BOTCHED COUP AGAINST AMAECHI-Jonathan in peace move, meets govs by Vanguard Media Limited

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61825

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

HURRICANE MUKHTAR: Three judges to go, •Pg.9 three more for probe

Pope •Pg.8 celebrates final Mass

BOTCHED COUP AGAINST AMAECHI:

Jonathan in peace move, meets govs •Governors set to hold NGF election today •Call Tukur to order, PDP govs tell Jonathan

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

AGOS—THE Presi dency was last night, jittery following the collapse of plans to remove Governor Chibuike Amaechi as chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF.

Continues on page 5

COLUMNISTS:

DELE SOBOWALE •P.39

LES LEBA •P.48

OCHEREOME NNANNA •P. 53

Mr & Mrs

MIMIKO—From left: Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Olaseinde Kumuyi; Governor Olusegun Mimiko and his wife Olukemi, at the Swearing-In Ceremony of Governor Mimiko for a second term, yesterday, in Akure. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor. More pix on Page 15.

Value of banks' dormant accounts hits N1trn — Stakeholders •P.17 C M Y K

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POCKET CARTOON

EXPLOSION—The remains of Gamboru Market in Maiduguri after a recent explosion which killed two persons and razed about 100 shops. Inset: Governor Kashim Shettima, inspecting the explosion scene. Photos: NAN

Amaechi: Jonathan in peace move Continues from page 1 The failure of the plans which got to fever pitch, yesterday, forced presidency officials into a change of plans ahead of today's scheduled election of a new chairman of the NGF. President Goodluck Jonathan last night, held a conciliatory meeting with Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governors in the face of the failed moves.

The closed door meeting with the governors was ongoing at press time and the NGF election and the simmering crisis in the party were to top the agenda. For most of yesterday, a senior presidency official, it was learnt, was working the telephone, pressing usually friendly governors to join the rebellion against Amaechi’s chairmanship of the NGF.

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

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

TAKE HEART BY ELLA RANDLE

OUR work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. Stay hungry. Stay foolish — Steve Jobs Joel Osteen sums it beautifully: “You have to learn to follow your heart. You can’t let other people pressure you into being something that you’re not. If you want God’s favour in your life, you must be the person you were created to be, not the person your boss wants you to be, not even the person your parents or your husband wants you to be. You can’t let outside expectations keep you from following your own heart.” To live your best life now, you must learn to trust God’s timing, you may not think He’s working, but you can be sure that right now, behind the scenes, God is arranging all the pieces to come together to work out His plan for your life. Keep in mind, just because you don’t know the answer doesn’t mean that one does not exist. You simply haven’t discovered it yet.

The pressure from the presidency, it was learnt, instigated anger among the governors who had been friendly with the president. President Jonathan, however, has not been directly fingered in the mobilization of the 'Amaechi Must Go' campaign which some sources linked to one of his very senior officials from the South-South. As at last night, the anti-Amaechi governors were just five and reportedly comprised two South-South governors, one North Central governor, one South-East governor and one NorthWest governor. Governor Martins Elechi of Ebonyi State was as at yesterday said to be undecided. Buoyed with the overwhelming support they were receiving, the proAmaechi camp was pressing for the election to go ahead today despite the lobby by the presidency officials to truncate the election or stop the meeting all together. “Many of the governors, including those normally supportive of the president are very angry over the telephone calls they have been receiving on the issue and that is why they are turning against the villa on this issue,”

a source close to the development told Vanguard last night.

Plans to cancel NGF election By yesterday evening, with the villa getting little support from governors to oust Amaechi, the game plan changed as the villa officials and supportive governors started canvassing the cancellation of the election. “They now want to cancel the election, but we would not allow that,” one source said. A governor in the proAmaechi camp with the scent of victory in the air told Vanguard last night that “everything will be clear by tomorrow.” Reflective of the confidence in the proAmaechi camp, the NGF meeting which normally holds in the night has been scheduled in the day, to commence by 4 p.m. The secretariat of the NGF which the antiAmaechi camp tried to drag into the face-off through blaming it for allegedly failing to give proper notice of last Thursday’s meeting of the NGF also cleared itself of the allegation. “We are professionals and we have a way of handling our duties that cannot be faulted. It is not true that any governor was not informed of the meeting. Is it that we will inform only South-

West or North-East governors? No, it is not possible,” the senior official told Vanguard yesterday on the condition of anonymity. Amaechi’s campaign it was learnt is being driven by a North-West governor and a SouthWest governor, while the anti-Amaechi campaign is being driven by a South-South governor. Some governors were angered by the push against Amaechi and that he is being persecuted for articulating the interests of the governors. “He is being punished for representing the collective views of the governors, not his own personal views,” one source close to his camp said

yesterday.

Call Tukur to order — PDP govs Meanwhile, the PDP governors were also expected to also press the president to call the national chairman of the party to order following Alhaji Bamanga Tukur’s insistence on having his way in the Adamawa crisis. Tukur had last week gone against the resolution of the National Working Committee, NWC which restored the Alhaji Umar Kugamaled executive of the party when he recognized the rival chairman, Mr. Joel Madaki as the authentic chairman of the party in Adamawa State.

Auto crash kills eight in Ogun By DAUD OLATUNJI

BEOKUTA—NO fewer than eight persons, yesterday evening, lost their lives in an auto crash which occurred along IbadanLagos Expressway in Mowe, Obafemi- Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State. Vanguard gathered that, the accident occurred as a truck driver tried to turn on the highway. A commercial vehicle on a high speed rammed into it. The commercial space-wagon with eight occupants was reported to be heading to Lagos from Abeokuta. An eye witness told Vanguard that all the eight occupants, including the driver, died on the spot. The source said that it took the accident rescue team almost an hour, before the corpses of the victims could be re-

trieved from the wreckage. It was gathered that many motorists and passengers plying the road could not hold back tears when they saw the gory scene as the battered bodies of the victims were being removed from the scene. Confirming the incident, the Sagamu Unit Commander of FRSC, Mr Lasisi Ogundele, said the bus was marked LAGOS GGE 540 XC while the articulated vehicle was marked YOBE XB 503 FKA. According to Ogundele: “The Mitsubishi Bus, coming from Abeokuta with nine passengers was on a very high speed when it collided with the truck from the rear. We understand that the trailer stopped abruptly as it was trying to make a turning on the highway and the commercial bus coming from the rear just collided with it."

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Gunmen kill Adamawa monarch in Borno By UMAR YUSUF

OLA — DISTRICT head of Madagali, in Adamawa State, Dr. Sa’ad Danburam, has been shot dead in Maiduguri, Borno State by gunmen. The news of the death of Danburam filtered into Adamawa State, Saturday night, as he was said to have been shot after the evening Muslim prayers. Detail of his killing was still sketchy, though Adamawa State Police Command had confirmed the killing. The Command’s Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim, who confirmed to Vanguard on telephone, said the traditional ruler was killed in Maiduguri while on a visit to Borno State. Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State shares common border with Borno State.

Police seize inter-state kidnap kingpin BY EMMA AMAIZE

ARRI— POLICE in Delta State, weekend, arrested a suspected kidnap kingpin, identified as Aaron, at Agbor area of the state. The kingpin, who hails from Otta-Igbanke in Edo State, is the leader of an alleged inter-state kidnap gang that abducted one Monday Osage on February 11, in Anambra State. Delta State Police Commissioner, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, who confirmed the arrest of the suspect, said he was rounded up following a tip-off. Investigation by Vanguard showed that the kingpin, whose gang abducted Osage, went into hiding after a joint team of the Department of State Security, DSS, and 322 Battalion in Anambra State arrested some members of his gang and rescued the victim on February 20. He evaded arrest until February 23, when the police traced him to his residence at Uromi Junction, Agbor. Aduba told Vanguard, weekend: “There is no hiding place for kidnappers in the state, we will hunt them down one after the other."

Woman stabs daughter-in-law to death in Nasarawa BY SONI DANIEL

BUJA — A HOUSEWIFE, Mrs Kareen Opara, has gone underground after allegedly stabbing her son’s wife, Esther Oluchi, to death in Anguwa Baba area of Nasarawa State. But the police have launched a hot chase to fish out the suspect. The suspect, who was living in the same neighbourhood with his son, Chinedu and the deceased wife, hailed from Umueze Ihitte/ Uboma Local Government Area of Imo State. She was alleged have been at loggerheads for sometime over a picture taken by the deceased at the wedding of Kareen’s daughter, last December. Trouble was said to have broken out between the late Oluchi and her mother-in-law when it was reported to her that Kareen was caught at a herbalist’s home with one of the photographs she took at her son’s wedding. In a bid to retrieve the picture, Oluchi approached Kareen and pleaded with her to return the said picture to her but she ignored all pleas and rather took offence for the effrontery of her daughter-in-law. Angered by what she saw as “confrontation” by her son’s wife, she immediately confronted Chinedu and warned him to call his wife to order or risk being punished along his spouse. Unknown to the son that the mother had not forgiven his wife for daring to ask her to return her picture, Chinedu tried to mediate

in the spat to appease his mother and the wife. Family sources said a peace meeting summoned by Chinedu to reconcile his mother with the

late wife turned violent, as the mother who was armed with a sharp machete, went for her daughter-in-law, who was carrying one of her two daughters

Members of Boko Haram splinter group during a news conference in Maiduguri, Saturday where they insisted on a cease-fire. Photo: NAN.

15-year-old kills boy, 12, with dane gun in Osun BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

SOGBO — A 15-year-old boy has allegedly shot to dead a 12-year-old boy, Timilehin Oguntoye, while playing with a loaded dane gun at Akiriboto village in Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State. The incident, according to sources, has thrown the village

into confusion while the family of the deceased boy had threatened to retaliate the death but for the intervention of the Police in the area. It was gathered that the boy who was playing with his father’s gun at his family compound alongside some of his friends, shot the deceased boy unknowingly and ran away

Suspected Fulani herdsmen kill 52-yr-old man in Delta

BY FESTUS AHON

GHELLI—THE onslaught launched against the people of Uwheru, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State by suspected Fulani herdsmen continued, weekend, with the killing of a 52-year-old man in Agadama-Uwheru. The man, identified as Zilly Joseph, Vanguard gathered, was found dead in his farmland. A source, who pleaded anonymity, said the lifeless body of the deceased, which was riddled with bullets, was discovered after a thorough search carried out by the community. According to the source, “the deceased, who left for his farm in the early hours of Saturday, did not return at the expected time, which prompted the community to set up a search party, after his immediate family members have raised alarm. “The search party went into the bush, Saturday night, and returned Sunday morning, with a report that he had been found dead. His motorcycle was carefully parked. “On confirming the death, our youths took to the streets in

on her back and stabbed her in the tummy. The machete pierced through her abdomen and she bled to death. Sources said she was five-month pregnant.

protest, blocking the Bomadi/ Ohoro Road." At press time, men of Joint Military Taskforce, JTF, in the area, which took over the Ohoro community in the wake of the renewed attack last Wednesday, had put the situation under

control. Speaking to Vanguard, JTF commander in the area, Lt Col Attahiru Rasheed, frowned at the killings, saying: “We had intensified patrol in the area and our men are fully on ground to respond in the event of any emergency call."

when it was discovered that the boy was dead. The case was immediately reported to the Police and efforts by the Police to arrest the suspected killer proved abortive as he fled from the village to an unknown destination. It was also gathered that the deceased was rushed to the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, OAUTH, IleIfe shortly after he was shot but died before he got to the hospital. Our correspondent was informed that the bullet hit the deceased on the head. Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, of the state Police Command, Mrs Folashade Odoro, who confirmed the incident, said the Police were on the trail of the suspected killer and vowed that he would not go unpunished.

