J O N AT H A N ' S B U D G E T I M P L E M E N TA T I O N : Reps prepare articlesof impeachment by Vanguard Media Limited

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61671

OPS decries state of •P.6 economy 15-yr-old twins slaughtered in Yobe

•One killed, 10 injured in Bauchi bomb blast •Pg.7

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MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012

First African Arch Klumph Club member, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi (left) with Rotary International President, Sakuji Tanaka.

Oteh resumes at SEC today •P.5

JONATHAN'S BUDGET IMPLEMENTATION:

Reps prepare articles of impeachment

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR, EMMAN OVUAKPORIE & CHRIS OCHAYI

•Say Speaker Tambuwal lacks powers to reverse decision •CNPP backs resolution, laments state of the nation

AGOS—THE inter vention of the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, notwithstanding, the House of Representatives will commence impeachment proceedings against President Goodluck Jonathan this September in the event he continues to err in the implementation of the 2012 budget. Senator Mark and some other principal officers of state have intervened in the unfolding dispute between the

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Mr & Mrs

IBADAN PHCN FIRE—Vehicles belonging to PHCN, Distribution Centre, Ring Road, Ibadan, Oyo State after an early morning fire, yesterday. Photos: Dare Fasube. C M Y K

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Reps prepare articles of impeachment Continues from Page 1 House and the Presidency on account of the alleged failure of the president to fully implement the budget. The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP yesterday said it endorsed the move of the legislators. To give vent to the resolve, a select group of members have ganged to prepare the articles of impeachment during the ongoing holiday of the House. The group whose number was not fully known as at press time yesterday, is drawn from across party and geopolitical lines, one source who is involved revealed yesterday. The determination of members to forge ahead with the hard stance of the House followed what was claimed to be the inability of the Presidency to resolve the impasse. The House had at its last sitting on Thursday before adjournment for recess, threatened to initiate impeachment proceedings against President Jonathan should he fail to implement the budget as passed. Yesterday, there were indications that Speaker Aminu Tambuwal was under serious pressure from various political stakeholders over the House resolution. Among those who in-

tervened in the issue, it was learnt yesterday, was Senator Mark who visited the Presidential Villa with Speaker Tambuwal.

What Mark told Presidency At the meeting, Senator Mark was reported to have highlighted the essence of the House resolution which he said was upon the frustration of the House members. “The Senate President noted that the executive had in the past complained that the National Assembly unduly increased the budget proposals presented by the executive but he told them that this time that the senate and the House passed the budget virtually as presented by the executive and that there was as such no reason not to implement the budget. “The Senate President further noted the fact that all revenue generating agencies had virtually attained their targets for the year and that yet implementation was still standing at 30%,” one source revealed. Buttressing the determination of the House members to ensure the executive heeds the warnings from the House, it was learnt that some members have ganged up to articulate

TAKE HEART BY ELLA RANDLE

I have never met a person whose greatest need was anything other than real, unconditional love. You can find it in a simple act of kindness toward someone who needs help. There is no mistaking love. You feel it in your heart. It is the common fibre of life, the flame that heals our soul, energizes our spirit and supplies passion to our lives. It is our connection to God and to each other — Elizabeth Ross

N a certain day, at a busy transit station in New York City. I stared into the most luminous beautiful sea of brown sad eyes. She looked at me in great silence, not a word was said , she held on tightly to her baby and by her side was an old placard, on it were written these words ‘’ I need milk for baby”. I did not think or rationalize about her situation. I just gave her all the money I had with me. Her eyes lit up and she smiled and said to me, thank you. I said thank you too! For letting me see beyond my challenges at the moment, and knowing that there are others that may need my help is a blessing. I can only show my humanity when I am able to reflect it back at me and others, and indeed when you give, in whatever means, it comes back much more than you will ever imagine. A simple act of kindness is divine love in action.

an article of impeachment should the President fail to ensure implementation of the budget. “We have formed a group to monitor the issue and prepare an article of impeachment should the President fail to comply. Our goal is to have an article of impeachment ready once the House resumes in September,” one member told Vanguard yesterday. “For now nothing is happening. We are only watching and the ball is in their court,” the member said, yesterday, on the condition of anonymity. Another member also added that the entreaties to the Speaker would amount to nothing as he said that the resolution on the budget was that of the House which the Speaker cannot reverse. “It was the House that agreed on the resolution and for a change to be effected it has to be done by the whole House,” the member said. Another prominent member of the House said that Speaker Tambuwal, out of deference to party solidarity, may have tactically dodged receiving an article of impeachment during the sitting of last Thursday. Some members who spoke on record equally expressed concern on the poor implementation of the budget but noted that the impeachment threat would not derail the cordiality in the polity or the PDP. Some of the members noted that the impeachment notice would in the end foster better relations between the two arms. Rep. Akpan Micah Umoh, PDP, Akwa Ibom State said: “It will not, rather it’s a wake up call and an opportunity for the executive to get out of the vicious cycle and hit the road with results and not excuses. “It’s also a very good bargaining chip for the president and our economic team when talking with international financial advisory institutions on fiscal policies. Indeed taking a look at the flip side, it is a help in setting targets at budget implementa-

tion.” Also speaking on the issue, Chairman, House Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs and Vice President Common Wealth Parliamentary Association, Rep. Daniel Reyenieju said: “The impeachment threat will not in any way decimate the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, rather it will bring about unity in the party and foster a better relationship with both arms of government” “We carry out oversight functions, we know the Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government far better than the Executive arm.”

Impeachment threat good for democracy “The impeachment threat in my thinking is not expected to generate acrimony, instead is to create a consciousness that there is need to galvanise the MDAs into action via proper budget implementation.” The hope of cordiality from the members nonetheless, the CNPP has urged the House to press on with its resolve saying that failure to promptly implement budgets has been the cause dilapidated infrastructure and poor social services in the country. National Publicity Secretary of the CNPP, Mr. Osita Okechukwu in a statement yesterday said: “CNPP joins the

POCKET CARTOON

House of Representatives in calling for the expeditious implementation of the 2012 Budget; for over the years, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led Federal Government of Nigeria has in spite of unprecedented Oil Revenue failed to advance the welfare of Nigerians, hence the Boko Haram insurgency, kidnapping and other social vices. “We are at a loss how the gross unemployment, dilapidated infrastructure and decadence of social services can be addressed without implementation of the Budget. “Or is it the Boko Haram insurgency as President Jonathan claimed that is distracting the government from implementing the Budget? “In its wisdom the government has pegged the Budget at $72 per barrel of Oil and the price of a barrel per day has been hovering between $90 and $100, so there is no

cogent reason to halt Budget implementation. “CNPP recalls with nostalgia how $43 billion saved in the Federation Account in the years preceding 2007 by ex-president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo regime, under the same guise of nonimplementation and pegging of budget was squandered; the outcome is decayed infrastructure and social paralysis. “Is it not a shame that during late General Sani Abacha’s regime when the oil price hovered between $15 and $18 per barrel a day that the regime’s project profile execution towered above that of the government of the day?” “Finally, we support the House Resolution, for the violation of the Appropriation Act, especially when the money is there, is tantamount to violation of the Social Contract between the government and the people.

her last week. But this did not go down well with some members of staff as they staged a protest against her recall. That protest was said to have been masterminded by certain interests that were bent on frustrating her return to SEC. Oteh had to fight many interests both within the commission and at the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Meanwhile, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was said to have met with the

commission’s staff last Friday where she told them to sheathe their swords as Oteh has been found to be innocent of allegations against her. It was also gathered that Dr Okonjo-Iweala told the protesting staff that it was illegal for them to form unions at the commission. The SEC boss, a former top official of the African Development Bank was seen as an outsider by some interests who also were not comfortable with her hard decisions in the efforts to restore sanity and investor ’s confidence in the nation’s battered capital market.

THE VICTIMS: Oteh resumes at SEC today BY EMMA UJAH

BUJA—BARRING last minute changes, the DirectorGeneral of the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Ms. Arunma Oteh will resume today. She was, last week, recalled from an indefinite suspension slammed on her following allegations of financial recklessness. A firm of external auditors was subsequently engaged to examine the commission’s books. The auditors, however, were said to have found nothing against her which prompted the federal government to recall

6—VANGUARD, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012

SENATE TO GSM OPERATORS:

Leave Nigeria if you can’t improve on service delivery BY HENRY UMORU

Traffic jam along Oshodi-Mile 2 expressway, Lagos due to bad portion of the road at Jakande Bus stop, Mile 2, Sunday. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

OPS decries state of the nation’s economy zSays investors' confidence has waned further zBusinesses experiencing drop in sales zExchange rate weakened as inflation rate rises BY OMOH GABRIEL, BUSINESS EDITOR

AGOS — THE Organised Private Sector, OPS, the body of businessmen in the country, has decried the state of the nation’s economy and the poor handling by the government, saying businesses across sectors experienced declines in sales. A Business Environment Report conducted by Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, the premier chamber in Nigeria, concluded that investors’ confidence was weakened in the second quarter of 2012 as businesses across sectors experienced declines in sales owing to weak consumer demand and general economic downturn. The report signed by the Director General of Lagos Chamber, Mr Mudal Yusuf, noted that the trend of some vital macro economic variables was not favourable. The Business Environment Report was the outcome of an evidenced-based account of experiences of members of the Lagos Chamber and the larger business community on investment climate issues. According to the report, “interest rates remained high, naira exchange rate weakened, and inflation continued on an upward swing. All these impacted

on the operating costs. Investors complained of persistent difficult credit conditions, especially with regards to cost, access and tenure of funds in the financial system. Regulatory institutions did not also help matters as they constituted an added burden on investors, particularly in the real sector.

Security situation worsened “The security situation in the country worsened and had adverse impact on private sector performance and economy as a whole. The economies of the affected states suffered considerable declines. Distribution of goods and services to the northern part of the country was inhibited, leading to significant reduction in turnover and losses to companies operating from other parts of the country. Infrastructural condition continued to pose severe challenges to enterprises. “The power situation is still erratic; major roads across the country are still in a poor state; the rail system is still largely in comatose, even though there are ongoing investments in the sector. “The global economic crises, triggered by the developments in the Euro zone, had implications for the domestic economic conditions. The drop in oil

prices affected the level of reserves as well as the capacity to adequately fund the foreign exchange market. This affected the stability of the Naira exchange rate as well as the general price level in the economy.

Exchange rate weakened as inflation rate rises “The structural problems, which manifests in the weak infrastructure conditions and high production costs, continue to perpetuate real sector crisis in the economy. A weak real sector poses a systemic problem for the entire economy, especially with respect to economic linkages, value addition and job creation. The economy remains largely driven by wholesale and retail trade, oil and gas, a few large enterprises in manufacturing and service sectors and public sector spending. “The upside, however, is that the growth rate of the country’s GDP, which is well over 6 per cent, is one of the best in the global economy; also the Nigerian economy continues to be the dominant economy in the West African sub region with over $250 billion GDP. It is one of the leading economies in the African continent which is currently attracting a lot of interest from foreign investors. “The potentials are immense but the capacity to

harness the potential is still lacking. The Nigerian economy is sensitive to developments in the foreign exchange market by virtue of its structure which makes it greatly dependent on imports. Between January and June, there was an estimated 5 per cent depreciation in the exchange rate of the naira against the dollar. The rate was N157 to the dollar in January and currently ranges from N162-N165 to the dollar, in the inter-bank and parallel market. The major factors responsible for the trend are the declining oil prices and attendant speculative activities.

Implications for business “The trend has the following implications for business performance: Higher production and operating cost as the cost of raw materials and other imported inputs increase; Heightened exchange rate risk for investor, that borrowed offshore funds to finance projects in the country; Inflationary pressures induced by higher production cost; Policy response of monetary policy tightening may further increase interest rate; Risk of exchange rate volatility; The value of robust reserves lies in the confidence it inspires among investors especially foreign investors and international trading partners."

BUJA — CHAIRMAN, Senate Committee on Communications, Senator Gil Emeka Nnaji, PDP, Enugu-East has warned providers of Global System for Mobile Telecommunications, GSM, to improve on their services to Nigerians or face the risk of being pushed out of the country. According to Nnaji, the Senate was ready to invoke the necessary legislative provisions to make the GSM operators in Nigeria sensitive to the sufferings of the masses on the poor quality of telecommunication service, rural telephony and fixed lines, adding that if they fail to improve on their services, they should be prepared to leave the Nigerian business environment. Nnaji, who spoke at the committee’s public hearing on the deteriorating service by GSM providers, described as unacceptable, the claims by the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, that of all the telecommunication service providers, it was only the MTN that was presently making profit since commencement of operations in the country. According to him, Nigerian public deserves nothing short of the best in the area of telecommunications, considering the huge investments the Federal Government had made in the sub-sector, primarily in the aspect of tax holidays upon licence acquisition to enable the operators deploy

sufficient infrastructure. Nnaji noted that the move became imperative following distress calls and messages from Nigerians about the incessant cases of dropped calls, bad network reception, unauthorised deductions of airtime. According to him, "the Senate as a responsive and socially-responsible institution, after series of interactive sessions towards addressing the lingering public outcry, subsequently decided to ascertain the level of culpability or otherwise of these network service providers on these issues with a view to advising the plenary appropriately.” A statement by Egbo Mon-Charles, Legislative Officer, Public Relations to Senator Nnaji, said the NCC boss, Dr. Eugene Juwah, in his presentation disclosed that NCC had secured the cooperation of the Federal Capital Territory Administration to provide more telecommunication tower sites in Abuja as part of the perfected plans to boost the quality of service within the FCT and its environs. He also revealed that based on the records made available to the regulatory body, MTN was the only operator making profit, adding that the absence of commensurate infrastructure to contain the ever-increasing subscriber base and lack of enabling regulations to enforce compliance on the operators, are the major challenges facing NCC in ensuring that the service providers offer Nigerians better quality of service.

NIC 'll consider effect of labour related matters —Adejumo BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

ALABAR — PRESIDENT of National Industrial Court, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, has said that the court will at all times consider the effect of any judgment that is labourrelated in order not to paralyse the nation’s economy or make the workers suffer. Adejumo in an interview with journalists at the court’s inaugural sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, said substantial justice would be given to all cases brought before the court. He said that the Calabar Division of the court would

not only intervene in some cases that hitherto had been handled at regular courts, but would protect all those who approach it for justice. According to him, “we will give justice to all parties, including the courts because we are all committed to ensure that substantial justice was done to all and the court as well. “Labour court anywhere in the world tries to consider the consequential effects of any judgment just as it has power to punish any contempt or disobedience of court rulings but we must trade courteously in deciding industrial cases.”

