Jubilation in Ondo as Mimiko wins

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61736

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012

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Boko Haram: Bama arrested in Modu Tai Solarin's •P.10 Sheriff's house, not mine — Zanna •P 50 widow dies @ 88

Jubilation in Ondo as Mimiko wins

BY ADELEKE ADESERI, SOUTHWEST REGIONAL EDITOR, DAYO JOHNSON & CHARLES KUMOLU

•Jonathan, Mark, Govs hail election •We are still studying the situation — ACN •I will do more in Ondo — Mimiko

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KURE—BASKING in the euphoria of a historic re-election, Governor Segun Mimiko vowed, yesterday, to bequeath a legacy of good

ONDO FINAL RESULT LG.

LP.

PDP.

ACN.

Ako SE

6,316

3425

3,330

Ak SW

11,833

12331

13623

Ifedore

11,062

3978

5,522

Ak NTH

10,857

4,916

8,671

Ako NE

12,153

6,847

8,693

Ondo East

8,404

3,933

2,759

Akr Sth

49,914

12,467

11,994

Ose

11,071

9,833

6,376

Idanre

15, 990 5,923

5,111

IleOluji

11,945

6,521

9,061

Owo

14,870

6,058

17,967

Irele.

9,435

9,341

5,066

Okpa

11,968

21,024

8,495

Continues on Page 5

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works across Ondo State after he was declared winner of last Saturday’s gubernatorial election.

Outpouring of goodwill from far and near flowed to Mimiko from across the country including President Goodluck Jonathan and the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Continues on Page 5

•PG.17

OCHEREOME NNANNA

Now that Bakassi is gone •P.49 Mr & Mrs

IROKO—Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo with wife, LP officials and supporters after the declaration, yesterday. More pix on Page 13.

2— Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012

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4— Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012

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Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012—5

POCKET CARTOON

Jubilation in Ondo as Mimiko wins Continues from page 1 Party, PDP whose candidate, Olusola Oke finished second in the election. While lauding Mimiko on his victory, the PDP praised the people of Ondo State for rejecting the politics of tribalism it claimed was preached by the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. The ACN on its part reserved its comments

on the election noting that it was still studying the results even as it declared its determination to constitute itself as a critical and constructive opposition to the Mimiko administration.

The ACN in a statement by its national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande flayed the conduct of the poll as seriously flawed.

Irrespective of the con-

ONDO FINAL RESULT LG.

LP.

PDP.

ACN.

ciliatory tone of its national headquarters and President Jonathan, the Ondo State chapter of the PDP rejected the outcome alleging a threeway conspiracy among security agencies, the Labour Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to undermine it during the election.

Two civil society organizations that monitored the polls, the Centre for Human Rights and Ethics in Development (CHRED) and the Conference of Human Rights Activists (CNCRA) on their part declared the result as reflective of the will of the people.

OndoW 31,280

6,669

7,225

Odigbo 13,748

12,272

14,740 The final result

Ese odo 9,137

7,295

2,987

Ilaje

19,281

5,793

8,538

Total votes LP

— 260,199 Votes

ACN

—143,512 votes

PDP

—155,961

Total valid votes Invalid votes Total votes cast Registered voters Accredited voters

—594,244 —30,415 —624,659 —1.638m —645,594

LP won in 13 LGs ACN won in 3 LGs PDP won in 2 LGs

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

N empty stomach is not a good political ad viser – Albert Einstein. A nation must feed itself, all that is needed to live is already provided.

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TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

If you don’t like something, change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it -Mary Engelbreit

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HE power to choose your next thought is very profound but it is going beyond to living from the heart that makes it an awesome experience for any individual.

When you think about it, this ability is within the grasps of our reach. The choice to feel beautiful, to express loving thoughts and deeds and to exhale joy and laughter in our lives.

Guy Finney, an excellent author, gave some useful advice on how to choose and keep good company. He says, when life places us in a situation where a run-in with someone is inevitable - perhaps at work, with a family member, in a store, etc., we can choose to keep the company of good and true interior friends who can help us focus on uplifting issues.

We should remember to keep away from negative people and their influence. We are free to keep the company of compassion instead of anger, generosity instead of greed, patience instead of anxiety.

Love instead of envy, humility instead of vanity.

In the final results of the election declared, yesterday, by the state returning officer for the election, Prof Biyi Daramola, Mimiko, who flew the flag of LP was credited with 260,199 votes, while the PDP candidate Olusola Oke polled 155,961 and the ACN’s candidate Rotimi Akeredolu polled 143,512 votes.

A total of 624,659 votes were cast out of a registered voters’ list of 1.6m.

Prof. Daramola who is also Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure disclosed that 30,415 votes were declared as invalid, leaving a total of 594,244 valid votes.

Daramola added that 645,594 voters were accredited during the election.

The LP candidate, Dr Mimiko won in 13 of the 18 council areas of the state, while the PDP won in two and the ACN won three councils.

Other parties which were credited with votes were ACPN 1806, ANPP 1461, APS 751, BMPP 2,949, CAP 1031, NCP 823, NSDP 1103, PDC 21,361, PPA 1,651.

Daramola, declared that, Mimiko, having satisfied the provisions of the Electoral Act, was returned as the winner of the election.

The local government areas won by Mimiko were Akure South, Akure North, Ifedore, Idanre, Ondo West, Ondo East, Ile-Oluji/ Okeigbo, Irele, EseOdo, Ose, Akoko Northeast, Akoko North West and Akoko South East.

Despite losing at his

polling unit and at the ward level, Akeredolu, the ACN candidate won in his native Owo Local Government Council Area, and in Odigbo and Akoko South West local government areas. The PDP, not surprisingly, won Ilaje and Okitipupa.

Wild jubilation in Akure The announcement of the result led to wild jubilation across Akure, the state capital. Supporters of LP, who gathered in front of the INEC office in Alagbaka area of the town were seen singing and dancing in celebration of the victory.

They also converged on the entrance of the Government House where they jubilated, sang and danced over the results of the election. The major roads in the town like Oba Adesida, Oyemekun, NEPA, Ondo road were later filled with members and supporters of the party who were jubilating over the outcome of the result.

However, security was immediately tightened as the results were announced as contingents of the military men patrolled the state capital.

Jonathan congratulates Mimiko In his reaction to the declaration of the election results, President Jonathan congratulated Governor Mimiko on his re-election, even as he commended the dutiful, patriotic and law-abiding electorate of Ondo State.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Reuben Abati, the president also gave kudos to INEC personnel and security agencies who ensured that the election was “peacefully and successfully conducted.

The conduct, he stressed was in keeping with President Jonathan’s administration’s commitment to making elections in Nigeria progressively better organised and more credible”.

“As Gov. Mimiko looks forward to the commencement of his second term in office, the president urges him to be prepared to work even harder to justify

the fresh mandate given to him by the people of Ondo State, who voted for his re-election on Saturday,” Abati added.

He said President Jonathan assured Mimiko that the Federal Government would continue to engage constructively and positively with the Ondo State government in collaborative efforts to achieve faster socio-economic development and better living conditions for people in the state and in all other parts of Nigeria.

Mark, Ekweremadu, govs hail election The President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, his deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremaduand governors also joined in congratulating Mimiko.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Paul Mumeh, Senator Mark urged Mimiko to be magnanimous in victory through carrying other stakeholders in the state along.

"Iam happy that Nigerians now appreciate democracy through free and fair election,” Senator Mark said as he commended INEC. Senator Ekweremadu in his own reaction articulated by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, while congratulating Mimiko, noted the contributory roles played by the National Assembly in amending the constitution to safeguard fair polls.

While expressing satisfaction with the efforts

by INEC and the security agencies at ensuring a credible poll, the Deputy President of the Senate commended the people of Ondo State for their peaceful conduct.

“In the end, it is not just about who won, but about a democratic, violence-free, and mature

electoral process where the people freely express themselves and realise their will that count above everything else,” Ekweremadu was quoted as saying.

He urged Dr. Mimiko to work to justify the confidence reposed in him by the people by “being magnanimous and humble in victory, while also rallying all capable hands towards the development of Ondo State irrespective of political persuasion”.

Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State in his reaction said: “The people have spoken; the best candidate has won.

While I congratulate my brother, Mimiko, on this victory, which is a reaffirmation of the belief of his people in him, I urge him to continue on the path of service to his people and the country at large.

“Occasions like this provide opportunity for Nigerians to thank President Goodluck Jonathan for his commitment to democracy, which has seen us move rapidly from the era of victory through electoral malpractices to victory through the choice of the people.”Obi congratulates Mimiko Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State: “While I congratulate my brother Governor on his victory at the polls, I urge him to take particular note of his endearment to the grassroots which gave him the support for his return.

He should strive to continue to build on the path of development he started in his first term.

I urge him to see the victory as further opportunity to serve the people of Ondo State”.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State on his part described the re-election of Dr. Mimiko as a demonstration of steady but sus Continues from page 54

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012

Bakassi demarcation postponed to next month Natives, six A-Ibom LGAs move to form Atlantic State

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

BUJA — THE final field assessment of monuments and other landmarks for the demarcation of Bakassi based on the judgment of the International Court of

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Justice and the Green Tree Agreement has been dogged by uncertainty.

Vanguard gathered from competent sources that the planned demarcation, which was to commence last Friday and continue till November 11, 2012, did not take place because

of the non-arrival of members of the Joint Technical Team, JTT. The team, which is made up of experts from the United Nations, Cameroun and Nigeria, was expected to arrive Calabar, the Cross River State capital, last

Thursday with a view to getting to work the following day but the members did not show up after all.

A Government House source in Calabar, confirmed to Vanguard last night that as at the close of work on Friday, there was

Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State (middle); flanked by his wife, Obioma (left) and Speaker, State House of Assembly, Hon Larry Odey cutting the tape to flag off carnival dry run (mock carnival) build-up to the main event in Calabar, yesterday.

no indication that any member of the JTT of the Nigeria-Cameroun Mix Commission had arrived the state in connection with the international assignment.

The source explained: “We were expecting the convoy of the JTT in Calabar on Thursday October 18, 2012.

Surprisingly, none of the team members has arrived the state as I am speaking with you."

But another source close to the state administration confirmed to Vanguard that the planned demarcation had been rescheduled to begin in the first week of next month but no reason was advanced for the change in date.

However, it was gathered that the team was worried that the exercise might not be carried out successfully without some violence from the aggrieved natives of Bakassi, who feel betrayed by the Federal Government’s refusal to

2013 budget: PDP can’t intimidate us to support illegality —NASS

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

BUJA — THE National Assembly will not be coerced by the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to support wrong decisions taken by the executive so as not to inadvertently add to the suffering of the Nigerian people, a principal officer of the legislature, has declared.

