FG introduces austerity measures by Vanguard Media Limited

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62278

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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

Army recaptures Chibok from Boko Haram 7

Again, female suicide bomber kills scores in 7 Azare

FG introduces austerity measures •Cuts oil benchmark to $73 pb

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

•Introduces Luxury Goods Tax •Private jet, yacht, Champaign, others listed •No foreign trips by civil servants, no overseas training

BUJA—THE F e d e r a l Government, yesterday, introduced some austerity measures and scaled down the crude oil bench mark for the 2015 budget. In a bid to insulate the

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COLUMNISTS:

What is the dollar exchange rate? •P.40

Waziri Tambuwal for president •P.46

Mr & Mrs

SYNAGOGUE—Police officers escort trucks loaded with caskets containing remains of 74 South Africans killed in the Synagogue Church of All Nations building collapse, leaving the Waterkloof Air Base yesterday, in Pretoria, South Africa. A total of 116 people, including 81 South Africans, were killed on September 12 when a multi-storey guesthouse collapsed at the Lagos church. Photo: AFP.

Enugu govt, lawmakers in showdown over alleged illegal N7bn loan 13 C M Y K

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POCKET CARTOON

COURTESY VISIT—Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential aspirant with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, during Atiku's courtesy visit to Obasanjo at his hill top residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Friday. Photo: Wumi Akinola.

FG introduces austerity measures Continues from page 1 economy from falling crude oil prices the federal government announced far-reaching policy measures to deal with the crashing crude oil prices, cutting 2015 oil benchmark from $78 to $73 per barrel. Crude oil prices dropped to $77.76 per barrel, some cents below the $78 earlier

proposed to the National Assembly as bench mark for the 2015 budget. The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala told journalists in Abuja that the decision to cut revenue projection was part of measures designed to maintain economic stability, boost non-oil revenues further,

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Peace with contentment is great gain. Make sure that your life ends up in an all-round profit.

TAKE HEART BY ELLA RANDLE

“Be good and you shall always see the good in everything and everyone and mostly in yourself” A beautiful awareness for me is knowing that moment you actually are with people who smile across the dinner table at you because you matter and accept you for who you are because your presence exude inner light and love, these are aware Souls who recognize these virtues of love in themselves. Whenever I come across situations that requires my patience and love, a better thing to do is give as much freedom and love to that person, when you light up from within, there is a flame of love constantly exuding and no one can steal your joy, unless you allow it…those who love and accept you are your friends and those who do not, have a right to choose their state of consciousness, love them anyway. It’s a beautiful way to live to walk each step with divine love is being constantly embraced in the protection that comes from loving divinely. Keep your heart beautiful...no matter what is thrown at you...see the beauty in your life always.

plug loopholes and waste, as well as cut u n n e c e s s a r y expenditures in order to cope with the situation. Keeping to her earlier warning that the government will soon introduce measures to protect the economy she said: “As part of the response to falling oil prices, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and the Budget 2015 proposal to the National Assembly have been revised. Government is now proposing a benchmark of $73 per barrel to the National Assembly compared to the earlier proposed benchmark of $78. “Given the nature of the oil market, we needed to see the extent and trend of the oil price in order to take the right measures. Panic is not a strategy. It’s important that our strategies are based on facts and a clear understanding of both the strengths of the economy and the challenges posed by the drop in oil prices which is currently at $79 for our premium Bonny Light Crude. “The drop in oil prices is a serious challenge which we must confront as a country. We must be

prepared to make sacrifices where necessary. But we should also not forget that we retain some important advantages such as a broad economic base driven by the private sector and anchored on sound policies.”

FG determined to strengthen economy Dr. Okonjo -Iweala assured, however, that the federal government would continue to fund infrastructure, job creation, agriculture and human capital development, especially the health and education sectors, as part of the Goodluck Jonathan administration’s determination to strengthen the economy to positively affect the poor. “To show how serious government is about job creation, President Goodluck Jonathan”, she disclosed, “ will tomor row, (today) November 17 launch the 4th edition of YouWin to support another 1,500 entrepreneurs along with a private equity fund for entrepreneurs. “Our strategy is to continue to strengthen

the sectors that drive growth such as infrastructure, agriculture and housing while reducing waste with a renewed focus on prudence.” According to her, the policy was scenariobased and that additional measures would be introduced if oil prices declined further. The minister said that the basket of measures with growth which has remained above six per cent, reassure investors and keep the economy on a stable course through the crisis.

Curtailing wastage According to Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, there would be no more foreign travels by civil servants unless for purposes that could be fully defended as absolutely necessary. In addition, foreign training programmes would be stopped and all trainings done incountry. The exception, she said, would be to secure foreign sponsorship for such travels and training abroad. The Minister added that the federal government would work to eliminate duplication among the functions of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, by working on the Steve Oronsaye Report. She, however, observed that since the MDAs to be re-aligned were created by law the National Assembly would be required to repeal such laws before any administrative step could be taken.

Luxury Goods Tax Part of the immediate steps to cushion the fall in oil revenue, the minister said, was to

significantly increase non-oil revenue in the country, as she announced an aggressive tax administration in which, private jets, yachts, Champagne and a list of others to be announced would be taxed. The minister said that the idea of Luxury Goods Tax was not to stop wealthy members of the Nigerian public from enjoying their wealth but to create an avenue for them to share with those at the lower levels of the ladder. According to the minister, the issue of capital flight was now engaging the attention of the administration, just like many other African nations, saying that a study has been commissioned to determine the activities of corporate citizens and other individuals who were evading taxes as well as those involved in capital flight. She added that monetary measures should also be expected in the efforts to ensure a stable Nigerian economy, despite the falling oil prices. Okonjo-Iweala dismissed suggestions of printing Naira notes just to keep spending, as according to her, that would be the worst that could happen to an economy, especially among the poor, adding, “spiral inflation is the worst enemy of the poor. “Printing money without adequate revenue support will lead to serious consequences for the country. It will spur inflation as the experiences of Germany in the early part of the last century and more recently, Argentina and Zimbabwe demonstrate. This prescription will victimize the poor and middle class that it is supposedly protecting,” she said.

6 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

Man, 40 arrested for impregnating 16-yr-old mad girl in Jigawa

How commissioner’s memo landed LG boss in prison By Vincent Ujumadu

ByTina Akannam

PERATIVES of Jigawa State command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp, NSCDC, has apprehended one Abdullhamid Abbas, 40 year, for impregnating a mentally retarded 16-yearold girl. The NSCDC also disclosed that the mentallyretarded teenager had delivered female twins in her parents house. Abdulhamid, who lives at Mijirgan village of Miga local government area of Jigawa State, is yet to admit committing the crime. The Commandant of the agency in the state, Gidado Muhammad, told newsmen over the weekend that the man had been arrested for impregnating an insane woman in Jigawa. He further disclosed that the case was currently under investigation, adding the accused person would, thereafter be arraigned for prosecution.

WKA—FRESH facts emerged weekend that the real reason an Anambra High Court sitting at Ekwulobia handed the chairman of Ihiala local government area, Chogozie Awugosi, a threemonth jail sentence with hard labour last week was due to a letter written by the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mrs. Azuka Enemuo. Enemuo wrote the letter on which strength the sacked local government chairman returned to his seat after his election was nullified by the election tribunal and the high court which served as the appeal tribunal. Enemuo’s letter said: “I make reference to the letter No.AG/ AN/S.243/T.1of 27th June, 2014 from the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and to state as follows: “That the position of the law should be upheld. The status quo should be maintained while appeal lasts; and that “You should continue to remain in office, pending the determination of the appeal, in order to avoid a vacuum in the office.”

Her letter was based on the application by Awugosi at the Court of Appeal praying for a stay of execution of the ruling of the High Court and the election tribunal. But Justice Chudi Obiora, who presided at the High Court, Ekwulobia, said Awugosi’s application could stretch the power to cover any matter beyond the High Court. Justice Obiora, after reviewing the case and the defence of the counsel to Awugosi, said he had no doubt that the conduct of

since after the orders of the court, which was made on June 19, 2014, implying that he has been helping himself to public treasury illegally. The Judge said the court has inherent powers under section 6(6)(b) of the 1999 constitution to make consequential orders as the justice of the case demanded. He directed the Inspector General of Police, Anambra State Commissioner of Police and all police officers and men to apprehend and arrest Awugosi for him to serve the sentence imposed on him since he was in court when the application was being heard, but escaped.

Police arrest herbalist over alleged murder of client in Lagos ByEvelyn Usman

AGOS—THE Lagos State Police Command weekend, arrested a 55 year-old herbalist in connection with the alleged murder of a 62-year-old woman, who was declared missing last month, at Olodi Apapa area of Lagos. Recovered from the suspect identified as Isiaka Akanbi, who also claimed to be a Muslim cleric, were the deceased’s personal effect which were exhumed in his shrine. The deceased, Raliatu Kareem,

Family of three, one other killed in Delta road crash ByBrisibe Perez

reportedly visited the herbalist in his shrine located on Lawani Street, Olodi Apapa, on October 25, 2014 before her mysterious disappearance. The late Kareem, who resided at 15 Ope-Ewe street in Ijaiye Agbado area of Lagos was said to have gone on a visit a relative who had a baby at Salubi Street, Olodi Apapa. However on her way back, she reportedly informed her relative that she was going to the herbalist’s place. But apprehension set in two days later, after the undisclosed relative got a call from Agbado Ijaye, demanding for the whereabouts of Mrs Kareem. Policemen from Tolu division were contacted, consequent upon which the herbalist was arrested. Police sources hinted that the herbalist eventually confessed weekend, disclosing that he dumped Mrs Kareem’s remains at Marine beach.

“But when we went to where he claimed to have dumped the corpse, we did not find it. During interrogation, he said he did not kill his client but that she slumped and died while in his shrine which he claimed doubles as a healing home. ''He collected the deceased’s personal effects which included handset, bangles and ring and buried them behind his compound so as not to leave any trace. But the lid was blown because the relative who the deceased went to visit was aware of the visit to the alfa’s home. We are still searching for the corpse. Its recovery will form another phase in our investigation,” police sources hinted. Contacted, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu confirmed the arrest of Akanbi, saying investigation was still on.

Political thugs unleash terror, destroy properties worth millions in Lagos

GHELLI–A family of three and one other were weekend feared dead as a Toyota car in which they were travelling rammed into a petrol tanker along Ughelli axis of the East West road in Delta State. The victims comprised a lady and her two infant children and another male passenger, while three others sustained serious injuries. According to witnesses at the scene of the accident, which was said to have occurred at about 4:15pm, the Toyota car with registration number SPP882XG, was heading from Yenagoa to Warri when it rammed into the petrol tanker with registration number XB313ER, while it (tanker) was trying to make a U-turn along the road.

Awugosi was contemptuous of the orders of the court. In his judgement, Justice Obiora said: “I find the appellant/ respondent, Chigozie Awugosi, guilty of contempt. I accordingly sentence him to three months imprisonment with hard labour. There shall be no option of fine. “Accordinly, I hereby further order the convict, Chigozie Awugosi to refund all the monies collected and/or received by him by way of salaries and allowances from the 19th June, 2014, till date to the coffers of the Anambra State government.” According to the judge, it is clear that Awugosi has been in office

ByEsther Onyegbula & Micheal Ediri

.The arrested herbalist, Akanbi

Protesters storm SEPLAT over nonimplementation of Local Content Act ByPerez Brisibe

APELE–OVER one thousand women from Okirigwe and Amukpe communities in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State weekend stormed Amupke Flow station of SEPLAT Petroleum Development Company in protest against alleged noncompliance of the company with the Local Content Act. The women, carrying placards with inscriptions such as; “SEPLAT, abide by the

MoU”, “SEPLAT staff can’t also be contractors”, “SEPLAT is not in compliance with the Local Content Act”, alleged that the company had failed to implement the Local Content Act and a Memorandum of Understanding it signed with the communities in 2010. Speaking on behalf of the communities, former President General of Amukpe, Mr. Williams Ojo, said he personally signed the MoU on behalf of the communities, stressing that till date, the company had failed to implement the content of the MoU.

AGOS—POLITICAL thugs weekend unleashed terror on residents of Ajegunle, a suburb of Lagos, destroying properties worth millions of naira during a political campaign. The thugs, numbering over 300, allegedly invaded Ajegunle and its environs during a political declaration campaign by a politician (names withheld) and a member Lagos State House of Assembly, who is angling to contest for the fifth term. According to reports, the politician, who was accompanied by the thugs during the declaration, gave out bundles of N1000 notes in appreciation of their undiluted support towards his political ambition around Alao bus stop in Ojo road.