VANGUARD, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012—7

NNAJI TO PHCN WORKERS:

Ask your union leaders whereabouts of your pension funds BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

From left: Mrs Edomi Okorodudu; Dr. Christopher Kolade; Mrs Oluwatoyin Laditi (daughter); Mr Lanre Laditi and Mrs Aderonke Ajibulu-Moniya (daughter) during the outing service for the family of the late Amb. Segun Olusola at Our Saviour's Church, Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS, Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe.

Nigerian media wins 2012 Free Press Africa Award zNo terror can subsume our press— NGE President BY SOLA OGUNDIPE, LUSAKA, ZAMBIA

USAKA (ZAMBIA)— IN acknowledgment of its established resilience and resoluteness to freedom, the Nigerian Press received accolades, weekend, at the final of the 2012 CNN Multichoice African Journalist Awards, where Nigeria won the Free Press Africa Award category just as the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, restated commitment of the Nigerian media to report the truth even in the face of the most daunting odds. The Free Press Africa Award was introduced in 1999 to recognise journalistic courage and integrity in enhancing the cause of media freedom. At the prestigious annual media event, the 17th in series, held in Lusaka, Zambia, two of Nigerian journalists who lost their lives in the course of duty were specially recognised for their contribution to advancing the course of professional journalism in the country. The journalists, Zakariyu Isa, a cameraman with the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, Maiduguri, who was shot dead in front of his home in Maiduguri in October 2011, and Eneche Akogwu, a news reporter at Channels Television, Lagos, who was also shot dead while covering the Kano bomb blast in January 2012, were

post-humously honoured at the ceremony .

Adefaye decries assault on free press President of the NGE, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, who received the coveted award from chairperson of the 2012 Judging Panel, Ferial Haffajee, decried the current assault on free press in Nigeria but assured that the special recognition would serve as encouragement for the media to do even more. In his speech entitled “No Terror can Subsume Our Press,” Adefaye who described as a mistake, efforts by insurgents in the country to determine the content of the media through threats, affirmed that the Nigerian Press was too sophisticated to be so intimidated. He said: “Our story has always been that when the press is threatened, it comes out stronger. Our press which survived the most brutal of military dictatorships and wears the battle scar as a badge of honour, now complemented by a fast growing social media will surely survive this current assault on free press and write the story thereafter. “I want to thank CNN and Multichoice sharing of our pains. Thank you for the empathy. Thank you particularly for the symbolic support for those left behind by Eneche and Zakariya. “This solidarity can only push our press to be more courageous, daring and

professional. On behalf of everyone, I want to make you a promise: the Nigerian press will continue to report the truth and speak truth to power. It is the minimum that we can do to the memory of the courageous two who have fallen, in active service.”

Highpoint of the awards A highpoint of the awards ceremony was the emergence of the duo of Tom Mboya and Evanson Nyaga of Kenya’s Citizen Television as winners of the top prize of the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist Award. Their entry, a documentary, entitled “The African Tribe in India” was selected from 1,799 entries submitted from 42 nations across Africa. Mboya and Evanson had earlier clinched the Television Features Award. A total of 34 finalists were shortlisted to vie for the 16 available categories in the finals. Four Nigerian journalists were nominated in four of the award categories, but only Ahaoma Kanu of the National Daily newspaper won in the Tourism Award category with his story entitled “Badagry: A Walk Through The Slave Route.” In a post awards commentary, Chief Judge of the awards, Ferial Haffajee, expressed satisfaction at the impressive quality of entries received this year. According to him, “the quality of work has improved tremendously in

all areas. Many of the entrants displayed very good ability of combining research with great story telling ability. But I wish to urge journalists to begin preparing entries for the awards as soon as possible.” The CNN African Journalist of the Year competition was established in August 1995 to encourage, promote and recognise excellence in African journalism and also to help African journalists gain recognition for their hardwork and commitment.

AGOS — MINISTER of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji, yesterday, challenged workers of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, to demand from their leaders, the whereabouts of their pension funds. Nnaji in a statement by his Special Assistant on Power (Media), Ogbuagu Anikwe, said the workers should find out from the three trade unions in the power sector, how hundreds of billions of dollars purportedly contributed over the decades by them towards their pension scheme disappeared. It would be recalled that the three unions in the electricity sector— National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE; Senior Staff of Association of Electricity and Allied Companies, SSAEC and National Union of Pensioners, NUP, Electricity Sector, have continued to demand for the N400 billion said to have accrued to their superannuation fund as part of the settlement.

They had claimed that 25 per cent of workers’ salaries was being deducted by Federal Government appointed management of PHCN over the years into the PHCN workers’ superannuation fund. According to Nnaji, it has become necessary to ask PHCN employees to inquire from their labour leaders, what happened to the money because the company’s management and the labour leaders were the only trustees of the pension scheme. Prior to the introduction of Pension Reform Act in July 2004, the state power utility operated an in-house pension scheme, which enabled the workers to enjoy a scheme different from the contributory scheme most public sector organisations operated. He said the PHCN management had over the years provided N3 billion annually for the payment of retirement benefits to members, who were retiring individually, making most workers believe that the scheme was well funded from the 25 per cent deductions purportedly made by the company over the decades.

15-yr-old twins slaughtered in Yobe zAs oldest private school is set ablaze

AMATURU — RESIDENTS of Nasarawa ward of Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, yesterday, woke up to the shocking news of the slaughter of twin teenagers by yet to be identified persons. The state Commissioner of Police, Patrick Egbuniwe, who confirmed the incidence in Damaturu said the command was suspecting members of the Boko Haram Islamic sect. He also revealed that the oldest private school in the state, Yobe Children’s

Academy, had also been burned down. According to the Police boss, the cases of night killings and burning of schools are on the increase in the state capital as the hoodlums no longer use gun or explosive devices but resort to slaughtering of their victims as sounds of guns and bombs often attracts immediate response by security agents. The Commissioner of Police who wondered why the attackers will slaughter 15-year-old set of twins said

the incident occurred at about 10pm on Saturda. He also stated that the Yobe Children’s Academy was set on fire around 11 o’clock of the same day. A staff of the school who spoke on condition of anonymity said 30 classrooms were razed as only the staff room, library and laboratory were spared. The school, according to him, has pre-nursery, nursery, primary and secondary sections and currently with over 3,000 student population.

6-yr-old boy killed, 10 injured in Bauchi bomb blast

AUCHI — A BOMB planted inside a wheelbarrow near a relaxation spot in Bauchi exploded, yesterday, killing a six-year-old boy and

wounding 10 other persons. Bauchi State Police Commissioner Mohammed Ladan who confirmed the incident said

the blast killed the boy, who was near the bar. Adamu Abubakar, a Red Cross official, said security forces had surrounded the area.

8—Vanguard , MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012

Gbagada General Hospital,

Hunpoyanwha died.”

When Vanguard visited the residence of the deceased, relatives and sympathisers were in mournful mood, with some weeping uncontrollably. It was also learnt that over 10 relations, yesterday, came from Benin Republic to Makoko, after they received the news late Saturday night.

We lost our breadwinner, says brother

Also speaking, Joseph, younger brother to the late chief, said: “We have lost the bread winner of the family. That was the man that attends to the needs of the family members, especially on financial issues. We want the law to take its course.”

Late Chief Timothy Hunpoyanwha, alledgedly shot by Marine Police Officer, Saturday. RIGHT: His daughter, Nadel. PHOTOS: Monsur Olowoopejo.

Makoko demolition: Help me to continue my education— Daughter of slain chief BY OLASUNKOMI AKONI, EVELYN USMAN, BOSE ADELAJA & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

AGOS—MISS Nadel

Hunpoyanwha, daughter

of the slain Chief Timothy Hunpoyanwha, who was shot dead by one of the security officials attached to the demolition team in the on-going removal of shanties on the Iwaya/Makoko waterfront, Yaba Local Council Development Area, LCDA, yesterday, cried out for justice, saying the killer should be brought to book. She also appealed for help so she can continue her education. Ten-year-old Nadel is in primary five. She said: “There is no way I can continue because my father, who sponsors my education, was shot by a security official, yesterday (Saturday). Nadel, however, pleaded for assistance from the state government saying: “The state government should come to our aid by assisting me and my siblings to complete our education. “It cannot be possible for my mother, uncles and aunts to take the full responsibility of our education because they also relied on my late father for financial assistance.” The deceased, Hunpoyanwha, was last Saturday shot dead by a Marine Police from Oworonsoki, while he was pleading with

the demolition team not to demolish more than the stipulated area away from the electrical cable on the water. He was 51. The deceased, with four wives and many children, became the deputy Baale in 2007, and lived on the upland

still briefing the elders on the outcome of the meeting held on Friday. He said: “At the meeting, the Baale of Makoko Community, Chief Aji Steven, was informed that the officials of the state government had arrived to continue with the demolition exercise in his territory. He then left the meeting to order his subjects to ensure that they remove all their property

from the house before the demolition commences. “Steven, who was accompanied by Hunpoyanwha , sat down to watch how the exercise was progressing. As the demolition commenced, Steven further ordered those whose houses were being demolished to park their woods, because they will be useful.

Trigger-happy

The state government should come to our aid by assisting me and my siblings to complete our education

“While the Baale was still giving the order, Peddle began to shoot sporadically, with one of the bullets hitting Hunpoyanwha in the stomach. “Immediately he (Hunpoyanwha) was hit by the shot, he alerted the Baale who quickly rushed him into a boat towards Oworonshoki jetty. While on their way to

‘He foresaw his death’

Secretary to the Baale of Makoko, Mr. Asuka Remi, said the Chief foresaw his death, saying “he was reluctant to accompany the Baale to the scene of the demolition exercise when he was called upon. “After we persuaded him to accompany the Baale, immediately he got to the scene of the demolition, he stood aside. “The Chief was a peace-loving person, who does not involve himself in any violent case. Due to his peace-loving nature, he was made the head of Resolution Committee of the community.”

Residents take protest to Alausa

Following the killing of Hunpoyanwha, a community leader, and the ongoing demolition exercise at Makoko water front, residents of the area have vowed to take their protest to the seat of power in Alausa, today. They have also asked the authorities concerned to stop the exercise as it has affected their lives adversely.

area of the community. His residence was not marked for demolition. Speaking to Vanguard in a telephone chat, Mr. Ade Aguntor, who witnessed the scene, identified the man as the assistant Baale of Makoko, Mr. Timothy Hunpoyanwha . The security officer, who shot Hunpoyanwha dead, was identified as Corporal Boma Peddle, a Marine Police Officer.

How it happened

Aguntor explained that the incident happened at 10:30am, when the representatives of the community, who were sent to Alausa secretariat to hold a meeting with the Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Mr. Adesegun Oniru, were

Sympathisers at late Chief Hunpoyanwha's residence, yesterday. C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012—9

Manko threatens police officers over crime

Bakare to Jonathan: Resign now

BY EMMA NNADOZIE

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

KEJA—LAGOS State Commissioner of Police Umar Manko has read the riot act to officers and men of the force who allow crime to thrive in their areas of jurisdiction. To check the development, he had directed all Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers in the state to stop further attacks by miscreants on motorists in traffic gridlock or face disciplinary action. He assured that a massive patrol of all strategic roads where motorists experience gridlock would be embarked upon by motorised and heavy duty motorcycle patrols. The Police boss told Vanguard exclusively, that he had embarked on new security measures to ensure that criminals hibernating in all black spots and joints where drugs are sold were fished out and punished. Manko said: “Henceforth, Lagosians would experience a remarkable improvement in crime control and prevention as we have mapped out new strategies aimed at not just fishing criminals out from their hideouts, but nipping crime in the bud.” Though he declined to give details of the new security measures, Manko said the highlight of his onslaught would be the effective use of policemen on foot patrol to chase criminals away from the state. He said: ''We are going to make effective use of them at those places where we experience traffic gridlocks. You know of late, these hoodlums have been attacking motorists at those points, especially at nights. We have declared total war and you would see positive results.''

I From right, National Leader of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chairman of the occasion; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN; Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Alhaja Bintu-Fatima Tinubu; and Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire at the 4th Alhaji Kafaru Oluwole Tinubu’s Memorial Ramadan Lecture, at Blue Roof, LTV 8 Compound, Agidingbi, Ikeja, yesterday.

Dawn fire destroys 11 vehicles, buildings in Ibadan zEx-Super Eagle loses N100m property BY OLA AJAYI

BADAN—AN early morning inferno that gutted the parking lot of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company on Moshood Abiola Ring Road, Ibadan, yesterday, burnt no fewer than 11 vehicles believed to be owned by staff of the

company. Also affected in the fire was a former international footballer and exSuper Eagle, Gbenga Okunowo, who said he lost over N100 million worth of property to the fire that started about 2.30 a.m. Other property destroyed by the fire included a church, can-

teen, a carpentry workshop and other household items. The ex-football star told newsmen that he was in his wife’s room when the fire started. He narrated that he saw the fire burning part of the roof of a building behind the Capital Building and later extended to another du-

Ogun CNPP lauds outcome of LG poll

BEOKUTA—CON FERENCE of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, yesterday, scored Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission, OGSIEC, a pass mark for conducting a well-organized and hitch-free local government election last Saturday. Nine of the 14 political parties that fielded candidates in the election under the auspices of CNPP, in a post-election briefing, in Abeokuta after the release of the results by OGSIEC, acknowledged

that the electoral umpire gave a good account of itself by ensuring that all candidates from the opposition parties and their agents at the polling booths were accorded fair treatment during the election. At the briefing, Ogun CNPP Chairman, Otunba Owolabi Odebudo, with representatives of other political parties in CNPP that contested the election,said the ACN administration in the state also deserved commendation for its non-interference in the conduct of the election, adding that Governor IbikunleAmosun

deserved accolade for giving free hands to OGSIEC to organise and conduct free and fair election. The group appealed to winners in the election to be magnanimous in victory and the losers to accept the results in good faith as election should not be seen as a do-or-die affair. CNPP called on other states that were yet to conduct their local government poll to borrow a leaf from Ogun State and work towards conducting the local government election in their states as stipulated in the electoral law.

plex by the electricity company. Owing to the intensity of the fire, they were not able to retrieve any item from it. Though, the immediate cause of the incident was not known, Vanguard gathered that the fire started from the car park of the company. A resident, Agboola Davies explained that the inferno started from the parking space of the electricity company between 1.30 a.m. and 2.30 a.m. He lamented that the fire service men came with insufficient water and that before they could have their tanker refilled, the fire had wrecked more havoc. When Vanguard called the spokesperson for the company, Mr. Jide Oyenuga, his phone was not picked.