The officer was reacting to the threat by the party last week against the leadership and members of the party in the National Assembly over their opposition to certain issues in the 2012 and 2013 budgets. He castigated the party for trying to intimidate them to support unpopular decisions and policies that might work against the people.

The House of Representatives is insisting on an oil benchmark of $80 per barrel while the Presidency says it should be left at $75. The Senate last week pegged it at $78 per barrel.

Although a joint committee of the two chambers is expected to reach a compromise on the benchmark, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Olisa Metuh, last week, warned that the

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party would no longer tolerate any act of indiscipline from its elected officials.

But the principal officer, who was elected on the platform of the PDP, warned the party to desist from issuing empty threats and careless statements capable of driving its members to the opposition.

The lawmaker, who pleaded anonymity, wondered why the party would want them to continue to keep quiet over issues that had far-reaching implications on the lives of

Nigerians.

He questioned why the party would want them to support a low oil benchmark of $75 per barrel when a clear and well established trend has been established that the price of oil has never gone below $100 per barrel in recent years.

The legislator said it was illegal for the executive to continue to base the budget on low oil benchmark, cart home with higher revenue and put same under Excess Crude Account, which it spends at will on causes

that have little or no impact on Nigerians.

He said: “I think no amount of threat by the PDP can solve any problem in Nigeria and I make bold to say that if the party does not want us, they should say so for us to leave its platform.

“It is my strong belief that if PDP suspends any elected member, we can still use our mandates to work for Nigerians. We want democracy to work in this country and to give meaning to the ordinary man on the street.

“We cannot be intimidated by the party because they did not do anything to win election for us. It is the people who voted for us and gave us the mandate to speak and defend them."

He said he was suspicious that the threat by the party was meant to scare members of the National Assembly from expressing their views on the poor implementation of the 2012 budget and the many controversial policies highlighted in the 2013 appropriation.

Carnival Calabar to become World class — Imoke ALABAR — GOVERNOR Liyel Imoke of Cross River State said, yesterday, that everything had been put in place to ensure that 2012 Carnival Calabar becomes one of the greatest events in Africa and beyond.

Speaking while unveiling the theme of this year’s carnival at the Millennium Park, Calabar, Imoke said the first edition of the dry run (mock carnival) marked the series of events to lead the carnival Calabar proper.

Imoke who was accompanied by his wife, Obioma, gave kudos to out-gone and incoming

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members of the state Carnival Commission for introducing what will help the state realise its vision of a carnival that will grow from strength to strength and outgrow already established carnivals across the world.

The governor further said the carnival which has the theme,” Celebrating A New Dawn,” has a new team spirit with the active participation of the private sector which is expected to take over when the dream is fully realised.

According to Imoke, “as we celebrate great hope and expectation, we

will combine a number of things to make Carnival Calabar a world class brand.”

He, therefore, called on all stakeholders to ensure that the carnival produces and delivers the greatest show in Africa.

Earlier, the Chairman, Cross River State Carnival Commission, Mr. Gabe Onah, disclosed that a new dimension had been introduced into the carnival in the government's effort to take it to the next level.

Onah maintained that there was a strong Public Private Partnership in the 2012 carnival which makes it more exciting than ever as a lot of

surprises have been introduced to make it the first of its kind.

He commended the leadership and members of the state House of Assembly for their support to ensure that the state becomes a destination of choice through its tourism programmes.

The five competitive bands—Bayside Band (Blue), Passion Four (Green), Seagulls Band (Red), Master Blasta (Orange) and Freedom Band (Yellow) participated in the mock carnival while security, Department of public transportation were at hand to ensure things were in order.

seek a review of the Bakassi judgment.

Natives demand N200bn damages There have, however, been both legal and political moves by the aggrieved natives of Bakassi to stop the final delineation of the boundary until their quest for self determination is addressed by the Nigerian government.

Last Friday, they filed a suit at the Federal High Court Abuja, praying it to stop the planned demarcation of their ancestral homes and monuments pending the hearing and determination of the case, which is yet to be assigned to a judge.

The natives demanded N200 billion as general damages from the Federal Government over the Bakassi issue.

Natives, six A-Ibom LGAs to form Atlantic State Meanwhile, Vanguard reliably gathered last night that as a direct fallout of the poor handling of the Bakassi issue by the Federal Government, natives of the area in Cross River State and their kinsmen in Akwa Ibom State, have begun assembling signatories for the actualization of Atlantic State.

The meeting of the proposed Atlantic State movement was convened in Calabar, yesterday, during, which many prominent politicians and opinion leaders gave their blessing to the idea by appending their signatures to the paper.

Principally, the proposed state seeks to incorporate ‘Greater Calabar Communities’ of the Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State and the six major riverine local government areas of Oron, Udung Uko, Okobo, Mbo, Urueofong/Oruko and Ibeno in Akwa Ibom State into one umbrella.

The meeting, which began at 7pm in the residence of a major political leader in Cross River State, Chief John Bassey, was attended by lawmakers, council chairmen and councillors from the areas.

It was convened by High Chief Archie Omon, another prominent politician from Cross River State.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012—7

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8 —Vanguard ,

MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012

Stakeholders condemn extremity in enforcing traffic laws

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI AND MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

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TAKEHOLDERS IN the transportation sector weekend, expressed concern over alleged indiscriminate arrest, harassment and intimidation by law enforcement agents in the implementation of Lagos Road Traffic Law, saying the enforcement should be more of corrective than punitive measure.

This came as Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church,

threw its weight behind the controversial traffic law and sensitized its members on compliance with the law.

Speaking at the sensitization on the traffic law 2012, organized by the Political and Legislative Powers Bureau in conjunction with the Ministry of Transportation for transport stakeholders, Prince James Okedara, expressed worry at the rate law enforcement agents went about arresting motorists and c o m m e r c i a l

motorcyclists, popularly known as “Okada riders” over violation of the law.

However, speaking on behalf of the Church, Prophet Gabriel Fakeye who was represented by the Deputy District chairman/deputy general leader, Apostle J.Toriola, at the 2012 Annual Council of Prophet retreat/ convention, theme ‘Above All’ Surulere District, expressed support of the church to the traffic law, saying, “It would bring sanity into road transportation in the state.”

Improper family upbringing, cause of national insecurity - DEPOWA

BY EVELYN USMAN

IFE OF the Chief of Defence Staff and National President, Defence and Police Officers Wives Association, DEPOWA, Mrs. Dupe Ibrahim, weekend, attributed the cause of insecurity in the country, to failure on the part of women to bring up their children properly.

The former National President of the Naval Officers Wives Association, NOWA, who spoke during an official hand-over

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ceremony to the association’s new National President, Mrs. Vivian Ezeoba, called on women in Nigeria to inculcate good morals into their children to ensure peace and stability in the country.

Stating emphatically that the role of women in nation building could never be overemphasized, Mrs. Ibrahim who is the first NOWA national president to assume the position of DEPOWA president, admonished, “ This is a time Nigeria needs our prayers, particularly in

the area of insecurity. As women, your children are your property .

Therefore, talk to them always, know when they go out, who they go out with and when they come back home. “If we had taken care of our children and trained them well, there would not have been insecurity in the country.

This is because if you are not there to train them , others will take care of them for you.

Women are to be blamed for the state of insecurity."

Health of flood victims worries MWHUN

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

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BUJA - MEDICAL and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MWHUN, weekend expressed concern over the health and general well-being of Nigerians now endangered by flood disasters across the country.

In a communiqué at the end of its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting in Abuja, MWHUN called for full involvement of trade unions, civil society organizations and community-based associations in providing relief materials to victims.

According to the communiqué: “The

AICL offers free educational counselling to students

By DAYO ADESULU

N ITS bid to assist students achieve their academic goal, the Managing Director, Avail International Consults (AICL), Mrs. Bola Agunbiade, yesterday said her international organisation would be offering free educational counselling to students from Monday, 2 2 Wednesday, 31st October, 2012 at Ogba, Lagos.

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She said: “AICL for ten days will be offering free professional educational counselling for students and graduates in Nigeria who intend to further their studies abroad in the UK, USA, Canada or Europe.”

The free workshop will take place at the AICL Open House event, located at Suite 75, LSDPC Shopping Arcade, Ogba, Lagos.

ravaging floods which has resulted in the displacement of a quarter of the country’s population, spread across two thirds of the states of the Federation is clearly a national calamity.

NEC -insession noted that this cannot be considered as solely a “ natural disaster ” based on earlier forecasts.

If pro-active steps had been taken on time, the catastrophic impact of the floods which have cost over a hundred lives could have been avoided.

NEC-in-session however, welcomes the on-going efforts of the Federal Government at mitigating this impact and ameliorating the suffering of the millions of Nigerians affected.”

“MHWUN is particularly concerned with the health and general well-being of Nigerians who are now endangered."

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012—9

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10—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012

No going back on probe of Orji Kalu probe had been property.

—Abia govt planned welcomed by Abians, said Emezue said rather than

BY ANAYO OKOLI MUAHIA—ABIA State Government has said there was no going back on plans to probe former governor of the state, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, saying funds were mismanaged by his administration.

Chief Press Secretary to Governor Theodore Orji, Mr. Ugochukwu Emezue, who disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday in Umuahia, highlighted the state’s Infrastructure Fund as one the former governor mismanaged.

Emezue, who said the

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PRESENTATION: From left: Mr Chris Nkiko, Vice-Chancellor, Covenant University, Ota, Prof. Aize Obayan presenting the award of excellent performance to Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, former Sunday Editor, Vanguard, during the institution's 10th Founders' Day anniversary/media launch at Ota, Ogun State. Photo: Shola Oyelese.

Enugu poisoned meat: Two dead, others hospitalized

BY TONY EDIKE NUGU—TWO per sons reportedly died while several others have been hospitalized after eating a dead pig during a funeral ceremony at Amaegbu village, Ede

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Oballa community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu state.

The police said in Enugu, yesterday, that they have commenced investigations into the

incident which occurred on October 18, 2012.

The state police spokesman, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the incident, said one of the deceased was identified as Fidelia

Ugwuobi. The identity of the second could not be ascertained at press time.

It was gathered that one Emeka Akwaeke and one Uche Eze allegedly cooked the dead pig which they shared to the guests that attended the burial of one Akwaeke at Amaegbu village.

Those who ate the meal served with the meat suspected to have been poisoned during the funeral last Thursday fell sick and two of them died few hours later.

Amaraizu said the sick ones were rushed to various hospitals in the area for treatment.

