Oduahgate: Jonathan sets up panel to probe minister

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 61999

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

ASUU: Govt negotiators ignorant — Mark 10

ASSOCIATED AIRLINES:

Surviving crash victim's toes, fingers amputated 6

Oduahgate:

T

HE Oduahgate scandal is another proof positive that the rot in government at all levels, not just aviation sector alone is indeed, hydra-headed.

Coming on the heels of the recent Associated Airlines crash, which is the seventh in three years with almost 200 lives lost, it is a wake up call for a thorough re-examina-

N255M CAR SCAM:

Probe and punish all tion of the processes of government with a view to restoring sanity in administration and allocation of scarce resources. For the aviation sector,

this means engendering the safety, comfort and confidence of users of air transport services.

Following the patriotic action Continues on Page 18

Jonathan sets up panel to probe minister

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH, OKEY NDIRIBE, BEN AGANDE & JOSEPH ERUNKE

•Gives probe panel 2 weeks to turn in report •Oduah splits Presidency, goes on pilgrimage to Israel •Police arrest Melaye on protest ground

A

BUJA—FOLLOW ING public outrage that greeted the controversial purchase of N255 million bulletproof vehicles for the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah by the Nigerian Civil AviaContinues on page 5

•P.29

COLUMNISTS: Is'haq Modibbo Kawu •P.17 OCHEREOME NNANNA•P.19

Josef•P.19 Omorotionmwan

Mr & Mrs

PROTEST—Coordinator, Anti- Corruption Network, Dino Malaye and his group clash with Pro- Oduah Group, with the Name PDP Collation Group, during anti-Oduah protest in Abuja,yesterday. Inset: Melaye in a bus before his arrest during the protest.

My story, by Stella Oduah •Says car deal followed due process, listed in Budget 2013

14

2 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013— 3

4 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013—5

POCKET CARTOON

FEC MEETING—Head of Service to the Federation, Alhaji Goni Aji (l) discussing with Power Minister, Professor Chinedu Nebo (r) and the Special Duties Minister, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki during the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the State House, Abuja. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Jonathan sets up panel to probe Aviation Minister Continues from page 1 tion Authority, NCAA, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday set up a three-man administrative panel to investigate the circumstances surrounding the purchase.

The embattled minister, who has already been summoned by the two chambers of the National Assembly to answer questions on her role in the purchase of the cars is reported to have summoned courage and flew to Israel on Tuesday, a

day ahead of President Jonathan’s visit to the country, where he is expected to perform some spiritual rites and sign some bilateral deals.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati who announced the three-man committee to investigate the purchase also confirmed Vanguard’s exclusive report, yesterday that the President has also queried the minister to explain her involvement in the purchase of the cars.

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

When it comes to identifying a real leader…the proof of leadership is found in the followers. Dear Leader, who are your followers?

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

life is yours. Take the power to choose what you want to do and do it well. Take the T power to love what you want in life and love it honHIS

estly. Take the power to walk in the forest and be a part of nature. Take the power to control your own life. No one else can do it for you. Take the power to make your life happy —Susan Polis Schultz You can move forward fearlessly on the path of your dreams, without anxiety or reservation in everything you do. So, today, boldly take one step in the direction of your dreams. Do so with complete confidence that there is always divine intervention; when you have done your part in creating, life blesses all your efforts and makes the difference. Learn to listen to the voice from within and the guidance and helpful suggestion that are open to you. If you learn to be still and to just be, you’ll always find an answer.

Doreen Virtues says, that our inner self, the soul is wise beyond limits, you can directly be in connection with the universal sources, which accesses all knowledge. Therefore, your wisdom comes from the same place as any genius, so even if you do not know a thing, you can always tap into the information that you seek. Just quiet your mind, ask and listen, the answers will come to you.

Abati further assured Nigerians that the President was committed to fighting corruption, saying that anybody found to have violated any laws in the purchase of the cars would not be shielded by the President.

The panel, to be chaired by former Head of Service, Alhaji Isa Sali Bello, has as members the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and AVM Dick Iruenebere (rtd).

The committee is to submit its report within two weeks.

The Presidential Adviser said: “On the purchase of two BMW armoured cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, President Goodluck Jonathan has taken the initial step of asking the Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah for explanations and that is in the public domain and so it will not be right to say that the President is not well seized of the matter.

President Jonathan has also today taken a step further by setting up a three-man administrative panel of inquiry. This panel has the assignment to investigate whether the procurement process with regards to this armoured vehicles followed due process.

“This three-man panel is also to find out the purpose for which the vehicles were procured and then to inquire into any other incidental matter.

“This three-man panel is to be chaired by the immediate former Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Isa Sali Bello, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and AVM Dick Iruenebere (rtd) are members.

“The secretariat of the panel, which is expected to submit its reports within two weeks will be provided by the office of the NSA. “Let me assure you that President Jonathan will like to assure the general public that nobody, no matter how highly placed, will be shielded or exempted from this inquiry that he has directed and that appropriate action will be taken against any person or persons who maybe found guilty of misconduct or misappropriation of public funds either in this respect or in any other respect.

“Indeed Mr. President considers this a very weighty matter and it is not true as some people have been alleging that no action has been taken”, he said.

On whether the Minister will be asked to step aside while the panel carries out her investigation, Dr Abati said: “Well, I have just announced to you what I was asked to announce: that a panel of inquiry has been set up.

This panel will address all the relevant questions and advise Mr. President accordingly within two weeks.”

Oduah splits Presidency, off to Israel for pilgrimage, BASA deal

Meanwhile, competent sources told Vanguard that the decision by the minister to travel to Israel in the midst of the car controversy was to reduce tension generated by the negative development and give her some time off to pray to God while in the Holy Land.

But there were doubts in the Presidency last night as to whether she would be part of the Presidential team to seal the Bilateral Air Services Agreement, BASA, with Israel in Tel Aviv, given the negative publicity the car deal had given the country since it broke out last week.

But sources close to the minister said that she was not bothered about the development, as she was said to have received assurances from influential persons close to the Presidency that she would not be dropped because of her political worth to the system.

A source close to the Presidency told Vanguard that the decision to

query Oduah and eventually raise the panel to probe her did not come easy, as top PDP members and some aides of the President prevailed on him not to do anything against the minister, given the role she played in the election of Mr. President.

It was learnt that after a heated debate, the President bowed to some of his aides, who reasoned that not taking any disciplinary action against the minister would send the wrong message to the world that the President was condoning corruption.

Some of the aides were said to have impressed upon Jonathan the need to act fast in taking action to assuage doubting Nigerians about his avowed war against corruption and to send a strong message to others in the system who might engage in similar acts.

A source said: “The President finally agreed to set up the panel to probe Oduah after some powerful elements in the PDP BoT and the party tried in vain to dissuade him from taking any disciplinary action against the minister.

“The argument of the minister’s protagonists is that she is a star performer, who has changed the aviation landscape in Nigeria and has been very useful to the party and the President, as the leader of the Neighbourto-Neighbour group that has been mobilising for the President during elections.

The minister's colleagues are said to be split on what should be done to her following the car deal imbroglio.

Sources said many ministers, who are apparently fed up with Oduah’s excesses, are pushing for serious action against her while her supporters think otherwise, blaming political enemies for her ordeal.

Dino Melaye arrested over protest

In a related development, the Police, yesterday arrested anti-corrup-

tion crusader, Dino Melaye, after he led a protest against the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah over the car deal gone awry.

This is even as a proOduah group emerged from the Federal Ministry of Aviation, located at the Federal Secretariat, Abuja, with some armed hoodlums and attacked the protesters, led by Melaye.

Melaye, a former member of the House of Representatives, was picked around 12:55 pm by a team of police men, from the FCT Police Command, led by one ASP Odukoya Sunday, in a police Hilux vehicle with registration number: NPF 2128C. His arrest came following his refusal to allow the Police drive away some of the protesters they had arrested on claims of obstructing of traffic and disturbing of public peace.'

Jonathan should sell armoured cars —SERAP

Also yesterday, civil society group, SocioEconomic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has issued a public appeal to President Goodluck Jonathan to “urgently order the sale of the two armored BMW cars reportedly bought with funds from the Aviation Ministry, and to use the accrued funds to provide compensation to families of victims of recent air accidents and use part of the funds to set up a Trust Fund to jump-start genuine reform of the aviation industry.”

In a public appeal dated 20 October 2013 and signed by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni, the organization said that, “The reported diversion of $1.6 million (N255 million) to pay for two cars by someone that should normally be the number one safety official in the aviation ministry illustrates the level of corruption in the sector, and explains why people’s lives have been repeatedly messed with by those entrusted with air safety and security in the country ’s aviation industry.”

6—Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

18-yr-old victim of

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA— AN 18-yearold girl, allegedly gangraped by three boys, has committed suicide at her Amarata residence. It is a suburb of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State

capital.

The deceased, simply identified as Janet, was a native of Oduali in Abua/Odua Local Government Area of Rivers State.

She was reportedly gangraped at gunpoint by the boys, who forced her into an uncom-

Policemen clash in Mile 2

BY IFEANYI OKOLIE

T

HERE was pandemonium, yesterday, at Kirikiri area of Lagos State, when some armed policemen manning a checkpoint at Berger Yard Bus Stop, on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, were attacked by plainclothes policemen suspected to be from the Command’s X-Squad.

An eyewitness told Vanguard that the incident, which occurred at 2p.m., sent people scampering for safety as the plainclothes officers struggled PREPARATION: Abel Peter (left) and Ojo Oyeyemi, members of the National Amputee with the policemen.

An eyewitness, Francis Football team at a training session in Lagos, in preparation for the African Amputee Nations Cup Okonta, described the incident in Nairobi, yesterday.

as a shame and called on the police authorities to look into the situation and prevent a re-occurrence.

He said: “The plainclothes policemen did not display professionalism. I do not know why they were arresting the policemen at the check point, but the way they went about is was too bad.

“A policeman refused to let go of his rifle and he almost fired some shots.

“The plainclothes officers endangered the lives of those policeman and that of members of the public. They also disgraced the force.”

Associated Airlines: Surviving crash victim's toes, fingers amputated

BY KENNETH EHIGIATOR

A

LL 10 toes and five fingers on the left hand of one of the surviving cabin crew of the Associated Airlines, Mrs. Quinneth Owolabi, were eventually amputated four days ago.

Owolabi was one of the five survivors of the airlines’ Embraer 120 aircraft, which crashed near the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, while conveying the remains of former governor of Ondo State, Chief Olusegun Agagu, to Akure for burial.

This is as an online report said that Feyi, late Agagu’s son, was yesterday discharged from the Orthopaedic Ward of Princess Grace Hospital, Nottingham Place, London, two weeks after his admission into the hospital, as he was considered out of danger.

Owolabi’s toes and fingers were to be amputated last week at the Nigerian Air Force Hospital, NAF Base, Ikeja, following gangrene infection.

The husband, alongside members of National Cabin Crew Association, NACCA, had appealed to the Federal Government to fly her abroad for treatment to avoid the amputation.

Vanguard gathered, yesterday, that the victim’s toes and

fingers were finally amputated four days ago, as no help came from government.

The amputation, Vanguard learned, was done so that the infection would not spread to other parts of her body.

Colleagues’ anger

Serving and retired cabin crew executives expressed anger over government’s refusal to come to the aid of the victim despite the appeal made by NACCA and the family.

Spokesperson of the group, Mrs. Blessing Efe, said Owolabi would have been saved the trauma of amputation had government heeded her cries, but confirmed that Miss Toyin Samson’s situation was stable at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Ikeja, where she is on admission.

According to her, the victim has been going through a lot of trauma since the toes and fingers were amputated four days ago.

She said: “It is unfortunate that no help came when Quinneth needed it most. Her toes and fingers were amputated three days ago (four days today). Imagine the trauma she is going through at the moment.

“We want government to always support people who sur-

vive air crashes because the accident is not their making.

“We are trying now to sensitise the public and government on the need to assist those who survive air crashes. It is not easy to survive air an accident.”

She flayed management of Associated Airlines for abandoning the cabin crew since the accident occurred about three weeks ago, stressing that nobody was talking about insurance claims for victims of the crash.

Mrs. Efe said: “The airline has not been forthcoming on care for the two cabin crew who survived the crash. The excuse they gave for Quinneth’s case was that she was not stable enough to be flown out for treatment.

“Now, her toes and fingers have been severed because of abandonment.”

She recalled the experience of the cabin crew executive who survived EAS crash in Kano on May 4, 2002 and had been suffering due to lack of care by the authorities.

She said the iron rod on her leg expired over four years ago and that she had not been able to replace it due to lack of funds.

Efe said: “We expect Governor Idris Wada of Kogi State to come to the aid of the lady.

He was the owner of EAS Air-

lines when that plane crashed in 2002.”

Feyi Agagu discharged

An online report said that Feyi was, yesterday, discharged from the Orthopaedic Ward of Princess Grace Hospital, Nottingham Place, London, two weeks after his admission into the hospital after he was deemed him fit and considered out of danger.

Feyi and Akin, his in-law, are survivors of the October 3 Lagos crash.

Feyi had multiple-fracture and was also suffering from a neck injury, which doctors said may permanently incapacitate him if not hurriedly treated.

Apart from the neck injury, Feyi was also said to be suffering from what the doctors called one percent burn.

Feyi and his in-law, Akin, were moved from LASUTH, on October 8, to the hospital in London.

20-yr-old docked for N.4m theft

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS— A 20-year-old man, Emanuel Okupe, who is an only child of his parents, was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court over alleged burglary and stealing items worth N400,000.

Okupe, who is a barber and resides at Esa in Iba town area of Lagos, was brought before Magistrate Miss Akinde, on a two-count charge bordering on burglary and stealing.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Chinalo Uwadione, said that the defendant and others at large committed the alleged offence on September 10 at 3, Nzekwe’s compound

off Suara Street in Iba area of Lagos.

He told the court that Okupe burgled the house of one Nzekwe Cyriacus and stole one lap top worth N150,000; jewelries valued N200,000, home theatre valued N30,000 and two phones valued N20,000, all belonging to the victim.

Uwadione said the offence is contrary to Section 409 and punishable under Section (a) (b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria, 2011.

However, when the charge was read to the defendant, he pleaded not guilty.

He was granted bail in the sum of N50,000, with one surety in like sum and the matter adjourned till December 9.

Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013—7

gang rape commits suicide pleted building last week, while she was on an errand for her elder sister.

A source said: “The girl was sad and devastated after the incident. After she narrated her experience, her sister ’s husband, who is a pastor, asked her to describe any of

her attackers. She described one of them.

“The boy was traced to his house, but he had absconded.

The pastor counselled her and promised to pursue the matter to a logical conclusion.”

It was gathered that, unknown to her guardian, the

distraught girl had decided to take her own life.

The source said the rape victim left behind a suicide note, after which she took a poisonous substance known as Sniper.

She was discovered groaning in pain, and taken to

Gloryland Hospital, where she died.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, confirmed the incident. He said the Police has launched investigation into the alleged rape charges filed by the girl’s family.

Robbers take over Mile 2, attack Vanguard staff, motorists T

HREE Vanguard Newspapers staff were, Tuesday, attacked by a gang of armed robbers, who laid siege on Mile 2 Bridge, dispossessing commuters of valuables and damaging vehicles in the process.

The incident, which happened at 8:35p.m., occurred in a traffic gridlock when the victims were going home after the close of work.

Narrating the ugly encounter with the hoodlums, who were brandishing dangerous weapons, one of the victims said: “On our way home, we were stuck in the usual traffic on Mile 2 bridge.

“The highway that leads to Oshodi was slightly free, so we had to stay on that lane with the aim of diverting to the lane that would take us to Lagos/Badagry Expressway.

“While we were waiting on that traffic, we heard knocks on the passenger side of the

front seat. We did not suspect anything fishy.

“When the knocks persisted, we demanded to know what the two boys that were knocking wanted.

“They continued with the knocks and were ordering us to roll down and give them our phones. We did not oblige them.

“When they noticed that we were hesitating to do their bidding, they shattered the sideglass of the front passenger seat with a heavy metal.”

The robbers then swooped on the occupants of the car and dispossessed them of their phones, wallets containing some amount of money, bank ATM cards, National Identity cards and other valuables.

The victim continued: “After collecting our property, they turned to the driver ’s side.

When the vehicle in front moved, we zoomed off. We were left with nothing.”

Kerosene explosion kills 13-yr-old girl, injures 2 others

BY PETER OKUTU

A

BAKALIKI—A young lady, identified as Miss Ifeoma Nwofe, was yesterday reported to have lost her life following a kerosene explosion at her parent’s Azuiyiokwu, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, residence.

Vanguard gathered that the victim, who suffered severe burns all over her body, could not receive treatment at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, where she was rushed to because of the ongoing doctors’ strike.

She later died at a private hospital due to lack of prompt medical attention.

Other victims and siblings of the deceased, who are still in a critical condition, include Linda 8, and Chiemerie, 10.

According to report, the explosion occurred as Ifeoma was trying to light the family ’s lantern after electric power cut.

This development has raised suspicion that the kerosene might have been adulterated.

Narrating his ordeal, father of the victims, Mr. Simeon Nwofe, said that Ifeoma returned home to observe her school’s midterm break.

“After hugging her younger ones, she decided to put on the lantern in the house and then the incident occurred,” he said, adding that her remains have been taken to their hometown for burial.

The Special Adviser to Ebonyi State Governor on Petroleum Products, Pricing and Distribution, Mr. Chief Ejem, promised to get to the root of the matter.

He said: “We will conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and prosecute those culpable.

“The government has been doing its best to rid the state of fake petroleum products, but have been thwarted by unscrupulous elements who deal on such products.”

Few days ago, two staff of Vanguard were also robbed at the same spot, which has become a den for robbers.

The hoodlums, who also operate in day time, do so while some armed policemen patrol the Mile 2 bridge. The robbers capitalise on the traffic gridlock created by the ongoing re-construction work on the highway.

Motorists, who spoke to Vanguard, lamented the constant harassment and humiliation meted on them by these hoodlums.

They said that the attacks had turned the popular Mile 2 into a dreaded zone as the daredevils freely make use of hammer, knife, gun or any weapon to dispossess victims of valuables.

Spiritualist accused of N8.7m fraud

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

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AGOS— A 34-year-old spiritualist, Isiaka Adeleke, was yesterday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate's Court in Lagos, for allegedly defrauding one Abdul Oladunjoye of N8.7 million.

The accused is facing charges of conspiracy, fraud and stealing.

It was alleged that Adeleke committed the offences sometime in March.

The prosecutor, Sergeant Austine Onwemere, informed the court that the accused collected N7 million from Oladunjoye under the pretext that he would pray for Allah’s blessing on the money to facilitate the transport business of the two trucks he wanted to buy.

“The accused also collected N1.7 million from the complaint to purchase one Lexus car from the United States of America for him, a representation he knew to be false,” he stated.

Onwemere told the court that the accused, with intent to defraud, dishonestly obtained and converted all the money he collected from Oladunjoye to his own personal use.

According to the charge, the offences contravened Sections 285, 312, and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

However, when the plea of the accused was taken before Magistrate J. A. Adegun, he pleaded

not guilty.

Magistrate Adegun granted the accused bail in the sum of N300,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till November 24.

AIG, Amu task Nigerians on security

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS— THE Assistant Inspector-General, Zone 2, Police Command Headquarters, Onikan, Maman Tsafe, has said that Nigerians have a duty to perform in helping the Police to fight insecurity.

Speaking at a briefing organised by the Police Community Relations Committee, PCRC, Tsafe, who was represented by the DCP Femi Oyeleye, said that the problem of the country was not gun, but the people.

He said: “The people are the Police and the Police, the people. You are the only one that know your area very well and if you give the police the needed assistance, we will be able to help you.”

Also speaking at the briefing, Secretary and Vice Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Archbishop George Amu, said that Nigerians should encourage the police.

Amu said: “It takes commitment to encounter distinction. If we are in one accord, things can be done. Do not count what you can get, but what God can give you.”

JUNIOR GOES TO SCHOOL: A newly admitted junior secondary school student of Ibadan Boys High School, Oke-Bola, on his way to school. PHOTO: Dare Fasube.

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

Visa renewal without interview now possible — US CONSULATE-GENERAL

T

HE United States Consulate-General in Lagos, yesterday, announced that applicants for visa renewal can do so without an interview.

It has introduced the DHL Drop Box Visa Renewal Programme which makes it possible for visa applicants to renew their visas without attending interview.

The announcement, made in Lagos, said: “This programme allows certain visa applicants who have previously been issued U.S. visas to renew their visas without attending an interview”.

The Consulate-General explained that to qualify for the DHL Drop Box Visa Renewal Programme, visa applicants must be a Nigerian passport holder; the applicant’s last visa interview resulted in an issuance; the applicant was issued a two-year B1/B2 United States visa in Lagos or Abuja; the visa expired no more than one year prior to reissuance; the applicant was at least 14 years old at the time of the last issuance or will be under the age of 14 at the time of reissuance; and the applicant has never been arrested nor had an encounter with law enforcement, customs, or immigration officials in the United States.

It stated that if applying as a group or family, all members must fulfill each criterion to use the programme.

It further explained: “Applicants who satisfy these criteria should follow the visa application instructions on the U.S. Embassy Nigeria website at h t t p : / / nigeria.usembassy.gov/ niv_appointmnent_instructions.html.

The CGI visa appointment website will ask applicants a series of questions reflecting the criteria for the DHL Drop Box Visa Renewal Programme.

“Qualifying applicants will be prompted to print a letter confirming their eligibility for the programme and instructing them to drop off the letter with their passport, application confirmation sheet, passport photos, and visa fee receipt to one of the DHL facilities in Lagos."

The application packets are adjudicated and returned to the applicant’s selected DHL location within 7-10 business days.”

Gov Aliyu proposes hike in derivation to 30%, kicks against revenue sharing formula zNational confab waste of time, priorities, say Kwankwaso, Ndume

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR, WOLE MOSADOMI & NDAHI MARAMA

T

HERE was a shuffling of positions in the North ahead of the proposed national conference as Governor Babangida Aliyu, yesterday, proposed a hike in derivation to 25-30 percent and a reversal of the north’s opposition to establishment of state police.

Governor Aliyu’s assertions nonetheless, Governor Rabiu Kwankwanso of Kano State dismissed the proposed national conference as waste of time and priorities. He was joined by Senator Ali Ndume, PDP, Borno State who dismissed the conference as a sheer waste of time, saying that the country should rather focus on promoting good leadership.

Governor Aliyu, chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum, NSGF, spoke when he received members of the Senator Femi Okurunmu-led Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue who were in Minna, Niger State in continuation of their consultations.

Confab should not be used to beat drums of war

Aliyu said: "The national conference should not be used as a platform to beat war drums or sow seeds of disunity. He said that tribe, ethnicity or other jingoistic inclinations should not be the basis of policy formulation.

“Anybody who feels that he wants to get out is free to go on exile. If you don’t want to be a Nigerian, you are free to go on exile and stay wherever you want but you must not use the conference to think that you can dismember the country.”

Aliyu who suggested a total membership of 900 delegates with one representative from each of the 774 local government areas, with 100 participants to represent special interest groups and another 36 to represent traditional institutions.

While calling on the committee to critically examine the derivation principle in revenue allocation, he said that even though oil is a natural resource found in the soil, there are many other natural resources those with oil may not have.

Governor Aliyu in a dramatic shift from northern postulation proposed a 25 to 30 percent for derivation to oil producing communities which he said should, however, be channeled directly for the development of the oil producing communities and not shared among their leaders.

He said: "I think we should be able to come out clearly to say this money must be used for this particular thing. If I must suggest,

VISIT—Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, CON, and the visiting Argetine Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Gustavo Dzugala, during a visit to the minister in Abuja.

I would want to see derivation coming between 25 and 30 percent constitutionally so that if you do cocoa or you do rice, you can have 30 percent derivation, if you have oil or you have gold. If you have gold and it is in the ground and you have not brought it out, it is useless; bring it out for it to be something else.”

Governor Aliyu also kicked against the present revenue sharing formula, saying that the 52.8 percent allotment to the Federal Government is too much, rather the revenue formula should be redressed in favour of states and local governments.

Announcing the reversal of opposition to state police hitherto strongly pushed by northern governors, Aliyu said they were forced to change their stance following recent developments, especially in Rivers State.

He said: “If you recall, in a meeting of the northern governors, we were opposed to state police based on two issues, including lack of funds to fund the police and we examined abuse of the regional police on the way and manners they were being used during elections where a ruling party will get the opposition arrested until after the election when they are released.

“After seeing what happened in Rivers where again the federal agency can use another federal agency against the state government, we thought there must be delineated responsibilities for police at the federal, at the state and even at the universities” he remarked.

The governor tasked the committee to re-examine the system of government asking, “Is it the system that is expensive or corruption that has eaten deep into the fabrics of most Nigerians? This is part of what we must discuss,” the governor suggested.

Chairman of the committee, Senator Femi Okunronmu had asked the governor and the people to advice the committee on how long the assignment should last, their views on delegates to be chosen, composition to the conference, legal frame work among others.

Suggestions were given by stakeholders, including top civil servants, opinion leaders, politicians among others that were present.

An attempt by the committee to see the two former military Heads of State from the state, Generals Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalam Abubakar for their inputs was unfruitful as both men were said to be out of the state.

National confab, a waste of time — Kwankwaso

Meanwhile, Governor Kwankwaso who was on a visit to Dutse, Jigawa State yesterday, dismissed the proposed national conference as a waste of time, saying that there were more important things facing the country.

Governor Kwankwanso spoke following a closed-door meeting with his Jigawa State counterpart, Governor Sule Lamido.

He said that instead of the national conference, efforts should be devoted towards

more pressing issues so that the country could move forward.

The governor, who like Lamido belongs to the Kawu Baraje-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said the G7 governors were awaiting a response from the national leadership of the party to move the reconciliation forward.

An unnecessary aberration—Sen Ndume

Senator Ndume has also dismissed the national conference as an unnecessary aberration that is of little concern to majority of the citizenry.

In an interview he said: “For me national dialogue is not our major problem now. It doesn’t even have a place in our constitution. This is the constitution that’s supposed to guide this country and we had this kind of conference before. What happened to the previous ones? We had a national dialogue in 2005 by President Obasanjo. What happened to it?

“Now, our attention has been diverted from real issues affecting us: closure of universities, problem in the health sector, poverty among our people, insecurity. We have been engaged in dialogue since 1914 and I think it is time we pay attention to good leadership and good governance. It is time Nigerians demanded for good leadership and not endless talk.

“In my zone with nine local governments, national dialogue is not their problem. They have not spoken to me about it. They are rather concerned about BiuMaiduguri road, MaiduguriGwoza road, Biu Dam and insecurity, the level of unemployment in the area. So when some people say so many Nigerians are clamouring for national dialogue, that is basically untrue."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013—9

Reps summon Sanusi, Okonjo-Iweala over Naira depreciation

BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

A

BUJA—WORRIED by the continued depreciation of the Naira, the House of Representatives, yesterday, summoned the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to appear before its committees on Finance, Banking and Currency, and National Planning and Economic Development and explain why the ugly trend has persisted.

This was consequent upon the adoption of a motion sponsored

by Rep Odebunmi Olusegun Dokun titled the ‘Need to check the continuous devaluation of the Naira’.

Leading the debate on the issue, Dokun who traced the history of Naira and Kobo as Nigeria’s currencies until the establishment of the West Africa Currency Board in 1973, lamented the steady slide trailing the Naira, stressing that the nation’s economy in the future would be in serious danger.

His words: “There has been a continuous decrease in the Naira value over the years against major currencies in the world. A critical look at these last few years, taking the US Dollar as a basis for comparison shows that around 1990 to 1993, it was about N28 to a Dollar; around 1994 to 1996, it was about N40 to a Dollar; around 1996 to 1999, it was about N80 to a Dollar; around 1999 to 2007, it was about N140 to a Dollar; and

around 2007 to date, it is about N158 to a Dollar. This has shown a continuous devaluation in Naira without any improvement, and if

this downward trend persists, it will affect Nigeria’s economy and the future of the nation in general,” he said.

Adopting the report, the House gave the committee a period of six weeks to report back to it.

EFCC raises alarm over fraudsters targeting MDAs

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

F

WORKSHOP—From left: Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar; Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Mr Adeseyi Sijuwade; member, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Mohammed Kabiru Abubakar; Chairman, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Alhaji Ibrahim Bio; Head, Project Finance, UBA Capital, Kolapo Joseph, and Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Mrs. Sola David-Borha at the railway infrastructural development workshop in Abuja on Tuesday.

Nigeria to UN: No apology over same sex marriage, death penalty

BY INNOCENT ANABA

N

IGERIA’S Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dr. Umunna Orjiakor, yesterday, insisted that

Nigeria does not owe Western countries any apology over her position on same sex marriage and death penalty, as it was within the rights of the country as a sovereign nation to follow what its people want.

It will be recalled that the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Mohammed Adoke, SAN, had told the United Nations Human Rights Council on Tuesday, at the on-going 17th Universal Periodic Review of the council that 92 percent of Nigerians were against gay, while death penalty was constitutional in the country.

The minister’s position, drew reactions from the United States of America and United Kingdom as both countries faulted same.

But Dr Orjiakor, who addressed newsmen, said “Nigeria is a sovereign country and unapologetically so. We have a law in a democratic system which was what the Attorney-General had told the International community. We have a law, and that law is a constitutional law and in a democracy, a President or an executive cannot just come and make a decree and abolish a law. So you have to persuade the National Assembly, you have to negotiate with the people and what becomes law should be the overwhelming

wish of the people of the country that you are talking about and in the case of Nigeria, the death penalty is still part and parcel of our laws.

“Yes, we declared a moratorium on the death penalty some years back, but a moratorium does not mean abolition. They are two different things, more so, in Nigeria, we have a Federal system of government, so states have the right to implement what the Constitution allows that is within their purview, like what happened in Edo State, so we don’t have any apology for any one, we are simply explaining that Nigeria is an evolving democracy and over time, maybe all the states will understand that death penalty is no more fashionable or the best way to punish crime, so it is work in progress.

“On Nigeria’s UPR, every country who is a member of the United Nations comes every four years for it and this is Nigeria’s second outing and I can say that the AttorneyGeneral did Nigerians proud, all the issues ranging from what our military is doing in the Joint Military Taskforce, Child Protection Rights were all covered. All human rights issues that concern the country were dealt with. Nigeria came out defending its positions very clearly and very persuasively."

RAUDULENT Nigerians have taken their scam to the doorsteps of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, with many scammers posing as investigative agents of the commission and swindling many heads of public agencies in the country.

Under the infamous tactics, the scammers write fake invitation letters to heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government, asking them to hand over themselves for investigation over alleged fraud or be ready to face the wrath of the EFCC. Already, many heads of government agencies located in areas not close to EFCC offices have been tricked and made to part with various sums of money by con artists.

One such letter sent to the National Engineering Design and Development Institute in Anambra State and the Chief Medical Director of a teaching hospital in Delta State.

A copy of the fake letter of invitation, which the commission has already impounded, reads, “Acting on the petition against you and after preliminary investigation conducted by our operatives, and the need to invite you to the Commission’s Abuja office for a chat becomes imperative.

“Your are advice(sic) to call the Principal Detective Superintendent (PDS) Adeniyi in-charge of this number for information, time and date of your appointment immediately you receive this letter.

The acting Head of Media and Publicity in the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, told Vanguard yesterday that the commission had decided to raise the alarm to prevent innocent heads of public institution from falling prey to the scammers.

Wilson said: “The similarity between these letters and many others that have come to the attention of the Commission clearly establishes that this is the handiwork of a particular syndicate out to defraud unsuspecting chief executives of government agencies."

10—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

3 confirmed dead, as Lagos suffers cholera outbreak

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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AGOS —AT least three persons were confirmed dead, while few others were said to have been discharged after treatment in Lagos, following outbreak of cholera in at least five local government areas.

This came barely three days after eight persons reportedly died in Plateau State, due to the outbreak of the disease.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who disclosed this, in Alausa, Ikeja, urged residents to report any case immediately to the nearest health facility as well as maintain high level of hygiene.

According to Idris: “Although, many of the cases have been treated and discharged in several health facilities, three have been confirmed dead.

“Most of the suspected cases

are from Ajeromi, Apapa, Lagos Island, Oshodi_Isolo and Surulere local government areas.”

Idris explained that surveillance and investigations by his Ministry had revealed that the suspected cases were contracted from food sources such as the African food salad, popularly called ‘Abacha,’ well water sources, especially in areas like Ikate community, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area and Badia area of Apapa Local Government Area, and infected foods from food sellers, and other unhygienic habits.

The commissioner while urging members of the public to be hygenic, noted that cholera "is an acute contagious bacterial disease characterised by severe form of sudden onset of profuse painless watery stools, nausea and profuse vomiting."

HOSTING: From left, Mr. Wole Ogunsuyi, Hon. Commissioner, Judicial Service Commission, Ondo State; Mr. Segun Macaulay, Regional Operations Director, West, Airtel Networks, and Engr. Gboye Adegbenro, Hon. Commissioner for Works, Ondo State, when Airtel hosted its high networth customers in Ondo State and environs, at Ruby’s Event Centre, in Akure, Ondo State.

ASUU: Govt negotiators are ignorant — Mark

zPrivate varsities’ VCs, registrars wade in

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU, JOSEPH ERUNKE, AMAKA ABAYOMI, DAUD OLATUNJI, LAJU ARENYEKA & IKENNA ASOMBA

S

TAKEHOLDERS IN the education sector, yesterday, took the supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike to task over his declaration that the on-going strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, would be called off in a few months.

The Senate on its part appealed to ASUU to call off the strike, blaming government negotiators for being ignorant by signing an agreement that could not be implemented.

Similarly, Committee of Vice Chancellors and Registrars of private universities in Nigeria said it had commenced moves to wade into the face-off with a view to

ending the strike.

Mr. Wike said Tuesday that the face-off between the Federal Government and ASUU would be resolved in few months.

Reacting, however, ASUU leaders argued that the strike could end in next few days and not months if only the Federal Government had the political will to implement the 2009 agreement it made with the union.