Soldiers raze boats conveying suspected illegally refined diesel BY EMMA AMAIZE

ARRI — SOLDIERS, weekend, launched a fresh offensive against oil thieves in Delta State, setting ablaze a number of locally made Cotonou boats conveying alleged illegally refined diesel on Warri waterways. Our source said the operations of soldiers, believed to be Joint Task Force, JTF, operatives on the Niger Delta, codenamed Operation Pulo Shield, paralyzed commercial activities on the waterways for hours, as boat passengers jumped into the river, when soldiers fired gunshots sporadically.

However, a boat belonging to a woman, who denied she was engaged in illegal refining and transportation of petroleum products, was allegedly burnt by the soldiers. Efforts to get confirmation from JTF was unsuccessful, as spokesperson, Lt. Col Onyema Nwachukwu, neither answered his call nor replied the text message by this reporter on the incident. A source told Vanguard, yesterday, that the woman was carrying six gallons of kerosene in a local transport boat bought the previous day in Warri, which the soldiers assumed to be illegally refined.

National Coordinator of Ijaw People's Development Initiative, IPDI, Mr Austin Ozobo, who witnessed the incident, condemned the incessant burning of boats on waterways by the task force, saying: “They should arrest offenders and ensure they are prosecuted, rather than polluting the river by burning petroleum products on the waterways. “She (the woman) explained that she did not use her boat for illegal activity. The military personnel, I assume, knew that the particular boat was not being used for illegal activity because they later dismantled the engine and handed it to her."

Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013—7

Five killed as crisis erupts in Taraba community BY UMAR YUSUF

OLA — NO fewer than five persons were reported killed, Saturday, in Wukari, Taraba, when adherents of two religious groups engaged each other in a violent clash. Several people also sustained injuries, while hundreds of houses and business premises, including places of worship, were razed by the warring groups. Police Public Relations Officer,

Mr Amos Olaoye, who confirmed the incident, said normalcy has returned to the town. He said the crisis erupted in the early hours of Saturday and that it was ignited by an argument between some youths at a training session on a football pitch. Olaoye explained that the clash later turned violent, following the killing of one of the youths in the course of argument.

It was learnt that in the ensuing mayhem, dangerous weapons were used by the youths, while residents were forced to flee their homes. The police spokesman said some of the injured victims were being treated at the General Hospital, Wukari and other health centres in the town. The state’s Acting Governor, Alhaji Garuba Umar, has also declared a curfew from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the town to prevent the escalation of the crisis.

POLLUTION: The wreckages of imported Tokunbo cars on the bank of Kirikiri Canal, in Apapa, Lagos. Photo: Aliyu Adekunle.

Fire razes seven fuel trucks in Kirikiri

AGOS — SEVEN petrol tankers, weekend, got burnt at Waterside area of Kirikiri Town, Lagos, where tank farms are sited, while unspecificednumber of persons sustained injuries in the inferno. Also burnt was the container office of the tanker drivers in the area. The inferno threw residents of the area into confusion, as they feared that the fire might get to their homes. It was gathered that the fire started at 10 p.m. when an oil tanker loaded with 33 thousand litres of petrol caught fire and exploded. Several shops on Mosheshe Street and Cardoso Close were also gutted by the fire. Eyewitnesses said the driver of the oil tanker had parked his truck, loaded from one of the oil depots operating in the area, in front of Techno Oil Truck Park on Mosheshe Street, before siphoning its contents into some jerry cans and drums. In the process, Vanguard gathered that flames from a cooking fire close to the roadside ignited petrol spilled on the ground and same spread to the truck. The fire, which quickly spread to other parts of the area, housing oil storage facilities belonging to five major oil companies, forced

the residents to flee their homes. Residents of a residential estate situated few metres away from the oil tank farms and others from

adjoining streets, evacuated their homes in anticipation of the fire spreading.

Seven Customs officers perish in road mishap BY EVELYN USMAN

AGOS — SEVEN officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, attached to PTML, TinCan and Seme Border Commands, have been killed in a road accident at Sagamu in Ogun State on their way to NCS Headquarters in Abuja. They were allegedly summoned by the Assistant Comptroller General, ACG, in charge of Enforcement and Drugs for an emergency meeting. Already, colleagues of deceased officers are blaming the NCS hierarchy in Abuja for death of the officers. It was gathered that the signal to come to Abuja for a parade by 6:30 a.m on Friday, was sent around 4 p.m on Thursday, February 21. Vanguard gathered that the officers in a rush to meet up with the parade chartered a bus to take them to Abuja that Thursday night. It was gathered that at Sagamu, the bus rammed into a stationary truck, killing all the occupants. According to Vanguard’s finding, the ACG invited all officers from the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Customs, and below attached to the Examination Department to Abuja for the said parade. Some officers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed the lives of their colleagues were just wasted because what they were being invited for would have been resolved without them going to Abuja. According to the officers, an officer in the Examination Department at TinCan Ports, sometime last month, released a container which was registered as toys but was later discovered to be contraband wine. The officers said if the headquarters wanted to fish out the officer involved in the scam, all they needed to do was to key in their computer network all the details concerning the container and the name of the examiner would appear. According to them, “they did not need to invite or summon all of us to Abuja over such an issue.” Reacting to the incident and allegations, Mr Steve Okoma, a Superintendent of Customs and Public Relations Officer of PTML Command, said the headquarters had the right to summon any officer when the need arises.

Lagos probes alleged arrest, extortion of pregnant woman on sanitation day BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

Some of the burnt trucks.

Suspected robbers kill policeman in Osun BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

SOGBO — A POLICE officer, attached to a first generation bank in Edunabon, Ife North Local Government Area of Osun State, was, yesterday, shot dead by persons, suspected to be robbers. The deceased Police officer, was said to be one of the security agents attached to the bank to provide security, at weekends. It was gathered from sources that the robbers were in a vehicle from Ile-Ife axis and were stopped by the Police at Edunabon, but resisted attempts

to search their vehicle, a situation that led to exchange of gun shots. It was learnt that one of the robbers had appealed to the Policemen to allow them go when the Police ordered them to open their vehicle booth but the robbers' plea fell on the deaf ears, as the Police officers insisted on the search. After exchange of hot words, it was gathered that the Policemen dragged down some of the robbers from the vehicle and in the process, the robbers shot the leader of the Police team, who eventually gave up the ghost.

AGOS—THE Lagos State Government has ordered full investigation into the alleged detention and extortion of one Nkechi Omakagu, said to have been arrested by Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI, officials for violating the restriction of movement order of the state sanitation laws leading to the loss of her pregnancy. Omakagu has already petitioned the Office of the Public Defender, OPD, and the Ministry of Justice, which has since taken over the matter. Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Lateef Ibirogba, while reacting to the reports, affirmed that the suspect actually contravened the state environmental law and investigation had commenced in the interest of justice. According to Ibirogba,”we refer to the recent media reports of February 21 and 22, 2013, where one Nkechi Omakagu claimed she was

apprehended by KAI men for violating the restriction of movement order of the state sanitation laws and that her consequent arrest led to a threatened abortion and eventual loss of her pregnancy. "To set the record straight, it is pertinent to state that the said Nkechi Omakagu actually contravened the law and was apprehended and later released on the said day. “After her release, Nkechi Omakagu drew the attention of the Commissioner for the Environment to the issue, who immediately ordered an investigation to unravel her alleged claim of detention and extortion. However, in the course of the investigation, she petitioned the Office of the Public Defender, OPD, and the Ministry of Justice, which has since taken over the matter. "'The OPD has commenced full investigation into the matter and even invited the parties for interrogation on Friday, February 21. As an administration that believes in the rule of law, Lagos State Government will await the outcome of the investigations."

8—Vanguard , MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Pope celebrates final Mass

2013 budget crisis: ‘NASS can't defend inflation’

BY HUGO IDIOGOR

UTGOING Catholic Pontiff, Pope Benedict XVI, has assured millions of faithful around the world that he is not abandoning the church by retiring to spend his final years in prayer. Rather, the Holy Father sought to reassure them that his decision to quit was a calling from God. The 85-year-old Benedict, who is stepping down on Thursday evening, as the first pope to do so in the past 600 years, told the crowd that God is calling him to dedicate himself “even more to prayer and meditation,” which he will do in a secluded monastery being renovated for him on the grounds behind Vatican City’s ancient walls. The Pope celebrated his last pontificate’s final yesterday at St Peter ’s Square, where he addressed over 100,000 worshipers who were cheering him as he appeared from his studio window. The Pope dismissed allegations that he has something to hide by resigning from office. He said: “On the contrary, if God asks me, this is because I can continue to serve it (the church) with the same dedication and the same love which I have tried to do so until now. But in a way more suitable to my age and to my strength.” With the resignation of Pope Benedict coming into effect on February 28, there are only 20 days for the eligible cardinals with voting rights to elect a new pope. The Papal Legate, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, from Canada is seen as a very strong front runner. Conservative, he is experienced in dealing with child abuse and the struggle with more liberal elements pushing for a freeing up of Catholic moral teaching.

BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

NDICATIONS emerged, yesterday, that the Presidency had positioned its foot soldiers to expose the roles played by the leadership of the National Assembly, NASS, in padding the budget to the tune of N63 billion should the lawmakers insist on not backing down on some of the issues raised by them when they met on Wednesday night at the Villa. Vanguard learnt from reliable sources, who attended the Wednesday meeting, that the Presidency was emboldened to stand its grounds when some lawmakers present could not defend the inflated cost of most of the projects inserted into the budget by them for their constituencies and could not also tell the President why they paid so much attention to respective constituencies than the nation. Although some of the lawmakers had argued that the 30 days stipulated by the Constitution for the President to assent to the budget had not yet lapsed, perhaps out of ignorance of the position of the law, however a member of the Nigerian In-

ner Bar, Abubakar Malami, said that the period for signing the budget had since lapsed.

Expert says...

Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, told Vanguard that the passage of the 30 days’ period does not, however, preclude the President from signing it into law. According to the legal expert, the 30 days as stipulated by the 1999 Constitution include weekends and holidays and count continuously from the first day to the end. Malami said: “The 30-day period is continuous irrespective of holidays or weekends. However, the non-assent to the bill after the expiration of the time-frame does not in any way invalidate the budget even if it is signed many days and months after by the President. “The only thing the law canvasses is for NASS to override the vote of the President if they can muster two thirds majority to do so. But I do not think the current NASS has the capacity to do that given the way they handled the budget,” the legal expert added. It was gathered, yesterday,

that President Goodluck Jonathan has stuck to his gun not to assent to the 2013 budget as passed by the NASS because of advice by legal experts that he had not committed any infraction by withholding his assent from the controversial document. Findings by Vanguard revealed that Jonathan, who had earlier fidgeted over the expiration of the 30-day deadline stipulated by the Constitution for the signing of the appropriation bill, became hardened when his advisers made it clear to him that withholding his assent from the document as long as the NASS refuses to shift grounds on the contentious issues, does not in any way infringe the law.

The Constitution

Under the 1999 Constitution, the President is expected to sign the appropriation bill into law within 30 days of passage by the NASS after which the lawmakers could veto him by two thirds majority of both chambers. The 2013 budget, which was overwhelmingly passed into law by the NASS on December 20, 2012, was eventually transmitted to President Goodluck Jonathan on January 14, 2013. The 30 days period

stipulated by the constitution actually expired on January 13, 2013 without the president signing the document into law. Several attempts by NASS, the Economic Team and the Presidency to resolve the knotty issues in the budget have proved abortive, leading to the hardening of positions by parties while the economy inches towards comatose.

Budget, IG, Maina

Only on Wednesday, the Inspector-General of Police, Abubakar Mohammed, lamented that his inability to place a ransom on the head of fleeing Pension Task Team Chairman, Abdulrasheed Maina, was due to lack of funds arising from the nonassent to the budget. Similarly, many government ministries, departments and agencies are finding it difficult to carry out their normative functions without the approval of funds. Meanwhile, Vanguard learnt that the President was not in a hurry to append his signature to the budget because he had discovered that NASS could not move against him having soiled their hands with spurious projects they inserted into the budget under their controversial “constituency projects” with mindbugling sums.

