CHIBOK GIRLS: Boko Haram soft-pedals

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62146

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MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014

FASHOLA'S SUCCESSOR:

Oil majors fleece Nigeria How Ambode's ambition with inflated project costs started 2 yrs ago 7 17

CHIBOK GIRLS: Boko Haram soft-pedals •Drops demand for release of its commanders •Now wants wives, other family members released •Jonathan bans aides from commenting on rescue efforts

BY EMEKA MAMAH, UDUMA KALU & NDAHI MARAMA, WITH AGENCY REPORT

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AGOS—BOKO Haram, which abducted more than 200 schoolgirls in Borno a month ago, has backed down on its demand for a release of its top commanders by government before the abducted girls

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COLUMNIST:

Systemic surplus Naira as •P.40 economic poison

Mr & Mrs

ON CHIBOK—Students of Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), Abaji, during the solidarity visit of the Executive Director, UN Women,Ms Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka to the school over the abducted Chibok school girls in Abuja, yesterday.

Inset: Ms Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka . Photos: NAN.

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POCKET CARTOON

CHIBOK ABDUCTION—From left: Deputy Director, Department of State Service Mrs. Marilyn Ogar; Director of National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mike Omeri and Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba addressing pressmen on development in Chibok School Girls Abduction in Abuja.

Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

CHIBOK GIRLS: Boko Haram soft-pedals Continues from page 1 could be released.

It has also emerged that President Goodluck Jonathan has banned all his ministers and presidential spokespersons from commenting on any issue relating to the campaign by the Federal Government to rescue the girls. This came as the Defence headquarters warned against unauthorised visits to the areas of operation by tourists and journalists, saying such venture was risky.

The Telegraph of London, in an exclusive report, quoted sources close to the militant Islamist group as saying that the sect has aban-

doned its demands for its top commanders to be released that could see “gradual” release of the schoolgirls as early as next week.

In a significant concession, the group was said to have abandoned demands for its top commanders to be released, seemingly aware that this would be politically impossible for the Federal Government.

The Telegraph first reported details of Boko Haram’s offer of an imminent prisoners exchange last Tuesday, when sources close to some of the militants’ families said that a senior Islamic cleric from the northern part of the

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

A dwarf standing on the shoulders of a giant may even see farther than the giant himself.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

W

E don’t receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us — Marcel Proust It’s said that one day, Frederick the Great of Prussia was walking on the outskirts of Berlin when he encountered a very old man walking ramrodstraight in the opposite direction.

“Who are you?” Frederick asked his subject.

“I am a king,” replied the old man.

“A king!” laughed Frederick. “Over what kingdom do you reign?”

“Over myself,” was the proud old man’s reply.

Dr. Maxwell, a motivational writer surmises beautifully how to cultivate a higher standard in leading ourselves better, for each of us is “monarch” over our own lives. We are responsible for ruling our actions and decisions. To make consistently good decisions, to take the right action at the right time and to refrain from the wrong actions requires character and self-discipline. To do otherwise is to lose control of ourselves—to do or say things we regret, to miss opportunities we are given, to spend ourselves into debt. When we are foolish, we want to conquer the world. When we are wise, we want to conquer ourselves. This begins when we do what we should, no matter how we feel about it.

country would be appointed to mediate on its behalf with the government.

According to the Telegraph, the cleric has since been joined by a former aide to one of the group’s founders. No man has been named, possibly for their safety.

While the Federal Government has insisted that it is not willing to enter prisoners swap negotiations, the source claimed that dialogue had already been going on in secret for several days.

“Contrary to the public rejection of any swap deal by the Nigerian government, there are some on-the-ground talks taking place,” the Telegraph quoted its source as saying adding that “an agreement was reached about two or three days ago in principle to start releasing some prisoners.”

He said that among the prisoners that the group wanted released would be wives and families of Boko Haram fighters, some of whom have been taken into custody by the Federal Government in order to exert emotional pressure on the fighters.

“The group also has a list of lower-level fighters that it wants released as well, but they are not high-profile ones,” the source added.

He said that in exchange, Boko Haram was willing to start a “gradual” release of around 100 of the girls possibly beginning as early as the coming week. “Depending on how the other side responds, the girls will be released in small groups. They will be left at a certain safe location, and the authorities will then be told as to where they can pick them up from.”

Details of the offer emerged as officials in-

vestigated reports that Boko Haram was responsible for the kidnapping of up to 10 Chinese workers in neighbouring Cameroon, where the group now also has a presence.

On Saturday, Nigeria and its neighbours, including Cameroon, Benin, Chad and Niger declared “war” on Boko Haram after an international summit in Paris hosted by the French President, François Hollande.

The offensive will involve co-ordination of surveillance efforts aimed at finding the girls, the sharing of intelligence, the tightening of border controls, and a regional counterterrorism strategy with Western help.

The Telegraph source said Boko Haram leaders had been upset by the declaration of “war” at the Paris summit, and that this could encourage it to withdraw its offer.

At the summit, the countries agreed to forge a regional counterterrorism strategy with expertise and training support from Britain, France, the European Union and the United States.

Britain will host a follow-up meeting to discuss the Boko Haram crisis next month. It is thought that the kidnapped schoolgirls are being held somewhere in either North-East Nigeria or across the border in Cameroon.

China confirms abduction of 10 nationals The Chinese embassy in Cameroon confirmed that 10 of its workers had gone missing on Friday at a site near the town of Waza, 12 miles from the Nigerian border and close to the Sambisa forest, a Boko Haram stronghold.

Lu Qingjiang, the embassy’s political counsellor, said that one Chinese worker was also injured in the attack, China’s Xinhua state news agency reported.

Ten vehicles belonging to China’s state-run construction company Sinohydro, which is repairing roads in Cameroon, were also taken, Xinhua said.

Mr Lu called on the Cameroonian authorities to “not put the lives of Chinese nationals missing in danger in case actions of liberation be launched”, Xinhua said.

Jonathan bans ministers, aides

Meanwhile, President

Jonathan has asked all ministers and presidential spokespersons to stop commenting on any issue relating to the campaign by the Federal Government to rescue the school girls.

Sources told Vanguard that Jonathan gave the directive following alleged uncoordinated responses or comments by some ministers and special advisers to criticisms by some Nigerians over government alleged poor handling of the terrorist activities in the NorthEast with particular reference to the abducted students.

Jonathan has, however, directed the formation of the National Information Centre with the Director General of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mr Mike Omeri as chairman.

According to sources, the ban on the ministers and special advisers from speaking led to the alleged stoppage of two press conferences which were to be addressed by the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku recently by the Department of State Services, DSS. The DSS also reportedly stopped another news conference which the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, reportedly organised on the Chibok matter.

In compliance with the Presidential directive, the National Information Centre now meets every day to exchange ideas and take common positions on issues to be addressed by Omeri who is the spokesman.

Members of the committee include Omeri, the Information minister as well as the spokespersons for the military (Maj.General Chris Olukolade);DSS (Marilyn Ogar); Frank Mbah (police) as well as their counterparts in other sister services.

However, the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki; Service Chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar as well as the United States

Ambassador and his UK counterpart are allowed to interact with the committee with a view to sharing ideas or privileged information with the committee. Others include the Director in the Federal Ministry of Information, Peter Adamu and his foreign affairs counterpart.

Military warns against visit to operation areas A statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade reads: “The Defence Headquarters has noted the presence of a large number of tourists, journalists and adventurers of diverse interests moving about in areas where security operations are currently ongoing especially in Adamawa and Borno states without the necessary security cover or clearance.

“This trend constitutes unnecessary risk to the persons especially the foreigners involved. It is also an undue obstruction to operations”.

Tight security around schools in Makurdi Also, following an alarm by authorities of the Government College, Makurdi, that Boko Haram plans to attack the school and abduct its students, Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar has ordered the strengthening of security in all boarding schools in and around Makurdi, the capital of Benue State.

A statement signed by the Force Public Relations officer, CSP Frank Mba said: “This is coming on the heels of recent threat letter purportedly issued by elements claiming to be Boko Haram members to two all-boys Secondary Schools-Government College, Makurdi, and Mount Saint Gabriel College, Makurdi."

6 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014

Fire guts Daleko market in Lagos

BY MONSURU OLOWOOPEJO

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AGOS— PROPERTY worth millions of Naira were, yesterday, destroyed as fire razed 120 shops in the popular Daleko market in Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Vanguard gathered that the fire started from the vegetable oil section of the market at about 1:50 a.m, hours after the traders had closed for the day.

Sources said the night guards in the market raised the alarm which further alerted residents who raced to the scene to help salvage whatever they could. But their effort proved abortive.

Our correspondent learnt that the products stocked in the shops further escalated the fire.

But the fire was put out one and half hours later by men of the Lagos State fire service.

Speaking to Vanguard, Director of the state fire service, Mr. Rasaq Fadipe, confirmed the incident, saying: "Immediately I received the alert, I deployed three water tankers to the scene.

"We would have been able to put out the fire few minutes after our arrival and more property would have been saved. But the fire was fuelled by the vegetable oil products stocked in the shops."

He noted that with professionalism, they were able to put out the fire at about 2:45 am.

He, however, blamed the cause of the fire on power surge from the electric cables within the vegetable oil section of the market.

Police recover nail rods planted on highways to puncture vehicle tyres

BY DAUD OLATUNJI & SEGUN OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA — THE Ogun State Police, yesterday, said it has recovered heavy nail-like rods allegedly buried on highways along Abeokuta/Sagamu Expressway by hoodlums to puncture tyres of moving vehicles.

The command also said the highway patrol team attached to Ijebu Ode/Benin expressway has arrested four suspects, Oluwaseun Oladapo, Julius Tepe, Kamoru Moruf and Surajudeen Busari, while on its routine express patrol along the expressway.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement said the command’s anti-robbery team attached to the expressway on patrol recovered the dangerous items allegedly planted by hoodlums along the road.

Speaking on the arrest of the suspects, Adejobi explained that the team flagged down one Honda Accord car with number plate Lagos AAA 219 BP, with the aforementioned occupants at Ososa area along the expressway.

He said the attitudes of the occupants raised a suspicion that led to their arrest and they could not give any satisfactory explanation on the ownership of the vehicle.

He said: “It would be recalled that hoodlums have been using this technique to destroy tyres on highways, thus robbing

The nails their victims (commuters) of their belongings. This prompted the command to re-strategise and put the axis under surveillance before their 'weapons' were discovered.

“The command restated its com-

mitment to wage wars against highway robbers and other criminals in the state. The Commissioner of Police Ogun State, CP Ikemefuna Okoye has reassured the people of

OIL TANKER HIJACK: Navy kills 2 suspected pirates during shoot-out •15 foreign crew members rescued, two killed

BY EVELYN USMAN

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AGOS — NAVAL person nel attached to NNS Benin and NNS Ikot-Abasi, recently engaged in a gun battle with sea pirates who hijacked a vessel with 17 foreign crew members at the Lagos anchorage, killing two of them in the process.

The pirates, numbering eight and armed, reportedly hijacked the oil tanker, MT SP Brussels, about 120 nautical miles outside Lagos waters, killing two crew members.

Fifteen crew members from Pakistan, India and Ghana,

were rescued.

Report said the pirates, who were operating in two speed boats, gained access into the oil tanker, a 35 gross tonnage vessel and 14 metric tonnes container capacity of product, with a Jacob’s ladder.

Four of them were said to have engaged two Police escorts in a shootout during which stray bullets hit two crew members, killing them on the spot, while another was injured.

The deceased, as gathered, were an Indian and

2 Customs officers arrested over rape of Facebook friend

BY ESTHER ONYEGBULA

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AGOS— TWO Customs officers (names withheld) attached to Gbaji Customs checkpoint, are being quizzed by the Police over the alleged rape of a 23-year-old woman.

The incident reportedly occurred at Limca bus stop area, along Badagry expressway, residence of one of the suspects.

It was learnt that the victim (names withheld) and the Customs officer became friends on Facebook, a social media plat-

Ogun State and those on transit in the state of adequate security of lives and property particularly on our highways.

“The commissioner has ordered the Area Commander Sagamu, Assistant Commissioner of Police Lanre Bankole and his Ijebu Ode counterpart, ACP Mudashiru Abdullahi to investigate the two cases respectively and make sure they apprehend those involved in the acts of planting heavy nail-like objects on the roads all over their areas particularly Lagos/Ibadan and Ijebu Ode/Benin Expressways that pass through the two area commands in the state.

form. She agreed to visit the suspect after months of online chatting.

According to reports, he invited the woman to his place and the victim, who resides in Badagry area, came visiting.

The Customs officer was said to have pleaded with the victim to allow him make love to her but she refused, saying she was on her monthly circle.

However, when his colleague

arrived, they became violent and allegedly took turns raping her.

Vanguard learnt that she immediately reported the incident at Area 'K' Police Command and the suspects were picked up.

Police were said to have found blood stains on the Customs officers' bed and the boxers with which the victim allegedly cleaned up herself.

the captain of the ship.

How tanker was hijacked

The pirates, who out-numbered the policemen attached to 43 Mobile Police Force of the Marine Police CMS, reportedly disarmed them, thereby forcing the fearstricken crew members to scurry into a citadel inside the ship to hide.

Having taken over the oil tanker, the sea pirates were said to have held the crew members hostage and set sail apparently to offload the content.

A senior naval personnel who spoke with Vanguard, said naval vessels —NNS Benin and NNS Ikot-Abasi — went in their trail following information received from the International Maritime Bureau (IMB). Sources added that the oil tanker with its call sign reading V7M17 communicated its last position on April 11, 2014 while it was at UTC terrestrial, heading to its destination at Lagos offshore.

Monarch, 14 others in Police net over forest reserve trespass

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA — NO fewer than 15 persons, including a traditional ruler (name withheld), have been arrested for allegedly stealing government’s property in the forest reserves, which have been designated as no-go-areas across the state.

Also, 10 civil servants were said to have been nabbed for

alleged collaboration with the suspects who trespassed into the state’s forest reserves in Ogun East Senatorial district.

The state Commissioner for Forestry, Adebayo Fari stated these, weekend, at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta to herald the third anniversary of Ibikunle Amosun-led administration.

People doing their business in Maiduguri under the protection of soldiers, weekend. Photo: NAN.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014 —7

BOOK PRESENTATION: From left— Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State; Governor Muhktar Yero of Kaduna State and the Emir of Zazzau, Ahaji Shehu Idris, at the public presentation of books on fasting according to Islamic laws at the Umar Musa Yar'Adua Hall, Kaduna, yesterday. PHOTO: Olu Ajayi.

Lobbying intensifies at confab as c'ttees turn in reports z Presidency seeks support for 2015, revenue allocation of 56.68% z 'North watching out for traitors'

BY SONI DANIE, Regional Editor, North

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BUJA—AS the National Conference begins the consideration of the reports turned in by its 20 committees, intensive lobbying has begun with a view to influencing its outcome in favour of certain institutions, individuals and groups.

The Presidency, it was learnt last night, is keen on retaining the jumbo revenue base the Federal Government it is currently enjoying and using some of the powerful politicians at the conference to draw support for President Goodluck Jonathan’s reelection next year.

The seat of power is also said to be seriously concerned about the move by the North to slash oil derivation revenue from 13 percent to five percent, a move it reasons, could further heighten tension in the country.

To get the support of the majority of the delegates, most of who were directly appointed by the President, aides of the President and political strategists working for his re-election are said to have met several times in recent weeks with some of the delegates considered as ‘political heavyweights’.

Lobby groups

The series of meetings are said to have resulted in the

formation of several motley groups at the confab, each jostling for the support and attention of the Presidency.

One of the groups, National Conference Unity Forum, headed by a former deputy Senate President, has already begun serious lobbying of members for Jonathan.

Sources at the confab said that apart from lobbying the delegates to back Jonathan for 2015, the lobby team also wants to ensure that the proposal by the Committee on Devolution of Power to slash Federal revenue by 10 percent does not sail through during voting.

The Federal Government currently earns 56.68 percent of national revenue, but the committee has recommended that it be reduced to 42.5, while the revenue for states and local government be raised to 35 percent and 22.5 percent, respectively.

That proposal can only sail through if it is approved by 70 percent of the delegates.

A northern delegate, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, yesterday, took serious exception to the attempt by top government officials to use their positions to unduly influence delegates to do their bidding to the detriment of the larger society.