KEJA—CONVENER of Save Nigeria Group, SNG, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to heed the voice of wisdom and resign now, before the House of Representatives carries out its threat to impeach him over alleged selective implementation of the 2012 budget. He predicted that there would be no general election in 2015, adding that election would hold before then or sooner. Bakare said this, yesterday in Lagos, in a state of the nation address, entitled: “How To Change Government Peacefully And Make Society Better,” at Latter Rain Assembly, Ogba, Ikeja. Bakare said: “If I were Mr. President, unfortunately, I am not, and I do not envy his tottering position, but, if I were him, I would give no thought to what the world might say of me, or the drum the hangers-on and political jobbers benefitting from the present chaotic disorder might be beating. I would not give a damn if I could only transmit to posterity the reputation of an honest man thrust into the boxing ring to fight enemies I am illequipped to fight, and I would, therefore, resign before I receive a death blow.”

10—VANGUARD, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012

Ogun ACN sweeps LG poll as PDP kicks BY DAUD OLATUNJI

BEOKUTA—THE ruling Action Congress of Nigeria,ACN, in Ogun State won 19 of the 20 local government chairmanship seats and 217 councillorship seats in last Saturday's council poll. Chairman, Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission, OGSIEC, Alhaja Risikat Ogunfemi, who announced the reFrom left, Mr. Obum Ugochukwu, Special Guest of Honour; Most Revd Dr. Adebola Ademowo, Bishop of sults at its state headquarLagos Diocese, Archbishop of Province of Lagos; Mrs. Oluranti Ademowo, Diocesan President and Mrs ters in Abeokuta, yesterModupe Oluwole, at the 2012 Women's Annual Conference by the Diocese of Lagos Church of Nigeria day declared, that ACN won with a landslide vic(Anglican Communion), at Faith Plaza, Bariga, Lagos. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi tory. The results, declared that Peoples' Democratic Party,PDP, won four councillorship seats in Ikenne BY DAUD OLATUNJI 12p.m, which almost Ward 9, Odogbolu Ward hicles thereby injuring the body died. 13, Odeda Ward 3, Ijebuoccupants seriously. While explaining the claimed 19 lives. The accident, according East Ward 7, Ipokia Ward The Sector Commander cause of the accident, B E O K U TA — N O Agosasa Ward, of Federal Road Safety Omiyale said; “there was to Omiyale, “involved a 4, fewer than 24 peoCorps, Mr. Ayobami a head-on collision be- black Toyota Hilux with Ojugbele Ward and ple were on danger list AH Ajegunle Ward while PeoOmiyale, who confirmed tween the truck and a number-plate in hospitals because of inthe accident, said only five Tipper lorry which later 350GKW and white juries they sustained in people were involved. involved other vehicles,” Mazda bus number-plate two accidents that ocHe said:“Five people stressing that nobody XZ377GGE as a result of curred, yesterday, in were involved, three of died but five sustained head-on collision. Sango, Lagos-Abeokuta He said the 19 victims them were taken to Ifo serious injuries. Expressway and Mowe General Hospital while Vanguard gathered that, who included two women KURE—AHEAD of on Lagos-Ibadan Extwo were referred to La- another accident occurred were rushed to a nearby the October 10, gupressway, in Ogun State. gos State University at Mowe on Lagos- hospital where they were bernatorial election in The first accident ocTeaching Hospital. No- Ibadan Expressway about receiving treatment. Ondo State, Governor curred about 10 a.m. in Olusegun Mimiko has Sango in the Ado-Odo/ declared that the people Ota Local Government of the state would not give Area involving no fewer in to the dictates of an ‘emthan 20 people who were peror’, submitting also reportedly crushed by a that the order of politics in truck owned by Dangote Cement Factory. BY DAYO JOHNSON people by the special is more vibrant than that the state does not give An eyewitness told Vangrace of God, come Octo- of Osun and Oyo because room for ‘District Officers’ or ‘Colonial Masters.’ guard that no fewer than KURE—ACTION ber, the ACN government of the enormous natural Speaking while receiv20 people were on danger Congress of Nigeria, under me will create resources in the state. ing scores of leaders of list following the accident Therefore, Ondo State will 30,000 jobs in 100 days. ACN, governorship canthat involved six vehicles, “This is neither magic improve upon that by cre- Action Congress of didate in Ondo State, Mr. Nigeria,ACN, and Peoone Keke Marwa and a Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, nor rocket science because ating 30,000 jobs in 100 motorcycle. weekend, promised to cre- 20,000 jobs were created days. The source, who “We will banish the attiate 30,000 jobs within 100 by Governor Aregbesola pleaded anonymity, said, tude of our graduates ridand Gov. Ajimobi in Osun days if elected into office. the truck crushed the veing Okada all over the and Oyo in a very short He spoke on a radio proplace and create useful period. gramme to commemorate BY GBENGA ARIYIBI “The economy of Ondo employment for them.” his 56th birthday, according to a statement by his DO-EKITI—NO media adviser, Mr. Idowu fewer than 45 local Ajanaku, in Akure. government officials in Akeredolu said: “ If I am Ekiti State were found to elected into office by the have fraudulently promoted themselves beyond DO-EKITI—OFFI while non-indigenes their statutory bar in servCIALS of Ekiti State among them will be relo- ice. The government vowed Ministry of Youths and cated to their various to sanction those found Sports have started rid- states of origin. guilty of the offence. ding Ado-Ekiti, the state The commissioner asChairman of the state Locapital of street beggars, sured that some of the cal Government Service destitute and mentally-ill destitute would be ex- Commission, LGSC, Chief persons. posed to skill acquisition Aderemi Ajayi, said this in At a briefing after the to make them self-reliant Ado-Ekiti, weekend. first day of the operation, after their rehabilitation. The commission, howYouths and Sports ComFolorunso added that ever, dismissed the rumour missioner, Chief the ministry had engaged making the round that the Folorunso Olabode, said the services of psychiatric government intended to all the persons appre- doctors from Ekiti State carry out massive purge at hended during the exer- University Teaching Hos- the local governments. cise will be kept at the pital to provide care for Governor Kayode State Relief and Rehabili- those that are mentally- Fayemi, had at a meeting tation Centre in Ado-Ekiti challenged among those with the caretaker chairmen for care and protection in custody. of the local governments,

39 injured in Ogun auto-crashes A

ples Party of Nigeria, PPN, won in Ijebu-East Ward 6. Ogunfemi said election results in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area was being withheld pending the determination of a court order in respect of the election in the area. Mean time, a chieftain of PDP in the state, Prince Buruji Kashamu, has commended the electorate for coming out to vote for the party in the council poll. In a statement Kashamu said the massive support PDP got at the poll showed that it was firmly on ground in the state. He noted that the results the party got from its field officers indicated that PDP won the election in at least eight local government areas - Ipokia, Ikenne, Sagamu, Ijebu NorthEast, Ijebu North, Ijebu East, Odogbolu and IjebuOde.

Ondo people won't submit to emperors, by Mimiko

I'll create 30,000 jobs in 100 days, if elected — Akeredolu

ples’ Democratic Party, PDP, who defected to the ruling Labour Party, LP, from Akoko, weekend, Mimiko said the election would be determined by the people of the state and not by proxy or imposition of an emperor. He said the people of the state would not give room for those he called ''Districts Officers or Colonial masters'' because the people would reject such order of politics.

Ekiti threatens LG workers over unjustified promotion

Ekiti rids beggars, destitute, lunatics from streets

lamented that the council officials were unable to record much progress due to the over-bloated number of staff at the council level. Ajayi assured that none of the staff would be sacked except those that engaged in fraudulent practices. He disclosed how these indicted council workers allegedly engaged in shady deals in their career progressions to get promotions to positions they were not qualified to hold based on certificates they possessed. He said: “It was so embarrassing that these workers most of whom were school certificate holders, who ordinarily should not be promoted beyond level 7 going by the scheme of service wriggled their ways to level 14.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012 —11

Ovie-Whiskey's death shocks Gbagi

Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike (right) and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio during the Minister' visit to Akwa Ibom for the flag off of the distribution of instructional materials for Basic Education Institutions in Nigeria for South-South zone at Government House, Uyo.

ARRI—Former Min ister of Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, has expressed shock over the death of Justice Victor Ovie-Whiskey, former chairman of Federal Electoral Commission, FEDECO. Gbagi in a statement, weekend, said: “I received with shock the passage of Justice Ovie-Whiskey as announced by the family. He was a great Nigerian and a self-less human being, one that exemplified himself as the best we ever had in the conduct of our elections in the history of Nigeria. “It is regrettable that this

Ijaw youth leaders tackle Boyloaf zSay Tompolo is defunct MEND leader BY EMMAAMAIZE

A R R I —C OA L I TION of Ijaw Youth Leaders, COIL, has disagreed with the claim by former commander of defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the NigerDelta, MEND, Victor Ebikabowei Victor, alias Boyloaf, that Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, was not the leader of the group. COIL in a statement, by its chairman, Dr. Clarkson Aghagha and Coordinator, Mr Fredrick Afoegba, said: “We agree with Boyloaf that what we are experiencing in the Niger Delta is negative peace, but we disagree with him that ex-General Tompolo is not the leader of the defunct MEND.” Meantime, a Niger-Delta activist and National President of Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative, IPDI, Mr Austin Ozobo, has said the controversy over the leadership of MEND was uncalled for; noting that what should concern the ex-militants was whether the

Federal Government was keeping its side of the bargain that led to the amnesty programme. COIL said: “Ex-General Tompolo is a leader and this had been affirmed by Ogbo leadersapex body of Izon Youth Worldwide, IYC. Serving and retired generals from the three zones of the Izon nation all jointly conferred on ex-General Tompolo, the title of General Officer Com-

manding, GOC and that same body conferred on him a second title, ‘The Torchbearer of the Struggle.' “Boyloaf'scommentwasmade because he is jealous and envious. Boyloaf should join forces with Tompolo to achieve the aspirations of the struggle, rather than waste energy on frivolous claim.” On Boyloaf’s position that

Bakassi indigenes threaten to reclaim ceded Peninsula to Cameroon BY JOHNBOSCO

AGBAKWURU

ALABAR—DIS PLACED Bakassi indigenes, have threatened to return to the oilrich Peninsula ceded by International Court of Justice to the Republic of Cameroon, claiming that United Nations and Federal Government deceived and abandoned them. The people alleged that they were being harassed, molested and killed by the Cameroon gendarmes and

that fishermen from Cross River State were not allowed access to the peninsula for fishing contrary to the Green Tree Agreement. Briefing newsmen, weekend, spokesman of the displaced people and paramount ruler of Bakassi Local Government Area, Etinyin Etim Edet, said that they had exhausted their patience waiting for the international community and Federal Government to fulfill the promises made to them as well as settle them in their

Oshiomhole's victory, end to ethnic, money Democratic Party, PDP, politics —Odubu couldn’t even get one quarBY SIMON EBEG-

BULEM

ENIN CITY— DEPUTY Governor of Edo State, Dr Pius Odubu, weekend, said that the recent victory of Governor Adams Oshiomhole in the just concluded governorship election in the state had ended the politics of ethnicity and money in the state. He spoke at Government House, Benin City, when the Correspondents Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists led by its interim chairman, Mr. Cajetan

Tompolo was not in a position to takethestruggleforward,assuch matter was within the purview of Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, COIL said Boyloaf was being economical with the truth. “The role Tompolo is playing by summoning all stakeholders to proffer solution to the programmedoesnotcontravenethe work of the chairman of the Post Amnesty Programme, as he is working in consonance with the specialadviser.”

Mmuta presented to him a victory card. He said the election reflected the wishes of the people, who according to him rewarded O s h i o m h o l e ’ s infrastructural development in the three senatorial districts by giving him victory in the 18 local government areas of the state. He said: “Our victory was sweet because that was what the people wanted, a man that will perform, not a man who want to be the richest man in the world. It was a wonderful experience, you know Peoples

ter in any of the seven local government areas in Edo South and we won the 77 wards in Edo South, we thank God. “Oshiomhole had demonstrated that money can never make the difference again in Edo politics, people don’t fight over how much you bring anymore but they are now fighting for projects that had not been done in their areas. Before now, it was about collecting money and you will get the votes you want but before the election, there was no place we visited that they asked for money."

new place all to no avail. Etinyin Edet, who is also chairman of the state Council of Chiefs, said that having waited for almost 10 years for the Federal Government to act and show good faith without any hope in sight, the Bakassi people had decided to demand for the return of their homeland, which he said was given out without a referendum. The monarch said: “This is to inform all Nigerians, that the youths of the area are already restive and I as the paramount ruler cannot stop them from resisting now what they consider an unfair treatment by ICJ, UN and Nigeria, which ignored the human cost of their action."

incorruptible Nigerian was forgotten by Nigerians and the Government of Nigeria. The principles and discipline of this great Nigerian can be likened to those of Nelson Mandela of South Africa and all such exemplary leaders in the world that believe in equity, fair play and honesty. “Justice Whiskey was a younger and very close friend of my late father– Robinson Gbagi. I recall my personal encounter when I paid him a visit as the then Chairman of FEDECO, the aftermath of our discussion

Delta NULGE boss lauds Uduaghan on HPMs NULGE Branch Chairmen BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

SABA—PRESI DENT of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Delta State chapter, Mr David Ofoeyeno, has said that local government workers in the state were determined to ensure the success of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan-led administration, noting that the opportunity extended to the Heads of Personnel Management, HPMs to run the affairs of the councils was a welcome development. He spoke in Asaba, during the swearing in of

ENAGOA—NO fewer than 106 students from Bayelsa East senatorial district in various tertiary institutions in the country, weekend, benefited from the Clever Ikisikpo Educational Foundation scholarship. The students drawn from Ogbia, Nembe and Brass Local Governmentareas,thatmakeup Bayelsa East senatorial district were each awarded N50,000

for the various local government areas, empowerment of widows and their wards in the unified Local Government Service by the union in collaboration with David Ofoeyeno Foundation. Awards and gift items were also presented to members, who had served meritoriously and attained retirement age. He said: “We appreciate the state government under the able and dynamic leadership of Dr Uduaghan, the grand patron of NULGE for his support to the cause of local government areas in Delta State."