Trouble, it was learned, started when the sharing formula did not go well with some of the thugs as those from Campus in Adejiyan and Alaba streets took advantage of the situation to unleash terror on residents, using guns and axes to frighten residents. They also looted shops and damaged parked vehicles. Also seen were damaged vehicles, properties and shrapnels of broken bottles and shattered car windscreens which littered major streets as Jinadu, Apasa Safejo and Alao streets, while most shops remained shut. When contacted, the Layeni Divisional Police Officer, CSP Chijoke Ndu, was unavailable but Vanguard reliably gathered that the division arrested and charged to court over eight thugs allegedly caught with pistols.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014 — 7

Army recaptures Chibok from Boko Haram By Kingsley Omonobi & Umar Yusuf, with Agency reports

HE Nigerian army said yesterday that it had recaptured the north-eastern town of Chibok, where Boko Haram insurgents abducted more than 200 schoolgirls in April, provoking a wave of global outrage. An elder of Chibok community, Pogu Bitrus however told AFP that Chibok was recaptured in a joint operation with local vigilantes known as the Civilian Joint Task Force. He said the vigilantes fought inside Chibok while the soldiers “stayed outside the town to mop up the insurgents trying to escape”. Boko Haram fighters who were dislodged last week from Mubi in Adamawa by a combined team of local hunters and the troops fled to Chibok through Mararaba, Mubi and Uba and took over the town when residents on seeing the terrorists fled. The terrorists had captured the town last Thursday after a battle lasting several hours that left many victims among both the insurgents and the local militias dead. Several residents said the army had fled from the assault, leaving the vigilantes to fight on their own against Boko Haram. There was no immediate information about any casualties from Saturday’s battle for the town, which witnesses say was virtually empty of residents. A statement from Army Headquarters signed by Colonel Timothy Antigha, Chief of Staff, Department of Army Public Relations said, “The Nigerian Army troops recaptured Chibok at about 7pm last (Saturday) night from Boko Haram insurgents. The town is now secured. Exploitation and mop-up operations are ongoing. More details will follow as soon as they are available.'' Vanguard had reported last week that after several days of strategizing, the Nigerian Military, working in collaboration with local hunters, vigilantes and foreign military advisers from Israel commenced a major offensive to retake Mubi, Michika and Madagali towns from Boko Haram terrorists.

zAtiku condemns FG's handling of insurgents Atiku lambasts FG

Meanwhile, former vice president, Atiku Abubakar has condemned the Federal Government over its handling of the Boko Haram insurgents in the North east saying “any serious government would have reacted decisively to the security challenge that has almost consumed three states or more” According to him, “the Federal government is not ready to solve the problem of insurgency ravaging the entire Northern states. This is evident because for

more than five years, insurgency has persisted and there seems no end to it.” Atiku, who spoke to correspondents at the 9th annual Founder’s Day and 10th anniversary of the American University of Nigeria, Yola expressed regret that the Federal Government has no excuse whatsoever to give Nigerians for allowing insurgents to persist despite the material and human resources at its disposal. Meanwhile, against the

backdrop of President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration to contest the 2015 Presidential election on the platform of the PDP, intelligence reports collated by security agencies have shown that more terrorists bombings will be recorded in the country. According to sources, the bombings which will target churches, Mosques, schools, markets and recreation centres among others, will signal the final push of the terrorists with the aim of stopping Jonathan from contesting the election.

AGM: From left: Asiwaju Tunji Olutola, Secretary-General, Council of Retired Federal Permanent Secretaries; Gen Olu Bajowa (retd), member; Chief Phillip Asiodu, National Chairman and Mrs. Yetunde Emanuel, 1st Deputy Chairman, during the 2014 Annual General Meeting of Council of Retired Federal Permanent Secretaries, held at Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Victoria Island, Lagos. Photo by Bunmi Azeez.

Again, female suicide bomber kills scores in Azare zMob beats her companion to death

female suicide bomber blew herself up yesterday at a mobile phone market in Azare, Bauchi State, killing several people, witnesses said. Residents said a man who had been seen with the woman at the market was killed by a mob. A witness said; “A suicide bomber came into the market as it was closing and blew herself up in the middle of all the merchants and their customers”. Another witness, Alyu Habib,

who spoke with AFP said, “I saw at least eight dead. Several other people were injured. She came in the company of two men and she detonated the explosives concealed under her dress. The two men tried to flee but they were pursued and apprehended. One of them was lynched to death whereas the other is now in custody,” Habib added. A third witness confirmed

that one of the two men spotted entering the market with the woman “ was killed by the angry mob”. He said the “explosion set the shops on fire” and firefighters were working to douse the inferno. The incident triggered a wild protest by the youths, who marched round the streets holding the severed head of the female suicide bomber whose body had been blown off by the blast The attack near Azare’s stadium is the third bombing in the town in recent weeks. Last week, a bomb concealed in a bag went off near a cash dispensing machine, killing several people. On October 23, a bombing near a bus station killed at least five people.

Clinton, Saraki, others storm New York for Clean Cook Stoves summit

HE Senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial district and Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Bukola Saraki is set to join former U.S. Secretary of State, Mrs Hillary Rodham Clinton and other members of the Clean Cook Stove Alliance Leadership Council, in New York at the Global Alliance for Clean Cook Stoves Future Summit to be hosted by the United Nations Foundation. Holding on November 20 and 21, other world leaders expected at the event include; U.K. Under-Secretary of State, Lynne Featherstone; Norwegian Foreign Minister, Børge Brende; Ghanaian Foreign Minister, Hanna Tetteh; and US Administrator for the Agency of International Development, Rajiv Shah. The Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves is a public-private partnership hosted by the United Nations Foundation to save lives, improve livelihoods, empower women, and protect the environment by creating a thriving global market for clean and efficient household cooking solutions. The Alliance’s 100 by 2020 goals calls for 100 million households to adopt clean and efficient cook stoves and fuels by 2020. The Alliance is working with its public, private and non-profit partners to help overcome the market barriers that currently impede the production, deployment, and use of clean cook stoves and fuels in developing countries. Saraki, who will be giving an assessment of the use and effect of clean cook stoves in Nigeria at the Summit will again be advocating fervently for a safe cooking environment in Nigeria and other developing countries to minimize health challenges that originate from poor cooking facilities and environment.

8 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

By Clifford Ndujihe &

Joseph Erunke

B U J A — T H E Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has granted a two-day extension of the Continuous Voter Registration, CVR, in six states of the Federation. The gesture, which the commission said, excluded Adamawa State, covered only states under the third phase of the exercise. The affected states, according to INEC, are Kano, Edo, Plateau, Ogun, Imo and Lagos states. A short statement by Mr Kayode Idowu, the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, explained that the CVR which commenced on Wednesday, November 12, and was scheduled to end on Monday, November 17, 2014, will now last until Wednesday, November 19, 2014. “The Chairman of INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, approved the extension to make up for initial challenges in the exercise and to enable as many eligible persons as possible to get registered. “The Commission strongly admonishes against persons using the CVR to engage in

VOTERS’ REGISTRATION: INEC grants two-day extension to six states zTake advantage of the extension, INEC urges Lagosians multiple registration, which is a criminal offence and culprits liable to prosecution,” the statement said.

Take advantage of extension, Lagos INEC urges residents Urging affected Lagos residents to take advantage of the extension and get listed, the Lagos INEC Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Femi Akinbiyi, however, advised residents to shun double or multiple registrations. His words: All eligible voters whose names were not on our electronic voters’ register (EVR) should take advantage of this extension to register. Multiple registration should be avoided as this will deprive you of your right to vote in future elections.

AWARD: From left; Henry Egbiki, Country Leader, EY Nigeria; Wale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive, Oando Plc and winner of Master Entrepreneur of the Year Award; Oba Otudeko, Executive Chairman, Honeywell Group and LifeTime Achievement Award winner; Prof & Mrs. Joe Ezigbo, co-founders of Falcon Corporation Ltd and Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Award winners and Dr. Olusegun Aganga, Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, at the Gala Night Award ceremony held at Eko Hotels on Friday. The event was organized by Ernst & Young.

Omotola, Genevieve, Ramsey Nouah, others honoured as AFRIFF ends By Benjamin Njoku

ALABAR—IT was another night of glamour and panache as this year’s edition of the prestigious Africa International Film Festival, AFRIFF, came to a glittering end Saturday in Calabar, the Cross River State capital. The grand finale of the festival, which kicked off amid gaiety on Sunday, November 9, held at the Cultural Centre, Calabar, with top Nollywood stars, producers, directors and stakeholders from Africa, Europe, America and other parts of the world in attendance. Leading Nollywood stars at the event were Genevieve Nnaji, and Omotola Jalade Ekeinde and they dazzled the red carpet with everything they had to showcase. Others include Kate Henshaw, Rita Dominic, Segun Arinze, Ramsey Nouah, Kalu Ikeagwu, Fred Amata, and Uru Eke, who was co-anchor with Gideon Okeke. Also, in attendance at what was arguably the most memorable event of the year as far as the calendar of Nollywood is concerned, were Kunle Afolayan, Andy Amenechi, Emem Isong, Nobert Ajaegbu, Tunde Kelani, Teco Benson, Mahmood Ali-Balogun, Charles Novia, amongst others. Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State and his wife, Obioma, were among the dignitaries that graced the event. Chioma Ude, the founder and CEO of what is now known as the biggest film festival in Africa, set the tune for the night, when she presented a passionate welcome address to the audience. She expressed satisfactions that the

objectives of the festival was achieved this year as great films were screened, while young and emerging talents were trained and empowered during the week-long festival. Ude, however, commended this year’s AFRIFF ambassadors, including Rita Dominic and the South African actress, Xolile Tshabalala, for their contributions towards the success of the festival, as she invited them on stage. Special Adviser to the President on Research, Documentation and Strategy, Mr. Oronto Douglas, urged Nigerian and African filmmakers to take up the challenge of promoting irresistible images of the society on screen to show that the people’s stories were also important and valid. He said: “We need more biopics on the heroes whose exploits have impacted on our societies. We need more films focusing on pivotal episodes in our history. We need more period dramas that examine the past, and more speculative films about the future. The high point of the event, however, was the special recognition of five Nollywood stars, including Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola JaladeEkeinde, Ramsey Nouah, Kate Henshaw and Rita Dominic as outstanding stars of the industry by the organizers. The organizers also honoured 10 students, who participated in the training scholarships to further their training in filmmaking in the United States of America. Meanwhile, Kunle Afolayan’s newly released movie, “October 1”, was the biggest winner of the night, carting away three awards: Best Actor, Best Screenplay and Best Feature film. The film defeated two Nollywood biggest films, Lancelot Imasuen’s “Invasion 1897” and Tunde Kelani’s “Dazzling Mirage” to clinch the three awards.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014 —9

By GbengaAriyibi & Gbenga Oke DO EKITI —THE Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin has been asked not to denigrate the office of the governor of the state due to his alleged ambition. Omirin was also told to see himself as the Speaker of the state House of Assembly and not that of All Progressives Congress, APC. Reacting to the speakers comment that “damning reports of alleged fraud were established at the hearings of the election petitions tribunal sitting in Abuja, and that Governor Ayodele Fayose refused to appear at the tribunal to defend the certificate forgery and perjury allegations made against him by the APC because he was afraid to enter the witness box for crossexamination,” Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka said it was irresponsible on the part of Hon. Omirin to have alluded that the governor was a perjurer and certificate forger. In a statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti yesterday, Olayinka told the Speaker to stop nursing the ambition of becoming the acting governor of the state.

Osun teachers divided over strike

By Gbenga Olarinoye

LECTURE: From left: Prince Abimbola Olashore, CEO, Lead Capital, Sir Demola Aladekomo, Group Managing Director/CEO, Chams Plc and Professor Sola Fajana, ViceChancellor, Joseph Ayo Babalola University, JABU, Ikeji-Arakeji, Osun State, during the second Oladele Olashore Memorial Lecture at the university.

Stop denigrating office of governor, Ekiti speaker told zAs APC accuses Fayose of reversing Ekiti's progress The governor’s aide said it was known to everyone in the State that the Speaker was assured of

taking over from Fayemi as acting governor when his party was running from one court to the other, looking for a court order to stop Fayose’s inauguration. “It is known to everyone in Ekiti that the Speaker even m a d e preparations in readiness for his assumption of office as acting governor on October 16," he said.

APC accuses Fayose of taking Ekiti backwards

Meantime, the Ekiti State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused Governor Ayo Fayose of spending his first month in office on frivolities and creation of bad blood. The party in a review of Governor Fayose’s first month in office said that the governor’s first month in office has turned into gloom, anger and frustrations for the people of the state. Speaking through its publicity secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, the state chapter cited the closure of the College of Agriculture, Isan, Federal College, Isan-Ekiti, the repainting of the Governor’s Office with the sum of N200 million, the sack of 800 street sweepers, eight permanent secretaries, dissolution of 35 development areas among others as instances of the reverses being wrought on the state by the new administration.