The Chairman of ASUU Chapter of the Niger Delta University, Dr. Beke Sese told Vanguard: “We were surprised when we heard the comment, because we believe that the strike can end in 24 or 48 hours if the government has the political will to do it.

"It is not that we want the strike to go on much longer, but the issues on ground are more pertinent than days or weeks.”

Dr. Adesola Nassir, the chairman ASUU, Ibadan zone said the only way the minister’s assertion could hold water was if the Federal Government was ready to honour the agreement it had with the union in 2009.

Nassir said: “My only guess is that the supervising Minister of Education and the Federal Government must be ready to do what is right and implement the 2009 agreement, because that is the only solution to bring an end to the strike.

"All we have seen from the government in our different meetings is begging; government begging us to keep patching up the education sector so we can continue to churn out halfbaked graduates as a result of lack of infrastructure.

The Education Rights Campaign, ERC, however, lamented that the Minister’s statement showed that the Federal Government was unserious about ending the strike.

The ERC National Coordinator, Mr. Hassan Soweto said: "The Government does not seem to mind leaving the education system shut down for a few more months. We believe that if the government is sincere, this strike can end in the next few days.”

Insinuations On his part, Prof. Lai Oso, Dean, Adebola Adegunwa School of Communication of Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, dismissed insinuations that government had shown enough commitment for ASUU to call off the strike, arguing that it was only deceiving the world.

He said: “What kind of commitment has government shown for ASUU to call back its members to work. Government has not done anything different.

Has it injected more funds to universities or has it honestly met the agreement it willingly signed with ASUU since 2009? So, it’s the same old story, and government must stop deceiving the world that it has shown enough commitment.”

Meanwhile, Senate President, David Mark, yesterday, blamed those who represented the Federal Government in negotiating with ASUU, in the contentious 2009 agreement signed by both parties, saying that the university lecturers took advantage of the ignorance of government representatives on the matter.

The Senate in a resolution after the motion on appeal to ASUU to call off

the strike and return to work moved by the Senate Leader, Chief Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, and supported by 106 senators also mandated the Senate President and Chairman, National Assembly, David Mark to engage President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of ASUU for amicable resolution of the crisis.

It further mandated the Committee on Education to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Education, the National University Commission, NUC, ASUU and all other relevant stakeholders to proffer lasting solution to stem further strikes in the education sector.

The Senate President who described the motion as very important, said: “I will like to say that as long as we can continue the dialogue we will find a lasting solution."

"The essence of this motion is to find a solution and a way forward. There are immediate problems that we need to tackle, all the parties involved need to sort things out. My personal appeal on behalf of the Senate to all the parties involved will be that they should try to show understanding.

“Let us shift ground in our understanding of the problem and finding a solution because if all the parties involved just dig in and they say they won’t shift ground then there will be no solution to it and Nigeria will be worse off for it, whether it is the executive, the legislature or the judiciary or ASUU

"Not shifting ground is not going to help us to find a lasting solution to the problem."

Similarly, Committee of Vice Chancellors and Registrars of private universities in Nigeria said it had begun moves to wade into the on-going face-off between the Federal Government and ASUU with a view to ending the strike.

Chairman of the association who is also Vice Chancellor of Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, Professor Adebayo Adeyemi stated this, yesterday, during the announcement of the institution’s fifth convocation.

Embarrassment Prof. Adeyemi who described the four-month-old strike as a national problem, denied that the private universities were benefitting from the on-going impasse.

He said: “The development is a national embarrassment which nobody is proud of.”

He, however, said, the decision to wade into the crisis was not connected with the recent threat by the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, to shut down private universities over the crisis.

“It is quite beyond us, but, whatever we are doing, we are doing it silently; we are trying to reach to some individuals to resolve the crisis.

“It is true that the students have made the statement, but, I think it was made out of annoyance .

“Our intention is, however, not connected with their threat. It is just that the situation is an ill wind that blows nobody good."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013—11

Fayose asks court to quash EFCC’s case

BY GBENGAARIYIBI

A

DO EKITI — THE former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose, has asked the Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti to dismiss the charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on the ground that the case was legally offensive When the matter came for hearing, yesterday, Fayose's counsel, Mr. Owoseni Ajayi, in his application before Justice Adamu Hobon, said it was against the rule of criminal code which has spelt out that an offence committed must be established and specific before a criminal suit is instituted against a person. ‘’This particular suit is legally offensive to criminal procedure,” he said.

The legal practitioner argued that the criminal code states that a criminal charge brought against anyone must be specific in particulars, claiming that the “matter in this case is not specific and it is nebulous.”

Based on this seeming flaw, he said he had made an application to the court to quash the charges because “it would amount to a waste of the precious time of the

court since the charges are legally offensive and would leave the court at large.”

Countering this application, counsel to the EFCC, Mr. Adebisi Adeyemi said it had filed a counter-affidavit against the application on the ground that it has established a prima facie case against the accused.

According to him: “The application was lacking in merit and a ploy to frustrate the case and waste the precious time of the

court.”

He therefore urged the court to dismiss the application.

Justice Adamu Hobon, however, fixed the ruling on the applications for November 7 Meantime, the former governor has disowned posters in Ado Ekiti, the state capital and other parts of the state, that say he has dropped his governorship ambition.

A statement from the office of

the Director General of Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation, AFCO, Mr. Owoseni Ajayi, attributed the posters to the political opponents of the former governor who, according to him, are afraid of defeat and trying to use the posters to deceive the Ekiti people who are eagerly waiting for Fayose as their governor next year.

CP summons monarchs of warring Osun communities

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

O

SOGBO — OSUN State Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Dorothy Gimba, yesterday, summoned the two traditional rulers of Oba Oke and Oba Ile communities in Olorunda Local Government Area of the state who engaged themselves in a bloody clash Sunday which led to the death of two people while several others received serious injuries.

Also, during the fracas in which dangerous weapons were freely used, the palace of the Oloba of Oba-Oke, Oba Dahunsi Iyiola was razed by the irate youths of Oba-Ile who invaded his palace after Oro traditional festival.

The crisis, it was learnt was connected with the age long land dispute between the two neighbouring communities.

At the meeting with the state Commissioner of

Police, yesterday, which took place at the state Police Command headquarters in Osogbo and lasted over an hour, the commissioner was said to have told the traditional rulers of the need to maintain peace in their domains.

The source added that the commissioner threatened to hold responsible, either of the royal fathers whose followers fail to obey the laws.

Meanwhile, police source told our correspondent that the police had made some arrests from both communities in connection with the crisis and the detainees were said to be helping the police in their investigation.

The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti Monday announced the imposition of a dusk to dawn curfew on the warring communities.

The curfew, according to the announcement, would hold from 6p.m. to 6a.m. everyday.

The two warring communities were said to be at war over a disputed land located between the them

Ogun Assembly worries over state schools

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

BEOKUTA — THE Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Education has expressed concern over the deplorable conditions of public schools in the state.

The Committee said the government concentration on the construction of over 20 model schools in the state has led to the poor state of most of the public schools in the state.

The Committee under the chairmanship of Honourable Adeyinka Mafe, said these during its oversight function visit to the state Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

The Committee which identified shortage of teachers in core subjects in the public schools, submittted that some schools in the state were in a sorry state, calling on the state government to address the issue.

A member of the Committee, Hon. Adeleye Oladapo, in her remarks during the visit, said the huge investment on the construction of the model schools had led to the total neglect of public schools.

She added that the state of public schools across the state called for concern.

Also, majority leader of the House, Israel Jolaoso, said over-population of students in classrooms would not enhance effective teaching/learning process.

The committee, however, advised the ministry to send details on the total number of teachers in the state public schools, as well as the required number of teachers needed by the ministry.

41 died in road crashes in 6 months — FRSC

BY OLA AJAYI

I

BADAN — NO fewer than 41 persons died while 262 others were injured in 49 reported road accidents that happened in Oyo State in the last six months.

This statistics was given by the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, through its Sector Commander, Godwin Ogagaoghene, yesterday, in Ibadan.

He said this at the 2013 Ember months Road Safety Awareness campaign in Ibadan.

Ondo warns against illegal teachers' salary deductions

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE — ONDO State government, yesterday, warned government officials in charge of salaries to stop illegal deductions from teachers’ salaries or face the wrath of the law.

Governor Olusegun Mimiko gave the warning while commissioning five additional Mega Primary Schools in Idanre, Akure, Ore and Ondo town.

He said about 12,000 teachers that have been cleared have been paid September salary.

Court remands two bank officials over N200m fraud

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

BEOKUTA — TWo bank officials were, yesterday, remanded in prison custody for their alleged fraudulent transfer of N200million from their bank.

The suspects who were identified as Idris Salawu, 24, and Oni Adewale, 29 were officials of First Bank in Adigbe Abeokuta, were arraigned before the Magistrate's Court 1, sitting in Isabo Abeokuta for a three-count charge.

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

Warri Refinery explosion: MEND died in 2009—Ex-militant leaders ...describe present group as faceless

BY EMMA AMAIZE

P

ORT HAR COURT—REPENTANT militant leaders in the Niger Delta, under the auspices of Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative, LPCDI, yesterday, said the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, died in 2009 and added that any claim or threat from a faceless group claiming to be MEND should, henceforth, be ignored by Nigerians.

Denouncing the claim

by MEND that it was responsible for Tuesday’s explosion at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, WRPC, Warri, Delta State, the ex-militant leaders, in a statement

by LPCDI president, Pastor Reuben Wilson, said: “MEND ceased to exist from the day we accepted the amnesty offer of the Federal Government. Nigerians should henceforth disregard any claim or threat

by MEND because the group died in 2009.”

According to him, the acclaimed spokesman of MEND, Jomo Gbomo, never existed.

“We make bold to say that there is no organisation called MEND. Yes, we used MEND and the name Jomo Gbo-

mo for our propaganda activities when we were in the creeks. But from the very day we accepted the amnesty offer in 2009, MEND died. We challenge the person called Jomo Gbomo to show his face if he exists. For the avoidance of doubt, there is nobody bearing that name. Everything about MEND was a creation of the computer and the internet.

“All of us that used the name of MEND have since accepted amnesty and have left the creeks.

So, MEND is dead. A person or an organisation that does not exist cannot be responsible for the explosion at the Warri Refinery. The claim attributed to MEND is false and Nigerians should not believe any report about MEND for any reason.

While we sympathise with the Federal Government, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and Nigerians on the Warri explosion, we hasten to urge security operatives to investigate the incident. If sabotage is detected, the culprits should be prosecuted. Nobody should hide under the guise of a so-called MEND to sabotage the nation’s economy.”

According to the group, “We restate that the amnesty programme of the Federal Govern-

ment is working and those of us that are beneficiaries are happy that we were given the privilege to come out of the creeks to contribute to the peace and development of the country. We know those who were in our various camps and we also are aware that all of them surrendered their arms. Since we disarmed, oil production activities have been carried out without hiccups.

“We cannot list the gains of the amnesty programme because they are amazingly innumerable. There may be people that are not happy that the Niger Delta now knows peace and may be fighting hard to discredit the amnesty programme. But we know that Nigerians and indeed the whole world know that the amnesty scheme is a huge success.”

Meanwhile, NNPC has said it would restream the affected units affected by the explosion, which occurred in the Topping Unit of WRPC on Tuesday.

Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Corporation, Tumini Green, said there was no cause for alarm as the fire was promptly brought under control through the combined effort of the Fire Department and other staff of the refinery.

OML30 workers threaten strike over alleged non-payment of salaries

T

HE lingering rift between the management of Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NPDC and workers of its contractors in OML30, over delay in the payment of salaries, has worsened as the workers are threatening to down tools.

The workers, under the aegis of Community Contractors Workers Association OML30, have told the management of the company to disengage one of its contractors (name withheld) in the operational area or risk industrial unrest in Ughelli Pumping Station, UPS, Ughelli.

It was gathered that the workers were irked by al-

leged threats by the Managing Director of the contracting firm to relieve their Chairman, Mr. Joseph Onororaivwerhen, of his duties over perceived union activities. The workers, groaning over the non-payment of their six months’ salaries, had embarked on a work to rule action between October 14 and 18, 2013.

The Assistant Secretary of the Association, Mr. Aaron Ohwo, while briefing newsmen on the development, said: “NPDC usually pays our salaries through the contractors but the contractors said without receiving money from NPDC , no payment can be made to us.

“We wrote to NPDC before we went on the work to rule action and the Managing Director of NPDC spoke to us on telephone through our chairman and assured that arrangements were being made for our salaries to be paid soon. The MD now made available the cash payment of one month salary immediately for us to call off the action.

“The money was made available to the three contractors operating in the UPS for onward payment to the workers. Two of the contractors complied with the directive of the MD but one of the companies vehemently refused to pay his workers,” he add

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013—13

My son is a freedom fighter

ISPON names Imoke ICT 2013 Governor of the Year

—Kelvin’s dad

BY EMMA AMAIZE

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ARRI—MR. Duke Ibruvwe, the fugitive father of suspected Delta State kidnap kingpin, Kelvin Ibruvwe, nabbed September 25 by a combined team of soldiers and Department of State Services, DSS, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has said that his son was neither a kidnap kingpin nor an armed robber, but a freedom fighter.

In an affidavit in support of originating application before a Federal High Court, Abuja, by his son and co-suspect, Frank Azuekor, seeking an order for the enforcement of their fundamental human rights, he said: “Twenty-four hours after the arrest of the applicants, reports were made in several national dailies wherein the applicants were labelled as robbers and kidnappers.

“The applicants are not robbers, neither are they kidnappers, but are sincere liberators and freedom fighters, who are struggling for the improvement of the standard of living of the impoverished people of Urhobo-land and for the future of the unborn generations of the Urhobo people.”

He said his son did not commit any offence known to law for crying for the liberation of his people from poverty, saying, “The applicants are innocent citizens, without any criminal record and have not been arrested or convicted for any crime.

The applicants were arrested and are currently in detention for an offence they do not know.”

Kelvin’s father said his country home, Kokori in Ethiope-East Local Government Area, was host of several flow stations and oil wells, belonging to Shell Petroleum Development Company and other multi-national oil companies, stressing, “the only land owned by my father, who is the grandfather of the Firstt Applicant, was taken over by Shell Petroleum Development Company for the purpose of oil exploration and the said location is currently known as Kokori/Ehrioke Oil field.”

T

SWEARNING-IN: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State flanked by Mr Samuel Oboh, Chairman (left) and Mr Jimmy Igene, Vice Chairman, after they were sworn in as the Chairman and Vice Chairman of Esan North-East Local Government Area of the state, yesterday.

Edo PDP rejects Esan N-East LG by-election results

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

B

ENIN—EDO State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, rejected the results of the chairmanship by-election in Esan North-East Local Government and six other wards in the state as announced by Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commissioner, EDSIEC, Mr. Solomon Ogoh.

The party also rejected the declaration of the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate in the election, Mr. Samuel Oboh as the winner of the election and his subsequent swearing-in by Governor Adams Oshiomhole, saying it would challenge both actions legally to ensure that the authentic winners were not de-

nied of their victories.

State chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, at a briefing in Benin, accused Mr. Ogoh of announcing fictitious results, claiming that what was declared by him was at variance with the results announced at the different polling units, wards and collating centres by the presiding and returning officers appointed by the electoral body.

He said: “What was announced by Mr. Ogoh has no bearing with the actual results announced by the presiding officers and returning officers appointed by EDSIEC. He has no results from the various wards and collating centres as announced by the electoral officers.”

Orbih claimed the results as announced by Ogoh would not stand the test of time.

He alleged that it was very clear from the results an-

nounced by the presiding and returning officers from the various polling units, wards and collating centres that it was the PDP that won both the chairmanship and councillorship elections in Esan NorthEast Local Government and the six other wards in the state where elections were conducted.

Chief Orbih declared that copies of the election results were with the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, DSS, Civil Defence and other security agencies and asked the media to verify this from the security agencies.

The PDP Chairman alleged that a summation of the total results from Esan North-East as announced by EDSIEC’s electoral officers indicated that the PDP chairmanship candidate won the election by scoring 11, 212 against APC candidate’s 6, 143.

Appeal Court reaffirms Nwoye PDP candidate for Anambra guber

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

P

ORT HARCOURT—THE intra-party struggle over who gets the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ticket for the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State, took another twist yesterday as the Federal Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt reaffirmed Tony Nwoye as the party’s authentic candidate.

The judgment followed the Supreme Court order of Tuesday asking the Appeal Court to deliver judgment on the appeal

by Nwoye seeking to upturn the earlier ruling of a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt that removed him and affirmed Nicho-

las Ukachukwu as PDP flag bearer.

Ukachukwu, a respondent in the substantive appeal, represented by Prince Nwafor Orizu, had gone to the Supreme Court hoping to upturn the Appeal Court’s dismissal of his application, demanding the appellate court to disqualify itself from hearing Nwoye’s appeal on the ground that they had received bribe from a party in the case.

In its response, the Supreme Court had ordered that all parties return to the Appeal Court to deliver its judgment which was already set, before the Supreme Court could entertain any reservation from any party on the matter.

In the judgment delivered yesterday, the Appeal Court set aside all the orders granted Ukachukwu by the Federal High Court and restored Nwoye as the candidate.

The judgment read by Justice Ejimbi Eko of the three- man appeal panel, held that the lower court lacked jurisdiction and erred in entertaining the matter because it was a PDP internal affair.

The court also faulted the lower court for relying on the Electoral Act in deciding the case, stressing that the act would only have been relevant if the plaintiff (Ukachukwu) in the case at the lower court was denied participation in the PDP primary which he duly contested.

HE Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria, ISPON, has conferred on Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, the Information Communication Technology, ICT, Governor of the Year 2013 Award.

Chris Uwaje, President/Chairman of Council, ISPON, disclosed this at the Third National Software Conference and Competition 2013, at Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort, Calabar.

Uwaje said the award was in recognition of Imoke’s contributions to ICT development in the country.

According to him, apart from sponsoring ISPON conference for three years, Imoke has initiated many ICT driven initiatives in the state, including the establishment of IDEA Information Knowledge Centre at Tinapa.

Delta community cries out over alleged neglect

BY EMMA AMAIZE

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URUTU—THE people of Ekogbene, a riverine community in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, yesterday, lamented perceived gross underdevelopment of the community and appealed to the state and federal governments to come to its assistance.

Chairman of the community, Mr. Jurist Warebr uyegha, told Vanguard: “It is as if our community is not being considered in the scheme of things by both the state and federal governments. This has led to underdevelopment and acute poverty in the town. The community lacks social amenities such as potable water, electricity and health centre. There is no transportation and the standard of the secondary school in the community is poor.”

14— Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

Anambra guber: Parties sign agreement, task INEC, security agents

BY CLIFFORD NDUDIHE &

VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—POLITICAL par ties presenting candidates for the November 16, 2013 governorship election in Anambra State, yesterday, signed an agreement to abide by the rules of the game, even as they urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the security operatives to provide a level-playing ground for all the political parties.

In a communiqué issued at a sensitization workshop for the political parties and stakeholders for the election organized by the office of the special adviser to the president on inter party affairs, the political parties, through their chairmen who appended their signatures on the document, observed that contestants perform better when the rules were made very clear.

been declared the candidate of the party by the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt.

The candidates present were Chief Willie Obiano of APGA who was there with the party’s national chairman, Chief Victor Umeh, Mr. Godwin Ezeemo of People Progressives Alliance, PPA, Mr. Basil Iwoba of PPN, among others.

According to the communiqué, the will of the electorate must be respected by INEC which is the electoral umpire, while security operatives should not only be seen to be neutral, but must be neu-

tral in all actions.

It also urged the presidency to avoid manipulating the electoral process, while the judiciary should play its rightful role by delivering timely judgement to avoid hiccups in transiting from one regime to the other.

Communiqué The communiqué states that: “the will of the electorate must be expressed in the November 16, 2013 gubernatorial election of Anambra State and must be respected by the political par-

ties and stakeholders; “The gubernatorial candidates and their political parties should play a leading role in providing a rancour and violence free, smooth, fair and credible election.

“The presidency should avoid manipulating and interfering with electoral process.

“The use of inciting and violent language before, during and after the election must be eschewed.

“No acts of intimidation of the electorate by the political parties, candidates and their supporters should be tolerated, and “The stakeholders should abide by the revised Code of Conduct signed by all political parties and INEC.”

Nwachukwu counsels

Ngige, Ubah absent Some of the candidates, including Senator Chris Ngige of the APC, Ifeanyi Ubah of Labour Party (he was represented by his deputy, Dr. Emeka Eze), did not show up.

Also, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was not represented and it was when the event was going on that information filtered into the venue that Chief Tony Nwoye had

WORKSHOP: Gen. Ike Nwachukwu (rtd) and chairman of the occasion (left) and Dr. Ben Obi, Special Adviser to the President on InterParty Affairs, at a sensitisation workshop for political parties and stakeholders on the November 16 Anambra governorship election in Awka, yesterday. Photo: Hill Ezeugwu.

Chairman of the occasion, General Ike Nwachukwu, rtd, who was a former minister of foreign affairs, reminded the people that political competition should not be a war.

According to him, the police and the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, have a special role to play in ensuring the success of the election.

He said: “The suc-

cess of the November 16 election will depend on the input of these bodies and there is therefore, the need for them to abide by the rules so that at the end of the day, everybody will be happy.

“You should ensure that there will be no violence and no rigging. You must show the way. Anambra has everything to show the world the way to go and the world is watching you.”

Jonathan's aide

In his welcome address, the special adviser to the president on inter party affairs, Senator Ben Obi, whose office organized the workshop, observed that for an election to be fair, honest balloting and counting must be administered without fraud.

According to him, there must be prompt and just resolution of election related disputes and grievances before the election day.

His words: “It is a common knowledge that President Goodluck Jonathan had at different fora dissuaded people from electoral malpractices while advocating for oneman-one-vote to ensure the actualisation of people’s mandate.

“The show of a transparent electoral process is a platform to ensure that the trust of the transition agenda and the Vision 20-20-20 will place our country by the year 2020 to be among the league of twenty largest economies in the world."

N255m car deal: My story, by Stella Oduah A

BY ENYIM ENYIM

B U J A — E M B AT T L E D

Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, who is facing separate probe panels set up by President Goodluck Jonathan as well as the National Assembly over the purchase of N255 million armoured cars has written the president to explain her side of the story.

The President on Tuesday issued query to her to explain her role in the purchase of the armoured cars.

In her response which Vanguard obtained exclusively, the minister said procurement of the cars followed due process and was provided for in the NCAA 2013 budget.

Defence In her defence titled: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ON THE PROCUREMENT OF NCAA OPERATIONAL VEHICLES, she wrote: “The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, is the statutory regulator of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Industry. Consequently, the NCAA is charged with oversight responsibilities over all civil aviation operations in the country, including safety, security and strict compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices,

SARPs, and Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, NCARs. 2. Towards the effective implementation of its statutory regulatory responsibilities, therefore, it is imperative that the NCAA is fully equipped with highly specialised tools and facilities, including adequate operational vehicles to cover all 22 national airports and over 400 airstrips.

In keeping with standard practice, provision is therefore made annually for the replacement of obsolete, inadequate and unreliable monitoring equipment.

3.In the 2013 budgetary appropriation, provision was made for the procurement of specialised equipment (including operational vehicles) to complement and in some cases replace obsolete ones.

Furthermore, the fact that NCAA, as the regulator of the industry, often plays host to dignitaries from ICAO, IATA, US FAA, AFRAA, AFCAC BAGASO, CANSO, ACI and a host of others makes it necessary to have specialised operational vehicles.

4.With regard to the procurement of additional operational vehicles (including BMW Security Vehicles), the following due process was observed:

(I) By letter dated April 15, 2013, NCAA officially requested authorisation from the Federal Ministry of Aviation to procure 56 operational vehicles through lease financing.

This option was proposed to the ministry to enable the NCAA make 36 monthly payments based on receipts from Internally Generated Revenue, IGR. Approval The Ministry therefore granted due approval. (ii)Based on the ministry’s approval, the NCAA invited Expressions of Interest from all Banks in Nigeria for the financing of the said vehicles.

EOI was adopted because the procurement is two sided. First, the financier would have to be selected before the supplier is determined. This is in line with procurement best practices. (iii) On May 24, 2013, the response received from the various banks to the Expression of Interest, EOI, request was opened publicly and minutes of the opening exercise was duly documented. During the EOI opening exercise, NCAA got commendation from one of the Civil Society

Organisations, CSOs, approved by BPP who were invited for the opening exercise. (iv) The evaluation of the expression of interests was held on May 31, 2013 during which First Bank Plc, Union Bank Plc and Stanbic IBTC emerged most responsive. On the June 10, 2013 the above three banks were invited to submit Financial Proposals. Thereafter, First Bank emerged the highest rated responsive bidder. (v)Between June 20 and 25, 2013, invoices were received from various accredited motor vehicle dealers during which only Coscharis Motors Limited quoted for BMW Security Vehicles.

Tenders Board (vi) On June 28, 2013, NCAA Parastatal Tenders Board approved the selection of First Bank Ltd for the Lease Financing as well as Metropolitan Motor Vehicles and Coscharis for the supply of the vehicles. All necessary approvals were duly sought and obtained accordingly. (vii) Between July 8, 2013 to August, 12, 2013 various meetings were

held with First Bank Ltd, contract agreement was signed and necessary documentation executed.

Your Excellency is respectfully invited to note: (i) The crucial statutory role of the NCAA in regulating civil aviation operations in the country, including safety, security and strict compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (NCARs). (ii) The need for NCAA to be fully equipped with highly specialized tools and facilities (including operational vehicles) to enable the effective implementation of its statutory functions. (iii) The procurement of specialized operational vehicles is duly provided for in the NCAA 2p 13 (IGR) Budget and the need for adopting instalmental lease payments over36rionths. (iii) That Due Process was followed in the procurement of the said operational vehicles.

Please your Excellency my continued loyally and esteemed regards.

Princess Stella Adaeze Oduah, OON, Honourable Minister.

Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013—15

Grounding of Amaechi’s aircraft illegal—Reps zWant Caverton prosecuted for falsehood

BY EMMAN OVUAKPORIE &

LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU BUJA—THE House of Representatives, yesterday, cleared the Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi of any offence in the operations of the state-owned Bombadier B700 Global Express jet and indicted the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, for illegally grounding the Rivers State owned aircraft.

The verdict was delivered when it considered and adopted report of its joint committee on justice and aviation on the urgent need to investigate the justification and circumstances surrounding the controversial grounding of Rivers State Government Bombadier B700 Global Express aircraft last April.

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documents thereby leading to grounding of its aircraft, the Attorney-General is requested to consider prosecuting Caverton Helicopters under the provisions of section 36 (4) Civil Aviation Act. C13, 2004”

Resolution It was also resolved that “the Rivers State Government should be allowed to comply with the necessary conditions for granting of all required permits and licences of Rivers State-owned Bombadier B700 Global Express with registration number N565Rs” It urged the ministry of aviation to desist from undue interference

in the day to day operations of the aviation regulatory authorities as envisaged by the law.

It equally asked the aviation regulatory authorities to operate professionally and ensure compliance with international best practices in the industry” It will be recalled that the Rivers State-owned private jet was grounded in April, 2013 by the NCAA.

NCAA reacts

A statement from the NCAA had read “By our records, the last flight clearance for this aircraft was approved for operation on Thursday, March 28, 2013 on Accra—PH–Accra and to termi-

nate on April 2, 2013. With this development, the aircraft has exceeded the extra two days or 48 hours leeway for it to leave the country.

“While still operating illegally, the aircraft has been sighted in several places including Owerri and Akure. The owner of this aircraft according to the Certificate of Registration is Bank of Utah Trustee of Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. The clearance for the aircraft was sought by Caverton Helicopters on March 27, 2013.

Consequently, this aircraft in reference is hereby grounded at any airport that is located right now in the country.”

Briefing Briefing the committee of the whole House presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, chairman of the committee, Rep Ali Ahmad (PDP, Kwara) explained that the allegations on which the NCAA based its actions on grounding the aircraft were false. He said the aircraft was registered in the US and the committee also found out that over 70 per cent of private jets in the country were registered abroad.

While adopting the recommendations, the House requested the attorney-general and minister of justice to consider prosecuting Caverton Helicopters for misleading the NCAA to illegally ground the aircraft.

The House noted that “for providing information that led the authorities to wrongly believe that Rivers State Government falsified

LAUNCHING: From left: Chairman, Board of Trustees, Bookhouse Education Trust of Nigeria, Professor Adekunle Akinyemi, Grand Patron, Senator Bode Olajumoke, Chief, Akinlolu Akinyemi and Secretary, Moshood Shehu at the official launch of the education trust in Lagos, yesterday.

N5bn fraud: Court uncovers plot to free ex-pension boss with fake bail documents

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

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BUJA—THE Abuja Divi sion of the Federal High Court, yesterday, adduced reasons why it has refused to release the former Director of Pension Accounts in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, OHCSF, Dr. Sani Teidi Shaibu, from Kuje Prisons, alleging that all the bail documents he initially tendered before the court were fake.

Trial judge Ademola Adeniyi who made the revelation at the resumed sitting on the 22-count criminal charge that was preferred against the ex-Director by the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, said the court has already okayed a relative of the accused person and a court official who was simply identified as “Alhaji”, for prosecution over the crime.

Teidi was specifically alleged to have connived with a former man-

ager with the defunct Oceanic Bank Plc, Mr. Udusegbe Omoefe Eric, and diverted about N5 billion meant for pensioners across the federation.

EFCC alleged that they used nine companies to siphone pension funds.

It gave names of the companies accused of complicity in the scam as Gozinda Enterprises, Bashinta Nigeria Ltd, Haleath Enterprises, Uthatak Nigeria Ltd, Krasiva Nig Ltd, Badawulu Ventures Ltd, Ebunu Attah Investment, Muha Millennium Motors Ltd and Ribaile Petroleum Ltd. It will be recalled that the expension Director was on July 12 granted bail by the high court after he had spent thirty-nine days in detention. The court had ordered him to deposit the sum of N500 million as well as produce two sureties in like sum.

Justice Adeniyi had in his ruling maintained that the sureties

must be owners of landed property within the jurisdiction of the court, adding that the title deeds of the property should be kept with the deputy chief registrar of

the court, adding that the accused persons should deposit their travelling documents with the court.

Glo’s Invasion LOL hits Abuja Friday place at Thisday Dome at 6.00

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BUJA—ABUJA, Ni geria’s Federal Capital Territory, will on Friday host Invasion LOL, Africa’s biggest comedy show packaged by telecoms operator, Globacom.

Invasion LOL, which is a special edition of the company’s thrilling comedy, dance and musical show, Glo Laffta Fest, was first held in Lagos last weekend. It had international comedians providing a memorable evening of entertainment along with their Nigerian counterparts and leading musicians.

The Abuja show, billed to take

p.m., will be anchored by humour merchant, Basketmouth, and will feature two American comedians, Tony Roberts and Deray Davies, as well as South Africa’s Ndumiso, Uganda’s Salvado and Nigerian leading comedians including Bovi, Buchi, Gordons, Akpororo, Funny Bone and Dan D Huumorous.

Globacom said the evening will not be all about comedy as sensational twins, PSquare, Wande Coal, Naeto C, MI and DJ Jimmy Jatt will provide music to ensure an all-round thrilling experience for guests at the show.

$3m bribery scam: Court declines to stop Farouk, Emenalo's trial

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI BUJA—JUSTICE Mudashiru Oniyangi of an Abuja High Court sitting at Maitama, yesterday, declined to halt further hearing on the criminal charge that was preferred against the former Chairman of the House of Representatives Adhoc Committee on fuel subsidy probe, Farouk Lawal, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC. Refusing to hands-off the trial, Justice Oniyangi, ordered both Farouk and the erstwhile Secretary of the probe committee, Mr. Boniface Emenalo, to appear before the high court on November 27.

The duo had in a consolidated application they filed through their counsel, Chief Ricky Tarfa, SAN, sought for the stay of proceeding on their trial until the Abuja Division of the Appeal Court, decides on an appeal they have lodged before it which is challenging jurisdiction of the court to try them.

Specifically, Farouk and Emenalo were accused of demanding and collecting bribe from the Chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd, Otedola, as an inducement to remove the name of his company from the report of the House of Reps Ad-hoc committee on monitoring of fuel subsidy regime.

ICPC alleged that they demanded an aggregate sum of $3 million, with a view to ensuring that the company escaped prosecution even though the probe committee had ab-initio found it culpable in fuel subsidy fraud.

Farouk was said to have pocketed the sum of $620,000 as part payment for the illegal deal.

The anti-graft agency further alleged that Emenalo, while being a public officer, an Assistant Director and Clerk of the Committee on Education of the House of Reps, sometime in April 2012, while acting as the Secretary of the Ad-hoc Committee, was offered gratification by Otedola but failed to report the offer to any officer of the ICPC or any police officer.

The offence according to ICPC is contrary to section 17 (1) (a), section 8(1) (a) (b) (ii), and section 23 (i) of the Corrupt practices and other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under section 8 (1) 17 (1) and 23(3) of the same Act.

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16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

AT BIZLAW'S 80TH BIRTHDAY A special prayer to mark the 80th birthday of Uncle Bisi Lawrence, Vanguard columnist, was held at his Ijora-Badia, Lagos, residence, yesterday.

From left— Mr. Victor Omoregie, Corporate Affairs Manager, Vanguard, Mr. Adefaye; Mrs. Olayinka Asubiojo, nee Lawrence; Uncle Bisi Lawrence; Mr. J. K. Ayelabola, Headmaster, Olatunde Lawrence Memorial Nursery and Primary School; Mr. Bayagbon and Mr. Odueme.

From left— Uncle Bisi Lawrence, celebrant; Mr. Mideno Bayagbon, Editor; Mr. Fred Odueme, AGM, Brands; and Mr. Gbenga Adefaye, GM Publications/Editor-in-Chief, all of Vanguard Newspapers, presenting a gift to the celebrant. PHOTOS: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

From left— The celebrant; Mrs. Adeyemi Olufunke, Assistant Headmaster; Mr. Ayelabola; Pupils of Olatunde Lawrence Memorial School and other staff of Olatunde Lawrence Memoat the event. rial School, presenting a gift to the celebrant.