WORSHIP: President Goodluck Jonathan (2nd right), Rev. Obioma Onwuzurumba, Chaplain, Aso Villa Chapel (2nd left) and others at the Sunday service in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Abayomi Adeshida.

Burial of legendary Justus Esiri set for April BY SAM EYOBOKA

HE body of one of the most talented actors in Nigeria, late Justus Esiri who died on February 19, will be laid to rest in the third week of April in his home town,

Abraka in Delta State. According to the spokesman of the Esiri family, Mr. George Esiri, an international photo journalist, the family, after consultation, has dispatched a delegation to Abraka to conclude ar-

rangement for the date and time of interment. He said: “As soon as that is done, the family will release details of the programme for everyone to see.” He appealed for patience with the family. Meanwhile, Delta State gov-

ernment, yesterday, pledged to play a role in the burial of late Mr. Esiri, while members of Actors Guild Nigeria led by their president, Ibinabo Fiberesima, extolled the virtues of the fallen elder statesman.

Delta State government’s position was delivered by the state Commissioner for Culture, Mr. Richard MofeDamijo, accompanied by Segun Arinze, Genevieve Nnaji, Monalisa Chinda, among others.

Vanguard , MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013—9

67 ex-militants withdrawn from Cyprus school BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

CONSECRATION: From right— New bishops, Rt. Revd Simeon Borokini, Bishop of Akure; Rt. Revd. Geoffrey

Okoroafor, Bishop of Egbu, and Rt. Revd. James Odedeji, Bishop of Lagos West, all of Church of Nigerian, Anglican Communion, during the consecration of the three bishops in Lagos. PHOTO: Diran Oshe.

Hurricane Mukthar: 3 judges to go 3 others under investigation BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

BUJA—THERE were in dications, yesterday, that the National Judicial Council, NJC, was not yet done with the cleansing of the judiciary of bad eggs that have significantly tarnished the image of that tier of government. In what has now been termed “Hurricane Mukthar,” three more judges, alleged to have been implicated in corruptiontainted matters are said to be on the firing line. Out of the three judges is a female federal high court judge, a senior high court judge and another male judge. Three others, whose cases have reached advanced level of investigation by the relevant judiciary and security agencies, might soon be fired because of what competent sources described as unprofessional conduct inimical to the judiciary system. Only last week, the supervising body of judges, NJC, recommended immediate retirement of two judges, C. E. Archibong of the Federal High Court Lagos and T. D. Naron of High Court of Justice, Plateau State, having being found guilty by separate committees that were set up by the judicial body to probe allegations of judicial misconduct that were levelled against them by different petitioners. Vanguard learnt from sources that NJC was being propelled by the zero tolerance disposition of the Chief

Justice of Nigeria, Aloma Mukthar, to rid the judiciary of corrupt judges and officials to restore it to its prime position as the bastion of hope for the common man.

Riot act

Mukthar, renowned as one of Nigeria’s incorruptible judges, had on assumption in July 2012, vowed to sanitise the judicial system and speed up the justice delivery process in the country. The source hinted that Muhktar, who presides over NJC, had warned judges and judicial officers to steer clear of corruption and anything capable of dragging the image of the judiciary in the mud as she would not hesitate to wield the big stick against anyone caught in the act. She is said to have directed NJC to expedite action in the investigations into grave allegations of graft and serious misconduct levelled against five judges in Nigeria. Vanguard learnt that in a bid to deal a deadly blow on corrupt workers, the CJN has caused the judiciary to develop an in-built mechanism to monitor, detect and deal with erring officers within the system to serve as a deterrent to pecuniary-conscious officials.

Offence

The offending judges were said to have been under close watch for some time without their knowledge. Top judiciary heads were said to have decided to investigate and punish the affected

judges following incontrovertible evidence by security agents that they had been compromised in several cases decided by them in various parts of the country. The only woman among them was said to have issued two contradictory injunctions in a money laundering case involving a former governor, who is being tried for a massive rip-off while in office. The female judge is reported to have issued the offending restraining order despite the fact that the case was already being heard by another judge with corresponding jurisdiction.

CJN’s spokesman

Contacted for comments, the spokesman for CJN, Ahuraka Isah, said he was not aware of those being investigated by NJC, but admitted that the CJN was committed to ensuring that the judiciary was free of corruption. The aim of the CJN, Isah said, was to make Nigerians to have faith and confidence in the justice system. A panel was set up probe Justice Abubakar Thalba, who gave light sentence to a self-confessed pension thief, Mr. John Yakubu Yusufu, on January 28. Shortly after Yusufu, who stole N23 billion from the police pension fund, pleaded guilty to a threecount criminal charge that was preferred against him by Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, trial Justice Thalba, while relying on the provision of

Section 309 of the Penal Code Act, sentenced him to two years imprisonment with an option of N750,000 fine, a sum the convict quickly paid and drove home. A statement issued by the council said: “The Council has set up a Fact-Finding Committee to investigate the allegations levelled against Hon. Justice Abubakar Thalba of FCT High Court in the Police Pension case of EFCC vs Mr. John Yusuf & Ors.” NJC, after an emergency meeting in Abuja, Wednesday, also said it was satisfied that Justice Archibong violated his oath of office when he “dismissed grievous charges against an accused without taking his plea.”

The beginning

It should be recalled that Justice Archibong swam into controversy in that case involving the discharged former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank Plc, Mr. Erastus Akingbola. The indicted judge not only dismissed the charges against Akingbola, but further barred the prosecuting team of EFCC, comprising five Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, from appearing before the court or another judge of the Federal High Court on the same matter following what he termed “serious and professional incompetence.” He also questioned the competence of the senior advocates. Likewise, NJC, asked Governor David Jonah Jang of

BUJA—SEVERAL months after they were withdrawn from their training school in Cyprus, 67 amnesty trainees are to undergo a fresh selection test to determine their eligibility for placement in new institutions abroad. The affected Niger Delta ex-militants, who signed up for the Amnesty Programme in 2009, were sent to study various skills at Inter College, Larnaca, Cyprus, in 2011 but were withdrawn last December and asked to return home when Nigeria discovered that the school was not accredited to offer the courses it was offering to the trainees. Vanguard’s finding reveals that the Kingsley Kuku-led Presidential Amnesty Programme was misled by one of its vendors to select the Cyprus school. The trainees, it was gathered, were withdrawn when it became clear to the Amnesty Programme that the certificates to be issued to the students at the end of their programmes would not be honoured by prospective employers. The affected students have, however, become agitated since they returned to Nigeria and have asked the Amnesty Office to take steps to find appropriate training institutions for them. In a text message to Vanguard, weekend, the students complained that they had been left almost stranded without any communication with the Amnesty Office since their abrupt return to the country. However, the Amnesty Office said, yesterday, that it had not abandoned the affected trainees and was working hard to source another school for them. Amnesty Head of Media and Communication, Mr. Daniel Alabra, told Vanguard that the affected students would, however, be subjected to a fresh round of selection test on March 25 to determine their suitability for new schools.

10— Vanguard , MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Mrs. Ariwoola Ogbemi, Country Manager & Managing Director of Statoil Nigeria Ltd (left) with Mr. Andrew Fawthrop, Country Chair and Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria, during the Nigeria Oil & Gas Conference, in Abuja.

Tambuwal, policeman steal show at Sun Newspaper Awards BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN

LAGOS—SPEAKER Aminu Tambuwal and a policeman who braved the odds to take bullets from dare-devil armed robbers, stole the show at the Sun Newspaper awards, weekend. While Speaker, Tambuwal won the Sun Man of the Year award for his powerful defence of the common man using the platform of his office, Inspector Adekoya Jamiu who survived a confrontation with armed robbers that left him with more than ten bullets in his stomach,

Lagos govt allays fear of attack by Boko Haram BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI & MONSUR OLOWOOPEJO

AGOS — LAGOS State Government, weekend, urged residents to disregard insinuations of imminent attack on the state by the Boko Haram Islamic sect and its breakaway faction, Jama’atu Ansaral Muslimana Fi Biladis –Sudan, saying the state was safe. The government, however, stepped up security around Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, the seat of goverment. The restriction order issued by the government to vehicle owners without permit from using car park few kilometres from the Secretariat, has been intensified. A source told Vanguard that “any staff who intends to carry out an official assignment at the weekend, henceforth, must obtain permit from the Head of Service, HOS, Mr. Adesegun Ogunlewe, before he or she could be allowed into the premises. This came as the government ordered members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, in Ojuelegba Bridge to vacate the area immediately for security purpose. Speaking on the rumour of impending attack, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lateef Ibirogba, and his counterpart in the Ministry of Environment, Tunji Bello, said the government had already put measures in place to ensure adequate protection of lives and property in the state. They spoke 24 hours after rumour started spreading that both Islamist sects were planning to attack the state, the commercial nerve centre of the country.

According to Ibirogba: “I will say categorically that Lagos is safe. Lagosians should not entertain any fear. "We have done all we are supposed to do for Lagosians’ safety. I want to tell them to go about their normal duties without entertaining any fear. The idea of Boko Haram coming to attack Lagos is nothing to scare anybody. "This is a proactive government and Lagosians have confidence in their government. "Lagos is home to everybody and I don’t think anybody in a right frame of mind will want to extend act of terrorism or violence to Lagos. No matter how you look at it people have

one interest or the other in Lagos.” On Ojuelegba Bridge, Bello, said the decision to relocate the transporters became necessary to clean up the place and get rid of some unscrupulous elements hiding

in the park to perpetrate evil at night. He said the Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI, would now occupy the park and ensure the transporters polluting the place did not return.

roused the sympathy with donations of more than N8 million at the occasion. Various dignitaries including members of the House of Representatives who thronged the award ceremony, in Lagos, fell over one another in a money shower on Inspector Adekoya who won the Hero of the Year Award. Minister, and Aare Afe Babalola, eminent lawyer, won Lifetime Achievement Awards. Mr. Osita Chidoka, Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, and Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, Minister of Agriculture, won the Public Service Awards. Sports Person of the Year Award went to Mr. Yakubu Adesokan, who won two gold medals at the 2012 year ’s Paralympics Games in London. Chief Oba Otudeko, chairman, Honeywell Group and Mr. Emma Bishop Okonkwo, chairman of Ekulo Group, won the Business persons of the year award, while Ms Evelyn Oputu, managing director of the Bank of Industry (BoI), emerged as the Banker of the Year.

Head of Oshodi Tapa Chieftaincy family sues relatives BY INNOCENT ANABA

AGOS — FOR allegedly disobeying a court order, the head of Oshodi Tapa Chieftaincy family, Pa Fatai Oshodi and a member of the family, Dr. Mustapha Oshodi, have initiated contempt proceedings against some

members of the family to ensure the enforcement of the court order. The contempt proceedings against Chief Babatunde Oshodi, Alhaji Rasaq Oshodi, Alhaji Sura Oshodi and a lawyer, Victor Otuyemi, before a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja,

GK Animashaun: Celebrating a man of many parts @80 BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

HIEF ABDUL- GAFFAR Kayode Animashaun, is 80 today. A lawyer, businessman and politician, he made his marks in all the three. Married to Yetunde, daughter of late Rev. Cannon D. K. Asekun, 50 years ago, the union is blessed with five children. Animashawun holds an LL.B. degree in law from the University College, London. On his return to Nigeria in 1963, he joined the law firm of Kotoye and Oluwa Solicitors in Lagos, where he successfully practised before establishing his own. He was chairman of Mushin Council in 1966 before the first military coup. He had carved a niche for himself as an investor for more than 30 years in many businesses, thereby contributing to job creations.

Chief Animashaun

is over alleged disregard to the consent judgment delivered by Justice Ojikutu Oshode (rtd.) two years ago. In the judgment, the court had ordered the defendants to vacate Iga Oshodi and stop parading themselves as custodians of the Oshodi Tapa Chieftaincy family and as council executive members.