SOGBO—THE umbrella body of the public primary and secondary school teachers in Osun State has been factionalised into two camps following the decision by the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, to embark on strike to press home its demands, including improved condition of service. The division, Vanguard gathered was as a result of the decision by some teachers in the state to boycott the strike order issued by the leadership of the state chapter of the NUT. So, the secondary school teachers in the state have pulled out of NUT, the umbrella body of all teachers and formed a parallel union, the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools ASUSS. The state chapter of NUT had since last week been embroiled in crisis as public secondary school teachers and some of their primary school counterparts refused to participate in the sit down strike ordered by the leadership of the union. The Secondary school teachers under the platform of ASUSS have therefore condemned the strike. The state coordinator of ASUSS, Mr Kunle Obawole said in a statement yesterday that the strike called by NUT was unnecessary considering the dwindling allocation of the state.

Minister urges health workers to end strike them to suspend their The minister who spoke By GbengaAriyibi DO EKITI—THE Minister of State for Health, Dr Khaliru Alhassan has expressed concern over the current strike action embarked upon by the health workers in the country, urging

action immediately in the interest of the nation. Health workers under the umbrella of Joint Health Staff Union, JOHESU, are currently on nation-wide strike to press home certain demands from the government.

at Ido-Ekiti, weekend, during the upgrading of Federal Medical Centre, Ido-Ekiti to a Federal Teaching Hospital and the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between the Federal Government and Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti. The memorandum followed the building of a N2 billion Clinical Complex by ABUAD owner , Chief Afe Babalola, in the hospital as part of the requirements by Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and National Universities Commission, NUC, for the running of Medicine and Surgery.

10— Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

Lagos prosecutes 200 tax defaulters

Fashola calls for more private sector investments zAs Lagos International Trade Fair ends By Naomi Uzor & Funmi Amodu AGOS—LAGOS State, yesterday, said for it to achieve its dreams of becoming Africa’s model megacity, there is need to attract more private sector investments to the State. Governor Babatunde Fashola, spoke through the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Wale Raji, at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Lagos International Trade Fair. “Our development imperative as a state places on us the responsibility of developing strategies that will help to harness public and private investments with a view to having a dynamic and expanding economy that is functional and visually attractive. "As such, we have predicated our development plans on pillars that take into account the need for economic development, infrastructure development, social development and security as well as sustainable environment,” he said. According to him, the

By Monsur Olowoopejo AGOS—LAGOS State Governm e n t yesterday said over 200 tax defaulters have been prosecuted in the last one year, even as they steps up campaign to ensure compliance from residents and companies in the state. Chairman of Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, LIRS, Mr. Tunde Fowler, who disclosed this in Ikeja, added that another 50 companies have been taken to courts for evading tax in the state. According to him; “We have other 50 companies that would be prosecuted. What is delaying us was that we were yet to get court order. Ifitwasbefore,wewould have acted. But now, we must get court order before we can shut any company. “ Fowlerexplainedthatthestate government has won all the cases and has ensured accurate remittance of the money expected.

development challenges of a growing megacity like Lagos State, requires that they target investment in key areas that will address these challenges. He said the state is poised to broaden the prevalent economic structure through diversification to promote potential growth industries and sectors such as

Abdulwahab Abdulah

AGOS—A Lagos High Court has been urged to stop the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro from participating in the party’s forthcoming primaries in Lagos State on the ground that he had allegedly presented forged document to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. In an originating summons filed before the court by three members of the PDP in the stateMicheal Babatunde Ogun, Suleiman Olayinka Saheed and Wasiu Adeniyi Odusan, they are asking the court to declare that based on the provision of Paragraph 4 (a) of Part iv of the Electoral Guidelines for Primary Elections, 2014, of the INEC, Obanikoro was not eligible to participate in the gubernatorial primary election of the PDP scheduled for December 8, 2014 in Lagos State. Joined in the suit are the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Apart from this, they were

asking the court to grant them an order of perpetual injunction restraining Obanikoro from participating in the said primaries as well as an order restraining the PDP from nominating him to the INEC for the purpose of contesting the 2015 governorship election in the state. The applicants who exhibited several documents, including an application form bearing Onikoro Musiliu Babatunde in support of

their motion, argued that by fielding Obanikoro by their party, they and the party stand to suffer immeasurably during a contest with other political parties in the state. They averred that unless the court accedes to their request by granting a perpetual injunction against Obanikoro, their interest as stakeholders and overriding interest of the party will be jeopardise. No date has been fixed for the hearing of the motion.

Stakeholders tasked on 100% voluntary blood donation

By Gabriel Olawale

—

STAKEHOLDERS in the health sector have been urged to ensure that 100 per cent of all blood for transfusion should be from voluntary blood donors as part of strategies in responding to the World Health Organisation, WHO, position that quite a number of deaths are related to loss of blood. Making this call during the year 2014 annual free public health screening and awareness programme

interaction between the state government and members of the organized private sector and to encourage policy input by the private sector, thereby enriching and improving the process of governance towards the creation of a congenial atmosphere supportive of business endeavors.’’

EMPOWERMENT: Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa (3rd left), a beneficiary, Mr. Yusuf Muftau (3rd right), the sponsor, Senator Gbenga Ashafa (2nd righ), Asiwaju Olorunfunmi Bashorun (right), and others, during the empowerment programme of Senator Ashafa for Ikorodu APC members, at Ikorodu Town hall, Ikorodu, Lagos.

GOV PRIMARIES: PDP members ask court to

disqualify Obanikoro

agri-business, power, transportation and housing. He noted that the state government shall continue to address the issue of improved business environment. His words: ‘’It is for this reason that the Lagos Corporate Assembly was institutionalized to create a platform for regular

organized by the Muslim Congress of Mushin Local Government, the Chairman, Lagos State Blood Transfusion Committee, LSBTC, Dr. Adetoun Agbe-Davies said that the recommendation WHO, that by 2020, all blood for transfusion should be from voluntary blood donors will go a long way in addressing issues of toutingforblooddonationaswell as the demand for family replacement of blood through family donation for mothers at ante natal booking.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014—11

Extend voter registration in Edo, APC, PDP beg INEC By Simon Ebegbulem &

Gabriel Enogholase

ENIN—THE two leading political parties in Edo State, All Progressives Congress, APC, and its Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, counterpart, weekend called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to extend the ongoing voter registration by one week, to avoid disenfranchising eligible voters. The state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, had Saturday called for the extension of the exercise, saying INEC was not ready to conduct the exercise in the state. Vanguard observed that thousands of Edo people who thronged the centres for the exercise could not register due to lack of computers and where computers were provided, the electricity generating sets were faulty. APC, in a statement, lamented that thousands of residents of the state had not registered due to the inability of INEC to provide registration materials in designated centers. The party, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Godwin Erhahon, said: “APC believes that only such reasonable extension can make up for the time wasted due to INEC’s shoddy arrangement for the exercise which led to violent protests at most centres. Failure to extend the period will disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of voters who INEC has failed to register so far, even after they spent days

at the registration centres." APC believes the number of intending voters INEC had failed to register were more than those registered so far. “INEC should therefore extend the period and provide more competent hands and functional equipment, otherwise it will be lending credence to the rumour that it is acting a PDP script to disenfranchise intending voters in Edo State,” he added. On its part, PDP state chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, told

journalists that feedback received by his party had shown that the exercise in the state was facing a lot of challenges such as shortage of Direct Data Capturing, DDC, machine, insecurity at the registration centres, and disruption of the exercise by thugs. “People are finding it difficult to get to the registration centres as some of them are more than 5 kilometres to their houses. We hereby appeal for one week extension. They should go beyond mere extension. Every

unit should have its own DDC,” Orbih noted. Head, Public Affairs of INEC in Edo State, Mrs. Priscilla Imoudu, described the challenges they were facing as overwhelming, itemizing overcrowding and disorderliness of the eligible voters as some of the problems. Imoudu, who ruled out the possibility of extending the exercise beyond tomorrow because it was beyond her REC, said the DDC machines were sometimes shutting down in the course of the registration because of heat.

MEETING: Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State (left), with Chief Edwin Uzor, PDP State Acting Chairman, during the PDP Executive Council meeting, in Asaba, weekend.

EPZ: Postponement of groundbreaking ceremony uncalled for —ITSEKIRI GRADUATES By Daniel Gumm

ARRI—AS the Itsekiri continue to decry President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to abort last Friday's groundbreaking ceremony of the Export Processing Zone, EPZ, at Ogidigben, the leadership of National Association of Itsekiri Graduates, NAIG, weekend said the postponement was uncalled for. In a statement in Warri, President of NAIG, Alero Naomi Tenumah, averred that members of the association, as other Itsekiri, were shocked to receive the news of the postponement after “huge anticipation and preparations.” According to her, the fact that some individuals will take advantage of “the reality that they are of the same ethnic nationality as the President to issue threats to the entire country for a project intended to better the lot of not just the Itsekiri alone, but also all

Nigerians, clearly shows why the Boko Haram insurgency is thriving and the level of ethnicism which is embedded in the Federal Government.” Tenumah noted that the reasons adduced by the Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Deizani AlisonMadueke, that there were

communal issues that needed to be resolved before the groundbreaking ceremony of the project would take place, “is unconvincing and cheap government diplomacy to cover the Presidency's bias.” She called on the federal government to ignore the threats

by his kinsmen and fix a fresh date for the ceremony immediately “to convince the Itsekiri people that it is not biased. Ugborodo community, where the project is situated, is very peaceful and ready to partner the federal government to ensure the realisation of the legacy project.”

Why some elected leaders disregard constituents, by Wike

EOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant in Rivers State, Mr. Nyesom Wike, has said the reason some leaders disregard their constituents was the fact that they had no contract with the people during the electioneering process. He noted that aspirants who were not campaigning were taking the people and PDP delegates for granted by erroneously thinking they

would emerge through external endorsements. Wike, who spoke at Ahoada West during his meet the PDP delegates tour of the area, weekend, advised the people not to waste their votes on aspirants who lacked the capacity and had not made themselves available for discussion and developmental negotiation. He said: “Those who are making noise are just coming,

they know nothing about the feelings of the people and what they have passed through. They have not engaged in any political engagement. If you are popular, come and stand election. Nobody will donate governorship to any person. I will run the primary and win and I will run the general election. Anyone who is threatening violence does not love the President."

Bayelsa youths attack Agip pipeline, oil well By Samuel Oyadongha

NIDENTIFIED youths, weekend, launched multiple attacks on a pipeline and oil well belonging to Nigerian Agip Oil Company, at Okoroma, Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, over a disputed security surveillance contract in the area. According to community sources, the youths who launched the attack were masked and armed with explosives suspected to be dynamites. The affected facilities, it was learned, include Oil Well 7 and Obama Oil Field pipeline connecting Brass area of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC. The attacks were carried out late night on Wednesday and Thursday. The indigenes and elders of the community, according to sources, have launched an i n d e p e n d e n t investigation into the incident.

Chief Moweta passes on at 84

GBUEFI S.P.O. Moweta, father of Henri Oloweta, curator and director of Art Centre, Anthony Village, Lagos, has died at the age of 84. Funeral service begins November 20, at his Umuezei Quarters, Asaba, Delta State. Lying-in-state follows and interment at 10 am at St. John Bosco Catholic Church, Asaba, with traditional burial rites in his compound on Saturday November 22, 2014.

Late Ogbuefi Moweta

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

Cross River, Jonathan’s stronghold —Imoke G

OVERNOR Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, weekend, said the state remained a stronghold for President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 presidential election. Imoke, who spoke with journalists at Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar,

on arrival from Abuja, said the government and people of the state were solidly behind the president’s second term ambition. The governor was the chairman of the event committee for the president’s declaration last Tuesday. Dismissing claims that he

was set to dump Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for All Progressives Congress, APC, he said nothing would make him quit a party in which he was a founding member. “There is nothing conceivable that will make me quit PDP, a party that I am not only a founding member of,

but also brought the flag to the state. I will rather leave politics than quit PDP, “ he stressed. He said since he was not seeking any elective office, his preoccupation now was to play his part and ensure that the president was re-elected in 2015.

Cross River State, he said, would continue to support President Jonathan even beyond the 2015 presidential election because the people believed in his transformation agenda.