According to him, investigations are already on to unravel the actual cause of the deaths and tillness.

it would help in ascertaining the level of alleged corruption during the eight years of the former governor.

According to Emezue, allegation by the former governor that Theodore Orji has properties in Abuja and other cities is false.

He challenged the former governor to substantiate the claims by publishing documents relating to such

explain to Nigerians how he allegedly acquired his multi-billion naira mansions in Potomac which is on sale, Houston, Miami, Atlanta, and the acquisition of Slok airlines, banks and other businesses that are barely paying staff salaries, while in office, Kalu was busy playing to the gallery with his deceitful Igbo Presidency agenda in 2015.

Reps raise alarm over failed S-East roads

BY EMMAN OVUAKPORIE

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BUJA—MEMBERS of the House of Representatives Works Committee have raised alarm over the poor state of roads in South East geopolitical zone of the country The Reps also called for the immediate release of funds allocated to the South East in the 2012 budget for roads in the zone which they said were the worst in

the country.

Speaking after a team led

by Toby Okechukwu (PDP Enugu) inspected all the roads in the South East, the lawmakers declared that the state of roads in the zone evoked tears.

Okechukwu said: “Of all the roads in the zone, only Ontisha-Owerri express way was in a fairly good state. Anybody that comes near the roads in the South East cannot afford not to weep for the people of the zone.”

Hajj: All now set for Arafat

BY JIMOH BABATUNDE IN MAKKAH, SAUDI ARABIA AKKAH—ALL is now set for Arafat, the climax of hajj rites on Thursday as 14,000 officers have been deployed to manage the crowd.

Security agencies involved in Hajj operations performed drills showing their preparedness in Makkah, weekend.

The parades and drills conducted by Hajj security forces, emergency special

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forces, special security forces, Civil Status, Public Security, Civil Defence, the police, Traffic Department and security patrols among others were inspected by Prince Ahmad Bin Abdul Aziz, Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Supreme Hajj Committee.

Investigation by Vanguard shows that about 14,000 security officers have been assigned to prevent pilgrims from putting up their mattresses and baggage on the streets and sleeping at the ritual sites.

Tai Solarin's widow dies @ 88

BY DAUD OLATUN-

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B E O K U TA — SHEILA, wife of

renown education icon in Nigeria, late Tai Solarin has passed on at the age of 88 years.

Sheila, a British

woman who was the Proprietress of May flower college, Ikenne in Ogun State died, yesterday at 4 :30 pm at Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State few months after she was rushed to the hospital.

Vanguard gathered that, the octogenarian allegedly had a broken hip when she fell on her way to bed some months ago and was rushed to the hospital. Her sickness was said to have worsened as a result of weak bones due to old age.

It was gathered that, she underwent surgery before she died at the hospital in the presence of her two children.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012—11

Post-Amnesty: Itsekiri group warns against protests

BY DANIEL GUMM

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ARRI—ITSEKIRI National Youths Council, INYC, has warned against moves to foment trouble over reports that President Goodluck Jonathan has approved some slots for formerly armed Itsekiri youths who responded to the Federal Government within the stipulated period, and with the directive that such individuals be incorporated into

VISIT: From right: Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State; Ambassador Vincent Okobi and Ambassador Erleka Bennett of Africa Union in Diaspora, at the Istitute of Continuing Education, ICE, flood victims camp shortly after the funeral service for late Regina Maduemezia, mother of Ambassador Joy Ogwu, in Asaba, weekend.

Three electrocuted in Delta flood camp

BY EMMA AMAIZE

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ARRI—TRAGEDY struck at one of the rehabilitation camps for flood victims in Delta State, weekend, when three persons, including two brothers, who visited the camp ground to identify with the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, were electrocuted.

However, at submerged Elohim community in Burutu Local Government Area, it was not a story of death, as three women, Mrs. Seidougha Serah, Mrs Kemekebulou Ezonkaboere and Mrs. James Kampala, gave birth to two baby boys and a girl.

The electrocution incident reportedly occurred at the Caverginia Primary School Relief Camp, Warri, for flood victims at about 7.00 pm.

An eye wtiness said: “The victims were four in number. They were not among those affected by flood. They had gone to empathize with

Gunmen kidnap Delta DELSU, Abraka, while Varsity staff ty, she was driving out of

BY EMMA AMAIZE

& AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE

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BIARUKU—SUSPECTED kidnappers, yesterday, abducted Mrs. Njoseh, a staff of Delta State Universi-

....As kidnapped Rivers Commissioner regains freedom

BY JIMITOTA

ONOYUME ORT HAR COURT—Kidnapped Commissioner for Power in Rivers State, Mr. Augustine Nwokocha, has regained his freedom, but a senior staff of Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku, was not that lucky as he was said to have died in the custody of the kidnappers.

Confirming his release weekend, the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said he was driven to a spot around Big Elele, in Rivers State, where he was released but could not say if any ransom was paid.

She said his aide who

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those who were affected and were at the entrance to the camp when an electric cable snapped from the pole after a loud spark and landed on them.

“Two of the victims were either Ibibio or Efik, one was Urhobo while the other was Ijaw. One of them was rushed to

was kidnapped with him also regained his freedom, adding that he was first released on Omoku road before the kidnappers drove the Commissioner to Big Elele to release him.

It will be recalled that the Commissioner was taken hostage at Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area on October 13, while on an assessment tour of some areas affected by flood disaster in the state.

A security source told Vanguard that a senior staff of the Federal College of Education, (Technical) Omoku (name and office withheld) who was taken hostage before the commissioner was kidnapped, lost his life in the custody of the kidnappers.

her residence with some family members to church.

Mrs. Njoseh works in the Admissions Office of the university and is also the wife of Dr. Ignatius Njoseh of the Mathematics Department of the university.

Police spokesperson in the state, Mr. Charles Muka, confirmed to Vanguard when contacted, yesterday, that unknown gunmen at Obiaruku had abducted Mrs. Njoseh.

Vanguard gathered that the victim was whisked away in a cream/gold coloured Toyota Camry 1998 model, with plate number, AH 619 AYB .

He said the police was in search of the kidnappers and urged members of the public with useful information on the abductors to contact the nearest police station.

On the abductors of Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education, Prof. Hope Eghagha, who was freed, last week, he said there was still no trace of the kidnappers, adding that the police was in their trail.

Central Hospital, Warri.

I understand that one of the victims was actually trying to pull out his brother who was affected when he himself was electrocuted.”

the post-amnesty programmes.

Speaking to reporters yesterday after an emergency meeting of the central committee of INYC in War ri, the group's national president, Mr. David Tonwe, warned all those he described as mischief-makers to desist from fomenting trouble over the issue of the reported approval, even when such were still within the realm of rumour and speculation.

Kuku lauded over ex-militants' donation to flood victims HAIRMAN of Pres idential Amnesty Programme, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, has been commended for encouraging former agitators in the Niger Delta to donate N52.7 million to flood victims in the region.

A statement by Alaowei Afro Biukeme, former governorship candidate of Mega People’s Progressive Party, MPPP, in Delta State, said the gesture

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was a good lesson for present and future leaders of the Niger Delta.

He said: “I thank Mr. Kuku for helping to train the youths today to share what they have with others. If we don’t want to produce another set of wicked generation of leaders that will continue to draw Niger Delta backward in the next 100 years then we must remove the winner takes it all mentality from our society."

12— Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012

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Vanguard , MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012—13

From left— Chief Dan Nwanyanwu, National Chairman of Labour Party; Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State and Kemi, his wife, acknowledging cheers from supporters after the declaration of Governor Mimiko as winner of the governorship election in Akure, yesterday. PHOTO: Dare Fasube & Bunmi Azeez.

Dr. Benson Enikuomehin, Chief Returning Officer of Labour Party (2nd right), presenting the election result sheet to Governor Mimiko (left) at the Government House, Akure.

Children celebrating at the Government House.

Women celebrate at the Ondo town home of Governor Mimiko.

14 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012

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Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012—15

Why the nation remains poor—Aregbesola

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

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SOGBO — GOVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, weekend, said the country would remain poor despite the huge income from crude oil as long as the leaders failed to properly utilize the income to better the life of citizens and generate decent employment for the teaming unemployed.

This came as organized labour in the nation’s textile industry called on government at all levels to put the peace and unity of Nigeria above personal or sectional interest to ensure sustainable development.

Speaking at the 24th Annual Education Conference of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, in Osogbo Governor Aregbesola said it was an illusion to claim that the country was rich.

According to him, “Our nation is very poor today despite the huge income

made from crude oil. This is contrary to the claim that Nigeria is very rich.

If revenue derive from crude oil is not properly utilize to engage people in productive activities, then the country will continue to remain poor till eternity. The average income in Nigeria today is less than N7, 000

monthly. It is even less than what an average one day old baby can live on.

This situation is very pathetic. If we must get out of this mess, Nigeria must invest in infrastructure, power, communication; education with proceeds from crude oil; failure to do this the country will continue to be

miserable.”

Earlier, the President of NUTGTWN, Comrade Oladele Hunsu noted that the nation’s push for industrial development and job creation would not yield any fruit in an atmosphere of insecurity.

He enjoined the federal government to create enabling policy frame work and incentive that would stimulate long term investment, reward investment and generate jobs.

3 poly unions begin strike

By DAUD OLATUNJI

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B E O K U TA — THREE unions at the Ogun State government-owned D. S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, have commenced another industrial action to protest alleged lack of teaching aids and failure to pay salaries of the workers. The Unions — the Academic Staff of Polytechnic, ASUP,; Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytech-

nic, SSANIP, and the NonAcademic Staff union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, said the strike would not be suspended like the previous ones until their demands were met by the management. The unions said the resumption of the strike became imperative “because facilities that will ordinarily aid teaching and learning, particularly in an ICT-based institution like ours are non-existent.”

Police budget N620m for 2 mobile scanners •To construct a central armoury in Abuja for N250m; and N572m on research •As Power Ministry sets to spend N25 bn in 2013, N196m on travels •Auditor- General to fuel generators with N11m; purchases canteen equipment for N13m

By HENRY UMORU

BUJA—Ministry of Police Affairs’ budget for 2013 shows that it plans to purchase two Mobile XRay vehicle scanners for N620,000,000 to boost its anti-terrorism fight.

From the ministry’s N5, 837, 318, 301 budgetary allocation for 2013, personnel will gulp N2, 773, 316,

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708; total overhead, N400,001,593; total recurrent, N3,173,318,301 and total capital, N2,664,000,000.

The ministry, and other institutions overseas, have a total allocation of N8,505,647,419, with N276,254,599 voted for Police Pension Office and Police Academy, Wudil, N2, 392, 074, 519.

