwa.

Tinubu went to work, got the job done and embarked on major road reconstructions which were visible for all to see. As he did so, he mounted road signs telling the people that their paid tax is at work. The people believed because they saw action on ground; income from tax improved tremendously, so much so that Lagos was able to

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BY SUNNY IKHIOYA

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Give service, get support

People do not have to be cajoled to pay their taxes, they do it happily; the ordinary Nigerian will support you as long as you are adding value to their lives

The only arterial road in the region linking the two oil points remains uncompleted; the youth have resorted to kidnappings, a result of the underdevelopment of the region

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of Boko Haram emerged, becoming the most important single factor distracting the simple gentle son of the canoe carver from Otuoke from carrying out his duties. From a religious commune, the Boko Haram has taken on a larger than life image, wantonly destroying and killing, unchallenged by the people. From Abuja to Kano, Biu to Maiduguri, Damaturu to Bauchi, Boko Haram would not let peace reign. I watched Azazi make his famous speech in Asaba wherein he declared that the politics of the Peoples Democratic Party that decides the eligibility of presidential candidature based on geographical origin was the single cause of this sectarian insurgency.

A

zazi was removed from office for this assertion. He later died in a Navy chopper crash while returning from Oronto’s father’s funeral with Yakowa, Kaduna’s governor. The North and the Americans together with their allies would also not agree with Azazi’s assertion, preferring to lay the blame at the doorsteps of the perceived long years of marginalisation of the Northerners with an attendant large army of unemployed, illiterate and poor youths and have pitched their tent with a perceived redeemer despite the fact that the North has long held on to power at the centre. Day after day, the sect strikes friend and foe alike, tethering to a religious ideology and in spite of the presence of huge military formations battling them, and all avenues of reaching a deal and placating them has failed.

In Clark’s South, hope has vanished and long

hold their own when Obasanjo attempted to stifle them by with holding their allocation from the federation account.

Fashola built on Tinubu's foundation and today in Lagos, people do not have to be cajoled to pay their taxes. In fact, they do it happily. That is the beauty of service; the ordinary Nigerian will support you as long as you are adding value to their lives, not deceit.

The government agencies are all used to cheating the people, even those of them that have been privatised like the various successors to PHCN. They want to count their chicks before they are hatched. Give people service, they will support you. Work seriously for power to be stable and let the people enjoy it uninterrupted for only three months, you will see their response. The power companies must first concentrate on giving service, the market is huge.

Whatever they are losing in the interim will be recouped on the long run.

When the people enjoy a service, they are ready to pay. It happened in telecommunications, it will also happen with power and other government-owned or privatised corporations as long as they offer service.

The average Nigerian is a good man. Let our leaders not turn us to criminals.

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

gone. The people yearned for roads, railways, motorways, bridges, employment like the rest of Nigeria. They sought regular power supply, security, food and shelter. The only arterial road in the region linking the two oil points remains largely uncompleted and abandoned. The youth have resorted to kidnappings to make ends meet, a result of the underdevelopment that has become the lot of the region. Even the President’s cousin was kidnapped by unknown gunmen. Clark was once revered as the arrowhead in the fight against corruption. His silence at the brazen plunder of scarce resources is louder than the clapping of thunder. A lady bought two cars for nearly a billion in a society where universities were closed for five months for lack of teaching material; a probe into the fuel subsidy scam remains an illusion till this day; pension funds were looted by their keepers; bankers left with depositors monies; the stock exchange became a casino with its regulator a regular gambler; the minister coordinating the economy regales us with statistical data that must include the decimal point and percentage everyday without commensurate achievements on ground; the National Assembly takes a quarter of our earnings.

The list is unending with each new day bringing another tale. To cap it all, there is the $20 billion heist! Where is Clark? There was a time Clark was the leader in the fight against injustice. He was silent in the Salami saga; he watched Suntai’s deputy shove him aside; Mustapha visited him after his prison spell and questionable release that is still sub judice; ministers with questionable loyalty were shown the way out of government unceremoniously; fraudsters and politicians and men of questionable integrity surround him; he saw Sanusi go!

These sum up the totality of Clark’s cross. A cross he must bear until equity and justice come to both North and South; a cross he must shoulder until probity and accountability in public office become the norm and default option.

*Oberabor, a medical practitioner, wrote from Warri, Delta State.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014 — 41

42—Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

Vanguard CLASSIFIED BAHADUR —I, Pankaj S/o Bahadur Chand Khatter R/o 5/834, Vaishali, Ghaziabad – 201001, India, working in Lagos, Nigeria wish to be known and addressed as Pankaj Khatter for all future purposes. All former documents remain valid.

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Centenary celebration a distortion of history—Ntisong

BY TONY NYONG

U

YO – THE Ntisong of Ibibio 111, Engr. Essien Ekidem, has the said the nation’s celebration of hundred years of independence and the amalgamation of the Southern and Northern protectorates of Nigeria was a distortion of history because relevance was not given to certain historical places of importance that would have served as reference points to the future generations in the country.

The monarch, who occupies the highest traditional stool in Ibibio land considered to be the fourth largest ethnic group in the country said the event should have taken cognizance of historical places like the ‘point of no return’, ‘Amalgamation house’ in Ikot Abasi, and other relics and artefacts of history in Akwa Ibom State.

He aded that part of the centenary celebration should have been conducted at such points to directly replay the history to the present generation.

The Ntisong 111, who said the nation also failed to bestow honour to such great heroes from the State who had played pivotal roles in bringing about functional change in the country has strongly advocated for true federalism, repeal of repressive and obnoxious laws, mas-

sive infrastructural development of the Niger Delta region, fiscal federalism and resource control during the national conference that is coming up.

The monarch who made available copy of the position of the Akwa Esop Ima Isong Ibibio, a socio-cultural organization in Ibibio land part of which read, ‘therefore on grounds of fairness and equity, historical antecedents and prevailing practices in major world democracies, which have built sound economies around the time-tested practice of federalism, fiscal federalism, resource control must be restored to the Nigerian federalism’.

The royal father urged President Goodluck Johnathan to seriously tackle the issue of unemployment in the country and address other issues that may have led to the insurgence witnessed in the Northern parts of the country.

He said since the nation has had the experience in the past, we should not be afraid to go back to the practice even though the nation is no longer having the regions again, adding, ‘let the oil- producing areas benefit more than other areas from the royalties and from the taxes which accrue from the oil which God has given them for their own development.’