Why we’re here — Nor thern delegate

Mohammed, a delegate

from Kano State, said that the north knew from the outset that the conference would not bring any tangible result to the region and Nigeria given the way the representation of delegates were skewed against the region.

Mohammed said the northerners primarily went to the conference not because of any serious expectation, but to minimise

the damage which was preplanned against them by the Presidency.

He said: “The North is aware of the skewed and unjust composition of the conference whereby it has been reduced to one-third of the delegates despite its huge population.”

The Second Republic Federal lawmaker vowed, however, that despite the setback occasioned by the

unjust representation, the north was determined to ensure that its delegates were not used as guinea pigs to satisfy the lust of certain elements in positions of power.

He said: “Be that as it may, we in the north are determined to confront the challenge and acquit ourselves creditably. As a matter of world view and temperament, we believe in fairness and justice within the context of a democracy.

“We are aware of some torn-coats and traitors among northerners at the conference who are willing, for financial considerations, to adopt the most evil and most selfish agenda of the Presidency.

“But we are watching them.

We are, however, aware of the political savvy of the average northerner at the conference and their capacity to defend themselves.

‘Skewered composition’

“Given the skewed composition of the conference and the fact that the Presidency is busy setting up groups to lobby northerners who are in the minority at the confab, it is a clear indication that it was premature to write off the north the way the Presidency did.

“Political prostitutes, whether or not they are northerners, will be in for a rude shock. The people who collect money from them do not matter in the north.

“Those who are paying money to anyone at the confab should also note that the 2015 election will not be decided at the conference, but at the polling units.”

10 abducted Chinese moved to Nigeria, says Cameroon official

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HE 10 Chinese workers abducted by Boko Haram gunmen in Cameroon have, most likely, been taken back across the border to the Nigerian Islamist group’s strongholds, a police official said yesterday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “We are almost certain that the 10 Chinese have been kidnapped and transferred to Nigeria. We have no fresh news about them.

“The search continues (in Cameroon) but apart from small pieces of information I can’t see what could come out of it since the attackers have left the country.”

He added that all the helicopters that might have been used to survey the border area and help with the search were in the capital Yaounde ahead of the May 20

National Day military parade.

The celebrations were also the reason the unit of elite Cameroonian troops that usually guards the group of Chinese workers attacked late Friday was not up to its usual strength.

According to the local officials, a large group of heavily armed Boko Haram fighters in five vehicles stormed the Chinese encampment and engaged the Cameroonian soldiers.

The brazen attack came as President Goodluck Jonathan and counterparts from neighbouring states met in Paris to “declare war” on Boko Haram.

Meanwhile, France’s foreign minister offered China his country ’s help, yesterday, in locating 10 workers feared kidnapped

by Boko Haram militants, as

African leaders joined forces to fight the terrorist group.

“We have already told our Chinese friends that we were at their disposal in helping them find their citizens,” Laurent Fabius said on a visit to the Chinese capital, where he will meet Prime Minister Li Keqiang today.

Fabius noted the attack took place as French President Francois Hollande convened a meeting of heads of state to decide how to curb the havoc Boko Haram terrorists have wreaked.

President Jonathan and his counterparts from Benin, Chad, Cameroon and Niger approved an action plan on Saturday to combat the Islamist group blamed for 2,000 deaths this year and last month’s abduction of more than 200 schoolgirls from northeastern Nigeria.

8—Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014

PENGASSAN threatens strike over IPPS

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

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ETROLEUM and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, weekend, threatened a nationwide strike should the Federal Government stop salaries of its members in government agencies over government's refusal to exempt them from enrolment into the Integrated Personnel Payroll System, IPPS. The affected agencies are Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR; Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA; Nigeria Content Development Board, Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Authority, NNRA and Petroleum Training Institute, PTI. PENGASSAN argued that in spite of a recent agreement reached with government in a meeting called by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, the association would resort to industrial action to protect its members.

PENGASSAN noted that in spite of its protest letters to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation against their enrolment into the IPPIS as a result of non-consideration of the peculiar situation in the petroleum industry, it went ahead to issue an ultimatum to the agencies threatening to stop workers’ salaries.

In a letter dated April 22, 2014, PENGASSAN sought the intervention of the Minister over some issues of concerns.

At a meeting that lasted for over eight hours, the union threatened to shut down all oil and gas installations in the country if the controversial payroll system was implemented in the oil and gas industry, arguing that the introduction of the IPPIS scheme would c o m p r o m i s e effectiveness and efficiency in the system.

APC flays Jonathan on Chibok visit

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, Political Editor

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HE All Progressives Congress, APC, has flayed President Goodluck Jonathan over his failure to visit Chibok in Borno State, where over 200 secondary school girls were abducted

by Boko Haram, saying it

is a betrayal of the electorate who voted him into office.

The coordinator of the Information Management Centre, Mr. Mike Omeri, however, rebuffed the assertions, saying that the President was in daily contact with the commanders on ground.

Omeri, who is also Director-

General of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, told Vanguard that there was no issue about the President going to Chibok or not.

The APC, in a statement issued by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, equally flayed the administration for bungling

INVESTITURE: From left— Otunba Deji Osibogun; Dr. Oba Otudeko, Chairman, FBN Holding Plc, Honeywell Group; Otunba ‘Debola Osibogun, new President, Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN; Dr. Segun Aina, immediate past CIBN President; and Chief Jethro Akun, former Deputy Governor, Plateau State, during the investiture of Osibogun as the 18th President/Chairman of CIBN at the Bankers House, Lagos.

Insurgency's impacted negatively on investors' confidence— LCCI

BY NAOMI UZOR

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HE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, yesterday, said the prevailing security situation occasioned by the long drawn insurgency had negatively impacted on investors’ confidence and limited the realisation of the tremendous potentials that the economy presents, especially postGross Domestic Product, GDP, rebasing.

A statement, yesterday, by the President of LCCI, Alhaji Remi Bello, said: “It would be difficult to attract investors at this time just as the risk of long term investments in the economy has been heightened by prevailing conditions.

“The tempo of economic activities in the Northern part of the country has declined, access to the markets by companies in the southern part of the country has reduced resulting in loss of sales, while many enterprises have relocated.

“Security of lives and property is crucial to stimulate investment. In the same vein, investment

growth is imperative for job creation, poverty reduction and social stability.

“Persistent insecurity impacts negatively on the economy just as declining private sector performance could result in job losses which could aggravate the state of insecurity.”

He noted that it is a case of mutually reinforcing conditions which underscores the strong nexus between the economy, investment, private sector performance and security situation, adding that persistent insecurity creates concerns about safety and aggravates uncertainty.

He said: “The LCCI welcomes the strong global support and assistance in the fight against insurgency.

“We should take full advantage of this robust support not only to rescue the over 200 abducted Chibok girls, but also to address the capacity gaps in our military in dealing with the peculiarities of terrorism and insurgency.”

Evidently, he said, there is an international dimension to the insurrection which is why the global support at this time should be embraced and

encouraged to strengthen the capabilities of the Nigerian Armed Forces in tackling terrorism.

He urged governments at all levels— Federal, state and local— to intensify efforts to eliminate local factors that predispose the citizens to extremism.

These conditions, he said, include poverty, inequality, unemployment and illiteracy, adding that it calls for increased spending on education and health to improve the quality of population and human capital and also calls for greater quality spending on infrastructure to enhance productivity of enterprises in the economy and strengthen capacity to create jobs in a sustainable way.

He said: “A literate and productive citizenry is a strong antidote to fundamentalism of any sort.

“The LCCI urges all citizens to rally round the government and refrain from amplifying political, ethnic or religious sentiments on the issue.

“The single most important common objective at this time is to bring back our girls and restore lasting peace in the country.”

the news about the cancellation of the visit.

It said: “With his utterances and actions or inaction, President Jonathan has deepened the pains of the parents and guardians of the girls, and that of the whole nation, when he should have been the consoler-in-chief at such a difficult time.

“A President and Commander-in-Chief, who is afraid to visit any part of his country, has betrayed the very people who voted him into office.

“In the case of Chibok, he has shown that the residents of the town should not expect to be seen as compatriots by their own President hence they are on their own.

“This definitely explains why, increasingly, Nigerians are resorting to self help, why ordinary citizens are taking up cudgels, machetes and dane guns to battle Boko Haram.

“It is nothing but the clearest indication of state failure and presidential ineffectiveness.”

It said the administration can still begin to make amends by immediately packaging a presidential visit to Chibok that would only be announced after the President must have returned from the visit, instead of one in which the President’s men leaked the trip to the world in the hope of gaining mileage, only to reap opprobrium when the trip was cancelled.

However, Omeri said: “The army officers there are there by his directives.

“The service chiefs have been there on his instructions and they are the ones trained to fight; they are the ones who have the weapons.

“They give him daily situation reports and daily, he meets with respective institutions and agencies that are on the campaign.

“His visit to the place may be important, but is immaterial to the prosecution of the campaign because the President cannot be everywhere at the same time.

“However, the President has not ruled out the possibility of visiting. So, I wonder why people take the position that the he has not visited and is like the president will not visit.

“If you look at what is happening and match it against what has happened in other parts of the world, I think we understand the issues at stake because what is most important is to fight terrorism and to use all agencies of state to calm the restive situation.”

Vanguard , MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014— 9

Fashola’s successor: How Ambode’s ambition started 2 yrs ago

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI & ANINO AGANBI

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AGOS—AS the race for the successor of Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State thickens within All Progressives Congress, APC, indications emerged weekend that the plan to pick former state’s Accountant General, Akinwunmi Ambode, by party leaders in the state to succeed Governor Fashola in 2015, started two years ago.

A party chieftain, who spoke on condition of anonymity claimed; “The party leaders have since penciled Ambode for Fashola’s seat when he (Ambode) was secretly asked in 2012 to resign even when he was not due for retirement.

“The strategy then was to place him in good stead for the job ahead of 2015, which he accepted in good faith.

“Ambode is a good public servant who re-engineered the financial fulcrum of Lagos economy, an astute administrator which earned him much respect from the former governor of the state and national leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Though the slot is very open to other qualified candidates in the party, the primaries will justify the end.”

Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, last week, endorsed Ambode to succeed Fashola, He spoke while addressing the audience at the public presentation of the biography of Ambode, titled: The act of selfless service, written by Marina Osoba, at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Meanwhile, a group, the Protector of Lagos Legacy, PLL,

has defended the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu I, over his endorsement of Ambode, as a successor to Governor Fashola.

Reacting to the criticism by an organisation known as “Visioneer New Lagos”, of the endorsement by the Oba, PLL in a statement by Mr. Olatunji Williams, the coordinator of the group, declared Visioneer New Lagos as faceless.

He described the promoter of the group, one Mr. Bambo Johnson as a non-existent name in Lagos, who lacked respect, a culture synonymous with the Yoruba by insulting a highly revered monarch like Oba of Lagos for exercising his constitutional right.

According to him, “In fact different traditional rulers in the

country have been endorsing President Goodluck Jonathan and nobody has poured such venomous insult as this faceless organisation on them. Oba Akiolu has only exercised his constitutional right as is the case all over the world and should not be made a butt of uncultured vituperation by some faceless people in the name of politics."

It is noted that the revered monarch in airing his opinion said that the All Progressives Congress, APC, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and other political parties would still follow their party procedures to choose their candidate for the election; and that it was the responsibilities of the entire people of Lagos to

vote for the candidate of their choice.

In another development, a group known as the Lagos Development Advocacy Group, LADG, has urged former Lagos State Inland Revenue Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Babatunde Fowler, to contest the 2015 gubernatorial poll in the state under the APC. The group at a briefing noted that Fowler had all the attributes to succeed Governor Fashola.

Coordinator of the group, Mr. Olayemi Olukunle, said “after rigorous search and consideration among the prospective candidates and other public officers, Mr. Babatunde Fowler, has been found to be the most qualified in this regard. We are calling on him to join the race for the exalted position on the platform of APC."

SYNOD: From left—Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Bishop of Diocese of Lagos West, Rt. Reverend James Olusola Odedeji; his wife, Lydia Odedeji and Archbishop of Lagos Province, Bishop Adebayo Akinde at the 3rd Session of the 5th Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Lagos West, held at the Archbishop Vining Memorial Church Cathedral, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday. Photo By Diran Oshe.

Why we insist on Christian governor for Lagos —PFN

BY SAM EYOBOKA & DAYO JOHNSON

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HE Lagos State chapter of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, has restated its commitment for the enthronement of a Christian governor in the state next year while expressing support for the 2-day statesponsored inter-faith conference billed to commence today.

In a communiqué issued after an emergency meeting of the body and signed by its chairman, Apostle Alex Bamgbola, the group said the call for a Christian governor in Lagos State was borne out of the body ’s experience under the leadership of past governors in the state.

While noting that past governors of the state had been largely Muslims, it observed that “the Christian community has ardently and

unreservedly supported our immediate past and present governors because of our satisfactory convictions of their commitment to the delivery of the dividends of democracy.”

The communiqué, however, insisted that the Fellowship believed in the ability of the leaders of the state as long as people of the state did not suffer as a result of their socioreligious leaning.

The statement noted further that the body ’s call for a Christian governor was based on the need to put a stop to the continuous marginalisation of Christians in the state and the need for justice and fair play.

On the proposed interfaith conference, PFN noted that it would honour the meeting if it was assured that it would be used to intimidate or silence the objective demand of the Christian community.

The communiqué reads, “We

wish to state that our participation in the Conference is based on the understanding that we have been invited to participate in a patriotic endeavour to move Lagos State forward. And that

is what we stand for.”

The body then assured any political party in Lagos State sympathetic to its cause of securing Christian votes in the 2015 gubernatorial elections.

NASU threatens industrial unrest over welfare

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

N

O

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ACADEMIC Staff Union of Education and Association Institutions, NASU, has decried the way Federal Government Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System, IPPIS, is allegedly inflicting pains on its members and the union, threatening industrial unrest if the situation persists.

NASU members in the research and allied institutions, in a communiqué at the end of the research and projects trade group council regular meeting, noted that virtually all its branches had keyed into the government IPPIS, but lamented that it had inflicted more pains on its membership and the union.

According to them, the branches that had keyed into the system had suffered severally as union dues, staff cooperatives and other welfare deductions were not made and where they were deducted it was not paid.

It argued that this could be as a way of stifling the union of fund and render it ineffective in delivering services to her members, calling on government “to urgently redress the situation to correct this abnormality if they do not want to encounter the wrath of the union.”

Members at the meeting however, expressed happiness with the progress recorded so far on the grey areas in the agreement between government and the unions in the research and allied institutions.

Lagos records 6, 627 auto crashes in 2013 — OPEIFA

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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AGOS—LAGOS State government weekend said no fewer than 6, 627 motor vehicle accidents were recorded in the state last year, even as 592 motor vehicle accidents were recorded alone in January 2014.

Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, who gave the figures in statistics released in Alausa, Ikeja, noted that the number of motor vehicle accidents recorded in the state last year was higher than the data of 2012.

According to the statistics,”5, 225 motor vehicle accidents were recorded in the state in 2012. A breakdown show that 2,799 auto-crashes were recorded between January and June 2012, as against the second half of the year where the number of motor vehicle reduce drastically to 406.

“The reduction in autocrashes within these months was at the time when the state governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola signed the 2012 Lagos Road Traffic Law.” The record showed that in the year under review, 3,032 auto-

crashes occurred in the first half of the year in Lagos state but the number of motor vehicle accidents increased between July and December, 2013, while 3,595 were recorded in the other half.

On motorcycles, 12 persons died and 1,622 persons sustained varying degrees of injuries in 2013 from motorcycle accidents.

The statistics showed that more people sustained injuries than death in the year under review.

In January 2014, 127 victims received treatment in the public medical facilities from motorcycle accidents while only one death was recorded.

10— Vanguard , MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014

Boko Haram: Jonathan, victim of circumstances — PDP

Arrest of ‘Auxiliary' excites Ajimobi

BY OLAAJAYI

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...Don't succumb to 5th columnists, Buruji tells President

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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B A D A N — P E O P L E S Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State yesterday, said the activities of Boko Haram had made President Goodkuck Jonathan a victim of circumstances.

C h a i r m a n , Organisation and Mobilisation Committee of the PDP, South West, Prince Buruji Kashamu, spoke during a stakeholders’ meeting at Ijebu-Igbo in Ijebu-North Local Government Area of the state.

Reacting to the kidnap of over 200 girls from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, Kashamu, said no amount of blackmail could ‘stop a man on a divine mission’.