It also set aside

N38,000,000 for security equipment, and is expected to construct police stations and barracks at N500,000,000, while N500,000,000 will be for new projects.

Police barracks are also to be constructed in Potiskum, Yobe State, at N125,000,000; another at Damaturu for N250,000,000; Gashua, Yobe State, for N125,000,

000, all in North-East geopolitical zone.

It would also construct a central armoury for the Nigeria Police Force at N250,000,000, while Research and Development would gulp N572,543,938, even as it will construct a National Secretariat of the Police Community Relations Committee in the FCT for N70,000,000, next year.

Awareness, Advocacy and Enlightenment will take N50,000,000, while N10,149,629 will go for welfare packages.

In a related development, Ministry of Power has a total allocation of

N24,825,742,751 for next year, with total personnel cost put at N788,923,595; total overhead, N531,473,487; recurrent, N1,320,397,668; and capital, N23,505,345,668.

It also plans to spend N256,114,135 on travel and training from the overhead cost. According to the 2013 budget, the office of Auditor-General of the Federation plans to spend N11,053,376 on power generators, with N13,165,000 estimated to be spent on the purchase of canteen/kitchen equipment.

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012 THE House of Representatives is giving Nigerians an opportunity to participate in amending the 1999 Constitution. It is a novel idea billed to hold from 10am on Monday November 5 in all 360 federal constituencies of the country.

It may be a response to calls for a sovereign national conference or an attempt to correct the lie that prefaces the 1999 Constitution which states that Nigerians gave themselves the document.

The House calls the move a fulfillment of its pledge, in 2011, to make governance more inclusive. It is an opportunity for Nigerians – of various levels of understanding – to participate in the making of the Constitution. The only amendment, in 2010, was on electoral reforms. Nigerians want more.

From the 136 memoranda the House Constitution Review Committee has received, the dominant issues appear to be – · Indigeneship, Residency and Citizenship · Immunity clause, accountability, judicial reform · National Security and Police Reform · Fiscal Federalism, Local Governance and Restructuring/Devolution of Powers · Financial Autonomy for Local Government Councils

Continued from Pg 17

BY PAUL NWOSU HERE have been occasions in the past when some parts of this country were threatened by desertification and draught, and the Federal Government rushed to their rescue. States that were not affected did not benefit from those relief packages. In fact, it would have been foolish for any unaffected state to have expected to share in that relief fund for draught and desertification. So, to have listed the entire 36 states and FCT as beneficiaries of the flood relief fund was ill-advised and inappropriate. Even states whose floods, we all know, were caused by poor sanitation habits and near lack of waste management were all listed as victims of the natural flood disaster.

It seemed as if the President used a matter so serious to pay some political debts. If those who advised the President on the sharing formula felt it would make him look good, they better think again because it portrayed him as dithering and not sure footed. It gives the impression of a President that is too eager to please everybody even when it is unnecessary to do so. It betrays a sense of vulnerability and trust our politicians to fully exploit this seeming weakness.

The implication of this warped and unjustified sharing formula is that those in dire need like my community, Atani in Ogbaru, Anambra State, would be under-rehabilitated.

With the receding flood we have been told to expect epidemic and famine resulting from the loss of farmlands and crops.

Experts have also warned that some building structures would become suspects because they have been submerged under water for over a month and most of them would necessarily be rebuilt or reinforced. With this grim prospects ahead, our government is distributing money to those who are not directly in the eye of the storm as if Father Christmas has come to town.

Huge sums of money were also allocated to Ministries of Works and Environment, NEMA, National Commission for Refugees and Technical Committee on Flood Impact Assessment. Apart from Ministry of Work, NEMA and

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A People’s Constitution · Removal of the Land Use Act and the National Youth Ser vice Corps from the Constitution · Part time legislature · Abolition of Joint States/Local Government Account System · Voting Rights for Nigerians living in the Diaspora .·. Zoning/rotation of offices of President/ Governors Nigerians should not restrict themselves to these issues. More pressing matters like how the Constitution should, beyond words, guarantee the security and welfare of the people are important.

What have governments since 1999 done with Section 14 2(b) of the 1999 Constitution which states the “security and welfare of the people should be the primary purpose of

government”? Why is it possible to ignore such a powerful provision while carrying on with the rites of governance?

Is it possible to have provisions in the new Constitution to make governments accountable? What can citizens do when governments ignore provisions of the Constitution and immunity which protect them?

The sessions would be replete with people’s anger on several fronts. For some, it could be the first time they would have a chance of meeting their representatives. Others could think the Constitution would be the solution to all challenges the country faces.

All views should be heard and accommodated in the reports. The people, on their part, should utilise the platform the House of Representatives is giving them to be more than statistics in the affairs of Nigeria.

Improved inclusiveness and participation of communities across Nigeria in amending the Constitution could sensitise legislators to the diversity of views even on issues that are considered generally acceptable to the people.

Nigerians should avail themselves this unique opportunity to have a strong say on their future and their country.

OPINION Flood Relief Fund or National Cake? (2) Committee on Flood Impact Assessment, other allocation claims are doubtful.

NEMA’s intervention was concentrated on the confluence region and the Middle Belt axis as if they were not obliged to intervene in other parts of the country affected by the flood. In my local government area, we only heard of NEMA but we never saw any of them to provide the much needed professional advice on how to deal with the strange situation.

Ministry of Works got N2.6 billion from the latest appropriation and the President revealed during his broadcast that the Ministry has already spent N556 million on repairs of collapsed bridges and construction of bypasses. Aside from the much publicized Lokoja-Abuja bypass we are not aware of any other bypass that the Ministry has constructed. Same with bridges.

President also announced that Ministry of Environment spent N96 million on sundry and relief measures. Ogbaru has been in the thick of the disaster and nobody has come to say he/she is from the Ministry of Environment. So, where did they spend the money? Government has allocated another N350 million and we are keenly watching to see what they will do with the money because serious environmental and ecological issues are bound to surface when the flood recedes.

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he National Commission for Refugees was allocated the sum of N150 million. Before the presidential broadcast most of us didn’t know an institution like this existed. This was probably because Nigerians never really had any need for it.

But since the need for the Commission arose, we have not felt its impact. Since the flood swallowed Ogbaru communities and the people temporarily relocated to Onitsha Army Barracks and a couple of dingy schools in town, nobody saw the Commission which should ideally be resettling these people who have suddenly assumed the status of refugees. But for the Anambra State government’s humanitarian reliefs and the kind gestures from high-net worth Anambrarians, some of our people

would have starved to death. Yet there is a Commission that would have provided them the mediating solace they badly needed before a proper arrangement could be made to rehabilitate them. It’s a shame!

We pray that the floods should continue to recede so that we will see what these agencies would do with the money that government has given them.

We also implore government to give the Dangote/ Agbakoba /Adenuga Committee the free hand to spend the money that they would raise directly on the affected areas. They will bring the efficiency and accountability of the private sector to bear on the relief and rehabilitation projects. Moreso, being high profile entrepreneurs, they would introduce emergent best practices into the relief and rehabilitation management.

With the reality of the consequences of climate change driven right into our homes, it has become absolutely necessary for affected state governments to legislate into existence their own local disaster/emergency management agencies as it is now obvious that in circumstances like this, NEMA is bound to be overwhelmed.

These state agencies should begin to develop their own structures and network with local and international humanitarian NGOs, philanthropic donors, faith based organisations and other institutions that are favourably disposed to assisting disaster victims so that in the event of an emergency situation they could begin to provide immediate palliative interventions to their contiguous communities before the national agencies will arrive with the big money The Dangote Committee has only one year to work after which it may be dissolved. I am not a prophet of doom, but we must be futuristic and preemptive in our planning. Climate change is real.

Concluded *Mr. Nwosu, a marketing communicator, wrote from Ogbaru, Anambra State.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012—49

INCE we were involved in the failed campaign to retrieve Bakassi Peninsula from Cameroon, we might as well give it an appropriate postmortem analysis now that it is gone for good.

While the debates raged on the pages of Vanguard and other media forums, the nation was greeted with absolute silence from presidential quarters until the President, Goodluck Jonathan, travelled to New York on Tuesday, September 25th 2012 to address the plenary of the United Nations on the Rule of Law. He shocked millions of patriotic Nigerians by saying Nigeria would continue to abide by the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), thus apparently foreclosing the pursuit of a review of the 2002 judgement of the Court awarding the Peninsula to Cameroon.

Then, on Thursday, October 4th, barely five days to the close of the tenyear window for review, the President appeared to have had a rethink and set up a committee to examine the fresh evidence that could be taken to the Court for review and possible reversal of the verdict. Evidence from many members of the committee suggest there was no real meeting nor commitment by the Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, to do as the President said. Instead he issued a statement saying Nigeria would not revisit the case, as the time to do so was too short and going there would “hurt” Nigeria’s diplomatic image! Then he hinted at the possibility of a “buy-back” option.

To me, this strange fancy footwork from the Presidency amounted to a dribbling of Nigerians, and it was so shoddily done that the crass lack of will was there for all to see. We had all of ten years to seek for fresh facts. We woke up, five days to deadline, to discover time was too short! There were no fresh facts because the President and his teams were not interested in looking at what was being pushed under their nostrils. Otherwise, what did we have to lose, especially as seeking a review did not amount to disobeying the ruling of the court?

Nigeria should obtain their papers and feel free. After all, there are millions of Nigerians living happily in Cameroon. In any case, Bakassi will not be the only place where a Nigerian ethnic group spills into a foreign country. There are Yorubas in Benin Republic and many Nigerian clans along the eastern border bestride the two countries.

I am totally opposed to the issue of “ resettlement” of Bakassi people in Nigeria. Nothing good will ever come of it. The land in which they are being “settled” already belongs to Akpabuyo people. Even before now, Bakassi castaways had been disenfranchised because they are foreigners. Now that the cession is complete, they will be no better treated than the Liberian refugees camped in Ogun State since 1991 when their civil war broke out.

They are no longer under our flag. Why “live the miserable life of refugees when you can go back to your homeland where you really belong?

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he issue of a possible “buy-back” was as laughable as it was fraudulently meant to give false hopes.

Pray, does Cameroon want to sell? Can you buy a commodity that is not for sale? Has a buy-back option ever been tabled in over forty years of Bakassi controversy? How smart is a nation that gives away its territory only to go

BY PAUL NWOSU

HE much anticipated reprieve finally came via the Tuesday morning (October 9) presidential broadcast that was nationally televised.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan announced the release of N17.6 billion to assist states and communities that have been devastated by the unprecedented flood.