Firm donates boreholes, transformers to Delta, Edo communities BY FESTUS AHON &

GODWIN OGHRE

GHELLI—AS part of its social responsibility to its host, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Limited, based in Sapele, Delta State, has commissioned several motorized water borehole projects across oil producing communities of the state and Edo State. The projects commissioned included; two 500kva stepdown transformers and street lights in Okeregbagha and

Scholarship for 106 Bayelsa students scholarship grant to assist them BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

left me with a lasting impression and no option than to confront life the way I have gone about it. “His exit is a great loss to the Urhobo nation, the people of Delta State and Nigeria as a whole. The only legacy therefore which Nigeria must immediately provide for this man with honour and integrity is to archive his documents, conduct as a lawyer and most importantly his tour of duty as the then Chairman of FEDECO for Nigerians and more particularly upcoming Nigerians to learn from.”

in their academic pursuits. Presentingchequestothelucky students, Chairman of the foundation, Senator Clever Ikisikpo, thanked the management of the foundation for exhibiting high level transparency in the selection of the beneficiaries. Lamentingthefallingstandard of education in the country, he said it was the desire of the foundation to restore reading culture and healthy competition among students in Bayelsa East senatorial district.

Okunumerhe quarters of Amukpe community; two water projects at OgbeOgume, Ogbagu-Ogume, Elume, Ogiedi-Elume, Ituru-Elume in Delta State and two water projects at Iguelaba and Oben, and renovated block of classrooms at Oben primary school. At Iguelaba community in Orhiomwon Local Government Area, Edo State, where a water project was commissioned, chairman of the community, Mr. John Odia, noted that the water project was supervised by the company and same was completed to specification. At Amukpe community in Sapele Local Government Area, the company installed an 11MVA step down transformer and another 500KVA substation transformer to boost power generation in the area. At Oben community, also in Orhiomwon council, the company commissioned three water projects and renovated a community primary school.

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012

N-Delta group threatens NNPC's onshore/offshore operations, yet to fulfill its part of the bargain operations asrecalling that the Escravos- to the people and vowed to dis-

COMMISSIONING: From left: Senator David Mark, Senate President, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and Professor Patrick Muoboghare, Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, during the commissioning of the ultra modern blocks of classrooms and offices for St. Patrick's College, Asaba by the Senate President, weekend.

Police nab alleged kidnappers of Uduaghan's cousin BY AUSTINOGWUDA

SABA—CRACK de tectives from Delta State Police Command have arrested a six-man kidnap gang, which allegedly kidnapped a 70 year old cousin to the Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, Pa Sam Uduaghan, last month during the visit of the Inspec-

tor General of Police, IG, Mr Mohammed Abubakar to Asaba. The gang, according to state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Charles Muka, was also responsibleforthekidnapofamedical doctor from his hospital in Agbor on July 11, among other kidnapcases. He said: “This gang was arrested on July 11 in Asaba with a Peugeot 406 saloon car. This was

the same vehicle they had used to commit havoc. The same gang kidnapped the cousin of the governor. “On July 11, 2012 one Dr. NwaigboHypolite,amedicaldoctorwithAwelehospitalAgborwas kidnapped from his hospital premises by a six man armed gang operating and terrorizing Agbor,Asabaandtheirenvirons.” He added that following confessions of four arrested members of the gang, two were “trailed to Akwukwu-Igbo, where two others were arrested.

ARRI — NIGER Delta Indigenous Movement for Radical Change, NDIMRC, has threatened to disrupt the operations of the newly completed Escravos-Warri-Lagos Gas Pipeline over alleged failure of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to meet the demands of Gbaramatu and Ugborodopeople. The group in a statement by its President,NellyEmma;Secretary, John Sailor and Public Relations Officer, Mukoro Stanley, vowed to disrupt NNPC facilities in the region, the Escravos Tank Farm, the Abiteye Flow-station as well

Warri-Lagos Gas Pipeline suffered a major setback last year as a result a protest by Gbaramatu and Ugborodo women demanding for a better deal from NNPC and Chevron NigeriaLimited,CNL. NDIMRCrecalledthataftera long delay, the management of NNPC and Chevron agreed to meet the demands of the GbaramatuandUgborodopeople and the firm handling the Escravos-Warri-LagosGasPipeline project was allowed to go back to site. But the group claimed after the first phase of the EscravosWarri-LagosGasPipelineproject hadbeencompleted,NNPCwas

rupt the operations of the project expected to boost power supply nationwide. Thegroupsaid:“NNPCshould not deceive the people; people of theNigerDeltaregionshouldnot be fooled. We want to recall the promises made by Group Executive Director, Gas and Power of NNPC, Dr. David Ige to the peace-loving people of GbaramatuandUgborodo,when he visited the royal father of GbaramatuKingdom.Itwasafter these promises that the Federal Government agreed to meet the demands of the Gbaramatu and Ugborodo people and work once again resumed at the Gas Pipeline Project.

Top Nigerian artistes thrill Edolites celebrating Oshiomhole's victory (Aki and Pawpaw), Tonto Dike, BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

ENIN CITY—THE an cient city of Benin was set agog, weekend, as top Nigerian artists, Nollywood and actors and actresses, stormed the victory party organised by Governor Adams Oshiomhole for youths of the state. The party was in fulfillment of the promise made to youths of the state by

Oshiomhole, shortly after his victory in July 14,governorship election in the state that he will invite top Nigerian actors to entertain them, as a sign of gratitude for the support given to him during the election. The Nigerian stars who graced the occasion which attracted no fewrer than 200,000 from the 18 local government areasofthestate,includedOsita Iheme and Chinedu Ikedieze

SandraNzeribe,OgeOkoye,Idris Kareem, D,banj, P Square, I go Die, I go Save, Osayomore Joseph, Mercy Johnson and a host of other Edo State-born artistes. An elated Oshiomhole took the stage and exhibited some special dance steps when Idris Kareem sang to the admiration of the youths. The Governor at some point took the microphone and sang praises to the Benin monarch, Oba Erediauwa.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012—13

Constitution review 'll address imbalance, say Manager, Okowa

AWARD—From left; Deepak Srivastava, COO, Airtel; Fela Durotoye; Nwabueze Nwachukwu and Inusa Bello, Chief Sales Officer during Airtel Channel partners award in Lagos.

Check-off dues: NULGE asks Anambra govt to remit 7-month arrears BY VINCENT UJUMADU

WKA—THE National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, weekend urged the Anambra State government to effect the deduction and remittance into the union’s coffers, the seven months arrears of workers’ check off dues, which was not remit-

ted during last year’s strike over the N18,000 minimum wage for workers. Rising from a meeting of the South East zone of NULGE, the union in a statement by the national vice chairman in-charge of South East, Comrade Orji Akaji, said non-remittal of the dues was affecting the operations of NULGE. He lamented that though the union had been plead-

ing with the state government to remit the money, nothing had been done to date. It will be recalled that the Ministry of Local Government stopped the deduction of the check off dues from the workers’ salaries from September, 2011 to March, 2012 during the minimum wage struggle, but resumed the remittance in April this year.

E N A T O R S James Manager and Ifeanyi Okowa from Delta State, have said the ongoing review of the 1999 constitution by the National Assembly will redress imbalance in the constitution. They spoke after the retreat in Asaba by the Senate Committee on review of the 1999 constitution. The Senators said the issues raised at the retreat would be analysed and given attention, stressing that the review of the constitution came at the right time. According to them, all shades of opinion on the single term of five years for the President and his Vice, governors and their deputies would be considered by the Senate before arriving at a conclusion, emphasizing that the devolution of powers for true federalism would enable states do more in terms of development. They noted that states creation, apart from helping to bring development closer to the people, should be han-

dled with caution to avoid friction. On state police, Senator Manager representing Delta South, said the country was not ripe for such, while Senator Okowa representing Delta North said it would help to address the

security challenges in the society. They however, gave assurance that the committee would be in all parts of the country, stressing that the unity and development of the country was above other considerations.

NUJ holds prayer session for missing journalists today

IGERIA Union of Journalists, NUJ, Lagos State council will on today hold a special inter-religious prayer session for the missing broadcaster, Alhaji Rasaq Gawat Gawat, a seasoned journalist, has been missing since Tuesday, July 10, 2012 when his car, a Jeep was found under lock and key at the foot of Apongbon bridge in Lagos Island The council’s Chairman, Mr. Deji Elumoye, said the prayer session to be presided over by clerics from both muslim and christian faiths

will take place at the Ladi Lawal Press Centre, Lagos NUJ Press Centre, 9a, Iyalla street, Alausa, Ikeja on Today, July 23, 2012. The prayer session, Elumoye said, is aimed at calling for the intervention of the Almighty God towards the release of the Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, presenter "who we believe is alive and being held in captivity.’’ He also enjoined Nigerians wherever they are to join the union in praying for the safe return of Gawat to his colleagues and family.

14—Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012

Land dispute claims 1 life, scores injured in Ebonyi BY PETER OKUTU

BAKALIKI—OHAO ZARA, the local government area of Ebonyi State Deputy Governor, Chief Dave Umahi, was weekend thrown into confusion as one unidentified person was reportedly killed while several others sustained various degrees of injuries over a land dispute involving the villages of Umunaga Enuagu and Urobo in Uburu area of the s t a t e . Houses and other valuables worth millions of Naira were also reportedly destroyed as a result of the mayhem. A source in the area claimed that “valuables destroyed during the clash included cars, motorcycles, houses, domestic animals,

household equipment and other valuable items. What started like a small quarrel broke into fight which resulted in the killing of one person with many others got various degree of injuries, houses were burnt and other property destructed.” Confirming the incident, State Commissioner for Police, Maman Sule, however said though no life was lost, but only one person was injured. He said a car and motorcycle were burnt and some houses were razed down following the crisis in the a r e a . When Vanguard visited the area, normalcy had returned as armed policemen were seen patrolling the two villages to keep trouble makers in checks.

Imo: Mixed reactions greet reinstatement of LG bosses BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

WERRI—THE re tinstatement of the 27 elected local government chairmen and councilors in Imo State on the orders of the Appeal Court has continued to elicit reactions from stakeholders. While the state Attorney General, Chief Soronnadi Njoku, berated the Federal Attorney General, Mr. Mohammed Adokie, SAN, for offering unsolicited advice to the state government, the reinstated chairmen accused Njoku of acting out the script of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, administration in the state. According to Chief Njoku, “The Federal Attorney General has no moral justification to advice the state government to obey the Court of Appeal

order since he has not advised his own government to obey the rule of law in the Justice Ayo Salami case.” He accused the police of playing more of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, politics than securing lives and property in the state, saying “the greatest challenge in the state is kidnapping, while Nigeria as a country is being faced with the menace of Boko Haram sect and the Nigeria Police has remained helpless in confronting these challenges.” However, speaking, the elected chairmen noted that “the public debriefing of the Attorney General by the Governor confirmed that the Governor lacked confidence in the professional competence of his chief law officer, for which the latter ought to have resigned from office.”

AGM—From right: Mr Wale Tinubu, Group Managing Director, Oando PLC, Oba Michael Aremu Gbadebo, The Alake of Egbaland, Chairman, and Mrs Ayo Jagun, Company Secretary during the 35th annual general meeting of Oando PLC in Lagos, weekend. Photo: Joe Akintola.

Insecurity: S-East Govs hold meeting zDeliberate on Okorocha, elected PDP chairmen face-off BY TONY EDIKE

NUGU—GOVER NORS of the South Eastern states met in Enugu yesterday to review the problem of insecurity in the c o u n t r y . The Chairman of the South East Governor’s Forum and Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi who briefed newsmen after the meeting held at the Lion Building Enugu, however, did not give details of their deliberations. He said the meeting which lasted for about four hours took a critical look at the ongoing efforts to tackle insecurity, especially within the South East. Governor Obi also said the meeting attended by all the governors in the zone, further deliberated on how to improve economic cooperation among states in the z o n e . Although Obi declined answering questions from newsmen, it was gathered that the conflict between Governor Rochas Okorocha and Local Government

Chairmen elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Imo State formed part of their discussions. Vanguard observed that the President of Association of

Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, Mr. Nwabueze Okafor, was invited by the governor midway into the meeting. Okafor, who is the Chairman of Enugu South Local

Government Area met with the governors for about 40 m i n u t e s . He, however, did not speak with newsmen on why he was summoned to the meeting..

School shuts down in Imo over ownership tussle BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

WERRI—EZEOKE Girls’ Secondary School, in Okigwe South Local Government Area of Imo State has been shut over ownership tussle between the Anglican Diocese of Okigwe South and Ezeoke community after the school was handed over to the missionaries by Ikedi Ohakim’s administration. Explaining the develop-

ment in a letter, the Diocesan Registrar, Mr. C.B. Mbawike, noted with dismay what the church termed “the deliberate misrepresentation and malicious falsehood” in a letter addressed to the Bishop by the Delegates Committee of Ezeoke Welfare Association, EWA. While drawing the community’s attention to East Central State’s official document number 18 of 1974, Mbawuike equally argued that government took over

Anglican Girls’ Secondary School, Ezeoke, from the church and government had now returned the same school to its original owner, the church. According to him, "we condemn the unprovoked and unwarranted interference, which has stultified and marred the progress of the school and hampered learning. The locking up and tipping of trips of sand in front of the school gate is not only primitive but uncivilized.” C M Y K

Vanguard , MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012—15

DEDICATION: From left— Pastor Folu Adeboye, wife of the General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God; Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, and his wife Olukemi, during the dedication of Jesus House (Ondo Province 1 Hqtrs), Oke Ijebu, Redemption Court, in Akure, yesterday.

Security foils kidnap attempt in Niger BY WOLE MOSADOMI

INNA—A kidnap attempt, weekend in Minna, Niger State, was foiled by security personnel at the Minna General Hospital. A middle-aged had attempted to take two little children of same parents without the consent of their parents. The incident occurred at 11:45am, Saturday, when a four-year-old girl and her three-year-old younger brother, who came with their father for a meeting in the hospital. It was gathered that when their father, said to be a Desk Officer with National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Health Management Board at the schemes’ orientation camp, Paikoro, was discussing with his host, the children strayed outside the hospital premises. It was further learnt that trouble began for the children when they engaged in a scuffle over a perceived disagreement, after which the suspected kidnapper (names withheld) disguising as a mediator, tried to separate them and in the process, asked after their parents. The suspected kidnapper offered to take the children to an unknown destination outside the hospital

premises for unknown reasons. It was gathered that as the suspect was about to take

his victims out of the hospital’s gate, the security operatives attached to the hospital intercepted him.