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014 — 43

44—Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

Mugabe accuses Nigerians of corruption

BY UDUMA KALU with agency report

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From left, Mrs Adebisi Ibironke, secretary, Comforter's Companions Fellowship; Mrs. Grace Monye, vice chairman and Mr. Bimbo Ajayi, chairman during the Comforter's Companions Fellowship free medical outreach for the residents of Anthony Village, Lagos, weekend. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele

RESIDENT Robert Mugabe has accused Nigerians of soliciting for bribery before they perform their civic responsibilities.

A report published in a Zimbabwe newspaper, Bulawayo24 said Mugabe took the swipe at Nigeria during his 90th birthday luncheon recently.

Mugabe, the paper noted, said Zimbabweans were almost now behaving like Nigerians “who have to be corruptly paid for ev-

ASUP decries political tension in the country J

BY TAYE OBATERU

OS—THE Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, decried the growing political tension in the country warning politicians not to endanger the unity of the country.

In a communique at the end of its National Executive Council, NEC, held at Yandev, Benue State and made available to journalists in Jos, the union advised the political class to weigh the possible consequence of the actions and utterances on the unity and future of the country.

The communique signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Clement Chirman, decried the culture of impunity among politicians urging them

to be more statesmanly and mature in their activities.

The union expressed deep concern over the level of insecurity in the country especially in educational institutions and called on government and other stakeholders to demonstrate genuine commitment to guaranteeing the security of lives and property of Nigerians. It again vowed to continue the ongoing strike by its members until government addresses issues tabled by the union because of what it called “the culpable insensitivity of government towards resolution of the 13 core outstanding issues that precipitated the on-going ASUP strike.”

It listed the issues to include,

the non-establishment of National Polytechnics Commission, the delay in provision of policy frameworks for the elimination of HND/ Degree dichotomy, re-negotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUP agreement and non-implementation of CONTISS 15 migration for the lower cadres.

The communiques tasked government to urgently include monotechnics and colleges of technologies as beneficiaries of the tertiary education trust fund, TETFUND, in-

Don cautions Northern govs on Boko Haram

BY TAYE OBATERU & MARIETHERESE NANLONG

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development not military hardware, weapons of mass destruction are not in Nigeria but manipulation of religion, ethnicity, corruption and diseases are the weapons of mass destruction killing us. Security issues in Nigeria should be adequately addressed but if the country fiddles with the issues of central Nigeria, it does so at its own peril because once you take away central Nigeria, the South is not connected to the North”.

ELEVANT agencies have been urged to treat the ongoing threat posed by the Boko Haram sect as a civil war situation and the problems between herdsmen and local farmers in the north east as a security risk and deal decisively with both as treating them with kids’ glove are at the peril of the country.

Similarly, the North has been advised to borrow a leaf from Senegal and abolish the almajiri system which has turned out to be a national security challenge where children are forced into HE National Emergency Management Agency, the theatre of battle and mayNEMA, yesterday, confirmed a fire incident on hem unleashed on the nation. the pipeline network of the Nigerian National In a public lecture titled: Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, in Ijegun area of “Population Dynamics, Securi- Lagos State. ty and Humanitarian ChallengMr lbrahim Farinloye, SouthWest, NEMA es in Central Nigeria” deliv- spokesman, however, told the News Agency of Nigeria ered in Jos by Prof. Dakas Da- (NAN) on telephone that nobody died in the incident. kas at the 70th birthday of the Farinloye said the explosion was as a result of Plateau State Governor, Jonah underground spillage through previous points of Jang, the lecturer also stated a vandalism, and that there was no fresh act of greater percentage of evil done destruction to the facility. in the nation is carried out by The Director of Lagos Fire Service, Mr Rasaq the youths hence issue of un- Fadipe, also told journalists on telephone that the employment should be ad- explosion at Ijegun was reported to have occurred at dressed as denial of such is at around 7.15 am on Saturday. According to Fadipe, the nation’s risk. several fire incidents occurred at the weekend in the Prof. Dakas said, “Security is state and the agency responded appropriately.

NEMA confirms fire incident at NNPC pipelines in ljegun

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tervention projects and also the ongoing Needs Assessment of public polytechnics. It added that the appointment of rectors should be done from within the polytechnic system to promote the realization of self-actualization goals among academics within the system.

ery service.”

He said, “Are we now like Nigeria where you have to reach your pocket to get anything done? You see we used to go to Nigeria and every time we went there we had to carry extra cash in our pockets to corruptly pay for everything. You get into a plane in Nigeria and you sit there and the crew keeps dilly dallying without taking off as they wait for you to pay them to fly the plane,”the president said, and he was immediately supported with raucous laughter from his delegates."

Statistics say that Zimbabwe is more corrupt than Nigeria. Nigeria is 163 on the international corruption list, with Zimbabwe ranking 170, which is third most corrupt country from the bottom.

However, last year, it is reported that Nigeria was corruptly involved to the tune of $3 billion, while Zimbabwe was at $2 billion. It is in this context that Nigeria may be considered more corrupt than Zimbabwe.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2013 — 45

We are giving people their sight back — HASSAN An experienced ophthalmic surgeon, and Chief Medical Director, Eye Foundation Hospital, Lagos, Dr. Adekunle Hassan, speaks to SOLA OGUNDIPE on the Eye Restoration Intervention Scheme, EYERIS, an initiative of the MTN Foundation to reach an estimated 33,364 underprivileged Nigerians. Excerpts:

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HAT is special about us is that we operate a social enterprise system whereby we use the private sector to pay for the public sector. We did so much work in Lagos State that the then Governor gave us a place in Sobo Arobiodu where we still have the facility to cater for patients who ordinarily cannot afford to pay for the service. They pay as low as N1000 and we perform cataract surgery for as low as N15,000. The place has been running for long. We also looked at our entire operation and realized that 40 percent of our patients are from Benin, Akure, Abeokuta and Ibadan, we decided that we needed to train not only with private patients in private establishments but also with public patients in public establishments.

Partnership with the MTN Foundation: It all began in 2013 when we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with MTNF. In the first phase, we were to do 12,000 surgeries and we started in Ogun State. The project team visited those areas, assessed the need and furnished us with the data. In Osun state, about 1,000 people benefited from it, and we moved to Minna in Niger State where about 1,450 people benefited. We were even accused of having been paid N80,000 per patient because for cataract surgery you spend nothing less than N80,000.

We had to convince them that no one paid us a dime for what we were doing because we were giving our services free with support from the MTN Foundation who paid for the consumables.