Vanguard, MONDAY MONDAY,, FEBRUARY 25, 2013—11

Mimiko assumes 2nd term, promises better quality of life BY DAYO JOHNSON

KURE—Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, was yesterday sworn-in as the fifth democratically elected governor of the state, and he promised to enhance the quality of life of the people. He, however, warned that in the next four years political office holders in the state “must cease from looking at government and service as a goldmine. We must acknowledge that the good of all translates into the good of the individuals and not necessarily vice versa.” Dr. Mimiko was sworn in alongside his Deputy Alhaji Ali Olanusi, by the Chief Judge of the State, Justice Olasehinde Kumuyi, at 1.05p.m. and 12.40p.m. respectively. Yesterday’s ceremony was witnessed by two Action Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, governors Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and Ibikunle Amosu of Ogun State who was represented by his Deputy Chief Segun Adesegun. Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, governor, Alhaji Tanko Almakura, of Nassarawa State was also present. Others were Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, Theodore Orji of Abia State and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade and all the traditional rulers in the state. Also present were former Head of State, General Abdusalam Abubakar, Aliko Dangote, Great Ogboru, Health minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu; Oba Otudeko, Tunji Braithwait. former Governor Gbenga Daniel, Ayo Adebanjo and Ayo Fayose. Others included Olu Falae, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Fredrick Fasheun, Gani Adams, Chief Ade Ajayi,

former Governor Rasheed Ladoja, amongst other personalities across the country. Governor Mimiko said: “Far from relenting, we shall in the next four years take governance closer to the people by posting greater achievements on all fronts. “We will ensure the completion of all outstanding projects. We will also, over the next four years, unveil a new stream of programmes directed at enhancing the quality of life of our people. “Our major focus shall be on an aggressive drive at job creation for our teeming youths through innovative

and durable programmes that will engender sustainable livelihood. “To this end, government is undertaking a 30MW Independent Power Project in Ore to provide power that will attract several industries to Ondo State. When completed, Ore’s status not only as a major national commercial centre but as well an industrial hub will be a reality. ” He said the on-going International Events Centre, The Dome would be completed this year while the state’s residency card, ‘Kaadi Igbe Ayo’ would be launched next month. Dr. Mimiko appreciated the support of the artisans, market

women, farmers, public servants, labour leaders, road transport workers, including commercial motorcycle operators (Okada riders), royal fathers, religious leaders, retirees, captains of industry and the students and youths. According to him: “To all, we say, the story of today will be written in years to come and your doggedness, tenacity, consistency and overall incorruptibility will be recorded for the attention of generations to come. “We must show appreciation to Mr. President, Dr. for guaranteeing the ambiance for a free, fair and peaceful election

through the timely and most responsible deployment of security operatives. “We pray for more grace and strength for Mr. President to take our nation unto greater heights.” Speaking on regional integration, he said: “We are convinced that the totality of the concept of progressivism, which the late sage represented, is about using the instrumentality of government to make choices on behalf of the majority of our people. “To us, being progressive means democratisation of access to fundamentals of good living.”

Obafemi declares for Ekiti guber race

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, inspecting a road project in Ijebu-Ode, weekend.

Land in dispute with Oyo govt already acquired — Commissioner BY OLA AJAYI

BADAN — FOUR days after some chiefs and other 48 families in Ibadan filed a suit against Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State over the acquisition of their land measuring 404.74 acres, the government said yesterday that it had acquired the land. Speaking through the Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adebayo Ojo, who is one of the re-

spondents in the case, the government alleged that those who filed the action against it had been disclaimed by the real heads and members of the concerned families “as impostors and fraudsters”. According to the government, the suit was filed without the knowledge and authority of the original owners. The government explained that the land in dispute, was acquired for the purpose of developing it into government reserved area, GRA. It would be recalled that Baale Asaani Lasokun and Chief Kazeem Akintayo and Omo, Abaya, Kehinde, Odunjo, Ajia, K a d e l u , Aregbeomo, Eleyele, Aboke, Abeni, amongst others, had approached the court to prevail on the government to release the land as advised by the Federal Government in a letter dated July 2012 with reference number LH/LA/62/ Vol.1/102".

DO EKITI — A business mogul, Dr. Peter Obafemi, has declared his intention to contest the 2014 governorship election under the ticket of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekiti State, advising the PDP leadership against fielding a unsellable candidate. Speaking through Peter Obafemi Campaign Organisation, POCO, Obafemi implored the PDP to jettison zoning principle at this crucial period, saying, “it is better for the party to field a candidate in the North Senatorial District of the state to tackle the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN.

IAR & T ED cleared of fraud

HE ACCOUNT ANT –GENERAL of the Federation and Federal Ministry of Agricultural and Natural Resources have cleared the Executive Director of Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, IAR &T, Ibadan, Professor B A Ogunbodede, of fraud and abuse of office. The parent body of the Institute, Obafemi Awolowo University, IleIfe , while accepting the findings, said the concurrent findings of the panel of the Minister of Agricultural and that of the Accountant-General of the Federation “should not be disturbed.”

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

2015: Urhobo youths inaugurate c'ttee on Uduaghan’s successor BY EMMA AMAIZE

A R R I — YO U T H lead-ers of Urhobo ethnic nationality, Delta State, have set up a seven-man committee to deliberate on the political development in the state, with special focus on the successor to Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan in 2015. The committee, headed by National President of Niger Delta Youth Movement, Mr. Godspower Odenema, was constituted at a meeting of past and present Urhobo youth leaders. It is to look into the political and socio-economic pedigrees of all the contestants in the governorship race based on four key parameters. Members of the committee are Vice President of National Youth Council of Nigeria, Alhaji Mumakai Unagha; former National President of Urhobo Youths, Chief Westham Adehor; former presidents of Urhobo Youths, Mr. Paul Onoberhie and Chief Abel Idigu; National President, Urhobo National Youth Movement, Mr. Tennyson Oriunu and Mr. Felix Erurie. The four parameters are contributions to the prevailing climate of peace in the Niger Delta region; contributions to youth development/empowerment in the last five years; educational qualification and level of exposure; and evidence of leadership competence. “Any veteran candidate that meets and satisfies the standards set by the committee will enjoy the unalloyed support of the teeming members of the Urhobo youths,” they said.

PIB: TUC flays powers conferred on President, Petroleum Minister BY SIMON EBEGBULEM ENIN—TRADE Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, weekend, condemned what it described as the excessive powers conferred on the President and Minister of Petroleum in the proposed Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, and called on the National Assembly to remove the “discretionary and excessive powers accorded to them in over all interest of the country and the petroleum industry." TUC, in a statement by its President-General, Mr. Peter Esele and Secretary-General, Mr. Musa Lawal, after its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting in Benin City, Edo State, also condemned the suspension sine die, by the National Assembly, of debate on Local Government autonomy, noting that with so much resources committed to gaining people’s opinion across the nation, it was “criminal and inexcusable for any one to suspend the debate at this stage.” Noting that the delay in the passage of the PIB was affecting investors' confidence in the nation’s economy, TUC stressed the need to ensure that the PIB

struck a balance between government’s take and investors’ interest to ensure the continued growth of the Nigerian oil and gas industry. “All licences, leases, contracts and awards must be through transparent competitive bidding, and all tendencies for discretionary or abso-

lute powers in the bill must be checked. The National Assembly must ensure that, in the final analysis, the Petroleum Industry Bill reflects a position that sustains cohesion and fairness of all stakeholders in the Nigerian project,” it stated. On the subsidy regime, TUC pointed out that there were still

some issues relating to the implementation of subsidy that border on fraud, and proposed the setting up of a committee, including the leaders of the two labour unions, TUC and Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to create a more durable and reliable subsidy regime for the country.

THANKSGIVING SERVICE: From right, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State; Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II; Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, President, Christian Association of Nigeria and Ijaw Leader, Chief E.K. Clarke, when the governor and his wife held their 25th wedding anniversary thanksgiving service at First Baptist Church, Warri, yesterday.

Senate summons NDDC boss, Rep, contractors over abandoned projects BY HENRY UMORU

BUJA—NOT comfortable with the level of abandoned projects of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, by contractors handling some of the jobs, the Senate has summoned the Managing Director of the Commission, Mr. Christian Oboh, to appear before it to explain why this must happen. The Senate has also vowed that it would not open the 2013 budget proposal for the Commission until it was through with its oversight function on contracts awarded and the level of work

done by the contractors. Also to appear before the Senate Committee on Niger Delta, Wednesday, are the Executive Director, Projects, NDDC, Engr. Edikan Eshett; Representative for Akwa Ibom State and the contractor, FCC Construction Company that had been accused of abandoning projects especially in Akwa Ibom State. Speaking, weekend, when he led members of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta on Oversight, Chairman of the Committee, Senator James Manager, PDP, Delta South, said that the government was in a hurry to deliver, especially with President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda, adding that if not for due process, the Com-

mittee would have revoked some of the contracts. He noted that the National Assembly would recommend that jobs should be taken from

those he termed unserious contractors, who were not ready to work and given to those who are prepared to deliver.

Expert blames gridlocks in Delta cities on faulty roundabouts BY DANIEL GUMM ARRI—A WARRI-based environmental consultant, Mr. Hosana JaloghoWilliams, has decried the engineering irregularities in the construction of roundabouts in most cities in Delta State. He observed that the dimensions of the roundabouts do not match the specifications of the roads, noting that the roundabouts have defied all the principles of accurate civil engineering, causing devastating traffic congestions in major cities in the

state. Jalogho-Williams expressed concern over the interlocking project running from Effurun roundabout to DSC, saying it was “a wasteful venture because the size of the interlocking in terms of cost is enough to widen the dual carriage road and give commuters enough space to drive on.” He urged the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, to “discontinue with the project because it lacks economic prudence.”

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GOV MIMIKO TAKES OATH OF OFFICE

From left: Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Olusegun; Governors Umaru Tanko-Al-Makura (Nasarawa); Theodore Orji (Abia); Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo); his wife, Olukemi; and Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), during the 2nd Term inauguration of Mimiko as Governor of Ondo State, in Akure, yesterday. Pix: Joe Akintola Photo, Editor.

THE SUN NEWSPAPER AWARDS

From left: Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, Publisher, The Sun Newspaper; Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for mer Vice President, and Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, Speaker, House of Representatives, at The Sun Newspaper awards in Lagos, weekend.

From left: Former Head State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd); Oba Otudeko and former Information Minister, Mr. Frank Nweke (Jr).

Dr Orji Uzor Kalu (right) and Mr. Tony Onyima, MD, The Sun Newspaper, at the event.

Governor Mimiko and his family at the event.

Mr. Mike Awoyinfa (left) and Mr Dimgba Igwe.

From left: Osemawe of Ondo, Oba Adesimbo Kiladejo; Olugbo of Ugbo, Oba Akinruntan and Deji of Akure, Oba Adebiyi Adesida. C M Y K

Chief (Sir) Emma Bishop Okonkwo (middle) receiving an award.

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013 THERE are many threats to the Nigerian state. The depletion of her forests and general mismanagement of the environment pose one of the rarely-talked about threats. Nigeria is located in what could be called the epicentre of the tropical rain forest belt, yet nearly 95 per cent of her forest cover has gone through unmitigated mismanagement. According to the Institute of International Tropical Agriculture, IITA, “The deforestation rate in the country is about 3.5 per cent per year, translating to a loss of 350,000–400,000 hectares of forest land per year. Between 1990 and 2005 alone, the world lost 3.3 per cent of its forests while Nigeria lost 21 per cent.” It is little wonder that many species of tropical hardwoods in the forests are known now only in name; they have all disappeared with the forests as demand for woods increase. A formless energy policy which failed to introduce mass use of Nigeria’s abundant gas as domestic fuel has left the forests at risk. Even kerosene, an environmentally unfriendly alternative is unavailable and unaffordable.