Katsina uncovers 9,000 ghost workers

BUJA—GOVERNOR Ibrahim Shema of Kastina State has said that his government discovered no fewer than 9,000 ghost workers on its payroll. The governor, who addressed stakeholders from the state in Abuja, vowed that his government will do everything possible to stamp out ghost workers syndrome from the state. He explained that before the implementation of N18,000 minimum wage, the administration decided to embark on the biometric capturing of the civil servants in the state. The biometric capturing exercise, which according to him was conducted in collaboration with the state chapter of Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, and a consultant, resulted in discovery of 9,000 ghost workers. On the importance attached to education by the administration, he said: “Since inception, the administration had made education top priority after realising that a lot of our

children are out of school. “Education is the number one item on the priority list of this administration. More than N40 billion had been committed to this sector in the last two years. “The effect of this massive investment is in the schools enrollment figure: whereas in 2004/2005 session only 142,729 students were in secondary school, the figure jumped to 1,045,141 in 2008/2009 session and 1,524,172 in the 2009/2010 session. “Similarly, primary school enrollment went up from 1,001,447 in 2005 to 1,278,418 in 2009.”

Kogi guber: NGO petitions Jonathan over Echocho

N T E R N AT I O N A L Centre for Advancement of Justice and Peace in Emerging Democracies, ICAJPED, a non-governmental organisation, NGO, has petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan, alleging underhand schemes by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in the political situation in Kogi State. The group, in the petition by its Coordinator, Africa Region, Dr. Stephen Briggs and Secretary General, Chike Nwokobia, alleged that EFCC’s intervention in Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial squabble between Governor Idris Wada and Alhaji Jibril Echocho, followed a pattern of similar partisan interventions by the agency.

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012 RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan wants to convince Nigerians that they need security more than food or employment. He is emphatic about the nexus among security, employment and food. The President holds insecurity responsible for the failings of his administration. It takes humility to admit failure. What would shock Nigerians is the President’s perception of the failure and his conclusion that everything is about security. He told his party chieftains: “During our campaign, our emphasis was on job creation, power, but now what worries us more is security because you must even be alive before you eat. So, if you are not safe, you can’t even think about hunger because a dead person does not eat. With the situation of things now in the country, the most serious issue in the country is security. We have talked about food security but you can’t have food without personal security.” We contest these positions. If the administration would put food and job creation aside, what is left? How will the administration tackle security, which has been blamed on unemployment and

BY ISHAYA BAKUT

EFORE me on my table as I am writing this short essay is a couple of media reports on the signing on July 4 , 2012, of a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, between the Ministry of Power and Daewoo Construction and Electrical on ways Daewoo could help generate 10,000MW in Nigeria, with the South Korean engineering giant taking up 20 per cent equity in new plants. I am particularly excited at the statement attributed to the Minister of Power, Professor Bart Nnaji, to the effect that Original Equipment Manufacturers, OEMs, like Daewoo would no longer be allowed to just sell finished products like turbines to Nigeria. The Minister reasons that if OEMs cannot manufacture in our country yet, they should at least begin to assemble here and consequently add value to our national economy. Nigeria, the Minister added, should not remain forever the dumping ground for foreign manufacturers. As I was reading the reports, my confidence in the Nigerian possibility became rekindled. Prof. Nnaji spoke on the occasion with authority; not the authority of his personal accomplishments which, in any case, can humble practically anyone, but the authority arising from unprecedented international investor confidence in the Nigerian power sector. In other words, Nnaji is not on his kneels pleading with foreigners to come to Nigeria to invest. The international investors are coming daily in large groups, and for once Nigeria has the confidence to dictate the terms to them— and they are complying enthusiastically! I am not just a student of strategic studies who follows international affairs with interest, but someone who has been in government at a high level and has seen at close quarters how international investors view Nigeria. I served as Principal Staff Officer in the Presidency during the time of General Ibrahim Babangida and was appointed the Field Commander of the multinational ECOWAS peacekeeping C M Y K

Security, before food, job poverty? Has a hungry man ceased being an angry man? What are we securing in a country filled with hungry people? Has the President found out how employment can enhance security? Does he intend to ignore the fact that employed people can fend for themselves better and have greater stake in the country? Will everything wait until there is security? Insecurity has doubtlessly taken a lot of attention off other programmes. It cannot be allowed to continue paralysing the country. Where a challenge, like security is identified, government should tackle it directly in order to move to other programmes. Has the administration thought of how robust job creation schemes can take more

OPINION Nnaji as a change agent force in Liberia in the 1990s, only to return to State House under General Sani Abacha years later. These two positions, among others, enabled me to have a bird’s eye view of how foreigners really perceive Africans, all the more so in matters of long term investments. CitiBank/NIB was for some years about the most profitable bank in Nigeria, but it did not bother to acquire one single property here! It was in Nigeria for hot money. If anything had gone wrong, CitiBank/NIB would have simply repatriated all its money to New York, together with its expatriate staff.

ow, there are some Nigerians who think all this was happening because our country was then under military rule. Well, they could be right, but only to some extent. President Olusegun Obsanjo, for instance, spent a substantial part of his first tenure of 1999 to 2003 on foreign trips, campaigning for foreign investments in Nigeria. But there was little to show for his dedicated effort. Let us cite the telling example of Obasanjo’s spirited lobbying of the British telecom company, Vodafone (which is the world’s largest mobile telephone operator) to invest in the Nigerian GSM market in the wake of the liberalisation of the telecom sector and of the restoration of democratic governance in the country. Vodafone turned down Obasanjo’s offer, which included incredible tax reliefs. The rejection by big telecom firms enabled relatively smaller players like Southern African MTN and Econet to have a field day. It does not matter that the Vodafone chairman, Sir Christopher Gent, was to deeply regret his investment decision. Against this backdrop, I am, like most Nigerians, over the

youth off crimes? The connections between unemployment and crimes are fairly well known. In the Nigerian context, they are worsened by the absence of a social net to cater for the unemployed. Jobs are important. They define people. They make them more responsible. The employed contribute to the economy, they are engaged enough to turn their minds to more ennobling issues. Where government abandons job creation and extends the abandonment to food security, what is it offering the people? Agriculture employs millions of Nigerians. Government should do everything to secure it, and the fact that food is important. The argument can go in circles about which is more important, among employment, food, and security. Each complements the other in great ways that can achieve the totality of the administration’s ambitious transformation agenda. If the President abandons his transformation agenda, which cuts across all sectors of the country, he would make the country less secure.

moon to know that world class electricity companies are taking far-reaching steps to participate, in very concrete terms, in the ongoing power sector in our beloved nation. General Electric of the United States, the world’s biggest manufacturer of electricity equipment, has signed an MoU to assist in the generation of 10,000MW and invest between 10 and 15 per cent equity in new plants using its equipment. Put succinctly, GE is no longer contented with selling turbines to Nigeria. In addition, GE is planning to build an assembly plant in the country, the first time it will do so in sub-Saharan Africa. As if in competition with GE, Siemens of Germany has signed an MoU to help generate 10,000MW, build a service station (the first time in West Africa) and sponsor a study for the integration of traditional and alternative sources of energy. Electrobra of Brazil has signed a similar MoU with the Nigerian Ministry of Power. Just before the MoUs were signed, the United States EXIM Bank signed an MoU last year with the Nigerian Ministry of Power providing $1.2b credit to investors in Nigeria’s power sector using American products and services. This is a very interesting development. US EXIM’s total credit to sub Sahara Africa the previous year was $1.4b, with only $200m coming to Nigeria. It is worth emphasizing here that the credit to Nigeria’s power sector alone is more than the combination of all the sectors in the whole of Black Africa received in 2010. I am even informed by my contacts in the US EXIM Bank that the financial institution is willing to raise the facility to $2.5b. It was the same sources who disclosed to me that the chief executive of the American bank came himself to Nigeria to sign the MoU only two weeks after the Minister of Power visited him in Washington, DC, and persuaded the top banker to get involved in Nigeria’s power sector reform. *Gen Bakut(rtd) was a former governor of Benue State.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012—49

intervened to assist the GEJ administration weather a number of Labour storms, including the complicated negotiations that ended the Academic Staff of Universities (ASUU) strikes.

One man, one vote

GEJ and the Edo guber

President Goodluck Jonathan He can mobilise funds from known and unknown sources to buy what he cannot steal. After the election, he will deploy the military to quell riots and haul protesters and their leaders into the cooler. He can enlist the services of “black market” judges and continue to thwart the will of the people even at the Tribunal. In some cases as we saw in Obasanjo’s, his scheme may fail, but he

Prof. Osunbor fires back!

AST week Thursday July 19th 2012 when my article entitled: Revolution in Edo State was published, former Governor of the state, Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor, called me to debunk aspects of my report and analysis. My sources in Edo State had alleged that he was a blood relation of the late Stella Obasanjo and that was why he was propped up by Obasanjo to become the candidate of the PDP in the 2006 governorship primaries and eventually won the election in 2007. Prof. Osunbor categorically denied any relationship with Obasanjo’s wife’s family. He also rebuffed the notion that he was “propped up” by the former president, pointing out that he won his primaries and election transparently. According to him, Obasanjo preferred Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, his former Special Adviser, having rejected Anenih’s choice, Dr. Odion Ugbesia, for alleged incompetence as a minister. He condemned the assertion that former INEC Chairman, Professor Maurice Iwu “awarded” him the election. Then he alleged that his loss at the Tribunal was a machination of the late President Yar ’ Adua. However, the Professor says he wishes Oshiomhole the best, adding that he needed to clear the air on what he considered “ widely held misconceptions” about him “being peddled in the media”. I have just granted him his right of reply.

Gov. Oshiomhole

can always try, not bothered if he is inflicting deep political injuries on the country. President Jonathan desisted from all these. He was more interested in the success of democracy in Edo State. When he was

about to join his party for the campaigns at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium recently, I wondered what he was going to tell Edo people, who had seen the clear difference between ten years of PDP and four years of the regime of the

DAY after getting re-elected, Governor Adams Oshiomhole surfaced in Aso Villa to thank President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for a job well done. Let us discuss the significance of this gesture. I mean, can you imagine the governor of a state in the United States where we borrowed our presidential constitution from going to Washington to appreciate President Barack Obama for the successful conduct of an election in his state? When some assert that Nigeria’s presidency is among the world’s most powerful offices, this is an evidence of it. What can a Nigerian president do to make or mar an election? Let us attempt the answer by isolating the stakeholders to an election. They are: the president, the electorate, the political parties, the security agencies, the Electoral Commission, and much later, perhaps the Electoral Tribunal. The president of Nigeria has direct or indirect control over all the other elements except, perhaps to some extent, the electorate. If he wants a do-or-die election as former President Olusegun Obasanjo did during his time, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies will be the foot soldiers of his preferred candidate. In other words, he will have a preferred candidate and he will be working for the “success” of his political party, rather than success of the democratic process to the glory of the country at large. He can plant his moles in opposition political parties and buy up their agents to work for his party. He can empower local political “godfathers” to manipulate the processes with the support of governmental authority (the proverbial “federal might”).

shiomhole had also stuck out his neck to argue in support of the total withdrawal of petrol subsidy during the January 2012 nationwide strike, thus nearly hurting his own credibility among the Labour and civil society groups. The question in my mind was whether GEJ would have the heart to go to Edo State and tell the electorate to vote out Oshiomhole who had defied party divides to help him in the overall national interest? The president made it easy. He merely told Edo people that the election must be free and fair. He reiterated his OneMan, One Vote, reminding the voters of his incisive exhortation that no politician’s ambition was worth the blood of a Nigeria. He chose to be the leader of Nigeria rather than the leader of a political party. This was much more of a statesman than the GEJ that drove away former Governor Timipre Sylva and imposed the incumbent Governor Seriake Dickson on his native Bayelsa State; an electoral process where he borrowed the leaf of impunity from Obasanjo. So, as we commend the president for his contributions to the success of the Edo guber, we must also bear in mind that his Bayelsa shindig is an indication

He chose to be the leader of Nigeria rather than the leader of a political party.Nigerians must therefore remain vigilant. We must not relax and entrust our democracy in the hands of a politician who has demonstrated an uncanny ability to play fast and loose

Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN’s) Oshiomhole. Apart from the issue of performance, GEJ owed the governor so much political debt. Sensitive to the South-South solidarity in the 2011 presidential election, Oshiomhole had campaigned for GEJ against his party’s presidential candidate, Malam Nuhu Ribadu. The “Comrade Governor ” had also

that he can also play from the other side of virtue if he sees the need. Nigerians must therefore remain vigilant. We must not relax and entrust our democracy in the hands of a politician who has demonstrated an uncanny ability to play fast and loose. It is our democracy. We must guard it with the same tenacity that Edo people did.

OPINION BY MOLOKWU CHINEDU

READ with disappointment the position of my brother, Hon. Chudi Offodile over the situation of things in Awka vis-à-vis the Government of Mr. Peter Obi. It is in bad taste when some of our people deliberately chose to distort information. Is it a case of short sightedness or plain mischief? Anambra State was created in 1991. I can state categorically, and without fear of contradiction that Awka as a town and the entire State Capital Territory have fared best under the Peter Obi Government. I challenge anybody who holds contrary view to come forward with fact and figures of things on ground. No Government has given Awka due attention as the governor has done presently. On assumption of office, Anambra State Government had no functional Government House, Government Lodge and the House of Assembly Complex. They, including Anambra Broadcasting Services, were all burnt down in 2004. The Women Development Centre and Ikenga Hotel were also not spared. Governor Obi has re-built all of these, except the Ikenga Hotel where he intends to site a new shopping mall.