Shell accepts responsibility for Bodo spill By Sebastine Obasi,with

Agency report

HELL Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, has said it accepted responsibility for the two operational spills in Bodo, Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, and that it wants to compensate fairly and quickly, those who have been genuinely affected by the oil spill. This came on the heels of British-based Amnesty International’s accusation that the company under-reported the size of two 2008 oil spills in the Niger Delta. Amnesty International also said in a statement released on Thursday in the United Kingdom, that Shell had known for years that “its pipelines in the Niger Delta were old and faulty.” Media Relations Manager of SPDC, Mr. Precious Okolobo, said in a statement in Lagos that following the 2008 spills, a team, including relevant government agencies, SPDC and representatives of the Bodo community, visited the spill sites and completed a Joint Investigation Visit report and that the estimated total volume of oil spilled was in the region of 4,144 barrels. “As part of the litigation process, we asked satellite remote sensing experts, hydrologists and specialists in mangrove ecology to assess how the Bodo waterways and mangroves were impacted and other

relevant information addressing the question of the volume of these spills and the extent of the damage. “Having reviewed their findings, we accept that the total volume of oil released as a result of the two operational spills is likely to have exceeded the Joint Investigation Visit estimates. “While naturally, the findings in relation to the Bodo Joint Investigation Visit and the volume of oil from these spills are of concern to us, it is not the key issue for the purpose of determining the appropriate level of compensation. “SPDC is prepared to compensate all members of Bodo community who have been genuinely affected by the spills, taking account of the entire area which has been

impacted,” it said. The statement explained that SPDC had been working together with the National Coalition on Gas Flaring and Oil Spills in the Niger Delta to improve the quality of Joint Investigation Visits at SPDC facilities in the Niger Delta. The statement by Amnesty International said a court document revealed Shell had repeatedly made false claims about the size and impact of two major oil spills at Bodo in Nigeria, in an attempt to minimise its compensation

payments and that the potential repercussions are that hundreds of thousands of people may have been denied or underpaid compensation based on similar underestimates of other spills.” According to Audrey Gaughran, Director for global issues at Amnesty International. “Shell has admitted that it underestimated the volume of oil spilled in both spills and the impact of both, which is a very significant issue, because

they’ve denied that for years. People have given them evidence that they were underestimating their damages repeatedly. The second thing that emerged in these court documents is that Shell has known for years that the pipes going through the Ogoniland area were past their reasonable use-by dates, were old, leaky and in the words of the document ‘a hazard’. And this has come from internal Shell documents that show they knew how bad the pipes were.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014—15

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014 — 13

Enugu govt, House head for showdown over alleged illegal N7bn loan By Francis Igata

NUGU — THERE were strong indications, weekend, that Enugu State Government and the State House of Assembly were heading for a showdown over alleged refusal of the house to give a retroactive approval to a N7 billion loan allegedly obtained illegally by Governor Sullivan Chime from commercial banks. This is different from the N11 billion loan the House approved for the Chime-led administration last Thursday, during its secret meeting. Vanguard gathered that the House was uncomfortable with the idea of approving N18 billion loan for an outgoing administration. The refusal of the House to approve the said N7billlion loan is already causing tension even as All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state has described the approval of the N11billlion loan as outrageous. APC State Publicity Secretary, Kate Ofor, while condemning the process of the loan, wondered why the State Assembly that was on recess, till December 4; hurriedly went into secret sitting at the hallowed chambers after barring the press from the arena. According to APC, “It is our candid view that the loan is meant to rig the 2015 general elections, and alleged retirement benefit for Governor Chime. The budget proposal at our disposal has it that N500million is earmarked for disbursement to each local government few weeks before the elections. This amounts to N8.5billion in what they tagged election materials and N2.5 billion for sundries. We stand to

be contradicted with factual evidence’. “All facts available indicate that the loan is a fraud. We therefore call on the Central Bank of Nigeria and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to stop the government from accessing the loan facility. "The loan is unacceptable and

sheer wickedness by a government that has little regard for civil servants and general welfare of the indigenes. "Accordingly, we challenge Governor Chime to open the account books of Enugu State and absolve himself of the unbridled corruption under his watch. For we know that the work he has

done is not commensurate to the huge federal allocations accruing to our state and local government councils in the past seven years. "On this, we challenge the issuing banks to halt the fraudulent loan transaction. It beats our imagination that Governor Chime, a senior counsel, who is at the twilight of his administration, should deviate from due process and rule of law, by requesting for N11 billion loan, in less than transparent manner.” Recall that the House members had during a meeting held at the hallowed chambers last Thursday, approved N11 billion loan requested by the governor, to enable his administration complete ongoing projects and also offset previous loan Publisher, Leadership Newspapers, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah and a cross section of facility obtained from sympathisers during the interment of Pa Clement Ndanusa Isaiah, at the General a new generation Cemetery, Minna, Niger State. Photos: Abayomi Adeshida bank, which interest rate was jerked up astronomically. The House had in sitting passed a resolution that “this honorable House do resolve to authorize the state government to obtain loans of one billion naira and ten billion naira respectively from UBA Plc to re-finance facility from GTB and fund infrastructural projects in the state.” Mother of the Publisher Leadership Newspapers, Mama Eunice Nda Isaiah supported by the children, and other family members.

Leadership publisher buries father

NAFDAC arrests 10 over forgery, fake drugs By Chioma Obinna

ATIONAL AGENCY for Food Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has arrested 10 suspects for varying offences

including forgery of the agency ’s certificate, possession of counterfeit drugs, revalidation and sale of expired products. Parading the suspects in Lagos, Director of Investigations and

Enforcement, Mr. Kingsley Ejiofor, who spoke on behalf of the Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii, said all the suspects were arrested based on information from producers of the original products,

Those arrested were Mr. Kingsley Chibueze, for importation of fake Buscomac, Zentel and Primolut-N tablets; Mr Ayoola Segun, for forgery of NAFDAC certificates for mostly herbal practitioners for years.

Etsako councillors adopt Alimikhena for Senate

H I R T Y - T W O COUNCILLORS from the three local government areas in Etsako of Edo North, Edo State, have adopted Chief Francis Alimikhena, as their preferred candidate for Senate on the

platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Alimikhena is one of the three front runners campaigning to represent Edo North Senatorial District at the upper chamber of the National Assembly.

Other two major contenders are Professor Julius Ihonvbere, who is currently the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, and the incumbent, Senator Domingo Obende. Ihonvbere is from Owan, the same axis with

Oleh NBA inaugurates new exco

HE OLEH chapter of The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, weekend, inaugurated new executive to pilot the association’s activities for the next two years. The new executive which had renowned Lawyer, Emebuno D.E C M Y K

and seven others as members, was inaugurated at Oleh, Isoko South, Delta State, after emerging victorious in an election held penultimate weekend. While performing the swearingin ceremony, the chapter’s most

senior lawyer, Mr. Prosper Ezo, Esq., charged the new executive to work tirelessly to take the chapter to new heights, adding that its prime focus should be surpassing the giant strides of the outgoing excos.

Domingo, who is from Akoko Edo while Alimikhene is from Etsako. The adoption was made, weekend, at a social gathering hosted by Alimikhena for the councillors and some top party leaders from the three Etsako councils. At the party venue in Agenebode, a motion for his adoption was subsequently moved by the Leader of Etsako East Council Legislative House, Igiefameh Sunday Peter and supported by Hon Henry Aloye of Etsako Central Legislative House.

New N100 notes, wasteful, ill-timed — TUC By Victor AhiumaYoung

RADE UNION Congress of Nigeria, TUC, weekend, faulted the introduction of new N100 bank notes by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to commemorate Nigeria’s centenary celebration, saying it was ill-timed and wasteful. In a statement by its President and Secretary General, Mr. Bobboi Kaigama and Musa Lawal respectively, TUC said “printing of new currency is usually a capitalintensive venture, and raises questions as to how the CBN hopes to grapple with the economic implications of redesigning and printing the new bank notes. "Even the timing of the project is inappropriate, coming so late in the year when the economic hustle and bustle associated with Christmas and New Year are nigh. "These, together with the heightened state of insecurity in parts of the country, the frenzy of political activities and electioneering campaigns towards the forthcoming 2015 elections, and the current slump in global oil prices make this the worst possible time for such drastic fiscal policy."

NEPC partners ministry against illegal mining

FFORTS TO tackle the activities of illegal solid minerals miners will soon yield result as the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, and the Ministry of Solid Minerals have agreed to constitute a technical group that will address the incidences of illegal mining for export. Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, of NEPC, Mr. Olusgeun Awolowo, said this while on a courtesy visit to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development Arc. Muhammed Sada. Awolowo noted that given the dwindling price of oil in the international market, there was need to reposition the non-oil export sector as a viable alternative to sustaining the nation’s economy with a view to providing jobs and creating wealth along identified value chains.

14— Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

Borno youth group supports Durkwa's House of Reps bid By Ndahi Marama

AIDUGURI — A group of All Progressives Congress, APC, under the auspices of Hawul and Askira Uba Youth Movement, HAUYM, yesterday, drummed support and endorsed former Commissioner for Religious Affairs in Borno state, Usman Mamman Durkwa to contest as House of Representative member of Hawul/AskiraUba federal constituency in 2015, citing alleged improper representation by the incumbent, Abdul Mshelizza. The group also said it was compelled to obtain the APC nomination and Expression of Interest forms for Durkwa for the forthcoming general elections due to his track record not only to the people of the constituency, but also the state. Durkwa had served as commissioner in various ministries, such as Land and Survey, Environment, Religious Affairs.

Professor laments falling standard of education By Bartholomew Madukwe

HE DIRECTOR of Research, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, NIALS, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, weekend, lamented the falling standard of education in the country. He also ascribed insurgency and terrorism ravaging North Eastern part of Nigeria to long years of neglect of the region by the political leadership. Speaking at the 30th anniversary graduation reunion of University of Ife, UNIFE, law class of 1984, in Lagos, Prof. Owasanoye noted that a number of the pleasurable privileges enjoyed 30 years ago as students are no longer there. “Our meals cost 50 kobo and on Sundays we had ice cream. Getting education is no longer what it used to be and the standards have simply declined.” C M Y K

MISAPPLICATION OF N19.2BN: Reps say Ministry of Works has case to answer By Emman Ovuakporie

BUJA — THE House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption, Ethics and Values has invited the Ministry of Works over alleged misapplication of N19.2 billion released for various road projects across the country. It was reliably gathered that the committee invited the ministry two weeks ago, with no response received from the officials till date. According to a source close to the committee, several petitions were sent alleging that funds allocated to the ministry almost two years ago were deliberately misapplied. Documents made available to Vanguard clearly indicated that N18.2bn was allocated to the ministry in the first quarter of 2013. Subsequently, another N1, 055, 447,608.16 was allocated to the ministry to quickly put finishing touches to the various projects across Nigeria. A breakdown of the projects and allocations indicated N4 billion for Lagos-Shagamu Road; Enugu-PortHarcourt

expressway-N4.5bn; IlorinMokwa-Tigina-Gwari-Kaduna expressway-N4bn; SulejaMinna road-N2bn; Abuja-Lokoja Road-N1.7bn; and ApapaOshodi expressway Phase, 11N2bn. The total amount released

renovate and refurbish the roads. Details of payment are as follows: Ref/FD/FA/114/Vol.XIV/ DF. Release from 1.46 per cent FGN Share of Derivation and Ecology Fund, Transfer Sum N1, 055, 44,608.16 to Federal Ministry of Works account No. 0059752524, CBN account No. 0020054141317 The above transfer represents amount approved by the President for the reinstatement of the collapsed section of Gombe Potiskum road vide letter Ref No. PRES/81/ SGF/ 2/ 679/738/MW/74 of September 13, 2012, and CME/ HMF’s approval on memo dated October 21, 2012. The source said: “You won’t believe that nothing BIRTHDAY: From left, Chief Jonathan Nnaji, President, National Sports tangible has been Commission; Engr. Peter I.Anomneze, Supervisor, Process Engineering Delta done to justify the Operation, Chevron Nigeria Limited; HRH, Eze Cyril Osuala Ojiofor; the various amounts celebrator, cutting his 94th birthday cake and his Ffirst wife Chief Cyrina allocated to the Anomneze Ugoeze, at NIS Complex,National Stadium Surulere, Lagos. Photo: ministry. Akeem Salau

2015: Don’t leave PVCs with INEC, Ashafa warns residents ...empowers 1,500 artisans, traders By Olasunkanmi Akoni

S THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, transfers the distribution of Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, to local government councils in Lagos, Senator Gbenga Ashafa has warned residents against non-collection of the card. According to him, non-collection of the cards will disenfranchise people from voting in 2015 general elections. This came on a day Ashafa also empowered no fewer than 15, 242 youths, artisans, traders, farmers and other less privileged persons in Lagos-East senatorial district in the ongoing mega empowerment programme in the district. Ashafa, who gave the warning in Ikorodu during the empowerment programme, said: “Those who are yet to collect the PVC should go and collect it. Refusing to collect the card is aiding INEC to disenfranchise you during next year’s elections.” He urged the residents not to allow the tactics adopted by the electoral body to discourage them as such an action would affect electorate in making the right choice. On the empowerment programme, he said, over 15,242 artisans, traders, farmers and other less priviledged persons have benefitted from items distributed. The recipients were drawn from the five local governments and 11 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, across the senatorial district.