Our Disappearing Fores ts orests The masses depend on the forests for domestic fuel and daily, trucks laden with firewood leave the countryside to serve the c i t i e s . In addition, massive expanses of land being used for universities, housing estates, religious grounds have contributed to the depletion of forests. The furniture industry also depends mainly on timber from the forests as the chief raw material. Lumbering is perhaps the chief culprit in the deforestation process; trees that took 50 to 75 years to mature are felled and in many instances, without replacement planting. The consequences have been loss of biodiversity and traditional ecosystems for

several species of wildlife, which are going extinct in this part of the world. In the coastal areas where mangrove forests once flourished, activities of the oil industry and the deleterious effects of oil spills have rendered the ecosystem hostile to man. Various strange illnesses are emerging. Acid rain and loss of fishing spots and farm lands are already common. What we have done in the past 50 years is to act only for today without requisite action for tomorrow. These behaviours have vast economic and social implications for posterity. The Federal Government in 1991 set up the Cross River National Park to protect Nigeria’s last large remaining area of rain forest. Commendable as that is, unregulated lumbering, indiscriminate bush burning and the mindless pollutions from oil and gas exploration pose such dangers to the forests that the Cross River National Park alone cannot redeem. Government should act decisively through enforcement of existing regulations - including replanting of forests - and new ones to protect our forests and the environment generally.

OPINION BY SAGIR MUSA Continued from pg 17

HE army for example, may decide to strategically expose its capability T but obviously not its operational orders

or war plans. On the other hand, military ’s involvement in politics and governance of the nation and its draconian decrees intended to silence and control the press can also not be ignored in any serious attempt at understanding the friction between media and the military in Nigeria. For instance, the military, through various decrees, proscribed few newspaper houses, harassed, victimized and in some cases jailed some journalists expectedly to check, restrict or silence the press. For the purpose of this write up, two examples of such obnoxious decrees are worth mentioning. Decree No 4 of 1984- Public Officers Protection against False Accusation. Section 1(1) of the decree provided that: “Any person who publishes in any form whether written or otherwise, any message, rumor, report or statement being…. (Is) calculated to bring the Federal Military Government or the Government of the state or public officer to ridicule or disrepute, shall be guilty of an offence under this decree”. It was under this section that Mr Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor, both of the Guardian Newspapers were charged for reporting and publishing that some of Nigeria’s foreign missions were to be closed, Maj Gen IBM Haruna was to C M Y K

Improving relations

media-military (2)

replace Maj Gen Hananiya as new envoy to the United Kingdom and that eight senior military officers have been tipped as ambassadors. There was also the Newspapers Proscription and Prohibition from Circulation Decree No 48 of 1993. It was this decree that was used to proscribe the Concord, Punch and the Nigerian Observer newspapers. Therefore, it is obvious from the above, that the basic explanation for the contemptible media – military relationship in Nigeria is that the history, natures and cultures of the two institutions are antagonistic. Historically, the media in Nigeria was an instrument of colonial liberation, the weapon used by nationalists to expose colonial injustices, fight for freedom, equal rights activism and subsequently political independence. On the other hand, the military, particularly the army, was allegedly used by colonial bedbugs against the people as an instrument of oppression and repression. There is also a feeling that at independence, the army was used to further serve and defend the interest of colonial power and later to serve the interest of military regimes or domineering political parties. Another reason for the disdainful media – military relationship is based on the inherent nature of the media and military. Military, like most bureaucracies, usually do its activities (operations) in secret, away from the preying eyes of the press

that is hierarchical and disciplined.” In the same vein, an Army Public Affairs Officer observed that “the natural tendency of the military is to keep things under control…”. The military man or woman particularly values loyalty and is deeply suspicious of, even offended by, the “publish and be damned” journalistic ethos. It may be right to state that there are still firm believers of press censorship in the Nigerian Armed Forces. Bowdlerization of information or outright denials of information to the press are some of the trademarks of the military in developing countries. Hence, the cultures and to a certain extent the goals of the media – military institutions are different and hostile; the journalists seek to tell a story of interest to the public in good time and without any hindrance. The military is, however, to pursue national objectives by fulfilling specific missions assigned by the Constitution and political leaders. And the mechanism by which the military performs its roles is war or the threat of war which are dreadful, planned and executed in secrecy and with maximum surprise. The belief in military circles that reporters are proletarians in fundamentals of military profession, also lack the most elementary notions of military secrecy and invariably hostile to military values and missions, is just only recently beginning to decrease in acceptance and practice in developing countries.

that it often sees as a spy or at best insubordinate. The press, however, responds to the requirements of its very existence to bring government, including the military, to public scrutiny. Even in normal situation, the press has a responsibility to question government actions, inactions, decisions, indecisions and the matching of policy with strategy. One cannot question the press for asking searching questions about a poor policy/ strategy match. This is more so because the press sometimes shapes policy as well as influence strategy and outcome of battles. For example, in his May 2004 well publicized article entitled “Kill Faster”, Ralph Peters, a New York Post Opinion Columnist and Fox News First Class Strategic Analyst exposed the fatal power of the media thus: “The U.S. Marines in Fallujah weren’t beaten by terrorists and insurgents, who were being eliminated effectively and accurately. They were beaten by Aljazeera….the media are often referred to off – handedly as a strategic factor. But we still don’t fully appreciate their fatal power…”. And use it to our maximum advantage. Similarly, as Douglas Porch rightly observed that “the institutional cultures of the two institutions are virtually antithetical….if the world of the journalist is freewheeling and entrepreneurial, the task of managing violence imposes on Continues tomorrow on pg 17 the soldier an organisation and attitude *Lt. Col Musa is with the Nigerian Army.

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relieved of their positions. Obasanjo, who manipulated Jonathan as President of Nigeria also pressured him to run for president in 2011. And now, one of his closest ministers during his imperial rule, Nasir el Rufai, has published a book which discloses that the same Obasanjo was also packaging a presidential ticket of Muhammadu Buhari and OBJ’s estranged former Minister of Finance who was Managing Director of the World Bank, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as running mate. Before el Rufai could make the contacts OBJ requested of him, the Ota fox was already back with Jonathan!

OBJ living under Aminu’s ‘curse'? But Prof. Aminu has absolutely no reason to wish Obasanjo not to rest in retirement. Obasanjo is not just his friend, they are part and parcel of the Nigerian ruling class that came into power after the Nigerian civil war and called the shots that brought the nation where it is today. Obasanjo is said to be a Christian (Baptist) while Aminu is a Muslim. Obasanjo is a Yoruba (though some dispute it) and Aminu is a Fulbe. But there is nothing ethnic, regional or religious when people of like-interests relate. It may interest some of you to know that Obasanjo met his late vivacious wife, Stella, when she was a secretary in Aminu’s office in the middle 1970s. That is how close they have been. Obasanjo and Aminu always did, and always will, close ranks politically because they have the same general ideas about how Nigeria should be run. But given the series of ugly twists that Obasanjo has encountered since he got off the saddle of power, it would seem

President Olusegun Obasanjo

that my friend’s interpretation of Aminu’s otherwise pep-talking of a politically wounded friend has come to pass. Apart from OBJ’s morbid calculations in pairing late President Umaru Yar’ Adua and Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to succeed him knowing that Umaru was terminally ill, OBJ’s other plans and options to remain politically powerful and relevant have systematically atrophied.

R ight now, he is up to the same game. He is said to be packaging a return of the presidency to the North, with Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State as presidential candidate and Governor Amechi of Rivers as deputy in 2015. He and his former aides, such as Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode and Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, started a media war against Jonathan’s administration, accusing him of wastefulness, corruption and inept leadership capacity. But just as the heat rose in the polity,

HAT do you make of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s post-power shenanigans? Do you still believe he is roaming from one end of the polity to the other because he is a “nationalist” and “loves Nigeria” more than others? Are you puzzled and asking the question: What does Obasanjo still want after ruling Nigeria twice and emerging as the longest serving president (eleven years seven months), having surpassed General Yakubu Gowon (nine years)? Or are you, like me, amused that his political skullduggery still manages to score, with some gullible Nigerians thinking he has the power to call the shots and fight the ills of this society when he is actually a major vector of those ills? I am sure you want me to start by explaining what I mean by Aminu’s “curse”? By Aminu, I mean the Aminu we all know: Jibril Aminu, Professor of Medicine, former Minister of Petroleum, Senator and Ambassador of Nigeria to the United States of America, etc. Let me draw your attention to an event that took place at the Wadata Plaza a couple of days after Obasanjo suffered one of the most humiliating political defeats of his life: The killing of the Constitution Amendment Bill (also known as Obasanjo’s Third Term Bid) on May 16th 2006 by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria presided over by Senator Ken Nnamani. The then Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Col. Ahmadu Ali (rtd) had called a meeting of the National Working Committee of the Party to make his “Let’s Move On” speech. As soon as he sat down, party chieftains stood up and basically consoled Obasanjo and his sorrowing acolytes. When Prof. Aminu got up, he started saying in an animated tone of voice: “Even in your retirement, you will never rest. You will never rest…!” I knew Aminu meant Obasanjo would continue to be of service to the country, given his hyper-active lifestyle, and the many problems besetting the country even after his long reign. But a friend who also watched this programme on television with us commented dryly: “That sounds more like a curse!” We all laughed, but it set me thinking. When you tell a man who is retiring from his exalted post that he will “never rest”, do not be ruffled if someone misconstrues it.

Jonathan even attended the launching of OBJ’s foundation in London recently, only to return and see off OBJ’s people from the PDP! GEJ is beginning to excel in OBJ’s own game of dissemblance. Remember how OBJ attended late ex-Senate President, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo’s housewarming party only to get him removed from power the following day in August 2000

Two weeks after his surrogate in Anambra, Andy Uba, was sworn-in, he was booted out of power by the courts. Months later, the Supreme Court restored the man he unilaterally cut out of the governorship race in Rivers State, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, to office. All the governors he installed in his native South West were flushed out, while all his candidates for the elections held since he left Aso Villa lost their seats and Obasanjo went back to losing in his polling booth. He was forced by prevailing circumstances to resign as Chairman, Board of Trustees of the PDP. And now, his nominees in the party’s national ruling organ, the South West caucus and the Ogun State branch, have been

Obasanjo mysteriously appeared at Aso Villa chapel, his controversial pet billionaire, Femi Otedola and daughter, Iyabo in tow. Jonathan even attended the launching of OBJ’s foundation in London recently, only to return and see off OBJ’s people from the PDP! GEJ is beginning to excel in OBJ’s own game of dissemblance. Remember how OBJ attended late ex-Senate President, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo’s housewarming party only to get him removed from power the following day in August 2000. Gov Lamido should watch it. OBJ will dump him and return to GEJ in the end. Obasanjo will never rest. Why should he? Shakespeare said it all: “The evil that men do lives after them, and the good is often interred with their bones!”