Anambra: Offodiles tirades Since Anambra was created in 2004, no past government including those Hon. Chudi Offodile served under paid compensation for Awka Land acquired for capital projects. Today, Governor Obi has paid us in excess of 500m Naira. From what my brother said about development in Anambra and in Awka particularly, it is clear he is one of those who does not understand what development really is. Development is not about building skyscrapers, Airports and nuclear power as Hon. Chudi insinuated, but first about developing the people through right values and orientations. You will agree with me that Obi, while not neglecting Offodile’s skyscrapers, has embarked on the institutionalisation of right values which drive and sustain development. It is on record that the last library in Anambra State was built in 1966, but today, Obi has given Awka an ultra-modern Prof. Kenneth Dike Central Library. It is significant that the Governor chose to name it after our own son, which may certainly mean nothing to Chudi. St Theresa of the child Jesus said

that virtues consist in doing little things very well. It is fundamentally faulty to equate development to grandiose buildings, which, in any case Obi has equally built in Awka. Chudi says Obi has done nothing in Awka, whilst the Teaching Hospital is clearly a few metres to his Hotel. Under previous Governments, Awka was not even considered fit to host such project, but not with Obi. There is no law that says Obi could not take it to Agulu, which is even within the State Capital territory; but always guided by equity and justice, he sited it at Awka. He has, within a few years, turned the place into one of the best teaching hospitals in Nigeria, structure-wise. He has not done anything in Awka, yet the Teaching Hospital has almost 20 new giant buildings such as: a new Theatre, Two Pharmaceutical stores, Special Ward, Children’s Ward, Male Ward, Female Ward, Laundry Building, Catering Building, Mortuary/Pathology building, General Outpatient Department, Community Medicine/Consultants’ Clinic, Administrative/Accident and Emergency building, College of Medicine building,

House Officers’ Quarters among others. The Governor conceived and built all these from the scratch, yet Offodile says he has no power of conception. Why are some people wicked and ready to run others down for no reason? It was an Anambra man who said the impressive edifice was not fit to host prisoners. In terms of road network, let me take this opportunity to condemn as wickedness, people seeking or creating faults in others. Since 1991, no past Government constructed any road in Awka. The major road, Zik’s Avenue, was not only constructed, but was dualised by Governor Obi. Other roads in Awka, namely: Arthur Eze Avenue, Awka- Nibo- Nise- Enugwu-Ukwu, Awka NTA- Enugwu-Agidi Road, Works road, Awka Inner Ring Road, Ifite-Awka-EbenebeHoly Family Road, Extension Roads within GRA, Umuokpu by-pass, Court road, Majua Road, among others were done by this administration. Most of these roads were constructed by RCC, CCC, Niger Cat and Master Holdings. So, how can Offodile talk about incompetent contactors? Continues tomorrow on page 18 •Mr. Chinedu, a social commentator, wrote from Umudioka village, Awka, Anambra State.

50 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012

L-r: Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi; General Overseer, Abundant Life Ministries Apostle Eugene Ogu; Governor Amaechi's wife, Judith, and Apostle Ogu's wife, Milly, at the 50th birthday thanksgiving service of Apostle Ogu in Port Harcourt

PDP NEC rejects Pedro as c'ttee chair BY HENRY UMORU

BUJA—MOVES by National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, to make the National Executive Committee, NEC, ratify the former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mr. Femi Pedro as Chairman of the new National Disciplinary Committee of the party, has been rejected. Pedro’s name was contained in an internal memo dated July 16, 2012 by Tukur, inviting members of NEC to the 60th meeting to “note the reconstitution of the committee and ratify the membership of the National Disciplinary Committee.” It was also gathered that Pedro’s name was dropped because he was relatively new in PDP to head such a sensitive position of reconciling aggrieved members of the party as well as states with crisis, when he does not know much about the history of the party. A source at the meeting said his name was immediately dropped by NEC as soon as the PDP National Chairman presented the memo. NEC members were said to have raised questions on his suitability to handle such a position against the backdrop that though he indicated interest in the position of National Secretary during the campaign for the election of the current NWC, he just defected to PDP after his sojourn in Alliance for Democracy, AD, where he was a deputy governor and recently Labour Party, LP, where he contested the 2007 governorship election. C M Y K

Etisalat last week presented phone handsets to winners of Etisalat 9ja free credit promo, held at Etisalat Experience centre, Ikeja, Lagos. Mr. Idowu Adesokan, Head, Mass Market Segment Etisalat, (3rd right) during the presentation. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

L-r: Mr. Dare Adesope, National Secretary, OPC; Dr. Frederick Fasehun, President & Founder, OPC; and Alhaji Toafeek Adeyemi, National Welfare Officer, OPC at the press conference addressed by Dr. Frederick Fasehun, President & Founder, Oodua People's Congress on biting security issues in the country in Lagos. Photo: Sylva Eleanya

L-r: Past president, Iponri Rotary Club, past assistant governor District 9110, Rotary International, Rotn Arc. Bayo Adewakun with former CEO, GT Bank plc, and chairman, Main One, Chief Fola Adeola at the 2012 Rotary International conference in Lagos

Archbishop (Dr.) Motailatu Akinadewo, Primate, founder and supreme head, Motailatu Church C& S Worldwide, offering special prayer for Nigeria and members during the church founder's day anniversary at Alakuko Area of Lagos State, yesterday.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012 — 51

Telecoms: When lawmaking endangers industry progress By OSALUMESE ANEGBE

HERE does somebody begin this story - the story of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, and the National Environmental Standard Regulatory Agency, NESREA, which festered for a time before medications became expedient? The sealing up of a particular base station in Abuja and the opening of same, and the re-sealing of that very base station seemed to have brought the differences between the two government organisations to the fore. It also heightened the noticeable effects of such differences on the entire communications industry. When you shut a base station you shut down the ability of phone users depending on that station to communicate. However, commonsense eventually prevailed as the two ministries: Communication Technology and Environment and their agencies sat together to resolve what seemed an intractable relationship. Following the position of the Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, the points of differences were nearly resolved and common ground of understanding was being canvassed and accepted by all parties. Mainly on issue was the distance of base stations from dwelling apartments. While the NCC approval to operators is five metres, NESREA says only ten metres is safe enough for people living near base stations. NESREA canvasses a position that harmful effects of base station especially radiation could be a health hazard and, therefore, has to take all actions including shutting base stations in order to protect the Nigerian people. The question could

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be asked, was the fears or concerns of NESREA empirically based or based on mere gut feelings? Militant and near patriotic as NESREA action was, that position, from industry knowledge was based on a fountain of ignorance and makes the country a laughing stock before the international community. From all indications no research has been able to link base station emissions to radiation. Thus it became more absurd and extremely laughable when the House of Representatives Committee on Environment went into a dying fire of hate to invite the NCC to begin to relive all over the trouble that was being conveniently laid to rest. The Committee obviously nursed a paternalistic protection for NESREA.

International standards Perhaps responding to a vexatious question which you must answer because it is coming from the National Assembly, some of which members seemed to be empowered by law beyond their capabilities, the Executive Vice Chairman, EVC, Dr. Eugene Juwah of the NCC, explained that the regulator follows the Act setting up the Commission and other international standards to superintend the telecommunications industry. A national newspaper of June 26, 2012, captured his remarks: “The major cause of the conflict comes from the fact that NESREA Act came four years after the establishment of the NCC. So, adequate care was not taken to harmonise certain conflicting issues that were inherent then, but moves are on to resolve those

NCC EVC, Dr. Juwah issues. “The issue of setback of five metres is not in any Act. They are contained in our regulations. The law empowers us as regulators to make regulations and they become subsidiary laws. These are made by the NCC Board just like any other boards. “As a regulator, our Act empowers us to regulate services and infrastructure and that is the main focus of our regulatory mandate for telecommunications industry. So, we have a right to set standards about size and setback of masts, among other matters. As a matter of fact, the radiation from a telecommunications mast is less than what we get from our television. This is empirical that can be measured. So the issue of pollution is very minimal.” So many people including the former EVC of the NCC, Engr Ernest Ndukwe, hold so strongly to the last point made by Dr. Juwah that emission from a base station is far less than that of a domestic TV or radio. But why would the House Committee on Environment goad activities of an ancillary agency instead of touching base with the House Committee on Com-

munications and probably compare notes? The answer will be found in the tardiness with which certain things are being handled in the House. Two examples will suffice. The NIGCOMSAT Bill and the Telecom Electromagnetic Frequency Bill recently sneaked through some rounds of reading at the House of Representatives with the NIGCOMSAT Bill actually getting to the Senate. The Bills did not go through any public reading nor were inputs invited from stakeholders, thus attracting random condemnations. There were widespread fears that both bills could jeopardise the status of the laws already existing in the various sectors while some critics sought to know the experts and consultants employed by the House members before embarking on such lawmaking odyssey. Raising their voices against the activities of the lawmakers were The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS) and Leadership and Role Model Foundation (LRMF). But it was just good that somebody was watching and ready to shout because instead of reinventing the wheel and doing things our way, the international standards spelt out in many documents could serve as a guide. That is the point NATCOMS was making in its reaction. Having said that, it is the considered opinion of this writer that the patriotic responsibility of the law makers is to make laws that will foster the development of their people, not the NESREA type which came four years after the Nigerian Communications Act to create tension and unnecessary distraction but for the timely intervention of the supervising ministers. Mr. Anegbe writes from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

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station was said to have sustained injury in an accident that occurred in the course of rescuing some electoral officers who were in distress. One PDP chieftain in IjebuNorth (name withheld) allegedly held some electoral officers hostage shortly after the declaration of the result in the local government but were rescued by soldiers. Vanguard learnt that, the security personnel attached to a financier of the party over powered policemen who later called for assistance from the army. In Ode Remo, sporadic gunshots were said to have been fired by unknown persons to scare away voters from the polling units. At Simawa High School, Sagamu, the ACN chairmanship candidate, Mrs Funmi Efuwape was said to have narrowly escaped attack by some unidentified opposition supporters following disagreements over alleged irregularities at the polling unit. Efuwape who had already cast her vote before the incident was immediately ferried to safety by her supporters.

*Gov Amosun casting his vote during the local government elections in the state on Saturday

OGUN LG POLL:

Heavily armed soldiers

The intrigues and power play GOVERNOR Ibikunle Amosun is today expected to inaugurate 19 Council Chairmen who emerged victorious in the highly controversial council polls conducted last Saturday. The controversies that shadowed the campaign and the election signposts more political plots ahead BY DAUD OLATUNJI

HE inability to find former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s name in the voters register used in last weekend’s local government elections in Ogun State may have been the peak of the absurdities that characterized the poll. But that was only one of the many surprises in the high level intrigues and power play that shadowed the campaigns and preparations for the council polls. As at press time yesterday the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN had cleared all 19 chairmanship seats declared and the remaining one which was not declared as a result of court arbitration was also won by the ruling party. The party similarly had a near of the councillorships winning 226 of the 236 council seats leaving 9 for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and 1 for the Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN. The results were announced last night by Alhaja Risikat Ogunfemi, chairman of the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission, OGSIEC. Irregularities and violence Contrary to the promise made by the OGSIEC, that, voting materials would be delivered as promptly as possible, most polling units in Ogun East and West did not get voting materials

on time and complete. President Obasanjo’s name was not the only conspicuously missing name on the voters’ register. The Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland Oba Michael Adeniyi Sonariwo and six members of his family were similarly disenfranchised. At Odogbolu Local Government, the name of the People’s Democratic Party Chairmanship candidate, Omoba Gbenga Osinowo was also missing on the voter register.

Normal business In Ikenne, Obafemi Owode, Abeokuta North and South, Remo North and Sagamu, Ijebu East, Odeda, Ijebu North East, Ijebu North, Ado-Odo/Otta, Ifo, Ijebu Ode, Ewekoro and Yewa North, the turn-out was low as residents in many of these areas stayed indoors while many others went about their normal business. Residents in many parts of the state complained of inadequate supply and late arrival of voting materials. In Igbesa town, Ado –Odo/Otta Local Government, electoral materials were not distributed until 12 noon, thirty minutes before the casting of votes

commenced. In Ogun Waterside, a prospective voter, Mr. Dehinde Ifarajimi allegedthat there were no elections in his Makun-Omi/ Irokun Ward 9. Ballot box snatching The council polls also rekindled the ugly episode of ballot box snatching. Vanguard gathered that ballot boxes designated for the election in some wards in Makun-Omi in Ogun waterside were snatched by people believed to be supporters of one of the major parties who took them away to the local government headquarters. Similar ugly incidents also occurred in Isire, Ode-Omi, Abigi, Ibiade among several others which include Ajebandele Ward, Ijebu East Local Government, where a teacher was reported to have snatched four booklets of ballot papers and thumb printed them. A former ACN chairmanship aspirant in Remo North was reported to have been arrested and detained by policemen in Sagamu for alleged electoral offence. In Isara, Remo North Local Government there was near outbreak of violence following allegations that a senior official in the Caretaker Committee was

Also in Isara and so many other parts of the state, heavily armed soldiers and anti-riot policemen were said to have harassed involved in ballot box stuffing. residents and prospective voters Violence and attacks who became scared and stayed There were also many away from the polling units. mysterious circumstances that To give a signal of their added to the intrigues that presence, policemen engaged shaped the campaigns and the in a show-of-force in Abeokuta, election proper. the state capital with a view to Twenty four hours to the dissuading would-be trouble election, a councillorship makers during the council poll. candidate of PDP in Igbesa At OGSIEC headquarters, Okeslumped and Ilewo, visitors to the died mysteriously. commission’s office were Also, a barred from the premises councillorship of the electoral body candidate of the while uniform and ACN escaped plainclothes security death by the operatives stood guard whiskers when his within and without the car exploded precinct of the shortly after he commission’s offices. The parked it in front of Alsatian dogs and the his opponent’s council police anti-bomb squad residence in were also deployed polls also Ewekoro. around the One electoral rekindled OGSIEC offices. The officer was said to State Police have been hit with the ugly Commissioner had a charm by yet to episode of warned trouble-makers be identified to steer clear of the state, person and was ballot box stressing that no still in coma as at snatching politician found to have the time of filing the contravened the law report. during the election According to one would be spared. of the OGSIEC Also, the Nigeria commissioners Security and Civil who pleaded Defence Corps in the anonymity, some state reportedly electoral officers were chased deployed 1,680 officers and men with guns and had to to different parts of the state. hide in the bush after the Time will tell whether what collation of the results in Yewa happened last weekend in Ogun axis. One Divisional Police will stand the test of time. Officer, DPO, attached to polling