Buruji, who described the situation as unfortunate, urged the President not to succumb to what he called the blackmail of some people he termed fifth columnists.

He said “I wish to quickly add that Mr President is just a victim of circumstances. Some fifth columnists are deliberately promoting violence and insecurity to blur his achievements in infrastructural development, agriculture, education in economy and peaceful co-existence in most parts of the country among others.

“They feel that they are holding the short end of the political stick and so must pull down the house because of their selfish interest. Therefore, no amount of sabotage and blackmail can stop a man on a divine mission.

Nigeria belongs to all of us. And as Nigerians we all have equal rights to aspire to be anything that we wish to become.”

The National Secretary of the Party, Professor Wale Oladipupo, who led a prayer session where one minute was observed for the abducted girls, urged the people to pray for the safe release of those girls.

VISIT: Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State (left) being decorated by the President of Seventh Day Adventist Church in Nigeria, Pastor (Dr.) Oyeleke Owolabi (centre), while a former Minister of Power and Steel, Elder Wole Oyelese watches, during the visit of the executives of the church to the Governor's Office, Ibadan.

Daniel breaks silence, tackles Amosun on roads, education ...His allegations unfounded, baseless – GOVT

BY SEGUN OLAGUNJU & DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA—A LMOST three years after he left office as governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, weekend, took on his successor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

But Governor Amosun, in a reply said Daniel deserved the sympathy of the citizens of the state, saying: “The allegation of throwing the state into debt is not only an old one but unfounded.”

Daniel, who governed between 2003 and 2011 under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, accused Amosun's government of attempting to plunge the future generations in the state into serious debt.

Speaking at the commissioning of the state Labour Party, LP, Secretariat at Onikolobo, Abeokuta, Daniel, flanked by Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, and LP National Chairman, Dan Nwuanyanwu, among others, officially dumped the PDP for the LP in the state.

According to him; “During my eight-year tenure, we constructed a lot of roads. I constructed six lanes on Lalubu road, we constructed drainage, walkways right and left and we commissioned them in 2008.

As I am speaking to you, there is no pothole on that road and it cost N100 million per kilometer. But, this road from Ibara roundabout to Onikokobo being built by this government, gulped N800 million per kilometer.

Even, some members of the state House of Assembly said government has increased the cost to N1.3 billion per kilometre.

“Also, the pedestrian bridge at the new secretariat for workers, which I called Goodluck Jonathan bridge, is three times longer than the bridge this government constructed on

Lalubu road and it cost N50 million, but I learnt that this government did a pedestrian bridge with air conditioner and it costs N260 million.

“The first road my administration constructed when I assumed office in 2003 was the dualisation of Sagamu-Abeokuta road, which is 40 kilometres. Those people whose houses were affected got other more befitting houses with street lights and we spent a total of N1.9 billion. We constructed bridges. I heard that this government wants to expand the road and has awarded it to a contractor for N60 billion.”

Similarly, Governor Mimiko described Amosun’s urban renewal programme as elitist.

According to the governor, who said his Labour Party would take over the government from Amosun in 2015, noted “It is good to renew our cities but, at the same time you must renew the pockets of the masses. You cannot destroy the means of livelihood of the people

because you want to renew your city, which is elitist, but, we at the Labour Party, will not displace anybody without providing better alternatives."

Reacting, Governor Amosun, through his Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, said the allegations that the Amosun administration had accumulated debt that the next generations could not repay were unfounded and baseless.

“Former governor Daniel deserves our sympathy. He needed to justify why he did not reconstruct and expand the roads in the state, including the Onikolobo road, on which the secretariat of his faction of Labour Party is now located.

“The allegation of indebting the state is not only an old one but is unfounded. The Assembly investigated it and found out it is baseless. In any case, the Executive cannot take any loan without recourse to the House."

BADAN—GOVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, has expressed satisfaction over the recent arrest of of the former leader of the state National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Mr. Mukaila Lamidi, popularly called 'Auxiliary' by law enforcement agents.

The governor, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo said as the Chief Security Officer of the state, he was not only interested in the peace and tranquility of the state, but also interested in bringing criminals, who terrorised the peace and order of the state to book.

Ajimobi also mandated the security agencies in the state to step up the search for every wanted criminal and apprehend their collaborators, no matter how highly placed they might be in society.

Describing the ex-leader as “one of the most dreaded thugs in the state”, he noted that it was a testimony to the zeal, competence and determination of the police authorities to rid the state of violent elements.

The police had in June, 2011 placed a ransom of half a million naira on Auxiliary and the former Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Lateef Oloruntoki, a.k.a. Tokyo, over the murder of the National President of the Nigeria Medical Students Association, Bala Usman Shanono, a 500-Level medical student of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, who was caught, along with other travelers, in a crossfire in Iwo Road, Ibadan, while waiting for night buses to their various destinations.

The former leaders of the NURTW were also declared wanted for their alleged roles in the bloody clash between members of their factions which claimed dozens of innocent lives, along with the wanton destruction of property.

APC crisis: Osoba group rejects harmonisation offer

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA—THE crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ogun State deepened weekend, following the rejection of harmonisation plan by the national leadership of the party.

The party has been polarised into two factions, with one being led by former governor Segun Osoba and the other by incumbent Governor Ibikunle Amosun, over the control of its structure in the state.

The crisis had led to the emergence of parallel executive councils produced from ward to

local governments and state levels at the congresses held in the state recently.

Vanguard however, gathered that members of the faction loyal to Osoba held a closed-door meeting with their leaders in Lagos where they strategised on the way forward in the party as the national leadership began deliberation on the solution to the crisis.

It was gathered that the national leadership of the party which waded into the crisis is rooting for the option of harmonisation of the executive in the state.

But, when Chief Osoba

reportedly tabled the option of harmonisation of the state executive before his loyalists, they vehemently objected to it.

According to the source, “Chief Osoba asked us whether we would accept harmonisation of the state executive if the national leadership calls for it, but, all of us rejected it. We told our leader that, going by our wide consultation across the 236 wards, Amosun has lost the confidence of the party members. Apart from that, we cannot work with Amosun again. In fact, it is dangerous for us to be on the same platform with him, because he is not trustworthy.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014—11

Jonathan expected in Delta for another ground breaking ceremony

Amaechi calls for more women participation in politics

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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BY SAM EYOBOKA

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S part of his commitment to human capital development, President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to return to Delta State on June 3 for a ground breaking ceremony of another university, the Eagle Heights University.

The university, at Omadino in Warri South Local Government Area, will bring to six the number of universities in Delta State. Eagle Heights University, the third private university in the state, is the brainchild of Word of Life Bible Church, Warri.

The President, on May 10, performed the ground breaking ceremony of Nigeria Maritime University at Okerenkoko, Warri SouthWest Local Government Area of Delta State, with a call for human capacity development, identified as a major component for national transformation and development.

The president, is returning to Delta State for the ground breaking ceremony of another university, this time a privately owned one.

Ekere condoles with PDP scribe over mum’s death

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HE immediate past deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Nsima Ekere, has described the late Elder Atim Akpabio, mother of the state's Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Ibanga Akpabio, as a teacher and preacher who moulded a generation and impacted on numerous souls.

Speaking when he paid a condolence visit to the PDP scribe in Ukana, Essien Udim, Ekere said he went to the family on the death of their mother who was very active in God's vineyard till the very end.

INAUGURATION: From left: President-General, Ogoni Democratic Movement, ODM, Mr. Godwin Bazari; National Executive Council member, Mr. Menele Nzidee and SecretaryGeneral, Mr. Honour Sirawoo, during the inauguration of the Khana Local Government Area chapter of the group, in Bori, Rivers State.

INEC to prosecute multiple voter registration

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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ENAGOA—THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, weekend, warned that it would henceforth prosecute any person found to be involved in multiple voter registration.

The commission also assured that it was working around the clock to ensure that its conduct of the 2015 polls ranks among the best in the world.

Speaking at a forum in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State to sensitise stakeholders ahead of the distribution of the permanent voters card and commencement of the continuous voter registration exercise, both the National Electoral Commissioner

in charge of Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states, Chief Ishmael Igbani and the Bayelsa State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Edwin Nwatarali, said that the commission had done the needful to ensure free, fair and credible polls in 2015.

According to the duo, the elimination of multiple voter registration would ensure that every vote was accounted for during elections.

Igbani said: “In the 2015 polls, only persons with permanent voter ’s card will be eligible to vote on election days. We have done the needful by eliminating multiple registration so as to ensure that every vote is accounted for.”

He called on Bayelsans who did not register in the last exercise to avail themselves of the continuous registration exercise, starting next Friday by coming out en mass to register.

In his remarks, the state REC, Mr. Nwatarali said: “If India with its over one billion population can conduct free, fair and credible elections over a three-week period, with its perilous terrain and pervasive poverty, then all of us should set aside our political, religious and ethnic sentiments to make sure we create an enabling environment for stress-free elections in 2015 and the most important journey to ensure the above is what we are commencing on May 23."

S-South APC youths back Ikimi for party's National Chair

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—SOUTH South youths of All Progressives Congress, APC, under the aegis of the Concerned South South Youths of APC, have backed the South-South Vice Chairman of the party, Chief Tom Ikimi, for the position of the National Chairman of the party.

The APC youths, in a statement by the Chairman, Mr. Osarodion David, in Benin City, Edo State, expressed confidence that Ikimi’s leadership will help enhance internal democracy in the party ahead of the general elections.

The statement said that the recent comment by Chief Ikimi, wherein he expressed concern over the crisis bedeviling states over the ward and local govern-

ment congresses of the party was an indication that he means well for the party, adding that some leaders may not want to speak out, but work against the party underground, which is worse.

“As South-South APC Youths, we thank the leadership of the party for zoning the party's chairmanship position to our zone and that is the more reason why we must produce our best for that position. We need a bold man, an experienced politician, who will not be scared of any governor, but rather speak the truth in the interest of the party. We have resolved to back Chief Ikimi for that position and we appeal to our governors, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and his

counterpart in Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, to give Chief Ikimi the necessary support to win" he said.

ORT HARCOURT—GOVERNOR Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State has advocated the participation of more women in politics.

The governor, at Government House, Port Harcourt, weekend, when he played host to Local Government Female Elected Executives and State Legislators Forum, accompanied by the governor's wife, Dame Judith Amaechi, said women could go for elective positions in coming elections in the All Progressives Congress, APC. He said no law stops women from holding political positions in the country.

According to him, “You are qualified to hold positions men hold. Men always use women to get elective positions. And, I told my wife, if you look at the voting pattern in Nigeria, the actual people who vote are women. So, why can’t women take power from men? What you can’t take away from them is that, men are your husbands.

There is no law in Nigeria prohibiting women from becoming governors or presidents.

“You have been intimidated, and you have to first and foremost liberate yourselves as women who are ready for politics.

“There is a woman whom I told to contest for chairmanship position in her local government area, and she said ‘they will not allow me,’ and I asked her, how do you know? You have to come out first, there is no need asking for help or to say please, give us 30 per cent affirmative for women. Come out on your own."

12 — Vanguard, MONDAY MAY 19, 2014

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Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014 —13

Ekweremadu gives N22.3m bursary to Enugu students

BY TONY EDIKE

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NUGU — THE Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, weekend, presented a cheque of N22.3 million to beneficiaries of Ikeoha Foundation 2013/2014 bursary to students in tertiary institutions across the country.

The foundation was established by Senator Ekweremadu in 2004.

A total of 500 students from Aninri, Awgu, Ezeagu, Oji River, Udi, Enugu North and Igboeze local overnment areas received bursary awards of N30,000 each, while 15 others from the five local government areas in Enugu West senatorial zone, which the Deputy Senate President represents, got scholarships of N500,000 each.

Also, over 5,000 first batch from the 24 Ikeoha Adult Literacy centres in Enugu West senatorial zone received their First School Leaving Certificates, weekend.

Kidnappers lay siege to Imo community

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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WERRI — UNEASY calm now reigns at Alaude village, Ibeme, in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, following reported resurgence of kidnappers in the area.

Vanguard investigations revealed that an elderly woman, whose name could not be ascertained at press time, was kidnapped by hoodlums in the early hours of yesterday morning.

A villager, who simply identified herself as Nnamdi, told Vanguard that the hoodlums stormed the hapless woman’s family home at about 2.30a.m. and shot severally to scare people.

Nnamdi linked the botched kidnap to stories that some of the woman’s children were wealthy and living abroad.

It was also gathered from another villager, Amarachi, that the frightened woman raised alarm, which attracted other villagers to the scene.

Amarachi revealed that the villagers quickly responded to the village drum, which summoned all able bodied men to their square.

Vanguard gathered that the hoodlums made good their escape, soon after the villagers responded; they were chased by the

youths in the village who traced the frightened woman that same night to Ugwu Nkwo Mbaa forest where she was rescued by the youths.

As at 1.15p.m., when Vanguard visited the area yesterday, no few-

er than five security patrol vehicles belonging to the police and army were seen stationed close to the forest.

Similarly, the spate of kidnapping has stretched into Umuokie, Umuoparaoma and Umuo-

dom villages at Ibeme.

In these three villages, small babies suckling their mothers, were snatched by hoodlums, thus heightening the level of insecurity in the sleepy rural community.

Renal failure: Imo partners Israelis to construct diagnostic centre

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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WERRI — IMO State government has said arrangement was in top gear to construct a multi-million Naira stateof-the-art diagnostic centre, in collaboration with Israeli authorities, to take care of the growing cases of renal failure in the state.

Governor Rochas Okorocha, who disclosed this when he played host to members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors at Government House, Owerri, also said his administration was contemplating the establishment of an international conference centre.

“Government is contemplating the establishment of one of the best international conference centres in the country. We have also acquired a 637-hectare piece of land,” Okorocha said.

The governor debunked the rumour that his administration

had borrowed a staggering sum of N200 billion from commercial banks to finance capital projects.

“I attribute my accomplishments in the past three years to my resolve to move the state forward through selfless service, effective and judicious utilisation of available resources,” Okorocha explained.

The governor disclosed that Imo Palm Plantation had been revived and resuscitated, netting in N3.2 billion monthly into the government’s coffers, while the Standard Shoe Industry, Owerri, had bounced back to business, producing shoes for pupils and students.

Okorocha, who enumerated some of his achievements to his guests, equally justified the establishment of the contentious Imo Security Network.

“The outfit, which is working jointly with security agencies in

the state, had helped to drastically reduce kidnapping and other serious crimes in the state.”

Okorocha said.

He threw his weight behind the agitation for the establishment of state police in the country, pointing out that the issues of terrorism, kidnapping and Boko Haram insurgency should be left in the hands of the state police to tackle.

Speaking earlier, the National President of Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, Mr. Femi Adesina, told the governor that they were in Owerri to hold their standing committee meeting, which holds in different parts of the country.

Adesina pleaded for payment of pension and gratuities to retired staff of both Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC) and Imo Newspapers Ltd.

NMA raises alarm over high death rate from BP, diabetes in Ebonyi eral Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, FETHA II, stated that the scourge had persisted BAKALIKI — EBONYI State chap- over the years because of people’s lack of ter of Nigerian Medical Association, insight into how and why the two diseasNMA, weekend, revealed that the statis- es should be prevented on time.

He called on the people, including medtics of prominent Ebonyians often killed ical personnel, to constantly go for mediby hypertension and diabetes in the state cal check-ups to know their present health were alarming.

In a chat with Vanguard, state chairman conditions, adding that complications reof NMA, Dr. Chidi Esike, who made the sulting from the diseases often reduce the disclosure during a one-day awareness quality of life of the patients.

Dr. Esike said: “When you are doing campaign against the diseases at the Fedsomething and there is a problem you have to analyse where the problem is coming from; our research has shown us that two diseases kill a lot of people and those diseases are not

BY NWABUEZE private sector businesses in given enough awareness OKONKWO the state indicated that with for people to know.