We also explained that the free glasses being given are also as a result of the collaboration between us and MTN Foundation

• Helpiing children protect their sight for the benefit of the people. From there we moved to Delta State and ended up doing about 1,000 surgeries.

Eye care: A country with a good comprehensive health system must have eye care system.

These days, we talk of the eye health system as part of the whole health system. The eye care system is usually specialized and it is made up of teams. Within the team, we have the Eye doctor who is the Ophthalmologist.

The Ophthalmologist is a doctor who is specialized, after being a medical doctor, in carrying out corrective surgeries on the eye. It takes between five to seven years to specialize and become an Eye Doctor. When you become an Ophthalmologist, it means you can operate on the eye, you can treat medically and you can give glasses. Next are the Optometrists. They prescribe glasses and basic things like that but they work with the Ophthalmologists as a team. Next to them are the ophthalmic nurses. These are registered nurses who have decided to go and do ophthalmic nursing. After them, we have the middle manpower level, the ophthalmic technicians, community ophthalmic technicians and different people at those levels that contribute to the system.

Ideally within that team, you

• Dr. Adekunle Hassan

have the primary eye care where from childhood, children are tested and their eyes checked.

When we were growing up before you begin primary school, we had our eyes tested, even in secondary school and before you attend the university, you had your eye tested as part of your medical checkup so they can detect any eye defect. A lot of children don't see far, so you can correct their defect to enable them see and some don't see near and it also has to be corrected. You see children seating at the back of the classroom or they put them near the door. This team is all meant to take care of the eye health system.

Awareness campaign We went to Abia State where we were supposed to do 2,000 surgeries, we ended up doing 2,010. The Governor and his wife were present. We were given maximum cooperation. In Sokoto we carried out about 1,000 surgeries. In Jigawa, the story was the same. Doctors came in from Kano State, we carried out over 2,500. Some of their doctors came and learned from our doctors and we in turn picked something from them, like the best ways to mobilize in some areas and so on. It is a synergy and everybody is important.

Before, people thought it was not possible to do what we are doing and have achieved so far.

But when you deliver, people will begin to recognize you and what you can offer. We in the private sector don't need more that 2,000 cataract surgeries to sur-

vive. A cataract surgery of N15,000 is done for N350,000 with high-tech, so you see, there is a big difference but the minimum people need so they can see is what we are trying to put out there. Everybody has a right to what they can afford and that is the basic principle.

Cost of surgery It has to do with the technology applied and the material. The lenses we use in the eyes range from $2 to $1,000, the material we use for surgery varies from $2-$300 and then the machine.

We do manual surgery but advanced cataract surgery is done with laser and the machine go for between $80,000 to $170,000.

This however doesn't mean that people still can't have safe surgery. It is what you can afford and what is out there but at the end of the day, everybody is happy.

Preventable blindness :There are many causes of blindness but the commonest cause is cataract.

It is due to the ultra-violet rays of the sun but the cataract backlog is more in the Northern part in the sense that, the availability of Ophthalmologists in the Northern part is not as much as we have in the Southern part. Awareness is more in the South than in the North and also the attitude and understanding of what is happening.

The other one is glaucoma. This one is a silent thief because you don't have pain or any signs and the pressure inside the eye is high, and when the pressure inside the eye is high, it is higher than the pressure of the blood vessels carrying nutrients to the nerve, it stops the flow of blood and because the pressure goes up and down twice a day, it might just be two hours a day that you get to that critical level, it damages the nerves.

Cataract in childhood: Cataract at childhood is very common but requires more attention and more sophisticated surgery. We don't operate on one child alone. We usually group all the children to-

gether, take them to our Ijebu hospital branch where we have the high technology to do the surgery.

Our success rate for cataract surgery is between 98 - 100 percent.

We do have complications but we manage those complications, those are basic. The advantage of these surgeries is that the doctors themselves that are doing the surgeries are not doing the patients any favours, they are also learning and having knowledge transfer. The patient is getting his vision back, the doctor is getting better skilled at his job and MTN Foundation is meeting its objectives to enrich lives of people in communities it operates in.

Primary healthcare Even with the EYERIS project, we have the complete record of the beneficiaries even up to photo identification so that we can properly analyze the distribution and the various local government areas from where they come from. We are looking at the eye system. The eye health care system can be part of the primary health care system, and the primary eye care can be grafted around the primary healthcare.

They can have vision centers in the entire primary healthcare centers.

Success story: It has been phenomenal. I got calls from friends in the UK and the US. Our staff in IT posted some of the photographs on Facebook and people were seeing them and calling me, asking what we were doing in Sokoto and Jigawa where they said people were being killed. I answered that infact, the people were very nice to us, gave us presents and even took us out to lunch. Because of this, a gynecologist friend of mine from the East who comes home once in a year from the UK, asked me if we could do something together on eye care.

46 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

Missing Malaysian Airline Focus turns to pilots as hunt for jet widens A

TTENTION is focusing on the pilots of the missing Malaysia Airlines flight after the country’s leader announced findings that suggest someone with intimate knowledge of the Boeing 777’s cockpit seized control of the plane and sent it offcourse.

Police are said to be combing through the personal, political and religious backgrounds of pilots and crew of the missing jetliner, a senior officer said on Sunday.

Investigators have also stepped up their scrutiny of the 239 crew members and passengers.

No trace of the plane has been found since it vanished on March 8, but investigators believe it was diverted by someone who knew how to switch off its communications and tracking systems.

“We are not ruling out any sort of motivation at the moment,” a senior police official with knowledge of the investigation told Reuters news agency.

Malaysia’s government said police had searched the homes of the two pilots and were examining the

Anxious relatives of the victims missing aircraft

captain’s home flight simulator, but cautioned it was “normal” procedure.

In a press release, distrubuted on Sunday, the country’s ministry of transport also said police were investigating all crew and passengers on board, as well as engineers who may have had contact with the aircraft before take-off.

Prime Minister Najib Razak revealed the first detailed findings on Saturday in the more than week-long investigation into the missing plane.

Najib said satellite data suggest it flew for at least 7.5 hours and that it could have reached as far northwest as Kazakhstan or deep into the southern Indian Ocean.

At least 25 countries were now involved in the search for the plane, Malaysia’s defence minister said yesterday. Indian officials, quoted by AFP news agency, said on Sunday that New Delhi suspended its search for the plane amid the new information and was waiting for new requests from Malaysia.

Experts say that whoever disabled the plane’s communication systems and then flew the jet must have had a high degree of technical knowledge and flying experience.

One possibility they have raised was that one of the pilots wanted to divert the plane for some reason possibly even to commit suicide.