The celebrant recieving a gift (Bible) from Mrs. Asubiojo.

LAGOS-IBADAN EXPRESSWAY Vanguard's ace photo-journalist, Biodun Ogunleye's lens captured the badly damaged sections of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013— 17

“Every man’s death diminishes me for I am involved in mankind; so ask not for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee”— John Donne

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AST Wednesday, as has become his wont, during Sallah, Bukola Saraki, former Kwara State governor and Senator representing Kwara Central, gathered people in Ilorin to distribute money and pieces of cloths.

And in a copy of what has happened on two previous occasions, there was a stampede, resulting in a tragic loss of lives of many of those gathered on the occasion.

Mas’udAdebimpe, a Bukola sidekick, andKwara State PDP Publicity Secretary, issued a statement of condolence and confirmed four deaths.

The media variously reported between 10 and 20 deaths; the online medium, Premium Times, quoted a mortuary source at the Sobi Specialist Hospital in Ilorin, as having counted 15 corpses.

There are rumours in Ilorin that over 40 people actually lost their lives in the tragic stampede.

Bukola, who gathered the people, issued his own condolence, stating that “our party’s strength resides solely in the support from party faithful which gives us confidence always-it’s very painful to have lost these party faithful”. It is noteworthy that Adebimpehad also stressed the “party faithful”

Bukola Saraki's annual ritual of stampedes become not only a source of anger but has become completely obscene and unacceptable! Nigerians must not allow this latest tragedy to be swept under the carpet, as they elaborately attempt to spin the story out of the headlines.

Even the victims are already being blamed for disorderliness, while Bukola is being whited up (like a sepulcher?) as ‘compassionate’. Traditional rulers have been corralled as part of a conspiracy of spin, with the Etsu Patigi leading a condolences delegation, instead of asking disturbing questions as to why we annually harvest the deaths of our poor people. Instructively, the online medium, Premium Times reported early this week, a desperate effort to cover up the tragic deaths, when the DPO in charge of the

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A third stampede in as many years, with the same pattern of gathering of the people in a most dehumanising manner, has become not only a source of anger but has become completely unacceptable!

line while expressing “regret to announce that (they) lost four of our party members to the unfortunate development”. It is obvious that Bukola and his sidekick were cynically manipulating the tragedy to underline the party line in order to posit the old PDP argument that what happened was no one else’s business, because it was their “family” or their party’s business.

Manipulative pattern It is also instructive that there is a consistently manipulative pattern of reportage of these killings

by Bukola and his henchmen. But the first thing that should worry all rational observers is the persistent pattern of deaths of people in these annual gatherings in the hands of the young man who deludes himself as “leader” in the political scheme of things in Kwara State.

If there had beenjust one stampede resulting in the death of even a single individual, we would normally have all been saddened by such an unfortunate incident. A second stampede will be seen as a tragic coincidence too many, especially because of the repeated pattern of event and very significant loss of lives always deliberately under-reported, with the active collaboration of a complicit local media. But a third stampede in as many years, with the same pattern of gathering of the people in a most dehumanising and disrespectful manner, has

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jurisdiction was allegedly ordered from the Zone 8 command HQ in Lokoja to “suspend investigation and immediately forward the case file to the zonal command”!

This harvest of deaths of poor people stains Bukola’s hands, starting from November 17 2010, when at least 11 supporters died in his Mandate House campaign HQ. But just as happened last week, Bukola and his PDP gang

claimed that ‘only four’ “party faithful” died on the occasion.

Mas’ud Adebimpe, press secretary to then Governor Saraki, toed the official line that “the deceased would be greatly missed by both the party and their families”.

The next round of deaths by stampede was harvested on May 27, 2011, with up to 25 dying in the pandemonium following the distribution of six yards of cloth and N5000, to inaugurate the incoming governor. Bukola did not depart from his usually cynical line on the tragedy: “I’m deeply saddened to receive the news about the loss of some of our party members…”.

Humanity of victims Neither showing remorse about the humanity of victims, nor their loss as citizens, sons, daughters, parents or members of community, but the absolute manipulation of political circumstance, with an eye on continued hegemonic control of the people and the resources of the state!

The standard definition of lunacy is to do the same thing over and over and expect a different outcome. Bukola is a medical doctor, so he should know that for a fact. Why does he continue to gather people in hundreds when there is the likelihood of the stampede witnessed in the past? Must politics be played with so little respect for the sanctity of human lives? Why has theBukola Saraki political group refused to move

must be lifted, karfi da yaji, as we say in Hausa. The oppressive atmosphere of fear has largely endured because of the endemic and humiliating poverty, mob culture of violence, the vicious cult of Saraki’s personality and the fact that people are scared of dire consequences, if they speak up!

The comforting truth is that there has NEVER been 100 percent dictatorial control in human history. The minority that refuses to be cowered will eventually be the spark lighting the fire that will burn the veldt of oppression and the elaborate infrastructure of heist. That time has appeared on the horizon in Kwara State. The people are fed up with the hegemonic dictatorship of the arrogant young man. He is fighting for his political life now, at the national

beyond the manipulation of the people’s poverty as a means of hegemonic control? Must the people of Kwara State be perpetually at the receiving end of the humiliation regularly visited upon them by a young man who sits atop the resources of the state and calls himself ‘leader’?

When would they apprehend the imperative of genuine empowerment that can translate into wealth creation and dignity for the people?

How does Bukola sleep com- •Senator Bukola Saraki fortably with his conscience, considering the level and the homestead is slipharvest of deaths on his head with ping from his hands, despite the these stampedes? It is incredible, spin and propaganda. This is why but far more people have died un- he has become even more desperder Saraki’s watch, than the com- ate to give out the Ankara cloths munity lost during the Nigerian and N1000. But that has always Civil War (and I say this responsi- been badly handled, leading to bly, as someone who lost two cous- the stampedes ending in tragic ins in the war!). loss of lives, as happened last But as the NLC, CISLAC and oth- Wednesday. er patriotic individuals and organBukola cannot sustain the deisations have severally pointed lusion of grandeur that drives his out in the past week, more than politics. He has alienated himself ever before, we have arrived at a with his arrogance and has oftipping point in Kwara State. The fended too many people. His type humiliating politics by handouts, of politics isbackwards and reacfrom resources that actually be- tionary; and it is too costly in the long to the people must be end- body counts that the people of ed! The authoritarian pall cast Kwara State have to continuousover the state by the Saraki group ly endure!

Between China and Vietnam

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T is 0259HRS local time in Vietnam on Monday night/Tuesday morning and 1959HRS on Monday in Nigeria. I am writing these lines in the absolutely stunning Victoria Hotels & Resorts in the Vietnamese town of Can Tho. We had flown into the commercial city of the south of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, named after the national hero and communist leader. The drive from Ho Chi Minh City to Can Tho took about four hours, through Mekong River Delta towns, with rows and rows of rice paddies on both sides of the road, as far as the human eye could see!

The two-hour flight from the Chinese city of Guangzhou was not eventful, except perhaps for the funny way the airbus plane sounded at take off and landing, points that Chief Audu Ogbeh noted as we steadied into the flight and which all other members of our delegation discussed briefly after airport formalities. The Ho Chi Minh City airport is much bigger than any of the airports in Nigeria and is very neat. We noticed the orderliness about

the place and the city itself is a sprawling metropolis, with the heat and humidity very much like Lagos’! This country must be the moped capital of the world! There are motorcycles everywhere, ridden by men and women, young and old.

We left Nigeria on Sallah Day, via Ethiopia where we transited for four hours before the near 11-hour flight to Guangzhou.

I had been invited by the Borno State government to join a delegation attending the Canton Trade Fair, where deals were struck to make purchases of equipment central to efforts the state is making in the development agenda for the post-Boko Haram insurgency period.

The main issues for the government are agriculture and agro-allied businesses, poverty alleviation and empowerment issues as well as water resource development, irrigation adapted to the realities of the state as well the large scale production of wheat, rice and groundnuts and vegetables. We are in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam as part of the rice production initiative, because Vietnam is now the world’s

second largest producer of rice. Borno wants to tap into the expertise for an allyear round production of rain-fed and irrigated production. This is my first visit to Vietnam, a country whose struggle played a very significant role in the development of my consciousness. I read everything that Ho Chi Minh wrote and I used to enjoy his collection of poetry, with its patriotic melancholy and steely determination to achieve freedom from colonialism. They achieved it but with tremendous sacrifice, because the United States dropped more bombs on Vietnam than were used during the Second World War! Yet these people have returned to their humanity and are now waging a battle against underdevelopment. The Borno State delegation is here to borrow a leaf from the efforts of the Vietnamese people. Next week, we will talk a bit more about the week I have spent in China and Vietnam. Who says you can take away the gene of travel from a Fullo? Not from this reporter. I am a very loyal nomad; I carry the gene of travel!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013 Continues from page 1

of a whistleblower in the Ministry of Aviation simply called “Nicholas Edwards”, the nation was confronted with the shocking story of how the huge sum of N255 million (or US$1.6 million) was splashed on the purchase of two armoured luxury cars by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for embattled Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah.

After initially denying the purchase, the NCAA and a ministerial aide as an afterthought, put up a lame justification for the purchase. They claimed it was meant to protect the Minister who had come under threats due to reforms she initiated in the aviation sector.

We take the position that this is a mere alibi. If allowed to stand, it will signal reinforcing similar alibis by public officials with easy access to public funds to undertake spending sprees that add no value to their schedules, including purchase of armoured security vehicles. We believe that these officials are already over-protected to the detriment of ordinary Nigerians as officials enjoy full complements of security convoys with legions of selected, armed-to-the-teeth policemen on guard duty round the clock.

This is partly the reason recurrent expenditure gobble as much as three-quarters of annual budgets of governments at federal, state and local levels, leaving only one quarter of capital votes for development.

Apart from the wasteful spending it amounts to, the purchase of these vehicles at such preposterous prices

Oduahgate: probe and punish all has the baleful imprimatur of corrupt intentions all over it. In the first place, there are clear evidences that armoured luxury cars in the class of the vehicles bought for the Minister go for about N64 million, which is roughly half the price of each of the cars. A thorough investigation of this issue will reveal the extent of overinvoicing which, if established, will make all involved liable for prosecution for corruption.

Secondly, signals from the House of Representatives indicate lack of budgetary approval for this purchase.

Hon. Zakari Mohammed, spokesman of the House of Representatives who is also a member of the House Committee on Aviation, disclosed that when proposal for the purchase of armoured cars was presented by the Ministry during the budgeting process, it was thrown out outright. The officials later returned with a request for “operational vehicles”, which was approved only for them to go and purchase the armoured cars.

It is gratifying that the National Assembly has waded into this matter, while the President has issued the Minister a query, in addition to an administrative panel of inquiry into the debacle. The House of Representatives has given its panel until Wednesday, October 30th 2013 to submit its findings.

In the extant case, we must establish beyond reasonable doubts whether these purchases conform with the law recently passed by the National Assembly on the recommendation of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) which regulates the standards for catering for Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in terms of salaries, emoluments, housing, vehicles and other matters. We should also establish the role, if any, of the Bureau of Public Procurement in the entire saga.

Wherever it is established that this and other laws and regulations guiding proper conduct of office holders has been breached, all officials connected with infractions of the law must face the full weight of appropriate laws.

This will serve as a deterrent to others and also help restrain public office holders to moderate their excessive tendencies to live way above the standards established by the rules of public service.

We also condemn any act of witch hunting against “Nicholas Edwards”, the whistleblower. He performed patriotic service to the nation and deserves rewards and a service medal at a national honours awards by the President. We stand solidly behind “Nicholas Edwards” and will not accept his persecution in any form.

OPINION

BY GODWIN ORJIMMADU Continued from yesterday's pg 17

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HE city is very sensitive for a sitting governor to sneak into for an event being organised in his honour without informing his fellow governor incharge of the state. Okorocha ought to have alerted or reached out to Governor Orji ahead of the event or even invited him to celebrate with him. If time was a factor, he would have reached Governor Orji through his mobile number or at worst direct the organisers to send an invitation card to the state government.

Questions should also be asked as to why the organisers hid under religious banner to secure the Abia State Polytechnic Aba, a state-owned institution as the venue of the event, only to turn around at the last moment to make it a political gathering.

This also raises question on the integrity and sincerity of the acclaimed men of God who happened to be the organisers of the event on behalf of Okorocha. Today, we are all aware that everything and anything is possible under religious cover; that is why every right-thinking person and responsible government must be very careful of the questionable activities of the acclaimed men of God, who are deploying religious tools to destabilise our society for pecuniary and selfish interest.

Besides, as two sitting governors of sister states sharing common boundary, it is expected that there should be proper channels of communication between the duo to avoid this kind of ugly development. This was apart from the normal channels of communication among their aides. I wonder why Okorocha has always refused to make use of such opportunities to do things right and

Imo and Abia govts row over Okorocha’s reception(2) clergymen in the state before he made u-turn to proper since he assumed office as the governor of Imo State. Before his coming into office in 2011, the relationship between Imo and Abia states was very cordial and mutual. But everything suddenly changed with Okorocha’s grandstanding leadership style, often making a mountain out of molehill in every situation to gain cheap political popularity. Nobody is against and should be against his style of leadership in as much as such he recognises laid procedures of doing things in government circle. This is why Okorocha and his aides must be call to order whenever they attempt to disrupt protocol. And this the Abia State Polytechnic authorities had done by cancelling the event. After all Okorocha's birthday ceremony is not more important than the security of the state.

The recent episode in Aba involving Okorocha had once again reminds one of his abrupt and immediate closure of Abia Line Transport Company motor park in Owerri some months ago which caused a row between the two state governments and inflicted untold hardship on commuters using the transport company.

It took the timely intervention and pragmatic leadership approach of Governor Orji who upon his return from an oversea trip to resolve the matter in the interest of peaceful co-existence of the two sister states, taking into cognisance that two people cannot be mad at the same time. Not quite long, Governor Okorocha signed an abortion bill into law in the state without due consultation with relevant stakeholders. The development pitched him against

repeal the law and apologised to them. Governor Okorocha, we all know, cannot and will not accept such disrespectful treatment he meted out to Governor Orji, a fellow state governor. Leaders must learn how to lead by example and accord respect to the exalted office they are occupying.

Constitutionally, the state governor is the Chief Security Officer of the state and should be in the know of any gathering or event that may pose security threat to the state. The governor also has the right to put a halt to such a gathering, if security report at his disposal shows that the state would be endangered by allowing it to hold. Okorocha should learn how to align himself with his fellow governors, especially those from the South East for economic and political development of the zone and the country in general. He cannot do it alone and should not behave as if knows more than any of his colleagues. He must learn to be a team player and avoid issues that will always stir controversy for his government, and paint him and his government in a bad light. Okorocha should always remember the words of former American President, Abraham Lincoln, that character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.

Concluded

*Mr. Orjimmadu , a university lecturer, wrote from Owerri, Imo State.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013— 19

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EFORE they went on their annual recess this year, the Senate chamber of the National Assembly had taken a progressive step towards the decentralisation of Labour matters. They voted in the ongoing constitution amendment to remove Labour issues from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent List.

What this means is that if the amendment goes through, matters such as salaries and wages will be legislated for both the federal and state governments. The Federal Government can discuss and agree with its workers to fix a minimum wage while workers of the state governments and the private sector can discuss their wages based on prevailing economic realities or peculiarities. States that cannot afford to pay what the Federal Government offers its workers can explore what is feasible, as opposed to the current situation where Labour forces every public sector employer to pay whatever the Federal Government agrees with workers’ unions in their payroll.

On the other hand, states that are buoyant (such as big oil

derivation-earning states and highly industrialised states that collect huge internally generated tax revenues) can even pay more than the Federal Government if the situation warrants it.

On Tuesday, September 17, 2013, when the Senate returned from it recess, Labour went on warpath and invaded the grounds of the National Assembly. They even came with their former President, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who is now the Governor of Edo State. The Labour movement, especially the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, under the presidency of Waheed Omar, has entered into a cozy symbiotic relationship with Governor Oshiomhole. When the Comrade was gunning for reelection, the NLC openly campaigned for him in Edo State.

And to add some bite to their agitation against Labour decentralisation, they enlisted him.

The President of the Senate, David Mark, apparently intimidated, left the business of the “upper chamber” to his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, and went to

address the workers’ unions. He promised that the Senate would revisit the issue. Barring unforeseen circumstances, the Senate will likely take two steps backward after taking this crucial first step towards reducing the overload the Centre has been carrying.

One of the principal objectives of the nation’s constitutional reforms is to devolve more powers from the Centre to the federating units. This will gradually reduce the overweening powers of the Federal Government and rid it of its centralised command form of federalism foisted by military rule.

It will not only make governance more effective, it will also reduce the cost of governance and give the Nigerian people more opportunities to participate more effectively in government.

The decentralisation of Labour matters will also reduce the spate of strikes in the system, particularly the so called “sympathy” strikes, which cripple sectors that

This is the beginning; this is the end

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E shall be very liberal with the use of names in this essay, except in the very rare case where anonymity would save the subject some embarrassment. In our political career, we have seen politicians.

There are organisers and there are disorganisers.

Between the spring of 1990 and the winter of 1992, this writer had a wonderful internship under Chief Tony Anenih.

Reference here to an internship, as opposed to apprenticeship, is deliberate as I was already a successful politician, having represented the Greater Orhionmwon Federal Constituency as an elected member of the Constituent Assembly, before I met the elder statesman. Those years further sharpened my life.

Anenih inculcated in me the virtues of hard work. In terms of party organisation, he was most effective. A greater workaholic, none could be! He hardly slept. During the organisation for the late General Shehu Yar’ Adua, we would hold marathon meetings in Port Harcourt lasting from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. the following day; we would be in Uyo in the present Akwa Ibom State at 10 a.m. to begin another meeting that would last far into the night. Yet, we would be in Warri for another meeting that would start at 10 p.m. and last till 5 a.m. the following day.

In all this, we did not disappoint the people at the home front who were expected in Benin City for another marathon meeting scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.

On occasions, Anenih would abandon the luxury of his healthy cars, hop into my jalopy and say, “Joe, let’s go”. We were heading for Okhoro Road area or Uptown Ikpoba Hill, to see some of those “Talakawas”, the type some people would never allow into their premises. This way,

,

Anenih easily agreed with members at the general meeting that there was no reason to see those lowly grassroots people, unknown to those members that he had seen those ones the previous night. In essence, everyone was irreducibly important. His was a policy of separate but equal.

He did not eat seed money. In times of organisation, Anenih would rather add his own money to whatever was brought to ensure victory. He provided a quick reminder of my late father who was one of the greatest farmers in Isi land of then Benin East Division. My father could give you the biggest tuber of yam but he would not allow you go with the smallest seed yam because in due season, that small seed yam could produce the biggest tubers.

In the ill-fated Third Republic, the meticulous selection of candidates supervised by Chief Anenih, which sometimes lasted all night, produced the fantastic results we saw for the SDP everywhere.

On the debit side, Chief Anenih has a kinsman who is disorganising everything in the opposite direction. To this kinsman, every season is harvesting season. He eats the tuber and the seed yams, oblivious of the coming of any planting season. Give him N100 to organise an event, he would pocket N99 and organise with N1. To him, immediate personal gratification rather than organisational group success is the name of the game. In local parlance, such is called “Tako-tako”.

Enter the late Senator Akpor Pius Ewherido (1963-2013), a man who believed in hard work and commanded tremendous followership wherever he went; a man who on a short notice, moved from the PDP to the DPP to compete for the Delta Central Senatorial seat in the

T

April 2011 election; and in the end, he dusted an adept in political engineering, Chief Amori Ighoyota, securing 102,313 votes to Ighoyota’s 85,365.

Shortly before Ewherido died, he moved to the APC, bringing with him, an enviable

,

Labour, a growing tyrant

Oil sector workers earn more than most of their peers in the private sector and yet the latter have not shut down the economy in the name of pay parity

currently have no issues with their employers.

One of the abominable fallouts of centralised Labour matters is the perennial spate of illmotivated strikes by the Academic Staff of Nigerian Universities, ASUU. Since ASUU signed an agreement with the Federal Government in 2009, hardly has a year passed without their returning to strikes to force the government to fulfill terms of the agreement, and lecturers of stateowned universities that have no business with the Federal Government always join.

The uglier side of this situation is that this year, the Federal Government offered a total of N130 billion out of the N850 billion ASUU is demanding but ASUU insisted that unless the Federal Government honours the agreement that would cost three trillion naira it would not return to work! Meanwhile, the strike has entered it fourth month. here is no substitute to decentralisation of Labour issues. The current arrangement is too disruptive and unsustainable. Labour unions should be able to sit down with their employers, look at the revenue accruing to the specific entity and decide what is reasonable and economically sound as wages and entitlements of workers. Labour unions at every level have the capacity to force unwilling and unreasonable employers to the negotiation table. Workers do not need to go on a nationwide strike to force employers in a state or locality to meet their demands. It is a gross abuse of power and a weapon now frequently used against the interests of the wider society.

With all the infighting that now portends imminent danger to the PDP, the APC and other allies must now get serious by clearing imposters off their front line

,

asset in tremendous goodwill. All that we have now rubbished, no thanks to Takotako master. As it were, Ewherido asked for rain and we gave him a rainbow. We certainly owe him an apology wherever he is. y way of twisted reasoning, Takotako believes that politics is 99 percent inspiration and one percent perspiration. So, between poor or absolute non-preparation and the concessioning of the party’s candidature to the highest bidder, the PDP ran away with 263,024 votes to APC’s miserable 29,077 at the recent by-election for Delta Central Senatorial District.

In our university days, a student was usually quick to say, “I got an ‘A’ in the

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Our quest for devolution of powers must be total and all embracing. Some of these Labour leaders who tag themselves “progressives” go into a political forum to canvass for devolution of powers from the Centre to the peripheries only to walk across the street into a Labour forum to ask for centralisation of Labour matters. Labour must come on board in our quest for true federalism.

Why must Labour insist on pay parity between federal and state employees when such does not exist in the private sector? Why must workers in Zamfara State be adamant on pay parity with those of the Lagos civil service when revenue levels and cost of living are not the same? The argument that we all buy from the same market does not wash. Oil sector workers earn more than most of their peers in the private sector and yet the latter have not to shut down the economy in the name of pay parity.

We must focus on the broad imperatives of the constitutional reforms. Apart from devolution of powers, we must tackle the high cost of governance, whereby about 75 per cent of our budgets at state and federal levels are devoted to personnel costs of a tiny minority of public sector workers.

It leaves very little for capital projects that will boost the activities of the vast majority of private sector workers and self-employed people. This tyranny of the minority which Labour leaders are promoting will never allow the economy to grow. It is only when a much larger chunk of public resources are spent on capital projects that the economy will expand and more jobs will be created. The march towards decentralisation of Labour matters must proceed apace.

course” but if the result was otherwise, he would say, “The lecturer gave me a ‘D’”.

That explains why the APC must now shout to the high heavens that the election was rigged. Let them tell that to the Marines!

Who should have least imagined that the APC might be dead on arrival to the SouthSouth, no thanks to Tako-tako? He still holds the empty chips to his chest and he is using them to ferment pockets of divisiveness everywhere. This essay should serve as the first point of order on him before he finds that he is left alone in that party, the party we all celebrated before its birth!

Divided we stand, united we fall. There could be unity in disunity. We must watch out for this emerging trend in the politics of Nigeria. On election day, members of opposing factions would fight to the polling station but with all the bickering, they would still end up casting their votes for the same candidate. Factions struggle to outwit each other. Immediately after votes are counted, factional heads rush to headquarters to impress on the winner and the party leadership that they were responsible for the outcome.

If morning shows the day and if this started playing out at the Delta Central election, it is also reasonable to expect a national spread of the same phenomenon; with all the in-fighting that now portends imminent danger to the PDP, providing real strength in due season. The APC and other allies must now get serious by clearing imposters off their front line. Otherwise, this is the beginning; this is the end!

C M Y K

20—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24 , 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013 —21

Nigeria, Indonesia others rank high in piracy

BY GODWIN ORITSE AND ONYEGBADUE AMAMDI with agency reports

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HE International Maritime Bureau (IMB) report has ranked Lagos Nigeria as one of the pirate prone areas in the world, despite a fall in the attack in global piracy in seven year.

The development may lead to an increase in freight rate of Nigerian bound cargoes.

Other countries prone to pirate attacks includes Indonesia, Malaysia India, Togo, Egypt and Bangladesh as at September 2013.

According to the report, “Pirates/robbers are often well armed, violent and have attacked, hijacked and robbed vessels/kidnapped crews along the coast, rivers, anchorages, ports and surrounding waters. Attacks reported up to 170 nautical miles from coast. In many incidents, pirates have hijacked and ransacked vessels and stolen cargo-

From left: Mr. Steven Cohen, Managing Director, Sage Pastel Accounting; Mr. Anton Van Heerden, M.D, Sage HR Africa; Mrs. Damilola Ajibade, Sales Executive, West Africa and Mr. Jeremy Waterman, MD, Sage ERP Africa, during the official launch of Sage Software Nigeria Ltd, in Lagos. usually gas oil. A number of crew members have also been injured and kidnapped.

Generally all waters in Nige-

ria remain risky.”

The report noted that there surge in the pirate atttack in the Gulf of Guinea, which has

replaced Somalia as the world’s piracy hotspot with more than 40 attacks, seven hijackings and 132 crew taken

hostage in the first nine months of the year 2013.

The Gulf of Guinea accounted for all crew kidnappings worldwide, 32 of them off Nigeria, and two off Togo.

Nigeria accounted for 29 incidents, up from 21 a year ago.

Two ships were hijacked, 11 boarded and 13 fired on.

The IMB report also said Indonesia accounts for the most number of incidents with 68 reports however that such incidents were “low level attacks aimed at thefts against the vessels and should not be compared to the more serious, violent attacks in the Gulf of Guinea and off Somalia.”

The director of the international maritime bureau (IMB) warned in 2012 that the region was now a major focal point for armed robberies at sea, “Piracy in west Africa is a serious problem,” said Pottengal Mukundan, IMB director. “Pirates are getting quite audacious, with increasing levels of violence being used.”

Mukundan also criticised the lack of efforts by governments in the region to tackle the problem.

Traders seek talks with FG on interest rates, import policies

BY JONAH NWOKPOKU

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RADERS under the auspices of Traders’ Rights Protection Initiatives have said they want a round table talks with the federal government on various issues affecting trading activities in the country especially on high interest rates and import policies.

111.85

+0.05

2,765.00

+35.00

19.47

+0.05

110.01

+0.37

97.59

-1.42

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

The group made the demand through its General Secretary, Mr. Anthony Okechukwu who spoke to news men during a business award organised by the association in Lagos.

He said that despite the contributions of the trading community to the nation’s economy, traders have continued to suffer unduly due to high interest rates and

154.9 249.9931 211.8412 171.4823 1.5747 0.3036 237.85 25.4226 41.3012 28.3918 238.608

155.4 250.8001 212.525 172.0359 1.5797 0.3136 238.6177 25.5051 41.4345 28.4834 239.3782

SELLING 155.9 251.607 213.2088 172.5894 1.5848 0.3236 239.3855 25.5876 41.5678 28.5751 240.1484

CBN Exchange rate as at 23/10/2013

unfavourable import policies.

According to him, “Our greatest concern is the issue of borrowing money from the banks by the trading community; the interest rate is too high. At the moment, we are competing with foreigners who are also importing finished goods. The little money we have always disappears whenever we import goods, because of the high interest rates.”

“Also we want government to intervene at the ports and make issues easier for us.

The forces there are not working well with

the trading community. We are paying through our noses to fund the levies coming from there. When our goods come in, we pay demurrage even when we are not the cause of whatever was the delay. Also, the issue of these bonded warehouses is one of the things that make us to suffer

more because with the congestion there, the problem is hectic, we can’t trace our goods on time, we cannot pay on time. Government can come in to help us with policies that will help us to grow,” he said.

He added that traders become debtors because, “When

we use the bank’s money with high interest, to incur high cost of bringing in goods alongside several charges in the ports, at the end of the day, we cannot even realise the cost of the goods let alone make profit. These are our problems and we want the government to come in.”

Nigerians account for 40% smartphones purchase in Africa

BY LAJU ARYENKA

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ECENT research has shown that Nigerian consumers are responsible for 40% of smart phone purchased on the African continent.

The Director, Samsung Handheld devices in West Africa, Mr. Emmanuel Ravmataz said this at a press conference to announce the Samsung Smart Africa tour to begin at the Teslim Balogun stadium in Lagos on November 2.

Ravmataz said that the figure is as a result of 2013 market surveys carried out by Germany-based research company, the GfK group, adding that the trend is very likely to con-

tinue in 2014. “The Nigerian consumer is becoming more informed and educated about smart phone devices than the average person.”

Speaking on the tour, Managing Director of Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Brovo Kim, said that the initiative presents a platform for the company to share its products, philosophy and processes with consumers and stakeholders, while providing them with first-hand exposure to the latest innovation in all of its product categories, including audio-visual and home appliances, mobile phones, digital cameras and IT solutions that are Built for Africa and promote a

smarter way of living.

“In our more than ten years of doing business in Nigeria,” he said, “ we have seen the country’s rapid evolution to a technology-savvy market that is heavily reliant on same to drive everyday life. We are happy that Nigerians have given us the opportunity to play a major role in this evolution.”

“Today, the Samsung brand has a huge percentage of the consumer electronics and digital media market in Nigeria and indeed the whole of Africa. This is a testament to our understanding of the unique needs of the African market and Africa as a whole.

22 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

Bill on control of funds passes second reading A

bill seeking to regulate the acceptance and utilisation of financial and material contribution of donor agencies to voluntary organisations has passed through its second reading at the House of Representatives.

The bill also seeks to subject the acceptance and utilisation of funds from international donor agencies by Civil Society Organisations (CSO) in the country to the control of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal has, however, warned that the move should not be misconstrued as “gagging” the activities of the CSOs. During the debate, some of the lawmakers opined that the bill, if passed, into law would hamper the activities of CSOs that have been active in checking the excesses of governments.

According to the sponsor of the bill , Rep. Eddie Mbadiwe (APGA,Imo), funds from donor agencies ought to be subjected to stricter control going by the security challenges currently confronting the country.

He said that there were many non- governmental organisations that were not registered in the country yet, have access to funds from these international agencies.

Mbadiwe said this, had constituted a serious threat to national security and urged his colleagues to pass the legislation to checkmate the

ugly situation.

Speaking in support of the bill, Rep. Leo Ogor (PDPDelta) said that the parliament has a responsibility to bring the laws of the country into

conformity with global best practises. He said that it was within the mandate of the parliament to bring the activities of NGOs in the country into public scrutiny so as to enhance public safety.

From left: Emeka Iro, Ag. Company Secretary,TrustBond Mortgage Bank; Etigwe Uwa, SAN, Chairman, and Adeniyi Akinlusi, MD, TrustBond Mortgage Bank, at the Completion Board Meeting of TrustBond Mortgage Bank Plc, for Special Placement offer of N500 million, in Lagos.

Global competitiveness: Averti Professionals call for improved business processes

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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VERTI Professionals have called on Nigerian business to constantly fine-turn their business processes so as to survive and succeed in global competition Speaking at the official launch of the company in Lagos, Mrs. Inyang Sami-

Orungbe, one of the four Partners of Averti, said, “Since the smallest of businesses can now operate on a global scale, there is a constant need to fine-tune business processes so they align with worlds best practices”.

Speaking on the importance of business processes, she said, “Business process man-

Wema Bank shares listed on NSE, gross earnings hit N26bn

By PETER EGWUATU

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The lawmakers said that public safety would be enhanced if NGOs were required by law to ensure that they are registered with the ICPC before accessing funds from foreign countries.

EMA Bank Plc has listed its shares of 26,667,123,333 ordinary shares of 50k each from its special private placing on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, just as its gross earnings rose to N26 billion for the third quarter( Q3) unaudited results.

The bank’s listing of its shares took place on Tuesday, just immediately after the Bank released its 2013 Q3 results which saw Wema Bank sustain its profits for the second consecutive quarter since 2009 and Gross Earnings hit N26.3billion.

In his comments, Tunde Mabawonku, Chief Finance Officer of the Bank reiterated the Bank’s appreciation to all stakeholders who participated in the N40billion capital raise by way of special placing. He further added that the performance of the Bank’s shares on the Exchange and subsequent listing of the ordinary shares from the successful special placing was testament to the confidence

reposed in the Bank by investors, customers and shareholders alike. He was also confident that the Bank will continue its growth trend into the foreseeable future. In an earlier statement, the MD/CEO of Wema Bank, Segun Oloketuyi said that the shareholding structure of the bank remains diverse with no single investor having a controlling shareholding.

Over the past four (4) years, Wema Bank has been successfully repositioned against all odds by creating a strong platform for sustainable superior financial performance through quality personnel, better risk management and corporate governance practices, improved systems and processes, and an enhanced capital base.

During the successful private placing, a total of 26,667,123,333 Ordinary Shares of 50k each valued at N40,000,684,999.50 were allotted to successful institutional and private investors at N1.50k per share in two tranches thereby raising the Bank’s paid up capital above the threshold for a National Banking License.

agement enables organisations view the progress of their activities in terms of the results through processes. It cuts across the whole organisation and does not focus on individual department. The whole process must be looked at.

Averti facilitates overall efficiency across the organisation as regards people, processes and technology using its various products offerings” she added.

Explaining the mission of the company, Folake Sanu, another partner of the firm, said that “Averti Professional is a partnership of four professional women, including Bukky Orekoya and Cecilia Osoka, with a combined professional experience of 120 years in various sectors of the Nigerian economy. We are joining forces to help businesses deal with complex challenges that face them in today’s Nigeria.

“With combined expertise in business advancement, financing and human capital development, we partner with our clients to offer in-depth practical solutions whilst also providing them sustainable support thereby becoming trusted advisors”, said Folake Sanu According to Cecilia Osoka, at Averti, we earn our clients’ confidence through exceptional performance.