amounted to N18.2 billion and the information to this effect was contained in a circular dated January 2, 2013, with Ref No:FD/ FA/14/VOLXV/285. Also, the sum of N1, 055, 447,608.16 was allocated to the ministry to enable it properly

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014 IS it possible that the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who is supposed to have commanding stands on the economy, as other appendages to her title suggest, is the last person to know that the Nigerian economy is in dire straits? She has spent the better part of this year denying that anything could be amiss with the economy. As oil prices fall, with the United States using other oils, even ordinary people noted that lower oil sales would affect the economy. Dr. Okonjo Iweala said nothing of the sort would happen. The economy was on a sound footing, she added. Anyone who doubted her was cast in the mould of the opposition. There is the politics of the economy, a trend where any suggestion about improving the economy is equated with taking a stand against the administration. Last April’s rebasing of the economy that pushed Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product to $509 billion, ahead of South Africa’s $350 billion, was 24 years late. Nigeria had been working with a 1990 base. While the exercise saw GDP jump 89 per cent from N42.3 trillion (2013) to N80.3 trillion, the economy’s acknowledgement of sectors

We Are Still No Nott Br ok e Brok oke like telecommunications, music and Nollywood should mark more efforts at harnessing the potentials the sectors hold. Nigeria’s huge population does not feel the impact of the growth. Governments’ interests are in statistics that support economic growth. If without electricity Nigeria raked up 12 places to become the 24th largest economy in the world, sharing the spot with Poland and Belgium; ahead of Argentina, Austria and Iran, we can imagine what could be achieved with better infrastructure and less corruption. The long job queues remain, as more

people are joining them. Millions are becoming poorer; the growth in the economy excludes their own realities. Rampant corruption denies the economy resources and disrupts systems. Only last week, Dr. Okonjo -Iweala admitted that the economy was in a shape that would challenge all soon. Oil prices were tumbling, she said, as if that was new. Or that managers of the economy had not repetitively sang about the importance of diversifying the economy? What was her prescription for surviving the coming hard times? She wants us to apply austerity measures. The prescription is obviously not for governments. It is a shame that those entrusted with managing our affairs, either complain, like most Nigerians, or threaten us with woes. The economy, doubtlessly, is in a bad shape. Its unique growth cannot create jobs, improve the situation of people or direct them to opportunities. Ordinary Nigerians understand an economy without oil better than managers of the economy – they practise it; they do not need to preach it.

OPINION By John Udumebraye

HE leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, must have celebrated when a suicide bomber blew himself up and killed 47 students at the assembly ground of the Government Senior Science Secondary School in Potiskum, Yobe State, on Monday, November 10, 2014. Lai Mohammed, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, must have been dizzy with joy on receiving news of the catastrophe for the single reason that it was a gift — never mind that it was a diabolical one from the pit of hell — with which he could accuse President Goodluck Jonathan of insensitivity and callousness when the latter formally declared his intention to seek re-election the next day. Undeterred, Jonathan went ahead with his declaration. Expectedly, Lai Mohammed wasted no time in screaming “utterly insensitive and absolutely callous.” It is a wonder that this devotee of the Nazi propagandist, Josef Goebbels, could not find more adjectives with which to ostensibly criticise the President while, in actual fact, he was celebrating the unfortunate death of the Potiskum students. Lai Mohammed even accused Jonathan of “dancing on the graves of the students”, but not once did he condemn the terrorists behind the suicide bomb attack. In the past, the APC has been accused of either funding or at least supporting the nefarious Boko Haram group that has been waging an insurgency against the Nigerian state in order to establish an Islamic caliphate in its stead. Some of us

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APC: Limits of exploitative propaganda publicly averred that such accusations were a case of dirty politics taken too far. How, we asked, could the APC be in cahoots with those who seek to destroy the Nigerian state? If the insurgents were to succeed, of what benefit would that be to the APC or its members? Regrettably, one has been forced to have a rethink today. To be clear, the resurgent state of bomb blasts that culminated in the Potiskum attack is just too much for even the most naive Nigerian to accept as mere coincidence. In recent times, APC presidential aspirants, ranging from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, through former military dictator General Muhammadu Buhari, to Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and publisher-turned-politician Sam NdaIsaiah, have all held events to declare their intention to vie for the presidency. No bomb blasts were recorded. But as soon as Jonathan announced the date of his formal declaration, the bombs started going off. Fellow Nigerians, who is fooling whom? We can run from pillar to post, or we can face up to what is self-evident to every discerning Nigerian: there is a clear connection between terrorist attacks whenever the President is scheduled to hold or attend a political event and the readiness of the APC propaganda machine to issue exploitative statements that condemn the President, but never the terrorists. It is now beyond any reasonable doubt that the APC is sympathetic to, if

not in support outright of Boko Haram. Indeed, it appears Lai Mohammed even prepares the statement ahead of any terrorist attack and then releases it soon after. Interestingly, nobody should forget that when former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, left the APC and rejoined the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, he had some remarkable revelations to share about his erstwhile APC colleagues. In one statement, Fani-Kayode told Nigerians: “The APC in the North is the political wing of Boko Haram in the northern part of Nigeria. This, I have said before and no one amongst them was bold enough to challenge me. I will continue to say it again and again. The northern elements in the APC have to explain to all Nigerians why some of their leaders in the North support, encourage and defend Boko Haram members.” Fani-Kayode went on to add: “No member of the APC has been bold enough to controvert what I said about their relationship with the Boko Haram members in the North. I stand to be challenged if any of them has a contrary view.” Moreover, it is a matter of public record that Lai Mohammed not only opposed the United States of America classifying Boko Haram as a terrorist organisation, more importantly, he also actively protested the proscription of Boko Haram by the Federal Government of Nigeria in June 2013. In view of how much pleasure he takes in

glorifying the dastardly acts of the despicable terrorist group, the reason for Lai Mohammed’s protestations is crystal clear. Now, if an ordinary Nigerian like this writer can so easily deduce that some senior members of the APC are Boko Haram supporters and sympathisers, the question then arises: Why has the government not arrested them and prosecuted them according to the law? Could it be that the government of President Jonathan does not want to be accused of stifling the opposition, especially in the run-up to a general election? Whatever the case may be, the facts are plain for Nigerians to see. Lai Mohammed and his APC colleagues are always prepared with exploitative propaganda condemning President Jonathan whenever terrorists strike. However, they typically never condemn the terrorists. This reveals clearly who is dancing on the graves of slain Nigerians. Despite their well-crafted propaganda designs, Nigerians have a duty to their nation to reject Boko Haram, their funders, supporters and sympathisers at the 2015 polls.

*Mr. Udumebraye, a political analyst, wrote from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014—41

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42—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

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VANGUARD, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014 —43

Vanguard CLASSIFIED OFFORBUIKE — I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ijeoma Offorbuike, now wishes to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ijeoma London Irikefe. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

A R U O R I W O UGOLO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Grace Aruoriwo Ugolo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Inedi Kenneth Grace. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Addition of name I, Asuquo N k e c h i Vivian request that Eno-Obong be added to my name. With this addition, I wish to be known and addressed as Asuquo Nkechi Vivian Eno-Obong. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

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Burkina Faso signs transition deal, reinstates constitution B URKINA Faso took a significant step toward the return of civilian rule at the weekend as the military announced the reinstatement of the country’s constitution which had been suspended with the president’s ouster. At the same time the signing of an agreement for a transitional civilian government has been pushed back by a day for “technical” reasons, a military source said. Lieutenant Colonel Issac Zida, the army-installed leader after the October 31 resignation of president Blaise Compaore, issued a statement saying the suspension of the constitution “has been lifted... to allow for the civilian transition process now under way”, and to prepare the return to normal constitutional rule.

The move will also allow Burkina’s constitutional court to examine the transition charter which is to be officially signed on Sunday. The transition agreement lays out the steps to a one-year transfer of power from the military, which took over after mass protests late last month that forced Compaore to quit after 27 years in power. The signing ceremony by the country’s army, political parties and civil groups had been expected on Saturday but was postponed because the building where it was to be held was still being repaired after damage from the demonstrations. Also traditional leaders from the regions invited to the ceremony needed more time to travel to the

capital, the source said on condition of anonymity. “The signing of the charter has thus been pushed back to Sunday” at 4:00 pm (1600 GMT), the source said. “We want to brief our traditional leaders on our discussions.” The transition charter, akin to an interim constitution, lays out a one-year transition to civilian rule that includes appointing a temporary president and calls for elections by November 2015. Under the deal, an interim civilian president will be chosen by a special electoral college. The president will in turn appoint a prime minister, either a civilian or a military figure, who will head a 25-member transitional government.

Sanctions: Putin warns Western nations

USSIAN President, Vladimir Putin has warned that Western sanctions against his country could backfire. Speaking in an interview with German ARD television broadcast at the weekend as he was attending the Group of 20 summit in Brisbane, Australia, Putin said that cutting Russian access to capital markets would hurt Western exports. “If the resources of our financial institutions are cut off, they can extend fewer loans to the Russian companies that work with German partners,” he said. “Sooner or later, it will begin to affect you as much as us.” He also said the sanc-

Australian PM, Tony Abbot, US President, Barack Obama and British PM, David Cameron at the G20 summit in Brisbane yesterday. tions could hurt some Russian banks, leading them to demand repayment of multibillion loans they have given to Ukraine, damaging its economy. Putin cited Russia’s state-controlled

Gazprombank, which he said issued loans worth $3.2 billion to Ukraine before being hurt by Western sanctions that barred it from borrowing in capital markets.

Armed clashes rock Tripoli, airport shutdown

RMED clashes broke out in Libya’s capital Tripoli closing down the city ’s main working airport, local residents and an official said yesterday. Tripoli has been mostly calm since the Libya Dawn force, an armed faction allied to the city of Misrata, took over the capital in the summer and set up its own government in rivalry to

Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni. It was not immediately clear who was involved in Sunday ’s fighting, and there was no confirmation from health authorities of any casualties. A spokesman for the civil aviation authority said Mitiga airport had been closed because of the security situation. Mitiga has operated as

the capital’s main airport since fighting in the summer damaged and shut Tripoli international airport. T h i n n i ’ s internationallyrecognised government and the elected House of Representatives are holed up in the eastern city of Tobruk, and the two factions are now vying for control over Libya and its oil resources.

44—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

Governors have become a problem to our democracy — Etiebet *Akpabio alone cannot determine his successor

•Etiebet

the insurgency and to bring other things into place. We trust he will do that.

competition. That is the position the party has taken and that is the position of different organs of the party right from the Governors Forum, to the caucus, Board of Trustees and finally the National Working Committee of the party. This decision was reached because the party believes that he is competent enough, that he has performed enough and that he has qualities enough that he can use in selling his candidature.

Why is your party insisting on pushing President Jonathan as a sole candidate for the election? That is the prerogative of the party to decide on what it has to do or not. If you read the PDP constitution, it specifically says that it is the party that at the end of day will put up a candidate and campaign for that candidate to win the elections and that is what the Nigerian constitution also says. If the party therefore recognises the attributes of the sitting president, recognises the performance of the sitting president, recognises what he can do, the party has the right to say for your second term, there is not going to be

Given the mutterings in the party, especially over the insistence of governors and federal legislators getting automatic tickets, is your party not in trouble ahead of the election? You will remember that before Alhaji Mua’zu came in as the national chairman of the party, there were factions within the PDP, we existed in groups of different opinions and that was not good for the party. When Adamu Mua’zu became the national chairman he promised to bring everybody back to the mainstream of the party, he promised a level playing field for all party members to have opportunity to aspire to whatever they will like to contest

CHIEF Donald Etiebet, erstwhile minister of petroleum, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is one of the leading political lights in the country. A major political force in his native Akwa Ibom State, Etiebet in this interview reviews recent developments in the country and posits that governors have become a danger to the democratic process.