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012—57

How Northern governors create poverty and insecurity — Isyaku Ibrahim ALHAJI Isyaku Ibrahim, businessman and politician was one of the founders of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and subsequently a member of the Board of Trustees of the party until he decamped and joined the Congress for Progressive Change, (CPC). In this interview, Alhaji Rabiu reviews events in the polity, expresses his frustration with many of the governors who he claims have abandoned governance for filthy lucre and lashes out at the prophets of doom asserting that Nigeria would remain indivisible despite proclamations of a Nigeria apocalypse in 2015. Excerpts: governor w h o throughout did not stay BY GBENGA OKE in his state. He only O you believe the dreams came around of the nation’s to collect the founding fathers are still on s t a t e course? allocation Mallam Aminu Kano and Dr and after Nnamdi Azikwe were my giving to political mentors. When I was l o c a l growing up, I joined Northern governments, Elements Progressive Union he would (NEPU) and had the disappear opportunity to be the again. There Secretary of NEPU in the are still many Western region then. of them I also had the opportunity to doing this. meet a number of leaders of So, it is the the Western region, people government like late Osadebey who was and the the leader of the opposition in system that the Western House because c r e a t e s National Council of Nigeria p o v e r t y. and the Cameroon’s, (NCNC) There are was in the minority. Then you many state could see what the founding governors fathers were doing to develop that give Nigeria because they construction believed in true democracy. works and will not give Meaning of money, how do they democracy expect the construction But in Nigeria of today, we company to don’t even understand the *Isyaku Ibrahim: Those thinking Nigeria will break are deceiving themselves commence meaning of democracy let work. alone believe in it and that is With all these happening, why there is confusion country, you don’t feel you see people that have to do with how can everywhere. We have a anything because the killing nothing is happening in one government enjoying what y o u constitution and it’s part of the country belongs to Nigerians. the document which experience which is the North, I participated in the Shagari stability guides the process of so you don’t give a government who was the first a n d government in a damn. executive President of this p e a c e ? particular country, we You say the North country; no Nigerian will tell This is a have a constitution but did not vote for you, you that he knows who Mrs. country we do not respect it. therefore they can be Shagari was There is no where killing themselves, Those thinking Nigeria will we wake accountability. which is how break are deceiving up and Imagine when the If the Jonathan is leads us. themselves; it’s just only few find out country was boiling, money Do you share the disgruntled intellectual elites that one our President traveled view that Nigeria who are disgusted that are Nigerian to Brazil for World they are may not remain one talking about it. Go to Wuse h a s Environmental collecting till 2015? market in Abuja, you see Igbo, s t o l e n Conference when In the first place, Yoruba and Hausa and they over N Damaturu, Yobe, from the who is talking about are the true Nigerians. Kaduna and other 1 0 0 2015 at this present parts of the North federal billion. It is said that poverty is the were on fire. If it were allocation moment when we It is don’t even have cause of insecurity in the worrisome President Obama of stability. North. Do you agree? the United States and was used today This is a country Who created poverty? The that you with a crisis in to develop where you call a governors in their respective see the Chicago, Los Angeles their house wife the first states did. When they are Nigerian or Houston; he would lady which does not given allocation, they divert police in not have attended that various exist in the it to their personal use. If the uniform meeting. constitution of this states, money they are collecting staying They kill innocent country and she will from the federal allocation b e h i n d people, every other there won’t use the property of was used to develop their o time you open your r to be various states, there won’t be carrying mouth and say we are be poverty Nigeria gallivanting. It is poverty there. on top of it and as the bag for there only in Nigeria that Remember there was a r i c h President of the

C M Y K

Nigerians. In Britain, you can never see a British policeman behind any rich Briton; you provide your own security. After all, why are you afraid if you are doing a genuine business? What is your observation on the bribery scam related to the House of Representatives investigation on subsidy management? It is the ingredient of corruption. You know the report pointed to the culprits and this report has been there for two months and we have not heard that President Jonathan has called his agents who deal with these things to arrest the companies indicted.

Blackmailing committee chairman Rather than that, he and his friends were busy trying to see how they can blackmail the committee chairman, Farouk Lawan who was naïve. We respected him but he let us down to have gotten himself involved in this kind of situation. What we are asking is that, what has happened to the N2.6 trillion subsidy money? Also, we expected that by now government should have started arresting those people involved, then we would have known that the President is serious. Otherwise, people who are accusing him of being part of the whole exercise will have something to hang on while people who still doubt his stance on it will then believe. For now, we still give him the benefit of the doubt but when he comes back, he should ensure that those indicted are arrested including his friends.

58 — Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012

UN marks Mandela's International Day BY HUGO ODIOGOR

ROFESSOR Ibrahim Gambari has called on world leaders to uphold the vision of former South Africa's President, Madiba Nelson Mandela, who celebrated his 94th birthday last week as the United Nations General Assembly marked July 18 th as Nelson Mandela International Day to remember people who struggle against political oppression, poverty, hunger and disease. Prof. Gambari who is the Joint Special Representative of African Union and United Nations Hybrid Operations in Darfur, said in New York “that the occasion of celebrating Dr. Nelsion Mandela as the the symbol of freedom, justice and reconciliation, challenges world leaders, to live up to the vision of Dr. Mandela to dismantle

all forms of racism in any part of the world and at the same time work, towards uplifting the social and economic conditions of people around the world as a guarantee to world peace”. United Nations General Assembly held a Special Session to celebrate Mandela Day and also to Commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid. In a speech delivered at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Prof Gambari who was the last chairman of the special committee against Apartheid said "the birthday of the great African freedom fighter, coincided with the 50th anniversary of the special committee against Aparthied which played epocal role in frustrating the White Minority regime in South Africa. Nigeria

•Professor Gambari was the chairman of the Committee for 30 years,

with Prof Gambari as the last Chairman of the Committee which declared: “Mission Accomplished!” after the release of Dr. Mandela from prison, after spending 27 years for a life jail on charge of treason and final dismantling of apartheid in South Africa. Prof. Gambari said, “ The greatest tribute that we can pay to Mr. Mandela is to redouble our collective

commitment to take action to build a caring world and bring about change for the billions across our globe who still stand expectantly at the gates of hope for a life worth living. Together, we’ve come a long way and achieved a lot through our joint and collaborative endeavours." He said, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the special committee against apartheid, we also join the

ANC in celebrating its 100th anniversary. As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest. It is a world of great promise and hope. It is also a world of despair, disease and hunger. Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life. While poverty persists, there is no true freedom.

Obama visits families of Colorado shooting victims

RESIDENT Barack Obama travels to Colorado yesterday to meet families bereaved after a “demonic” gunman went on a shooting rampage at a movie theater in a Denver suburb, killing at least 12 people and wounding 58. The victims, who ranged from six to 51 years of age, died in Aurora, Colorado, early

on Friday when a gunman police identified as graduate-school dropout James Holmes opened fire during a packed midnight premiere of the latest “Batman” film. A vigil is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. yesterday in front of Aurora City Hall, organized by civic, community and religious leaders. “We can now start the natural process of grieving and healing,” Aurora Mayor Steve Hogan said at a memorial on Saturday for one young shooting victim: “We’re still reeling.”

•President Obama Obama’s trip comes as investigators are deepening a probe into Holmes. He was arrested immediately after the fatal spree

at the local multiplex and local and federal authorities disarmed explosives in his booby-trapped apartment on Saturday.

Mexico urges U.S. to review gun laws

EXICAN President Felipe Calderon condemned U.S. gun laws as “mistaken” and

urged Washington to review them after a shooter killed 12 people and injured more than 50 oth-

Greece slips into “Depression”, PM says

REECE is in a “Great Depression” similar to the American one in the 1930s, the country’s Prime Minister Antonis Samaras told former U.S. President Bill Clinton on Sunday. Samaras was speaking two days before a team of Greece’s international lenders arrive in Athens to push for further cuts needed for the debt-

laden country to qualify for further rescue payments and avoid a chaotic default. Athens wants to soften the terms of a 130-billion euro bailout agreed last March with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund, to soften their impact on an economy going through its worst post-war recession.

ers at a U.S. movie theater on Friday. In comments posted on his Twitter account on Saturday, Calderon offered his condolences to the United States after a gunman went on the rampage with an assault rifle at a midnight premier of the new Batman film in Aurora, Colorado. But Mexico’s president, who has repeatedly called on Washington to tighten gun controls to stop weapons flowing from the United States into the hands of Mexican drug cartels, said U.S. weapons policy needed a rethink after the killings.

Alawites divided over support for Assad as battle intensifies

S government and rebel forces intensify their hostilities in major cities of Aleppo, Homs and Hama, there are indications that all is not well with President Bashar Assad whose hold on power has

slipped considerably especially, among his tribes men of Alawites are confused on their next line of action. Shaken by the stunning bomb attack that killed five top officials of the President’s inner circle last week has shaken the

faith of Alawite supporters who doubt his ability to stave off stiff armed rebellion that has now encroached on Damascus. Serious fighting has been reported in the Northern city of Aleppo, which is considered to be the economic capital of Syria. C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012 — 59

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Vanguard , MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012—61

Vanguard CLASSIFIED

INDUCTION: From left— Chief Willie Ezugwu, Secretary-General, CNPP; Mr. Emeka Ugwueze, Head, Protocol, Enterprise Bank; Mr. Abubakar Ebuetse, Associates of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, ACIArb; Mr. Okey Ugwueze, ACIArb; Prof. Emmanuel Ezugwu, Provost, AFIT, Kaduna, and Chief Uguweze Igwuechiebo, at the induction of Abubakar & Okey as Associates of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators in Lagos, weekend.

Middle Belt youths threaten self-defence against Boko Haram, Fulani herdsmen F

OLLOWING the loss of innocent lives and destruction of property in the Northern part of the country due to the activities of the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, and Fulani herdsmen, Middle Belt Youths Focus, MBYF, has threatened to defend people of the region if the attacks continued. President of the group, Alhaji Abdulazeez Bello, in a statement, weekend, said: “We are of the opinion that, should the situation degenerate any further, the good people of Middle Belt will have no other option than to defend themselves, even with the last blood in us. “We, the people of Middle Belt, have been and will continue to embrace peace but there is limit to our elasticity of patience. Our silence is based on our belief in the unity and co-existence of our nation.” He noted that the re-occurrence of attacks in Jos, Plateau State, was a calculated attempt to destabilise the Middle Belt region. He lamented the manner the menace had been handled by the Federal Government, and decried

what he called the nonchalant attitude of the various security organisations, urging them to

wake up to their constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property.

Ministers, experts blame aviation crisis on EU ban BY LAIDE AKINBOADE

BUJA—AFRICAN ministers and aviation experts have blamed the ban by European Union, EU, on African airlines and inadequate funding as the major causes of the crisis in the African aviation sector. Chairman Bureau of Ministers, Dr. Augusto Tomas, who briefed journalists after the ministerial conference in Abuja, said: “Unilateral operational bans imposed on some African airlines by EU, which limits participation of the airlines in the international air transport market and the resultant negative impact on the national economies, may lead to a robust action being taken by African states against airlines from EU member states. “Insufficient number of competent or skilled avia-

tion professionals to ensure aviation safety in Africa; inadequacy of financial resources to ensure aviation safety and uneven implementation of the Yamoussoukro decision are some of the problems facing African airlines.” The participating states agreed to urgently implement national, regional and continent-wide strategies on aviation safety. He emphasised the importance of air transport to the economic development of the continent, particularly the increased interaction among people and wealth creation resulting from the various exchanges, which had been facilitated. The ministers agreed that there was urgent need to establish regional safety oversight, search and rescue and accident investigation organisations.

SERVICOM tasks NYSC members on quality service

ATIONAL Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members nationwide have been urged to create a culture for effective and quality service delivery. Focal Officer of SERVICOM, NYSC Taraba State, Mr. Murtala Abdullahi, who made the call at a SERVICOM lecture for the 2012 Batch ‘B’ orien-

tation camp in Jalingo, said that the motive behind the establishment of SERVICOM in any organisation was to enhance effective service delivery. He said SERVICOM was an instrument employed to check the lapses in organisations in terms of poor service delivery and to ensure that employees and em-

ployers do what they ought to do at the right time. Abdullahi said: “With service delivery initiative, SERVICOM office is to build a new partnership with NYSC members, using its position and strength for challenging bad service and to stimulate new ideas in our youths as future leaders.”

M A I K A N O— I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Maikano Ahmed Zinab, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Josephine Ogala. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NJEZI— I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Njezi Uchechukwu Mercy, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ugwuegbulam Uchechukwu Mercy. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

JAIYEOLA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Patience Tolulope Jaiyeola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Patience Tolulope Ukut. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UCHE—I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Uche Theresa Chinwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Ifediora Theresa Chinwe. All former documents remain valid. Lagos State University and general public please take note.

OKORO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okoro Ngozi Caroline, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chidi Sunday Caroline Ngozi. All former documents remain valid. University of Ado-Ekiti and general public please take note.

OBIOHA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Obioha Love Chinyere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Love C. Joshua-Omegah. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OSUJI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Osuji Chika Ifeoma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adams Chika Ifeoma. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NWIZU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwizu Ijeoma Gladys, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Iwuchukwu Ijeoma Gladys. All former documents remain valid. Nwafor Orizu College of Education Nsugbe, University of Nigeria Nsukka and general public please take note.

UDEGBE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Udegbe Uzara Mary, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Emeka Amadi Mary. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

EFEDUMA—This is to confirm that Miss Newlife Efeduma and Miss Akpokpokpor Efeduma is the same and one person; now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akpokpokpor Onojighofia. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NNAKA—I, formerly known and addressed as Mr. Nnaka Okezie Sixtus Franklin Anaedu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Franklin Okezie Anaedu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UDEH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Udeh Janet Ezinne, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Egbucha Jane Ezinne. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AYENI—I, formerly known and addressed as (Dr.) Miss Titilola Abisoye Ayeni, now wish to be known and addressed as (Dr.) Mrs. Titilola Abisoye Eduvie. All former documents remain valid. Federal Medical Centre, Asaba and general public please take note.

ADILIABA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adiliaba Ifeyinwa Ngozika, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwagu Ifeyinwa Ngozika. All former documents remain valid. Zenith Bank Plc and general public please take note.

BRAJOLOR—I, formerly known and addressed as Benson Brajolor, now wish to be known and addressed as Ben Tombra Bowei. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Confirmation of Name My correct name is Obi Kingsley Onyeka, but some of my documents bear Patrick Kingsley Onyeka. This is to confirm that Obi Kingsley Onyeka and Patrick Kingsley Onyeka is one and same person. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

BRAIMOH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Omobolanle Sherifat Braimoh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Omobolanle Sherifat Madu. All former documents remain valid. DELSU, BHI, GTBank , WAEC, NYSC and general public please take note.

ABBAS—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Asabe Jenny Abbas, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Asabe Jenny Nwanade. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

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

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Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012

start this way. On Sat urday night I sat through a punishing ninety minutes as Sunshine Stars of Nigeria grabbed a valuable point away in Sousse, Tunisia against Etoile Du Sahel in the ongoing Orange CAF Champions league round robin stage. In a release I made available to my colleagues last Wednesday I went down memory lane, how Sunshine boast superlative away form. I traced their run in the CAF Confederation Cup last year, and how they won away in Algeria and Cameroun and drew in Congo DR and Tunisia. I also said that their second half performance against Esperance, gave Nigerians hope that all was not lost. Saturday night in Tunisia, Sunshine survived a first half scare where they put all feet wrong ( Kudos to goalkeeper Ocheje ) to post a superlative second half performance that saw them coming close to victory but for woeful marksmanship in front of goal. Now, the arithmetic. Lying third on the table, Sunshine Stars host ASO Chlef of Algeria in their next match on August 5. Victory will push them to four points just as Esperance is expected to get the better of Etoile in the Tunisian derby. In the reverse fixture immediately after that, Sunshine will be guest to ASO Chlef as the Tunisians again tear each other apart.