Access Bank launches solution to boost investment, simplify transactions

By MICHAEL EBOH

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CCESS Bank Plc has launched a corporate internet banking solution, called Primus, designed to assist in simplifying the processes involved in investment, executing payment, managing receivables and treasury services in the daily dealings of organizations.

Speaking during the launch of the product in Lagos, Mr. Aigbojie Aig-Imoukhuede, Group Managing Director, Access Bank, said the launch is part of its five-year medium term strategy to emerge as a dominant player in the Nigeria’s financial landscape.

He further stated that the corporate internet banking solution is part of its plan to set up 200 key initiatives over the next couple of years.

According to him, the solution is the first in the Nigerian banking terrain and will remain so for a number of years.

He noted that Primus is corporate focused and has moved to the computer, all the services delivered in the face-to-face banking platform.

Also speaking, Mr. Okey Nwoke, Executive Director, Access Bank, said the product is the minnovative and robust electronic business solution in our landscape today, adding that its services cover the typical deliverables of Chief Financial Officers, procurements and logistics directors.

In this regard, he maintained that the areas covered include: payments management, cash flow forecasting, receivables management, investment management, liquidity management, supply chain management, trade services optimization, reporting and reconciliation and foreign exchange optimization.

He said, “major feature is that the solution brings all these services under one portal instead of being seen as different independent solutions.

Other features are that it is easy to sign on; makes reporting seamless; very intuitive and user friendly.

Nwoke noted that Primus is an innovative and robust business solution that focuses on trade, liquidity management, treasury services, collections and payments.

He declared that the corporate internet banking solution provides iwith the Treasury System/Investment Gateway for tasks like Folio Balance and activity reporting, purchase of new investment and redemption of new investment among others.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013 — 23

Production challenges fuel layoffs of contract workers

ASPAMDA petitions Industry Minister over Chinese activities

BY FRANKLIN ALLI & JONAH NWOKPOKU

BY FRANKLIN ALLI

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NCHE Agbangbo is a graduate of Banking and Finance. He was jobless for three years. He has attended several job interviews without success.

“Life has taught me that in today’s Nigeria, a good university certificate is not a guarantee for quick employment in the labour market,” he mused.

Last year, relief came his way when he was hired by a recruitment firm not to work as a white collar staff but a factory worker in a dairy manufacturing company.

His monthly salary was N20, 000. Eleven months after, he was fired with 200 other contract workers.

“For me, it is back to square one; he lamented, adding: “The dilemma of outsourced contract workers are many and diverse.

“Compared to permanent staff, contract workers neither enjoy bonus, nor annual leave, and you get meager salary compared to what they pay permanent staff.

Also, when you are sick, you are not allowed access to the company’s internal clinic or hospital rather, you treat yourself and at the end of the month they deduct the money from your salary.”

He recalled that within ten months, about 500 contract workers were disengaged and this often happens before they complete twelve months.

“Working as contract staff is not only emotionally crushing; you can’t save meaningfully for the future, let alone settle down as a man, in terms of hiring your own apartment or getting married.

“The day I got my letter of terminating my appointment, it looks as if my life has ended. The reality soon dawn on me that the job I have been managing is gone,” he said sullenly.

He observed that although contract work is being practiced globally, yet it is not practice in Nigeria to global standard.

“Currently as it is being carried out in Nigeria, it is the contractors that take the lion share while they pay peanuts to the workers,” he said.

Based on the foregoing, Vanguard investigated why companies, particularly those in manufacturing sector hire and lay offs incessantly.

Industry players and experts who spoke on the issue blamed recurring layoffs on production challenges.

Muda Yusuf, Director General, Lagos Chamber

UNEMPLOYMENT: A cross section of job seekers scrambling to submit their CV at a job fair, recently. of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, was of the view that the economies of the northern states where manufacturers based in Lagos, sell their products to have suffered considerable decline recently.

“Distribution of goods and services to the northern part of the country was inhibited by security situations in the country and this has led to significant reduction in turnover and losses to companies operating from other parts of the country.

He said that in addition, the power situation which is still erratic, manifests in high production costs, continue to perpetuate real sector crisis.

“A weak real sector poses a systemic problem for the entire economy, especially with respect to economic linkages, value addition and job creation,” he said.

Vanguard further learnt that these challenges have led some companies to keep a few workers on their payroll as permanent workers, while 70 percent of their workforces are outsourced contract workers.

Corroborating this view, a source at Tusen Consulting Limited, who has been hiring for multinational companies in the country for13 years, said: “If for any reason we have to let staff go, it must be as a result of production and disciplinary issue “You can’t keep somebody who is insubordinate, somebody who is not disciplined, somebody who is always late to work or absent from work without justifiable reasons.

“Every staff we hire for our clients have a valid contract and we don’t let them go outside the trend of the contract; if we have to end your contract, it must be in line with the

contract agreement.

“We don’t just layoff, we don’t just tell you “get lost”, we give you adequate notice and if the notice is too short, we pay in lieu of that contract.”

“If there are production challenges, we let some people go; yes, and some contracts that were coming to an end, we didn’t renew.

“However, when production improves and we need more people, we contracted some of those same people that were disengaged.

“At Tusen, all our contract staff gets their terminal benefits at the expiration of their contract. This includes medical cover and PAYE under the Employee Compensation Scheme. And we always ensure even when the benefit is not in place; we turn down the business contract. Some of the employers want to break the law. They don’t want to contribute to pension; they don’t want to pay insurance. So we don’t do business with clients who don’t want to obey the law of the country.”

She asserted that contract employment is the best for the economy.

“It helps those who do not have permanent work or never find opportunity to be employed in any organisation. Even if it is short term you are given the job, it gives you experience. No matter how short, even your letter of appointment gives you advantages in other places because of your experience.

“Contract jobs works anywhere in the world; it works perfectly in every parts of the world; and in Nigeria it is being done in line with what the Federal Government expects from us. In my own opinion, contract work is good; it helps you get experi-

ence and as long as you are working with a professional organisation and not recruiters who put posters on the street and ask you to pay N5,000 to register, ,” said the source.

Mr.AndrewEnahoro,Head Legal and PR, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, also confirmed that production and marketing challenges are factors fueling layoffs in many organisations.

“We had such issue sometimes ago. The Nigerian Labour Congress waded in and it was resolved. Since then, we have not had such issues. What happened is that sometimes, our contractors engage casual workers for some aspects of our production that demands such services. And I am aware that they usually sign agreement with such workers depending on the period their services will be required. So, if for instance, we want to produce a product and we need ten people to produce 100 of the item, we engage them and that will be signed so that at the end when they must have concluded their tasks, they simply disengage, unless there is a need to extend their engagement.

And I think there is no form of exploitation in that it is a global practice.”

Meanwhile, the umbrella body for employment agencies in the country is called HUMAN Capital Providers Association of Nigeria, HuCaPAN. The Federal Government has issued licenses to 298 outsourcing firms within the last one year. They were charged to avoid unfair labour practices and other ills that are against the decent employment agenda of the government (section 40 of the 1999 Constitution) and Convention 87 of International Labour Organisation, ILO.

UTO parts dealers in the country under the umbrella of Auto Spare Parts and Machinery Dealers Association (ASPAMDA) have petitioned the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga over Chinese activities.

Chief Anthony Ughagwu, ASPAMDA President, disclosed this during a meeting with the Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria.

Ughagwu said that the Chinese are the ones bring in bad auto spare parts into their plaza at the trade fair complex.

“Our association has been making a lot of effort to check the influx of substandard and fake auto spare parts and allied products into our plaza.

“We have on several occasions petitioned the Minister of Trade and Industry on the unacceptable business involvement and substandard products into our plaza by the Chinese,” he said.

He lauded the efforts of SON in curtailing the prevalence of production, marketing and circulation of substandard and fake goods in Nigeria.

Ughagwu noted that the sensitisation of ASPAMDA by SON signifies that the association has been playing an

important role in spare parts distribution and sales in the country which affects the lives and businesses of people as well as the economy of the country.

“I know that Dr. Odumodu has good intention for our association as he has for the industrial sector and that is why his organisation is holding this programme for us today,” he said.

Odumodu enjoined the dealers to embrace the agency’s new e-registration exercise even as he officially opened the SON help desk at the market to provide assistance to the dealers with the electronic registration of their products without leaving their business environment.

“I want to help promote ASPAMDA but that can only be done when the right standards are in place here,” he said.

“Over 95 per cent of spare parts sold in Nigeria are imported. This also implied that for every container load of these goods coming into the country, our traders are paying to sustain the employment of those producing them in other countries while we are faced with serious unemployment back home,” he said.

According to him having many brands in the market is commendable as far as the products can be duly traced to the country of origin.

US employers add 148,000 jobs in September

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HE U.S. economy added 148,000 jobs in September, suggesting that employers held back on hiring before a 16-day partial government shutdown began Oct. 1.

Still, hiring last month was enough to lower the unemployment rate. The Labor Department said Tuesday that the rate fell to 7.2 percent from 7.3 percent in August. Unemployment remains historically high but is near a five-year low and is down from 7.9 percent at the start of 2013.

Tuesday ’s release of the September jobs report had been delayed 2½ weeks by the shutdown, which likely further depressed economic growth and hiring. Temporary layoffs of federal workers and government contractors will

probably lower October’s job gain.

Many economists say they won’t have a clear reading on hiring and unemployment until the November jobs report is issued in early December.

The economy has added an average of 143,000 jobs a month from July through September, weaker than the 182,000 added from April through June.

The department revised its estimates of job growth in July and August to show a net gain of 9,000 jobs. It said employers added 193,000 jobs in August, more than the 169,000 previously estimated. But it said just 89,000 were added in July, the fewest in more than a year and below the previously estimated 104,000.

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013— 25

26—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

for us all, is a bankrupt philosophy. For the Labour Movement, it should be One For All, and All For One. Like we say in the Movement, An Injury To One, Is An Injury To All. As the song, so loved

by Nigerian workers go: “There is victory for us.

There is victory for us. In the struggle for Africa, there is victory for us. Forward Ever!

Backward Never! In the struggle for workers, there is victory!” For all who labour in the world; giving their mental and physical labour, there is victory! The presiTUC participants at Kwame Nkrumah African Labour College, Accra, Ghana. dent of the TUC, Comrade Bobbi Kaigama also shared this view. He told participants that the “The Global Social Protection Agenda is a good phenomenon which has altered the world of work in the advanced world. These are places where workers rights are well protected, reThe Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, recently held its International Relations dundancies are well negotiForum in Accra, Ghana. The theme was, Trade Unionism in Nigeria and Global Social ated, the working environProtection, and the venue was Kwame Nkrumah African Labour College, Accra. Labour ment is superb and safety Vanguard shares with you, the thoughts of the Secretary-General of the Organisation of laws are adhered to. In this African Trade Union Unity, OATUU, Comrade Owei Lakemfa and the TUC President, as advanced world, casual workcontained in their addresses to participants ers are well paid and sometimes even get more money than permanent workers, ism is a service to the working people while their work environment tend to be very

BY FUNMI KOMOLAFE who constitute the bulk of society; who decent”. He lamented that this was absent in HE Secretary- General of OATUU labour to make the wheels of produc- Nigeria. In his words, “Our workers have Comrade Owei Lakemfa com- tion run; who work to ensure the eco- little or no insurance schemes. The so-called mended the leadership of the TUC for nomic survival of society; who sacrifice Employment Alliance Scheme appears to be its commitment to the unity of Nigeri- their youth and old age to create wealth a mirage”.

Kaigama was concerned that workers take an workers and indeed its coopera- from which they get the least share”. home pay was not taking them home hence However, he said, trade unionism tion with the Nigeria Labour Congress, the need for the education programme. meant different things to different NLC; an another labour centre.

As trade unionists, he said, “our primary asReminding participants of the strug- people. To him, “ Trade Unionism is a gle of the foundation members of the career for some; a stepping stone for a signment remains the protection of jobs and TUC which was first known as the Senior Staff Consultative Association of We are talking about social protection for all by Nigeria,SESCAN, he recalled the comrecognizing the fact that social security is an mitment of its founding fathers, Engr. important tool to prevent poverty, inequality, social Femi Kila and Barrister Sola Iji who built a solid foundation for SESCAN exclusion and social insecurity which metamorphosed into the TUC. In the words of the OATUU scribe, few and a source of power or prestige to fighting for the welfare of our members. That his organization was proud of TUC many”. In his opinion, “ fundamentally we will continue to do and we will never reNigeria “for carrying on in the best tra- and in reality , Trade Unionism is a call- lent”. His expectation was that participants ditions of labour leaders in Nigeria like ing. A call to serve; a call to build; a call would make suggestions that would be of benMichael Imoudu and Wahab Goodluck. to develop, and above all, a call to sac- efit to members of the Trade Union Congress.

We commend you for deepening inter- rifice. Across all borders and regions, Nkrumah’s legacy/ OATUU: The OATUU nal democracy in your labour centre, and from counties to countries, under all el- Secretary General, went down memory lane congratulate you for your recent Dele- ements and in all hamlets, over every to remind participants of the contributions of gates Conference and election of a new land and clime, the goal of a labour lead- great Africans . “As you are aware, the Colexecutive led by Comrade Bobboi . B. er should include: For every child, an lege (venue of the event ) is named after one Kaigama”. education; For every youth, a skill; of Africa’s best, brightest and most insightful Emphasizing the importance of eduFor every adult, a job; For every un- leaders. Dr Nkrumah’s service to Africa and cation to the trade union movement, employed, Unemployment Benefit; For progressive humanity, is a lesson”.

Lakemfa said, “Education is a tool for every retired worker, a pension; For evHe reminded all present “ The lesson is that knowledge, awareness and conscientiz- ery human being, food, shelter, cloth- those who serve others will never be forgoting people. OATUU is happy that you ing and Social Protection”. ten.”. On the contrary, he said, “ those who continue to educate your members and Social security is crucial: To achieve plotted against Nkrumah and engineered the leaders; preparing them for the task of this objectives, he said, “ we are talking fall of his purposeful and development-orileading Nigerian workers and contrib- about social protection for all by recog- ented Government, have largely passed into uting to national unity and develop- nizing the fact that social security is an oblivion”.Lakemfa said, “It is on that legament”. important tool to prevent poverty, ine- cy, organisations like OATUU stand."

Trade unionism, a call to serve: Owei quality, social exclusion and social inIt is based on the philosophy of Pan AfriLakemfa, journalist, trade unionist and security. He explained, “It is a means canism, African integration and unity which a former Acting General Secretary of to promote equal opportunity, gender Nkrumah so ably championed, that OATUU NLC, advised participants, “ Broth- and racial equality, and support the is working hard to unite all workers in the ers and sisters, throughout human his- transition from informal to formal em- continent for the advancement of the worktory, the best a person can offer is self- ployment”. For Lakemfa social pro- ing people, the integration and all-round less service to the people, and if need tection was the basis of trade unionism, development of our endowed continent. be, sacrifice for others.”.

“My brothers and sisters, the philosoHe made it clear that “Trade Union- phy of every one for himself, and God

Trade Unionism is selfless service — OATUU

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C M Y K

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Bits ILO Governing Body discusses issues at work

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HE Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (ILO) began its 319th session in Geneva, Switzerland on 16 October .

The meeting which is being attended by elected representatives of workers, private employers and government is scheduled to discuss employment and social issues affecting the world of work today. The meeting which will end on October 31, is also expected to “ review basic labour rights, social protection issues, technical cooperation approaches and sectoral activities around the globe” and this is according to a statement issued by the ILO office in Geneva, Switzerland.

It will also discuss “ the follow-up to the Oslo Declaration adopted by the ILO’s 9th European Regional Meeting in Oslo last April, including ILO assistance to Eurozone countries recovering from the crisis. It will also examine complaints about violations of freedom of association around the globe. “

Construction workers hold 11th annual Education conference

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ATIONAL Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers, NUCECFWW, will between October 28 and November 1, 2013, hold its 11th Annual Education/Industrial Relations Conference.

Taking place at First Bank Auditorium, Department of Agriculture, University of Ibadan, Oyo state, it is with the theme , Organizational Changes and Challenges for Trade Union Leaders” A statement by the union’s General Secretary, Comrade Babatunde Liadi said “participants shall be drawn from employers and employees in construction and civil engineering industries as well as employers and employees in furniture and wood sector throughout the federation. The main objective of the conference/training is to identify the trend of organizational changes and challenges for Trade Union Leaders, job security and its implication on construction workers and also identify new methods of Trade Union Organizing.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013—27

We are in court with Chevron over unpaid benefits, says exNUPENG president Samuel Adewumi Dada was a President of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, between 1984 and May 1989, and an ex-employee of Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL, where he worked for almost 23 years before retirement in November 1999. He was an administrator of “Help Desk” where people (employees) who were having problems with their computers were assisted to rectify such problems. In this interview with Pension and You, he speaks on the battle with CNL over unpaid wages, how to prepare and when to start preparing for retirement. Excerpt.

D

ID you prepare for retirement or you were retired suddenly?

Well, I prepared for it. Though it was supposed to be 55 years of age, before we retired, the Federal Government raised the retirement age to 60, but the management still made us to retire at 55 years, claiming that company’s policy was 55. So, it was not sudden, except the disagreement about the retirement age.

When you retired, how was your benefit (gratuity including and pension)?

It was not too bad by then. But if you compare it with those who left two years after us, you will know that there was nothing there. In fact, my colleagues and I that were retired in 1999 are in court challenging the injustice done to us. We are demanding for our rights and that justice be done to us because those that the company retired after us were paid the remaining years for them to be retired. They were paid the bulk money which we were not paid. Till today, that dictates what they are paid as pension.

When did you institute the court case?

We took the company to court as far back as 2003 and we were pursuing the case before the Federal Government said anything that concerns labour should be moved out of regular court. So, it was transferred from high court to National

receive anything as salary. But God has Industrial Court, NIC. Nigeria being been seeing me through. what she is, the case dragged on for Apart from God’s intervention, how almost ten years and the company was have you been coping with retirement? not coming to court except somebody Our pension is paid as and when representing its lawyer. The compadue. There is no default in payment. ny came one day with one Senior AdBut what we are fighting for is that the vocate of Nigeria, SAN, and argued pension is meager to what we should time lapse irrespective of genuineness be getting. What we are fighting for now or otherwise of the case made it not is the allowances and salaries they are sustainable. The time lapse from owing us because if they calculate that, when we retired and the time the case it will increase the pension. That is what was struck it out in May this year, we are fighting for . It is not that we are made it to be above what the law permits. But we have gone back We are demanding for our rights and to the court that justice be done to us because those about a month ago. No date that the company retired after us were has been fixed paid the remaining years for them to be for hearing because of public retired holiday and other issues. We believe that any monot receiving our pension. ment from now, we will get a date.

What you receive as pension how Since your retirement, how has it does it meet your daily needs, your been? medical feeding and so on?

Well, we have been managing which I thank God Almighty for the medical goes to show the greatness of God. I because the company is still responsiwas having only one of my children ble for my medical needs including my in tertiary institution when I retired, children who were registered before my it was after my retirement that the retirement. It is only one that is remainremaining four went through. That ing which will end by December at the goes to show that God is on my side. age of 25. But according to the compaEven though we see workers complain ny’s policy, my wife and I will receive about their pay, not to talk about after medical attention till our last breadth. their retirement when they no longer

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STORIES BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

Samuel Adewumi Dada

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Yours is a bit fair. But how do you feel about the situation of other retirees who are not so lucky?

I feel very bad. I have at least two persons like that who are close to me, though not on monthly basis, but once a while, I assist them. Even some of the family members are still expecting what they were getting from me before my retirement. The grace is that I am not buying clothes and it is only one of my children that is still in school. It is only that one and my wife. Others are taking care of themselves.

What is your advise to young people who are about to retire?

First, they should cut their coat according to their clothes and they should remember that no matter how sweet it is, it will not be long and no matter how harsh it is, it will also not be long before it ends. So no matter how small, you must save something for the raining day and also train yourself. It is not after retirement before you start thinking of training yourself. I do tell them, buy what you need and not what you like. Almost everything I see, I like, but I do not need them. If they use their money to buy what they need and not what they like, it will be well with them.

Special occasion They should avoid unnecessary expenses and outings. Something like asoebi, one should avoid it when it is avoidable. Like me, I do not know how many (fila) caps I have at home. I only wear them on special occasion, if not for special occasion I do not wear them. I have so many of them including those I have not even sewn. Those things are not what we need. They are because of the social outings and the environment that we are. They should not make themselves social slaves.

When is the right time for an employee to start preparing for retirement?

People keep saying the pay is small but I tell you as soon as you start receiving salary, you start preparing for your retirement. Let me tell you that if you save, you are going to be broke (lack of money), if you do not save, you are going to be broke. So, why not save? If you do, your mind will be there that you have saving somewhere which will be comforting.

Governors' stance on retirement worries NASU N

ON-ACADEMIC Staff Union of Educational and Associated Instituctions, NASU, has expressed serious reservation about the deliberate misinterpretation of the Retirement Age Act for Polytechnics and Colleges of Education by some state governors who are insisting that the Act is only for Academic Staff.

The union also called on the three tiers of governments to increase their funding of the educational, health and research institutions towards

achieving national development, saying improving the level of funding to these sectors will definitely boost the nation’s economy.

NASU in a communiqué at the end of its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting in Ilorin Kwara State, called on all such Governors to seek clarification from the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation as well as the National Assembly to enable them fully implement the Retirement Age Act in

favour of all the non-teaching staff in our Polytechnics and Colleges of Education in Nigeria.

The communiqué by Comrade Ladi Iliya and Prince Peters A. Adeyemi, President and General Secretary, respectively, the union stated, “NEC-in-Session commends the Federal Government for signing into law, the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions Amendment Act 2012) in May, 2012 and (Harmonization) Act 2012 for Polytechnics

and Colleges of Education. It also commends some management, particularly of Federal and States institutions that have implemented the Act. NEC however expressed serious reservation over the deliberate misinterpretation of the Retirement Age Act for Polytechnics and Colleges of Education by some State Governors who are insisting that the Act is only for Academic Staff.

“NEC-in-Session therefore

calls on all such State Governors to seek clarification from the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation as well as the National Assembly so as to enable them fully implement the Retirement Age Act in favour of all the non-teaching staff in our Polytechnics and Colleges of Education in Nigeria.

NEC also calls on the Federal Government to extend the 65 years Retirement Age provision to staff of the Research Institutes in Nigeria.”

28 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

INSIDE

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013 — 29

We create the environment to produce 1st Class graduates – Caleb VC

Students express mixed feelings on ASUU strike pg 31

pg 33

Laureates College students shine at 20 13 201 summer camp science programme pg 34

Members of ASUU, Niger Delta University, in prayer session for divine intervention

FG signed N1.2trn to fund varsities in 4 years, not N500bn —Awuzie P

rof Ukachukwu Aloysius Awuzie is the immediate past President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the current Ag Vice Chancellor, Imo State University.

In this interview with Vanguard Learning, he bares his mind on the major issues bedeviling the education sector 53 years after independence; the on-going ASUU strike, pertinent issues government and other stakeholders must resolve to regain the lost glory of the nation’s education sector, among others. Excerpt: The nation's public universities look like grave yard due to the ongoing ASUU strike and failure of Federal government to accede to ASUU’s demands (cuts in) No, not to accede to ASUU’s demands, but to honour an agreement which it willingly entered into and signed with the union. There are no more demands. ASUU has already made its demands long before now when the union went into C M Y K

agreement with government.

So the issue is that government has refused to implement what it signed with the union.

But government recently earmarked N130bn to settle the NEEDS Assessment i m p l e m e n t a t i o n programmes for varsities and staff ’s Ear ned Allowance. Are these not enough for ASUU to call its members to work?

I don't think so because the major issue ASUU raised are funding of public varsities and to create conducive environment for teaching and learning. Those ones you have mentioned are sub-sets within the efforts to create conducive teaching and learning environment; to attract the best of brains. If you look at the NEEDS Assessment and the guidelines, it’s not just all about the EAA or giving

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BY IKENNA ASOMBA

Government said on December 31, 2011, and I quote ‘we will give immediately; we will make available within one month N100bn and give additional N300bn to make it N400bn that year, and give N400bn for every other year for the next three years, making it N1.2trn’.

N100bn. Those are not the issues.

ASUU is agitating for about N500bn while government has earmarked N100bn with a promise to release additional N150bn in 2014.

Doesn’t government’s commitment go down well

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with the union?

Let’s look at the background of these issues because my leadership was instrumental to what gave rise to the NEEDS Assessment. We had no agreement with government over N500bn.

Rather, government said on Continues on page 30

30—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

T VE: Rivers State flags-off education conference in Berlin

BY DAYO ADESULU

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he Commissioner for Education, Rivers State Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi has flagged-off the 15 th Education Conference of the German skilled crafts sector in Berlin. The conference dealt with the export of vocational education and training, the strengths of the German dual training system and the recruitment of skilled employees.

In her opening speech, Lawrence-Nemi lauded the cooperation with German partners in building the Port Harcourt Technical and Vocational Centre, noting that the partnership with the German firm ZWH will create a future for Rivers people.

According to her, Port Harcourt is the centre of oil and gas business in West Africa and the need to develop an effective technical and vocational centre was necessary.

Recalling the genesis of the innovation, she said “our Governor visited Germany 2012 and was impressed with what he saw concerning the human capacity building in your country. He discovered

installed in the centre while the train the trainers programme will soon commence.

Lawrence-Nemi maintained that the youths, will through the programme, acquire various skills once the centre commences full operation.

“The vision of the governor is to create an economy where every youth From left: President of ZWH Dirk Palige, Rivers State Commissioner will be employable different for Education, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi and Hermann Roder, in by multinationals Berlin. operating in the state. that youth unemployment vocational institution in the "We also believe that with the here is low because of the state is very vital.

ZWH and German craft that well-functioning German "Governor Chibuike Rotimi are being imparted to our education system, especially Amaechi wants to create a youths would make these in the area of vocational and future for the Rivers State youths readymade materials technical education. people using the German for the industries and even “Rivers State is the hub of s t y l e . We believe our self-employment. oil and gas businesses in West marriage with ZWH will give “Thus the governor’s vision Africa. As the treasure base us that.“ of an economic reform agenda of the Nigerian nation, the The Commissioner who with respect to employer city has witnessed over the pointed out that the technical/ generation of the teaming years influx of multinationals vocational centre will be youths would have been and international oil functional by the first quarter, achieved in the next few companies.

Hence the noted that agreements have years." development of a very been signed while the effective technical and equipemnts will soon be

Group faults Amosun’s education policy

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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he Ogun Rescue Team has described the education policy by the Ogun State government as quantitative, especially with the recent adoption of the 35 per cent performance in the promotion exams in all the public schools in the state due to the low performance of students.

Faulting the policy, the Public Relations Officer of the group, Babatunde Olatunji, said it is wrong for the government to encourage poor performance in the public schools which might affect their future.

“It is worrisome that in the recent promotional exams in public schools, students were promoted on 35 per cent performance.

This invariably means that what we have in Ogun State is quantitative not qualitative education.”

The group called on all concerned Ogun indigene to come to the rescue of the state.

FG signed N1.2trn to fund varsities in 4 years, not N500bn Continues from page 29 December 31, 2011, and I quote ‘we will give immediately; we will make available within one month N100bn and give additional N300bn to make it N400bn that year, and give N400bn for every other year for the next three years, making N1.2trn’.

That was what we agreed and I don’t know where government got the N500bn that is in the public sphere today. The document I have is that government said ‘ we shall release immediately N100bn to fund universities.’

It’s pathetic that the N100bn government promised to release in 2011 is what it’s releasing in 2013, one year after I have left office as ASUU President. Is that what ‘immediately’ means?

It’s also on record that government said before the financial year is through, they are going to release additional N300bn to make it N400bn that year, making our agreement with them N1.2trn for three years. By the time we had that strike of 2011, we did all the subtractions and what was left was N1.2trn still government said it couldn’t pay it because three years had already elapsed and the agreement was signed in 2009.

From 2009 when we signed this agreement, government ought to have been providing N400bn to fund varsities every year till 2012, when it was time for re-negotiation.

Of this N1.2trn, a paltry sum was released to varsities as capital grants. When we had problems with them in December 2011,

government decided that we should forfeit the accumulated money from those years and move forward. This means government ‘shall now immediately give N400bn and before the year runs out, we shall include in the budget an additional N400bn, and then give N400bn each for the two other years, making N1.2 trillion’.

To spend this money, we must have to do this assessment to know how to apply them to varsities so as to get maximum results and, through it, build the base for some level of ultimate, reasonable and self-sustainability for these varsities.

We also agreed that when we build these hostel facilities, we will report back to an external management that will charge the students reasonable fees and from there we will be able to develop the varsities.

We also agreed that it’s realizable for students to pay between N9,000 to N10,000 as accommodation fee annually, instead of the N20,000 to N30,000 they pay off-campus. These are part of our NEEDS Assessment condition; that we invest in this housing project and also part of it will also go to what we call NUPEMCO, we establish our pension fund administrator, which will be another source of fund generation, like the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, is generating money for varsities today.

Remember that’s it is the TETFund that has been sustaining our varsities, else, our varsities, polytechnics and colleges of education would have died. TETFund came to being as a result of the ASUU strike of 1993.

The main issue is government’s insincerity because for one year, nothing happened until this strike. Government

has not shown enough goodwill, even with the N100bn it says it’s dolling out to varsities. If ASUU wants to call-off this strike, it will be for the sake of our children and the society and not because of government’s lack of commitment.

If government were to be sincere, it would have started implementation since the agreement was signed, and if it encountered any difficulty, it would have called ASUU to explain and not wait for ASUU to call its members on strike.

So should students expect the strike to be called off any time soon out ASUU’s sympathy?

This is not a matter of sympathy for the students because there’s no need turning out students who don’t have quality education all in the name of sympathy. I have photographs of the sordid and appalling state of infrastructures captured in the NEEDS Assessment reports when we went round the varsities. Some students receive lectures under trees; stoves are being used as Bunsen burners in laboratories; erosion of campus roads; staff offices of lecturers and Professors look like common rooms in secondary schools; no potable water for students in the universities; libraries without books; dilapidated lecture auditoriums; crowded lecture auditoriums; broken seats in lecture auditoriums. There was a university we visited where students are sitting on the ground to receive lectures and people expect ASUU to keep quiet. We have a long way to go to regain the lost glory of our varsities.

NUT meets today

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he Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) is to hold a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting today to decide its next line of action over the lingering strike by public university teachers.

The union had on September 26, given a twoweek ultimatum to the Federal Government and the lecturers to resolve their differences and end the strike or face nationwide strike by NUT members.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the NUT President, Mr. Michael Alogba-Olukoya, said the union extended the ultimatum following appeals from well-meaning Nigerians. He, however, noted that the extension would end on Tuesday.

“Since we gave the ultimatum, well meaning Nigerians have been pleading with us. In order not to cry more than the bereaved, we gave them till October 22. The NEC is meeting today to decide our next line of action,” Olukoya said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013 — 31

BY KINGSLEY AMATANWEZE, UNN

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hree months after members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) downed their tools nationwide, over failure of Federal Government to accede to core areas of their 2009 agreement, some of the affected students who are currently on their compulsory Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) have bemoaned the protracted shut-down. On the other hand, some others students who spoke to Quadlife could not care less and seem to be quite content at their SIWES placements.

Uche Ede, a 400-level Petroleum Engineering student of Federal University of Technology, Owerri said he was fully in support of ASUU’s refusal to off the strike despite the pressure from different quarters.

Calling on his affected colleagues across the country to see their stay at home as a sacrifice given towards a better education system for posterity, he said: “Although students have been at home for a long time, I still think we should endure the misery and bear the burden once and for all, most especially for the sake of our unborn children.

There is no better time to fight against the decay in our education system than now.”

He therefore appealed to the Federal government to meet ASUU demands so that students can go back to school.

Another student Uwa Orji, a 400-level Metallurgical and Materials Engineering student, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State also undergoing his SIWES training dismissed the claims that what ASUU is demanding is too much. He argued that education should be prioritized by Government, noting that no money invested in education is a waste.

His words: “Education

Students undergoing their SIWES at an Engineering workshop in Enugu...

Students express mixed feelings on ASUU strike should be our number one priority. But it is quite a pity that it is being sidelined by the Federal government for other mundane issues. I don’t mind staying at home for one year provided the standard of our institutions are brought to parity with others in the developed countries. No money invested in education is a waste, so ASUU is justified for whatever amount they are demanding from the federal government.

The students accused the ruling class of not paying much attention to the plights of the students at home,

because their wards can never be seen in the public varsities.

Lending a voice, Comrade Idongesit Bassey, a 400-level

Mechanical Engineering student of University of Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, also undergoing his Industrial training called on the Federal

government to respond to the education sector, as it is the pivot for the development of every other sector.

“We understand that the President is distracted by a lot of national issues. But we should also understand that if the education sector is sidelined, no other sector would survive. It is a shame that we now patronize our neighbouring countries like Ghana, Togo and even Benin republic for q u a l i t y education. While we are busy p r i d i n g ourselves as the giant of Africa. I expected the President as a former university lecturer to be in a better position to understand the plights of his former colleagues and tackle the decay in the Education system.”

However, some other students bemoaned the poor standard of learning facilities in their schools, lamenting that they couldn’t do practically most of the things they were taught in school, until they commenced their industrial training.

FUTA, Turkish Nile Varsity partner on exchange programmem

T

he Federal University of Technology, Akure, and the Nigerian Turkish Nile University, NTNU, Abuja, are set to work out collaboration in the areas of staff and students exchange programmes, research and related areas that will contribute to development of both institutions.

This came to light after the

working visit of the Vice Chancellor of the NTNU, Professor, Dr, Husseyin Sert, to his FUTA counterpart, Professor Adebiyi Daramola, when he said FUTA, one of the country ’s leading varsities, would provide a veritable partnership for the NTNU. Sert explained that going by the area of strength of FUTA,

the two institutions would be able to share experiences and collaborate for the mutual benefit of staff and students.

Responding, Professor Daramola said such collaboration was a welcome development as FUTA was already working with top class varsities and organizations.

Frequently Confused W or ds Wor ords

Instruction: Choose the appropriate word from the alternatives in the parenthesis 1. Oledanu lost his job; ( c o n s e q u e n t l y / subsequently), he was unable to pay his rent.