By Gbenga Oke

O you share the opinion of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) that President Jonathan was insensitive to have made his declaration for a second term a day after 48 school children were killed in a bomb explosion in Yobe State? Within the context of the security situation in the country which APC is referring to, the insurgency and all that, if the President does not declare, it means that he is giving up because of the insurgency. So we are happy that he has declared and we need to know that when there is war, life goes on and just like he said in his declaration that he is going to do everything possible and take immediate steps to curb, contain and eventually defeat

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for. He promised that all party leaders who had been standing by the side or who had left the party that he would do everything to bring them back to the family for which PDP is known for and immediately he started doing that and in appreciation he was given an accolade called, “the game changer”. So the party started coming together again with the hope that this level playing field will be put in place for everyone to compete in an atmosphere of i n t e r n a l democracy, but suddenly, the o u t g o i n g governors came out and tried to sell themselves to the party that they were the only ones who could win

elections in their different states and also win election for the presidency. That is the problem today and that problem is in every state where there are outgoing governors and the outgoing governors in addition to that turned around and said they want to pick their own successors and also to be given an automatic ticket to go to the Senate. But it seems the outgoing governors are holding the party by the jugular and everything we elders say to the party seems to be falling on deaf ears and I keep repeating, that is the problem. This problem is all over the PDP controlled states especially the South-south, the bedrock of the president’s support base and that should not be allowed to happen because if there is disparity, there is dissension, disagreement and disharmony between the outgoing governors and the other elders who want a level playing field, then that will go on to affect the fortunes of the party in the general elections. T h e unfortunate thing is if this is happening in the zone that is supposed to give maximum 100 percent votes to Mr. President is having all these issues, then there is cause for worry. I am using this opportunity to appeal to the leadership of the party to look very deeply into these problems of believing it is only the governors that can deliver their states to the party.

What it portends for the country is that the outgoing governors want to continue to hold their various states to ransom, they want to continue to rule their state from outside

But this problem is not new as it was

Continues on page 49

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014—45

Continues from page 48 there during the Obasanjo administration. What does this overbearing influence of governors portend for the country? Honestly, what it portends for the country is that the outgoing governors want to continue to hold their various states to ransom, they want to continue to rule their state from outside and this is not good for democracy and this is not good for the states because they tend to want to turn the states to their personal properties, turn their states into dynasties so that at every turn, it will be their system, at every turn, it will be their group that will select their successors, select their National Assembly members, therefore they will perpetually have a hold on the state, that is not good for democracy and the action must be stopped this year. I was running for the presidency in 1999, Ekwueme and myself, were the frontrunners, then suddenly they brought out Obasanjo from prison and made him the presidential candidate, he did not have the support of the party before he came out, it was after he came out that he started mobilizing people who were working for us but at the end, he became the president but without party support and it was in this case that he took Atiku Abubakar who was a party man to be his vicepresident, it was Atiku who started mobilizing the governors and in order to have a hold on the party in preparation for second term, he and Atiku worked together to mobilize the governors and that was how party structures were given to the governors in their various states. I personally fought the party in my state for two years that it cannot happen and when the structures was eventually given to Victor Attah, then I left the party and it was only when Obasanjo was going that I came back into the party by 2006. Also, when Victor Attah wanted to impose his son in law on the party, I kicked against it and took all measures to stop him and that was how Godswill Akpabio came about and from then on, the governors started with the Governors Forum and they took steps and because they have voting rights at the National Executive Committee of the party and since they control the party in the states, they always have a chunk of the voting rights at NEC and as a result, we cannot change some of the actions they brought about. So this is the war that is waging right now and we hope that the national leadership of the party would see the danger of wanting the outgoing governors to have their succession plans because this

•Etiebet

We will stop Akpabio – Etiebet will eventually make them turn their states to their dynasties and themselves into monarchs. They will all move to the Senate and having a lot of resources, they will go there and make laws that will make them even be the ones to pick presidential candidates. So the party should see this danger ahead. What is your reaction to the defection of S p e a k e r Tambuwal to the APC? Ta m b u w a l has not been a faithful member of the party, I can tell you that. He is my friend and we were together in the ANPP with his g o v e r n o r, Wammako, we all wrestled and got the control of the state from the f o r m e r G o v e r n o r, Bafarawa, so I know all about them. Right from the beginning, he s h o w e d tendencies of

not obeying the party. You know that in this country, we still have to equalize the administration to reflect the difference ethnic and zonal interests. The speaker of the House of Representatives was zoned to South-West but through some machinations in

Where is the justice that he is preaching? Where is the equity that he is preaching? Is what is good for the goose not good for the gander?

the House, Tambuwal and I h e d i o h a emerged which was not pleasing to the South-west and it was not pleasing to Obasanjo himself who at that time was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and I can tell you that if Obasanjo is annoyed and has not been working for the party as he should have done, it is because the Southwest is not represented in the top six positions in this country, the President, the vice-president, S e n a t e President, the Speaker and the n a t i o n a l chairman of the

party. So, if you look at his actions right from time, from all intents and purposes, his actions do not make him a party man because he has been working against the interest of the PDP in the House, so if he has not been a good party, you just have to go out but when you go out, you don’t go out with the booty and that is the problem. He should be democratic enough to know that he became the speaker on the platform of PDP and if he wanted to leave, he should also leave the speakership. The constitution says when there is a division in a party, then you can leave, but there is no division in the PDP, not even in Sokoto. Even if there was a division in Sokoto PDP, there is no division at the national level of the party. So he cannot eat his cake and have it same time, so I would have expected that now that his associates have picked up a presidential form for him, he should have just said thank you PDP, I am now in APC and therefore, I will vacate my position. Why are many elders of the PDP in Akwa Ibom State still against the congresses that were held? Honestly, I cannot hide my feelings and I have already expressed that at many fora. Immediately after the November 1 date, I told

everyone that there was no congress in Akwa-Ibom State according to the guidelines of the party. The party has guidelines and issued guidelines as to how to conduct congress on an A4 basis, this did not take place in any ward. If the congress took place anywhere, that is the governor ’s ward which he showed to everyone. The electoral committee that was sent to the state did not do any good to the party, in fact when they came, and made a statement that they didn’t come to conduct a congress but to monitor the congress. So I asked, if you are monitoring, who is conducting? Many elders tried to see him, (chairman of panel) he refused seeing them and he distributed materials and we asked to see the materials, he refused. When they opened the materials, they were all photocopies and before you realize it, the reports were already in Abuja of what he did. I am telling you on my honour that there was no congress in Akwa-Ibom State and with all our complaints to the national leadership of the party, they will not attempt to use the results produced by Ibrahim Abdul-Aziz. I mean at my age, 70 years, why do I want to come and tell a lie that there was a congress when there was no congress. Zoning of governorship in Akwa-Ibom After the national chairman of the party had stated that there will be a level playing ground for all the aspirants, they turned around and issued a statement that they have zoned the governorship to one senatorial district. Does it mean it is only in one senatorial zone that we can have a candidate that can win elections for PDP in Akwa-Ibom State? Or are they talking about fairness and equity? Why did they not also say that the senatorial slot for Ikot Ekpene should go to Abak federal constituency which is what is due? Abak has never produced a senator in IkotEkpene district and the governor’s federal constituency has produced a senator including a member of his own family. Abak has not produced and everybody is saying this time, the senatorial seat belongs to Abak federal constituency. But he says no, it has to come from Ikot-Ekpene federal constituency. Where is the justice that he is preaching? Where is the equity that he is preaching? Is what is good for the goose not good for the gander? These are the questions we the elders are asking that these things are not done in good faith and that the national leadership of the party should come to our rescue to make sure that proper action is taken to forestall peace.

46—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

YOU must have noticed the newest political speculation in town. It must have been invented in the ongoing political transition period because I don’t seem to have noticed it before. It is the act of buying nomination forms for candidates for high office. President Goodluck Jonathan was favoured with this uncommon benevolence by thousands of groups drawn from across the polity. The latest beneficiary of this magnanimous outburst of love and support from admirers is the embattled Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal. Members of his All Progressives Congress, APC, in the House of Representatives, sensing his interest in the presidential race, rushed to purchase his nomination form for him. How touching. I am wondering why Major General Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar had to purchase their own forms. Does it mean nobody loves them? Even with his 21-year pedigree as a presidential contender and leader of the otherwise “powerful” Peoples Democratic Movement PDM? I am shocked. I am also devastated by the fact that our incorruptible Buhari could not get his millions of admirers to contribute money to buy his nomination form valued at N27.5 million. He was left with no other choice than to borrow from a bank! At least, so he told us. What a poor man! Hope it was an Islamic bank, so that it would be interestfree.Perhaps he will have to borrow even more to bring delegates to Abuja for the primaries? Who will repay all these debts, since, as an elected president (if), he will depend only on his salary? Well, let’s leave Buhari to wear his own headache of borrowing to buy when others are getting theirs free from beloved friends and associates. Now, the decision of Waziri Tambuwal to go for president rather than governor makes the APC presidential contest truly interesting. The APC presidential race is the race to watch. It is the box office. The PDP has since foreclosed a contest, with President Jonathan as the sole candidate, so the less said about it the better. How I detest those words: sole candidate. It was a creative piece of political sycophancy spawned under General Sani Abacha, whereby the five political parties formed by the dictator’s busybody political contractors came together and adopted him as their sole candidate.

Waziri Tambuwal for president Abacha would become a civilian presi- as the truly second dominant party along with the PDP, while others, such as the dent without an election. It was also in those days that the same All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, set of busybody political contractors in the East; Labour Party, LP; the emerstaged rallies round the country, begging gent Social Democratic Party, SDP, in the Abacha to run.They held a grand rally in West and perhaps a couple of others perAbuja under the auspices of the Youth form the balancing act to avoid the tyrEarnestly Ask for Abacha, YEAA, with Mr anny of a ruling party or the rabidity of a Daniel Kanu as the main contractor. That fierce opposition, I will rate our democwas where the Transformation Ambassa- racy as having arrived. But the idea of the Arewa North, with dors of Nigeria, TAN, picked up their project idea and used it to water the their contrived “majority” population ground for President Jonathan. Every- coming together with the West with their body condemned the activities of YEAA, equally over-bloated population figures but that did not stop TAN from adopting to forcefully “snatch” power from a Miit. We all know where these outrageous nority President Goodluck Jonathan, is demonstrations of love in the market the greatest insult and affront to Nigeria that a politician or group of poliplace are expected to ticians can dream of. Every palead.Let’s leave politicians triotic Nigerian, every truly proand their “love for sale” gressive citizen, must put their antics and address the hands on deck to ensure that more interesting matter of those who are promoting this Hon Waziri Tambuwal in dastardly politics fail woefully. the presidential race. Such a gang-up is pregnant One of the reasons some with so many negatives. of us have viewed the APC It will entrench the domiwith some skepticism is the nance of Muslims over Chrisnegative motives that rule tians. It will sideline the Igbo the mentalities of some of and the various Minority its founders. It is a wellgroups, which are major known fact that a second stakeholders in the economic, political party that is strong social and political commonenough to weigh, poundwealth of Nigeria. It will be a for-pound, against the rulTambuwal victory for those who believe ing PDP, is good for the survival and development looks like many they are born to rule, while others are born to collect the of democracy in Nigeria. I Sokoto-born crumbs from their table. It will am a fervent supporter of a dominant two-party sys- politicians, who restore a Northern dominance that has always bred rebellions tem with some other minor have come to around the country, including parties performing the balthe civil war, June 12 struggle, impress me ancing act between them. the hanging of Ken Saro-Wiwa For instance, if the APC with their and other leaders and devassurvives the 2015 transiurbanity tation of Ogoniland, the despotional politics and emerges

By Alex Akpodiete

ITH the primaries of the major political parties around the corner, there continues to be serious trading and speculations about who will get automatic tickets and who may not. The current political climate is saturated with out-going governors who want to become Senators. So, far it is only a handful of governors that do not want to enter the hallowed red (upper) chambers of the National Assembly, Even those who do not want to go, want to select who goes. In fact, it is only one governor who has come out to say that as a former governor, it will be a step-down for him to go for the Senate because a governor has been a Chief Executive of an entire state, handling budgets beyond the capacity of any sitting senator. For that ambitious ex-governor, the only option will be to vie for the Presidency. In fact, political scientists argue that ex-governors make better presidents, as we have seen with Yar’Adua and our current President, in consonant with what has been happening in America with Reagan, Clinton and Bush(senior and junior). Obama is the only current aberration in that American perpetuated theory. Anyway, there seems to be no vacancy in Aso Rock at least for members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, until 2019. Therefore, while the taste of Abuja seems to be palatable to several out-going governors, it is only as far as the hallowed red chambers is concerned. The dilemma of a few of these governors is that they will have to contend with incumbent senators who are apparently

liation of the oil wealth of the Niger Delta and subsequent militant struggle for selfdetermination, the internal suppression and oppression of the Northern Minorities and the continued trampling of the Northern Talakawa. No good can ever come of such a gang-up. That is what I see in the candidature of Buhari, Atiku and Rabiu Kwankwaso, with active support of their confederates from the South West. These individuals have, in the past five years, engaged in strenuous and desperate efforts to “snatch power back” from President Jonathan to the North, and in the process, their activities led to the destruction of lives and property in the North, with non-Northerners, Christians and Minority groups always targeted. They have held public offices and shown their inability to think beyond the North and their religion. And they are unrepentant and unapologetic about it. But the entry of Tambuwal is a different kettle of fish. I have my reservations about the ignoble role he played in his former party, the PDP. But I have noted with delight Tambuwal’s excellent performance as Speaker, House of Reps. He is not a “born-to-ruler”. He is not one of those who love the North first before Nigeria. If he is, he has not shown it publicly. We do not mind a Northerner winning the presidential race, but we Nigerians will not allow any “born-to-rule” extremistto take over. Tambuwal looks like many Sokoto-born politicians, who have come to impress me with their urbanity. Apart from the late Sardauna Ahmadu Bello, who introduced rabid Arewaism into Nigerian politics, Sokoto has bred a remarkable number of genuine nationalists. These include Alhaji Umaru Altine, the great Zikist who became the first (and only) Lord Mayor of Enugu in 1952, former President Shehu Shagari and the incumbent Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar III. Tambuwal will go very far if he extends his electoral appeal beyond the North and West and give other Nigerians reason to feel their interests will be fully protected by an APC Federal Government under him. He will do well to avoid a MuslimMuslim ticket like the plague that it is. He has charisma. But does he have vision for Nigeria? Let him show us. Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal is welcome to the presidential race. Game on.