This put paid to the speculations on whether the President would succumb to some lawmakers’ suggestions that he forwards a supplementary budget in aid of the flood disaster areas.

Rather than channel the fund through a supplementary appropriation to the National Assembly, he opted to constitute a Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Committee with Aliko Dangote and Olisa Agbakoba as coChairmen and Dr Mike Adenuga Jnr as Chief Fund Mobilizer. Two of these gentlemen are highly respected business moguls with vast indigenous corporations that provide thousands of Nigerians with direct and indirect

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The "Resettlement" racket General Gowon

President Jonathan

and buy it back?

The fact is that Bakassi was just an available booty for the ruling establishment. General Gowon used it to win a war. Olusegun Obasanjo used it to try and win a Nobel Prize for Peace, while the lawyers he hired went home with billions of naira (who knows what other concessions) for merely going to work with their Cameroonian

Ex-president Obasanjo

interests.

Deal sealed and delivered

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ow that Bakassi Peninsula has been permanently ceded to Cameroon, the options towards cleaning up after the party are very simple. Bakassi is in Cameroon.

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"Buy-back" laughable

Now that Bakassi is gone

Now that Bakassi Peninsula has been permanently ceded to Cameroon, the options towards cleaning up after the party are very simple. Bakassi is in Cameroon. Bakassi indigenes are now Cameroonians, even though they are Efiks. They should return to their country. The so-called resettlement centre in Akpabuyo should be shut down

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counterparts to go with our land.

Jonathan used it to maintain his image of an international “good boy”, a policy he has pursued in his attitudes to the crises in Cote D’Ivoire, Libya and Mali, where the vital interests of Western powers seemed to override our own national and regional

Bakassi indigenes are now Cameroonians, even though they are Efiks. They should return to their country. The so-called resettlement centre in Akpabuyo should be shut down. However, any Cameroonian (including those from Bakassi) who desires to live and make a living in

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esettlement” is being packaged by the likes of so-called Mama Bakassi, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, after the post-amnesty deal, whereby the Federal government pumps money to ex-militants through noisy local brokers and not-so-noisy repentant “ex-generals”. Those asking for “ resettlement” of the Bakassi displaced persons only want to benefit from a post-amnesty look-alike racket.

It is the same racket that those clamouring for amnesty for Boko Haram terrorists have been angling for.

Therefore I say “No” to Bakassi indigenes “ resettlement” in Nigeria just as I opposed a Federal government-funded amnesty deal for Boko Haram. Local elites angle for these “deals” for their own selfish interest.

The Bakassi people and their surrounding kinsmen participated fully in the conspiracies that led to the confiscation of their land by Cameroon.

For forty years they laid back supine and allowed buccaneers from other parts of the country to stomp all over them. In fact, the Igbos were more passionate and vocal for the return of Bakassi to Nigeria than the people who owned the land.

Two options are open to them. Number one is to ask for a plebiscite for selfdetermination from the UN. In this Nigerians will be solidly behind them.

Number two is to join the onerous struggle for a Republic of Ambazonia.

Whatever they choose to do, I wish them good luck and goodbye!

OPINION Flood Relief Fund or National Cake? employments, while the third is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, former President of Nigerian Bar Association and Civil Liberty Organisation.

Some of us saw this deft move as a demonstration of Mr President’s commitment to deliver quick succour to the flood victims and avoid the quibbling that often times characterize and eventually bog down our National Assembly processes. And to show his determination in properly accounting for the funds to be raised, he picked men who are accomplished in their various callings to preside over the Committee.

The Committee which has one year to work is saddled with the task of raising funds to help government provide urgent reliefs for victims of the recent catastrophic floods across the country and also manage the post-impact rehabilitation of the affected persons and communities. The Committee is also expected to advise government on how

to judiciously utilize the funds that it would raise.

One notices that everything about the President’s speech suggests that the relief and rehabilitation package is meant to mitigate the suffering and consequent hardship of the people and communities that have been dislodged by the angry flood. Even the brief he handed the Committee also had to do with the flood disaster and its victims that span across 18 states.

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ut of the N17.6 billion voted for flood relief and rehabilitation, N13.3 billion was allocated to the states and N4.3 billion to Federal Government agencies. Since some states are more affected than the others by the flood, government rightly categorised them from A to D as well as the amount of money they received. The sharing formula seemed to be in agreement with common sense and fair play. A state that

suffered greater flood and devastation naturally deserves greater assistance than the state that suffered less. Nobody quarrels with that logic but what miffs some us is the situation where the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory have all become flood disaster areas with huge chunks of money shared to them.

One then begins to wonder if the money is actually meant for relief and rehabilitation of flood victims or another “national cake” that is meant to be shared by everybody. Or could this be another “Federal Character” at play? If that is the case, it then means we have just carried the principle to a ludicrous height. We have become helpless hostages of a retrogressive doctrine.

Continues on pg 19 *Mr. Nwosu, a marketing communicator, wrote from Ogbaru, Anambra State.

50—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012

Boko Haram: Bama was arrested in Modu Sheriff’s house, not mine —Zanna Admits suspect is his nephew

BY EMMA UJAH, ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

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BUJA — SENATOR Ahmad Zanna, representing Borno Central, has said a Boko Haram commander, Shuaibu Bama, was arrested in the house of former governor Ali Modu Sheriff and not in his (Senator Zanna) house, contrary to the claim by the Joint Task Force, JTF. Speaking with newsmen, yesterday, Zanna said attempt by the JTF to link him with the Boko Haram commander by claiming that he was arrested in his house was a plan to frame him up.

The senator told journalists in Abuja, that he believed the JTF was trying to rope him in because of his recent interview in which he called for its withdrawal from the state on account of failure to adhere to the rules of engagement.

His words: “About 40 members of the JTF came

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to my house in four armoured vehicles on the day in question. They ransacked my house and they did not see anything incriminating. Then they brought out all the boys they met in my house who included my children, aides and neighbours. They beat them and put them under the sun and asked them if they knew Shuaibu Bama and one of them said yes.

They asked the boy to lead them to where he (Bama) was and that boy took them to where Shuaibu Bama was and they arrested him.

“He was not arrested in my house. He was arrested in a house which belongs to Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff.

The question is why did the JTF say that Shuaibu Bama was arrested in the house of a serving senator? I am the only serving senator who has a house on the Dabuwa Road. Bama was not arrested in my house.

He was arrested at the house located at Rabi Street, off Dambuwa Road. My

case is a very clear case of framing. But it has failed.”

Asked if he had any relationship with the suspected Boko Haram commander and the sect, Sen. Zanna admitted that the suspect was his nephew and once lived with him but that he had to send him away from his house about a year ago, when he discovered that the man was into drugs, beat his children and threatened even himself.

His words, “Shuaibu

Bama is my sister’s son.

He once stayed with me but I sent him away about a year ago when I discovered that he was a drug addict and was beating my children. He even threatened me and also threatened to kill his mother. I did not know him to be a member of Boko Haram.."

Asked if he has been questioned by the JTF, the senator said no. According to him, “it was only this morning (yesterday) that I received a text saying that the Director-General) of SSS wants to see me.”

C-River accuses NUPENG of blackmail plot ALABAR — THE Cross River State Government said it had uncovered a plot to blackmail the state by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

The plot is not unconnected with the seizure, about two weeks ago, of two tankers suspected to be used for illegal oil bunkering.

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The State Security Adviser, Mr. Rekpene Bassey, said the two tankers were impounded in Calabar South following intelligence report that indicated they were being used for illegal bunkering.

Bassey said rather than address the issue, NUPENG was planning to call out its members on strike in protest over the seizure.

I’m ready to die for doing the right thing — Oteh

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

WKA —DIRECTORGENERAL of The Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Ms Arunma Oteh, said, weekend in Awka, Anambra State that she was prepared to die for doing the right thing to save the Nigerian Capital Market.

Speaking after she was honoured by the Anambra State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Oteh said many people in the country were afraid that with the return of sanity at the capital market, they would lose their strangle hold on the economy, adding that she would continue to do her best to ensure that the ugly past did not return.

She said: “People have said that I am very courageous and I believe that I am courageous because I am an Igbo.

When I got the letter that the Anambra State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists wanted to honour me as the most

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courageous woman of the year, I almost shed tears.

This is because despite what people are doing to bring us down, there are people somewhere who are appreciative of the good work we do.

“I am not afraid to say that I will always do the right thing as the Director General of The Securities and Exchange Commission. I am not moved by what people are doing trying to pull me down, so long as I know that I am doing the right thing.

In the past, we had a Capital Market where people wore suits and sat down to steal money belonging to peasants.

“But when I came in, I told myself that all these have got to stop. We must sanitize our Capital Market and build a trust that will let the poor man put his savings in it and be assured that it will not be stolen by people. What I am doing at the SEC, I am ready to die for. I am not afraid to die so long as I am doing the right thing."

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012—51

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52 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012—53

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54—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012

JUBILATION—Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko with his wife, Olukemi and others jubilating at the Government House, after the declaration of the governor as winner of the governorship election, in Akure, yesterday. Photo: Dare Fasube

Jubilation in Ondo as Mimiko wins Continues from page 5 tainable growth of Nigeria’s democracy.

Governor Ahmed also commended the political class in Ondo State for the display of maturity during the election, which should be emulated by other states in future elections.

Ondo people have rejected tribalism - PDP The national leadership of the PDP also congratulated Mimiko on his re-election even as it commended the people of Ondo State for what it termed their emphatic rejection of tribalism and narrow political adventurism which it stressed were the hallmark of the campaign of the ACN. The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, nevertheless, hailed its candidate, Oke for his courage, determination and doggedness, adding, ‘’though the PDP was not declared the winner of the election, the Party was happy with the performance of its candidate “ who obviously joined the race late.”

"How better do Nigerians say no to the drumbeats of tribalism and political narrowness than what the people of Ondo have just done with their votes? “It is a quantum forward leap for those who understand the dan-

gers of undue manipulation of national diversity for narrow political whims and a huge set back, utter rejection for the champions of ethnic politics.

"While we commend, Chief Olusola Oke, his running mate, members and supporters of our party, we wish to also congratulate Chief Olusegun Mimiko on his victory.

"Another lesson is here for the nation, especially the opposition political parties to draw from the commitment of our great Party to the full entrenchment of the legacy of free, fair and credible polls. Ostensible is the manifest unwavering devotion of President Goodluck Jonathan to the cause of democracy. He led the campaign of our Party to Ondo and promised free and fair election. He has once more delivered.”

Also hailing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and the security agencies for the peaceful conduct of the polls, the PDP however urged "them to learn from any observed loopholes so as to continue improving in future elections.”