“The diseases are hypersuch a market capitalisaNITSHA — THE tion, the state would be- tension and diabetes; they United Kingdom come one of the largest are two deadly diseases that may have earmarked about markets on the continent. are killing people and so £120 billion sterling as its Represented by the Trade their complications are own contribution towards Development Manager at many and lead to the remarket capitalisation in An- the British High Commis- duction in quality of life. ambra State, as a prelude sion in Nigeria, Angela ”Hypertension, for intowards offering unique, Austin-Idiake, Pocock iden- stance, whenever it attacks extensive and profitable tified corruption, insecuri- a patient in the brain the business opportunities in ty, poor power supply and person will have stroke; if Africa. bureaucracy as some of the it is in the heart, the victim The British Ambassador challenges militating cannot even walk two steps to Nigeria, Mr. Andrew against economic growth in without panting; if it attacks Pocock, who disclosed this Nigeria. you in the kidney, you have at during a one-day semiHe also identified high kidney failure and in that nar on 'Exposing African cost of transportation, poor case, you need to go for kidBusinesses to global oppor- remuneration, lack of infra- ney transplant; and even if tunities,' at Nnewi, the in- structure across the sectors, you have the money for the dustrial city of Anambra as other factors hindering transplant, where will you State, yesterday, said that investment growth in the get the kidney?” an in-depth research on country.

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UK earmarks £120bn for market capitalisation in Anambra

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14—Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014

Boko Haram: Let's unite behind Jonathan, security agencies — Anenih

BY HENRY UMORU

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BUJA — CHAIRMAN, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, has urged Nigerians, irrespective of ethnic groups, tribe, geo-political zones, religion or political affiliations, to unite behind President Goodluck Jonathan and security agencies in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency that had continually engaged in massive killing and wanton destruction of property in some parts of the country.

In a three-page statement he personally signed, yesterday, in Abuja, Chief Anenih, described Boko Haram as a threat to Nigeria and democracy.

He, however, lampooned those calling for Jonathan’s resignation over the recent abduction of over 200 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State by Boko Haram insurgents, saying they were unpatriotic.

He said the President had done well within the limits of constitutional powers in addressing the problem of terrorism.

Anenih also called on opposition politicians to learn from the Westgate shopping mall killings in Kenya where the opposition leader, Rahila Odinga, stood right behind President Uhuru Kenyatta while the latter was addressing Kenyans on the dastardly attack.

He also recalled how the people of America and Great Britain closed ranks and rallied support for their respective governments in the aftermath of al-Qaeda deadly attacks on their nations, pointing out that in none of these cases did the citizens call on their President or prime minister to resign.

Commending the United Nations’ solidarity and collaboration

by France, United States of America and Great Britain with Nigeria and her Francophone neighbours, including Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin Republic, Anenih declared that no President of Nigeria could have done better than President Jonathan within the ambits of his constitutional powers.

Anenih said: “At a time that our nation is facing the menace of terrorism, it is of utmost importance that all Nigerians, irrespective of their regional, religious or political affiliations, should be united in supporting the Federal Government and all the security agencies in the fight to end terror in our country.

“As a father, I deeply sympathise with the parents of the abducted Chibok girls and pray for their safe return. No parent should have to experience what the parents of these innocent girls are passing through on account of this outrageous abduction by Boko Haram.

“I also understand the anger

that has been expressed through the global 'BringBackOurGirls movement and wish to state that President Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are fully committed to ensuring the safe return of our daughters. ”I must, however, deplore the situation where some opposition politicians have tried to make political issues out of it by calling for the resignation of President Jonathan over a group that is waging war against the Nigerian state. Such behaviour is unbecoming of patriotic citizens of a democratic nation like Nigeria.

“When militant gunmen attacked a shopping mall in Kenya, killing many people and holding many others hostage, the opposition leader, Rahila Odinga, stood right beside the President, Uhuru Kenyatta, while the latter was addressing Kenyans on the dastardly attack.

“We are all witnesses to the fact that when al-Qaeda attacked the United States of America and the United Kingdom, citizens of those countries, irrespective of political affiliations, closed ranks and supported their respective Governments in their fight against the perpetrators of terror. In these specific cases, political opponents did not ask their President/ Prime

minister to resign.

“Boko Haram is a threat to Nigeria and to our democracy.

Nobody is more aware of this fact than President Jonathan. That is why the President is doing all that is within his constitutional powers to fight the terrorist group.

“It is his respect for constitutionalism that has kept him from employing jack-boot methods. I make bold to say that no president of Nigeria could have done better within the ambits of constitutional powers!

“Unfortunately, certain comments I have heard or read in recent times from some Nigerians who ought to know better, make me wonder if they expect the President to put on a helmet, pick up a rifle and personally march into Sambisa Forest. I ask: where in the world does a President do that?

“I am also amazed that some Nigerians have forgotten so soon that President Jonathan has replaced service chiefs twice since he assumed office in a bid to bolster the operational efficiency of the military.

“Fighting terrorism is a unique kind of confrontation, unlike conventional warfare where enemy targets are easy to identify. In this respect, we must differentiate be-

tween the Boko Haram insurgency and the Niger Delta militancy. "Whereas, the Niger Delta militants were known persons, the Boko Haram insurgents are faceless.

“It was because the individuals involved in the Niger Delta militancy were known that some of us, including President Jonathan (who was then Vice President), were able to engage them in negotiations that led to a peaceful resolution of the crisis.

Negotiations of this sort are difficult in the Boko Haram case.

“All over the world, fighting terrorism takes time and requires patience, cooperation and national unity.

“There is no doubt that there are challenges, but it is disheartening that some Nigerians are unsupportive of President Jonathan’s genuine efforts in the war against Boko Haram, even when nations such as France, United States of America and Great Britain have been collaborating with Nigeria and her Francophone neighbours (Chad, Niger, Benin Republic and Cameroon) in search of a solution to the crisis.

“The Boko Haram insurgency is not against Jonathan as an individual, rather it is against the

RECEPTION: From left, Senator Khairat Gwadabe, Senator Joy Emodi and Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, at the wedding reception for Senator Emodi's daughter, Chibogu, in Abuja.

Nigerian state.

That is why our collective efforts are needed to tackle the challenges. In this respect, the military needs assistance, especially vital information from the citizenry, to work with.

“I, therefore, urge all Nigerians to stand united behind President Jonathan, the Federal Government and the security agencies in this fight against terror. The message to Boko Haram from all Nigerians must be: We will never bow to terror!”

FCTA spends N3. 6bn on waste recycling

BY EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

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BUJA — THE Fed eral Capital Territory Administration,FCTA, weekend, told the Committee on Environment that about N3.6 billion has been spent to construct three solid waste transfer stations as well as purchase equipment for waste management in the capital city.

Acting Director of Abuja Environmental Protection Board, AEPB, Mrs. Aishat Adebowale, made the revelation at an interactive session with the Uche Ekwunife-led House Committee on Environment at the National Assembly.

Sports, key element of national transformation — TAN

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RANSFORMATION AMBASSADORS of Nigeria, TAN, has said the sports sector remained a key element of the paradigm of national transformation enunciated by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Director, Public Communications and Strategy, TAN, Mr. Udenta Udenta, in a statement, yesterday, said: “Apart from reinforcing and celebrating national unity, sports is a key instrument of social mobilisation and youth empowerment.

"As a means of propagating the successes thus far recorded in the sector by the Jonathan administration and rallying Nigerians behind the Super Eagles during the upcoming World Cup in Brazil, TAN has created the opportunity for 12 lucky Nigerians to enjoy an all-expense paid 12-day trip to Brazil to watch the Super Eagles’ matches at the World Cup."

Nyanya: How mastermind was arrested in Sudan — Envoy

BY VICTORIA OJEME

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BUJA — THE arrest of Sadiq Aminu Ogwuche, mastermind of Nyanya bomb blast, was made possible through on-going collaboration of Nigeria and Sudan’s intelligence community, Sudanese High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Tagelsir Mahgoub Ali, revealed to Vanguard, weekend.

Ambassador Ali, who spoke about the role of his country’s security agencies in the arrest of

Ogwuche in Sudan, in an exclusive interview with Vanguard in Abuja, also revealed that Nigerian visa applicants were now required to come with verifiable references as proof of not having any connection with extremists or terrorists organisations.

Ogwuche, fingered as the mastermind of Nyanya blasts that claimed over 70 lives, was declared wanted alongside one other, with a bounty of N25million placed on his head by Nigerian security forces.

Speaking on the arrest of the Boko Haram member, awaiting extradition from Sudan, Ambasador Ali said: “Of course, when the news that Sudan learnt from here in Nigeria that one of the people involved in the explosions is in Sudan, therefore, the security personnel in Sudan started the search for this person and they finally laid hands on him and certain arrangements have to be done through the Interpol to hand the culprit over to Nigeria.

“How he sneaked into the

country, we checked here and definitely didn’t go through this embassy because we learnt that he has got a British passport and he might have used his British passport to sneak into the country so that he cannot be detected by the Sudanese authorities.

“But our security people were very alert. When they learnt about the news, they immediately took action and I think that is very important just to show Nigeria that we will not allow such persons to go free in Sudan.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014—15

Nurse hails LASIEC

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PEX Chief Nursing Of ficer, in Onigbongbo LCDA, Lagos, Mrs.Oluwafunmilayo Moriliat Aderinwale, has expressed her heartfelt appreciation to the Lagos State Accident Emergency Centre team on duty at the LagosIbadan toll gate on February 18, 2014.

In a statement, Mrs Aderinwale said: "I owe the rest of my life, that of my husband and two other occupants of the car to members of the team.

"Their prompt intervention and eventual evacuation to the general hospital in Gbagada, Lagos saved our lives on that eventful day.

"May the Almighty God reward members of the team adequately for their dedication to duty.

"The accident was caused by bad road and the car in which four of us were travelling was a write-off.

"However, the timely intervention of the LASIEC team on duty that day saved our lives. A million thanks for the prompt action."

Mark cuts short China trip to break deadlock EMERGENCY ELONGATION:

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BUJA — SENATE Presi dent, David Mark might have cut short his visit to China in order to break to lingering deadlock over the extension of state of emergency in the three northeast states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

The vote on the extension of emergency rule in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa is expected to be taken tomorrow, having been put on hold last week in the wake of strident opposition by northern senators.

Although their counterparts in the House of Representatives immediately acquiesced to the presidential request, Northern Senators kicked against the bid, saying it was unjustified given the fact that the year-long emergency rule in the three states had not changed the streams of attacks by Boko Haram.

The Senate President was on official visit to the Asian country last week when northern senators rejected further extension bid made to the lawmakers by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Apparently rattled by the revolt by the northern lawmakers, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the sessions, postponed voting on

the matter, fearing that it could lead to a rejection of the presidential request.

In adjourning further action on the presidential request till this week, the Senators said that they needed to consult further with service chiefs and other relevant security agencies on the desirability or otherwise of the emergency rule extension.

But a member of the National Assembly confirmed to Vanguard that the voting on the extension of emergency rule was actually suspended till this week because the Senators were afraid that their northern counterparts could have their way if the vote was conducted.

The Senator said they also wanted to delay the vote to en-

able the Senate President, who doubles as the Chairman of the NASS, to return from his overseas trip and be able to talk to the dissenting northern senators over the issue.

"Indeed, the senators wanted to buy time to enable David Mark to return to the country and take the lead in appeasing the aggrieved northern senators, who are insisting on blocking any bid to extend emergency rule in the northeast," the lawmaker said.

It was gathered last night that the Senate President returned to the country at the weekend and would hold strategic meetings with members of the Northern Senators' Forum, NSF, with a view to convincing them to back down on their position.

SON charges manufacturers to switch to high grade cement

BY FRANKLIN ALLI

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AGOS — THE Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), weekend, called on manufacturers of low grade cement (32.5MPA) in the country to commence the production of the high grade 42.5MPA, if they must remain in business.

Speaking at the just concluded Public Hearing, Director General of SON, Dr. Joseph Ikem Odumodu, defended why the agency has restricted the use of 32.5 grade to plastering only, saying it is to mitigate the problem of collapse build-

ing in the country.

The House of Representatives ad-hoc committee on the composition and pigmentation of cement in the country led by its Chairman, Hon Yakubu Dogara, conducted a public hearing last week aimed at addressing the phenomenon of collapse building in the country.

Odumodu said Nigeria cannot afford to be a pariah state on the issue of cement quality, adding that world’s progressive countries have since stopped using the low quality 32.5MPA. He said his organisation had restricted the use of 32.5MPA low grade and will enforced compliance, adding that SON had issued a directive that 52.5R be used for bridges, 42.5R for casting of columns, beams, slabs and for moulding blocks, while the low grade 32.5MPA can only be used for plastering.

Confab c’ttee condemns non-completion of fresh cargo export terminals

By LAWANI MIKAIRU

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BUJA — THE National Conference Committee on Transport has condemned the non-completion of airport terminal projects and facilities for the export of fresh cargo located at various airports in the country by the Ministry of Aviation.

The committee made its position known after a meeting with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation, Dr. Jamila Shu’ara and other top officials of the ministry and noted that there was lack of coordination and synergy to carry through the ongoing projects at the airports.

Chairman of the National Conference Senate Committee, Senator Musa Adede, expressed fear after listening to the presentation of the Permanent Secretary that there is the tendency to abandon these lofty projects because “it looks as if there is no synergy between the parastatals.”

Adede said for the Aviation Master Plan to be realised, there must be coordination from the ministry, which is now under the management of Permanent Secretary as the chief financial officer.

The Senate Committee also observed that work at these airport projects have been slowed down and work had stopped at some of them, except at the five international terminals being built by Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu, which are on concession arrangement.

Ministry sources said there is lack of coordination and cohesion because the directors who were in charge of the projects had been transferred.

FG to offer 6,000km subsidy for optic fibre deployment

BY EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

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BUJA — IN line with its man date to take broadband connectivity to the hinterland, the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology has said it is offering a subsidy covering a distance of about 6,000 kilometres to service providers intending to roll out broadband infrastructure to the rural and underserved areas in Nigeria.

The minister, Mrs. Omobola Johnoson, disclosed this, yesterday, at the commemoration of the 2014 World Telecommunication and Information Society Day in Abuja.

Johnson said the subsidy for the broadband roll out became necessary to enable investors increase deepen their reach beyond the urban and developed cities to connect every nooks and crannies of the country.

She also disclosed that the ministry was

going a step further in subsidizing the infrastructure of base stations in these same areas with special focus on the rural and underserved areas.

“We have obligation to roll out infrastructure in rural unserved and underserved areas. We do this by giving incentives to investors. In doing that, we calculate what the subsidy will be and by doing that, we will subsidise about 6,000 kilometres of fibre optics roll out in rural areas between 2014 to 2015 to enable investors roll out fast and to make profits because these are areas they consider to be economically unviable."

Also, the minister disclosed that the ministry, through the Universal Service Provision Fund, USPF, had spent a total of N1.5 billion in connecting the 36 federal universities with broadband facility.

This, she said, was also part of the ongoing efforts to connect not only the rural communities but also the schools within a shortest time.

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16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014 PROBLEMS associated with multiple taxation are almost as old as Nigeria. The authorities do not think Nigerians are paying enough, Nigerians counter that they would not provide more resources for governments to mismanage. A disturbing trend in the tax regime of some States, borders on human rights violation.

Some States are taxing people for providing for themselves basic services that governments do not provide.

Before now, there was this ridiculous news from Abia State that government was collecting taxes from citizens for digging boreholes in their compounds to procure water in the absence of adequate water supply from public sources. Some residents of Abakaliki in Ebonyi State protest over the N15, 000 monthly tax the State has imposed on owners of generating sets. Government sources claim that the money re-

BY KAYODE OJO

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CURSORY look into why the interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Bisi Akande, addressed his world press conference recently gave an impression that he was a truly concerned elder who wanted to speak to the issue of the insurgency that has escalated in the last few weeks. At a point, he said that it was time for all to rally to save the country, as if some have stood idly by while the insurgency raged.

A deeper reading of his text at the press conference showed a sinister motive beneath his attempt at statesmanship. It was a gloater’s rendition by a man who was in the serves-them-right mode, wanting to gain cheap political capital out of a situation brought upon the nation by elements within his own party which he failed to acknowledge.

He declined to tell us it was the failure of leadership at the state government level occasioned by the desperation of a former governor of one of the APC states that ballooned this security situation out of hand.

That governor, who now wants to occupy one of the highest offices in the APC, is still being fingered by many in the state for the destabilisation there.

It would be recalled that a former chieftain of one of the parties that coalesced into the APC, told Nigerians how he warned the former governor of the implication of keeping youths in his state unemployed and using them to score political gains. Except Akande does not want to remember, Nigerians still remember what transpired then. Rather than gloat over what we have

Abuses Called TTax ax es axes alised from this tax is used to address the problems arising from the pollution the generators cause.

How much do people in Ebonyi State earn for them to pay tax of N180, 000 on water or electricity?