OPINION Growing desire for Senate seat recalcitrant and refuse to be politically “settled”, whatever that means. Some of the governors interested in becoming senators in 2015 include Sullivan Chime (Enugu); Gabriel Suswan (Benue); Liyel Imoke Cross River); Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta) and Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom). Some are actually interested in continuous service to their constituents and not because they want to stay relevant in the corridors of power, as some detractors say. Some harsher critics even point out that some of the out-going governors don’t have any real professions or that those with a profession cannot make anywhere near the same money in their previous profession as they do in politics. Another compelling reason could be that unlike the governorship position which is constitutionally limited to two-terms of four years, there is no limit to the number of times a sitting senator can be re-elected, meaning one could be there for a life time like the American Senator James Kennedy, from Massachusetts. Some governors are further faced with either choosing who succeeds them as governor or vying for the Senate in their respective senatorial zone. News filtering through is that the PDP, after a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan, may have decided to offer automatic tickets to some of their returning senators. Some months back, I wrote a piece titled: “The Incredulity of automatic Tickets.” It is still my belief that this is antithetical to democracy.

This is also on the backdrop of the opposition All Progressives Party, APC. possibly offering automatic ticket to their incumbent House of Representatives members to make sure they protect Speaker Aminu Tambuwal from impeachment. Where is our democracy heading? Part of the rationale for offering automatic tickets to some senators is because our democracy will supposedly be enriched, at least the legislative arm, if we tap into their experience. The Senate President David Mark, who has been in the Senate since 1999, is one of the protagonists of this argument. However, the counter-argument is that it is an affront to democracy to deny the out-going governors their constitutional right to contest for a seat to represent their respective senatorial zone. These governors are eminently qualified under Section 65 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as they have a school certificate, are at least 35 years of age and are expected to be sponsored by their political party. This is exactly identical to the qualifications to be a governor under Section 177 of the same constitution. Restating the obvious: giving automatic tickets denies people choices. Furthermore, it forecloses competition. More importantly, it is a clear violation of Section 87 of the 2010 Electoral Act.

*Prof Akpodiete, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Warri, Delta State.

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By Bamidele Odubela

ECENTLY Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos state decried the sudden nonappearance of the names of over one million voters in Lagos State from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC's voters register. But responding to the discrepancy noticeable in the new voters register vis-a-vis that of 2011, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, for Lagos State ascribed it to changes between the 2011 Post-AFIS voter register and the extant voters register after the Post-Business rule voter register criterion is applied. This is strange because the Chairman of INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, in trying to rob the South to pay the North with electoral advantage, defended the recent allocation of new polling units, by legitimating the PostAFIS register of 2011 and refuting the Post-Business rule register. But the anxiety of Governor Fashola is just the beginning of the evidence of how the South West will be robbed electorally by Jega’s regional elements in INEC. It is shocking how the present political elite of the South West have kept mute over the recent lopsided allocation of polling units by INEC using conjectures and arbitrary constructs that allotted to the North West 7,906; the North East 5,291 and the North Central 6,318, while it allotted to the South West 4,160; South-South 3,087 and South East 1,167 and the FCT 1,120. Many geo-political allocations such as local government areas and wards were similarly constructed from arbitrary allotments by persons

Polling units: How Jega may rob South West permanently who found themselves in privileged positions, manipulation, their Northern allies could not trust without any reference to credible and reliable their South West allies with as much electoral procedures, yet they have remained the leverage as they have allocated to themselves. The authoritative reference points for constituency truth of this matter is that they, unlike their South delimitation for a long time to come. To give a West political allies, are not fooled by such temporary very graphic illustration, the estimated alliances of convenience. They recognise that, while population of Ibadan city is 3,565,108 and alliances may be facile, electoral constituencies can Ogbomosho, another big city in Oyo State, is be very difficult to change once embedded in the 1.1 million; in comparison, one of the biggest body politics. That is why a state like Osun with cities in Yobe State is Potiskum. In peace times 1,318,120 eligible voters was allotted 121 new its population was 86,002, but in creating new polling units whereas states with less number of polling units, Yobe state got 790 new polling eligible voters like Gombe with 1,208,927 voters got units while Oyo got 580 new polling units , even three times more, with 403 new polling units allocated when on the paper which INEC used as reference to them compared to Osun’s 121. point the total number of eligible voters in Oyo So why would someone in Jega’s decision-making structure rob the South West of two polling State is 2,487,132, while the total units for every one it allocates to their number of eligible voters in Yobe State electoral peers in the North, which translated is 1,203,324. But to worsen matters, means that they are creating on paper 1500 states in the North which have equal or voters in the North for every 500 potential less number of eligible voters like Oyo, voters in the South West? such as Niger State which has 2,427,081 Why is this manipulation of the electoral got over 1000 new polling units. For Why would system necessary? To answer this question, instance, Niger State got 1,683 new someone in we need to understand electoral systems and polling units, about three times the how systemic electoral frauds are fomented number of new polling units allotted to Jega’s institutionally. Electoral systems describe Oyo. The reaction of political leaders in the proportional representation of the South West to this anomalous decisionconstituencies in governance legislatures. disparity belies the political making In parliamentary systems, it is the life sophistication for which the South West is renowned, given the historical structure rob blood of political victories; in presidential systems it dictates who gets what, when electoral consequences of such and how through legislative policy deliberate distortion of electoral systems. the South making and oversight. By using arbitrary The recent quietude by South West West of two criteria cooked up by the chairman of political leaders may be explained by their recent political alliances with polling units operations Nuru Yakubu in INEC and his regional devotees instead of international political networks in the Northern oligarch. Such quiet can only be for every one benchmarks, starting with scientific described as implied collusion, in it allocates to delimitation of constituencies, INEC is trying to foist polling unit configurations which case they believe that electoral victory from this alliance will mean their electoral that will make small constituencies in the North look like gigantic constituencies, and greater empowerment. But it is big constituencies in the South West look like surprising that despite such alliances, peers in the comparative electoral dwarfs. they do not find it curious that even in North? seeking victory through electoral system

By Ernest Omoarelojie

N November 12, 2008, Adams Eric Aliyu Oshiomhole, was sworn in as Governor of Edo State. It was a special moment for the state and its people for several reasons. Remarkably, it was the culmination of the resilience of the people, who voted and stood by him when anti-democratic forces tried to rob him of the mandate they gave willingly to him, and the judiciary that resisted machinations of the powers-that-be to give a verdict in favour of a popular choice. The nation became better for it as the judiciary stood resolute on the side of the people. In addition, it was a turning point for the entire state as it marked the beginning of what is now popularly referred to as the 'new narrative'. While making the solemn pledge to turn the state around like never before, he underscored his desire to be a people's governor by seeking their consent to be referred to as "ComradeGovernor." Uniquely, his pledge was an unambiguous desire to give the state a fresh breath in terms of peopleoriented, physically verifiable development projects that will stand the test of time. The pledge became necessary because the supposedly democratic administrations before him ruined and wrecked the state economy without any attempt to upgrade basic public infrastructure on the pretext that the state had no money. A few years into his administration, Oshiomhole eroded the 'no-money' myth by proving to be a man of his words. Decades after the historic performance left by Dr Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, who, as military administrator of old Bendel State, left a telling record of infrastructural development, Oshiomhole recreated that long gone era as structures, after hoperising structures began to fill available spaces in all the nooks and crannies of

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Oshiomhole: Six years after the state. It was not a surprise that the capital, there are too many to be people decided to give a unanimous mentioned here. In addition, the second term endorsement in all 18 local administration embarked on a deliberate government areas despite subterranean renovation and reconstruction of public sabotage by those put to shame by his schools, public health institutions and streets, designed and completed with performance. Importantly, Oshiomhole was not covered drains, walkways, street lights, given an unassailable second term etc, also in all the 18 local government approval by the people on flimsy areas. The health sector witnessed the grounds. Between his inauguration and same level of turn around. Remarkably, the administration kept the end of his first term, they witnessed an unprecedented, self-evident and the momentum despite dwindling widespread development projects returns from federation allocations and spread across every sector, including internally generated revenue. With the accruing monthly allocations economy, education, works, health, environment/public utilities, from the federation on the etc, in every senatorial decline, from N3.8 billion to N2.8 zone, every local billion, the administration took government area and every to the internally generated town. With him, the people revenue option which moved up became convinced that the from its less-than-N300 million state had truly become a revenue before the advent of the very positive new narrative. administration to its present Before the coming of his status of between N1.4 billion administration, Edo State to N1.5 billion. Yet, Benin City, economy was in ruins. the state capital is about the It was not a Though oil revenue was cleanest compared to some of its high, the greater part of surprise that neighbours with over N10 whatever accrued from it billion monthly federation found its way into the the people account allocation. pockets of those elected by decided to In the education sector, the the people. It didn't matter new narrative is known as the to them that the people give a red roof revolution. Public they represented suffered. schools in the state only unanimous For instance, roads and compared with poultry farms public schools became so second term before the advent of the wrecked that an urgent Oshiomhole administration. At surgical revival was endorsement best, most of them had no roofs, needed to avert total making teaching and learning collapse. Midway into the despite near impossible tasks during administration, roads in subterranean rainy seasons. the city centre, including All that has changed as the Akpakpava, Five Junction, sabotage by administration went on a Mission, Airport, Sapele education rebirth those put to deliberate roads, etc, became selfpolicy that resulted in the evident proofs that the shame by his rehabilitation of old and administration meant construction of new school business. Further from the performance buildings, complete with red

Since democracy is still taking root in Nigeria many stakeholders do not take important landmark events such as districting or constituency delimitation, which has consequences for the location and spread of polling units as seriously as they should. Hence they often pay scant attention when electoral bodies or political authorities take actions that may alter political constituencies, electoral maps and consequently polling units. The importance of such actions for the outcome of elections only become obvious when election results are released and voters come to find out that the game may have been actually programmed to be won even before the ballots are cast. The question, therefore, should not only be to find out how the one million voters disappeared from the roll in Lagos, but a wholesome review of how INEC has conducted such cleaning or editing of the voters roll. This will also include a line by line examination of the scientific and political rigor by which INEC arrived at its current polling units allocation without any record of a delimitation exercise in which it notified and consulted with stakeholders from the bottom to the top. If such vigilance is not revived. Jega and his regional devotees will be smiling five years from now when they watch the South West bemoaning its large population towns squeezing themselves through narrow compartmentalised electoral corridors created at INEC. •Mr. Odubela, a public affars analyst, wrote from Lagos.

roofs and every other facility necessary for conducive environment for learning. The new structures are found in all the 192 wards of the state. Education is not only free for both primary and secondary schools, the administration also made transportation free for all uniformed children both in private or public schools riding on the Comrade buses. Definitely, Edo State ranks as one of the state with the best network of roads. However, they were hardly motorable until the current administration took effect. Since then, things changed for the better as roads from the capital down to the local governments have become a beauty to behold in terms of their look and functionality. Oshiomhole has taken upon himself some ambitiously near impossible tasks and turned them around. The Azura/Edo Independent Power Project and Edo Water Storm project are obvious examples. The former is a $100 million project and the first Nigerian power project to benefit from the World Bank’s risk guarantee status, covered by the global bank's Partial Risk Guarantee structure for developing needs of emerging global markets. It is very credible evidence that the state is a viable centre for global investment hob. The latter is a vast labyrinth of huge drainage system under construction to serve as a permanent solution of the endemic drainage challenge in the state capital. It is designed to empty the water deluge from all over the city to either the Ogba or Ikpoba River. For all his efforts, the Benin crown prince, Eheneden Erediauwa, described Oshiomhole's performance in the following words. "I don't know of any governor that has developed Edo state in terms of infrastructure as Oshiomhole." *Mr. Omoarelojie, a public affairs commentator, wrote Benin City, Edo State.