We are still studying the situation — ACN The national leadership of the ACN on its part stopped short of congratulating Mimiko as it

noted that it was still studying the results of the election which it claimed was marked with several irregularities.

A statement issued by the national chairman of the ACN, Chief Bisi Akande yesterday declared: “All politicians worthy of their salt must always expect victory or defeat.

We recognize that it is the sovereign right of the people to decide what kind of government they want. This is the challenge of democracy. Our party believes that there was and still is need for change in Ondo State.

Thus, our party will study carefully the general details of the results with a view to taking a final position.

“Our party has always been and remains proud of our candidate, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, and this election has reinforced our confidence in his ability to lead and stimulate life back into the Action Congress of Nigeria in Ondo State. Through him, our party will continue to express gratitude to the leadership and general members of our party and to the electorate of Ondo State in general.

We are glad that they performed that brilliantly in spite of many challenges, glaring lapses in the system and institutional inefficiency in the conduct of Ondo state governorship election.

“I must congratulate our teeming members in

Ondo state for their hard work at resuscitating the party and putting it in a position of reckoning in such a short time.

“Our party will continue this post mortem analysis of the lapses in all the institutions involved in the conduct of the Ondo election.”

The PDP candidate, Oke, however, differed with the national party in his assessment of the election which he described as heavily flawed.

Speaking through the Director General of the Olusola Oke/Saka Lawal Campaign Organisation, Dr. Dare Bada at a press conference in Akure yesterday, he accused INEC of undersupplying his strongholds of election materials.

He alleged that there was concentration of troops and heavy security presence in urban centres thereby leaving the rural areas unprotected, saying this gave room for malpractices in the rural areas.

“It is regrettable, shameful and disgraceful to our country. It is and will remain unacceptable to us as a political party and as stakeholders.

“Accordingly, we reject it and call for a total overhauling of the office of INEC in Ondo state as well as the State Command of the SSS, Police and the entire Army and Naval operations in the state”.

The Centre for Human

Rights and Ethics in Development (CHRED) and the Conference of Human Rights Activists (CNCRA), however, disagreed saying the results were reflective of the wishes of the people.

In a preliminary report on its observation of the election by the Executive Director of CHRED, Moshood Erubami, the body said that” voting was conducted smoothly and peacefully across the state.

“No serious problems emerged in the true sense of violent ridden election that we have ever witnessed in the country and in Ondo state history itself, the counting of votes and declaration of results were not tainted with any significant irregularities and delays in vote collation in some polling stations were due to difficult terrains of some polling stations like the riverrine and the late closing of accreditation and voting in some”.

A statement by the State Convener of CNCRA Ifeanyi Odili said, “The election had come and gone and it was free and fair, devoid of election malpractices. Anybody who says the election was not free and fair must be marking him or herself.”

Mimiko pledges Addressing hundreds of party supporters who trooped to the Government House at Alagbaka to rejoice with him on his electoral victory, Dr. Mimiko said he was dedicating the victory to all lovers of democracy across the globe.

He pointed out that the poll conduct had raised the hope of a better future for the country. The governor urged his fellow contestants to join hands with him in the great task of building the state to an enviable status among its peers not only in the country but in the world at large.

Dr Mimiko pledged to work harder more than ever before in appreciation of the show of love and great support extended to him by the electorate both young and old, who defied the scorching sun on Saturday, to cast their votes for him.

“I commend every resident of our dear great state for counting me worthy of leading them as governor for another four years. I promise to break the jinx of non-per-

forming second term governors by ensuring that we complete all ongoing projects and initiate new ones for the benefit of our people.

“There will be more markets, job opportunities, mega schools, quality healthcare, favourable environment for commerce and trade. I will continue to work for you.

I will not disappoint you.

I will not let you down but please let all of us sustain the peace that we are all enjoying in the state by shunning any form of violence”.

Also the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Chief Dan Nwanyanwu said Mimiko’s victory at the poll had established the fact that the LP had done well for the people of Ondo in the last three and half years.

Members of the National Assembly, the state lawmakers, commissioners, other political office holders and members of the public were equally present at the re election celebration.

Information commissioner Mr. Kayode Akinmade, said the results of the election had shown that the people of the state would not allow a foreigner to dictate to them, their leader.

Akinmade: “The agent of foreign god had been defeated in the state for good. The governor had promised to consolidate on his achievements in the last three and half years.”

Daniel’s reaction The former Governor of Ogun State Otunba Gbenga Daniel also described the victory of Dr Mimiko as a reaffirmation of the confidence earlier reposed in him by the people of Ondo State. He said the well deserved victory was a triumph for the rule of law and principle of one man one vote. “This is a victory that underscores the fact that the voice of the people is more resounding and would ultimately be triumphant no matter the odds.”

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC on its part said the result was a triumph of service over posturing and grandstanding.

The congress in a statement jointly signed by its President-General and Secretary, Comrade Peter Esele and Chief John Kolawole, respectively declared that Mimiko’s victory was one for Nigerian workers.

Education must not fail another generation

By OLUSEGUN OBASANJO

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Y life was utterly changed at the age of eight when I was sent to school – a journey that saw me abroad for further and higher education. This precious education meant I could return to my country and support efforts to improve the lives of future generations and make meaningful contribution to development process all over the continent of Africa.

This was more than five decades ago.

OLUSEGUN OBASANJO Today, as the publication this week of UNESCO’s Education for All Global Monitoring Report shows, we the world continue to fail our children. The UNESCO

report shows that one in five young people in developing countries have never completed primary school. In Nigeria where I grew up, we have more children out of school today than we had at independence.

Education is not merely a problem for the education ministries to solve. In today’s global economy, failing to provide proper education will undermine economic growth and reinforce social inequalities.

Africa has some of the world’s fastest growing economies, as we highlight in our 2012 Africa Progress Report, and this pace looks set to continue for the coming years. But oil and minerals alone will not sustain this economic growth. And development indicators suggest the growth figures are much less impressive than they initially seem.

Places like the Republic of Korea and other East Asian ‘tiger’ economies teach us that a meaningful and sustainable growth surge can only be maintained by emphasizing the development of our youth with skills and education.

At the Africa Progress Panel, we talk about a “twin crisis” in Africa’s education.

The numbers of children out of school may have dropped significantly between 2000 and 2009 but Africa is still on track to have 17 million children out of school in 2025, a decade after the world’s 2015 target date for universal primary education. Meanwhile, many African children are receiving an education of abysmal quality. Far

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012 — 55 from equipping themselves for a global- and equip them to teach. Too often, our ized economy, millions of Africans emerge children are being subjected to rote learnfrom primary school lacking basic literacy ing by teachers lacking the skills to delivand numeracy skills. They face the pros- er effective instruction, and lacking the pect of marginalization, poverty, and in- support to improve their performance. And secure unemployment. They easily fall too often they are sitting in classrooms lacking benches to sit and textbooks. This caninto crime and squalor.

UNESCO’s Global Monitoring Report not be an effective way of learning. Chilshows that investment in schoolchildren dren are more discouraged than encourand students represents a sound finan- aged to learn within the environment and cial opportunity. If 75 per cent more 15- quality of teachers provided.

Third, we need to see more attention year-olds reached the most basic benchmark in maths, then economic growth paid to the education crisis in conflict councould improve by 2.1 per cent, and 104 tries, where conflicts that last a decade or million people could be lifted out of pov- more can set back education by a generaerty. An African NGO, Camfed (The tion. Fourth, donors must spent less time Campaign for Female Education), sup- talking about commitments and more time ports poor girls from rural areas with grants acting on those promises. We need and training in business management, for US$16bn a year just to keep the Education for All promise made in 2000 that by example.

2015 all children are able to complete their primary education. To achieve universal Young women's lower secondary school enrollment would businesses cost a further US$8bn.

For those who have seen the school sysMore than nine in ten of the young women’s businesses are now making profit as tem fail them already, we need ‘second a result of the work of this NGO. Govern- chance’ programmes to ensure young ments and their partners must make it people have the skills they need. There easier for more children to go to school, are encouraging signs here. In Malawi, no matter how disadvantaged they are - where only half of children manage to comand to ensure they receive a better quali- plete primary school, as many as 10,000 students have taken part in such a scheme; ty education when they do.

As we make clear in this year’s Africa half of those so far have either completed Progress Report, governments should tar- the course or returned to primary school.

I was given my chance to succeed with get those who have been left behind. A the education received more than sixty child’s education should not depend on whether they are male or female, or on years ago. And for today’s small girls and whether their parents are rich or poor, ur- boys we have to take action now. By 2030 ban or rural. Public spending should tar- there will be three and a half times as many get disadvantaged schools and regions. young people in sub-Saharan Africa as Financial transfers aimed at keeping chil- there were in 1980. We cannot afford to dren in school - and young girls out of fail another generation.

•General Obasanjo is the former Presichild labour or early marriage - all have a dent of Nigeria and a member of the Afrirole to play.

Second, we need to find more teachers ca Progress Panel

1/2pg adv disclaimer

56— Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012

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Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012—57

HE news photographs of union members and some staff of NEPA, otherwise known as Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, announcing the “obituary” of Professor Barth Nnaji, an Enugu State man, but a great citizen of the world would have been funny if not a pathetic reflection on our collective sense of responsibility for the public good. The famous professor resigned as Nigeria’s Minister of Energy, a position in which he was very successfully applying his experience and skills to salvaging us from perpetual power shortage and the stranglehold of the diesel and generator marketers. Prof Nnaji and President Ebele Jonathan were succeeding where President Obasanjo and the late Chief Bola Ige, and many after, had failed. Parts of Nigeria that had got used to having no public light supply were now experiencing several days, at a time, of public power supply.

Any President has the power to demand or accept the resignation of any of his ministers. President Jonathan exercised that right. Some opine that in a similar situation President Obasanjo would have told Prof Nnaji to pocket his resignation letter and get on with the work at hand. Those who celebrate Prof Nnaji’s resignation do not realise that they celebrate what may mark a major setback to a serious attempt to ensure we get regular power supply. I do not know Prof Nnaji but I admire his courage to do what he did. When a man in public office feels he is becoming an

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embarrassment to himself OR his boss, he should offer to leave the position. I have a very high expectation that this will not be the last we hear of this hardworking, very bright man who has been such a positive mark for Nigeria. Nnaji’s resignation should be an example to those who do anything to remain in office even in the face of humiliation and abject performance.