It is the primary function of government to provide water, power supply, security, education, health and other needs of the citizens. That is why citizens line up behind politicians and their political parties to surrender their sovereignty in exchange of good governance. Citizens only resorted to procuring generators, boreholes and other necessities of modern living due to persistent failure of leadership and govern-

ance.

Imposing taxes on citizens for providing basic amenities in the face of failure of governance is inhuman, oppressive and condemnable. It worsens the already existing problems of multiple-taxation. It shows that people in government are now beyond shame that the citizens are being driven to provide for themselves amenities that people in other climes take for granted because their taxpayers’ money is properly deployed to serve the people right. It is a pity that the various state Houses of Assembly have abdicated their duties to curb the excesses of the executive

branch, and in most cases, actually pride the legislation used to oppress the people.

We call for immediate stop of the generator and borehole taxes, and other obnoxious taxes in the name of internally generated revenues until governments provide public power and water. Governments must restrict themselves to regulate borehole drilling and the use of generators to enhance safety and protect the environment.

Funds for environmental protection are appropriated annually to each State. There is no further need to extort money from the ordinary folks struggling to survive.

Government officials must do away with the colonial mentality of treating fellow citizens with utter contempt. It is ridiculous for government to fail in its duties and still punish those who find ways round governments’ comatose inducing policies.

OPINION Akande's rendition and diatribe on our hands, he should give us fresh ideas outside what government is doing as contained in his 10-point suggestions.

The government has already told us about these; so, we do not need a coloured rehash of them from those who do not wish Nigeria well.

If the North-East is what APC can show as an example, it can well be imagined what the party will do with Nigeria if they ever mount the saddle in the country.

Akande says that since 2009, when President Goodluck Jonathan was actually not in office, Boko Haram launched its terror campaign, killing and maiming thousands of citizens, while the economic and social activities in a whole section of the country, run by APC governors, have been paralysed.

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ccording to him, since January 2014, Boko Haram has killed over 1,500 people, mostly civilians, minus the 95 people who died in the two bombings at Nyanya in Abuja, and the over 150 who were killed in Gamboru, Borno State, last week. He declared that Nigeria is at war!

And like others, he sought to know: "How did we get to this sorry pass? Could we have averted the situation in which we have now found ourselves, a situation in which Africa's most populous nation, and one said to have the largest economy on the continent, is now lying prostate, begging the world for help?

How did a country that has been at the vanguard of maintaining peace in other countries since 1960 now become something of a panhandler? How can we restore peace

to our country and provide safety and security for our people?"

It is obvious that, except the elder has a bout of forgetfulness, he will remember that we got to this pass as a result of the radicalisation of some impressionable minds within the Borno/Yobe axis, and indeed other parts, for political reasons by those he well knows, and who wine and dine with him at party meetings.

And what is strange about Nigeria asking the world for help? Didn't an embattled and troubled United States of America seek the help of the world when it needed to fight the axis of evil and terrorists it claimed were a menace shortly after the twin towers bombing in New York? Or was Akande sleeping when this happened?

Except Akande has not been in the country in recent times, or is again selectively forgetful, he would have observed that one of the chieftains of his party, who he wants the world to believe does not have a hand in the emboldening of the terrorists, has changed gear and now appears worried that the situation requires every patriot to be involved in resolving, rather than exacerbating.

General Mohammadu Buhari knows more than his co-travellers that he needs a functional Nigeria if he must achieve his life ambition of running her. Those who have been meeting with Buhari in the open, and undermining him secretly, would not be able to understand him since they have been local champions, and have not handled matters at the federal level.

Akande added that statements made by key leaders of his party, including Buhari, were distorted and taken out of context to justify PDP's claim that the APC is the sponsor of terrorist attacks, adding that opponents of APC say a party that has 35 interim officials, 18 of them Muslims and 17 of them Christians, is an Islamic party that is in cahoots with Boko Haram. He stated that no amount of disclaimer by the APC impressed its accusers.

But, by the way, were the accusers of the party within and outside it wrong? With due respect to those of them that made incendiary comments in the past that are now haunting them today, are the accusations against them not simply because they were not taciturn and allowed their emotions to rule their tongues? Also, Akande should tell us the religion of the interim Chairman, Secretary, Publicity Secretary, and the two prominent party leaders, who have been in the public domain since the party was put together? Are they not the faces we see and the voices we hear all the time in the media? So what should we think?

Instead of Akande regaling us with needless history, strategies, and positions, he should be the elder statesman his followers alone claim he is and tell us something new and refreshing. His world press conference was nothing but a sham and a shame for an elder like him.

*Mr. Ojo, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, MONDAY,

MAY 19 19,, 2014—41

Assent the NHB now, CHAN tells Jonathan

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

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•Pregnant women need to reduce work hours or build in regular periods of rest in their workday, when they can kick back, relax and put their feet up.

Beware! Pregnancy after 35 years may put you at risk

BY CHIOMA OBINNA & GABRIEL OLAWALE

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REGNANCY in the body is a traumatic event especially if the body is aging. According to medical experts, there are certain problems more apt to occur when childbearing is delayed. Achieving pregnancy may be more difficult for many reasons.

Due to aging, which can affect a woman’s eggs, pregnancy after 35 carries a higher risk of having a baby with genetic abnormalities.

The biggest obstacle for women age 35 or older may be getting pregnant in the first place. Fertility rates begin to decline gradually at age 30, more so at 35, and markedly at age 40. Even with fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization, women have more difficulty getting pregnant as they age.

Women also have more trouble staying pregnant as they get older: The rates of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy go up substantially with age.

Even after you get pregnant, age continues to have an effect. The older you are when you get pregnant, the more likely you are to have a chronic disease, such as high blood pressure or diabetes that may be undiagnosed and can affect your pregnancy.

First-time pregnancy after age 35 may have normal pregnancies, but research indicates that these women are at increased risk of having a cesarean delivery, when the newborn is delivered through a surgical incision in the mother ’s abdomen, delivery complications, including excessive bleeding during labour, prolonged labour (lasting more than 20 hours), labour that does not advance and an infant with a genetic disorder, such as Down syndrome Studies have also shown that high blood pressure, diabetes and problems with the placenta are a few conditions

that are more likely to develop in older women during pregnancy.

During this period, medical experts advised that regular prenatal care is essential so that such conditions can be detected early, monitored and treated if necessary.

Older women are also more likely to enter a pregnancy with a pre-existing medical condition or may be on medications that could pose a problem

for the pregnancy or the fetus. To ensure a good outcome for both mother and baby, discuss any medical problems you have with an obstetrician before becoming pregnant.

However, becoming, pregnant and having a baby is a huge adjustment for all first-time parents, but this especially seems to take older women by surprise.

Hygiene: Sunflower introduces mother friendly products

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S part of efforts to provide nurs ing mothers and ladies with sterile maternity and sanitary pads, Sunflower Hygiene Ltd. has hit the market with a range of good quality maternity and sanitary pads that provide comfort and safe for women.

According to the General Manager, Mr. A. M. Assomull, Sunflower Hygiene which started production last year has one of the best maternity and lady soft pads to ensure women stay fresh and stay happy.

“We did not go into manufacturing of Maternity and Sanitary Pads by mistake, but a strong concern and commitment to produce pads that will be unique to the mothers and ladies.

Mothers’ Pride Maternity Pads and Lady Soft Sanitary Pads are manufactured with regards to International Standard and under the most hygienic condition in its factory at Isolo by technical experts who ensure quality control during the manufacturing process,” he stated.

In the views of the Quality Control Manager, Mr. K Adesanya, “Mothers’ Pride Maternity Pads and Lady, Soft Sanitary Pads are uniquely manufactured in such a way that it is convenient to nursing mothers and ladies to use. The Lady Soft Sanitary Pads is always dry, thinner comfortable to wear. It’s also manufactured as triple-

layered absorbent pads in order to quickly and evenly absorb fluid and effectively prevent re-wet and keeps you happy.

Adesanya said that they have three products to their credit, Mothers’ Pride Maternity Pads. He explained that the commitment and hard work of the experts and workers have resulted in what is manufactured and distributed today as highly quality and unique maternity and sanitary pads which competes favourably with other brands in the country.

HE Christian Health Association of Nigeria, CHAN, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to assent the2014 National Health Bill, and to ensure that CHAN and its member institutions are assigned definite roles with clear targets in contributing to the actualization ofits provisions.

Making the call in Abuja, CHAN Secretary General, Dr. Daniel Gobgab, reiterated the contribution of the church-sponsored health facilities in provision of health care to the poor and vulnerable segment of Society.

“We are here to seek ways to improve the resources that flow into the church health sector to further ensure that CHAN plays a pivotal role in the actualisation of Universal Health Coverage as provided for in the recently passed Health Bill.”

Gobgab, who spoke recently at a strategy session in Abuja to avail stakeholders of the essence of advocacy, said institutions were legacies established by missionaries while propagating the gospel and healing ministry.

“Today, like yesteryears, the contribution of member-institutions to the health of Nigerians is notable. To that extent, about four out of every 10 Nigerians assess health services from our over 450 member institutions with over 4000 health posts scattered across Nigeria. This makes CHAN a strong ally to the government in the health service delivery system,” Gobgan stated.

Director of Advocacy and Information Management System, CHAN, Mr. David Omorebokhae who disclosed that the organization had been championing the cause of advocating for better health of Nigerians at the grassroots among its member institutions since the strategy was launched in 2003.

“Advocacy is taking action to help people say what they want, secure their rights, represent their interests and obtain services needed.

42 — Vanguard, MONDAY MAY 19, 2014

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Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014 — 45

No compromises, we’re set for polls — Ekiti CP •11,600, police, security operatives expected

BY DAPO AKINREFON

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HE Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Felix Uyanna, has assured that the Police will not condone any compromise during the June 21 governorship election just as he vowed that the election will be violence-free.

Speaking with Vanguard, over the weekend, Mr Uyanna disclosed that the Police Command under his leadership is working with other security agencies to ensure a hitch-free election.

Uyanna said: “We are working with other security agencies.

Within the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee, we have the security sector forum.

The Inter-Agency Consultative Committee comprises of the police and INEC with their head as executive chairmen. You also have the army, SSS, the civil defence, immigration, road safety, the National Orientation Agency, the National Youth Service Corps who are part of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee. The security sector forum, which I also chair, excludes INEC, the NOA and the NYSC. In this forum, we discuss issues to ensure that we work in tandem to provide a level

•Abubakar

playing ground for all the political parties.”

On plans to avoid compromises by his men, on Election Day, he said: “We have been training them, both at the command level and the Area Commander and DPO levels. We do lecture our men on Tuesdays and each of the electoral officers had been invited to lecture the DPOs and his men.

Uyanna continued: “At the Command headquarters, the Resident Electoral Commissioner

came and lectured me and my men. An organization like the CLEAN foundation has been a partner with the police in the past. They will be coming to lecture us on issues relating to elections, election offences, conduct expected of police on election duty worldwide.

“For the election, we expect that there will be more policemen from outside this state than the number I have on my strength, they will be coming to assist us.

There will be a blend between the policemen coming from outside the state. I expect 6000 in addition to the 4000 that I have here and we are also expecting 1600 from other security agencies. All these will blend and work together. When they come, they will be posted to their duty posts. Some of them will be coming 24 hours to the elections and under that circumstances, I do not think they will compromise.

I expect also that during that time, we will have sniffer dogs; I expect to have one police helicopter for aerial surveillance.

I am also expecting that we will have police horses to help us have crowd control. We are set for the elections.”

He, however, said that “we cannot guarantee 100 per cent but I believe that a huge success will be scored because if you score more than 80 per cent in any examination, you have done well. For us, we are set; we are going to deploy Armoured Personnel Carriers and water canons, to give everybody a level playing ground. If there is any issue relating to violence, we will counter it both from the air and on ground.”

Bamidele, Fayemi tango over failed factories

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

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ABOUR Party Governorship Candidate, Hon Opeyemi Bamidele, has accused the Governor Kayode Fayemi-led administration of paying lip service to industrial development in Ekiti State., Bamidele said the governor’s boast on the day of his inauguration on October 16, 2010 that he would diversify the state civil service from its present monolithic economy through industrialization has not been actualised, a development, he claimed has crippled the state’s economy.

In a statement in Ado Ekiti by his Media Aide, Ahmed Salami, Bamidele queried what the Ire Brick Industry and Road Material Company(ROMACO) in Igbemo had contributed to the development of the economy of the state after over N2 billion had been expended to resuscitate the industries.

He lambasted Fayemi led administration for its inept and poor administrative skills leading to its failure to negotiate the revamp of the defunct Oodua Textile Mills in Ado Ekiti with Oodua Group of Companies, saying the conversion of the

•Fayemi

•Bamidele

site into lock-up-shops further underscored Fayemi’s deception and aversion to the growth of this sector. Bamidele said industrial development is number 6 on the Fayemi’s 8-point agenda, urging him to explain to Ekiti how far he has gone in the development of agro-allied industries, exploitation of mineral deposits and other allied matters capable of driving the economy ., He tackled the governor on his claim that he has jumpstarted the economy by creating technology and industrial parks for small and medium scale enterprises, established micro-credit facilities for promising entrepreneurs and

placed special focus on development of agro-allied and solid mineral sectors., “We want Fayemi to tell us where he has built his industrial parks. We want him to tell us the rate of turnover of Ire Burnt Brick Industry. What Fayemi has kept on saying was that the industry has bounced back to life but practically with no production because not even a single block has come out of that industry since the advent of the present administration.

We challenge Fayemi to tell us how many youths have been employed by this industry despite his much touted boast that the

industry has been made functional,” he said Responding to the allegations, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Yinka Oyebode said Fayemi had made positive impact on the economy and industrial base of the state, countering that Bamidele was acting like someone who did not understand how to make things work.

His words: “For consistently demonstrating crass ignorance of current state of socio- economic realities in the state, the candidate of the Labour Party (LP) does not deserve the votes of Ekiti electorate. Mr Bamidele has over time demonstrated unpardonable ignorance in very simple issues of socio economic significance in the state.

Therefore, it is either he is lazy mentally or is out to deliberately misinform the people.

“One would have expected Bamidele to do a thorough check at the relevant agencies before coming up with such a baseless position. The fact is that the state government has taken some giant steps in the area of industrial development in the state in line with Governor Fayemi’s 8-point agenda.

Fayose has changed for the worse — Oni

BY DAPO AKINREFON

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ORMER Governor of Ekiti State, Engineer Segun Oni, took a swipe at the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate, Mr Ayo Fayose, over the latter’s claim that he is now a changed man.

In an interview with Vanguard, Oni said he is opposing the candidacy of Mr Fayose because the candidate had changed for the worse.

Oni said: “He (Fayose) claims to have changed. When you know his sponsors and how he ‘won’ the PDP primaries and those sponsoring him, you will know that he has changed for the worse.”

Explaining why he left the PDP, he continued: “As far as the PDP is concerned, I did everything I could do to give the party a chance to pick a candidate that we can work with, that we can be proud of, that we can show to generations that are coming behind, as someone that we can recommend as role model for them. When the PDP decided what its own options would be, we had no alternative but to make up our mind, rigidly, to toe the path that we have now chosen.”

Fayemi has improved education sector — KFCO

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

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HE Kayode Fayemi Campaign Organisation has commended Governor Kayode Fayemi for giving the education sector a boost. Apparently reacting to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate, Mr. Ayo Fayose’s criticism of Fayemi’s education policy, where he said Fayemi has taken education to the lowest ebb.

In a statement by its Spokesman, Mr Dimeji Daniels, KFCO said the people of the state have been reaping from the fruit of the education policy planted

by Fayemi’s administration to the fullest. It described the administration’s relationship with teachers as encouraging and productive in the history of the state.

The statement said Fayemi had in 2011 reversed the scrapping of the office of Tutor-General carried out by a previous PDP administration in the state by appointing three tutors-general to superintend over the three senatorial districts in the state The three were later promoted to the position of permanent secretaries in 2013.

46 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014

Late submission of budget now an impeachable offence — C’ttee * Pegs Sept 30 as deadline, prescribes special court for graft cases

BY JOSEPH ERUNKE

THE National Conference Committee on Politics and Governance has recommended that late submission of budget by the executive arm of government should made an impeachable offence just as it pegged September 30 every year as deadline for budget presentation before the legislature.

Former Minister of Information and Co-Chairman of the Committee, Prof.