Crimea exit poll: Around 93% back Russia union

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ROUND 93% of voters in Crimea have backed joining Russia and seceding from Ukraine, according to exit polls quoted by Russian news agencies.

Polls closed at 18:00 GMT and officials hailed a “ record” turnout.

Preliminary results are expected within hours.

Many opponents boycotted the vote, which has been rejected by the US and the EU as illegitimate.

Pro-Russian forces took control of Crimea in

February after Ukraine’s pro-Moscow president was overthrown.

On the ballot paper, voters were asked whether they would like Crimea to rejoin Russia.

A second question asked whether Ukraine should return to its status under the 1992 constitution, which would give the region much greater autonomy.

There was no option for those who wanted the constitutional situation to remain unchanged.

Ethnic Russians make

A high turnout was reported at some polling stations

up 58.5% of the region’s population, and many of them were expected to vote for joining Russia.

There are 1.5 million eligible voters.

Sergeis Aksyonov, who was installed as Crimea’s regional government leader after Russia’s military takeover, said the people were voting freely.

“There are no problems at polling stations. I don’t feel or see that any pressure is being applied,” he told Interfax news agency.

One voter, Olga Koziko, told the BBC that she was voting for secession because she did not want to be governed by “those Nazis who came to power in Kiev”.

“Russia will defend us and protect us,” the schoolteacher said.

Away from the Crimea region, unrest continued in the south-east Ukrainian city of Donetsk.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014 — 47

Nigerian Immigration Service recruitment tragedies

The mammoth crowd at National Stadium, Abuja.

Officials of FRSC, attending to victims of a stampede during the Nigerian Immigration Service recruitment exercise, at the National Stadium, Abuja. About 23 people were killed around the country at different recruitment centres.

...in Owerri.

An official of the Nigerian Immigration Service carrying a fainted female applicant, on his back in Ibadan.

...in Jos

Labour, NHRC demand sack of Moro, NIS boss Continues from page 8 no such order but blamed the stampede to impatient by the applicants who started pushing one another." He, however, regretted that the crowd at the Elekahia stadium was bigger than the stadium, adding that five persons died. Abang said one of the corpses has been deposited at Military Hospital, while the other four were kept at Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital. He added that four of the applicants who were admitted at the Rivers Government owned Braithwaite Memorial Hospital have been discharged.

NLC demands prosecution of NIS National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, said death of close to 20 applicants including pregnant women was unacceptable development that ran against the best employment practices as contained in Nigeria’s Labour Act and relevant conventions and resolutions of International Labour Organization ( ILO) guiding decent work as subscribed to by Nigeria.

The union in a statement by its General Secretary and a Vice President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Issa Aremu, called for the prosecution of the NIS for industrial murder. It also urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on unemployment in the country.

It also advised the National Assembly to spend substantial time today to discuss the issue of unemployment in the country as

members resume today.

According to the statement, “as at the last count, 19 applicants reportedly died in notable centres, namely Benin, Abuja, Minna and Port Harcourt. When we consider the pregnant applicants, we have invariably also killed unborn applicants. For a country that just marked International Women Day with fun-fare, the deaths of female applicants do gross violence to the Federal and states’ government claim to respect human and women rights. These nation-wide unprovoked deaths have negatively dented the notorious image of Nigeria as a country in which lives are being casually wasted in the communities, on the roads and now at recruitment centres."

TUC demands full investigation Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, in its reaction called for full investigation into the circumstances that led to the deaths, saying such deaths were unacceptable. In a statement by its President and Secretary General, Bobboi Kaigama and Musa Lawal respectively, TUC said: "It is extremely grieved by the death of young Nigerians.

While the congress demands an immediate investigation into the matter, We are also of the opinion that government should probe the reported sums of money collected from these young Nigerians with a promise to give them employment.

“Needless talk about those that are daily killed by the Boko Haram sect in the North-East. How long

are we going to continue to watch the lives of the youths of this country waste?

While commiserating with the families of the deceased, the congress prays for the speedy recovery of the wounded and charges the Ministry of Interior and all relevant agencies of government to immediately swing into action to unravel the remote and immediate causes of the stampede. We also charge all government agencies and parastatals as well as all its elected and appointed officials at all levels to redouble their efforts in curbing unemployment in the country. “

FG pledges to compensate victims families Meanwhile, the Federal Government, has promised compensation for families of the dead.

Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, who spoke during a visit to the National hospital also hinted that government will look into the possibility of automatic employment to those injured in the Saturday aptitude test stampede.

Moro who pleaded for understanding of Nigerian over the incident, said government would foot the medical bills of those receiving treatment at various hospitals across the country. While blaming the stampede on "people who didn't even apply," he noted that people who were not shortlisted for the exercise turned up including pregnant wome, noting that it was unfortunate.

Explaining the choice of the use of stadia nation wide for the recruitment exercise, Moro said, it was due to physical exercises which are "very vital component of any enlistment requirement into the Nigerian Immigration Services, and so we didn't expect that what happened, yesterday, was going to happen. We expected orderliness based on the logistic arrangement that has been put on ground.

Senate to probe immigration job tragedy The Senate will today meet to deliberate on the unfortunate incident that happened on Saturday where about 16 applicants were reported dead and several others wounded during the immigration job recruitment test in different parts of the country.

Tambuwal describes incident as unfortunate Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has described as unfortunate, the stampede that led to the death of some Nigerians at various employment screening centres of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS). He said the death of the innocent youths was sorrowful and regrettable considering the fact that they were at the screening centres in search of jobs that will better their lots and that of their loved ones.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam

Imam, Tambuwal asked the authorities concerned to investigate the remote and immediate cause of the tragedy, and advised them to map out strategies to prevent future occurrence.

NIS job stampede deaths, a direct consequence of PDP’s misrule - APC The All Progressives Congress, APC, has said it is greatly distressed at the deaths of 19 job seekers at the venues of the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, job test on Saturday, calling it a direct consequence of 15 years of misrule by the PDP-led federal government.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the Minister of Interior must bear direct responsibility for the needless deaths by immediately stepping down from his post, if he has any honour left, or be fired.

It said, however, that the overall responsibility is that of President Goodluck Jonathan, who now seems to be bent on leaving a dubious legacy of bad leadership that has led to a grim harvest of deaths from insecurity, widespread violence and now job stampede, among others.

APC commiserated with the families of the victims and wished those who were injured a speedy recovery. ‘’Despite huge yearly budgets rolled out since 1999, the PDP-led federal government has failed to create jobs for our teeming youth, and the number of those who are jobless has now reached such an alarming rate that a job emergency may have to be declared to avert an impending cataclysm.