Another typical example of our national recurrent theme of public regrets over our national failures was the after-effect of Nigeria’s flop at the London Olympics. Our nation of 160million people came away with no medal. Once Blessing Okagbare had a slight injury and could not perform to expectations in her events, our nation had nothing to cheer about. We must thank all the athletes for their efforts and for agreeing to represent Nigeria, a nation that has developed a reputation for not giving her sports representatives their dues or caring enough for them when they need help.

Today, there are many Nigerian athletes competing for European nations, and even Canada, and USA, while it is now common to see several sportsmen with Nigerian names representing Britain. It is most appropriate that our President decided to give National Honours to our Paralympics gold medallists.

We salute them for giving us something to cheer for.

The results from having serious sports administrators and political commitment to sports development is evident in Jamaica, a nation with population less than Surulere and

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Yaba in Lagos State. Jamaica has had nationally organised school sports annually at elementary, secondary levels for about 100 years while the tertiary institutions compete with themselves and those of other West Indian countries. These events are taken very seriously and talents identified and supported.

Virtually all Jamaicans Olympians are home grown.

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visit to the University of Technology in Kingston shows you the activities of their great sportsmen who do not need to “decamp” to another nation, because they are well cared for. Can we not do the same in Nigeria? We have 160million people from where to harvest our athletes, footballers, cricketers, boxers, swimmers, etc.

Why have we not been able to realise this potential?

I think a major reason for our under performance is because we keep selecting the same people to run our activities. For some, remaining in the corridors of ministers and power bases in Abuja has become a way of life. We cannot, therefore, expect anything different. We need new ideas, and people to think out of

The UNIPORT 4: A descent to the abyss

BY CLIFF MBAGWU F all the atrocities associated with our current security challenges in the country, none touched me and nearly drove me to tears like the killing of 50 students in Mubi, Adamawa State and the October killing of four innocent teenage students of the University of Port Harcourt.

The event in Aluu more than all the criminality and corruption going on in this nation, shows how deeply the country has sunk.

It shows us as a soulless nation, a spiritually and morally deprived society. Even in the traditional African setting, nothing can justify the public killing of innocent teenagers. Even if they were indeed robbers, and these innocent Port Harcourt four were not, no traditional African community publicly killed teenage robbers.

In this case, these innocent children, who from all indications, came from decent homes went to collect money one of them had loaned to a “friend”. This has vindicated Aristotle who in one of his writings admonished “Neither a lender nor a borrower be”. If one of these boys had not shown kindness to a criminal, the four of them would be alive today. Who knows, one of them could have become another Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, or even Nnamdi Azikwe or Obafemi Awolowo or indeed our own Albert Einstein.

See how they have been wasted because we live in a country that cannot protect her citizens, a country of debased humans, and a society where majority are animals walking on two legs that can do worse things than lions in the wide.

The death of these innocent teenagers both in Mubi and Port Harcourt raises some fundamental questions: Where was the police

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in Aluu and Mubi. The Mubi Killings took place in the night so the police can say they were not informed, but what of the day light killing of the Port Harcourt Four. Is there no police post close to where this savage act took place? If it is true that the police actually got to the scene and felt they could not do anything and left without any effort to save the innocent, then the entire police team that went there should be dismissed from the Force, tried and sent to jail, and the Divisional Police Office in charge of Aluu should face the same fate while the State Police Commissioner in charge of Rivers State should be sacked; why did the police not use their fire arms to save the innocent. There is no doubt that it could have been better to murder 20 potential murderers in order to save even one innocent citizen; for nothing can justify the killing of the innocent and no effort or sacrifice made to save the innocent is too much.

This is a nation where people enjoy their positions of authority and its benefits but make no effort to do their duty, a society where people seek power without responsibility.

Nigerian Public Officers are only interested in what they can get for themselves. Perhaps, if there was an opportunity for extortion or other personal gains during the ugly incident at Aluu, the police could have found reason to intervene.

The government must use the Aluu incident to show Public Officers that dereliction of duty has consequences. In China, the head of an agency, the equivalent of our own “NAFDAC” was executed for dereliction of duty that led to the loss of lives. This is what it should be.

As I have always said in my interviews, articles and management development programmes, the major problem of this nation is empathy deficit. Are there no elders in Aluu

the box and support our sports with appropriate funds. The jamboree for hangers on must come to an end.

Others were winning medals when we were organising exhibition for tourism to Nigeria in London. Can we protect our tourists? We need to ask that question. I have seen on television and read in the media the admonition and the call for better performance by our President and his Minister for Sports. I am afraid to say that if we keep with the same menu for our national soup, we should not be surprised if the end result is still the same. We individually, and collectively, have to decide if we want to pull our weight or continue to underperform in the matters of nations. A man who continues to win my admiration in the way he has performed is our Foreign Minister, Ambassador Gbenga Ashiru. He called the South Africans to order when they misbehaved. He has told the Canadians they cannot continue to hold the passports of visa applicants for 45 days while they decide what to do. It is amazing that Canada, of all countries, is behaving in this shameful manner. Some of the Shengen Visa countries are no better.

As Ambassador Ashiru advised the Canadian, they can cite the passport, make a copy and return the original to the owner rather than paralysing the movements of the visa applicants for 45days! Canada and some Shengen visa countries should apply common sense please! A common reason why those who should call the embassies to order are unable to do so, is that often they are slavishly pleading for visas for their own hangers-on from these same embassies!

My late father, Chief Frank Sunmola Giwa-Osagie, the First Nigerian Head of Prison Services, who by the way, has nothing significant named after him by Federal or Lagos State or Edo State governments, used to say that his

,

BY OSATO GIWA-OSAGIE

,

As we are: Recurring thoughts and events in a nation

Those who celebrate Prof Nnaji’s resignation celebrate what may mark a major setback to a serious attempt to ensure we get regular power supply

This Port Harcourt case must not be one of those cases that stay with the judiciary for decades. This justice must be served and delivered hot so that the lessons and deterrence will sink

,

who have children? How will they feel if what happened to these four innocent children happened to their own children. Are there no mothers in Aluu? What did they do to prevent the killing of innocent teenagers? All of them, perhaps, the ages of their own children. Then the criminal traditional ruler, who should be executed publicly; does he not have children.

How can such a crime be committed in a land with a leader? What manner of traditional ruler is he? To make matters even more savage, it is said he incited the mob to kill.

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he lack of empathy among Nigerians is visible everywhere; in the traffic, in the hospitals, in police stations, in government ministries and departments, in churches and mosques where some rogue pastors and imams preach either materialism or hate which they know is neither in the bible nor the Koran, in schools/colleges and even in the universities where lecturers sexually harass female students young enough to be their daughters.

Was it not said that the late spokesman of the dreaded Boko Haram sect was killed while trying to take his wife to Kano for treatment: so he had a wife he loved, and perhaps even children, and yet his organisation would send

pension was just enough to pay the wages of his driver and his steward.

This was after retiring from Federal Civil Service after 35 years service.

In his time the age to retire was 55 years. In Nigerian universities at which I have been a full Professor since 1987, our mandatory retirement age has been 65 years until Mr. President signed a Bill to raise retirement age for academic staff to 70 years with “immediate effect” like in a military regime. I was 65 years six weeks before the retirement age was elevated to 70 years. Just this week my Pension Fund Managers informed me that my pension would be less than N200,000 per month after 34 years service, 25 years as a Full Professor.

The promise or assumed agreement between the Federal Government and ASUU that Professors who retire after over 15 years as Professors before retirement would retire on their full pay, like Generals and the equivalent, has not been translated into reality. I have no doubt that in less than five years, my pension may not be enough to pay my driver and housekeeper. For those in public service, what greater incentive to corruption can there be than uncertain and inadequate pension at the end of many years of public service? So my experience so far with pension is no different from that of my father 40 years ago. The French say: “Plus Ca Change, plus C’est la meme chose” or: “The more there is change the more things are the same”. Perhaps those who control our country at state and Federal levels, and their advisers, can change Nigeria for good.

As for me I continue to hope Nigeria will get its thinking and actions right one day, and the earlier the better.

*Prof. Giwa-Osagie wrote from the University Of Lagos.

suicide bombers to murder other people’s wives and children in churches and mosques and he would announce it to the world with pride. As citizens of this nation, we must begin to develop mutual love for each other and learn to put ourselves in each other’s shoes irrespective of religion, tribe or language. An American can put himself at risk, trying to save the life of another American. This is the type of attitude we must cultivate if indeed we want to build a nation.

We must collectively rise against evil and ensure that justice is delivered to evil doers without the idiotic rationalization of evil that some people make or the traditional delay in our judiciary.

This Port Harcourt case must not be one of those cases that stay with the judiciary for decades. This justice must be served and delivered hot so that the lessons and deterrence will sink. One of the reasons for the culture of impunity pervading the country is the fact that deviants including those who commit mass murder are allowed to go free under all manner of excuses. To date nobody has been tried and sentenced for the post-election violence in some parts of the North that led to the death of thousands of innocent people including Youth Corpers.

This must not happen with the Port Harcourt case. All those involved with this barbaric killing, including the traditional ruler must be brought to book fast. The “Chief murderer”, the boy who raised the false alarm instead of paying his debt must be apprehended at all cost. The case file must never be closed until he is caught. People like that must be permanently separated from the society.

The government should ensure that this case is given an accelerated hearing and sanctions promptly executed. This is the only way the right lessons can be taught and learnt on this ugly incident, so that the nation can arrest this decent to the abyss and the pervading culture of impunity. *Mr. Mbagwu, a managing consultant, wrote from Lagos.

58 — Vanguard , MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012

Vanguard CLASSIFIED

Obama, Romney in final debate amid tight poll ratings RESIDENT Barack Obama and his Republican rival Mitt Romney are preparing for their final campaign debate today which will focus on foreign policy.

The a 90-minute debate will take place at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida.

Obama was holed up in Camp David in Maryland’s Mountains, where he arrived Friday to prepare for the debate. With him at the presidential retreat were top advisers including National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, campaign strategist David Axelrod and White House senior adviser David Plouffe.

Romney planned to spend the weekend in Florida, continuing intensive preparation that has consumed large amounts of his time in recent weeks. Foreign policy has surfaced as a prominent issue in the waning weeks of the race, elevated by a deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and a restive situation in Syria. Although polls show voters continue to prioritize economic issues, both candidates are aggressively pitching themselves as more competent to be commander in chief. Last Tuesday, at the second presidential debate Obama sought to regain ground lost in the first debate two weeks ago.

With the President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney are tied at 47 percent support each among likely voters with

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•Obama and Romney during the second debate last week. just over two weeks to go before the U.S. presidential election, a NBC/ Wall Street Journal poll released on Sunday said.