F this happens, then Esperance will be run away winners with nine points leaving Sunshine to battle for the second position with Etoile, and given that Etoile were still coming to Ijebu Ode, advantage the Nigerians. What a Sunshine of hope rekindled. Talking about hope the other spelling of the word is ……Blessing Okagbare. I am convinced that the founder of the modern Olympics Frenchman Baron Pierre De Coubertin is not resting easy, given what the Olympics have become. As far as the French sports purist was concerned, the Olympics doctrine preached “joy in participation” unity amongst the youths of the world……amateurism. Today the American Basketball team is in London. Not fair. Today athletes that do nothing but sport, professionals all, the Nadals, Djokovics and Federers of Tennis are their country’s flag bearers. Not fair.

ODAY, science is challenged as coaches seek to destroy the lives of their young athletes through the spiking of their systems with performance enhanc-

Okagbare of hope, Mikel as metaphor in plane Sunshine ing drugs all in a bid to achieve ephemeral glory. So, what chance Nigeria? My answer, always, has nothing to do with patriotism. That given our perennial inconsistency in preparations, our only hope was going to be “Ajunwa like”, personal effort, a bolt out of the blue, one that happens when there will be no Nigerian around to hand you a flag for a victory lap. That belief waxed strong last week. My wife came up to my room to tell me that a Nigerian had just won a 100 metres race at a grand prix. I looked at the TV and the live screening of the Aviva London Grand Prix in Crystal Palace was on, but I was quick to remind her that I get sad when I see Nigerians competing for the US, Great Britain ( here the number is frightening ) Canada, Netherlands, Norway…..( Okparaebo Ezinne is the Norwegian record holder in 100 metres with 11.13 seconds ) She insisted that she saw the Nigeria flag flashed against the lady and the first name was Blessing. That must be Okagbare! I concluded. Yes it was Okagbare. In her first heat she returned 10.99 seconds behind Shelley Ann Price of Jamaica who posted 10.93 seconds

HE second heat was dominated by American girls, and did anybody give Blessing any chance? Of course it is now history that she won the race in a time of 11.01 seconds beating two Americans, including reigning world champion Carmelila Jeter to second and third place respectively while Ann Fraser Price came in a distant eight with 11.82 seconds.

Could this be a fluke? Last Friday, Blessing returned to the tracks this time in Hercilis Monaco for the Diamond League and she dusted all opposition including Tiana Madisson and Jenebah Tarmoh of the USA to place first in a time of 10.96 seconds. In athletics parlance, they call it “peaking” at the

right time, going into the Olympics. What an apostle of hope.

end this week by moving a bit back in time to the declaration by J.J.Okocha that the Super Eagles need Mikel Obi as we campaign to return to the Nations Cup. That declaration did ruffle a few feathers as the media fed fat on it. Trust Eagles handler Stephen Keshi to react. That Mikel and the others were still part of his plans. Not many believed him. For me, Mikel Obi is just a metaphor to drive home the point that there are players out there, quality players who deserve a look in as Nigeria gets set to not only play and defeat Liberia but post a credible outing in the Nations Cup in South Africa in January. ( Less than six months away) I will never be tired of telling my Central African story. As FIFA Match Commissioner for the Brazil world Cup qualifying match between Central Africa Republic and Botswana, I came across a Central African team whose average age was 20.

met a team of young boys who were playing in Azerbaijan, Turkey, Israel, Norway….lesser leagues of the world but who brought their youth and enthusiasm to bear on the match running rings round their Botswana counterparts who they beat 2-0 Was I surprised that that same team ousted the mighty Pharaohs from the Nations Cup? I have had to bring in this story given the numerous enquiries I get regarding even the true age of our players in the domestic league. The argument is that you can only hope, you can only develop, you can only build on youth, home or abroad. LONG LIFE GODWIN, BIMBO. Sincere wishes of God’s grace and favour, abundant health and mercies as Godwin Enakhena ( July 23) and Bimbo Adeola (July 25) add one more year to their illustrious sports reporting lives. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. See you next week.

Vanguard, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012 — 63

Eighteen members of the Nigerian U-17 team fail age verification MRI tests Eighteen members of the Nigerian U-17 team fail age verification MRI tests It has been revealed that eighteen members of the Nigerian U-17 team have failed the age verification Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) tests conducted on them, meaning they are actually above 17 Years old. Ahmed Musa Born in 1992 has featured in Many Age grade competitions but many believe he is actually older. The affected players were screened out during the Grade 1 test ordered by FIFA for all the countries that will participate in CAF/FIFA age grade football competi

Falode applaudes Amaechi C

JUBILATION — Super Eagles players rejoice after scoring a goal.

OORDINATOR for national women’s teams, Aisha Falode has challenged team proprietors to emulate the large heartedness of Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi. Amaechi recently rewarded Challenge Cup champions, Rivers Angels with cash and car gifts the same as Nigeria Premier League (NPL) champions, Dolphins. The Caf media committee member told SuperSport.com that the governor ’s gesture is worthy of emulation among his colleagues that are financiers of several women clubs. “What the governor has done is

unprecedented in the history of women football, not only did he appreciate the men and women teams equally he has always identify with the national women teams. “We feel the gesture should not go unnoticed especially as there are many governors who own women teams but hardly pay attention to their welfare. “We call on the affected governors to have a change of heart, emulate what governor Amaechi has done and take a step further to pay off arrears of salaries, signing-on fees, match bonuses, among others owed to these players,” she said.

Berekum Chelsea spoil Mazembe stadium opening party match was the first to be in after Chelsea’s goal- had parried the initial atWhy we’re bringing Arsenal staged in their brand keeper Ernest Sowah tempt.

T was the silence of the grave yard yesterday at the newly constructed state of the art T.P.Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi when visiting Berekum Chelsea football club of Ghana silenced the capacity crowd with a deserved 2-2 draw in the Orange CAF Champions league match day 2. After losing their first match away to Al Ahly of Egypt the Congolese former champions knew they were condemned to win especially as the

new stadium.

So fired the Congolese came out firing and less than ten minutes into the match, their onslaught paid off when rampaging Samatta found lurking Mputu who made no mistake for the opener. Twenty minutes later referee Daniel Benneth of South Africa did not think twice before awarding a penalty to the Congolese when Mputu was brought down in the box and he stood up to hit the ball

Nigeria wins gold Continues from BP tingent to the London 2012 Olympics success,” said Mallam Abdulahi through his Press Secretary, Julius Ogunro. A member of the quartet, Clement Chukwu also expressed satisfaction with the decision. The IOC had ruled in 2008 that the American quartet stood disqualified after a member of the their quartet Antonio Pettigrew confessed to dope usage. Chukwu urged the IOC to release the medal last year, but administrative bottle necks prevented the Nigerian quartet featuring Chukwu, Jude Monye, late Sunday Bada and Enefiok UdoObong from getting the medal. “It is a good development. At least we will

have something of real value to show our children for all our scarifies in sports,” said the USA based athlete. In Sydney the Nigerian quartet anchored by Odo-obong put up a good showing to clinch the silver behind the American team featuring world record holder, Michael Johnson. Nigeria are now elevated to title winners with Jamaica taking silver and the Bahamas the bronze. “Pettigrew was disqualified in August 2008 but the Executive Board delayed a decision on reallocation until it had received information stemming from investigations into the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) sports-doping scandal,” an IOC statement read.

London Olympics Continues from BP was not quite enough. The frequent usage of the condoms is just one side effect of the wild, allnight parties that go down in the Olympic Village, which is supposedly a hotbed of sex, drugs and gold medals. Or at least, that is the claim made by the anonymous author of the new salacious tell-all The Secret Olympics. The author claims to be a former British Olympian himself, giving him firsthand experience to all the secret escapades that go down in the very private and heavily guarded village. The official Olympic regulations state that alcohol and drugs are banned from the village during the competition; however, the author maintains that it is incredibly easy for the contestants to sneak booze and other drugs into the villages. According to the author, although many of the activities that go down in the village are not sanctioned, they are kept quiet as to not sully the reputable image of the Olympics. It is not hard to understand why so many condoms are needed during this 17-day competition. The village itself is its own Mt. Olympus, filled with our version of the gods: healthy, incredibly

fit athletes in their prime. For the duration of the competition, the best of the best from all over the world live together, so it is no surprise that many of them are attractive and attracted to each other. Especially when there are countless lists highlighting the “hottest” athletes, with a few posing in magazines shoots that leave little to the imagination. If all of this is true, what happens to the athletes who come from cultures that are not as permissive of this sort of behavior? However, some of the descriptions in the book of sex and scandal may be exaggerated. In rebuttal to the book’s claims, Todd Lodwick, a 35-yearold-five-time Olympian and two-time gold medalist, says, “It’s a tradition — taking so many that they have to replace them … It’s a myth.” Moreover, with the intense focus, training, and maturity needed to make it to the Olympics, there is little room to throw it all away for one night of partying and pleasure. Regardless of the condom count for the London 2012 games, everything we need to see will take place in the Olympic arena and what happens in the Village, stays in the Village for a reason.

stars to Nigeria — Deepak

HIEF Operating Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Deepaqk Srivstava has explained the decision by the communications company to bring to Nigeria, four first team players of Arsenal Football Club of England next month. Speaking with Sports Vanguard, Deepak said the move was to compensate thousands of Arsenal fans in Nigeria after the club canceled a pre-season tour earlier planned for the country. Tomas Rosicky, Bacary Sagna, Per Mertesacker and new signing Lukas Podolski will travel to Lagos with Club officials for a flying visit the weekend after next. The players will take part in Club events and other activities organised by

Airtel. “We were disappointed to have to postpone the game and intend to visit Nigeria next summer,” an Deepak said. The players will take part in a busy schedule of events in Lagos. Deepak who is also the Executive Director of the company said: “Arsenal has a very large supporter base in Nigeria and Airtel is eager to connect these fans with some of their favourite football players. “Indeed, Airtel is extremely committed to creating opportunities to excite and engage telecommunications consumers just as we are passionate about realizing our brand vision of being the mostloved brand in the daily lives of Nigerians.”

RVP Continues from BP And with Manchester City and Manchester United also chasing the 28year-old, he is likely to get his money. The double Footballer of the Year has already turned down a £130,000-a-week offer from Arsenal but neither City nor United will be frightened off by his demands. City already pay Yaya Toure £225,000 a week, while Wayne Rooney receives £200,000 a week from United.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger left RVP behind as the club flew out for a tour of the Far East yesterday. And rumours new signing Lukas Podolski will be given the No 10 shirt normally worn by Van Persie have increased speculation the £30m-rated forward will soon be on his way. But Wenger has not given up on keeping his star. He said: “Van Persie is one of the best strikers in the world, if not the best, and my desire is to keep him.”

VANGUARD, MONDAY, JULY 23, 2012

Olympics: Nigeria wins gold •Abdullahi, Ndanusa hail team

JOYFUL••• Nigerian men 4x400m quartet (clockwise) Jude Monye, Clement Chukwu, Enefiok Udo-Obong and late Sunday Bada bask in a joyful celebration after winning the ‘gold’ at Sydney 2000 Olympics.

PORTS Minister, Bolaji Abudulahia and NOC President, Sani M. Ndanusa have hailed the decision by the International Olympic Committee to officialTODAY'S

ly award Nigeria the Sydney 2000 4x400m relay gold. Mallam Abdulahi stated that Nigeria deserves the medal after the USA team that originally won

PUZZLES

the gold was stripped because of doping violations. “ I do send my hearty congratulations to the team and wish our con Continues on Page 63 FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

Continues on Page 63

Muamba: It’s a flaming miracle

— Pg 55

HE Dutchman’s agent Kees Vos met with Italian champions Juventus and revealed the Arsenal skipper wants £195,000 a week in wages. That would make Van Persie one of the highest-paid players in the world. Juventus initially baulked at the figure and reconsidered their options but are now back in the hunt.

MILING footballer Fabrice Muamba proudly carries the Olympic flame yesterday — and thanked God for his miracle recovery. The Bolton Wanderers star, 24, was cheered by thousands as he ended day 64 of the torch relay by lighting a cauldron in Wa l t h a m s t o w, E a s t London. His big moment came just four months after his heart stopped beating during a match. Fab said: “What happened to me is a miracle and I thank God I’m alive and able to do this now.”

Miracle recovery ... Fabrice Muamba

Everybody condom to London Olympics

T only took one week to run out of the 70,000 condoms supplied to Olympic Village

during the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000. And during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Van-

couver, 100,000 condoms were ordered for the athletes, but that still Continues on Page 63

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Trite (5) 5 Halve (6) 8 Elude (5) 10 Appear (6) 11 Bedouin (4) 14 Defame (6) 15 Show-case (7) 18 Entrap (3) 19 Cover (3) 21 Trade (4) 23 Design (5) 24 Nourishment (4) 27 Friend (3) 29 Pin (3) 31 Mesh (7) 32 Talented (6) 34 Observe (4) 35 Affair (6) 38 Cut (5) 39 Modern (6) 40 Centre (5)

DOWN 2 Direct (3) 3 Skilful (6) 4 Record (3) 5 Ray (4) 6 Climbed (6) 7 Shaft (6) 9 Evolve (7) 12 Managed (3) 13 Nibble (4) 16 Too (4) 17 Giant (5) 20 Quandary (7) 22 Assert (4) 24 Agent (6) 25 Candid (4) 26 Dedicate (6) 28 Bandage (6) 30 Obtain (3) 33 Repose (4) 36 Tree (3) 37 Stray (3)

FRIDAY'S SOLUTIONS

ACROSS: 1, Formal 5, Chef 8, Vague 9, Can 10, Boil 11, Real 12, Acrid 13, Devoid 16, Tell 18, Urge 20, Ate 22, Tea 23, Sag 24, Apex 25, Rate 28, Excite 30, Slump 32, Trio 33, Care 34, Nee 35, Trend 36, Glee 37, Stolid.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Facade 2, Renovate 3, Albeit 4, Calculate 5, Curious 6, Head 7, Fall 8, Via 14, Detriment 15, Egg 17, Lea 19, Rational 20, Ape 21, Explore 26, Expert 29, Stag 30, Site 31, Pad.

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. Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470; Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

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