48—Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

Anambra: A new era beckons EVENTS marking the exit of Mr. Peter Obi as governor of Anambra State after eight years in office will climax today in Awka where he will hand over the reins of power to his successor, Chief Willie Obiano. It may be a new era, but many do not expect a truncation of the culture incoporated by Mr. Obi

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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Massive support During his eight –year reign, Obi succeeded in putting many politicians and some vociferous groups, that had hitherto made the state very insecure into the cooler. Also, the frequent bank robberies occurring during his tenure completely disappeared during the last four years, a situation that was attributable to his massive support to the security operatives.

During his era, Obi did some unimaginable things. For instance, he returned schools taken over from the missionaries after the Nigerian civil war despite opposition from the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT,

Political success

•Gov Obiano flanked by former Governor Obi: Wearing Obi's cap and other powerful individuals.

His argument was that it was the only way to reinstate confidence in the public school system.

To assuage the various groups, Obi agreed with the stakeholders that the state government would continue to pay the teachers and gave the missionaries money directly to rehabilitate the schools that were in dilapidated conditions. Furthermore, he set out to computerize the secondary schools and provided money for building and equipping the libraries and laboratories. At the last count, the over 500 secondary schools in Anambra State had been fully equipped and they all had buses bought for them by the state government. The result is that the standard of education appears to be improving such that Anambra State came first in NECO examinations in the country last year. Also, he

FOR THE RECORD •Obi is leaving behind more than N70 billion for his successor •Was a frugal governor and often travelled without aides •Attracted more than N60 billion in FDIs •Did not conduct LG elections until his twilight •Beyond the simplicity shown, Obi was a smooth political operator

introduced a reward mechanism whereby all Anambra indigenes who bag first class in their degree examinations receive N1 million.

Only last Thursday, 160 first class graduates from various universities received N1 million each.

Perhaps one area where he excelled most was in road construction which has made Anambra as one of the states with the best road networks in the country. Though a small state, it takes just about one hour for one to drive from one end of the state to the other. Obi, it must be confessed took off from where his predecessor , Chris Ngige stopped. The industrial sector also benefitted from his largesse as the once moribund Harbour Industrial Estate in Onitsha has bounced back with most of the manufacturing companies resuming operation.

As Obi was rounding up his tenure, he presented what he called his administration’s scorecard for the eight years on the saddle at the Women Development Center, Awka. At the ceremony put together by the Anambra Elders’ Forum to allow Governor Obi give account of his stewardship as governor since March 17, 2006, it was encomiums galore as speaker after speaker praised him for wiping tears out of the eyes of Anambra people after a long

period of uncertainty and near hopelessness.

Former Commonwealth secretary general, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, who chaired the ceremony, said it was an occasion to celebrate cognitive success in governance.

“The most impressive legacy Obi is leaving is making the Millennium Development Goal, MDG, the focus of his

,

OR his campaign slogan in his 2003 gubernatorial campaign, Obi, at every forum, asked the question, “Is Anambra cursed or are we the cause?”

Initially, many people did not take him serious as they felt that because he had not carried bag for the professional politicians who held sway in the state then, he was only wasting his time. It was these professional politicians that indeed held the state hostage from the beginning of the fourth republic in 1999 to the emergence of Obi. However, his carriage and humaneness disarmed most people who came in contact in with him which explained why he overwhelmingly won the election without the big names behind him.

After being sworn in, in 2006, Obi was to face a hostile House of Assembly dominated by PDP. He suffered the truncation of his tenure but eventually returned through the courts and won a second term in the January 2010 gubernatorial election.

Going down memory lane, Obi narrated how he was able to weather the challenges despite the initial hiccups. He said that his administration attracted N60 billion outside the state’s statutory allocations and Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, of about N620 billion.

He also said that his administration has invested N27 billion in property and stock, adding that Anambra did not borrow money during his tenure.

Though Obi is leaving Anambra State as its chief executive, his party, APGA, has entrusted its fate in him as he was recently appointed the party’s national leader and chairman of Board of Trustees, BOT.

With this, Obi steps into the position last held by late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu who led the party until his death. The National Chairman of the Party, Chief Victor Umeh attributed the political success of APGA to Governor Obi’s consistency, hard work and landmark achievements, which he noted made the state a reference point in the country and explained that his appointment as the National Leader was necessary to give him more responsibilities in the party.

However, with the alleged move by the federal government to engage Obi in its activities after leaving office, the question is whether his party, APGA, still has a future. How the events will unfold will be seen during the 2015 general elections during which he must be seen, as the national leader of the party, to ensure that APGA makes inroad

Obi’s decision to back Obiano was seen in some circles as a self-centered action given the fact that the latter was at the time of the party primaries

administration and I am sure that when the history of this state is written, it must be stated that God used Obi to make a difference,” the erstwhile Commonwealth scribe said.

Speaking in the same vein, the minister of finance and coordinating minister for the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala said Governor Obi came, saw and conquered, adding that she was proud of the governor’s contributions to the nation’s economic management team of which Obi is a member.

Africa’s richest man, Alhaji Aliko Dangote said the private sector where Obi came from is very proud of him and hopes that the incoming governor, Chief Willie Obiano would follow his footsteps.

,

in other states, especially some of the states in the South East geo political zone.

Obiano who is stepping in as the new governor of the state is expected to continue from where Obi stopped. Obiano emerged after he was heavily supported

by Obi against other favoured aspirants in the race, most notably, the immediate past governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Prof. Charles Soludo.

Obi’s decision to back Obiano was seen in some circles as a selfcentered action given the fact that the latter was at the time of the party primaries, a senior executive of Fidelity Bank, a bank widely alleged to be substantially owned by Obi.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014 — 49

NNPC pumps additional 956m litres of petrol T

HE Nigerian Na tional Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, weekend, said it has pumped additional 956, 501,315 million litres of premium motor spirit, petrol, to the market as part of efforts to restore normalcy to the fuel situation in the country.

Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Dr. Omar Farouk Ibrahim, said in a statement, yesterday, that the corporation currently has 24.4 days sufficiency of PMS, otherwise known as petrol.

Ibrahim said,“The nation has 956,501,315 million litres of petrol which is equivalent to 24.4 days sufficiency and this will con-

tinue to increase to over 30 days sufficiency before the end of March."