A CNN survey on the second debate showed Obama won majority approval, with 46% as opposed to 39% for Romney, while rival US broadcaster CBS had Obama the winner by 37 percent to 30 percent.

The nationwide poll, which was conducted after last Monday’s presi-

Confusion trails capture of Gaddafi’s propagandist ONFLICTING re ports surround the whereabouts of Moussa Ibrahim, who served as the last spokesman for deposed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The prime minister’s office had reported the arrest of Ibrahim just outside of Bani Walid, in a town southwest of the capital Tripoli.

But a government spokesman has since denied that Ibrahim is being held in custody.

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Bloody funeral for Lebanese bomb victims HE state funeral in Beirut of an assassinated Lebanese intelligence chief ended in violence on Sunday as angry mourners broke away and tried to storm the offices of Prime Minister Najib Mikati, prompting security forces to shoot in the air and fire tear gas to repulse them.

The clashes fed into a growing political crisis in Lebanon linked to the civil war in neighboring Syria.

Opposition leaders and their supporters accuse Syria of being behind the car bombing that killed Brigadier General Wissam al-Hassan on Friday and say Mikati is too close to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his Lebanese ally Hezbollah, which is part of Mikati’s

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dential debate, reinforced the perception of the race as a cliffhanger. It showed “a little bit of a lead” for Romney among the critical “battleground” states as a group, NBC correspondent Chuck Todd said on the network’s “Meet the Press” program.

Among a larger sample of registered voters, Obama led Romney 49% to 44%, the Wall Street Journal said in a report on the poll on its website.

government. Thousands turned out in downtown Beirut’s Martyrs’ Square for Hassan’s funeral, which also served as a political rally. The violence erupted after an opposition leader demanded that Mikati step down to pave the way for talks on the crisis.

•Moussa Ibrahim Mustafa Abu Shagur, Libya’s deputy prime minister, on Saturday posted the following on microblogging site Twitter: “Criminal Moussa Ibrahim was arrested and he is now on his way to Tripoli.”

A brief statement sent to journalists after rumours that Ibrahim had been detained spread on social networking sites said: “Moussa Ibrahim was arrested at a checkpoint in the town of Tarhuna. “[He] is being taken to Tripoli where he will be handed over to the Libyan authorities to begin questioning.”

Castro alive says Chavez aide ORMER Cuban leader Fidel Castro is alive and well, according to Elias Jaua, a former Venezuelan vice president who says he met with Castro over the weekend.

Squelching rumors that Castro was at death’s door, Jaua, a key aide to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, on Sunday showed reporters pictures of the Saturday meeting and said Castro,

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86, was in good health and lucid.

Jaua, who is running for governor in Venezuela’s contested state of Miranda, said Castro accompanied him to Havana’s famed Hotel National early on Saturday evening after their meeting. He then chatted briefly with the hotel’s general manager, Antonio Martinez Rodriguez, before departing.

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OBOH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oboh Vivian Ehi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Onyeka Vivian Ehi. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012—59

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60— Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012

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62— Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012

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Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012 — 63

E may have since stopped playing football for money and for his country, but former Nigeria captain, Austin Jay Jay Okocha last weekend received plaudits from a former Liverpool Football Club of England star, Dieter Hamann.

Hamann, popularly called Didi in his active days as a player, spoke in Lagos at a children’s football clinic organised

by Standard Chartered Bank. He said he had always been a keen follower of Nigerian football and was full of praise for players of the golden era of Nigerian

Gov’s Cup II: Nigerians on H redemption mission

BY JOHN EGBOKHAN IGERIAN tennis players will attempt to make amends for their failures last week when the main draw of the Governor ’s Cup Futures II serves off today at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan.

The likes of Abdulmumuni Babalola, Lawal Shehu, Candy Idoko and Fatima Abinu will be leading their compatriots in the search for invaluable computer ranking points and a few dollars at the International Tennis Federation (ITF) approved tournament.

And this week’s matches will get extra value as the ITF, has approved the presence of Scouts to monitor matches in the 12th edition of the only international tournament in Nigeria.

ITF, through its Ad-

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ministrator, Professional Tournaments, Alistair Williams, wrote to the Nigeria Tennis Federation, NTF and the Tournament Director of the Governor ’s Cup, Prince Wale Oladunjoye, to inform them of the approval given to the scouts who are called Sportradar (SR) – also known as Sportsdata, to be physically present at the venue of the tournament with their gadgets

to monitor and record matches. ”I write to inform you that Sportradar (“SR”) – also known as Sportsdata – has been given permission by the ITF and the relevant National Associations to have data collection personnel (also known as “scouts”) attend and work on-site at specific ITF Pro Circuit tournaments,” said the ITF.

Anichebe makes racism point VERTON striker Victor Anichebe has confirmed he will be the latest player to refuse to wear a ‘Kick It Out’ T-shirt.

Anichebe said: “Are we really kicking it out? There’s a situation that’s just happened. I believe in kicking racism out of everything, not just football - kick it out of society.“Situations have happened and I don’t feel the outcome has been just. I won’t wear the T-shirt, I don’t think it’s right to wear it. If other people want to wear it that’s their right."

E

•Dieter Hamann with kids at the clinic

Liverpool legend salutes Okocha

BY JACOB AJOM football.

“I know this country has a rich history of having produced some of the best talents to have come out of the continent of Africa,” he said, and recalled the likes of Finidi George, Jay Jay Okocha, , Sunday Oliseh, late Rashidi Yekini amongst others.

“Jay Jay is a fantastic

player whose dexterity and extraordinary skills made him one of the best players of his time.

We’ve crossed each other ’s path in the last 15 years,” the former Liverpool man said, adding that African players were a delight to work with.

Didi who was in Lagos in company of four youth coaches from Liverpool.

The clinic also involved women footballers and special footballers from school of the blind.

According to Standard Chartered Bank Africa Head of Corporate Affairs, Dan Mobley, the visit was the first of many such visits to come, adding that the bank would leverage on its special relationship with Liverpool FC to bring to Nigeria the best coaches and technical personnel to take on the children on various aspects of the game.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, OCT0BER 22, 2012

Stakeholders brainstorm on Nigerian sports TAKE holders in Nigerian sports will today brainstorm in a one-day retreat at the

S

We’re in the right mood for Shakhtar — Mikel M

IKEL Obi has said the great Chelsea spirit in the weekend’s derby win will lift them in Tuesday’s Champions League tie at Shakhtar Donetsk.

Chelsea halted a poor run at White Hart Lane since August 2005 to beat London rivals Tottenham 42 on Saturday and consolidate their leadership of the English Premier League.

Chelsea are now on 22 points from eight matches, four points clear of closest rivals Manchester United and Manchester City.

Watchout for Paul Bassey's Column tomorrow

Mikel told MTNFootball.com his club were driven to win.

“It was a tough and interesting game as we expected and we deserved to win it,” Mikel said.

“The team spirit was very high and that was why we were able to win the match. Even when we were down, we still kept fighting on until we secured victory. It was a great display and I believe we will keep it up.

“This is a nice one ahead of our Champions League game against Shakhtar Donetsk.”

President Zuma for Afcon draw

OLDERS Esper ance reached a third consecutive final of the African Champions League with a 1-0 win over TP Mazembe on Saturday. Tunisians Esperance drew 0-0 with TP Mazemebe in DR Congo

TODAY'S

in the first leg, but Mohamed Ben Mansour’s 70th-minute goal in Tunis settled the tie.

They will meet Al Ahly who defeated Sunshine Stars of Nigeria 1-0 in Cairo yesterday to qualify on 4-3 aggregate

PUZZLE

RESIDENT Jacob Zuma will attend the Africa Cup of Nations final draw in Durban next week, local organising committee chairman Chief Mwelo Nonkonyane said on Thursday.

Zuma would head the list of dignitaries at the function at the city’s International Convention Centre (ICC) on Wednesday.

Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Issa Hayatou would also be present, and the draw was expected to be conducted by CAF secretary general Hicham El Amrani.

The guest list, of about 2000, would also include association heads from the other 15 qualified countries.

The tournament will be

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Esperance, Al Ahly for CAF Champions League final

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Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja with a view to finding a lasting solution to the dwindling fortunes of Nigerian sports.

The retreat which is at the instance of President Goodluck Jonathan who described the state of Nigerian sports as appalling, particularly, after Nigeria’s poor outing at

the London 2012 Olympic Games will be attended by top government officials, journalists and stake holders in sports.

The Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi will present a paper on the way forward.

Also billed to present papers are Chief Segun Odegbami and Dr Ken Anugwuje. Anugwuje’s paper will be on scientific way to sports development.

EXPRESSIVE: Chelsea' s Mikel in total control

FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS ACROSS 1 Auction (4) 4 Whim (3) 6 Tolerate (4) 8 Skilful (6) 9 Stuff (6) 10 Circuit (3) 12 Crowd (5) 14 Skulk (5) 15 Stop (5) 18 Stress (6) 20 Gushed (6) 24 Go in (5) 26 Alliance (5) 28 Lament (5) 30 Recede (3) 32 Larger (6) 33 Evoke (6) 34 Sign (4) 35 Stray (3) 36 Watched (4)

•President Zuma held from January 19 to February 10 in five cities across South Africa.

In the final line-up are: defending champions Zambia; Algeria; Angola; Burkina Faso; Cape Verde Island; Democratic Republic of Congo; Ethiopia; Ghana; Ivory Coast; Mali; Morocco; Niger; Nigeria; Togo; Tunisia; and South Africa.

DOWN 2 Pointer (5) 3 Compel (7) 4 Filled (4) 5 Moist (4) 6 Staff (5) 7 Mean (7) 11 Donkey (3) 12 Ocean (3) 13 Males (3) 16 Consumed (3) 17 Newt (3) 19 Ratify (7) 21 Guided (3) 22 Aperture (7) 23 Owing (3) 25 Gist (3) 27 Harmonium (5) 29 Filth (5) 30 Sea-eagle (4) 31 Ale (4)

FRIDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 2, Berth 7, Moral 8, Relax 10, Sully 12, Gap 13, Staid 15, Delayed 17, Tossed 19, Ail 20, Decreed 23, Aver 25, Door 26, Towered 30, Mat 31, Delete 34, Cleared 37, Mined 38, Tan 39, Debit 40, Fetch 41, Shoot 42, Spree.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Motto 2, Basis 3, Eluded 4, Told 5, Regaled 6, Gaped 9, Lay 11, Yeowned 13, Steam 14, Asset 16, Lie 18, Deleted 21, Dozen 22, Greed 24, Romance 27, War 28, Demise 29, Alter 32, Lithe 33, Tenor 35, Eat 36, Deep.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

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

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

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

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