2. President Jonathan promised to give Nigerians a C M Y K

(breath / breathe) of fresh air.

3.

The baby gasped for (breath / breathe) and had to be given oxygen.

4. Smoke that is (breath / breathe) in by non-smokers in the company of smokers is dangerous to health.

5. He found it hard to (breath / breathe) inside the

submarine 6. What (brand/make) of detergent do you prefer?

7. Which (brand/make) of tooth paste do you use?

8. What (brand/make) is your car?

9. Which (brand/make) of washing-machine do you use?

10. My wife (delivered/ was delivered of) a child last night.

11. My wife sends her (regard/regards).

12. With (regard/regards) to your eye problems, you should see an ophthalmologist.

13. As (regard/regards) your request, it cannot be

granted now.

14. There is no (proof/ prove) that the document is authentic.

15. He failed to (proof/ prove) his innocence before the court.

1. Oledanu lost his job; consequently, he was unable to pay his rent.

2. President Jonathan promised to give Nigerians a breath of fresh air.

3. The baby gasped for breath and had to be given oxygen.

4. Smoke that is breathe in by non-smokers in the company of smokers is dangerous to health.

5. He found it hard to

breathe inside the submarine.

6. What brand of detergent do you prefer?

7. Which brand of tooth paste do you use?

8. What make is your car?

9. Which make of washingmachine do you use?

10. My wife was delivered of a child last night.

11. My wife sends her regards.

12. With regard to your eye problems, you should see an ophthalmologist.

13. As regards your request, it cannot be granted now.

14. There is no proof that the document is authentic.

15. He failed to prove his innocence before the court.

32 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

ASUU Strike: UNILORIN students call for truce

BY HAMEED MURITALA, UNILORIN

E

ven though they unaffected by the protracted strike embarked by public university lecturers, students of the University of Ilorin have appealed to both the Federal Government and the striking lecturers to consider the plights of students, and reach a truce that will end the three months strike.

The students, who have just resumed for the new academic session lamented that they are not happy seeing their colleagues from other schools staying at home while they are in school receiving lectures.

Speaking with Quadlife, the students bemoaned the uncaring attitude of government towards education in the country, and urged them to return to negotiation table with the striking lecturers to discuss ways of ending the strike as soon as possible.

“I am not happy with the way the Federal Government

From left: The National President, Law Students Network, Comrade Asawana Ufot; Prince Edward Osim, recipient and the President, UNICAL Students’ Union Government, Comrade Bassey Eka. is handling this matter; they seem careless about the plights of Nigerian students because their own children are either in abroad or private universities studying without any distraction. I passionately appeal to both FG and ASUU to resume negotiations and find ways to end this embarrassing strike, said Sirajdeen Alabede, a 400l

Geography and Environmental Management student. Alarape Wasiu, a 400 Level Agricultural Science student stressed that no nation can develop with a retrogressive and decayed education system, saying that education remains the only viable option to a secure and egalitarian society. His words:“I am not happy seeing

my friends in other schools staying hopelessly at home owing to the irresponsibility of our government. A nation that fails to educate its people will remain unsafe and unsecure. The federal government should please meet the demands of ASUU for the betterment of our education sector and for the good of the country,” he urged.

Rep cautions students against cyber crime, as NCC donates 220 laptops

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

T

he Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Communications, Hon. Ojo Oyetunde, has advised Nigerian students to avoid all forms of cyber crimes capable of destroying their future.

Oyetunde gave this charge, while addressing students of Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, MOCPED, Noforija-Epe, Lagos, during the commissioning of 110 laptops donated by the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) to MOCPED and Okemagba High School, Mojoda-Epe, in line with its Advanced Digital Access Programme for Tertiary Institutions (ADAPTI) and Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF) initiatives.

According to the lawmaker, the kind gesture which was facilitated by Hon. Lanre Odubote, a member of the Communications committee, representing Epe Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, is in line with the nation’s efforts towards advancing ICT in schools across the country, thereby meeting the vision

C M Y K

20-20:20, where ICT plays a paramount role to improving the country’s economy.

Urging students to make judicious use of the facility to advance their education, he said: “NCC I will say a big thank you to you. We are your

watchdogs and that shows you are doing our jobs as well.

"You know with the trend that ICT is taking, our teachers need to be updated in order to teach the students. ”The students should also always gain access to the

computers, with internet connected broadband. As part of our promises to your school, we will make available a 24 hours wireless route, that will enable students use their laptops to connect the internet anywhere within the campus.

Alakija, Yakubu bag honorary awards, as YABATECH graduates 7, 540

BY IKENNA ASOMBA & FORTUNE ANYANWU

R

enowned philanthropist and President/Chief Executive Officer, Rose of Sharon, Chief (Mrs.) Folorunsho Alakija and Dr. Nuru Yakubu, National Commissioner in charge of logistics, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), will on Thursday, October 31, 2013, be conferred with Honorary Fellowship Awards at the 28th Convocation of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Lagos.

According to the Rector, Dr. (Mrs.) Margaret Ladipo, the College has deemed it fit to honour Alakija and Yakubu in recognition of their successful service to the country and humanity, noting that they have served the nation with love, faith and selflessness.

Speaking to newsmen at the College’s Senate Chambers, to announce line-up of activities marking the ceremony, Ladipo said

“the ceremonies will be flagged off with a special Jumat Service to be held at the College Mosque on Friday, October 25, while a commendation service will hold Sunday, October 27 at the College Chapel.”

She said: “The 28th convocation lecture titled: “Synergy in Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurial Education for Industrial Growth: Panacea to Survival of Small/ Medium Scale Business,” to be delivered by Director General/Chief Executive Officer, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP), Abuja will hold Tuesday, October 29 at the Yusuf Grillo Auditorium. This is in line with the dictates of the Millennium Development Goals and particularly, poverty eradication through the development of entrepreneurial skills.”

Ladipo disclosed an exhibition to showcase inventions by the College will follow shortly after the lecture chaired by Hon. Aminu Suleiman, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Education.

Campus writers honour alumnus

BY CHARLES UDENZE & JOY RIMAN (UNICAL)

Y

oung journalists under the Umbrella of National Association of Campus Writers (NACW), University of Calabar (UNICAL) chapter has honoured one of its alumni, Prince Edward Osim, with an Award of Excellence in recognition of his philanthropic services to the students and his immediate community Usumotong Community in Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State.

Delivering the award, Mr. Ayo Olufemi highlighted some of the achievements of Prince Edward which necessitated the award.

He noted that Prince Osim, as a youth, has made a mark with his selfless service delivery by the award of scholarship to students irrespective of their States of origin or tribe, provision of reading and educational materials, empowerment of youths in general by the provision of materials for those that are into trade and sponsoring youths who embark upon skill acquisition programs.

Friends of Agagu endow annual postgraduate prize in UI

BY FORTUNE ANYANWU

S

ome friends of former Ondo state Governor, the late Dr. Olusegun Kokumo Agagu have endowed an annual prize in his memory.

The prize is to be awarded annually to the best Master of Science (M.Sc.) student in Petroleum Geology/ Sedimentology in the Department of Geology, of the University of Ibadan.

According to a letter to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Adewole, signed by Prof.

Akinbo Adesomoju on behalf of the deceased’s friends, “a cheque for N1, 100, 000 has been made payable to the University of Ibadan for the endowment in perpetuity.”

Of the total sum, Adesomoju said N50, 000 is to be used for the 2013 award, N1, 050, 000 is to be invested by the University for the endowment.

He explained that eighty per cent of the generated annual interest is to be given annually as the prize while the balance is to be added to the principal to ensure the annual growth of the investment.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013 — 33

Teaching staff scarcity, major problem for universities

BY DELE SOBOWALE [Coming up: Wanted: national solution to the problem of kids who undertook unaccredited courses?]

But, there were only four or five private universities in Nigeria at the time and I had assumed that the problem would solve itself. Unfortunately, that turned out to be false optimism on my part. The problem got bigger and is rapidly getting out of hand.

More and more young people, like Seun, are being taken to the cleaners in universities –public and private.

For a lot of reasons – not all of which were the fault of private universities – a severe scarcity of teaching staff developed nationwide.

Among the causes of shortage of lecturers were the following: Explosion of universities: As the population of Nigerian kids seeking varsity admission increased astronomically, federal and state governments responded two ways.

First public varsities were forced to admit more students than was advisable for quality education to be delivered.

When that failed to solve the problem, they took the second step.

They increased the number of varsities nationwide. Then in 1999, the federal government granted licences to three private varsities. The chart below tells the story: PERIOD YEARS NUMBER OF UNIVERSITIES 1948-1978 30 13 1979-1998 21 20 1999-2013 14 95 TOTAL 65 128

It is clear that 75% of our varsities were established in the last 14 years alone; almost three times the number in the first 41 years of our history.

The question is: were we producing varsity lecturers fast enough to meet the needs of the universities? We will return to this issue several times.

Creation of states by military administrations had gone in tandem with the establishment of state varsities.

From only one university, in 1948, to

five in 1964, the country raced to by 1978. As everybody remembers, the country went from three regions in 1960 to four in 1963.

Gowon created 12 states; Murtala Mohammed made them 19; Babangida carved the 19 into 30 and Abacha took us to 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

With the growth in establishment of varsities since 1948, the nation had failed to address the critical issue of

supply of lecturers.

It is axiomatic that lecturers and researchers drive universities. For years, in Nigeria, they have been in short supply. It is akin to the country procuring a fleet of buses without the drivers to drive them.

So Seun is correct; we have gone full speed ahead to establish universities without a national policy aimed at producing the lecturers…. www.delesobowale.com

16-yrs old student wins PZ Cussons Chemistry Challenge

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI

S

ixteen-year-old Emmanuel Ejiogu Onyekachi of Miketoy College, Ikotun, Lagos State, has emerged winner of the first Chemistry Challenge sponsored by PZ Cussons.

Emmanuel, an SS3 student, with a cumulative score of 83.5 per cent, beat three others at the grand finale to emerge first. He came first at every stage of the competition which had 1,270 candidates in stage one, 97 in stage two and four finalists.

He was rewarded with N700,000 cash, a laptop, a trophy and gold medal, while his chemistry teacher, Mr. Jossy Ogunniyi, won N100,000.

Chemistry books worth N100,000 were

also presented to his school.

In second position was Obi Uchenna David of Barachel College, IfakoAgege, who scored 62.2 per cent. He was presented with a cheque of N500,000, a laptop and silver medal, while his chemistry teacher, Mr Ojo Sunday went home with N60,000. His school also had chemistry books worth N50,000.

Coming third with 56 per cent was Mgbemena Thankgod of Leeland International College, Oregun, Ikeja.

He went home with N400,000, a laptop and bronze medal. His chemistry teacher, Mr Ugwoke Johnson Ikenna, won N40,000 while his school received N50,000 worth of chemistry books.

Third runner-up Victor Ike-Okoro of

Top Grade Secondary School, Surulere pulled a total of 44 per cent and had a cash prize of N300,000, a laptop and a consolation medal while his chemistry teacher, Mr Odinibe John Nnani got N20,000 and his school had N50,000 worth of chemistry books.

Relieved at the end of the rigorous final stage, which included a practical session, Emmanuel expressed gratitude to God, his parents, teachers and the organisers, as well as the other finalists who he said provided him stiff competition.

“I was shivering during the practical.

While mixing the chemicals, I did something that would have messed everything up but I quickly made up for it.”

We create the environment to produce First Class graduates —Caleb Varsity VC

BY DAYO ADESULU

T

he Vice-Chancellor, Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, Professor Ayodeji Olukoju has stated that its institution do not produce First Class according to quota or to promote the school, but simply creates the conducive ambiance for everyone studying here to achieve their full potential.

Speaking at the third convocation of Caleb University where three students emerged with First Class Honour degrees one each in Computer Science, Industrial Chemistry and Mass Communication, he said every First Class degree awarded here is earned, credible and globally competitive.

The VC cited a striking example of Mr. Eric Tope Bakare who graduated from Caleb University with a First Class Honours in Industrial Chemistry in 2011 that also came first in the entrance examination into the MSc Chemistry class at the University of Ibadan.

According to Olukoju, there is no gender disparity to who makes First Class in the institution pointing out that four of the eight First Class graduands in March 2012 and two of the three at today’s event are female.

“This shows that everyone has a fair chance of fulfilling their dreams at C M Y K

Caleb University irrespective of gender or other considerations,” he said.

The breakdown of the 158 graduands’ revealed that three obtained First Class Honours, 43 emerged in the Second Class Upper Honours category, 80 bagged Second Class Lower Honours degrees; and 32 obtained Third Class degrees.

While defending the honorary doctorate award the school gave to Engr.

(Mrs.) Florence Seriki of Omatek Computers fame, Olukoju said “she is an outstanding entrepreneur and investor in capacity development in the education sector. Her choice was predicated on its reputation for integrity and service to humanity.

Unknown to her, this university acquired over 100 units of Omatek Desktop computers in 2010 and they are still in use.

Little did we know that she will be our first honorary doctorate awardee. We are honoured as an institution to be associated with these distinguished Nigerians.”

Professor Olukoju, while addressing the graduands on the need to avoid retrogression on their journey to the top, charged them to rev up to the required speed in live, avoid whatever may bring them down as they race down the runway, watch their cockpit instrument panel, brace up for stormy weather and face all challenges with

courage, conviction, commitment and candour.

On his part, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, Caleb University, Professor Fola Tayo, tasked the graduands not to see their degree certificates as meal tickets but as an empowerment to serve humanity.

From left: VC, Caleb Univerity, Professor Ayodeji Olukoju; Acting Registrar, Mrs. Folake Okor and the awardee, Mrs. Florence Seriki, Group Managing Director and CEO, Omatek Ventures Plc, receiving Honorary Doctorate Degree in Business Administration, during the 3rd Convocation of Caleb University in Lagos.

34 —Vanguard, THURSDAY,

OCTOBER 24, 2013

Research & Development

Laureates College students shine at 2013 summer camp science programme Two Senior Secondary 3 (SS3) students of Laureates College, Lagos, Masters Chibuikem Mark Emenyonu and Bright Chiamaka Egbubine, did Nigeria proud in far away USA at the 2013 summer camp programme held at the Howard University, Washington DC and were subsequently offered scholarships. The annual science programme is organised by the National Science Foundation (NSF), an independent U.S. Government agency responsible for promoting science and engineering through research programmes and education projects. In this chat with Vanguard Learning, the duo who worked on two different projects in their teams, speak on their projects and the benefits to Nigerians. Excerpts:

BY EBELE ORAKPO

PERPETUAL Electromechanical Energy Converter: Speaking on his project, Chibuikem Mark Emenyonu said: “Usually, this is a science programme organised annually for students who are about to enter the university. During the last summer camp at Howard University in the US, we were shared into various groups and my group was asked to create a perpetual electromechanical energy converter (PEEC). Our project is one of the two projects that won.”

Principle: “The perpetual electromechanical energy converter makes use of electromagnetic field. A portion of heavy duty magnets are placed on poles and as you know, like poles repel and when that happens, the force which they use to repel moves the poles further apart, creating energy as it moves faster and faster,” said Emenyonu who hopes to study electrical engineering at Howard.

Benefits:“We will benefit in terms of conservation of fuel which destroys the ozone layer.

Poisonous gases We make use of fossil fuel in almost everything and the combustion of fossil fuel releases poisonous gases which cause acid rain and many health challenges. But creating electricity and other forms of energy using perpetual electromechanical energy converter does not involve burning of fuels. You just have magnets; that is the basic thing. It saves energy, time and also saves lives. It will reduce the rate at which we use fossil fuel and the attendant consequences on health and environment,” said Emenyonu.

According to Mr. Uwem Ankak, a member of the Board of Directors, Laureates College, “Howard University, Washington DC, the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe’s alma mater, has this yearly research programme organised for students across the world. From every continent, they take two students. When the application came for the qualifying exams, we were able to apply and sent two of our students. The two excelled in the exam. They also excelled in a national exam that was conducted. This student invitation programme was sponsored by Howard University, Laureates had no hand whatsoever in sponsoring the students. The students were there for one month, going through all sorts of research projects.

The programme has been on for a C C M M Y Y K K

number of years, it’s just that we have not been taking advantage of it; people are not keying into these things. Fortunately, we were able to key in.

While at the camp, the two excelled and they From left: Bright Chiamaka Egbubine, Mrs. Momoh and Chibuikem Mark Emenyonu were subsequently offered scholarship.

The whole thing is basically for science tough but the aim was to detect the mode consumer’s choice so the project was and engineering. Of course, there were of energy you need to use at a particular the largest project and it took us time to other students from other Africa period of time. For example, if you are explain.”

Benefits: countries.” using a generator and the circuit for the He said the number one benefit is Ankak gave kudos to Professor house is too much for the generator, the James Momoh, a Nigerian professor of smart box will indicate to you that the safety. “In a situation where you are Electrical & Computer Engineering at load is too much for the generator so using a generator and the appliances the College of Engineering, you go to another energy source like in the house are too many for the Architecture, & Computer Science. “He wind or solar. In this project, we used generator to handle, it can explode but has been in that school for a while. He inverter, battery and two solar panels.” if you have a smart box, it will beep red is the one extending the programme to He noted that although his team did and you will switch off the generator.

African countries,” he said. not win the competition, but they learnt May be the best energy source at that On his part, Bright Chiamaka a lot and the result of the project will point is wind, inverter or solar, or battery, so this will save lives especially when Egbubine and his team developed a surely benefit mankind.

Smart Box which regulates energy “When the provost of Howard people are sleeping in the night.”

Asked if the smart box will transfer mode.

University came to witness our He said: “Our project was the largest presentations, he found out that we automatically turn off the generator, he project so we decided to name it the were over 11 students in the group and said: “No, it will just beep red and you smart box which is used to regulate Prof. Momoh explained to him that the will go and turn it off yourself and put energy transfer mode. Professor James project was in two parts: My group was on the source the smart box indicates at Momoh had to join two groups together working on source to consumer, while that particular time. This will also save to work on the project. We had to study the second group was working from fuel, money and lives. binary circuit. The project was quite

Translation is indispensable for survival—NITI Boss

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

T

HE Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Translators and Interpreters (NITI) Prof. Tundonu Amosu, has said that translation is an indispensable tool for survival in today’s world.

Amosu said this at the International Translators day held recently at the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

He said: “Translators are the indispensable leverage for keeping the entire planet abreast of news, views and new dynamics in the pursuit of excellence all over the world.

“The constant cross fertilization of ideas, the endless sharing of information, particularly in the sciences and any meaningful discourse with persons outside our linguistic confines presupposes the process of translation.

"We must therefore recognize the work of thousands of translators who slave each day to produce news from abroad in local languages, work in hospitals as translators, continue to switch from one language to another as tourist guides,

and of course, plough through thousands of pages from the United Nations General Assembly.

“All languages require translation for their survival and this can only happen when they have been reduced to writing.

"Nigeria, with over 450 languages, not to mention dialects, is obviously a choice area for the activities of translators and linguists. Given our very broad spectrum of linguistic map, our natural bilingualism or multilingualism can be a great advantage for the nation.

"To this effect, translation as a career may very well continue to put more than just bread on our table because with the increasing awareness of relevance, the men and women who are deeply involved in the sector have a lot on their hands.

"This day is celebrated to draw attention and ensure recognition for the dimensions of translation for the dimensions of translation as a quiet but resilient contribution to the transformation of the world into a global

village.

"In today’s global village, knowledge is easily produced for the good of all irrespective of the originating language of the product or process.”

Prof. John Abioye, a past Head of the Department of French, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State was also a guest speaker at the event.

She said: “It is pathetic that no language development policy has evolved in Nigeria. The sad aspect of our ailing culture is that we think that the English language is more important than every other.

"As a result we underrate other languages. This is sad because even the quality of the English language spoken

by Nigerian students is deteriorating.”

Abioye also admonished translators to strike while the iron is hot and begin translating their works even at the most basic levels.

He also called on policy makers to create a condusive atmosphere to enable Nigerian translators contribute to the universal body of knowledge.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013 — 35

Girl Rising: Activists make case for girl-child education

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

I

n order to shine the spotlight on the transformative power of girl-child education across Africa and the world, the groundbreaking feature, ‘Girl Rising’ was screened for the first time in Nigeria at the Silverbird Cinema, Victoria Island, Lagos recently.

The Nigerian premiere, as part of the celebration to mark the International Day of The Girl Child, was cohosted by the United Nations Information Centre, Lagos (UNIC),

Zonta International Clubs in Nigeria, Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND), and Nigerians Report Online.

‘Girl Rising’, apart from being a groundbreaking feature, is a movement dedicated to empowering and achieving educational equity for girls around the world.

The film spotlights the stories of nine unforgettable girls born into unforgiving circumstances.

It captures their dreams, their voices and their remarkable lives.

In her welcome address, the President of Zonta International Club of Lagos, Ms. Shade BembatoumYoung, restated the commitment of the organizers to empowering the girl child in Nigeria.

“We, the co-hosts of the Nigerian Premiere of Girl Rising, believe in the power of education to change not only a girl, but the world.”

She further stated that the event was not just to celebrate the International Day of the Girl Child, but to focus on the need to break

down barriers that limit girls and women.

“By hosting an International Day of The Girl Child event in Lagos, we are demonstrating our commitment to breaking down the barriers that prevent girls around the world from going to school - barriers like child marriage, sex trafficking, gender violence and discrimination” she added.

The Secretary General of The United Nations, represented by Mr. Oluseyi Soremekun, Officer-in-Charge,

United Nations Information Centre in Lagos, reiterated UN's commitment to the promotion of the girl child education in the country.

The Secretary General also called for fresh solutions to girls’ education challenges and enjoined all to heed the voices of young people.

“On this International Day of The Girl Child, let us work together to invest in education so that girls can advance in their personal development and contribute to our

common future.”

In her goodwill message, President, Women ARISE for Change Initiative, Dr. Joe Odumakin, observed that the future of any nation depends on the girl child.

“Parents should know that the girl child is their present as well as their future and therefore should not jeopardize it.”

Intel, a founding partner of ‘Girl Rising’, donated four classmate PC’s to four of the girls.

Two varsities add automotive engineering to curriculum

By Favour Nnabugwu

I

n tandem with the Federal Government’s moves to entrench Automotive Engineering degree curriculum in Nigerian varsities, Elizade Univerisity and Abubukar Tafawa Balewa University have added automotive engineering to their curriculum as other varsities are also following suit.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, who disclosed this, said the curriculum is to be implemented in selected varsities across the nation.

“This is the first attempt by government to build the critical manpower for i n d i - g e n o u s development of automobile industry in Nigeria and this is part of our Industrial Revolution Plan, which is integrated, holistic and based on areas where we have compa-rative and competitive advantage as a country.

“In South Africa, the automobile industry plan has reduced the burden on the country’s trade balance and today the country is balance of payment-neutral.

Likewise, the potential for Nigeria’s automobile industry plan is to save as much as N550bn through the reduction of imports. We also have the regional export potential into the West and Central African market, coupled with the availability of a large and trainable workforce.”

C M Y K

36 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

SUCCESS RECIPE WITH

MultiChoice DStv Eutelsat Star Awards winners emerge

BY DAYO ADESULU

M

ULTICHOICE, Nigeria provider of premium pay-tv-service, has unveiled the DStv Eutesat Star Awards winners for 2013. Speaking at the presentation ceremony held at MultiChoice, Lagos, Head of Public Relations, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mr Segun Fayose, said that at the end of the this year’s poster and essay competition, three winners emerged.

According to him, “Miss Taiwo Kayode of The African Church Model College, Ifako Lagos, emerged the winner in the Essay Category and the runner-up was Adriel Yakubu of Adonai Vine School, Jos. In the Poster category, Umar Farouk Aliyu of Zamani College, Kaduna emerged winner while Eugene Udobi of Penny International School, Lagos, was

runner-up.”

The prize winners received a certificate and a laptop computer each while runners-up went away with a certificate and a home theatre system.

Explaining the objective of the awards, Fayose said it’s to demonstrate unparalleled commitment to the promotion of technology education in Nigeria.

“The award which was established in 2011 by MultiChoice Africa in collaboration with Eutelsat, leading satellite operator aims at identifying and creating awareness on satellite technology and its applications within the society. “Like their 2011 and 2012 counterparts, this year’s overall continental essay and poster winners will win a once-in-a-lifetime trip for two to the Eutelsat facilities in Paris, France with the essay winner

travelling onwards to witness a live rocket launch. Runners-up will win a trip to South Africa as guests of MultiChoice Africa. Schools attended by the overall winners will also receive a DStv installation, including dish, television, PVR decoder and free access to the DStv Education Bouquet.”

Speaking in the same vein, Mrs Chioma Afe, Marketing Manager, Dstv, noted that by this award, MultiChoice will be encouraging the young ones to come up with ideas and innovation that will eventually propel our country to desired greatness.

According to her, the awards is meant to inspire innovative thinking among secondary school students in Africa, to create awareness on how science and technology can be applied to everyday life.

Udeme Archibong successrecipe2009@gmail.com

All is right with the world!

O

nce upon a time a minister was trying to prepare a sermon on a Saturday morning. However, his young son was restless and bored and every few minutes he would interrupt his chain of thought.

Becoming weary of the interruption, the minister picked up an old magazine with a map of the world on it.

He took the map and tore it into a number of pieces and threw the scraps all over the floor and said to his son, “Johnny, if you can put this all together, I’ll give you a quarter”, trying to engage the youngster so that he could complete his sermon.

However, within three minutes the boy told his father happily that he had finished.

Piece of paper

From left: Master Umar Farouk Aliyu of Zamani College, Kaduna, winner of DStv Eutelsat Star awards for Poster; Miss. Taiwo Kayode of African Church Model College, Ifako, Lagos, winner for essay competition; and Master Udobi Eugene of Penny International School, Lagos, runner up winner of DStv Eutelsat Star Awards for Poster.

Education remains in the woods —Shodimu

BY KEHINDE AJOSE

F

OR the audience gathered at the Ibadan Grammar School Old Students Association (1965-1971 set) annual lecture held on the 1st of October 2013 at The University of Lagos Akoka, there was a general agreement that Nigeria’s educational sector needs help.

In his opening address Mr. Babatunde Ayo Vaughn said that “After 53 years, at every independence day, it appears the only thing Nigerians congratulate themselves for is that they are still alive. The constant questions are when will this bleak condition come to an end? It is this kind of question that has inspired this gathering.”

Shodimu, the immediate past registrar of University of Lagos, in his lecture titled: The Declining State of Education In Nigeria-The Way Out attempted to bring into public domain the state of education in Nigeria, and its effect on the polity. "With facts,

judgment and understanding of the issues facing the nation, the survival of Nigeria as a viable

society will depend on the health of her educational institutions.

Expert stresses need for learning facilities

A

UTHORITIES of educa tional institutions in the country, particularly the primary and secondary schools have been advised to place high premium on infrastructure and educational facilities to enhance quality education.

A seasoned educationist and administrator, Mr. Bankole Adewumi who is the Managing Proprietor of Western College, Yaba, Lagos, who made the remarks while conducting newsmen round the newly upgraded science laboratories in the school.

He also disclosed that as a private school, they have been operating in consonance with Lagos State rules and regulations.

He said, “We have as a matter of culture, placed priority on continuous maintenance and upgrading of our facilities so that

we can achieve excellence in academic and co-curricula activities, however, the investments are presently yielding the desired dividends because the school has won laurels in both academic and out-of-classroom activities, the most recent being the award of second place position to our student, Emmanuela Opara at the Spelling Bee competition organised by publishers of Total Girls, a christian and moral based inspirational magazine.”

Adewumi claimed that apart from the 100 percent recorded in the Junior Secondary final examination in 2012/2013 academic session, the performance of the school in the sports competition organised by the Indian Community in Lagos has earned it the invitation to participate in the forthcoming beach soccer competition among secondary schools.

The father was amazed to see the pieces of paper neatly arranged and the map of the world back in order. “Son, how did you get that done so fast?” the father asked, Johnny replied, “Oh, it was easy. On the other side there was a picture of a man. I just put a piece of paper on the bottom, put the picture of the man together, put a piece of paper on top, and then turned it over. I figured that if I got the man right, the world will be right.” The minister handed his son a quarter as he had promised and said, “And you’ve given me my sermon for tomorrow, too, if a man is right, his world will be right.”

Are you controlling your world? Or is your world controlling you? Are you changing your world? Or is your world changing you?

The answer lies in your mental attitude.

There lived a grandpa and grandma who visited the grandchildren. One day when grandpa was having a nap, one of the kids decided to put Limburger cheese in his moustache. Soon afterwards he awoke sniffing. “Why this room stinks”, said he in utter desperation and went into the kitchen. He soon discovered

that the kitchen smelled too and he decided to walk outdoors for a breath of fresh air. Grandpa was puzzled and he frustratingly declared, “The whole world stings!” Stephen Covey states “It’s not what they’re not doing or should be doing that’s the issue. The issue is your own chosen response to the situation and what you should be doing. If you start to think the problem is “out there”, stop yourself.

That thought is the problem.”

Where you focus on determines the direction you are going and what you focus on determines the quality of your life. Are we focusing on the past? Or are we focusing on the future we want to experience? Are we focusing on who is to blame for our circumstances? Or are we focusing on where we want to be and what we want to do? Are we focusing on the problem?

Or are we focusing on the solution? Remember, when we focus on what we do not want, we perpetuate it; when we focus on what we want, we magnetize it.

Napoleon Hill reveals, “Every adversity has the seed of a greater benefit.” What you see is what you get; what you seek for is what you find. Look for advantages in every adversity; look for the good in every person. Be a “good finder” in life.

Adversity only comes to advance us. Problems only come to push us. Challenges only come to grow us.

However, these statements will only become true if we look for a valuable lesson in every situation we encounter in life.

Brian Tracy observes, “Every situation is a positive situation if I view it as an opportunity for growth and self-mastery”.

Whenever you are facing an unresolved challenge that is impeding you from accomplishing your goals, sit down with a pen and paper and make a list of everything you could possibly do to resolve the situation and go out and act on them.

Remember, if your mental attitude is right, your world will be right.

Loral School assures on quality education

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oral International Secondary School, Igbesa, Ogun State, has assured parents and guardians of students who were officially admitted into the school of an all round quality education.

Speaking at the matriculation ceremony of the school for the 2013/ 2014 academic session, the Senior Principal, Ezinne Maria Uzuegbunam, commended the parents for choosing Loral, assuring that the school would not disappoint them.

The Principal explained that the cardinal principles of her administration were anchored on fear of God, brotherly love, peace and hard work which she advised the students to abide by as they serve as foundation pillars to success.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013— 37

I N S I D E

IBA: Law Pavillion puts Nigeria on legal technologies world

The concept of amnesty and its place in human rights discourse (2)

P. 38

P. 39

National Conference can't solve ever ything — Ajibola SAN

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE Adesegun Ajibola (SAN) is a son of retired Judge of the International Court of Justice, at The Hague and former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Bola Ajibola (SAN). He is the Principal Partner, Bola Ajibola & Co and member of Board of Trustees of the Islamic Movement for Africa (IMA). In this interview, Ajibola spoke on the National Conference Advisory committee among other issues.

Excerpts Much has been said about corruption in the judiciary, do you think the fight against it is good enough?

Well, I think basically infrastructure in the judiciary needs more attention to be able to remove corruption in the judiciary. Our courts, most of them are not suitable and are not fit for the business of the day. They are small, the furnishing is sparse, the means of recording proceedings is poor- it should be electronically governed.

Our judiciary experts need to be trained in the use of modern day electronic gadgets, to be used in dispensing justice. It is not about just sitting down there and having long hands, wasting time and delaying proceedings, and recording it wrongly at times and then it becomes a problem. There is need for this e-system in our judicial system. I think that is one of the areas that must be looked into very seriously.

But looking at the issue of tendering electronically generated docu-

Adesegun Ajibola (SAN) have a computer today which could be system A, next week another one comes out that will be better than the initial one; it is just a new improvement.

We have to be more flexible and move with times, and adjust with the changes that technologies bring from time to time. If we are going to sit down and let things pass us by, then in the next twenty years we will remain where we are and technology will be ahead of us.

So we need to keep on moving and reviewing our position from time to time. That is what we need to do.

As far as I am concern, we are not too far from the mark, in times of our law and the acceptability of generated evidence by electronic means.

What is your view on the planned national conference?

The need for dialogue cannot be

Our judiciary experts need to be trained in the use of modern day electronical gadgets, to be used in dispensing justice

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ments in court as evidence, like tendering photograph from the internet, how do you relate that to esystem that you just called for?

I think the new Evidence Act of 2011 has taken care of that to a large extent as to the admissibility of electronically generated evidence. It is a revolution which has tried to bring the method by which we tender evidence in court nearer the people, but there is still room for more improvement because technology is not a static thing, it keeps moving on everytime. You may

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overstated. The need for us to sit and discuss our way forward cannot be overemphasized. The fundamental issues begging for attention remain in place. Any form of opportunity to discuss these matters is most welcome.

People can go there and ventilate their views, discuss it and trash it out. We can form and model an opinion that we can carry on from there.

It is not necessarily a forum where everything can be achieved, but at least it is one step forward through which we can try and actualize our

objectives and the yearning and aspiration of our people, rather than assume that people are happy when they are really not. The structure of the country itself is shaking, so this is a good time for us to do so. Even though I am worried that it is so close to the election, but whatever they do, we will now have what we have than have nothing.

But some people have described the issue of national conference as a politically motivated agenda?

People will read meaning to everything in this world. If he (President Goodluck Jonathan), did not set up the committee to look at the mandate for National Conference, people will say it is a politically motivated agenda as well. He has done it now; they are saying it is so. Alright, whatever it may be, there is something that is in there. The thing in there is the merit for a forum for dialogue about problem that we need to be changed.

Once we can achieve that, it would not matter whether it is politically motivated or otherwise.

Looking at the National Conference Advisory committee saddled with the responsibility to look at the mandate for the conference, what is your perception?