OPINION BY SAGIR MUSA “Public sentiment is everything. With public sentiment nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed. He who molds public opinion goes deeper than he who enacts statutes or pronounces decisions. He makes statutes or decisions possible or impossible to execute.” - President Abraham Lincoln

HE Nigerian Military is rated high in local and foreign peace keeping or peace enforcement operations. Its contributions to national unity, security and development are not in contest. Therefore, the military is increasingly concerned about its image and reputation mainly on its professional disposition and the civil-military relations that could improve its relationship with the media. The media - military relationship in Nigeria in most cases has been insalubrious and often contemptuous. The basic explanation is that the history, natures and cultures of the two institutions are, however, fundamentally adversative. The media by its very nature is skeptical, intrusive, freewheeling and entrepreneurial. The media responds to the basic tenets of its very existence to expose the actions of the governments, including the military to public scrutiny. This is more so because

Improving media-military relations the military’s involvement into politics and governance in Nigeria made it more susceptible to press inquiry, sterile of military permutation. The military, however, is hierarchical, regimental with great inner pride and loyalties. It is non-democratic, action oriented, audacious, intolerant and impatient to outside interference – all these are tendentious, and must be so if it is to be effective in exercising its constitutional responsibilities! Hence, the military prefers to carry out its activities behind closed doors, more so because the nature of its business somehow offends the sensibilities of the public on whose support it must rely on for its meaningful existence in protecting the territories of Nigeria against internal and external enemies. Many things the military legitimately does make little sense or impact to civilians who may have slight knowledge of military matters. Military operations are usually conceived, planned and executed in secret. Actions or inactions are on the need to know basis even at the unit level of the military. Consequently, any attempt to “giraffe” or expose its activities by or to unauthorised persons is considered

in the military as “subversive”. As a result, there are always divergence of interests and friction between the media and the military. Thus, this writer is concerned about public perception of the military visa vis understanding the friction, minimizing it and significantly improving media – military relationship in Nigeria. Hence, there is need to study media reportage of military activities overtime and its impact on the relationship between the two institutions. For example, one of the national dailies in Nigeria defied logic and ethics of the profession to extensively report on the country’s operational orders during her war with Cameroon over Bakassi Peninsula. Similarly, recently, the media was agog with unsubstantiated stories that the Joint Task Force in Borno State was involved in extrajudicial killings, arrest and detention of innocent civilians and suspected Boko Haram terrorists. Any of that singular act can change the fundamental contour of media – military relations. It was also a typical example of unethical journalism, as it is a common knowledge that world over, war plans must be jealously guarded. The army for example, may decide to strategically expose its capability but obviously not its operational orders or war plans.

Continues on pg 18 *Lt. Col Musa is with the Nigerian Army.

54—Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

PIB: What is good for Nigeria is good for Kano — Senator Abe Senator Magnus Abe, lawyer, politician, representing Rivers South East in the Senate on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is presently the Chairman, Committee on Petroleum (Downstream). He also chaired the Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum, Downstream, Upstream, Finance and Appropriation. Before coming to the Senate, he was a Minority Leader in the Rivers State House of Assembly, served as Commissioner for Information under the Peter Odili administration and subsequently as Secretary to the State Government in the administration of Governor Rotimi Amaechi. He spoke on issues pertaining to the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, in an interview in Abuja. Excerpts

BY HENRY UMORU

HAT is happening to the PIB Bill? The PIB is here in the National Assembly. It has not been slated on the order paper contrary to some insinuations here and there. There is no problem as far as I know with the PIB. It will be treated like any other law that comes to the floor of the Senate, but it is already being taken care of in the House of Representatives and it will definitely come up in the Senate. Like any other law that has the kind of impact and consequence that t h e PIB would have on economic life of this country, it has elicited quite some interests across the county. It is not just North and South. There are all sorts of interests in the PIB. The multinationals

that becomes the law that is binding on all Nigerians. So, I think that whatever misgivings or interest that people have in PIB will come out and be addressed. But what I know is that substantially, almost everyone I know in this country agree that there is a need for us to take a second look at the way we have been dealing with our hydrocarbon resources in this country. I don’t know of anybody whether from the North or South who believes that what we are getting now is the best that we can do. I don’t know of anybody who believes that what we are getting now is the best that we can get. What about opposition from the North against the PIB and how the presentation suffered on the floor of the Senate? What happened is that as you

I don’t know of anybody whether from the North or South who believes that what we are getting now is the best that we can do. I don’t know of anybody who believes that what we are getting now is the best that we can get

have their interest, the indigenous oil producers have their interest, the oil producing communities have their interest, and of course, every state in this country has an interest in the PIB because of the idea that it will one way or the other affect the revenue that accrues to the country. So it is not a bill that anybody would take lightly. So, I see the interest of all sections in the PIB as healthy and to be appreciated. The whole essence of a law is that it is the aggregate of what Nigerians agreed upon

would remember, the day the PIB was slated on the floor was the day after the aircraft that involved late General Azazi and late Governor of Kaduna State and everybody felt that it was not appropriate for such an important matter on a day immediately after such a tragedy. Nobody was in the mood to talk about PIB that day including myself. So, naturally it was agreed that it should be stood down to another legislative day but naturally because it was a PIB, if it was any other law, it wouldn’t have raised any eyebrows, but

because it was PIB, all sorts of insinuations have gone into why we did not take it on that day. So what will happen to the Bill now? It would be introduced. The nature of the senate and how issues are pitched, there are a lot of things that have been outstanding and I really can’t say for certain because I am not the chairman of Rules and Business. But some governors from the North are working against the Bill and in particular, the Kano State governor, what is your take on this? I haven’t heard the Governor of Kano say that, you are quoting him to me and I don’t think that the interest of the North is not protected in the senate. There are senators here from the North, definitely, at the end of the day, what we would pass would be what Nigerians agree upon and we won’t know what Nigerians agree upon unless we discuss the issue. The PIB is important to everybody in this country and if you hear reactions on the PIB, you shouldn’t deal with the extremes. Definitely in any piece of legislation, there would be extremes, but is the compromise position that becomes the position. If you hear some of the oil major producers, they are also taking an extreme position ‘if you pass the PIB bill, in fact we will stop investment in Nigeria.’ If you hear the executive (presidency) talking, they are also having some kind of extreme position that this is the minimum that the Nigeria government must get from its oil revenues. So, all across the place, people are taking position. If any governor has a

*Abe: position, he can stake it out, but the assurance I will give to any Nigerian is that the PIB will be discussed in the National Assembly and at the end of the day, it is the national interest that will move this country that will guide our deliberations in the senate and National Assembly and not particular interest of anybody. At the end of the day, what is good for Nigeria will be good for Kano. The whole idea of the PIB is to improve Nigeria as regards our hydro carbon resources. You can improve the position of Nigeria without improving the position of every State that benefits from our hydro carbon.

Benefits of hydro carbon I don’t think there is any way that any state will not benefit from greater improvement of our hydro carbon. For example, today, Nigeria is doing less than 2.6 million barrels, there are lots of people who believe we can do more than that if the atmosphere is right. If we do 4.6, won’t Kano get more money from what they are getting from 2.6 million? So, it is when you take the law and apply it to the general situation of the country that you find out what is good or bad about it. But I am open-minded about it. If people are able to convince all of us that the law

would be bad for Nigeria, I would not support it. Months after the Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum Downstream and Upstream, Finance and Appropriation completed its job on the utilization of subsidy and the report laid, nothing is happening. Why? Let me say that the issue of the senate investigation into oil subsidy has been concluded, submitted in the open and not privately. It was submitted to the senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So, as a chairman of the committee, it is when I am called upon by the senate to come and present the report that I will do so. When I present the report, then you know whether I have been settled or not but like I said earlier, it is not the place of an individual senator to determine what the senate will discuss. That is the function of the Rules and Business Committee and contrary to what you are saying, the report has actually been slated twice for discussion but we couldn’t take it. So, there are so many reports, bills, motions that are before the senate, I don’t think there would be any time when anybody will say that a report will not be discussed in the senate, it would be discussed because it is a document that is with the senate.

Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013 — 55

It is strange some Nigerians are opposed to PIB — Hon. Peterside

*Peterside

Hon. Dakuku Peterside representing Opobo/ Nkoro/Andoni federal constituency at the House of Representatives is the Chairman of the Green Chamber’s Committee on Petroleum (Downstream). In this interview he gives a deeper insight into the content of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) presently before the National Assembly and concludes that it is a legislation that should be supported by all sections of the country. BY OKEY NDIRIBE

WHAT is your response to some of the remarks of Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State and some others about the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) which is presently before the National Assembly? I do not think that Governor Kwankwaso has gone through the Petroleum Industry Bill yet. Incidentally, he was a one a one-time member of the House of Representatives. Very Often, people take positions based on information at their disposal. In the first place, what Northern leaders should understand is that the Bill intends to open up the economy for further investments. It creates the opportunity for more revenue to enter Federal Government’s coffers and by extension the purse of Kano State and all other states in the country. Presently, the economy is being strangulated and all this is because there is restricted opportunity for investment. This is mainly as a result of uncertainty in the petroleum sector. I plead with the Northern leaders to try to understand what the issues are. If they do, they would take a different position. I assume they all believe in Nigeria and progress.

Our economy is still a third world economy which requires a lot of investment in infrastructure. The PIB addresses all of that. I have come to realise that what some Northern leaders are opposed to is the allocation of 10 percent from the profit of oil companies to their host communities. But If we have peace in the host communities of the Niger Delta, then it is better for the entire nation. There is no doubt that the nation has lost trillions of naira as a result of the absence of peace in the region. Another benefit derivable from the PIB is that we would now transfer responsibility for the protection of oil pipelines to the communities.

Pipeline vandalism This would ensure there would no longer be pipeline vandalism thereby leading to higher production of crude oil. Again, the environment would not be compromised. We would then have much more money for development. I do not even think the bill is unpopular among northerners; I think most people in the North support the PIB because they know it is good for the economy. They know it will ensure that there is more money to be

shared by all tiers of government. This 10 percent we are talking about will not come from federation account. It would be 10 percent of company profits. It would not affect money going into the federation account in any way. It is the oil companies that should be raising alarm and questioning why they must part with 10 percent of their profits. It is strange that this time around, the oil companies are not protesting, instead it is a few of our brothers from the Northern part of the country who are protesting. Can you comment on media reports that the Northern Senators Forum appointed a consultant who studied the bill and made recommendations which formed the basis of the opposition of the group and perhaps that of the Northern Governors Forum? My view is that if any consultant adviced the Northern Senators forum that the PIB is not good for the North, then such a consultant should really go and reexamine himself. Such a consultant does not really have the interest of the North at heart; he doesn’t mean well for them. He must be doing a yeoman’s job; because that is not the true picture at all. If they say that the bill as presented by the executive needs some t y p e of refinement, that is okay. Another aspect of the bill that needs to be commented on is the

aspect that deals with frontier exploration for oil. I am sure you know that there is oil in at least 50 percent of the present Northern region. All we need is re-dedication to explore those frontiers. The bill seeks to create an institution that would explore for oil in the frontier areas of Nigeria. If oil is eventually found in the North, the affected states would then join the league of oil producing states. But Kwankwaso remarked that giving more money to the oil producing states or communities is like giving more money to those who already have too much. What can you say about this? I want to look at the converse situation that if there is no oil exploration in the Niger Delta, there would be nothing to be shared. Can you throw more light on that point ? What this means is that as a result of a hostilities in the oil producing communities,

we may not be able to produce oil. If you can recall, there was a time our oil production fell to an all-time low of 700,000 barrels per day. The situation was unlike now that we are producing between 2.4 and 2.5 million barrels per day. At that time, we were producing between 500,000 and 700,000 barrels per day. Nigeria’s income which is mainly from oil fell to a very low level. What happened then was that after the meager income was shared, many states in the north couldn’t pay the salaries of their workers. Let us not go back to that period. The options are do we enhance oil production, so that we realize more money. This implies that when the money is shared everybody gets more even if the oil producing states would get a bit more of the revenue. Let us assume we attain 3.5 or 4.5 million barrels of oil everyday, there would be more money to be shared and every state would get more revenue.