He reassured Nigerians that the NNPC, as the nation’s supplier of last resort was working round the clock to wet the nation with petroleum products to mit-

Anxiety over Delta Speaker, Ochei's resignation

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

SABA—THERE were indications, yesterday, that the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Victor Ochei, may have resigned as Speaker of the House.

Ochei, who represents Aniocha North constituen-

Poor electricity, tariff: UN queries FG

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

T

WO United Nations special rapporteurs have queried the government of President Goodluck Jonathan “over the impact of the Multi-Year Tariff Order II (MYTO II) and its potential detrimental impact on the realisation of human rights of people living in extreme poverty in Nigeria.”

The rapporteurs are: Ms. Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona, Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights and Ms. Raquel Rolnik Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing as a Component of the Right to an Adequate Standard of Living, and on the Right to Non-discrimination.

Their intervention followed a petition last year by a coalition of human rights activists, labour, journalists and lawyers led

by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP. In the joint letter dated November 26, 2013, Ms. Carmona and Ms. Rolnik asked the Nigerian government to explain why “there is no functioning metering system in the country,” and expressed “grave concerns that the absence of functioning metering system limits the ability to accurately set prices for electricity and leaves electricity bills vulnerable to mismanagement and arbitrary deci-

igate the hardship encountered by motorists on fuel queues.

The NNPC spokesman called on motorists to avoid panic buying, assuring that everything was being done to restore sanity to the supply of petrol.

sions, disproportionately affecting people living in poverty.”

The two special rapporteurs also stated that “Certain groups already vulnerable to poverty and social exclusion, including women heads of households and persons living in informal settlements and in rural areas, may be especially affected by the rise in tariffs under MYTO II enacted by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on June 1, 2012.”

Last week SERAP received information from the offices of the special rapporteurs that “the government has chosen not to respond or engage with the concerns raised by them.”

cy in the state Assembly is one of the governorship aspirants in the state in 2015.

Sources told our reporter that he decided to resign following alleged report that no fewer than 19 members of the 29-member House have signed an impeachment notice against him pending the resumption of sitting tomorrow (Tuesday’s), which is the House’s next sitting.

Reasons for the impeachment move were still sketchy at press time. Although, there is no official confirmation to the resignation, a highlyplaced Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, member told our reporter on phone, yesterday that “what confirmation are you waiting for?

He has resigned.”

It was also gathered that the embattled Ochei had called his aides and addressed them on the development. None of his aides volunteered to speak at press time.

Ochei was, however, reported to have dismissed it as a rumour, saying that he would be attending the signing of this year’s budget at Government House, today to be performed by the governor.

Kuku seeks jobs for amnesty trained pilots

By SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

J

ORDAN— The Pres idency has asked foreign aviation institutions currently training Nigerian pilots under the Amnesty programme, to offer them employment upon the successful completion of their training.

Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Office, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, made the call at the graduation of 18 pilots trained at the Royal Jordanian Air Academy in Amman by the

Amnesty Office.

Kuku, who was excited by the feat recorded by the Nigerian pilots, said, however, that it was important for the institutions training them to offer employment to them so as to empower them and reduce the number of jobless people in the country.

The Presidential aide explained that the special attention being paid by the government to the development of the trainees through aviation was to strengthen the sector and to enable the trainees to actualise their dreams of becoming pilots.

50 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014 — 51

52 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014 — 53

H

Eagles: Manager, coach, trainer, who? The Agbamu puzzle

,

ENRY Agbamu is the chairman SCOA Nigeria PLC. His knowledge of football is uncanny, so much that he is quick to tell you “ I am in the wrong profession. I should have been a coach, not selling cars…..”

Henry Agbamu has always planned his vacation to fall on major FIFA football tournaments and to him, it does not matter whether it is Under 17, 20 or Super Eagles. As long as it is Nigeria playing, expect Henry Agbamu to find his way there. “…….Forgive me, I have a marked passion for football. I can read it, talk it and sleep it all day long. I know it more than my professional job, trust me…….”

These are the traits that got him invited to last Tuesday’s meeting of the Association Of sports Veterans Nigeria, an opportunity he seized with both hands to “talk sports” given the caliber of members in attendance.

In a pre meeting discussion, Mr Agbamu wanted to know the structure of the Eagles set up. Who, he asked, was the Manager, who was the coach and who, the trainer?

The question took all of us by surprise. Then all eyes were on me. As member of the NFF Technical Committee, I was expected to provide answers.

General Gregory Adebiyi retired, former Technical Committee Chairman of the NFA attempted to answer, but members were not very convinced.

I said under the present disposition, Stephen Keshi was the manager, the coach and sometimes the trainer and that Amokachi was the assistant coach with Ike Shorunmu as the goalkeepers trainer.

They were not impressed.

The debate that followed hinged on the definition and job content of the positions so mentioned with examples given in Europe and in the Westerhoff era. They suggested that Coach Keshi should be the manager, there should be a coach (es), with a trainer(s) in tow.

I reminded them of the rested controversy surrounding the need for an assistant coach for the

They suggested that Coach Keshi should be the manager, there should be a coach (es), with a trainer(s) in tow

,

Super Eagles. Rested in the sense that Keshi came out to say he did not need any assistant and Nigerians asked that his views be respected.

Henry Agbamu was not done. He now wanted to know which player was the team leader. He cited instances in the past, especially in the Keshi era and before when there was need to have a strong personality as a players leader, one that will be able to galvanise the players to action, on and off the field.

He also dug into Nigeria's football history when the country has benefitted from such an arrangement when the leader was also the skipper of the team “……But when you end up with a team leader and spokesman who is not the captain of the team, then disaster lurks….” He argued.

In the present dispensation, he wanted to know

Onaolapo, Sunshine win NTTF pilot league

I

N readiness for the W o r l d Championship in Japan next month, Ojo Onaolapo claimed the singles title as well as aided Sunshine to win the club title at the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NT TF) pilot league.

The seven-day tournament ended at the weekend with Onaolapo amassing 100points to be crowned the overall winner as well as the highest earning player in the c o m p e t i t i o n .

To beat Nigeria Civil Defence Service Corps team one to the title, Sunshine also garnered 157 points to emerge as the club champion.

Also, Kazeem Makanjuola, who will be making his World Championship outing for Nigeria in Japan finished second behind Onaolapo in the singles

who the team leader was. Some said Enyeama, others said Mikel Obi. As the discussion progressed it appeared the Super Eagles lacked an authoritative and influential player who can be called upon by the coach to either transmit a decision or help to convey the general opinion of his colleagues to the authorities.