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ITH 10 teams al ready qualified for next year ’s Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea, six places will now be decided on Wednesday. Equatorial Guinea have qualified automatically for the tournament to be played between January 17 and February 8 after they replaced Morocco as the host country. Nine other countries have booked their passage to Equatorial Guinea after five rounds of qualifying matches at the weekend. They are Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde Islands, Gabon, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia and Zambia Nigeria and Congo are locked in Group A for the remaining ticket as they have seven points apiece, but enjoy the advantage of having whipped out a 3-2 loss they suffered at the hands of the Red Devils three months ago courtesy of the 2-0 win they recorded in PointeNoire at the weekend. A home win of whatever shade at the brandnew Akwa Ibom International Stadium in Uyo for Nigeria against group winners South Africa will guarantee them an 18th appearance at the final tournament. This is notwithstanding what Congo manage in Sudan also on Wednesday. Mali, Malawi and Ethiopia will jostle for another ticket in Group B, which has already been won by on-form Algeria. Mali are second with six points and welcome Algeria to Bamako in midweek, while Malawi, who also have six points and an inferior goals difference, square up against bottom team Ethiopia, who are three points. Bottom team Ethiopia could still qualify if they beat Malawi by at least two clear goals and Mali lose at home to Algeria. Malawi are also in contention should they beat Ethiopia by a big score after they defeated them 3-2 at home in September. They will go up to nine points and have cancelled out Mali on the

Super Eagles players celebrating victory at the 2013 finals in South Africa. Will they be in Equatorial Guinea 2015?

Who grabs 6 remaining 2015 AFCON qualifying tickets? head-to-head after they reversed a 2-0 loss in Bamako three months ago by also beating the West Africans 2-0 in Malawi. Mali have only to beat Algeria to seal qualification. It is a straight fight between the Ivory Coast and DR Congo for a place in the finals. The Elephants are second in the standings on nine points and need a draw at home against their conquerors Cameroon to qualify at the expense of DRC, who will be expected to beat bottom team Sierra Leone at home. Group E is very much wide open and any four teams – Ghana, Ugan-

da, Guinea and Togo – could still clinch the two tickets still up for grabs. After their sensational 4-1 win in Togo, Guinea also now lead the thirdbest slot with seven points. They now have to beat Uganda in Morocco by a better score than 2-0 loss they suffered when both teams clashed in Kampala in September. Seven-time winners Egypt with six points are close on their heels on six points, but face a tougher task when they visit Tunisia on Wednesday. The draw for the biennial competition will be staged in Malabo on December 3.

Contenders for other six places at a glance Group A (1 place): Nigeria, Congo Brazzaville Group B (1 place): Mali, Malawi, Ethiopia Group D (1 place): Cote d’Ivoire, DRC Congo Group E (2 places): Ghana, Uganda, Guinea, Togo Best third-place team: Guinea lead with one match day left on Wednes, November 19

•Ayew

•Toure

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014 — 53

6th C’wealth Taekwondo Championships:

Nigeria start with 4 gold medals •Elegbeleye hails team

From Left: Kunle Oyegade; Strategy Partner Adidas;Wahid Enitan Oshodi received an award on behalf of Governor Fashola, while Sewedo Oluseyi Whenu, Permanet Secretary Ministry of Sports looks on at the Nigeria Sports Award 2014 held in Lagos. PHOTO BY AKEEM SALAU

Akpabio congratulates Eagles ...Uyo people eager to see players —Umanah

HE Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, has congratulated the Super Eagles for their impressive 2-0 victory over Congo at the weekend. Nigeria defeated Congo in Pointe Noire to be back on track for a place in the Africa Nations Cup finals scheduled to hold between January 17 and February 8 in Equatorial Guinea. Akpabio, speaking through the state commissioner for information, Aniekan Umanah, said that the Eagles displayed guts and determination to get the desired result in the encounter. “We prayed for the victory because anything short of that could have made the match coming up against South Africa

Bafana Bafana vow to stop Eagles Continues from Back Page

going to put out our best team. It is more than three points at stake when we go to Nigeria. “It’s going to be another tough game like the one we played today, which many thought was going to be easy. Thanks to all the supporters, their presence helped us conquer.” South Africa have still never beaten Nigeria in a competitive men’s senior international match, a record Mashaba is no doubt keen to throw out. With one eye on next year’s Afcon, Mashaba knows the hard work must continue and revealed his mission for the tournament. C M Y K

on Wednesday irrelevant,” he said. Umanah said the Governor was so elated and has promised to host the Eagles after completing the qualification task against the Bafana Bafana on Wednesday.

“Governor Akpabio expects a resounding victory on Wednesday after which there will be an “uncommon” reception for the members of the national team at the government house in Uyo,” he added.

IGERIA made a remarkable beginning to the 6th Commonwealth Taekwondo Championships in Scotland, winning four gold and two bronze medals on the opening day. The medals were won by Jamilu Mohammed (gold), Sola Olowookere (gold), Adamu Isah (gold) and Esuku Josephine (gold). Others include Asigbe Adaeze(bronze) and

Blessing Nwakama (bronze) According to the NTF President, George Ashiru, this is Nigeria’s best ever performance in international championships, surpassing the 3 Golds, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze won at the 1987 All Africa Games. The team’s preparation and selection methodology paid off with superb performances with 6 medals from 10 athletes who

Pillars pocket N15m N

IGERIA champi ons Kano Pillars will receive a cash prize of 15 million Naira (less

than $100,000) for winning the 2013/2014 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

Ndanusa, Gumel go for each other’s jugular *NOC Election in Asaba

RCHID Hotels & Events Centre in Asaba, Delta State will come alive on Wednesday and Thursday, November 19 - 20 when it hosts the NOC Annual General Meeting and the Elections into the Executive Committee. Two heavyweights, incumbent President Engineer Sani M. Ndanusa and former President and IOC member Habu Gumel are set to re- ignite their rivalry at the polls yet again. The two Engineers battled for the soul of the Olympic body but it was Ndanusa that laughed last and guided the NOC to new

heights in the last four years he was in charge. The Screening Committee made up of Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, Chief(Mrs Kofo Nwokedi and Major Gen. Adamu Dyeri approved 16 contestants to contest for the eight Executive positions of the NOC. The battle for the Secretary General is not different from that of the Presidency. Incumbent scribe Hon Tunde Popoola and former scribe Olabanji Oladapo will go head to head for the heart of the secretariat. Athletics Federation of Nigeria President, Evangelist

Shooting

This is a new beginning and we are going to prepare well for the Nigeria Premier League Football.” Experienced defender Sylvanus Ebiaku gave 3SC an early lead in the fifth minute from the penalty spot after Okiki Afolabi was fouled inside the box. Overall, it was a fitting final match between 3SC and Akwa Starlets, who gave a very good account of themselves in the first half.

Continues from Back Page

day. Elated Oyo State commissioner for youth and sports, Umar Farouk Arisekola Alao, saluted the victorious Shooting Stars. He said, “I’m so happy today with the performance of the team and they really made the state proud because this is the first time the team will be promoted instantly after 35 years.

competed in the first day of tournament. The Senate President, David Mark, The Honourable Minister of Sports, the Director General of NSC, Gbenga Elegbeleye and Director of FEAD at the NSC have already sent in congratulations for the great opening day performance of the Team at the tournament which features 550 competitors across the Commonwealth member nations. Speaking to Sports Vanguard, Elegbeleye poured plaudits on the athletes for their doggedness and discipline.

*Ndanusa

*Gumel

Solomon Ogba is sure of becoming first Vice President as he would be elected unopposed. So also is the position of second Vice President which is sure to be filled by Mr Babatunde Fatayi Williams. Basketball Federation President, Tijani Umar and Olayinka Badare will fight for the third Vice President’s slot. Four candidates, Major General Johnny Hamakin(incumbent), Enefiok UdoObong(former Olympics gold medallist), George Ashiru(Taekwondo), and Dans Adokiye are sure to breathe down on each other for the position of Deputy Secretary General. Hon. Bappa Aliyu(Incumbent) and Prof Olatunde Makanju

will square off for the Treasurer position. The Public Relations position will be a straight fight between Tony Ubani(Incumbent) and Mrs Comfort Nwankwo.

This is a 50% increase from the 10 million Naira they earned last season as champions. The League Management Company (LMC) announced on its official website of 50% increase in Premier League annual Merit Distribution Award. This means the 20 clubs who featured in the Nigeria top flight league this season will share 75 million Naira as against 50 million Naira they shared last term from the Financial Merit award. The merit award represents cash earnings shared to the 20 clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) sponsored by Globacom Limited in accordance with their placing on the final league table ratified by the league body.

CAF picks Mauritian referees Continues from Back Page

Vivian Vally as Assistant Referee 2 and Parmendra Nunkoo as Reserve Referee. To underscore the importance of the match, CAF has appointed Cameroonian Abel Mbengue as Security Officer, to assist the Match Commissioner, Laryea Louis from Ghana. Meanwhile, the delegation of the Bafana Bafana to Wednesday’s match will arrive in Uyo

on Monday evening. Although the South Africa Football Association does not have the permit to land their chartered aircraft at the Ibom International Airport, the Nigeria Football Federation is working round the clock to ensure permit is granted for their plane before it departs Johannesburg at 1pm on Monday. The delegation will be composed of 26 players and 15 officials.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014—55

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VANGUARD, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014

Shooting Stars return to premier league

HOOTING Stars have returned to the elite league in Nigeria after they pipped closest rivals Akwa Starlets 1-0 at Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan on Saturday. Shooting Stars, who

were relegated to lower division last season, finished top of NNL Division B with 50 points from 30 matches. Gabros also gained promotion from Division B after they won 2-0 at Ekiti United on Satur Continues on Page 53

Bafana Bafana vow to stop Eagles *Rule out easy match

AFANA Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba has quickly dismissed any thoughts of taking it easy against Nigeria in their final group qualifier on Wednesday. South Africa booked their place in Equatorial Guinea for the 2015 African Nations Cup after a 2-1 win over Sudan at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday. Bafana are guaranteed top spot in Group A – meaning the result against the Super Eagles is of no consequence for Mashaba’s side – but the coach has ruled out any thoughts of losing competitive fo-

cus and says there is more at stake. “I would like to say congratulations to the players, [but] we are still

left with one game, against Nigeria,” Mashaba said. “I know people will think it is going to be a walkover; no, we are Continues on Page 53

CAF picks Mauritian referees *As Bafana fly in on Monday

HE Confederation of African Football has picked Rajindraparsad Seechurn of Mauritius as Referee for Wednesday’s 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Nigeria and South Africa in Uyo. Seechurn will be assisted by fellow countrymen, Balkrishna Bootun as Assistant Referee 1,

*Seechurn

Continues on Page 53

Champions Pillars pocket N15m —P.53

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

*BATTLE OF WITS: Super Eagles midfielder, Ogeny Onazi outwits Bafana Bafana opponent, Andile Jali during the first leg of the 2015 Afcon qualifier in Cape Town. The match ended 0-0.

QUICK CROSSWORD Across 4 Compact (5) 7 Tally (6) 9 Fitting (3) 10 Stray (3) 12 Forward (5) 13 Tight (4) 15 Kind (5) 17 Sullen (6) 19 Speed (4) 20 Boat (5) 22 Cushion (3) 24 Prised (7) 27 Resin (3) 28 Paled (5) 31 Sheep (4) 33 Figurine (6) 35 Subsequently (5) 37 Ray (4) 38 Last (5) 39 Obscure (3) 41 Cunning (3) 42 Proper (6) 43 Trivial (5)

Down 1 Feverish (6) 2 Season (6) 3 Consumed (3) 4 Box (4) 5 Alternative (5) 6 Idle (8) 8 Therefore (4) 11 Revered (9) 14 Implement (4) 16 Close (4) 18 Stagger (4) 21 Irritating (8) 23 Adroit (4) 25 Huge (4) 26 Plaster (4) 29 Considered (6) 39 Relegate (6) 32 Explosion (32) 34 Parched (4) 36 Friend (4) 40 Males (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

Across: 1, Stop 4, Rip 6, Star 9, Aim 10, Uncouple 11, Bear 14, Ore 16, Refer 19, Departed 21, Beret 23, Divorced 24, Dress 27, Eat 31, Dupe 33, Abundant 34, Son 35, Kept 36, Dud 37, Erne.

Down: 2, Tune 3, Poor 4, Reported 5, Peer 6, Sabre 7, Tie 8, Amaze 12, Added 13, Spite 14, Orb 15, Eerie 17, Fancy 18, Ready 20, Devalue 22, Tot 25, Rouse 26, Spent 28, Hard 29, Edge 30, Anon.

How to Play Sudoku

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number). Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row. No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355. Advert Dept Hotline: 014544821; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

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