Jerry Gana, who briefed newsmen in Abuja on some of the recommendations of the committee, said it became imperative for the committee to inject the national budget cycle in the Constitution, given the crises it has generated over the years due to late submission.

Gana said the committee frowned at what he referred to as “unnecessary delay on budget presentation and implementation by successive governments.”

The politician disclosed that his committee also recommended the

unbundling of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in order to ensure conduct of free, fair and credible election in the country just as he said it equally recommended the establishment of a special court for trial of corruption-related cases, saying such would strengthen the nation’s anti-corruption agencies.

“We have made a very firm resolution of making sure that the budget cycle is put in the constitution.

What we are recommending is that the Constitution should say, latest by 30th September or earliest working day before the 30th of September, the budget must be presented to the National Assembly.

“It will be an impeachable offence for anybody not to present budget before 30th of September.

Then the National Assembly has the rest of October, November or latest 31st of December, or the earliest working day before the 31st of December, which the budget must be approved ready for implementation from January 1,” he said.

Delegates begin clause-by-clause debate today

BY HENRY UMORU

AFTER three weeks of brainstorming sessions at committee levels, delegates will begin clause-by-clause deliberation of the reports today.

According to the rules, decisions are to be reached by consensus and “in the case of failure to reach a resolution on the matter by consensus, it shall be decided by a vote of seventy per cent (70%) majority of delegates present and voting.”

After the item-by-item consideration of the 20 reports, and in line with the Order 13 of the National Conference Procedure Rules 2014, a final report of the conference shall be drawn up and approved by the delegates.

The Order states that: “There shall be a final report which shall be the accurate recording of all the decisions reached by the National Conference.

The final report shall be signed by the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and the Secretary after approval by the Conference before presentation to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Should the final report lead to the

DELEGATES from Oyo and Osun states have opposed submission by their counterparts in other South Western states for creation of Ijebu State out of the present Ogun State.

The delegates said if any state would be created from the region, it has to be from Oyo State, considering the population and the land mass of the state.

Egypt court jails over 160 Brotherhood supporters

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N Egyptian court jailed more than 160 Muslim Brotherhood supporters to up to 15 years in prison yesterday , pressing a crackdown on the Islamist group before a presidential election former army chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is expected to win.

Defendants chanted “Down with military rule” as Judge Hassan Fareed handed down 10year jail terms to 126 Brotherhood supporters accused of violence and membership of a terrorist group in one of the cases.

A further 37 people

received 15-year sentences in a second case related to an alleged attempt to blow up a Cairo metro station.

The security forces have detained thousands of Brotherhood supporters since the military deposed president Mohamed Mursi last July following mass protests against his rule.

Sisi, expected to easily win the May 26-27 vote, has signaled there will be no reconciliation with the Brotherhood.

Brotherhood leader

Mohamed Badie, who was among 683 people sentenced to death last month, made a rare address in court, rejecting the accusations leveled against his group.

“We have never responded to any attack against us with violence,” said Badie, addressing the judge in footage uploaded to Youtube. The judiciary was being used in a political conflict the likes of which Egypt had never seen before, he said.

Crimean Tatars commemorate Soviet deportation despite ban

D

*Kutigi drafting of issues of law and policy, the Conference shall in consultation with the six principal officers of the conference advise the government on the legal framework, legal procedures and options for integrating the decisions and outcomes of the National Conference into the Constitution and laws of the country.”

Yoruba delegates split over proposed Ijebu State

BY JOSEPH ERUNKE

Police detain a protester during a demonstration to blame the government for the mining disaster, in Istanbul

At a media briefing at the weekend in Abuja, the delegates from the two states, through Chief Adeniyi, SAN, accused leaders of Yoruba delegates to the confab of ‘sell out for making such recommendations.

The said what they presented as common position of southern Nigeria delegates does not represent the interest of various states from the South-West.

EFYING a ban by their new Russianbacked rulers, thousands of Crimean Tatars gathered at a mosque yesterday to commemo-

rate the day 70 years ago the mass deportation of their families began under the orders of Soviet leader Josef Stalin.

Crimea’s Muslim Ta-

Turkish authorities detain 24 people over coal mine fire

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URKISH authorities have detained 24 people in connection with last week’s coal mine fire in Soma that killed 301 miners, the Prime Minister’s office told CNN yesterday.

The search for victims of Tuesday’s fire ended Saturday, Turkish government officials said. Authorities believe they have now recovered the bodies of all the workers who perished.

The investigation into what caused the deadliest disaster in Turkish mining history continues, the Natural Disaster and Emer-

gency Coordination Directorate said. The final bodies were pulled out Saturday afternoon, Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz said. However, as the recovery effort comes to an end, controversy over Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s response to the tragedy refuses to blow over.

On Friday, police in Soma used tear gas, plastic pellets and a water cannon on protesters angered by the government’s response.

tars are among the most vociferous opponents of Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and have condemned as “inhuman” the temporary ban on mass gatherings, which was issued just days before the symbolic date in the minority group’s history.

Waving blue-and-yellow flags and chanting slogans, they rallied outside the mosque on the outskirts of the capital Simferopol as Russian military helicopters circled overhead.

The 1944 Soviet-era deportation of some 200,000 Tatars to Siberia and Central Asia killed many and is a reason for Tatars’ deep mistrust of the Russian authorities.

Many still associate Moscow’s rule with oppression, exile and suffering.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014— —47

A

POLITICIAN'S qualities are his attributes that are natural, while some of the qualities are as a result of external influences. Promising politicians' qualities are often backed by skills, experiences, intelligence, integrity, with instincts -all combined- to achieve certain goals. First and foremost, the best quality of a politician is honesty, and he should be God fearing and loving. A faithful and effective politician is trustworthy and reliable. He must capture the essence of truth, display sincerity, candour and practice what he preaches. He makes decisions and accepts responsibility for his actions and his words. The same is true in his dealing with his people. He makes promises and keeps those promises. He's a person to be relied upon and should be seen to love people with all his heart, might, mind, soul, while striving to help them.

Conversely, a fake politician will, after taking the oath of office with the Holy Book, use his power as an end in itself, rather than for public good, making them indifferent to the progress of the citizens. A good politician

becomes the image of his creator.

A good and responsible politician will give high regard for morality, must be law-abiding and shurn corruption. The greatest strength of a good politician is the manifest joy in serving people and not to steal tax payers money. It is a fact that a fulfilling and meaningful life is created through service to others.

To be an effective politician, your followers must have trust in you.

And the very best way for a politician to build trust is to display good sense of character and qualities composed of values, beliefs, traits and skills.

Another important quality of a good politician is integrity and technical skills to handle those challenging assignments, fiscal matters, policies, plans, projects, ideas and initiative solutions to problems.Integrity is consistency of actions, methods, measures, values, principles, expectations and outcomes. It is doing what is right, both legally and morally at all times even when no one is looking. Since politicians play very significant roles in the administrative processes, especially participating in the making and implementation of thousands of important laws and policies in their communities and country, they should be well-

,

educated, modest, with experience in social welfare and should have done some good work for the society.

A politician should be knowledgeable and thoroughly informed about the constituency where he is going to contest an election. Sir Winston Churchill, a famous British politician who served as Prime Minister twice (1940-45) and (1951-55) once said thus: “A politician must have the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn’t happen”.

Hence, a political career is meant for the people of high integrity and additional skills to achieve results and finding better ways of making life better for the

A nation's sad trajectory

BY DOKI GODWIN JEFF

I

T is 53 years since independence and Nigeria as a country is still travelling on reverse gear because the country has refused to look back. Philosophers are right when they say that looking back also means looking forward. The period of the first regimes could be conveniently regarded today as the golden age of Nigeria.

Leaders like Awolowo, Azikiwe,Ahmadu Bello and Tafawa Balewa were able to manage and govern the country with meager resources derived basically from taxes, cocoa, groundnuts and other agricultural products. Although oil was discovered at Oloibiri in the Niger Delta region as early as 1956, its exploration was yet to commence and agriculture remained the mainstay of the economy until the end of the Nigerian civil war.

During this period, the Naira was also stronger than the Pound and Dollar. The three biggest universities in the country at that time namely: University of Ibadan, University of Ife and Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, ranked among the best universities in the world with expatriates vying for teaching appointments in all faculties.

These nationalist were aware that only education could be used for the development and liberation of man. Equally important is the fact that the first leaders of Nigeria had several things in common: patriotism and the refusal to use the resources of the state for their personal benefit. The young Nigerian singer Wande Kole nostalgically captures this golden age in a song entitled "Once Upon a Time".

When hundreds of billions of Naira began to accrue from the oil sector Nigeria began its descent into misery and poverty. A new ethos of cheat or risk being out-cheated had crystallized since agriculture which sustained the nation was destroyed together with institutions and the nation’s sense of honour. Ethics, patriotism, self respect, C M Y K

responsibility and vision escaped as the new leaders stashed away billions of Naira in foreign bank accounts, investment and real estate. But again, even up to the year 1976 Nigerians still identified with the regime of Murtala Muhammed because the regime was honest and sincere. The regime promised Nigerians that it would solve the problems of petroleum distribution, demurrage and return power to civilians in 1979. The regime of Murtala Muhammed also added another feather to its cap by its progressive and anti-imperialist policy on South Africa. Lamentably,Muhammed fell to the assassins bullets when he was barely six months in office. Samuel Johnson once wrote that ‘much that appears foolish in human behavior can be traced to one cause: the failure to imitate those we least resemble.’

The successors of Muhammed(whether soldiers or civilians) have refused to emulate his leadership qualities. As a matter of fact they have forgotten all that the General stood for. But one thing is clear: General Muhammed was not the kind of soldier that would strip off his uniform and run for office even if the polls gave him a popularity rating of 100%, or ten million people blocked the streets and begged him to rule them. He was a true soldier and he knew the meaning of honour.

The military Generals who succeeded Muhammed somehow forgot what it entails to be a soldier. These Generals were chiefly concerned with primitive accumulation and the well known tendency of Army Generals to translate their economic wealth into political power. More irksome was the introduction of the Structural Adjustment Programme, SAP, by the regime of General IBB. The programme which was anchored on the premise that the Nigerian economy needed a fundamental restructuring to correct the distortions in exchange rates, tariff regimes and domestic price structure ended up with a collapse of industrial facilities, high commodity prices, mass retrenchment and reduced incomes.

,

BY ADEWALE AKANDE

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Democracy and quality of a good politician

The best quality of a politician is honesty; he should be God fearing and loving; he must capture the essence of truth, display sincerity, candour, and practice what he preaches

people they represent. Politics is not meant for dropped-outs, area fathers, thugs, assassins, criminals, illiterates’ godfathers, inept, dubious and corrupt politicians.

These persons, apart from being greedy, do not know the importance of education and can never invest properly in it. Good governance, transparency and accountability will be eluding states and nations where the above mentioned set of people found themselves in the corridors of power.

An incompetent and irresponsible politician will make people to hang around his house like bees to honey to feed them with amala, tuwo or eba just for days.

He prefers to give out expensive gifts, donations and bribes from tax-payers money to win elections.

An achiever will not need to do such things to win elections or people to their side in all ramifications.

T

hat is why you will hear people saying “Politics is a bad game of deceit and hatred”, “Politics is a do or die affair ”, “Politics is a dirty business”, “Politicians are very sick people” and so on. It is those politicians of limited merits and capabilities that are bad and not politics. They cannot do more than their moral and intellectual capacity. A true democratic government is the best concept for the growth of any nation. A good politician enriches lives and provides for many people and not making them to become beggars, touts, kidnappers, armedrobbers and fraudsters.

In Nigeria, the bigger thief you are the more respect you acquire; here you are judged not by the truth of your vision but by the size of your wallet

,

SAP was not only anti-people but also the harbinger of Nigerian capitalism.

Petroleum products, NITEL, PHCN are already commercialised. Next on the line is public universities in Nigeria.

W

hen General Buhari seized power from Alhaji Shehu Shagari in December 1983, he had all corrupt and unscrupulous politicians arrested and sentenced to various jail terms, hoping that his action would scare future political office holders from looting public treasury. Alas, General Buhari was wrong. On the contrary, corruption has assumed embarrassing proportions in Nigeria.

Just compare the wretched family homes of the early leaders with the mansions of Nigerian councillors today and then you can fully understand that political office has become the surest and shortest path to wealth in this country. More worrisome is the fact that the same old politicians that General Buhari wanted to exterminate are the same people calling the shots in the political arena. Take a few examples. In 1976, Murtala Nyako was the governor of Niger state under a military regime.

After 36 years the same man is presently the governor of Adamawa State. More than this the old man is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that his son becomes his immediate successor. In 1983, Bamanga Tukur was the governor of Gongola State(now Adamawa and Taraba states). Thirty years later the same man became PDP’s national

A good politician should be of a well disciplined personality with selfless service to make life better for his people. This should be reflected in the community where he lives in all ramifications.

Discipline is necessary for an orderly society and political life, without it, the social life would become miserable. A selfless service is putting the welfare of the people you’re representing before your own. Winston Churchill described it as “the first of all human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees all others”. A good politician firmly believes in taking care and maintaining the community of his people. He believes that community service is about giving back. According to Theodore Roosevelt, “the most successful politician is he who says what the people are thinking most often in the loudest voice”. A person or politician who is with criminal background, or has links with criminals or who has not been cleared of corruption charges by the law court should be disqualified to participate in elections.

Party loyalty is another quality of a responsible politician in a democratic state. A transparent politician is nearer to his people and regularly meets them to understand their problems. Only fake politicians are seen by voters when an election is near or change parties as footballers change clubs.

*Mr. Akande, a public affairs analyst,wrote from Abuja.

helmsman and had to be forced out of office only some months ago. The present Governor of Plateau State, David Jonah Jang has ruled as governor for three times.

And this is only a partial list. But what is clear for now is that politicians in Nigeria are eager to tenaciously hold on to power because they either want to cover up their crimes or to protect their loot.

Obviously, there is a whole lot of difference between the founding fathers of Nigeria and the political class that emerged from the late seventies and early eighties. But what about the young political office holders that took the stage with the return to civilian rule in 1999? Nigerians had hoped that they would build a new Nigeria since most of them are still in the youth of their old age.

Here again Nigerians erred lamentably. If there is any quality that characterise the young politicians ruling Nigeria today, it is a strong habit of plundering the nation’s wealth.

Whereas the old politicians merely stole food from our granaries the young ones have the tendency of stealing and destroying the granaries only to rebuild new ones in foreign lands for their selfish benefits. Recently, a Swiss non-governmental group described the NNPC as "the greatest fraud Africa had ever known". Sanusi Lamido got the boot recently because he was bold enough to expose some of the slopes of the nation’s corrupt and hidden geography.

With the kind of massive corruption going on at the NNPC it will be very difficult for the present regime to realise its transformation agenda. Trillions and billions of Naira grow wings and fly away every evening at the corporation.

Surprisingly, Mr President has turned his face away and only the House of Representatives is making feeble attempts at investigating the fraud.

It is amazing, though not surprising, because here in Nigeria, the bigger thief you are the more respect you acquire. Here you are judged not by the truth of your vision but by the size of your wallet. These young crop of leaders would have been prisoners in other climes but in our country Nigeria they are heroes. *Dr. Jeff is a senior lecturer at the University of Jos.

48—Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014

Terrorism:Why Nigeria is a fertile ground — Omeri MR Mike Omeri is the coordinator of the National Crisis Information Management Centre, the Federal Government’s clearing house for information on the ongoing war against the Insurgency fueled by the Boko Haram Islamic sect. In this interview, he gives an overview of the government’s efforts to combat the insurgency, the challenges ahead, and takes head on, assertions that President Jonathan’s failure to visit the theatre of operation is a failure of leadership. Omeri, who is concurrently director-general of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, also gives an inclination of how bonding by the majority of the people can extinguish the message of hate and violence. Excerpts:

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

H

OW would you describe the security situation of the country at the moment?

I think it is best to say that we are experiencing anxious moments in relation to lives and property in some parts of our country. The unfortunate situation is not as a result of lack of government efforts, not as a result of lack of capacity to deal with it, but you know that in every society you will find miscreants and deviants. You will find people who would rather do things against the normal run of events and therefore, what we have is a situation where we are also experiencing such security challenges affecting lives of citizens in some parts of the country.

There is a perception by the citizenry and now by the international community that the administration has been slow to deal with these issues?

I wouldn’t want to say that.