Henry Agbamu was not done. Is there a natural left footer or two in the Super Eagles? None that we knew of. He recounted a piece of advice he gave to Coach Hamilton several years ago, to go look for players who are naturally gifted with the left leg. “ …..We that use right hands and right legs are too many. Those that are left inclined are very few and with due respect more intelligent than we are….Bill Clinton, Haruna Ilerika, ….Robben, ….Obama, Raji Fashola. Every team needs a player that can effectively use his left leg, one that the coach can use to good effect when it comes to effective wing play, split second change of direction and so on…..

We were pressed for time. The meeting was to rise and pay its last respects to Alhaji Demola Ali alias Fireman the late PRO of the veterans, Nigerian and West African table tennis champion, longest serving image maker of the Nigerian Olympic Committee who was lying-in-state at his residence that afternoon.

It was therefore decided to set up a strong three man committee made up of Generals Okaro and Adebiyi and Henry Agbamu to put the thoughts of the Veterans on paper and submit to the NFF as a contribution towards the country’s successful outing at the mundial.

OF DZEKO AND OSAZE……

An in law, called me last Saturday to confirm whether I saw Osaze’s fantastic 79th minute goal against West Brom, I said I did.

He wanted to confirm that Man City’s Edin Dzeko plays for Bosnia Herzegovina. I said yes.

See you next week

Farah collapses after NY half-marathon

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OUBLE Olympic champion Mo Farah collapsed after crossing the finish line in the New York half-marathon on Sunday, having recovered from a fall earlier in the race to finish second to Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai.

Farah fell to the ground shortly after completing the race and was taken away from the finishing area in a wheelchair but later took to Twitter to al-

lay fears for his health.

“Hi guys... I’m doing ok... thanks for the concern... disappointed with today... I gave 110%... couldn’t do any more... sorry guys....,” he said on his Twitter account.

The Briton, who won the same half-marathon in 2011, endured a tough run after taking a painful fall after five miles. He recovered to finish in 61 minutes 50 seconds - 18 seconds behind Mutai.

•Onaolapo

Olaitan wins Greek title with Olympiacos

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IGERIAN mid fielder, Michael Olaitan collected his first Greek championship medal with Olympiacos on Saturday as Thrylos wrapped up the title with five games to spare.

Olympiacos defeated Panthrakikos 2-0 at Sta-

dio Georgios Karaiskáki after goals from Nelson Valdéz and David Fuster sealed the win on a memorable night.

Olaitan was not listed in the game but his efforts earlier in the season and contribution to the cause will be greatly appreciated by the

club’s supporters, his teammates and manager, Jose “Michel” Campo.

The 25-year-old scored eight goals in 16 league appearances for the club until he was involved in a scary incident that saw him sidelined from action.

Medics attend to Mo Farah in New York yesterday.

C M Y K

54 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

It’s difficult to advice Keshi on Ike — Eguavoen S STORIES BY JACOB AJOM

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ORMER Nigeria coach, Austin Eguavoen is not prepared to align with those calling on Super Eagles head coach, Stephen Keshi to be flexible in his stance on Villarreal striker Ikechukwu Uche.

Eguavoen who was at Astroturf, Ikoyi during the final of the 2014 Road to Anfield 5-ASide soccer championship said he would not say anything on the Ike Uche issue because at the moment it is difficult to advice Keshi on the issue. He explained further, “it is a little bit difficult for anybody to say anything or do anything for now because up till now, whether you like it or not Keshi has succeeded and is still succeeding and by the grace of God I still want him to succeed.

“The only thing is that before a coach takes decision on any issue, he must have looked at it from various angles and thought about it over and over again. What I have to say is let us try to understand, accept and respect his decision and back him because at the end of the day, he

can be held responsible for his decisions. Let us not force him into taking decisions.”

Eguavoen said the Eagles have improved and look good enough to give Nigeria, indeed Africa a good representation at the World Cup..”Before now, I was a little bit uncomfortable with our defence when we were playing the qualifiers. But after watching them against the likes of Chicharito during the friendly against Mexico I am a little bit comfortable now coupled with the fact that they are going to stay together for aat

least three weeks before the World Cup, I believe they will gain more in

terms of confidence and do well at the tournament..

OCCER star Rival do, the 1999 world player of the year and a key member of Brazil’s 2002 World Cupwinning squad, has said that he is retiring from the sport at age 41.

Rivaldo, who had been playing this season for lowly Mogi Mirim Esporte Club in the third division of the Brazilian league and also serving as the team’s president, said on Instagram that he made the decision “ with tears in his eyes” and thanked God, his family and everyone who supported him throughout his career.

“Today I’m announcing

ORMER Super Ea gles midfielder, Mutiu Adepoju has insisted that controversial Eagles forward, Ikechukwu Uche deserves a place in the World Cupbound Super Eagles squad.”The best should represent Nigeria and Ikechukwu Uche has been doing well for his club,” Adepoju said.

He said that for Nigeria to do well at the Mundial, Coach Stephen Keshi should take the best players the country

he will soon open the doors for the ‘’prodigal son’’, our source said.

The Super Eagles would be glad to welcome Osaze who hit a brace against West Ham at the weekend as his club won 3-1.

While Osaze’s comeback remains a cheery news, our source was silent on the fate of Villarreal hotshot, Ike Uche whose chances of coming back to Eagles after his last outing in the African Cup of Nations win in South Africa are still unclear. Keshi had frowned that Ike Uche lacked tactical discipline, an accusation that shocked both player and keen watchers of football.

boasts of, players who are doing well in their clubs and Ike Uche and Osaze are doing well for their various clubs. Their current form and experience will be helpful to the team

at the World Cup.” Mutiu believes the Super Eagles will do well in Brazil. We won the Africa Cup of Nations and have been doing well since we qualified for the World

Cup. But I know the World Cup is a different platform. With the commitment and dedication on the part of the players and the technical crew, I see them doing well.”

Ilaboya hails Bendel Insurance!

Mike Itemuagbo, coach Shuaibu Amodu for standing solidly behind the team in thick and thin.

I

MPRESSED with the performance of Bendel Insurance in their quest to return to the elite premier league, Vice Chairman of Edo State Football Association, Frank Ilaboya dolled out N20,000 to the team for their 1-1 with MFM Fc at the Agege Stadium.

Ilaboya had promised the Edo Arsenals N50,000 for a win but had to still reward them when held the Mountain of Fire Miracles

team to a draw. ‘’This is the first time that the team are drawing at away and I think they deserve all the support to come to the premier league which is where they belong’’, Ilaboya said as the players hailed him for his unflinching support to the darling team of Benins.