56—Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Vanguard

SUBSIDY CLAIMS:

CLASSIFIED

Police clears Capital Oil of allegations

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

•Access Bank accused of subterfuge

VEN as the Access Bank Plc contests recent court judgment on its case with Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited, the Special Fraud Unit, SFU, of the Nigeria Police has cleared Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah and his company of wrong doing regarding its subsidy claims. Last August, the Presidential Committee on the Verification and Reconciliation of Fuel Subsidy Payments, which was chaired by Aigboje AigImoukhuede, the Managing Director of Access Bank, had indicted Capital Oil and many other oil marketing companies for various anomalies in their subsidy claims. But Capital Oil in a statement made available to Vanguard, said Police investigations revealed that the company did not commit any crime in the subsidy claims. The statement read in part: “The clearance by the Police was contained in a letter dated February 12, 2013 written to the Minister of Finance, a copy of which was made available to us, the Inspector General of Police, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Debt Management Office and PPPRA.” Access Bank accused of reneging on agreements Capital Oil explained in the statement that it was being forced to comment on the matter following moves by Access Bank to renege on the terms of agreements reached over its dispute with Access Bank and Coscharis Motors. It would be recalled that Capital Oil and Ubah, were among the first cases to be charged to court, mainly fuelled by its loan imbroglio with Access Bank, which was obtained through Coscharis Motors with the assistance of its Chief Executive, Mr. Cosmas Maduka, then a director of the bank. Maduka had since been relieved of his directorship for flouting Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN’s rules concerning loans to bank directors. The statement read: “It was our sincere belief that Access Bank will honour the terms of settlement signed by the parties on February 9, 2013 by avoiding any further media attack against us. We are saddened to note, however, that Access Bank still gives the erroneous impression that our legal disputes with her are on-going.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013 —57

FG to enhance Police efficiency through modern gadgets •As Mikano donates N150m traffic stands BY BOLAJI AJALA

HE Federal Government has said that collaborative efforts were in place to provide modern security gadgets that will enhance operations of the Nigeria Police and the state of security in the country. The Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, who disclosed this during the presentation of 3000 police stands and patrol vehicles by Mikano International

Limited, also said the move will make the Police physically and mentally fit to perform its duties, adding that efforts were being made to provide sufficient modern gadget that will enable police carry out its duties effectively. He said: “The well being of our staff is paramount to us. However, considerable efforts have been put in place to provide the necessary equipment needed to enable them perform their duties

especially as regards the security challenge facing the country.” While receiving the stands, the Police chief thanked Mikano for its good gestures and promised that the traffic stands will be judiciously used and distributed all over the country. Abubakar also said that the stands came in very handy as Policemen needed them to carrying out their tasks, stressing that they would not be smitten by sun or drenched by the rain while controlling the traffic.

L-r: Niger State governor, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu; former Vice president Atiku Abubakar; and the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa'ad Abubakar III; during the Al-Huda Old Boys Association’s 50th anniversary, at the Sheik Abubakar Gummi Memorial College, Sokoto.

60 Army officers quizzed over exam malpratices

BOUT 60 officers of the Nigerian Army are currently being interrogated for allegedly cheating during the just concluded promotion examination held at the 1st Mechanised Division, Kaduna. If found culpable at the end of investigation by the Military Police unit of the Force, the officers, according to Army authorities, would be charged before a court of competent jurisdiction for trial. Vanguard gathered that 300 officers, captains and lieutenants, sat for the mandatory promotion examination between February 10 and 15, 2013, out of which only 60 of them who allegedly saw the leaked questions, passed. The leaked answers was reportedly found in the cell phone of

one of the officers, a lieutenant, while the examination was going on, despite instruction to keep mobile phones away from the hall. Report said the officer bolted immediately the deed was discovered. But already, he had allegedly passed the answers round to some of his friends. Also indicted in the examination leakage saga, was a clerk alleged to have made the questions available to the lieutenant. Although it was gathered that the result was currently generating an uproar from the 240 officers who failed the exam, as they claimed only those who saw the leaked questions passed the exams. They also expressed shock that no measure had been taken to punish the alleged cheats.

We’re not planning to form a political party—G37 BY CHARLES KUMOLU

GROUP, G-37 has denied media reports that it was planning to form a new political party, saying it was non-partisan with members drawn from all the major political parties in the country. A statement by its Chairman Publicity Committee, Sen Emmanuel Onwe, said the group is a platform where Nigerians from every part of the country and various political divides can sit together and discuss national issues, adding: “A press report about our group G37 was leaked to the media, yesterday.We believe that it is important

and expedient to clarify the relevant issues and let the world know precisely who we are and what we stand for. The G37 comprises politicians, professionals and businessmen from all over the country who have an interest in the unfolding political scenario in our country and who seek to make an input in the development of Nigeria. “We have created a strong platform where Nigerians from every part of the country and from all the various political divides can sit together and discuss national issues, forge national unity and cohesion and help our country to move forward. Every state of our country is well represented in the group.”

58 —Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Anglicans warn against gay marriage

Abia PDP members kick against Kalu’s readmission

BY EBUN SESSOU & OLAYINKALATONA AGOS—PRIMATE of Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh, yesterday called on Nigerians especially Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion not to embrace the culture of gay marriage now rampant in Europe. Speaking during the consecration service of Very Reverend Simon Borokini, Venerable Geoffery Okoroafor and Venerable James Odedeji as Bishops of Akure, Egbu and Lagos West respectively, at the Cathedral of St. Jude, Ebute Metta, Lagos, Okoh described homosexuality, lesbianism and gay marriage as great evils that must neither be condoned nor allowed to exist in Nigerian society. Okoh said: “There are lots of immoralities going on in the world and we do not want our Bishops or our members to be involved in any act of immoralities. I am calling on our clergies not to allow any influence from any quarter to corrupt the church of Christ.”

BY ANAYO OKOLI MUAHIA—MEMBERS of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from the 17 local government areas of Abia State, weekend, stormed the Government House, to protests the re-admission of the former governor of the state, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, into the party, saying they did not want him back. The protesters displaying several anti-Kalu placards, said the party presently was enjoying peace and claimed that if Kalu was admitted crisis could engulf the party. Led by party chairmen in the local governments, the protesters including ward chairmen, were received by the Deputy Governor, Chief Emeka Ananaba. In a statement jointly signed by the chairmen and read by Mr. Kingsley Imaga , Chairman of the party in Ohafia, and handed over to Ananaba, they insisted their opposition to Kalu rejoining the party. According to them: “People who do the unusual are always challenged by evil forces. We know that there are many forces fighting you unjustly. Do not be dis-

My work ‘ll speak for me —Gov Orji

MUAHIA—ABIA State governor, Chief Theodore Orji has said his work will speak for him despite opposition’s plots to rubbish his developmental efforts through media propaganda. In a statement in Umuahia, weekend, the governor through his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr. Ben Onyechere said: “The temptation to drag us into politics of media propaganda will not be condoned because the facts are on the ground as our efforts are in the public domain for all to see. “My pact with Abians which is to change their faith by re-inventing the growth of commerce for which we are known through provision of enabling environment for businesses to thrive can not be deterred. “We are committed to the development of basic infrastructure. Our resolve to provide security to all Abians is not negotiable as it is the only substance we can bequeath to our people and for which posterity will judge us.”

couraged. You have us to fight with you. The enemy battles in vain. This visit is to further convince you that we are celebrating you and have no room as party faithful to welcome a huge failure into the party.

“We do not need a soothsayer to tell us that you have brought good tidings and uncommon development to Abia people which the likes of the former governor denied Abians and are in turn trying to truncate. We do not want him. We do not want to identify with a cog in the

VISIT: Commandant-General, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Dr. Ade Abolarin (middle); Mr. Fred Odueme, AGM, Brand, Vanguard (2nd right); Mr. Emma Nnadozie, Vanguard Group Crime Editor (2nd left); the facilitator, Dr. Dan Okeke (left) and Vanguard Reporter, JohnBosco Agbarakwu, during a visit by the Senior Managers from Vanguard Newspapers to NSCDC boss in Abuja.

Nigeria’s economy on brink of collapse, ACN warns BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

AGOS—THE Action Con gress of Nigeria, ACN, weekend said, unless the Federal Government cut the astronomical cost of running government with urgent measures to diversify the economy and shore up the production of oil, the economy would soon collapse. National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement said: ‘’Contrary to what the Federal Government may say, this warning is not about crying wolf but is actually borne out of a patriotic fervour devoid of politicking, which is the usual refrain of this government when alerted to its shortcomings. “We will like to be proven wrong, but this will depend on uncommon and monumental effort, rather than on the basis of the usual canned response from the government.’’ ACN said the red alert was based on four empirical evidence: The cost of oil production which has skyrocketed from 4 dollars per barrel in 2002 to 35 dollars presently; the massive corruption in the oil sector, with oil theft and sabotage leading to lost production and costing Nigeria some 6 billion dollars annually in crude theft; the sharp fall in the discovery of new oil and gas reserves due to the low in-

wheel of progress of Abia state.” Addressing the protesters, the deputy governor commended their peaceful conduct and promised to deliver their message to the governor for onward delivering to the party at the national level.

vestment in the sector, and the most serious of all, the challenge posed by alternative sources of global supply of oil and gas. The party said the cost of oil production rose from only 4 dollars per barrel in 2002 to 7 dollars per barrel in 2005 and, from the 12 dollars per barrel at the

onset of the Yar ’Adua/ J o n a t h a n Administration in 2012 to 35 dollars per barrel in 2012, according to the just-concluded Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference in Abuja, where the mind-boggling cost hike was attributed to the cost of security in the Niger Delta.

Cashew production ‘ll boost nation’s revenue —Gov Wada BY DANIEL GUMM

OKOJA — THE Kogi State Government, weekend restated its commitment to the development of cashew production in the country, arguing that if the industry was taken more seriously it could generate more revenue than petroleum to the federal coffer. Governor Idris Wada, who stated this at the annual national cashew season flag-off in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, explained that his administration was interested in boosting the production of cashew, because the crop thrived very well within the state, noting that most of the cashew produced in the state were wasted due to non- value addition. Wada, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Professor

Olugbemiro Jegede, explained that Kogi State had keyed into the Federal Government’s Agricultural Tranformation Agenda and called on investors to come to invest in cashew processing in the state, assuring that the environment was business friendly. The SSG said Kogi State, the largest producer of cashew in the country produeced over 40 per cent of of the total annual 120,000 metric tons, insisting that there was the need to change unorganised bush farming with its attendant wastages. Speaking, National President, National Cashew Association of Nigeria, NCAN, Mr. Tola Faseru, said that the annual cashew season flagoff was begining of new era of cashew in Kogi State.

NIPP: Citizens spoil for war over alleged swindling by estate surveyors BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

WERRI—THE National Integrated Power Project, NIPP, may have run into a hitch, following the discovery that people whose property lie between Alaoji in Abia State and Owerri, Imo State, allegedly swindled by some estate surveyors and valuers are now spoiling for war. Vanguard investigation revealed that although these property owners may have lost billions of Naira in the process, they have, however, vowed not to part with their property until they recover every unpaid kobo accruable to them. Irked by this ugly development, one of the aggrieved property owners and Managing Director of ABC Transport, Mr. Frank Nneji, has dragged one of the estate surveyors and valuers (name withheld) to an Owerri High Court, with a view to recovering his unpaid money. Narrating his ordeal in a 16paragraph affidavit filed in suit number HOW/819/2012, Mr. Nneji, expressed shock that while the Federal Government and/or Power Holding Company of Nigeria/NIPP approved the sum of N220,999,500 for his property at Umuofor Egbu, the estate surveyor and valuer paid him only N90 million. According to him, “The pur-

Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25 , 2013 — 59

Chad loses 10 soldiers as Islamists begin guerilla battle

RENCH President Francois Hollande has said his country’s forces are engaged in the “final phase” of the fight against militants in northern Mali. He said there had been heavy fighting in the Ifoghas mountains, where members of alQaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) were thought to be hiding. Mr Hollande also praised Chadian troops for their efforts in the same area. Thirteen Chadian soldiers and some 65 militants were killed in

clashes on Friday, according to the Chadian army. Chad’s government has promised to deploy 2,000 troops as part of the African-led International Support Mission to Mali (Afisma). US drones Speaking in Paris at the weekend, President Hollande said “heavy fighting” was taking place in the far north of Mali, near the Algerian border. “Our Chadian friends launched an attack yesterday which was very harsh with significant

loss of life. “This is the final phase of the process since it is in that massif [the Ifoghas mountains] that AQIM forces have probably regrouped,” he said. “Our Chadian friends launched an attack yesterday which was very harsh with significant loss of life,” Mr Hollande added. “I want to praise what the Chadians are doing.” The latest fighting was between Islamists militants and ethnic Tuareg in the In-Khalil area, near the border town of Tessalit.