When these issues started even before the coming of President Jonathan, there were efforts to curb the trend. Since President

anything, I think that is unfortunate. Not only Mali, he has also visited neighbouring countries to canvass for cooperation towards making sure that the inflow of recruits and ammunition from these areas are reduced.

So, I don’t think that he has been inactive or too slow. And if you refer to the particular incidence of the abduction of school girls, let me understand the definition of being slow to act when before the incident, he noticed that the security challenge wouldn’t allow the smooth conduct of examinations and directed the minister of education to inform the governors of the three states in the northeast to move students to safer areas for the conduct of the examination and he went further to relocate students of Federal Government Colleges to safer areas. One thought that the state government should also have done the same thing, yet it is President Jonathan that is getting the blame. When WAEC wrote and explained that their staff were apprehensive of the situation and would prefer that the students

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For us in the government of President Jonathan I cannot see politics in it because nobody from this side is attempting to politicise it. We are looking at it from a nationalistic prism

Jonathan came on board, he has also implemented more programmes towards curbing the upsurge.

If you remember vividly, he at the beginning set up a Joint Task Force in the Northeast and also canvassed for cooperation in the sub-region for peace and security. You remember that there was a time he had to go to Mali and some other countries when he noticed that insurgents were training or recruiting from that axis. I also remember that when he went there that a number of Nigerians were criticising and asking why he would go to Mali?

If at that time he identified the problems and took proactive measures and Nigerians complained at that time, and now people say he has not done

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were moved from Chibok to a safer location, then a response came to WAEC from the government of Borno State that security would be provided, yet it is President Jonathan that is getting the heat.

If at that time that it was argued that the state was under emergency rule and that security was in the hands of the president that the president had directed that people should move away from that area and that the governor said that he was going to provide security and he didn’t provide security and now you are blaming the president, then there is something that is missing.

But I am not accusing anybody!

Why is Nigeria a fertile ground for these terrorists?

Every territory that has

potential for economic growth is a fertile ground for terrorism because aside from getting money from foreign backers, they can also scoop around for whatever they can get to support their activities. It is not just Nigeria. Look at the trend, it is in the US, UK, France. They normally would like to go to countries of attention. In Africa you also see Kenya, Libya and so on. So, they go to countries of attention, not countries that will not give them the mileage that they want because it is a crusade that is meant to engulf the entire world.

Is there a political connection to the crisis?

For us in the government of President Jonathan I cannot see politics in it because nobody from this side is attempting to politicise it. We are looking at it from a nationalistic prism and that is where we have a problem in our country and we need to find solutions to it.

Campaign against insecurity I am even more convinced because I have not seen any governor or minister who is carrying PDP officials around to attack the other parties or viceversa. The directive that the Information Management Centre has is that we should mobilise Nigerians irrespective of party persuasions and alliances, irrespective of ideology or other persuasions to support the ongoing campaign against insecurity and to rescue our children.

So, there is a change of tone on the part of government because the ruling party had in the past made innuendoes against General Muhammadu Buhari who has threatened to sue your party for accusing him of being a sponsor of Boko Haram?

That is their politics. Don’t forget that this is the National Media Centre, it is not a PDP media centre, and again, it is between the parties and if you remember, they have been having running battles with

•Omeri

threats of making the country governable or ungovernable.

That is their own. For us in the Government of Nigeria, operating the systems and mechanisms of service, we are not playing politics with the lives of our children or the security of Nigerians.

The president has been accused of not showing presence on ground in the area.

Why? The army officers there are there by his directives, the service chiefs have been there on his instructions and they are the ones trained to fight, they are the ones who have the weapons and daily, they give him situation reports, and daily he meets with respective institutions and agencies that are on the campaign.

Understanding the issues His visit to the place may be important but is immaterial to the prosecution of the campaign because the president cannot be everywhere at the same time.

However, the president has not ruled out the possibility of visiting, the president has not said that he would not visit. So, I wonder why people take the position that the president has not visited and will not visit.

If you look at what is happening and match it against what has happened in other parts of the world, I think we are understanding the issues at stake because what is most important is to fight terrorism and to use all

agencies of state to get this restive situation calm.

When you talk of other climes, the criticism is that the president is the father of the nation and his children are traumatised and that his visit as commander-inchief would boost the morale of the troops and all citizens there.

Well, they have their way of reaching out and I want to assure that whatever is necessary to be done between the commanderin-chief and his commanders on the field is being done.

There have been reports of differences between state and federal authorities in the campaign against the insurgents. How true is this?

Borno State is a sub-set of the federation and that is why President Jonathan is concerned and that is why the government of Nigeria has mobilised to that place to assist in securing the lives of citizens there. So, if that be the case, there must be some form of connection but it depends on who is talking and what is being said. But as far as we are concerned, So, how long would Nigerians live under this state of insecurity?

I wouldn’t know and if it is a wish, I wish it would end today, but it has to do with two opposing sides, one wanting to have peace and the other insisting that its own ideology must not only prevail, but must be enforced.

You were quoted as saying that government has not ruled out any option to get the girls. Is negotiation an option?

What is uppermost in the Continues on page 49

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014—49

KWARA: Will Ahmed break Saraki’s political harmony?

ASSERTIONS that Governor Ahmed Abdulfatah is about to break the political harmony framed by Senator Bukola Saraki in Kwara could be farfetched

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

C

OULD it be part of the mischief that flows in the political arena? The report that Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State is about to ditch the All Progressives Congress, APC for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is being flayed by his associates and aides as a deliberate mischief aimed at undermining the political harmony in the State of Harmony.

The heart of the report is that Governor Ahmed in his desperation for a second term could ditch the APC for the PDP on account of the alleged hesitance of the political leader of the state, Senator Bukola Saraki to allow the governor go for a second term.

Remarkably, Senator Saraki has not been known to have made a comment publicly or privately on a second term for the governor.

In the heat of the 2011 campaigns, the former governor was reported to have said that his successor would serve only one term. Saraki spoke on the basis of strength and his position as the political leader of the state.

Indeed, despite recent efforts by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to assert itself on the Kwara political turf, few doubt that Kwara State remains under the firm grip of Bukola. Bukola like his father, the late Senator Olusola Saraki, remains one of only about three senators to have successfully installed a governor in his home state.

Trusted lieutenants Other senators to have done so include the late Senator Olusola Saraki in Kwara and the late Senator Usman Albashir in Yobe State. Since the inauguration of Governor Ahmed, one of his trusted lieutenants while he himself was governor, Saraki has largely remained aloof on the issue. However, associates of Saraki have in the past privately spoken of Bukola’s inclination to support Ahmed for a second term based on what some claim as his relatively successful stewardship of the state thus far. But would Bukola go back on his word?

Whatever are the intentions of Senator Bukola, Governor

•Ahmed

•Saraki

Ahmed it seems, is not one inclined to go into battle with his political leader. The governor, apparently may have learnt from the mistakes of past governors who walked away from the relationship they had with Bukola’s father.

Reacting to the report of his alleged romance with the APC, Governor Ahmed said the report as provocative, contemptuous and wholly false.

Ahmed who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab “Ordinarily, the allegation, peddled by people

with devious intent, does not deserve a response as the objective is obvious. However, we need to alert the good people of Kwara State to the desperate ploy by selfish people with sinister political interest to cause disaffection and stir anxiety in the populace.”, the Governor said.

Taking a jab at the opposition party, Ahmed said: “Assuming without conceding that Gov. Ahmed wanted to return to PDP, which faction of the rudderless and visionless party would he have negotiated with?”, the state-

ment queried.

“For the record, our decision to leave the PDP was premised on the need to build a new nation where every citizen has the opportunity to prosper, in which our youths are productively engaged and where the disadvantaged are assisted to live a decent life”, the Governor said.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the relationship between His Excellency, Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed and the former Governor and Leader of the APC, Dr. Bukola Saraki, remains cordial, warm and solid. It is equally ludicrous that they allege that the governor was on a save my soul mission to his brother governors in the APC as well being one of the earliest visitors to the new National Chairman of the PDP. Gov. Ahmed has no need for such visits neither has he embarked on any. For him, the task is the actualisation and fulfillment of the covenant he entered into with Kwarans during the last elections as encapsulated in the Shared Prosperity Programme of his administration.”

Why we can’t politicize terror — Omeri Continued from page 48 minds of Nigerians and their government is to ensure the safe return of our children. So, every option that is within best practises as it applies to this situation will be adopted to ensure that our children get back home.

Have you made any contact with the girls, have they been sighted anywhere?

At the moment all necessary equipment that Nigeria has have been deployed to that area, scanning of the area is being conducted, and so far, we have not seen the girls in the forest area as claimed.

Jeopardising ongoing operations But I know that this issue is within the purview of the intelligence agencies, so I may not be too competent to comment on that because we may end up giving out information that may jeopardise ongoing operations in the area.

The administration says it is open to receiving support from other countries. So, what kind of support have you received?

Quite a number of countries have offered to help with surveillance, to help with experience and capacity.

Don’t forget that they are coming here to complement the work being done by officers and men in the armed forces.

You say they are coming. Have they come?

Help has come because some of the countries are already on ground •Omeri and when I say they are coming we also include those who are on their way, but some have already come like the UK, the US, they have been here.

Despite the gestures from the US administration, different personalities in the US government are faulting the capacity, competence and corruption in the Nigerian government. How do you as an official of the government of Nigeria see this?

Most of them do not have empirical evidence about the views that they canvass in the

media. Besides, the US government as at the last time I checked was working with the government of Nigeria in this direction and that is what is important. The views of the few individuals who have access to the media, the views of the media itself are not reflective of the real situation and the mode of Nigerians because the mode of Nigerians is that anyone who wants to help should mobilise support towards rescuing the children and stamping out terrorism in the land. So, we

want to plead with such people not to divert attention and distract interest, but to remain focused on the goal and the goal remains bringing back those children back home safe and sound and that our life would return to normal once again.

Has the administration reached out to the children of these abducted girls?

Yes. The service chiefs have visited Chibok and reached out to the parents of the abductees.

You are the Director General of the NOA, does your agency have plans towards orientating the minds of Nigerians away from the lure of those things that fester terrorism?

Yes, we had done that even before now. Also, the intensity of citizens’ awareness of their duties and responsibilities is even heightened as a result of this unfortunate incident and people are more aware of their duties and responsibilities to self and state.

We have been in the forefront of canvassing for cohesion and closer interaction among citizens.

That is the only way that we can patriotically push insurgents and instability out of our country and this would require at least 80% of the citizens working together

and once 80% of Nigerians are thinking alike and working together, I assure you that we would push insurgency and most of these problems out of our country.

We have had campaigns, committee engagements, dialogue to reinforce peace where it exists, and to produce peace where it is not existing and I want to assure you that the work of the agency is bringing results because most of the communities are aware and binding to face the insurgents.

A final word?

Nigerians should not despair or lose hope. Nigerians should move towards one another, this is not the time to distract from the goal and we call on all Nigerians not to politicise terror irrespective of who is in power or who wants to be in power.

Let Nigerians look at the common problem and pull all the resources they have instead of wasting it to canvass against government. Rather, they should use it to canvass for security in their fatherland, they have no other place to go. Whatever is it that they do or say to desecrate the integrity of this country will surely live after them.

50 — Vanguard, MONDAY MAY 19, 2014

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014 — 51

2015: Ikwerre, Obolo declare support for Ogoni gov I

KWERRE Democratic Initiative and Alliance, IDIA, and Obolo Consultative Forum, OCF, have endorsed the clamour by the Ogoni ethnic nationality to produce the next governor of Rivers State, come 2015.

Coordinator of IDIA, Dr. Eze Emenike, and leader of OCF, Chief Ala Nte, spoke in their separate speeches in Bori, during the inauguration of the Khana Local Government chapter of Ogoni Democratic Movement, ODM. Dr. Emenike described the Ogoni governorship project as “an idea which time has come,” and called on the people to believe in their ability to produce a successor to Governor Rotimi Amaechi in 2015.

He said: “Ogoni Project 2015 is an idea and its time has come. If you believe, it will come to pass. Carry along other parts of the state during your stay in the Brick House from May 29, 2015, just like my brother Amaechi is doing.”

On his part, OCF leader, Chief Nte, said that the People of Obolo (Andoni) ethnic nationality were solidly be-

hind the Ogoni governorship project, pointing out that their support was in appreciation of similar gestures given to them by the Ogonis that led to the emergence of their son as Chairman of one of the political parties in Rivers State.

“Obolo people are solidly in support of the ODM campaign

for an Ogoni governor.

When God says it is time, nothing can stop it. Ogoni governorship project has come to stay. We are supporting the Ogonis because they supported us in the election of our son as Chairman of APC in the state,” he said.

Earlier in his address, President-General, ODM, Mr. Godwin Bazari, said that the people of Ogoni have suffered enough and called on political parties in the country to pick their gubernatorial candidates for the forthcoming governorship election in Rivers State from Ogoni.

RECEPTION: From left: Mr. Nsima Ekere, former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State; Mr. Bassey Essien, former Speaker of the state House of Assembly and Senator Helen Esuene, Chairman, Senate Committee on Women Affairs, during the wedding reception of Mr. David Okon John, Esuene’s nephew, in Eket.

Itsekiri graduates reject Chevron’s 12 training slots

W

ARRI—THE National Association of Itsekiri Graduates, NAIG, under the leadership of Mr. Lucky Futughe, has rejected the 12 new Ogere training slots recently allotted to the Itsekiri by Chevron Nigeria Limited, saying they were grossly inadequate and negate the principle on which the Global Memorandum of Understanding, GMoU, was anchored.

In a statement in Warri, Delta State, Futughe called on the leadership of Itsekiri Regional Development Committee, IRDC, to prevail on Chevron to increase the 12 slots given to Itsekiri ethnic nationality in the company's recent recruitment exercise.

According to the Itsekiri graduates, there was no basis for giving the same 12 slots each to Itsekiri, Ijaw and Ilaje out of the 50 persons recently taken for the Ogere training programme when “it is common knowledge that Chevron’s major area of operation is in Itsekiri communities as evident in the GMoU, let alone the Local Content Act, which gives prominence to immediate host communities in employment and contract awards.”

Commending the Chairman of IRDC, Chief Ayirimi Ema-

mi, for tackling Chevron so far in the employment policy as it relates to Itsekiri ethnic nationality, NAIG urged the IRDC

leadership to immediately put machineries in motion “to address the recruitment anomaly,” adding that fail-

ure to correct the perceived injustice will incur the wrath of thousands of Itsekiri graduates.

Attack on Vanguard photographer: Group threatens legal action against LG boss

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI & AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE

W

ARRI—IJAW Peoples’ Development Initiative, IPDI, has said that it will take legal action against the Transition Committee Chairman of Udu Local Government Area, Delta State, Mr. Raymond Edijala, who was joined by alleged thugs to assault Akpokona Omafuaire, Senior Vanguard Photographer on Saturday.

President of IPDI, Mr. Ozobo, in a statement in Warri, yesterday, described Edijala's conduct as a “show of shame, shocking, condemnable, lawless and unexpected of someone of the status of a council boss.”

Ozobo said: “We are unhappy about the lawlessness of Edijala and his thugs. We shall join forces with others in ensuring that they are prosecuted.”

Edijala and his supporters, it will be recalled, assaulted Omafuaire during the environmental sanitation to rid Warri, Udu and Uvwie of filth and illegal structures on the orders

of the state Special Sanitation Committee, of which the council boss is a member.

The incident which occurred in Ovwian community while the committee members were enforcing the special sanitation left Chief Frank Omare, Chairman of the committee injured on his foot, while he was rescuing the journalist from his attackers.

Omafuaire narrated, “I was in company of other journalists along with the committee’s leadership monitoring compliance with the exercise. At Udu, residents accused the council boss, Edijala, of selective demolition/removal of illegal property, a development which caused Omare to order that all illegal structures there be pulled down against the wishes of Edijala.

“As I chatted with a colleague acknowledging the state government’s determination to destroy all illegal structures, Edijala pounced on me, threatening, “Who are you? What are you saying? This is my council, get out of here now.”

2015: Oshimili South PDP endorses Delta Speaker for 2nd term

BY VICTOR AHUMA-YOUNG

T

HE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Oshimili South Constituency of Delta State, weekend, endorsed the Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Peter Onwusanya, to contest the 2015 state House of Assembly election for a second tenure.

The leadership of the party in the area which took the decision after its meeting at the party’s secretariat, said Onwusanya was adopted based on his achievements as a legislator.