My perception is that I do not have any trust that I would have for anybody else, other than those people who are there now. If they took those people out and brought another set of people there, the same question will continue, but we must have somebody who is prepared to bail the cat. We must find somebody who is prepared to carry the project forward.

These are people who have accepted the responsibility. It is now expect-

ed of those of us who are expecting that much from them, to ensure that they carry out the assignment effectively and positively. We must monitor them, supervise them, guide them, direct them, make noise when it is necessary, to ensure that they do a good job. We cannot sit down at our homes and fold our arms as if we are watching football on the screen and then expect manna to come from heaven. It won’t happen that way.

We must see to it. As they say in legal palace “Justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done”.

Seeing it to done is to ensure that the necessary and correct things are done all the time. So in their own case, we should all participate in it in various forms. It could be by our opinion, support or media coverage. Any form of support that any Nigerian can give to ensure that they get the arrangement right is very welcomed.

The security challenges affecting parts of the north especially and Nigeria as a country, what is your view?

This is a very fundamental issue. It has been with us for quite a long time.

I think it worsened now, with the advent of terrorism, kidnapping and armed robbery. Although the issue of armed robbery seems to be taking a back-stage position and replaced by kidnapping and terrorism. It is probably not better than armed robbery itself. This a challenge. I think it is an issue which calls for the attention of all Nigerians. If we want our country to be secured, then we have the responsibility to assist those whose duty it is to do so to get it right. It is not by folding our hands and say there is police, Department of State Service, DSS or government- it is their duty, let us go and sleep and then they can do what they like.

We have to be vigilant and report something unusual to those people who need to know.

EDITORIAL TEAM Dayo Benson (Editor) Innocent Anaba Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri

38—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

IBA: Law Pavillion puts Nigeria on legal technologies world

BY INNOCENT ANABA

T

HE Law Pavillion has put Nigeria on legal technologies world map with its case management system that can allow users link different devices like iPad, Desktop, including Laptop, such that information can be entered, updated, then synchronized across many computer systems and other devices in various law firms or court.

Launching the LawPavilion Case Management System at the International Bar Association (IBA) annual conference in Boston, its Managing Director, Mr. Ope Olugasa explained that this means continuous collaboration, better supervision, and savings in time and effort, with a view to improve Law Firms’ businesses significantly.

According to him, the choice of IBA for the launch of the LawPavilion Case management was a deliberate attempt

It was gathered that the software boasts of a unique Document Management capability such that the issue of missing files and documents will be fully mitigated. Records of court processes and daily proceedings are promptly and properly documented. In fact, the iPad version includes a Digital Voice Recording feature that allows court proceedings or meetings to be digitally recorded and played back at anytime, or sent to the secretary for transcription.

Olugasa said: “Our Case Management System is software designed essentially to help law firms and courts manage the life cycle of cases more effectively. It facilitates automation of workflow in law practice.

It tracks and shapes your business processes increasing a firm’s business advantage.

“Lawyers and Judges need to constantly monitor the status of their cases, such as situations

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With an integrated Automated Performance Evaluation Report, the submission of the quarterly returns of Judges and Magistrates’ to the National Judicial Commission (NJC) has been fully automated

not only to showcase Nigeria’s ability to compete on the global stage, but also to encourage the Nigerian Youth that in spite of the hostile socioeconomic climate of Nigeria, we can still ethically make global impact through consistent innovation, tenacity of purpose, persistent hard work, perseverance and unshakeable belief in our God–given abilities.

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where judges want to be notified of the status of their judgments that have been appealed. The CMS maintains a central database of client records, cases, documents, task lists, billing records, productivity and performance records for evaluation and appraisal, cause list generator, record keeper and instruction platform.”

“We developed this

From left: Lekan Sogbein, Head of Training, LawPavilion; Titilola Ayotunde-Rotifa, Head, Product & Strategy, Law Pavilion; Mr Adebayo Ojo, Former AG, Oyo State and Mr Ope Olugasa, Managing Director. software to make it easy for Law Firms and Courts, based on entry by their secretaries, court registrars or judicial assistants to know, at a glance, the matters pending before the courts, what transpired in the last appearance, the schedule/action plan for the next appearance, the dates when various matters were instituted and brought before the courts which even also makes it easier for Judges or Magistrates to know the turnaround time for cases in their courts, etc.”

He noted that the Case Management System

also generates a daily cause list based on the entry in the diary of the matter slated for a particular day or week. Each matter has its own e-file where all documents and records regarding that matter are recorded and updated from time to time.

“With an integrated Automated Performance Evaluation Report, the submission of the quarterly returns of Judges and Magistrates’ to the National Judicial Commission (NJC) has been fully automated. For Judges and Magistrates who use LawPavilion

Case Management System in conducting their research and writing rulings or judgments, such judgments are automatically recorded in the appropriate column for the Performance Evaluation Report.

Therefore, Judges can individually set a quarterly target for themselves and proactively monitor the volume of work that has been done and therefore measure their own performance on a regular basis” Olugasa said.

Head of Strategy and Product Development at LawPavilion, Mrs Titilola Ayotunde-Rotifa, said “a law firm deals with a lot of information. Keeping those records, and accessing them with speed could be challenging. LawPavilion Case Management System resolves this ever-present challenge of legal practice by enabling users to create a secured and centralized database for storing all information on all of their cases and matters. It also helps to electronically store vital records such as clients’ records, names, physical

address, all tasks, appointments, deadlines, agreements and court applications related to such clients etc.

“Beyond storage, Law Pavilion Case Management System automatically organizes your information for quick retrieval and easy reference.

Lawyers can now quickly answer queries on any client, because all information on each client is organized into digital files. There is a Customer Relationship Management module with Billable Hours functionality on the software. It helps manage client reports, clients’ enquiries, branded newsletter dissemination, client billing and accounting functions” Training Department of LawPavilion, Mr. Lekan Sogbein, described synergy as important in today’s global village, as the Nigerian lawyer cannot be satisfied by mere speedy access, he or she also requires ability to synchronize and link up with colleagues, delegate tasks and effectively supervise subordinates, while sharing information in team settings.

HURILAWS, LEDAP call for abolition of death system.

He pointed out that the ments of death knowing penalty The World Coalition best way to solve crime these limitations exists

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE & NWOSU PATRICIA

A

S Nigeria joined other countries in observing the World Day Against the Death Penalty, the Human Right Law and Service (HURILAWS) and the Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP) have called for abolition of death penalty in the country and over-haul of the entire criminal justice

Against the Death Penalty is an alliance of NGOs, bar associations, local bodies and has established October 10 as the date of the annual World Day Against the Death Penalty.

Speaking at the media presentation of a book titled “Nigeria and the Death Penalty: The Case for Abolition” in Lagos, HURILAWS legal officer, Collins Okeke, noted that death penalty does not keep a society safe.

is to prevent it or at best apprehend the offender, explaining that most charge for crimes that attract death penalty are based on confessional statements.

Okeke, who urged Lagos State government to review its criminal justice and procedures, opined that the judiciary has become somewhat complicit “when they admit these confessional statements and continue to make pronounce-

in the system”.

He explained that what is needed in the country is to collectively stop crime and not life, saying “what advocates for death penalty fail to understand is that the death penalty does not keep society safe. It may pander to the outrage of society but it does not abate or remove crime, which should be the interest of government. There is no relationship on death and crime Penalty. Therefore, the institute for crime should be used to fight crime and not imposing death penalty.”

LEDAP, a non-governmental organization of lawyers and Law professional engaged in the promotion and protection of human rights, the rule of law and good governance in Nigeria, also called on National and State Legislature to amend the Criminal Code Laws to abolish the death penalty or to restrict the use of death sentence to heinous crimes of premeditated murder or terrorism murder.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013—39

The concept of amnesty and its place in human rights discourse (2)

BY PROF. EPIPHANY AZINGE, SAN

T

HE Principles of conven tional international law and treatise impose significant obligations on States to requiring the prosecution of atrocious crimes. This is because violations against humanity endanger the value of the global community.

The offer of amnesty for some of the most heinous of crimes thus undeniably appears contradictory on the very face of it, to these principles of international law. On the other hand, International law does not expressly exclude amnesties.

This raises the question of the legality of granting amnesties under international law and whether amnesties can be given de facto or de jure recognition internationally; a question we shall come back to.

Over the past few decades, there appears to be the development of a general presumption of the illegality of amnesties and the opinion that States have no option but to prosecute rather than offer immunity from prosecution for serious crimes has gained acceptance in most quarters. The support for this opinion of the illegality of amnesties are legion.

Article 4 of Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide provides that perpetrators of the offence of genocide must be punished by state parties. The State parties are obligated to put in place necessary legislation to give effect to the provisions of the Convention and, in particular, to provide effective penalties for persons guilty of genocide or any of the other acts enumerated in the Convention.

Based on the mandatory system of universal jurisdiction over grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions, there remains an obligation to extradite and prosecute in situations where there have been grave breaches of human rights violations and State Parties are unable to absolve themselves or any other state from liability that is incurred in this respect. This prima facie means that State parties cannot through their own national legislations or actions, condone grant amnesties for offences that fall within the definition of grave breaches as provided under the Geneva Conventions and there is a positive obligation on other parties not to recognise such amnesties granted.

A similar obligation to prosecute persons who have violated the rights of others, especially through torture and other forms

Prof. Epiphany Azinge, SAN of cruel treatment is contained in the Final Declaration and Programme of Action of the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights( Vienna Declaration) where it states that “States should abrogate legislation leading to impunity for those responsible for grave violations of human rights such as torture and prosecute such violations, thereby providing a firm basis for the rule of law” The Convention on NonApplicability of Statutory Limitation on War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity based on the conviction that the effective punishment of international crimes is an important element in the prevention of such heinous crimes and the furtherance of protection of rights and fundamental freedom, provides in Article 3 and 4 an obligation on state parties to adopt all necessary domestic measures, be they legislative or otherwise to ensure that no form of statutory limitation applies to

considered the case of a small group of students and workers whom were “disappeared” by elements of the Brazilian army and state police in the mid 70’s.The Brazilian 1979 Amnesty law prevented both the release and information on the fate of the victims and the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for their disappearance.

The Court held that the investigation and punishment of those responsible for the perpetuation of the gross human rights violations was imperative for justice for the victims and that the amnesty law was contrary to the provisions of international conventions to which Brazil was a party.

In 2009, the Appeals Chambers of the Special Court for Sierra Leone in the appeal case of The Prosecutor v. Issa Hassan Sesay, Morris Kallon, and Augustine Gbao ruled that the prosecution and punishamnesties granted to persons of ment of these crimes. The the warring factions in the Sierra granting of amnesties amounts Leone in spite of the 1999 Lome to a bar to prosecution and Peace Accord brokered between punishment of heinous crimes the Sierra Leone government and thus is not in conformity and the Revolutionary United with the provisions of this Front which contained an particular Convention.

The emergence of an Interna- amnesty provision pardoning all rebel forces and their collaborational prosecution system tors for acts committed during consisting of the International the war was not a bar to prosecuCriminal Court as well as tions as amnesty did not apply to various international tribunals war crimes, crimes against has also been a strong point in humanity and other serious support of the argument that immunities from prosecution for violations of international humanitarian law. international crimes are not It was argued that the recognised. The non-recogniprosecution of certain internation of amnesties in relation to tional crimes are recognised as international crimes has been jus cogens; meaning that due to explicitly stated in various the importance of the value it decisions of International tribunals, helping to consolidate protects, the principle of punishment for heinous crimes, enjoys a network of case law that can a higher rank in the internationbe said to aid the development al hierarchy than treaty law and of international customary law jurisprudence on the concept of even ordinary customary rules.

The implication of this is that the amnesty. principle cannot be derogated In the case of Gomes Lund v.

Brazil, the Inter-American Court from by states through international treaties or local or special of Human Rights (IACHR) custom, not endowed with the

same normative force. The decision of the Special Court of Sierra Leone is regarded as a very important decision in relation to the position of amnesty in International law because, it appears to be the first decision in which it was categorically stated that amnesty was not a bar to all international crimes before international tribunals or foreign courts.

The International Criminal Tribunal for Yuogoslavia took a similar approach in Prosecutor v. Anto Furundzija in relation to the crime of torture. The Court concluded that any national measure to undermine the principle of jus cogens in international law such as amnesty would not be accorded international legal recognition.

The provisions of Article 6(5) of the Additional Protocol has been cited severally especially by national courts as a justification for the recognition of amnesty for crimes against humanity in international law.

In the Salvadoran case of Guevara Portillo for example, which involved the deaths of American soldiers travelling in a helicopter which was shot down by the Salvadoran guerrilla forces, the Frente Farabundo marti para la Liberaction Nacional (FMLN), the Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court justified its ruling that the Salvadoran amnesty granted to the FMLN was valid under international law on its interpretation of the aforementioned Article, emphasizing that amnesty was necessary for reconstruction as it was part of the negotiated peace accords armed conflict.”

Amaechi not interferring in judiciary matters — Rivers AG

BY DAYO BENSON

A

MID insinuations in some quarters that Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, has been interferring in perfomance of judges functions , the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Worgu Boms, has debunked the allegation describing it as not only a criminal contempt but also desperation of emerging political group in the state.

In a Press statement titled‘Rivers State Does Not Have Only Four Incorruptible Judges’, the Attorney- General condemned a publication that Governor Amaechi was teleguiding the state Acting

Chief Judge,Justice P.N.C Agumagu, by asking him to transfer some political cases from four ‘incorruptible judges.”

Boms, who had just returned from Boston,USA where he attended the oneweek International Bar Conference (IBA) said “Ag. Chief Judge has commenced the transfer of those cases from four of these 35 judges, who they described as uncompromising and unapproachable to the other Judges who are willing to do the bidding of His Excellency, the Governor(long words for Corruption),the group is clearly alleging that the other eminent, hard-working and

conscientious judges are corruptible .Having appeared before all of them as a practising lawyer, I can confidently so describe them as conscientious and hardworking”.

Describing the involvement of the Chief Registrar in the issue as unfortunate, Hon. Boms, submitted that, “the learned Registrar has so quickly brought into the matter the name and activities of the recently retired Chief Judge who ordinarily should be left to enjoy his retirement”, adding that “It will be appreciated if the Learned Chief Registrar makes public the complaint of the lawyer to the Governor and the Hon.Attorney-General.

“The polity cannot make real

progress with this style and brand of politics with blackmail as its trademarks. I appeal that in the interest of all those who live in this state,the judiciary which has its several inherent systems of self-correction including its appellate machinery should not be treated as mowan group are doing through several sponsored publications by different names.”

Appealing to the governor’s accusers, the attorney-general said “Let all political bitterness cease. Let political power and relevance be sought for through decent,non-violent and rule-based means, for judges are the last bastion of our civilization”.

40 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

Cultural analysis comes alive as Zinkpe exhibits Mystery

BY JAPHET ALAKAM

T

HE exhibition hall of Alexis Galleries, on AkinOlugbade Street,Victoria Island wore a different look as the walls were decorated with various sizes of paintings and the floor adorned with many sculptural pieces. By the number of works and calibre, one would ordinarily conclude that it was a group exhibition but that was not to be, rather it was a solo show by internationally renowned artist, Dominique Zinkpe.

Born in Cotonou, the awardwining artist, who has exhibited widely and whose works has

will run till October 26th. Dominique Zinkpè who is unarguably one of the most recognizable contemporary artists to emerge from his country is bringing to Nigeria his personal style and versatility as a painter and sculptor to Nigerian art lovers.

Speaking about the title, Zinkpe who has spent many years documenting images from his locality, stated that “it is just about the mystery of the things we talk about and things we don’t know. For example we all share the feeling of Ibeji in Ghana, Nigeria, Republic of Benin etc. but in different lan-

,

Coming from a Francophone background where they are somehow spiritual, the works reveal the positive experience of exchange between urban and rural culture in his own country

attracted a lot of interest in Nigeria is holding his first solo exhibition in Nigeria titled Mystery, an exhibition of new paintings, sculptures and installations.

The exhibition which features about 40 works opened on October 19, at Alexis Galleries,Victoria Island and

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guages. So the exhibition tends to unify us (West Africans) since we cannot do that in languages, we can do it with works.”

A look at some of the works reveals the creative ingenuity of Dominique Zinkpè. The works are complex and wide ranging, spanning installations, drawings,

painting, sculpture and video. There is a restlessness within Zinkpe that prevents him from confining his creative processes to one medium, but his paintings and drawings represent his most intimate work – significantly they are produced at the private studio in his house as opposed to his hectic sculpture and installation studio in the centre of Cotonou. Zinkpè’s sculptures are very complex yet delightfully hardwork related. Many of *One of the paintings displayed by Dominique Zinkpe at the exhibition them consist of assemblages of carved wooden ibeji dolls that engage the The paintings and drawings works are disturbing and arYoruba concept of twinship. follow tortuous journeys where resting constructs of the imagThey are very symbolic and figures hover midway between ination mirroring the dilemmas speaks about his interpretation human and animal, recalling and complexities of Zinkpe’s of African culture. Coming from power games, masquerades or own life. a Francophone background sex, all with a strong satirical The exhibition which is where they are somehow spiri- flavor. The works reflect the proudly sponsored by Nokia tual, the works reveals the posi- mystical, philosophical, and West Africa (Nigeria) Limited tive experience of exchange cultural conundrums thrown up and Alexis Galleries is supportbetween urban and rural cul- by the merging of Catholicism ed by other art loving organiture in his own country. It is all and Animism and traditional sation like, The Avenue, Verve about keeping his heritage but and contemporary culture. His Clicquot, The Homestores, Arra making it more contemporary distinctive brilliance reveals it- Vinevanda, Cool fm, Choko as shown in works like Ibeji, self on the canvas; intimate, Royal, Nigeria life and WazoGate to Osogbo etc. powerful and coquettish. The bia fm.

Port Harcourt alight as book festival begins where the likes of Prof. Wole Soyinka, Prof. Ama Ata Aidoo, Prof. Ngugi wa Thiong’o and Capt. Elechi Amadi facilitated.

This year ’s features two winners of the NLNG sponsored Nigeria Prize for LiterLeft - right- Okey Ndibe, Late Prof. Kofi Awoonor, Gabriel Okara (standing), Governor ature; Chika Chibuike Amaechi and Wole Soyinka, at the Command Performance at the Unigwe, 2012 Governor’s Lodge in Port Harcourt, during the maiden Garden City Literary Festival winner, and Tade (GCLF) in 2008.

Ipadeola, 2013 26, has in the past six years, winner , they will be facilitatBy PRISCA SAM-DURU metamorphosed into a very ing the prose writing and poTHE city of Port Harcourt, Riv- popular feast in the academic etry workshops, respectively. ers State, came alive on Mon- calendar.

As it is customary, the Book day as writers, students, book Its birth in 2008 brought with Festival has as its primary aim, enthusiasts and stakeholders in it an influx of writers, the lite- to aid the development of deep the publishing industry, rati, publishers and other passion for book reading stormed the Garden City, ven- stakeholders in the book in- among Nigerians and this ue of the 2013 Port Harcourt dustry to Port Harcourt. year’s festival tagged: LiteraBook Festival (PHBF) which While aspiring writers, read- ture and the Creative Econowas formerly Garden City Lit- ers, publishers and booksell- my, features a writing, drama erary Festival. ers from within and outside the and arts workshop for children The annual book event which country have so far, benefited as well as prose, poetry and closes on Saturday, October from the Festival workshops scriptwriting workshops.

The theme of the festival is derived from the idea that the creative economy is gaining world wide recognition as an important part of the global economy.

It also features intellectually stimulating seminars which afford participants the opportunity to form their own opinions after listening to discussants as they brainstorm on selected relevant topics.

Digital technology Topics for this year include Literature and the Performing Arts, featuring Comedian Julius “D’Genius” Agwu as one of the discussants; Digital Technology and the Literary Sector; and Museums, Cultural Heritage and the Sustainability of the Creative Industry.

Dr. Popoola, President of the Nigerian Booksellers As-

sociation, Ayo Ayeni, World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Certified IP practitioner and solicitor of England and Wales, Dr. Blessing Ahiauzu, representative of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), are some of the scheduled discussants.

Explaining the reason for the change of the festival name, the founder of Rainbow Book Club and chief organiser of the festival, Mrs. Koko Kalango, said that rather than continue with Garden City Literary Festival, “using the words ‘Port Harcourt’ would make the festival easily and quickly recognisable.

He added that the wording ‘Book Festival’, widened the content and scope and thus the festival’s appeal. Instead of solely literature-type books, the focus would now be on books in general —motivational, business, memoirs and others.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013 — 41

Demystifying true beauty

BY KEHINDE AJOSE

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*Royal match: The Uthoko na Eze and paramount ruler of Achalla, Igwe Ezeoba Alex Nwokedi (2nd from right) march to the palace ground with his entourage for the Iwaji

Achalla celebrates Iwa-Ji festival in grand style the living title holders called Ozo-dindu do their own festival and the dead title holders (the HE Achalla community in Anambra State Ozo-nwulaun) do theirs the next day.

“After the king’s yam festival, people kill goats wore a new look recently, when eminent people from across the eastern states thronged the for their respective dead fathers and mothers Awka North Local Government headquarters to who were title holders but are dead. It is a celebrate this year’s Iwa-Ji, New Yam Festival. must for everybody to do so. This is general Achalla, a kingdom ruled by the Uthoko Na sacrifice that every affected person does and it Eze and a paramount ruler, Igwe Ezeoba Alex is followed by another event when all men go Nwokedi is one of the communities that observe and buy Ogodi-Igbaoku (gifts) for their wives showing appreciation to them for taking good the new yam festival.

Iwa-Ji is a very big annual event that people care of them (husbands) during the planting of the kingdom have set aside as a forum for season” he said. After the preliminaries, the rekindling peace, unity and charting the way main occasion which was the celebration of the forward for the community and this year’s cele- king’s yam festival took off with prepared roastbration was not an exception. The king’s own ed yam meal served with thickly vegetable day of the week-long event was the grand fina- soup. All occupants of and visitors to the palle, held at the event arena of the 200-year Utho- ace were served no other food than the meal. ko Palace, on Thursday October 3, 2013, the Thereafter, cows were slaughtered to prepare entire community burst into its loudest as guests, pounded yam which was served in the afterother paramount rulers, government officials, noon. The festive period was at its peak as the entire community was Iwa-Ji is a very big annual event that peo- agog with all kinds of perOn ground to ple of the kingdom have set aside as a forum formances. receive homages was the for rekindling peace, unity and charting the king, Igwe Nwokedi, assisted by his heir, Mr. way forward for the community Akan Nwokedi, a lawyer and a line-up of senior red friends and in - laws trooped in for the celebra- cap members of his cabinet. It was a day packed tion of the 16th annual yam festival of Uthoko with all sorts of amusements, cultural perforNa Eze and the 23rd king of the Achalla com- mances , masquerade dance, offerings of yam munity, Igwe Ezeoba Alex Nwokedi. by titled chiefs, here four tubers each by each Very early in the morning, the entire commu- title chief and any amount by non-title memnity was agog with festivity as youths held bers of the community. Many of them, in addimassive demonstration to herald the new yam tion, came with well-fed ram, others wine and festival. It was glamorous with different kinds others, money. of masquerades like the Isaka (the like of LaIt then got to the last leg of the festivity when gos Igunu ko); Jele, Oganachi and others mov- different types of masquerades came to the areing around the community. Yam, as a staple food, na each at its own time. They respectively is consumed by many in Nigeria at any time. danced and traditionally the king would come But to the culture and traditions of Achalla peo- down from his high seat to share in the dance ple, before the eating of new yam begins, there and give them money. is procedure that must be strictly adhered to.

The event was well attended with Governor The main procedure is the celebration of arrival Peter Obi ably represented by the Anambra of the new yam, which comes in form of a festi- State’s Secretary to the Govenment, Mr. Henval known in the kingdom as Iwaji. ry Osieloka Obaze. Nearly all traditional rulExplaining how the yam festival is celebrat- ers in the state attended. they include the Obi ed, a palace staff told Sunday Arts that Ogana- of Onitsha, Igwe Achebe, who could not make chi masquerade was usually the first to come it, sent very heavy representation. The Eze Uzu out four days to the king’s yam festival calling Awka; Obi Gifson Nwozu; the Igigo of Aguleri on the people of Achalla and the eight sub-com- vice chairma, Anambra State Council of Tradimunities under it that it was time for people to tional Rulers, Igwe Christopher Eze; and Igwe begin to eat yam. “Oganachi took place four days Iweka of Obosi Kingdom were among promibefore Igwe festival that is taking place today. It nent monarchs present at the event, co-sponhappened in a big way calling on Achalla peo- sored by Krisoral Group of Companies, makple that they can now eat new yam. After that, ers of Omega.

BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

T

,

EAUTIFUL written by Funto Oni can actually be described as a manual for living a beautified life or a guide to giving your life a beautified make over from the inside out. It contains beautiful nuggets for leading a life full of beauty and relevance.

According to the author,: “Real beauty goes beyond the skin. It comes right from within. You can tell whether a lady is beautiful or not with or without make up. No matter how perfect the make - up looks on her just by interacting with her for a couple of minutes , you would know if she really is as beautiful as her made up face suggests” Funto Oni is an authority on the subject of beauty and style.

A trained chartered accountant, Funto has a keen passion for all things relating to beauty and strongly believes that there is a queen in every woman that needs to be unleashed.

Funto presents to us in her conversational tone, a well re-

by an ugly personality. Each tip dwells on a subject matter that can help one attain true beauty.

In the Beauty tips section of the book, the author hinges essentially on caring for the nails, dealing with stretch marks, and natural remedy for black spots e.t.c In the second part, she focuses her writer’s lens on make- up tips. She offers Make up guidelines for the rainy season, make up for office, how to use your blush, and the amazing one make up for guys. She puts it this way” Make - up could be a woman’s greatest weapon if applied properly, when it isn’t applied properly, it could be disastrous”.

Dressing to look big

Style is not about dressing to look big, thin, or fat. Style is expression. She addresses the subject matter of style in the book’s third part. In this section, she attempts to provide tips on steps to become stylish, style tips for guys, success lessons from her favourite style icon –Michelle Obama, and over dressing verses under dressing. She says it is easier to make a dressy outfit look casual than to make a casual outfit more dressy.

On wearing perfumes she opined that the best time to apply perfume is right after a Beautified; Funto Oni; Book Vine; 2013; shower or bath.

PP. 121.

In the consearched guide to attaining true cluding section, the author beauty. In this volume of non - weaves her words around a sefiction, she invests her creative ries of tips which she calls energy in providing beauty tips, Thoughts. This section revolves style tips, make up tips, and around building one’s confithoughts on living a beautified dence, the beauty in forgiveness, life. beauty by simple living e.t.c. She Her major preoccupation is to says you cannot live beautiful take the reader on a journey of going around with bags of beauty beyond face value. While grudges and an unforgiving she is not the first to write on spirit. According to her, :”Unforthe subject of beauty, her foray giveness is not just a reaction to certainly becomes crucial and express how badly someone has timely in a world where more hurt you, it’s a spirit set out to emphasis is placed on beauty keep you in bondage and hinder and less emphasis is placed on you from enjoying the beauty and what is on the inside. Unlike it’s abundance of life.” title that gives that the impresOni presents the tips in an easy sion that the book only address- to grasp diction. It can be comes the outward beauty, Beauti- pared to a feature article in a liffied provides a clear balanced estyle magazine. The book is roadmap for true beauty. quite captivating, once one is In 121 pages divided into four soaked in its tips, bible quotaparts, and laced with amazing tions, and motivational apho“Beautyspiration” tips , that risms, it becomes difficult to put nourishes the heart and adds fla- it down. Beautified is a collecvour to the soul, the author tor’s item, capable of rejuvenatmakes it abundantly clear that ing the reader’s ugly life’s exphysical beauty can be marred periences.

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42 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

C-R-A-C-K - D

BY OKONKWO EZE,ONITSHA

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Activities of the criminals Inside Onitsha metropolis, the Onitsha/Oba/Owerri road, the Upper Iweka Fly-over bridge (both on top and under), Okpoko junction, Oguta road by Queen of the Rosary College (QRC), Vinee Oil, Army gate, Nkpor/ Umuoji road, Nkpor junction and New Tarzan junction, Uga junction by Atani road Benin Motor Park at Bridge-head market are some of the bad spots where the bandits strike constantly.

However, the police are not resting on its oars in bringing the activities of the criminals to a check.

Unfortunately,the criminals are somehow smarter than the security operatives, to the extent that in most cases, they outsmart the operatives in gun duels.

Encounter with robbers: Recently, a robbery suspect was shot dead by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Okpoko unit, during an encounter while his gang member escaped with bullet wounds.The shootout came barely 48 hours after a gang of armed robbers shot and killed a vigilance operative attached to Okpoko Vigilante Services in

Police, criminals on path in Anambra action might not be unconnected with the constant foiling of robbery operations in the area by the Okpoko vigilance operatives, which might have made the nefarious activities of the robbers in the area unsuccessful and very difficult for them to contend with.

Other notorious spots: In another development, the Obosi bypass along the Onitsha/Oba dual carriageway has been completely taken over by robbers, particularly from the evening hours till dawn. The spot has become so notorious that even the

security operatives themselves are very much aware of the situation, but it does appear they are helpless for one reason or the other.

Just a forthnight ago, some robbers who operated on motorbikes, trailed a Mercedes Benz lorry from Onitsha down to the bypass at about 6.30 p.m.and forced the driver to stop under gun point. When the driver eventually stopped, they robbed all the occupants of the vehicle in the full glare of commuters passing through the road.

Some of the passengers who wanted to stop at the bypass to board another vehicle or commercial motorcycle to

How blood bath was av •Residents of Festac, Amuwo-odofin call

*Suspected kidnap kingpin aka Hunchman Okpoko Layout, during which one of the suspects was equally arrested by the police.

The deceased suspect and his escaped gang member who operated on a motorcycle as a twoman robbery gang, according to the source, had blocked a commercial motorcyclist on top of the Upper Iweka Fly-over bridge at about 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday, armed with a locallymade,double-barrel pistol, dispossessed him of all his

,

HE Police in Anambra State, seem to be on the war path with criminals ranging from armed robbers, assasins, kidnappers and even fraudsters who have succeeded in creating black spots and hideouts where they carry out their nefarious activites daily. These dangerous spots dot every nook and cranny of the state.

Following this development, the police have declared total war against these criminals who have constantly launched their onslaught against law-abiding citizens in the state.

The situation has gotten to an extent that hardly a day passes without hearing of one crime or the other taking place in some parts of the state.

Black spots In Awka, the capital territory of the state, some of the black spots where the bandits usually carry out their nefarious activities could be identified as UNIZIK temporary site junction along the Enugu/Onitsha expressway,Nise/ Agulu/Nanka/Ekwulobia road where the criminals usually patrol with their motorbikes, concealing their arms inside their waists.

In the industrial town of Nnewi and its metropolis, the notoriety and porosity of Oraifite/Ozubulu/ Okija federal highway, is never in doubt as commuters usually have nightmare plying the road that leads from the commercial city of Onitsha to Owerri, Port Harcourt, Aba, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.

operatives recovered the victim’s motorcycle, the GSM Handset and the sum of money snatched from him by the robbers, just as the robbers’ locally-made pistol with two live cartridges were equally recovered.

Eye-witnesses who gave a bitby-bit account of the encounter between the robbers and the victim on one side, the robbers and the SARS operatives on the other side, told Crime Alert that

When the duo opened fire and took to their heels to evade arrest, the SARS operatives returned fire for fire, killing one of them instantly, while the others barely managed to escape with their own motorcycle and bullet wounds valuables, including the motorcycle, GSM Handset and an unspecified amount of money.

The source further hinted that as soon as the suspects were through with their victim and wanted to escape with his motorcycle, operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad ,SARS,Okpoko Unit, stumbled into them and attempted to arrest them. When the duo opened fire and took to their heels to evade arrest, the SARS operatives returned fire for fire, killing one of them instantly, while the other barely managed to escape with their own motorcycle and bullet wounds.

Consequently, the SARS

,

the victim who simply identified himself as Nwike Sixtus, praised the police for their timely intervention during the robbery operation.

Meanwhile, one of the robbery suspects who shot and killed an operative of Okpoko vigilance group simply identified as ‘Stubborn’, is now helping the police to track down four other members of his gang who are on the run, after killing their victim.

He was said to have been picked up by the SARS operatives in his hideout at Okpoko at about 2.30 a.m.

It was not clear as at press time why they decided to kill the operative but sources said their

By IFEANYI OKOLIE

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HE clash between policemen attached to Area ‘E’ police Command, Festac Town, Lagos and some officials of Amuwo- Odofin Local Government led by its Chairman, Comrade Ayodele Adewale, last Sunday, nearly turned bloody but for the timely intervention of Assistant Commissioner of Police, Dan Okoro, who saved the day.

Eyewitnesses told Crime Alert that some people posing as local government officials from Amuwo-Odofin, in company of armed officials of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, accosted a team of policemen at Festac link bridge while attempting to drive an impounded trailer truck with reg No. XN 845 KTU to their station.

The truck was earlier involved in a road accident that killed a motorcyclist along LagosBadagry Expressway.

They reportedly ordered that the truck be taken to the local government secretariat for flouting a law prohibiting its passage on the road. This did not go down well with the policemen escorting the truck to their station and they resisted it.

It was gathered that the situation became highly charged when the Chairman of AmuwoOdofin L.G.A. arrived the scene and allegedly blocked the ill-fated truck with a Sport Utility Vehicle and a Hilux Van, thereby, preventing the policemen from

taking the truck to their station.

Eyewitness account An eyewitness, Emma Okechukwu, told Crime Alert that the blockade infuriated the policemen and a heated argument ensued between them and the local government officials, forcing the armed NSCDC men to cock their rifles waiting for orders to shoot. “I was disturbed with what I saw that day. The action of the Local Government Chairman and his staff was too bad. I wonder why they would want to obstruct lawful police operation. The chairman over stepped his bounds, but I am yet to understand why he would do that.