Ilaboya who has been consistent with his support and keen interest in watching all their away matches also appreciated

Messi

Continues from BP win over Osasuna.

The Argentina international already became the top goalscorer in the club’s history in official matches two years ago, erasing Cesar Rodriguez from the record books, but Paulino Alcantara’s number had stayed out of Messi’s reach until this weekend’s encounter.

Alcantara, born in the Philippines, scored 369 goals in 357 games as a Barca player between 1912 and 1927, but the

Blaugrana legend has now been overtaken by M e s s i .

The 26-year-old has been in sublime form in 2013-14, netting 18 goals in 21 La Liga enc o u n t e r s .

The prolific attacker ’s next objective is becoming the top goalscorer in the history of the Champions League.

That honour is currently in the possession of Real Madrid icon Raul Gonzalez, who has scored 71 goals against Messi’s 67.

•Rivaldo to my fans around the world that my history as a player has reached its end,” Rivaldo, named FIFA’s world player of the year while a member of FC Barcelona, said.

Isaac Success hits Granada

We need the best — Adepoju insists F

Odemwingie Continues from BP wrong. But we gathered that he may have pleaded Mea cupa and Keshi is also set to welcome him back by inviting him to the team as soon as possible.

A very dependable source informed us that Osaze who appears in form in his new club, Stoke City has apologised to the Eagles coach and told him to forgive him of his tantrums.

“Keshi is human and was touched by the change of heart of Osaze in asking for forgiveness. He(Keshi) wants the best for the Super Eagles. Since Osaze is doing well in his club and has shown remorse,

•Ike Uche

Rivaldo quits

N

IGERIA U17 star striker Isaac Success is expected at Spanish La Liga club Granada CF today.

Success, who clocked 18 in January, is on loan at Granada from Italian club, Udinese.

His sporting rights are now owned by an investment company.

Rosicky Continues from BP Arsene Wenger ’s side began the weekend seven points behind Chelsea, but they moved to within four points of the leaders — with a game in hand — thanks to Rosicky’s winner after just 72 seconds.

The Czech midfielder ’s goal, and the gritty defensive display that followed it, secured Arsenal’s first league win at

White Hart Lane since 2007 in Wenger’s 999th match in charge.

The third placed Gunners feared their title challenge was fading after a defeat at Stoke, but they are firmly back in the race and a titanic encounter against Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea side looming at Stamford Bridge next weekend.

Moyes Continues from BP penalties either side of half-time to put the Kop on their way while Luis Suarez capped off the rout late on.

But Liverpool’s captain marvel could and should have had a hattrick.

Gerrard hit a THIRD spot-kick of the afternoon on to the post af-

ter Daniel Sturridge dived in the box.

His tumble - after Nemanja Vidic lunged in saw the Serb sent off for his second bookable offence.

It’s the FOURTH time Vidic has seen red in games against Liverpool and capped off a miserable afternoon for the Old Trafford faithful.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014 — 55

VANGUARD, MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2014

RESULTS Man Utd Tottenham

0 0

Gombe Sharks Pillars Enyimba Crown

0 1 2 2 1

EPL Liverpool Arsenal NPL Bayelsa Lobi Sunshine Rangers Heartland

3 1 0 0 2 1 2

Odemwingie apologises to Keshi •Set to re-join Eagles

BY TONY UBANI

T

HERE are very strong indications that out-of-favour Super Eagles player, Osaze Odemwingie may likely re-join the Stephen Keshi-led Eagles in their remaining friendly games before they hit Brazil for the World Cup in June.

Strong-headed Osaze was left out of the Eagles in 2012 when he

took offence for being substituted after a very poor outing in a Nations Cup match in Rwanda.

When Keshi wanted to recall him he expressed misgiving about his substitution and Keshi felt that he was not yet ready to play for Nigeria and give his all. Keshi looked away. Osaze took to tweeters to ease his frustration, blasting Keshi and the Eagles crew for what he reasoned was Continues on Page 54

Rivaldo quits — Pg 54

Rosicky sinks Spurs

T

OMAS Rosicky fired Arsenal back into the Premier League title race as the Czech midfielder ’s quick-fire strike clinched a crucial 1-0 win over north London rivals Tottenham yesterday Continues on Page 54

•Osaze

Messi becomes Barca Moyes’ misery deepens as Liverpool crush Man U all-time top scorer IVERPOOL

L

L

IONEL Messi has become Barcelona’s all-time top goalscorer in all games - including friendlies - as he has taken his tally to 370 goals following his hattrick in yesterday’s 7-0

Continues on Page 54

•Messi

showed off their title credentials by tearing apart shambolic Manchester United as David Moyes’ misery deepened.

Steven Gerrard netted Continues on Page 54

•Moyes

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

•Gerrard celebrates with Suarez

ANSWERS

ACROSS DOWN 11 Instruct (5) 2 Stretch (3) 5 Sooner (6) 3 Make (6) 8 Wireless (5) 4 Headgear (3) 10 Erase (6) 5 Tether (4) 11 Divide (4) 6 Called (6) 14 Fur (6) 7 Cure (6) 15 Ration (7) 9 Lodge (7) 18 Golf-peg (3) 12 Skill (3) 19 Sorrowful (3) 13 Rank (4) 21 Cart (4) 16 Gemstone (4) 23 Enjoyed (5) 17 Nude (5) 24 Otherwise (4) 20 Signified (7) 27 Number (3) 22 Atmosphere (4) 29 Finish (3) 24 Infuriate (6) 31 Commissionaire (7) 25 Remit (4) 32 Sour (6) 26 Encipher (6) 34 Drug (4) 28 Author (6) 35 Consuming (6) 30 Immerse (3) 38 Sweetmeat (5) 33 Adroit (4) 39 Anticipate (6) 36 Era (6) 40 Strayed (5) 37 Born (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Sudden 5, Emit 8, Shame 9, Arc 10, Cute 11, Ease 12, Yearn 13, Cursed 16, Dell 18, Edit 20, Ate 22, Fee 23, Den 24, Mien 25, East 28, Select 30, Cured 32, Poor 33, Nigh 34, Tan 35, Peace 36, Reed 37, Bridge.

DOWN: 1, Scarce 2, Decorate 3, Exceed 4, Cheerless 5, Emerged 6, Mean 7, Tied 8, Sty 14, Deference 15, Tin 17, Lea 19, Deserted 20, Ail 21, Ensured 26, Tether 27, Stance 29, Spar 30, Cope 31, Die.

How to Play Sudoku

P

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

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

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

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