The party also passed a vote of confidence in Onwusanya for working in synergy with the executive to attract developmental projects to the area.

Chairman of PDP in Oshimili South Local Government Area, Evangelist Ebielim Maduemezie, who addressed the meeting, comprising local government and ward executives, insisted that the party leadership had critically considered and appraised Onwusanya's performance since his assumption of office and was satisfied with his empowerment programmes.

52 — Vanguard, MONDAY MAY 19, 2014

Vanguard CLASSIFIED Correction of Name IGBINADUWA— My correct name is Igbinaduwa Nosawaru Omoede, but it was wrongly written as Igbinaduwa Nosawaru Omorede on the following certificates, University certificate, NYSC call-up letter and certificate and University reference letter. All former documents remain valid General should public take note.

IJEH—I, formerly known and addressed as Ijeh Patience, now wish to be known and addressed as Favour Udoka Ijeh.

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

UMUKORO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss U m u k o r o Oghenekevwe, now wish to be known and addressed Mrs. Oghenekevwe Owoade. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

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Nigerian Bar Association, Delta State House of Assembly and general public please take note.

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Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014—53

CONFAB: S'East, S'South Professionals unhappy with delegates

BY HENRY UMORU

A

BUJA— AS delegates at the ongoing National Conference resume plenary today to begin deliberations and consideration of reports of the 20 standing committees, South-East and

South-South Professionals has frowned at some of the recommendations by the committees for discussions, saying they were not favourable to the geopolitical zones of the country.

According to the group at a dinner organised in honour

of delegates from the zones in Abuja, they believed on the Aburi Accord, just as they urged their delegates to the conference to sit up and resist any move to short-change them of what belongs to the zones.

Speaking at the event, President of the group, Mr. Emeka Oju, who noted that the association was distressed

PDP OGUN: From left— Engr. Adebayo Dayo, Chairman, Ogun State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; Prince Buruji Kashamu, Chairman, Organisation and Mobilisation Committee; Alhaji Fatai Adeyanju, National Auditor, PDP; Prof. Adewale Oladipo, National Secretary, PDP; Dr (Mrs) Bisola Sodipo-Clark, wife of Chief Edwin Clark, Ijaw leader, and Hajia Rabi Ibrahim, National Coordinator, Women for Change and Development, during a stakeholders meeting of Ogun State chapter of PDP in Ijebu-Igbo, yesterday.

about many of the recommendations by committees of the conference, pleaded with delegatss from the SouthEast and South-South to take advantage of the opportunity given to them to restructure Nigeria.

He called on them to work towards ensuring a Nigeria, whose purpose was how to create wealth for all citizens to alleviate poverty and ensure national development.

He said: “Many Nigerians following the activities of the National Conference, especially the newspaper reports of the committee deliberations, are very distressed about many of the recommendations and we feel it is our duty and obligation to bring that to your attention.

“Many of you here may not believe it but many rational Nigerians see this conference as an act of God, one that may save Nigeria from a very likely catastrophic 2015 presidential elections.

“All over the world,

development is the rate of wealth creation. But in Nigeria, we are not thinking about how to create wealth.

“We are thinking that God has given us wealth; it is how to share the wealth that matters.

“The reality, however, is that the wealth we think we have is insignificant compared to our population. To create wealth therefore, we need educated work force, healthy citizens, security, infrastructure and laws that enable people to own what is theirs.”

He noted that these people also need incentives to create wealth because they know that what they create belong to them.

Oju said: “There should equally be an enabling environment or a good structure, like federating units, that encourages competition because to create wealth you need an element of competition.”

He stressed the need for delegates to write their names in gold by shunning all sentiments to promote the Nigerian agenda.

54 — Vanguard, MONDAY MAY 19, 2014

Suarez set to spark £100m tussle Real Madrid Vs Barcelona

Martino quits!

R

EAL Madrid are poised to start their usual leaking tactics to pile pressure on Liverpool and Luis Suarez.

Madrid, who missed out on the La Liga title but face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final, have a strategy of luring Galacticos by applying constant, but unofficial, ‘come and join us’ messages via the media.

The Spanish daily sports papers tend to be their prime tool. Madrid face a battle not only to persuade Liverpool to sell and Suarez to agree to leave but also head off Barcelona’s interest too.

That is likely to mean Suarez’s value would rise to the £100million mark. At that level Liverpool might find it hard not to sell.

Despite denials it is still believed there is a release clause figure if Suarez wants to move.

This is likely to become the summer ’s big transfer saga, while any real movement will happen after the World Cup.

•Martino

G

Spain-bound? Luis Suarez could spark a £100million bidding war between Barcelona and Real Madrid

Guardiola: 4 titles in first season at Bayern Munich is not bad

T

HE Bayern Munich coach, Pep Guardiola, took his season title tally to four when his team clinched the German Cup on Saturday with a win over Borussia Dortmund to silence critics and complete a domestic double in the Spaniard’s first season in charge.

Guardiola had a tough act to follow when he took over this season following

Setif stun Esperance

A

LGERIANS Entente Setif made a stunning entry to the group stage of the CAF Champions League with a 2-1 victory at Tunisians Esperance this weekend.

Rachid Nadji and El Hedi Belameiri scored for the visitors at the Stade Olympique in a Tunis suburb before Driss Mhirsi pulled one goal back.

Bayern’s treble-winning campaign under Jupp Heynckes.

“This was a very difficult year for me, my first in Germany. So four titles is good,” he said after their 2-0 cup win over Dortmund. Guardiola quickly led Bayern to the Uefa Super Cup and the Club World Cup title when he took over before racing to the quickest ever Bundesliga title with seven games to spare.

“When a team wins the league title then it is already a good season,” Guardiola said. “But we are happy to have achieved this season. The German Cup was a big title.”

The Bavarians broke

ERARDO Martino said he is leaving Barcelona after a disappointing first season that ended with his team losing their Spanish league title in the season’s final game.

The Argentinian manager said he has reached an agreement to cease being the coach after Barcelona were held 1-1

by Atlético Madrid, who were crowned as champions of Spain.

“I want to tell you that I have agreed with the club that I will no longer be Barcelona m a n a g e r, ” M a r t i n o , known as Tata, said. “I would like to thank everyone for trusting in me."

Crushing 5-0 defeat!

S

•Guardiola

record after record under Guardiola before their air of invincibility and their unbeaten streak in the

league, that stretched for over a year and a half, burst after securing the league title.

OUTH Sudan’s first ever Africa Cup of Nations qualifier ended in a crushing 5-0 defeat to Mozambique in a 2015 first round first leg tie yesterday.

The first goal came from Josimar Machaisse. who scored from the edge of the box as he connected with a cross whipped in from the left wing.

Wenger hails FA Cup victory as Arsenal’s most important trophy come the setback.

A

Arsenal’s mascot Gunnersaurus leads the way as the bus nears its final destination: the Emirates

RSÈNE Wenger described Arsenal’s 3-2 victory over Hull City in the FA Cup final as a “big moment of happiness”, and even went as far as to suggest that the club’s first major piece of silverware in nine years was the most important in his time at the club.

Arsenal had to show all

their fighting qualities on a sapping day at Wembley, after finding themselves 2-0 down inside eight first-half minutes, thanks to goals from James Chester and Curtis Davies. Wenger admitted feeling “shock” at the blistering start made by Steve Bruce’s side and fearful that his “nervous” players would not over-

“I feel relief and happiness because we were under severe pressure to win today and didn’t start well,” said Wenger. “But, in the end, it finished well, so this is a big moment of happiness for us.

“We waited a long time for this and the happiness is linked sometimes with the suffering, and the time that you have to wait.”

Vanguard, MONDAY MAY 19, 2014 — 55

08053068728

We ‘ll take our pound of flesh against Argentina — Musa S

UPER Eagles and CSKA Moscow forward, Ahmed Musa has said it will be a huge boost for Nigeria and the players should the national team go all the way to win the World Cup in Brazil.

Nigeria Sports Minister, Tamuno Danagogo had said President Goodluck Jonathan was looking up to the team to go to Brazil and win the World Cup. In a chat with African

Football.com Musa took up the challenge and said, “Yes, it is possible.

Every team at the World Cup will aim for the ultimate title. We have quality players and good technical bench to win the World Cup. “We the players want to make big impact in Brazil, so winning the World Cup is not out of place.”

He said the Eagles will give equal respect

to their group opponents because they all deserved to be in Brazil.

“They will all be tough, so we have to work very hard. We have to take all the teams seriously right from the first game against Iran.

He reckoned that Argentina had been lucky in the three previous encounters they have had against the Eagles and this time it is going to be Nigeria’s turn to smile.

•Musa

Brazil 2014: Fashola drums support for NFSC A LL is set for the Pre-World Cup event to mobilize financial resources to send a large number of supporters to cheer Nigeria’s Super Eagles to victory at the FlFA World Cup Finals which kicks off in Brazil in a forth night.

Tagged Fund Raising Dinner Towards Brazil 2014, the event which is organized by the Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC) will hold on Tuesday, March 20, 2014 at the prestigious Civic Center on Ozumba Mbadiwe Street, Victoria Island. It will start by 7pm prompt and it is strictly by invitation.

Spokesman of the event managers and veteran sports journalist, Effiong Nyong, disclosed in Lagos yesterday that Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) who is the Special Guest of Honor will lead other prominent citizens and

Elegbeleye targets glory in Botswana

N

IGERIAN contin gent led by the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC) Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye left Lagos for Gaborone, Botswana yesterday night for the 2nd Edition of the African Youth Games tagged Gaborone 2014 slated for between May 22nd and 31st, 2014.

Nigeria would be participating in 16 sports which include Athletics, Badminton, Taekwondo, Wrestling, Boxing, Cycling, Judo, Karate, Weightlifting, Volleyball, Swimming, TableTennis, Rowing, Canoeing, Golf and Football.

The top NSC boss declared that the Nigerian contingent is storming

Gaborone to contest for the top position in the competition.

The host country Botswana will host 2,500 athletes from 54 countries from Africa that would compete in 21 sports .

“I have always believed in catching them young and also developing sports right from the youth stage. This will give any nation the reservoir and pool of athletes not only to pick from but to bank on to achieve success in sports generally. So I am excited to lead these greater tomorrow athletes to the Gaborone 2014 African Youth Games and I am confident of a good outing for Nigeria.”

Italian Open: Djokovic too strong for Nadal

N

PRESENTATION: President General of the Supporters Club Dr. Rafiu Ladipo presents Club regalia to NTA's Omokibvie captains of industries to grace the occasion.

Among the chief executives of companies who have signified their intentions to attend the occasion are those from Globacom Nigeria Limited, Zinox Technologies Group and Industrial and General Insurance Plc (IGI) as well as some

Uche

Continues from BP assist to score the Yellow Submarine’s second goal of the day at Estadio Municipal de Anoeta yesterday It was Uche’s 14th league goal of the season.

The 30-year-old has now scored in each of his last two appearances for

2nd African Youth Games:

Villarreal after scoring just once in his previous 13 games.

Yesterday’s win means Villarreal will compete in next season’s Uefa Europa League.

The El Madrigal club ended the season in sixth place on the league standings with 59 points from 38 matches.

prominent Nigerians who will receive Patron

Awards from Supporters Club.

the

Serena Continues from BP WTA titles, moving her into seventh in the alltime list.

Williams will head to the French Open, which begins next Sunday, as a strong favourite to successfully defend her title and win an 18th Grand Slam.

Errani, 27, had beaten world number two Li Na and world number eight Jelena Jankovic on her way through the Rome draw, but she was overwhelmed in the final.

Williams had won all six of their previous matches, including a 46minute victory the last

time they met in the 2013 French Open semi-final, where the Italian won just one game.

Errani put up a better fight this time, though she displayed signs of nerves as the first Italian woman to reach the final since 1985. But despite the vociferous homecrowd support she could not consistently test Williams.

The American quickly moved out to a 3-0 lead and Errani’s challenge was further hampered when she need a medical timeout at 5-3 down to treat a problem with her left hip or thigh.

OVAK Djokovic won his third Italian Open title and laid down a marker for the French Open with victory over Rafael Nadal in the Rome final.

Djokovic, 26, beat the defending champion and world number one 4-6 6-3 6-3 in two hours and 19 minutes.

The Serb has now won four matches in a row against Nadal, and has been victorious at five of the last six ATP Masters 1000 events.

This year’s French Open, where Nadal is eight-time champion, begins on Sunday.

Despite his daunting record in Paris, and last year’s dramatic semi-final win over Djokovic at Roland Garros, the Spaniard might not return as favourite.

It is the first time since 2004 that Nadal, who was beaten in the quarter-finals in Monte Carlo and Barcelona, has lost more than two matches on clay in a season.

Messi Continues from BP from the stands.

This apparent disinterest and lack of intensity is nothing new, as the Argentine has been sleepwalking through matches throughout the business end of the season.

His goalscoring stats aren’t too shabby, but dig a little deeper and we see that a lot of his goals have come from the penalty spot and he wasn’t involved in the build-up for most of the rest, simply applying the finishing touch.

The issue was compounded Saturday by the widespread expectation

from the fans that Messi would deliver the goods after his new, improved contract was announced on Friday. They hoped this would spur on the pint-sized star, but this couldn’t have been further from the truth.

It was another listless display from the twinkletoed Argentine, who has gone missing in action regularly during the runin and was virtually anonymous again, not enjoying any clear-cut chances and coming off second-best when he had a rare opportunity to run at the Atletico defence.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, MAY 19, 2014

Serena wins Italian Open

Keshi’s reject, Uche, th scores 14 goal I

KECHUKWU Uche scored the winner as Villarreal beat Real Soceidad 2-1 on the final match day of the 2013/14 La Liga season.

The goal brought his tally for the season to 14.

Unfortunately, however, the hotshot would not be

part of the Super Eagles party to the World Cup in Brazil. Despite pleas from many quarters, coach Stephen Keshi ignored inviting him to the Super Eagles.

Uche profited from a Giovanni Dos Santos Continues on Page 55

•Serena

W

ORLD number one Serena Williams overpowered home favourite Sara Errani to retain her Italian Open title.

The American, 32,

powered through 6-3 60 at Rome’s Foro Italico and took her record on clay to 53 wins and two defeats since 2012.

She has now won 60 Continues on Page 55

Messi jeered by Camp Nou crowd T

GOAL MACHINE — Ike Uche

•Keshi

HE Camp Nou faithful vented their frustration at Lionel Messi’s attitude during weekend’s title decider. The forward was largely kept quiet up front, but what really rankled the fans was his lack of effort, as he couldn’t be bothered to chase down the ball after losing it on a couple of occasions. That was

•Messi when the jeers and whistles began raining down Continues on Page 55

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 4 Malice (5) 7 Nuclear (6) 9 Conifer (3) 10 Hill (3) 12 Regional (5) 13 Couple (4) 15 Fruit (5) 17 Shrew (6) 19 Entrance (4) 20 Relative (5) 22 Employ (3) 24 Unlucky (7) 27 Vegetable (3) 28 Tree (5) 31 Temper (4) 33 Remained (6) 35 Performer (5) 37 Idiot (4) 38 Instrument (5) 39 Tear (3) 41 Fish (3) 42 Beat (6) 43 Flat (5)

DOWN 1 Occur (6) 2 Reason (6) 3 Intelligence (3) 4 Grain-store (4) 5 Tine (5) 6 Pulling (8) 8 Trance (4) 11 Controller (9) 14 Wealthy (4) 16 Mislay (4) 18 Harvest (4) 21 Rude (8) 23 Spot (4) 25 Plague (4) 26 Sleigh (4) 29 Worshipped (6) 30 Property (6) 32 Jig (5) 34 Parched (4) 36 Calm (4) 40 Fix (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Canal 5, Simple 8, Siren 10, Chaste 11, Iron 14, Pirate 15, Minimum 18, Gem 19, Sip 21, Dent 23, Renew 24, Gala 27, Don 29, Age 31, Radiate 32, Nether 34, Halo 35, Coarse 38, Dwelt 39, Tattle 40, Death.

DOWN: 2, Ash 3, Assail 4, Lit 5, Snip 6, Moored 7, Extent 9, Refused 12, Rig 13, Name 16, Iota 17, Minor 20, Penance 22, Neat 24, Gannet 25, Lath 26, Aghast 28, Dilate 30, Eel 33, Rode 36, Old 37, Sot.

How to Play Sudoku

P

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

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

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

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