Responsibility of the police When I listened to their argument, it was obvious that the Chairman does not want the police to take the truck to their station; rather he wanted them to take the truck to a complex owned by the Local Government. I see nothing wrong in that, but the decision on where to park trucks impounded by the police are solely the responsibility of the police and not the Local Government Chairman. The armed NSCDC men and the police almost shot at themselves but the timely intervention of the

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013 — 43

-O-W-N

the war

ARRESTED - the two suspected notorious kidnappers-Nwa teacher and Nwa Jesus, arrested by SARS, Awkuzu.

Nkpor, had to continue their journey up to Upper Iweka, while those who had already dropped from their vehicles without knowing that robbers were having their field day, had to scamper for safety, even as the robbers were asking them whether they were looking at them or monitoring their activities to which they all chorused: “No, we are not looking at you.”

Kidnap suspect shot: Last Monday, a combined team of Policemen and soldiers shot a kidnap suspect dead and rescued a victim from the den of the kidnappers where he had been held captive for some days. The rescue operation, sources said, took place at 3-3 Area of Onitsha where the joint Police and Army team struck and engaged the kidnappers in a gun duel which resulted in the death of one of them while the rest fled to safety.

According to a reliable source, the kidnappers had taken their victim whose identity was not immediately known hostage inside their hideout in an unknown destination, while the family waited in vain for the kidnappers to establish contact with them. It was however

gathered, that the Police eventually received information that the victim was kept in an uncompleted building in a remote area at 3-3, Onitsha where heavy security watch was mounted on him, in order to forestall his escape.

Anonymous condition Our source further stated that when the information about his whereabouts was released to the police, they contacted the Army Barrack in Onitsha, and some army personnel were drafted to join the police in the rescue operation which lasted for about an hour. A police source who chose to speak on anonymous condition, told Crime Alert that as soon as the kidnappers sighted the team of the police and Army personnel on the rescue operation, they opened fire on them while the team returned fire in an exchange.

Police,CD react: The Police Area Commander for Onitsha, Benjamin Wordu who confirmed the rescue operation declined further comments on the ground that the case had been taken over

by a superior hand. The state Police Public Relations Officer,PPRO, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka,DSP, confirmed the incident and stated that the police are on the trail of the fleeing suspects.

In his comment, a human rights activist based in Onitsha and Chairman of the Campaign for Democracy, CD, South East Zone, Dede Uzor A. Uzor, called on the appropriate authorities to promote the Okpoko SARS Commander DSP Anthony Ogah and his Ihiala counterpart, DSP Linus for their efforts in crime fighting in the area and urged other police officers in the state to emulate these acts of bravery and hard work.

Uzor who decried high incidences of kidnapping, robbery and other high profile criminal activities by our youths, particularly between the ages of 18 and 30, noted that this range of youths, majority of whom are of Igbo extraction, who refused to engage themselves in meaningful activities, lose their lives almost on daily basis.

verted in Lagos after Police clashed with LG officials for government intervention Area Commander, Dan Okoro, who displayed maturity and professionalism while the feud ensued, saved the day,” the eyewitness explained.

PPRO reacts: Meanwhile, the spokesperson of Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, who spoke with Crime Alert on the matter said Comrade Adewale chose to obstruct police investigation because he was angry with the police for arresting some of his men few days before that incident. According to her, “on Wednesday, October 9, 2013, the Area E Commander, Dan Okoro, got a distress call that some mobile policemen were harassing and intimidating some residents of Festac Town. The commander was also informed that the mobile policemen has also injured a resident and vandalized his vehicle. He swiftly sent some of his men to the scene to arrest the situation.

“On getting there, the policemen discovered that the people clad in mobile police uniforms were fake, they turned out to be employees of Amuwo-Odofin L.G.A kitted in mobile police accoutrements. Based on this startling discovery, the Area commander ordered their immediate arrest after some dangerous weapons including military bayonets were recovered from them.

While they were in custody, some officials of the Local Government came to

*One of the vehicles used by Comrade Ayodele Adewale in obstructing Police investigation. *Ayodele Adewale

affect their release claiming that the fake mobile policemen were members of Man O War. The Area Commander made it clear that he has received several complaints from residents of the area on the activities of the fake mobile policemen terrorizing them and he would charge the matter to court to serve as deterrent to others. They were all charged to court the next day and were granted bail.

“This didn’t go down well with the Local Government Chairman.

So, the next Sunday, the Area Commander was in his office and he received a distress call that a truck had crushed a motorcyclist

to death along the Lagos Badagry Expressway and some angry mob hijacked the situation to cause havoc. He mobilized his men and drafted them to the scene to disperse the mob. When they arrived, it was discovered that the driver and conductor of the truck had already been beaten to the point of death and the mob were about setting them ablaze.

The mob had also destroyed the windscreen of 10 other expensive vehicles that were caught up in the frenzy.

The policemen managed to disperse the angry mob, removed the corpses to the mortuary for autopsy and the dying truck

driver and his conductor were rushed to the hospital. Giving the state of things, there was no way they could leave that truck at the scene or take it to an unsecured location. Even the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, LASTMA, at Mile 2, who were at the scene refused to take custody of the truck, fearing the angry mob would attack their office. The policemen were left with only one option, which was for them to take the truck to their station.

But on their way, the Local Government Chairman who was angry with the police for arresting and taking his men to court saw an opportunity to retaliate. He

accosted the police at Festac link bridge and ordered that the impounded truck be taken to his office for safe keeping and that he also wanted to investigate the murder case.

The policemen escorting the truck explained to him what the truck had gone through but he refused to listen to them. In fact, he even went ahead to block the truck from moving with his SUV and one Hilux and obstructed police lawful operation for over four hours. As if that was not enough, the next day, he led some local government staffs to protest at the Apapa Magistrates court where he addressed the press and called the Area Commander unprintable names.”

Residents too•• Following this development, some residents of Festac Town have called on Lagos State Government and police authorities to prevail on officials of Amuwo-Odofin L.G.A.to stop distracting the police in the area from carrying out their lawful duties. Daniel Amadi, a medical doctor who resides in FESTAC alleged that the action of the Man O’ War whom he described as the foot soldiers of Ayodele is creating havoc for residents of FESTAC, adding that they have totally hijacked the duties of the police.

According to him, “they arrest residents at will and lock them up in the local government premises only to be released when their demands were met. They puncture vehicle tyres of residents with jack knives and any attempt to challenge them will result in beating.

44—Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

DPP loses members to PDP in Isoko North

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI— OVER 5,000 members of Democratic People’s Party, DPP, including a two-time chairman of the Isoko North Local Government Area, Delta State, Chief Philip Adheke, have decamped to People’s Democratic Party, PDP. Receiving the decampees at Ozoro, headquarters of the council area, Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Mr. Ovuozorie Macaulay, said that with the return of Chief Philip Adheke, Chief Lawrence Ofebe, Chief Tobi, Chief James Akporero, Mr. Gabriel Alebe and their followers, PDP was the only party in the local government area.

Aregbesola promises TV, computer industry

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OVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has pledged to establish a factory to manufacture television and computer sets, like i-Pad in Ilesa before the end of the year.

Aregbesola, accompanied by his deputy, Mrs.Titi Laoye-Tomori, who spoke at a reception for seven honourees and 14 inductees of Ijesa Society in Lagos, said: “I will encourage you all to enrich and bring back to your fatherland the same entrepreneural spirit with which you have contributed to your host communities.”

The governor, who was described by Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, as a “bishop” that shares holy communion equally, said: “I regard religion as a personal and private affair, so those trying to label me as an Islamic irredentist are just trying to give a dog a bad name in order to hang it.”

He claimed that his educational policy was like the recent banking consolidation policy aimed at ensuring more efficient and judicious use of resources.

KIDNAPPING: Deploy soldiers on Benin-Auchi Road, NBA begs FG zAs Omobude, Oritsejafor, Okonkwo others storm Edo for prayers against kidnappers

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN— FOLLOWING incessant kidnap operations along the Benin-Auchi Road, Edo State, Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Ekpoma branch, has appealed to the state Chief Judge, Justice Cromwell Idahosa, to prevail on the Federal Government to deploy soldiers along the route.

Meanwhile, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and the National President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Dr. Felix Omobude, would on September 28, storm the ancient city of Benin for a one-week prayer session against kidnapping and terrorism in Nigeria.

The programme will take place at the Gospel Light International Ministries, GLIM, a.k.a. New Covenant Gospel Church, Benin.

A statement by the PFN President, who doubles as the President-General of the Gospel Light International Ministries, said other clerics expected at the event includes Bishop Mike Okonkwo, Dr. Uma Ukpai, Bishop Simeon Okah and others.

Omobude said that special prayers will be offered to God to help the nation overcome the persistent kidnapping of Nigerians, terrorism and other violent crimes militating against the country.

NBA made its appeal for the deployment of soldiers on Auchi road, following the kidnap of a High Court Judge, Justice Daniel Okungbowa, and other victims along the Benin-Auchi Road.

The Judge regained his free-

dom after spending 16 days in the hands of the kidnappers.

Chairman of Ekpoma Branch of NBA, Bola Adekanle, who made the appeal when he led the newly elected members of NBA on a courtesy visit on the Chief Judge, said the absence of men of the Joint Task Force along that road had made the place a haven for kidnappers.

He said: “We appeal to you, My Lord, to prevail on the state government and the Army to provide security patrol along that road so that the lives of our members will be safe.”

Criminal code amendment

Adekanle also called for the amendment of the Nigeria criminal code to include cyber crimes for easy prosecution of such cases.

He said: “We commend the Chief Justice for the bold step he has taken to amend the criminal procedure of Edo State to quicken the dispensation of justice. We are appealing to him to do the same in the criminal code because it is long overdue for amendment.

“There are some crimes in

Nigeria today that are not captured in the criminal code, particularly the internet crime.

There is no provision in the criminal code we can use to prosecute them.

“We appeal to him to also put machinery in motion to arrange for the amendment so that all these cyber crimes can adequately be captured and we will be able to prosecute those that are involve in the crime.”

Responding, Justice Idahosa thanked them for the visit and for upholding justice, assuring them that all their appeals would be looked into.

FACE OF DELTA: Face of Niger Delta Queen, Miss Gwendolyn Okutele (right) and Mrs. Florence Okorodudu, Coordinator of Florence Michael Foundation, FLOMIKE, at the event marking the first year remembrance of Captain Michael Okorodudu.

Ex-militant leader lists solutions to kidnapping E

X-MILITANT leader, ‘General’ Preye Ekpebide, has identified job creation for the teaming Niger Delta youths as panacea to terrorism, kidnapping, armed robbery, pipeline vandalism and illegal oil refinery bedeviling the country.

He said that 90 percent of the youths involved in criminal activities, were idle hands.

The ex-militant boss, who fielded questions from journalists at Bomadi, Delta State, argued that the rise in crime wave in the Niger Delta and beyond was due to joblessness amongst youth.

Ekpebide charged the Federal and state governments, and en-

trepreneurs to create jobs, noting that the effects of crime, if not addressed holistically, could scare away foreign investors.

While commending President Goodluck Jonathan for continuing with the amnesty programme of his predecessor,

he averred that skill acquisition for ex-warlords alone was not enough, but that provision of permanent job was necessary.

‘Nat'l confab must pay attention to ethnic issues'

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ORMER Information Commissioner in the defunct Bendel State and the Legal Adviser to the Ijaw National Congress, INC, Chief Veronica Bamuza-Mutu, has advised the Advisory Committee for the National Conference to pay special attention to ethnic-based issues threatening the country’s corporate existence.

Bamuza-Mutu, who spoke in Warri, Delta State, said: “If we must continue to stay together, there should be terms of relationship. The committee should see the conference as an ethnic affair, which the leaders of the ethnic groups should represent.”

On the issue of sending the committee’s outcome to the National Assembly for ratifi-

cation, Bamuza-Mutu expressed some reservations, saying the lawmakers could jettison some aspects of the recommendations, which would alter the collective will of Nigerians.

The INC Legal Adviser commended President Goodluck Jonathan for taking a bold step in setting up the committee.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013—45

Harmony Family magazine holds seminar on child abuse

Edo group hails Oshiomhole over planned sale of govt house

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG ANGUARD for a Better Edo, VBE, has commended Governor Adams Oshiomhole for the political will and exceptional courage over the planned sale of the Edo House in Lagos, saying the house has long been an embarrassment to the state.

VBE in a statement signed by its national coordinator and director of grassroots’ mobilisation, Donatus Ossai and Bernard Efosa, respectively, faulted critics of the planned sale, especially the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, calling on the party to direct its energy on how the proceeds would be used to improve the economy of the state.

The group also commended the royal fathers in the state,especially the Oba of Benin, Omo n’Oba Erediauwa, the Crown Prince, royal fathers of Opoji and Okpella and other stakeholders for supporting the planned sale.

According to the statement, “ we are shocked by the criticism trailing the planned sale of Edo liaison House in Lagos. After assessing the reasons for the criticism, it is obvious that these critics, especially the leaders the PDP, are doing so purely on political reasons and self aggrandizement."

H

V

Group tasks Akwa Ibom on zoning

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN

H

UMAN Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has tasked political office holders in Akwa Ibom State to uphold the zonal principle in the determination of the next governor of the state.

The association at a briefing in Abuja, implored stakeholders to avert a possible descent to violence in the ensuing race to succeed the incumbent governor of the state, Obong Godswill Akpabio.

Speaking through its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA said it was worried by possible conflagration in the face of continuing tension among political contenders.

SWEARING-IN— Governor Godswill Akpabio administering oath of office to the newly appointed Commissioners and Special Adviser at the executive chamber of the Governor's Office, Uyo.

Oshiomhole accuses police of aiding electoral malpractices

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN CITY—ANGRY Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State yesterday expressed disappointment over the role played by police officers in allegedly aiding of ballot box snatching, supervising electoral fraud and intimidating voters in the just concluded Esan North East Local Government election in the state.

The governor, who spoke at the swearing-in of the Council Chairman, Mr. Sam Oboh, said: “I am embarrassed that the police have become electoral officials.”

Oshiomhole accused the Minister of Works, Mike Onolemenmen, and other PDP chieftains of unleashing their police escorts on the people of the area during the

elections, just as he alleged that the PDP leaders recruited some Uromi born mobile policemen to intimidate voters and perfect arrest of APC leaders.

According to him, “what I heard yesterday and I am still investigating; if the reports are correct, then Nigeria should be put on notice that the police may well have chosen to become the INEC or EDSIEC officials and have chosen to overthrow those who are authorised by law to conduct elections.

"As a Nigerian, I am embarrassed that the police are involved in carrying electoral materials, arresting EDSIEC returning officers and coercing them into a police station and converting it into a collation

centre supervised by policemen imported from Abuja and Lagos to subvert the will of the people of Esan North-East.

“As a civilised man, I felt ashamed that men in uniform at rather very senior level supervised this criminal act in the election.

"The Minister of Works and other federal functionaries, including assemblymen, used their exalted positions, taking unfair advantage of the police assigned to protect them and deployed them for election purpose, detaining returning officers and treating them as if they were prisoners of war compelling them to sign fake results."

FG sends 30 pilots to Oxford, Lufthansa for training

BY SONI DANIEL

A

PPARENTLY worried over the challenges in the nation’s aviation industry, the Presidency on Tuesday dispatched nine commercial pilots for training at the CAE Oxford Aviation Academy in the United Kingdom.

The latest dispatch of the young pilots came only a few weeks after the Presidency sent 22 Nigerian youths, who had earlier been trained in commercial piloting for specialised training in the operation of modern commercial aircraft such as Boeing and Airbus.

The nine youths, who left Nigeria, yesterday, are to be trained at the CAE Oxford Aviation Academy in the United Kingdom, while the 22 others who left earlier are being trained at Lufthansa in Germany.

The latest batch brings to 30 the number of Nigerian commercial pilots being sent abroad for training on how to operate modern commercial aircraft in accordance with the International Civil Aviation

Organisation, ICAO, and National Aviation Authorities, NAA, standards.

The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, who formally sent off the

delegates at a ceremony in Abuja, told Vanguard that the administration paid priority attention to the grooming of the young pilots because of the prime place the industry plays in global economy.

Group lauds transformation of maritime academy

BY TONY NYONG

U

YO—THE Oro Patriots, a socio-cultural group in Akwa Ibom State has lauded the rector of the Maritime Academy, Oron, Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Joshua Okpo, for transforming the school to a world class institution.

President of the group, and former vice chairman of Oron Local Government Area, Mr. Okokon Paul Eyoh said Mr. Okpo on assumption “transformed and resuscitated

the institution from the deplorable condition it was to a first class institution.”

Eyoh said: “Within a few months in office, the rector has provided a high moral standard by bringing discipline among the teaching and non-teaching staff, and also fashioned a cordial relationship between the management and the cadets in the Academy.”

He said: "since the establishment of the institution, Okpo-led administration has made a remarkable impact in the institution.”

ARMONY Life Family magazine will hold a seminar on child abuse in partnership with UNICEF, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs Abuja, National Association for the Prohibition in Traffic in Persons and other related matters, NAPTIP, Nigeria Immigration Service, Cool-Wazobia-Nig Info FM, Arik Air Nigeria, Arco Petrochemical Engineering Nigeria Plc and Friesland Campina at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, Victoria-Island, Lagos on Friday, November 22, 2013.

According to a statement signed by the Editor-in-Chief of the magazine, Mrs Mercy Ighofose, “the seminar will focus on child trafficking, child slavery, corporal punishment, sexual abuse and child neglect under the distinguished chairmanship of elder statesman, Mr. Gamaliel Onosode.

“The seminar is expected to be a solution-prodding session with over 350 participants, including stakeholders from government agencies, lawmakers, educational institutions, civil society organizations, law enforcement agencies, NGOs, health institutions, media, corporate organizations etc."

Mama Eirabor, 112 years for burial

T

HE death has been announced of Mama Cecilia Eirabor, nee Egbo of Ekpon in Igueben Local Government Area of Edo State which sad event took place on June 7, 2013 at the age of 112.

Mama Eirabor is survived by four children, grand children and great grand children, among whom, is retired Assistant Commissioner of Police, Sir Ifeanyi Eirabor, KSC, will be buried tomorrow at Sir Eirabor’s compound after a funeral service at the Ozioma Baptist Church in Ekpon.

Late Mama Eirabor

46—Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

Anambra approves N10.6bn for roads

Alleged double registration: Ekwunife may replace Obiano

A

A

WKA—THE Anam bra Executive Council has approved N10.6 billion for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of some roads in the state.

Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Chief Joe-Martins Uzodike, announced this at the end of the council’s meeting in Awka, yesterday.

He said the construction of access roads at Green Wood City, Awka, was awarded at the cost of N3.6 billion, while the Umueje-Aguleri Road would cost five billion naira.

Uzodike said OnitshaObosi and Nkpor roads would cost N2 billion naira, adding that other roads include 1.5 km road from MINAJ-NkporObosi Road, Army Barracks gate-Onitsha-Asaba dual carriageway.

The others are Azubuike Street to Limca Road, Onitsha, Ezeabor, Nanka, Isionye and Enugu Ozalla streets to Nkpor Junction.

The commissioner said the roads would be completed within 18 months.

LP deputy guber candidate pledges to develop Anambra

A

WKA—THE depu ty governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Anambra, Dr Emeka Eze, has said the party will turn the state around if voted into power.

Eze told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Awka on Tuesday that the party would ensure adequate security, sustainable industrialisation, commercial agriculture and massive employment.

He words: “First of all, we will run a transparent, accountable, truth and just government. We will tackle insecurity from the two perspectives of manpower and infrastructural deficiencies.

“We will revamp the education system, increase the quality of education, reduce the cost of education and empower the youths.”

BY ENYIM ENYIM

WKA—ALL Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, governorship candidate in Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano may be replaced by his first runner-up in the party primaries, Iyom Uche Ekwunife, following the problems he was experiencing over allegations of double registration as a voter.

Obiano allegedly registered as a voter in Lagos and registered again in Awka, the Anambra State capital instead of his ward in Aguleri town, Anambra East Local Government Area of the state.

The Anambra State voter’s card with VIN number 90f5B15E7D378 was reportedly issued to Obiano on September 3, 2013.

Sources told Vanguard that following revelations of the double registration, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Prof. Chukwuemeka Onukaogu had warned that the action would attract severe sanctions as provided in the Electoral Act. Onukaogu explained that in an event of a voter relocating to another town, he or she could only apply for transfer of registration to his new location and not to engage in double registration, prompting the

Imo Assembly okays 12 commissioner nominees

O

WERRI—THE Imo House of Assembly, yesterday, in Owerri confirmed all the 12 persons nominated as commissioners by Governor Rochas Okorocha.

The nominees were confirmed following their screening by the House and the recommendation of the 10-man screening committee chaired by the deputy speaker, Donatus Ozoemena.

“The nominees have been carefully scrutinised with special focus on their administrative experience and they have been found eligible for the appointments,” Ozoemena said.

Following the adoption of the committee’s report, the Speaker, Mr. Benjamin Uwajumogu, said the nominees would be invited to the floor of the House.

“This invitation will be after six months of their being given portfolios, and this will be to evaluate their performance,” he said.

party to mull the idea of replacing the governorship candidate with Ekwunife, who is a member of the House of Representatives.

The state APGA chairman, Chief Mike Kwentoh, told re-

porters that the allegation of double registration was not true, adding that what Willie Obiano did was to ask for the transfer of his registration from Lagos to Anambra.

His words: ”The allegation

of double registration is not true. Obiano only transferred his registration from Lagos to Anambra State. People should disregard such stories and treat it as false.’’

CAMPAIGN: Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State (right) shaking hands with Ezeagu Local Government Area Chairman, Mr. Emeka Ozoagu, during his local government election campaign tour to council area.

N1bn bribe: Please probe me, Sen Etok begs EFCC

BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL

A

EDITOR, NORTH

BUJA—CHAIRMAN of the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service Matters, Senator Alloysious Etok, on Monday asked the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission to take urgent steps to probe him over allegation that he took a N1 billion bribe from a pension suspect standing trial in Abuja for fraud.

One of the top pension funds suspects, Dr. Teidi Shuaibu, last week claimed that he gave the N1 billion bribe to Etok to give a favourable report with a view to freeing him from prosecution.

But addressing journalists in Abuja, Etok described the allegation as a figment of a drowning man’s imagination, goaded by those who aided and abetted him to loot pension funds running into hundreds of billions of Naira.

Etok, who denied the allegation in its entirety, swore that he never asked for any money, movable or landed property from the suspect or any member of the pension scam that his committee probed.

Etok said: “I did not collect any bribe, I have no cause to do so and I will never do that because I am aware of the implications of taking what belongs to the elderly, who have no other means of livelihood.

It is like partaking in blood money.

He said that he had, however, done his investigations and discov-

ered that the suspect, who was still at the Kuje Prison, neither engaged anyone to speak on his behalf nor wrote any petition to the EFCC accusing him of taking the said money.

Etok accused the former chairman of the pension task team, Abdulrasheed Maina, whom, his committee indicated for misappropriating N273 billion pension fund, of being behind the bribe allegation against him.

He said: “Let me say without

equivocation that Maina acting in concert with my political detractors are behind the devious allegations and publications against me. It is a calculated ploy to smear me and by extension, demonise the entire report of the committee, which was hailed by both chambers of the National Assembly. “ Etok expressed regret that the security agencies to whom Maina’s case was referred, allowed him to walk around as a free man without being prosecuted for the looting of pension funds.

Okomu Oil splashes N45m on staff

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN CITY—THE Okomu Oil Palm Company in Edo State, weekend, gave cash award to long serving staff of the company estimated at over N45 million.

In addition to the cash, items such as refrigerators, TV sets, motorcycles were also given to staff who have served the company for 10-25 years.

Thanking the awardees for their dedication to the company, the Managing Director, Dr. Hefer Graham said the award ceremony was organised by the company to show appreciation to its staff who have worked for the company these years.

His words: “Today is the day I say thank you for all your loyalty and dedication to the company

and we want to see more. We believe that this company achieved all it achieved today due to the dedication of our staff and we need to encourage them so that they will continue to give their best to the company and to the nation as a whole.”

He expressed gratitude for the award of Excellence given to him by the Agricultural and Allied Employees Union of Nigeria, Okomu branch, assuring that the award will spur him to do more both for the company and the staff.

Speaking on behalf of the awardees, Mr. Uche Kika, commended the management of the company for the gesture and assured that they will not relent in giving their best for the growth of the company.

Vanguard , THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013 —47 ,

AWARD: Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, (2nd right), his deputy,Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, (left); the President, Ijesa Society, Lagos, Chief Tunde Aluko; former Attorney General of Western State, Chief Festus Ajayi, and the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, at the award of honours and induction of eminent Ijesas to the society, at the Metropolitan Club,Victoria Island, Lagos.

From left, Hon. Ahmed Omisore, Lagos State House of Assembly; Mr. Akin Adeoya, MD, Marketing Mix; Mr. Dola Bamgboye, Manager, Events & Sponsorship, MTN, and Mr. Akinola Fagbayimu, Supervisor for Agriculture, Youth & Sports, Lagos State, during media parley with the winner of MTN Lagos Street Soccer6, in Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe

FLAG-OFF: Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed (right), presenting cheque of N100 million to the President of Artisans in the state, Alhaji Abdullahi Lanki (2nd CONFERENCE: An anti-corruption group led by former NUJ Presi- right), during the flag-off of N100million Revolving Micro-Credit Loan to Artisans. dent, Prince Lanre Ogundipe addressing a press conference on the With them are: State Commissioner for Commerce and Co-operatives, Alhaji Raji uses of private tax collectors to defraud people by the state govern- Mohammed (left); Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour Matters, Bisi Fakayode (2nd left); Board of Trustees Chairman, Clement Orire, and Managing Director, KCMB ments.

Micro-finance Bank, Mr. Abayo Ajayi, at State Banquet Hall, Ilorin.

VISIT: Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi (left), and Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Dr. Ade Abolurin, during the visit of the Commandant General to the Governor, in Ado Ekiti.

CONFERENCE: From left, the Treasurer, Nigerian Bar Association, Kaduna State Branch, Celestine Anwayi; Acting Chairman, NBA, Kaduna State, Mohammed Mohammed, and the state Secretary, Godwin Ochai, at a press conference on the new leadership of the NBA in Kaduna State.

Photo: Olu Ajayi.

POLIO DAY: From left, Nigeria National Polio Plus Committee, NNPPC, Dr. Tunji Funso; Chief Yomi Adewunmi,Vice Chairma, NNPPC; Uzo Ogoazi, member, and Mr. Yemi Osilaja, Chairman 'Bike A Thon Planning Committee,' at the Rotary 'Bike A Thon' event, in Lagos, to mark the World Polio Day. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye C M Y K

PRESENTATION: From left, Deji Omotoyinbo, Nedu Ani, both judges; winner, SuperSport 'Follow Ya Mouth' pidgin commentator search, Timi Owoeye and Tega Onojaife, during the grand presentation, in Lagos.

CONFERENCE: From left, member, Advisory Board of BusinessDay, Professor Alos Albert; Head of Department, School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, Dr. Pius Onobhayedo, and former Chairman, Diamond Bank Plc, Mr. Pascal Dozie, at the 2013 Society and Technology Conference, in lagos.

48—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

Court adjourns Kaduna ex-Speaker's case

KWASIEC trains 3000 ad-hoc staff for Saturday's LG polls

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BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

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LORIN—THE Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission, KWASIEC, says it has trained about 3000 adhoc staff recruited to ensure hitch-free local government election on Saturday in the state.

State Chairman of KWASIEC, Dr. Uthman Ajidagba who spoke in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin, yesterday said that the staff were adequately trained at different stages about the rudiments of the elections and certified okay.

Ajidagba who assured all the stakeholders of free and fair poll explained that all the heads of security agencies in the state were adequately briefed on the preparations for the election.

Police confirm burning of LG chairman's house in Benue

M

AKURDI—THE Benue Police Command on Wednesday confirmed that some gunmen burnt down the house of Mr Teryima Nguher, Chairman of Ukum Local Government, in Kyado village.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Daniel Ezeala, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, yesterday, in Makurdi that the incidence occurred on Tuesday.

Ezeala said investigation so far showed that the gunmen invaded the house between 8p.m. and 10 p.m.

He said the police were yet to make any arrest but gave the assurance that the culprits would be arrested and brought to book.

C M Y K

VISIT—Governor Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State (Right), during a farewell visit by the 2013 intending Christian pilgrims to Jerusalem , at the Government House,Minna, on Tuesday.

CHOLERA OUTBREAK: Jigawa Govt places health personnel on alert D

UTSE—JIGAWA State government, yesterday, said it has placed its health personnel on alert, to deal with any case of cholera outbreak in the state.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Tafida Abubakar, said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Dutse, the state capital, that a rapid response team had been constituted and adequate medication provided to respond to any outbreak.

This, he said, was part of the proactive measures taken by the administration to respond to any emergency.

Abubakar said there was no report of cholera in the state, adding that the government was taking the measures to safeguard the lives of the people.

According to him,the state government has sponsored a radio programme to sensitise the people on the preventive measures against the disease.

“It is mostly caused by water and we have been educating our people on the preventive measures,” the commissioner said.

Meanwhile, the Auyo Local Council in the state said it had trained more than 300 women on various trades under its economic empowerment programme.

The council Chairman, Alhaji Muhammad Danjani, announced this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Auyo yesterday.

Danjani said that 60 women were exposed to tailoring, weaving, beads and pomade making as well as soap and

jelly processing.

He said the council had provided resettlement packages to the beneficiaries to enable them to be self-reliant.

Danjani added that another set of 280 women were trained on animal husbandry and ground nut oil processing.

He said that groundnut milling machines and goats were distributed to the graduates to enable them to engage in productive activities.

The chairman said the ben-

eficiaries were drawn from Gamafoi, Safa, Auyakayi and Ayan women groups, adding that the project was executed with the support from the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD. He said the council had also disbursed N837,000 to widows, orphans and most vulnerable in the area.

Danjani added that each of the beneficiaries received N10,000 to enable them to engage in productive activities.

ADUNA—THE Waff Road High Court in Kaduna,yesterday, adjourned to Oct. 28, the case instituted by former speaker of Kaduna State House of Assembly, Alhaji Muazu Gangara, challenging his removal.

The Judge, Justice Dogara Malam, adjourned the case to enable all the defendants in the case to be properly served.

Gangara, who was removed by some members of the assembly on Sept.

26, is asking the court to declare the action as illegal and of no effect.

The court took the decision after the counsel representing the defendants, Mr Yunus Usman said his clients were only served on Oct. 14 and would require 21 days within which to respond as provided by law.

He also said the defendants would challenge the jurisdiction of the court, when the case fully commences, arguing that the appellant erred in instituting the case on an issue that happened on the floor of the assembly.

The counsel to the plaintiff, Mr Samuel Atung, did not object to the request to allow the defendants time to respond to the charges.

Tension mounts in Adamawa over swearing-in of new LG boss

BY UMAR YUSUF

Y

OLA—TENSION is mounting at Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State following the swearing-in of another Chairman of the local government by a Notary Public on Tuesday.

Mr. James Watcharda was the chairman of the council until Mr. Maina Ularam was sworn-in.

However, supporters of the former chairman have vowed to frustrate attempts by Maina to assume office.

The Yola High Court presided over by Justice Ambrose Mammani, had ordered Mr Watharda, to vacate office for Mr Maina who the court said was the authentic candidate of ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the last year’s local government polls in the

state.

Ularam had dragged Watharda, the Adamawa State Independent Electoral Commission, ADSEIC, and PDP before the court as first, second and third defendants respectively.

But, Watharda whose Counsel, Mr Shabo Hyacith had filed an appeal and stay of execution described the swearing in as illegal insisting that he was the local government chairman pending the determination of his appeal. Sources said that after the court ruling supporters of Watcharda and Ularam clashed elsewhere in the town leaving some casualties.

It was also learnt that Ularam and his supporters later stormed the local government secretariat Tuesday

afternoon to assume duty, but the gates of the secretariat were under lock and key.

Attempts by the new chairman’s supporters to forcefully open the the secretariat was said to have reportedly irked supporters of Watcharda, leading to another clash.

Meanwhile, security men have been drafted to the Madagali Local Government secretariat to ensure there was no break down of law and order.

Meanwhile, commenting on the development, the state ADSIEC Commissioner for Public and Legal Affairs, Mr Modibbo Bakari, confirmed receipt of Watharda’s notices of appeal and stay of action pointing out that the commission had asked its ‘’lawyer to join the appeal and protect the position of the commission where necessary.’’

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013 —49

Nigeria not coping with surge of breast cancer

• Pink Pearl promotes breast awareness, holds 2013 Pink Ride

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

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IGERIA is not adequately coping with the surge of breast cancer cases in the country, even amidst growing education and awareness sensitisation drives.

Giving the assertion during the 2013 Pink Ride Lagos event organised by the Pink Pearl Foundation, a cancer specialist from the Diamond Helix Hospital, Lagos, Dr. Vivian Mbaba, lamented that the nation’s health sector needs help.

“We need help because are not coping with the surge of breast cancer.

“We are not coping at all even though now the willingness among the people to go for treatment is high, there is always a long queue at treatment centres because we do not have enough facilities, enough equipment, oncologists, or people who can properly and adequately manage the condition so that it does not go to the terminal stage.”

Mababa, who attributed the problem to that of detection, harped on the need for facilities and manpower to effect detection and treatment. “The problem is of detection and when we do

• Dr. Vivian Mbaba Delta State Governor, Deaconess Roli Mary Uduaghan urged women to take cognisance of their health and spread the knowledge about regualr screening for early diagnosis and treatment.

• Pink Pearl Foundation held the 2013 edition of “Pink Ride Lagos” to promote early detection of breast cancer. Wife of the Delta State Governor, Mrs. Roli Mary Uduaghan (right), assisting the Wife of the Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mrs. Rhoda Ayinde, during the flag-off of the exercise in Lagos.

detect it, we do not know what to do. In Nigeria there is just one doctor to 140,000 people. When we see increases in terminal diseases that need specilaist treatment, we need to embark on more specialised training in this aspect to improve the situation.

It is happening everywhere, so we need to push for proper treatment.

On the Pink Ride Lagos, Founder of the Pink Pearl Foundation, Mrs Orode Ryan described it as an awareness drive to enable people know their breasts the way it should be normally.

“We are preaching early detection and treatment, Women should pay more attention to their health, hence, breast screening

which is early detection, early intervention, understanding your own breasts and also passing the information out. We have done this for six years and know that it is feasible. Treatment is expensive and that is why we deen it necessary to get as much support as possible so that more women can benefit.

Also speaking, Wife of the

Cancer information centre

A

FREE 24-hour, online cancer information centre hosted by the Sebbecly Cancer Care is now available and accessible.

Contact: info@sebecclycancercare.org, twitter@sebeccly, and facebook sebeccly cancer care and support centre. Two toll-free breast help lines - 0810-2056467 & 0808-107-6764 are active throughout October 2013, daily from 10am-2pm.

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50 — Vanguard, THURSDAY OCTOBER 24, 2013

Tunisia begins peace talks amid protests T UNISIA’S ruling Is lamists and opposition began hard-won ne-

gotiations yesterday to end months of political deadlock, with Prime

Minister Ali Larayedh expected to announce his government’s resigna-

Prince William christens son without funfair

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RITAIN’S Prince Wil liam and his wife Catherine named the godparents for their baby son Prince George yesterday, as they gathered close friends and family for a low-key christening far removed from the global hype surrounding his birth.

The couple broke with tradition by only naming one royal, William’s cousin and champion horserider Zara Philips, in the list of seven godparents, with the others being childhood, university and work friends.

Queen Elizabeth II and the couple’s parents and siblings including William’s younger brother Prince Harry were among the total of 22 guests invited to the Chapel Royal at St James’s Palace in London, along with seven godparents.

Prince Williams and Kate after christening their son Prince George yesterday.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the spiritual head of the world’s Anglicans, will perform the baptism, welcoming the three-

month-old into the Church of England he is one day destined to lead as King George VII.

Visa: U. S. re-introduces Drop Box

By Hugo Odiogor, Foreign Affairs Editor

T

HE United States Con sulate General in Lagos announced the reintroduction of the Drop Box Visa procedure for renewal of its B1 and B2 visa categories.

This program allows certain visa applicants who have previously been issued U.S. visas to renew their visas without attending an interview. To qualify for the DHL Drop Box Visa Renewal Program, visa applicants must satisfy all of the following criteria. If applying as a group or family, all members must fulfill each criteria to use the program.

• The applicant is a Nigerian passport holder; • The applicant’s last visa interview resulted in an issuance; ; • The applicant was issued a two-year B1/B2 United States visa in Lagos or Abuja; • The visa expired no more than one year prior to re-issuance;

• The applicant was at least 14 years old at the time of the last issuance or will be under the age of 14 at the time of re-issuance; and • The applicant has never been arrested nor had an encounter with law enforcement, customs, or immigration officials in the United States.

Applicants who satisfy

these criteria should follow the visa application instructions on the U.S. Embassy Nigeria website. The embassy official said participation in this programme does not guarantee visa issuance. As the consulate may request applicants to attend a visa interview in certain cases.

This programme is only available in Lagos.

...condoles Thisday, Ohia family

T

HE US consul General in Nigeria Mr. Jeffry Hwakins has sent a message of condolence to the family of late Mr. Paul Ohia and the Management of Leaders and Company Limited, Publishers of Thisday Newspaper, where deceased worked as the Foreign News Editor, before his death on Tuesday.

Mr. Hawkins who addressed Corps of Diplomatic Editors and Correspondents in Lagos yesterday, said the news of Mr. Ohia came so sudden and shocking to the embassy and to

those who knew him as a quiet and easy going professional journalist.

Mr. Victor Asije who was with Mr. Ohia at a diplomatic event yesterday said I saw him and we discussed as colleagues, “he was not feeling too fine and he even pleaded with me to send copies of the speeches to him”, as he took his leave from the venue of the event. He could not even eat before he left.

I was surprised when I placed series of calls to him latter in the afternoon and there was no response.

tion.

Hundreds of opposition protesters gathered in central Tunis by early afternoon to keep up the pressure on the government, amid a heavy police presence, shouting slogans such as: “Government of traitors, resign!”

But the crowd was smaller than the tens of thousands who gathered in August demanding the resignation of the Islamist-led coalition, while a separate pro-government protest called by the League for the Protection of the Revolution failed to materialise.

Tunisian opposition activists shout slogans as they hold portraits of assassinated opposition figures Mohamed al-Brahmi (left) and Chokri Belaid during a demonstration in Tunis, on October 23, 2013.

BRIEF Pope suspends luxury German Bishop

P

OPE Francis has sus pended indefinitely a German Roman Catholic prelate known as the “luxury bishop” from his diocese for spending $43m (31 million euros) of Church funds on his resi-

dence.

“The Holy See deems it appropriate to authorise a period of leave from the diocese for Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst,” the Vatican said in a statement on Wednesday.

Former Italian PM faces graft trials

A

N Italian judge yester day ordered Silvio Berlusconi to stand trial for allegedly bribing a senator to join his party’s ranks, in the latest legal woe for the former prime minister, Italian media reported.

Berlusconi was formally charged along with his former associate, Valter Lavitola, who is accused by prosecutors of acting as an intermediary in the 3.0million euro ($4.0-million) bribe.

Piracy: Russia drops charges against Greenpeace “The actions of those in-

R

USSIA said yesterday it had reduced piracy charges against the detained crew of Greenpeace’s Arctic Sunrise protest ship to “hooliganism”, which carries a lesser sentence.

volved in the criminal case have been reclassified to the charge of hooliganism,” the spokesman for the Investigative Committee, Vladimir Markin, told the RIA Novosti news agency.

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Nwoye bounces back

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

THE election permutations were dramatically altered yesterday after the Court of Appeal in Port-Harcourt restored Comrade Tony Nwoye as the candidate of the PDP. Nwoye who won the August 24, 2013 primaries had been replaced few weeks ago as candidate upon the order of a Federal High Court in PortHarcourt which ruled that Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu is the candidate of the party.

That order was discharged

yesterday by the Court of Appeal which dismissed all the orders granted Ukachukwu by the lower court. The development immediately reset permutations on ground in several directions.

Among those to be seriously affected with the development is Chief Willy Obiano, the APGA candidate who until now was basking in the fact that he is the only one of the major candidates from Anambra North Senatorial zone, the zone that has been most united in projecting individuals from the zone to

•Nwoye

be the next governor of the state. Anambra North has not produced a governor of the state and the nearest it came to it was in 1998 when Mrs. Joy Emodi made a celebrated bid for the governorship.

Nwoye’s emergence is also likely to draw from the youth vote and could impel support that was until his reemergence was drifting towards Ifeanyi Ubah, the Labour Party candidate.

A former president of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Nwoye could tap into the youth and students’ vote at

the expense of similarly youthful candidates.

However, Nwoye remains snared by the ever furtive political machinations of his rivals in the PDP. Would Senator Andy Uba who was once Nwoye’s political patron but lost out to Nwoye fall into line to back his former political pupil?

Or would Ukachukwu who fascinated some other more matured political operators on ground to grab the ticket from Nwoye now relax and cooperate with the new candidate?

governor in the forthcoming poll.

“The era of godfatherism, hooliganism, fascism and kidnapping of a sitting governor is over. It is a new dawn, Nigerian women are set to

participate in politics and national leadership to achieve national rebirth that will put Nigeria on the path of rectitude and growth ahead of 2014 centenary celebration.”

Women love Obiano’s agenda

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

W

OMEN for National Rebirth, WNR, has endorsed APGA’s Willie Obiano saying they have fallen in love with his 4-Cs programme of Continue, Complete, Commission and Commencement of new projects.

Espousing their love for Obiano, National Coordinator, WNR, Mrs. Barong Moffat and National Publicity Secretary, Mrs. Esther Dalang in a statement issued in Abuja, said: “WNR in pursuant of our firm belief in democracy, rule of law and good governance resolves to endorse the All Progressives Grand Alliance’s governorship candidate Chief Willie Obiano for the November gubernatorial election in Anambra State.

“Accordingly, our esteemed members, affiliated women groups, indeed Anambra

electorate are urged to vote for APGA. “We have perused Willie Obiano’s 10-point agenda, 4-Cs programme of Continue, Complete, Commission and

Commencement of new projects vis-à-vis Governor Peter Obi’s gender friendly progressive governance and have no doubt that Obiano will exceed Obi’s achievements if he emerges

Disqualify any party with multiple candidates —CPP

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

C

ONCERNED Progressive Professionals, CPP, has called on the Independent Electoral Commission of Nigeria ,INEC, to sanction any political party that parades more than one candidate for the election.

The group in a statement made available to Vanguard also expressed fear that the polls due in under four weeks might suffer deficiencies except INEC and security agencies perform their duties without fear or favour.

The statement jointly signed by its chairman, Mr.Bonny Obunadike and the Secretary, Mr. Acada Okongwu also urged INEC to ensure that adequate electoral materials are made available and must reach designated wards on time.

“A situation where more than one candidate is allowed to campaign for the same political party to secure victory, only to go to the courts to determine the authentic candidate is

undemocratic, wrong, and cannot be allowed this time. It is only the people that can give mandate and not the courts,” the group said.

“All issues of party primaries must be settled either within or through the courts and the authentic candidate submitted to INEC before the election.

Any political party that did not settle their differences should be assumed to have no candidate in the election.”

It further said, ‘’INEC must ensure that adequate electoral materials are made available and must reach designated political wards on time, sealed, and protected. No community or political ward shall be disenfranchised.”

While stressing that the principle of one man, one vote is applied, CPP called on the electoral umpire to ensure that votes are counted and results declared at the wards levels.

Ezeemo unveils ‘well-being' manifesto

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

P

ROGRESSIVES Peoples Alliance, PPA candidate, Godwin Ezeemo has launched his ‘Wellbeing manifesto’ in Awka, with a promise to make power supply the focal point of his administration.

Speaking at a media dinner in the Anambra State capital, Ezeemo said that power is the catalyst for all facets of development, adding that for that reason, he would encourage the establishment of Independent Power Plants in the state through Public/Private Partnership, even as he would collaborate with other electricity generating and distribution companies to ensure constant supply of electricity in the state.

The emphasis on power, he explained, was borne out of the fact that without cheap and constant electricity,

industrialization, massive employment generation, youth empowerment, among others, would be a mirage.

He said: “I know it is expensive to generate power, but we must do it because it is the only way we can push the economy to a higher level. Distribution of transformers, which many governments do, cannot solve the problem as these transformers are only meant to step down existing power.

“If we improve power supply, a lot of jobs will be generated and unemployment will drastically reduce. It is improved power that will make vocational centers, skills acquisition centers and moribund industries work.”

Other areas of emphasis in the manifesto include security management in which he hopes to work with the police and other security agencies, the churches, traditional rulers.

*Gov. Peter Obi(2nd left), with Chief Victor Umeh ( 1st right), introducing APGA gubernatorial candidates, Dr. Willie Obiano (2nd right) and his running mate, Dr. Nkem Okeke(1st left) to Anambra traders in various markets in Lagos yesterday

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Ogun: Mixed fortunes for APC, PDP THE ruling All Progressives Congress, APC in Ogun State is being challenged by recent efforts at consolidation by the opposition. Is it a bother?

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

T

HE ancient city of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital became a Mecca of sort recently when the Peoples Democratic Party in the state held a Stakeholders/ Unity rally at the State Secretariat where over 15,000 people drawn from the 20 local government areas of the state abandoned their former parties for the PDP. What was spectacular about the PDP rally was the defection of former deputy governor to Chief Olusegun Osoba in the third republic Chief Rafiu Ogunleye who led 15,000 members of All Progressives Congress, All Nigeria Peoples Party and the Labour Party to join the PDP. This development, according to findings, is part of the determination of the PDP to reclaim its grip on the state it lost to the former Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN in 2011.

Among the party chieftains who attended the rally were former Deputy Senate President,

•Obasanjo and fight the common ‘enemies’ - All Progressives Congress and the Labour Party.

Explaining how the PDP became attractive to Ogunleye and 15,000 others from the APC

,

The PDP did not fail to use the rally to announce its readiness to take over the state from the ruling APC in the coming election

Ibrahim Mantu , PDP National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, Chairman of the South West PDP Organization and Mobilization Committee, Prince Buruji Kashamu former South West caretaker Chairman, Isola Filani; acting Chairman, South West Caretaker Committee, Deji Doherty; National Auditor, Alhaji fatai Adeyanju , Chief Remi Adiukwu; chairmen of PDP in Oyo and Osun states, Alhaji Yinka Taiwo and Alhaji Ganiu Olaoluwa, respectively; Secretary , Presidential Advisory Committee, Chief Richard Lamai.among others.

Coming election The PDP did not fail to use the rally to announce its readiness to take over the State from the ruling APC in the coming election. It would be recalled that, the party had been embroiled in internal wrangling which led to its division into two factions before it was recently resolved in the favour of the Kashamusupported exco against the faction loyal to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Since the crisis was resolved, the state executive has been reaching out to other members of the party in the other faction with a view to coming together

•Kashamu

,

and LP in the state, Kashamu said: “Today is a great day in the history of Ogun State. It is a great day because never in the history of party politics has a party not in government caught “a big fish” in the calibre of a former Deputy Governor, produced on the platform of the party in

government, joining its fold as in this case. It is particularly note worthy that he is not coming alone."

Ogunleye, while explaining the reason for his action said he and his supporters quit the APC because of the alleged domineering posture of the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. He said that he and his supporters became fed up with the APC as many of them were allegedly sidelined in the scheme of things during the July 21, 2012 Council polls held in the state.

According to him, my group began to notice some unfavourable events unfolding in the APC despite also the fact that we were part of the founding members.

“I say with all sense of modesty and responsibility that the Imole Group members were responsible for the larger per centage of successes recorded by the ACN in the 2011 general elections. What became our lot after installing the government in the state? The answer is an open secret that resulted in our being here today,” he said.

Also, at the occassion which became the talk of the town, Mantu described the PDP as the only party in the country observing real democratic tenets.

“PDP remains the only hope of Nigerians. Whatever is wrong with the PDP, we have people like Kashamu who are determined to correct all the ills of the PDP; who are determined

to restore democracy to the people, who are determined to ensure that votes count”, Mantu said.

Reacting to the development, the Ogun APC denied that Ogunleye was ever a member of the party. The state Publicity Secretary, Sola Lawal described Ogunleye as a retired politician "He was a retired and tired politician. There was nothing like defection, but, joining the PDP. "His joining the PDP will never affect our party victory. The ACN single handedly defeated the PDP in 2011, is it the time when we have three parties coming together as a party that we will be afraid of the PDP.

Why we won't follow Saraki to nPDP — Yunus, Kwara ex-Works Commissioner Engineer Afolabi Yunus served as Commissioner for Works in Kwara state between 2003 and 2007 and was a key associate of the deceased strongman of Kwara politics, Senator Olusola Saraki. In this interview he responds to issues arising from the factionalisation of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and its effects in Kwara State. Excerpts:

H

OW has the factionalisation of the PDP affected the party in your state?

The original PDP is still on ground in Kwara State and PDP in Kwara State has no problem with anybody. People are still interested in PDP. But really, the original PDP is on ground in Kwara State and people are prepared to go with PDP. Those that call themselves the new PDP in Kwara State, we don’t know how they will define it. We don’t know what they will tell us, whether they are a faction of PDP or not.

The belief is that the followers of original PDP or Baba Saraki have moved to the ACPN, which Baba endorsed before he died?

I want to say that before now, Baba Saraki directed everybody in Kwara State to remain in PDP. So, the issue of ACPN in Kwara State is not happening now. Even long before now, while Baba was alive, he directed that nobody should go to any other party, whether CPC or ACN. He said they should all remain in PDP. We believe that the leadership of PDP was given to Baba Saraki

and Baba Saraki brought PDP to Kwara.

Given that the governor and his predecessor are championing the nPDP don’t you fear the PDP would disappear?

We have PDP that has been there long before some of us joined and the party is still there intact. Many of us that were that were working with Bukola were not comfortable.

Because of this one-man-show attitude that he has been playing all along. But I want to tell you that when you consider the list of PDP

Executives in Kwara State today, Bukola has been so selfish that he ended up picking the State Chairman, the State Woman Leader, the State Youth Leader all from one Ward. Why is this? Not even only that. From Kwara Central, you discover that majority of these executive posts were just picked from Kwara Central. He gave only the position of Secretary to Kwara South. I am from Kwara North and we are being marginalized even more than that of the South because he gave South the State Secretary and he ended up picking all other ones from Kwara Central. So, as a result of this, you can see how he has continued to marginalize Continues on page 59

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013—59

constitutional responsibilities to call the political class to order.

Speaker Tambuwal who was represented by the deputy chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, Rep. Victor Ogene tasked the media to be always guided by the constitution in its reportage of political developments in the country.

Citing recent developments in the Kaduna and Rivers State Houses of Assembly and the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, he said it was wrong for the media to report illegal acts of politicians without pointing out their wrongs.

Iredia who was the keynote speaker in his address, said every society gets the media it deserves. Noting the charge from Senator Ekweremadu, he said it is a difficult challenge to get the media in Nigeria to turn down the volume given that some politicians behave as if they were born drunk.

2015:Turn down the volume SENIOR journalists from the continent and other election stakeholders at a recent gathering facilitated by the Democratic for Good Governance Project of the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP heard many reasons why governance should not be overtaken by election drums.

I

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

T was a remarkable departure from the years of yore when gatherings of Africans from across the continent were characterised with talks of liberation. In fact, none of the media professionals from the 12 Africans countries that converged on Abuja at the end of last month came from a country under military dictatorship.

But then that did not mean uhuru. The continent as it was confirmed last week by the assessors of the Mo Ibrahim prize for exemplary leadership is still pockmarked by bad governance, authoritarianism and associated ills.

It was as such instructive that the two-day International Experience Sharing on Media and Elections conference on September 26 and 27 became an opportunity for the continent’s media men and democracy stakeholders to review the circumstances that have limited the progress of democracy in Africa. The conference organised by the Democratic Governance for Development, DGD project of the United Nations Development Programmer, UNDP drew

•From left, Iredia, Deme, Ekweremadu, Ogene and NUJ President, Garba said the Nigerian media was reflective of the society and decried what he described as the seeming reluctance of INEC to adopt technology as a way of checking malpractices in the voting process.

Declaring the conference open Ekweremadu said: “It is now a little less than two years away from the next general election

,

,

Nigerians look up to the media as agenda setters to chart the trajectory of national discourse to those key governance issues that affect their lives

participants from Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, the Gambia, Senegal, Tunisia, Kenya, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo Brazzaville, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu who declared the conference opened in his address warned that Nigerians were about making elections as the beginning and the end of democracy. He was particularly blunt in asserting that issues about the 2015 election were distracting governance in the country. Besides Ekweremadu, other dignitaries that graced the conference were Speaker Aminu Tambuwal who was represented by the deputy chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, Rep. Afam Ogene, veteran broadcast journalist Dr. Tonnie Iredia, senior officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, senior officials of the Nigerian Union of Journalists among others.

Dr. Ireida who is a former director-general of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA in his keynote speech to the conference

and politicking and contestations are presently at a feverish pitch.

The nation is already caught in the political fireworks of 2015.”

“Governance has taken the backstage. We have turned Nigeria into an election nation in perpetuity. After election, mandate delivery should follow and those already elected deserve some breathing space to do their work, while the media

and the public should hold them accountable to their promises. On the other hand, those elected into offices should also concern themselves less about the next election, knowing that only one good term deserves another.”

Nothing that it was the responsibility of the media to redirect the political class, he said: “ while we hold the politicians responsible for overheating the system, we should also ask ourselves if the Fourth Estate of the Realm have done enough to temper the political trepidation over 2015 general election.”

“Nigerians look up to the media as agenda setters to chart the trajectory of national discourse to those key governance issues that affect the lives of the ordinary Nigerian. The media should not play into the hands of those bent on making political hostages out of the nation and her people. It is unacceptable. I urge members of the media to turn down the volume on the 2015 election. It

is too loud. I urge you to redirect the attention of the leaders and the political class to service and guide the people to hold their leaders accountable.

Ekweremadu in his speech said the increasing tension in the polity again brought to question the decision of the Senate to throw away the proposal of a six year single tenure for executive office holders.

“This unnecessary overheating of the polity over 2015 ambitions and contestations also brings us to the question of the appropriate tenure of office for our elected executives. Did we throw away the single term as recommended by the Senate Committee on Constitution Review in a hurry".

The president of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ Garba Mohammed in his remarks also drew attention to the increasing campaigns for 2015 election saying that if care is not taken that governance will be brought to a standstill. He thus urged INEC to as part of its

Political game He nevertheless tasked journalists to bring actors in the political game to account, noting for instance that INEC has continued to talk of permanent voters’ cards, but yet to no avail.

He also lamented the poor quality of debate among the political class describing strange occurrences as in 2011 when one political candidate was brought to debate with himself.

Criticizing the use of university vice-chancellors as returning officers, he said: “INEC has brought a system that I have been criticizing whereby they now bring VCs as returning officers for election, but the VCs have not been able to stop exam malpractices in their schools,” as he charged the election management body to up its use of technology.

Earlier, DGD project director, Dr. Mourtada Deme had welcomed participants from across the continent saying that the conference was packaged to prepare the media in Nigeria for the forthcoming elections.

Why we wont follow Saraki to nPDP — Yunus, Kwara-ex Works Commissioner Continued from page 58 people and at the end of the day, that is one of the reasons why people are not comfortable.

Are you saying that when election comes, the PDP members in Kwara will not follow the party Bukola Saraki is leading?

Right now, Bukola has come up with the idea of new PDP faction in Kwara State. But majority of the old PDP and many of us that later joined the PDP, we are not in support of the self-styled PDP that Bukola is bringing. We are prepared to go with the original PDP in

•Yunus Kwara State and that’s what is giving us hope now that when

election comes, we believe strongly that it is we in the original PDP that is going to defeat the self-styled factional structure that he has introduced.

What if Bukola and Baraje change their minds and realign with you?

Supposing they can change their mind and realign, it would have been better. But I want to tell you that there is no going back in the agenda of these people. There is great awareness now on the side of the people and that is why they will be ashamed to come back

because it is not in them. The arrogance and one-man-show attitude that is so much in them will not even allow them to come back. I want to say that they are prepared to go to another party which they are yet to announce and even they must have been discussing it with some of their followers.

They are just buying time by telling people that they are still in PDP. They are really not in PDP. Take it from me that all these G7 Governors that are leading a rebellion right now, their minds are already in another party.

60 —

Vanguard, THURSDAY OCTOBER 24, 2013

Iraq plot Eaglets shock

Sponsors scramble for Falilat’s tourney

S

I

RAQ have said that they plan to exploit the weak defence line of the Golden Eaglets in tomorrow’s final group F game in Dubai. Iraq are almost out of the competition but stand a chance of qualifying to the second round as one of the best losers from the six groups of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

For them to progress, they must beat the Eaglets with a wide margin while hoping that another high-scoring winner emerges from the other match between Sweden and Mexico.

And reacting to the many permutations unfolding ahead of Friday’s matches,

Iraq Coach Muwafaq Zaidan said that they have noticed that the Eaglets were very weak in the defence, which he said would count to their advantage.

“We still have a chance of qualifying if we beat the Nigerians and from what we have seen, they are not strong in the defence and we hope to exploit this weakness.

“Our players have leant a lot from the two losses to Sweden and Mexico. We want to finish this group phase with a win and our hopes are in place if we play well and not feel intimidated by the exploits of the Nigerian team”, added Zaidan

TOUGH: Golden Eaglets midfielder, Musa Yahaya vies for the ball with a Mexican opponent

Maigari rallies behind Golden Eaglets

P

RESIDENT of Ni geria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Aminu Maigari has said here that the Golden Eaglets need more encouragement and support of Nigerians to fulfil the aspiration of winning a fourth FIFA Under-17 World Cup for Nigeria.

Maigari described the team’s pulsating 3-3 draw against Sweden on Tuesday as ‘very interesting ‘ and the demonstration of the players’ ability to rise above challenges.

Nigerians were reeling in shock after the Golden Eaglets conceded two goals barely 20 minutes into the match against the Swedes but they fought back gamely to restore parity with goals by Isaac Success and Musa Yahaya. Then against the run of play, the Swedes took the lead until substitute Taiwo Awoniyi salvaged a point for the three-time world champions.

“Without any doubt, the

players did their best because the intensity of the game was very high,” explained Maigari. “Of course, there are few lapses here and there; but above all Nigerians are happy that they fought back to end the match 3-3.

“The Golden Eaglets are still on top of their Group F going into their last game against Iraq on Friday and I have assurances from the coaches that they would

T

HE Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, is wearing a new look following the arrival of former Super Eagles captain, Peter Rufai and other former internationals for the fourth leg of the 2013 edition of the Nestle Milo Football Clinic in the ‘Coal City.’

The arena, from the entrance to the popular stand, has been decorated with Nestle Milo

plug all the loopholes; what they really need is our collective support,” he noted.

•Maigari

OLID Works Ni geria Limited owned

by Athletic Federation of Nigeria president, chief Solomon Ogba and La Casera are the latest corporate organisations who have expressed support for the Falilat Ogunkoya national 400m competition which starts this morning in Ijebu-Ode,Ogun state.

Making this known to the media is the initiator of the competition,chief Falilat Ogunkoya-Omotayo who expressed profound thanks to chief Ogba and the owners of La Casera for the support they have given her foundation. ’I am delighted that more corporate citizens have identified with our desire to bring back the lost glory of track and field in Nigeria,especially my event,the 400m,’’said Ogunkoya who still holds the African and national 400m record of 49.10 seconds .

Sweden eye group F top spot C

OACH Roland Larsson has tipped his side to emerge Group F winners at the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

Sweden are in the same pool with the Golden Eaglets, Mexico and Iraq.

The Scandinavians are second with four points, same with Nigeria, who top on superior goals advantage, while Mexico are third with three points. Iraq are without a point.

All teams are in action tomorrow, with Mexico battling Sweden for a ticket to the next round.

Speaking yesterday to reporters, Coach Larsson said that his charges had already delivered but stressed that they want more than booking a place in the round of 16 of the tournament.

“Back home in Sweden, they are already satisfied with our performance because when we were coming here, they never expected us

to play this well. They just thought we were going to be defeated by Nigeria and the other teams because it is our first time at this tournament.

“But having picked four points from two matches, we think it would be good for us to go for another win against Mexico and hopefully finish the group on top, which would be good for our confidence as we go forward”, added Larsson.

Milo Football Clinic Enugu leg kicks off paraphernalia, even as the officials say they are ready to welcome the 2,000 children listed for this leg of the clinic.

Speaking on the preparation for the Enugu leg of the football clinic anchored by Rufai, Milo Brand manager, Funmi Osineye, disclosed that the coaches came to the city about three weeks ago to collate the names

of the children from schools.

She said, “Forms were distributed to schools and the first 2,000 children that filled the forms were invited for the clinic, which begins today.

“They would be trained on the first day after which they best 500 of them would be retained for the next

stage of the screening.

Day two will see the number reduced to 200 children and from there the last 32 would be selected for the final round of the clinic.

“The children would go through a rigorous training session and the best 32 would form the Enugu team, which at the end of the day would be handed over to the

Enugu State government to form the state’s Under-13 team.”

She revealed that the coaches involved in the clinic had already been tutored by Rufai on what they should look out for in the players and how to get them to utilise the scientific training techniques to turn the children into modern footballers.

Vanguard, THURSDAY OCTOBER 24, 2013 — 61

Keshi Continues from B/P the NFA that the allowances and bonuses the team’s coaches earn were enough to sustain them.

Keshi is being owed about N35million in salary arrears.

Keshi however said the NFA had not done him any favour with the Super Eagles’ coaching job, because he had done the job with all he had.

“The lowest point of my career is working and not being paid for seven to eight months. I have never had this kind of experience before,” he said.

The former Super Eagles captain recalled that he was never owed his salaries when he worked with the Malian and Togolese football federations as coach of their senior national teams.

“In Mali, they will never owe you. Your salary will hit your account before the end of every month. It was the same thing in Togo.

“Owing me up to seven months makes me feel I am not being appreciated. It is like they (my employers) think I am being favoured in what I am doing.

“I am not being favoured. Whatever I am doing here, I am doing it with everything I have and I need to be respected to be given my pay,” Keshi said.

He said it was unbelievable that he and his colleagues had worked without pay for about eight months out of the 24 months they have worked with the Super Eagles.

“I don’t like discussing about money issues and if there is any NFA member who said we can

work for free, then I will want to speak with him face to face.

“If they say we can work for free and that they are not going to pay, so be it.

“I can’t have my family abroad and I will be in debt because I have not been paid for seven months and somebody is saying we should not complain,” the coach said.

He regretted that the NFA appears not to be concerned about their plight “in spite of training under rain and sun to make Nigerians happy”.

NAN recalls that Aminu Maigari, the NFA chairman, had recently confirmed the debt owed Keshi and his colleagues.

He had however said the Nigerian football governing body could not help it as it was cashstrapped.

Maigari claimed that the situation had led to

the slashing of the Eagles’ winning bonus from $10,000 to $5,000.

He also pointed out that some NFA members of staff were being owed for over a year.

Maigari had mentioned those being owed to include Musa Amadu, the SecretaryGeneral, Mohammed Sanusi, the Director of Competitions, and Emmanuel Ikpeme, the Director of Technical

Eaglets

Continues from B/P oblivious of the huge expectations of Nigerians. Sports Vanguard reveals that the Eaglets could not come to terms with their below par performance that saw them struggled to hold Sweden 3 -3.

The Eaglets, who had shot to world prominence after their 6-1 demolition of 2011 champions Mexico in their opener on Saturday,

Isaac

Continues from B/P

the first half of Tuesday’s group F match against Sweden at the FIFA U-17 World Cup here.

Speaking yesterday to Sports Vanguard, Ugbade said that the true state of the injury would be known today (Thursday) after the medical team must have concluded their examination of the player.

“We are waiting to hear from the medical team on

the state of the injury sustained by Success and as you are aware, he is one of the key players in the team “As a team, we are worried with the development and hope to hear favourable report from the medics because we want all our players to be fit for the matches ahead.

To say that losing him would be a big blow to us is an understatement because Isaac is a team player.

were made to rally back from a two goal deficit by the Swedes, who exploited the poor defending put up by the Nigerians.

And despite salvaging a point from the Scandinavians in the thrilling match, we learnt that the Eaglets admitted that they let their guards down against the Europeans.

Confirming this to Sports Vanguard, a member of the technical crew, Nduka Ugbade said the players were almost unable to sleep after the game, adding that it took the intervention of the coaches to calm them down and accept their fate.

“They felt bad on the night. Their mood was not good and they said that they did not play to expectations. But we told them that it was okay to feel that way but they should pick themselves and see the positives from the game."

62 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013 — 63

C M Y K

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2013

FIFA U-17 W/CUP Results New Zealand Italy Honduras Uzbekistan Morocco Venezuela Japan

0 Cote d'Ivoire 3 1 Uruguay 2 0 Brazil 3 Today's matches vs Croatia 5.00 p.m. vs Panama 5.00 p.m. vs Russia 2.00 p.m. vs Tunisia 2.00 p.m.

NFA must respect me, pay me — Keshi Owing me up to seven months makes me feel I am not being appreciated. It is like they (my employers) think I am being favoured in what I am doing.

I am not being favoured. Whatever I am doing here, I am doing it with everything I have and I need to be respected and be paid — Keshi

S

UPER Eagles’ Coach Stephen Keshi on Wednesday described the seven-month salaries being owed him by the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) as “the lowest point” of his coaching career.

Keshi said this in Abuja at the Home-based Super Eagles’ interactive session with the media ahead of the team’s upcoming international friendly with Jordan in Amman.

He spoke in reaction to a statement credited to Continues on Page 61

G

OLDEN Eaglets assistant coach Nduka Ugbade has said that the coaching crew was worried over the injury sustained by striker Success Isaac in

Continues on Page 61

Iraq must fall – Eaglets G

OLDEN Eaglets’ captain, Musa Muhammed and freescoring Kelechi Iheanacho have assured that Iraq would surely suffer the backlash after the team’s 3-3 draw against Sweden on Tuesday.

Musa said the it was unfortunate that they failed to beat the Swedes as widely expected, promising that Nigerians would

WORRIED — Keshi

PUZZLE

see an improved performance against Iraq tomorrow.

Iheanacho said the players were not

Continues on Page 61

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

Eaglets sweat on Isaac

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Odour (5) 7 Swim (5) 8 Raid (5) 10 Swift (5) 12 Abrade (3) 13 Threw (5) 15 Withdraw (7) 17 Sinew (6) 19 Enemy (6) 20 Marriage (7) 23 Grass (4) 25 Pipe (4) 26 Raise (7) 30 Previously (3) 31 Reveal (6) 34 Passion (7) 37 Glue (5) 38 Jeer (3) 39 Staid (5) 40 Disprove (5) 41 Hanker (5) 42 God (5)

DOWN 1 Store (5) 2 Scrap (5) 3 Lea (6) 4 Den (4) 5 Right (7) 6 Clique (5) 9 Regret (3) 11 Let down (7) 13 Declare (5) 14 Harden (5) 16 Also (3) 18 Agitated (7) 21 Prestige (5) 22 Skirmish (5) 24 Taste (7) 27 Self (3) 28 Await (6) 29 Revolt (5) 32 Deflect (5) 33 Rung (5) 35 Plunder (3) 36 Part (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 2, Added 7, Fair 8, Obeyed 9, Crown 11, Bus 13, Cue 15, Rely 16, Ail 18, Flex 19, Oblique 20, Camp 22, Nave 23, Bucolic 25, Deep 27, Rot 28, Help 30, Err 31, Rut 33, Snout 36, Splice 37, Rage 38, Weary.

How to Play Sudoku

DOWN: 1, Vague 2, Arc 3, Duo 4, Don 5, Fen 6, Venue 10, Wail 11, Brocade 12, Slumber 13, Cleaver 14, Excerpt 16, Abhor 17, Limit 18, Fun 21, Pup 24, Loan 26, Erupt 29, Lunge 32, Win 33, Sew 34, Ova 35, Try.

TWO WEEKS TO LIVE

P

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

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

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

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