S/Korea swears-in first female president

ARK Geun-hye will be sworn in as South Korea’s first female president today with her administration pledging to open a new era of people’s happiness and hope for the future. Park, 61, assumes executive power just after midnight yesterday with her inaugural speech the next day set to focus on creating more jobs, expanding welfare, and strengthening national defense. She is also expected to emphasize at her inauguration ceremony at 11 a.m. on the front lawn of the National Assembly the need to seek national unity to effectively deal with polarization of wealth and heal social discord, as well as push for an open and transparent government that listens to the wishes of the people. As part of the new administration’s motto to strive for people’s

happiness, Park will elaborate on her innovation-driven economic growth plan that aims to stimulate the local job market, a welfare system tailored to individual needs, and a

safe and secure society. She is expected to touch on education and cultural policies to improve people’s quality of life and the need to lay a firm foundation for unification with North Korea.

Italians vote for new govt

TALY voted yesterday in one of the most unpredictable elections in years, with many voters expressing rage against a discredited elite and doubt that a government will emerge strong enough to combat a severe economic crisis. “I am pessimistic. Nothing will change,” said Luciana Li Mandri, 37, as she cast a ballot in the Sicilian capital Palermo on the first of two days of voting that continues today.. “The usual thieves will be in government.”, she added. Her gloom reflected the

mood across Italy, where many voters said they thought the new administration would not last long, just the opposite of what Italy needs to combat the longest slump in 20 years, mounting unemployment and a huge public debt. The election is being closely watched by investors whose memories are fresh of a debt crisis which forced out scandal-plagued conservative premier Silvio Berlusconi 15 months ago and saw him replaced by economics professor Mario Monti.

DR Congo: African leaders sign peace deal

EGIONAL African leaders have signed a UN-brokered accord which aims to bring peace to the troubled eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The deal was signed in

the presence of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. He said he hoped it would bring “an era of peace and stability” to the region.

N/Korea officials meet nuclear developers

OP DPRK officials, including President of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly, Kim Yong-nam, met with nuclear developers to congratulate them on their contributions to the latest successful nuclear test. The scientists are visiting Pyongyang at the invitation of leader Kim Jong-un. The senior officials

described the recent nuclear test as a magnificent act in the country’s history. They said it further showed DPRK’s spirit of action and described the nuclear developers as real patriots. The officials told the nuclear scientists to further develop their nuclear technology, and to enhance the country’s nuclear deterrent, saying this will contribute to the DPRK’s dignity.

As many as 800,000 people have been displaced since the March 23 rebel group took up arms against the Kinshasa government last May. “It is only the beginning of a comprehensive approach that will require sustained engagement,” Mr Ban said. The agreement, signed by leaders and representatives of 11 countries of the Great Lakes region, may lead to the establishment of a special UN intervention brigade in eastern Congo, along with political efforts to bring peace. An initial attempt to get the peace agreement signed last month was called off at the last minute.

60—Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

HEN Karl Heinrich Marx, the 19th Century German Philosopher, Economist, Sociologist, Historian, Journalist and Revolutionary Socialist, declared that religion is the opium of the people, he could as well have been speaking of contemporary Nigeria and other undeveloped parts of the world. Religions have provided deceptive avenues for the location and hide-out of every manner of persons who have failed in other careers. Instead of using their past failures or nonfulfilment as a stepping stone to attempt other careers, they descend on religion; religion thus has provided unlimited space for several of such vocational dropouts to hibernate. With nothing but money in their mind, they plot the exploitation of human weaknesses for their selfish benefits, through preying on gullible and unsuspecting adherents. And a sketch of world religions will clearly demonstrate that religion is a strong commodity. Little wonder that Karl Marx can make his captivating submission. Religion is the opium of the

people, one of his most frequently paraphrased statements, was translated from the German original, “Die Religion…ist das opium des Volkes.” The quotation originates from the introduction of his epic work, “A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right.” The full quote is: "Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium

Religions have provided deceptive avenues for the location and hide-out of every manner of persons who have failed in other careers

of the people.” This commentary perhaps may or may not generate diverse opinions. But reactions are

WORLD RELIGIONS Four largest religions

Adherents

Per of further world information

World population

6.9 billion

Figure used by individual article

Christianity

2,000,000,000

29% Christianity by country

Islam

1,650,000,000

24% Islam by country

No religion

1,100,000,000

16% Irreligion by country

Hinduism

999,800,358 89,807,761 – 690,847,214

14.5% Hinduism by country 7.342%

Buddhism

1,921,989,641depending on extent of syncretism

10.356% 28.775% Buddhism by country

6.8 billion

93.5%

Total

What is God saying about this time BY CLEMENT UDEGBE

HENEVER a strange situation developed in the history of the Biblical Israel, their judge, ruler, or king, depending on the time in history, prayed, asking God what He was saying concerning that situation. From Abraham to Samuel, and David, leaders of Israel always enquired of the Lord. The Urim and Thumin was never far from King David to enquire of the Lord. On the few occasions he went out of the way God was leading, he paid dearly for the mistake; for example, the affair with Bathsheba. They enquired because God had and has answers to every situation concerning His specially chosen people, the nation of Isreal. We are the spiritual nation of Isreal in the gentile world by the power of the blood, shed on the cross. God, therefore, has answers for all our questions and situations. When the people of Israel offended Samuel in 1 Sam 8:6-7 by asking for a king so they can be like other nations, God said it was Him that Israel rejected, and then gave them Saul as their King.Whenever the saints who are the spiritual Israel want to conform to or be like nations around them it is God they are rejecting by so doing, and the effects will always be serious in the end. King Saul later died, and God repented of His decision to have made him a king over Israel(1 Sam 15:35, and 16:1). If God can repent of His decision, we must not let our mistakes keep us from moving forward. God will give us the wisdom to regain our lost moment as in 1 Sam 16:23, where He told Samuel how to anoint David, without courting the wrath of King Saul. Recent events in our world should tell us where God is looking and going, but we are not asking what He is saying.

When about six years ago, Barack Obama announced that he wanted to lead America, many thought he was on a political suicide mission, but God said he would lead, and Obama became President. Last year against all odds, he again won another tenure of four years because God said so! I learned five things from Obama: Mind the company you keep, mind what you say, deploy all resources that is available, work as if your life depended on that project, and pray as if it was the last one.Is God not saying something to you, me, Africa and the world? The death of Colonel Muammar Ghadafi of Libya in 2011, was a fallout of the Arab Spring- a gathering of what I call all the children of Esau according to Scripture. This gathering against the nation of Israel has been prophesied in Psalm 83:5-8. But verses 13-17 are most instructive, the prayer of the anointed King. We are kings, being the sons of the King of kings, our prayers can be devastating to every gathering of the enemy of the spiritual Isreal, just like it is to the enemies of the nation of Isreal even today. When Ghadafi in 2009,prophesied that Nigeria would divide into Christian and Muslim nations, a few Saints saw this as the prayer of Balam over Isreal, and because they knew what God was saying; only two of them that I knew , went to the mountain in Ekiti State, and prayed against the wicked prophecy, reversing it. Two years after, Ghadafi met his death! When people prophesy evil upon Nigeria, or upon our lives, we must rise up and cancel or reverse it; that is the inheritance of the righteous! After Ghadafi’s crisis, Syria came under judgement. But prior to this, Egypt was put on the God’s scale. President Hosni Mubarak fell, now President Horsi is on the saddle, but he does not seem to care about what God is saying, and if he continues to

BY AYO OPADOKUN

Nigerian clerics: Kicking God, kissing the dog

welcome as long as they are meant to draw the attention of Nigerian clergymen and clergywomen to introspectively re-consider their individual or group profile before God, Whom they claim to serve, before their innocent adherents and before the larger society. Let me also state strongly that I am not passing judgment on the clerics but calling their attention to the unsavoury image the lifestyle of some within their fold has created for Nigerian Christians. I am not unmindful of the fact that in recent times, Nigerian clergymen and clergywomen have done some positive work to expand the Kingdom of God and the Good News globally. It is a fact that today, it is

Do not let the devil deceive you; those who pursue righteousness, holiness, pay their tithes, and offerings, and help the poor will be positioned for the massive wealth transfer that is coming

support the containment of Isreal, his fall will come. Syria is now confused and decimated, King Assad is killing his own people, how else will Psalm 83:17 manifest?

raq was the first nation in the modern world to shoot missile war heads at Israel; they paid dearly for it and still paying. Iran's cup will soon be full, and their judgement by God will descend. The Arab Spring has risen against Isreal and for that their confusion will not wane! Russia continues to prevaricate over support for Israel, so shall their strength as a world power be reducing, and if they fail to hear what God is saying, they will fall flat on their face even as a world power because power belongs to God! A meteor exploded on the February 15 in Russia. Was that a sign from God? We will know what God is saying in Numbers 24:8-9.Balam confirmed that Israel is blessed by God, cursed is anyone that curses Israel, and blessed is him that blesses Israel. Nigeria is warned not to allow Muslim fundamentalists to drag her into cursing Israel because the saints will not partake of the devastation that will follow. Mali is home to Alqaeda cells, and Boko Haram has aligned with them , now Mali

Nigerian priests on missionary exploits who are building large churches in the states of Europe, Asia and the United States of America. The Europeans and Americans, who in the 19th and 20th centuries came on missionary journeys to Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African nations, have virtually moved on to other pastimes, as their societies have conquered hunger, and achieved self-sufficiency in housing, clothing, efficient transportation, relatively quality education, medical care and care for the aged. These services that Western societies take for granted are still the aspirations of a continent, where about 70 per cent citizenry remains pauperized and dehumanized by both military and civilian rulers who have appropriated the commonwealth to themselves and their fellow conspirators. The current state of religion’s expansion in Nigeria without commensurate godliness is just part of the fulfilment of the prophecy contained in both the Old Testament and the New Testament as signs of the end times. These signs are illustrated particularly in Ezekiel 34:2-7 and 27, and Matthew 24:11-12, respectively. Ezekiel 34:7-10 and 27 states: Continues tomorrow on the Viewpoints pg *Mr. Opadokun is chair Central Working Committee, CODER.

will soon be like Somalia,-the effects of same prophecy! The first suicide bombing was recorded in Mali, early in February 2013, and they now have three incidents since then. The calamity on the children of Esau will be increasing and spreading for as long as they ally against and curse Israel. God is warning the North of Nigeria to review its steps, fight and stop Boko Haram before suicide bombing will ravage their lands. We hear Malians have infiltrated some Southern states like Lagos and Ibadan. We must have nothing to do with them, for they are cursed for cursing Israel! The saints in the South and North Nigeria must pray so that we shall not be partakers of this curse. What is God saying with the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, the first since over 600 years ago? When a Black Pope emerges, what will it mean for the Black race and the world? Is God repositioning the Black race? Is it time for the world to reassess its offences against the Black race during slavery? When the descendants of Africa rule over America and the Vatican what is God saying to you and me as Africans? The Church in Nigeria, with good humanitarian heart and deeds, will blossom and find favour before America, Europe and the world this time. Africa will benefit immensely and grow, but Nigeria may not gain optimally if she does not put her house in order by stamping out corruption. Corruption remains the bane of this nation. There is a great wealth transfer grace in favour of Africa this time, but only those who follow 2 Cor 9: 7-11as cheerful givers will tap immensely into it. Do not let the devil deceive you; those who pursue righteousness, holiness, pay their tithes, and offerings, and help the poor will be positioned for the massive wealth transfer that is coming. Praying for Israel will bring blessings. Praying a Black man into the Papacy will bring favour to Africa.That is what God is saying to us.

*Bishop Udegbe, a lawyer, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, MONDAY MONDAY,, FEBRUARY 25, 2013—61 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

VIRGO; As Saturn enters your Star Sign today it is important you are more practical and seek all important supports of the influential people around you. Be more loving. LIBRA; The more ambitious you are today the better for your cause. And here is a good day to plan for the future but you must do away with whatever can not be placed above board. Yong-at-heart among you may be in for a romantic day. SCORPIO; Even if you are tempted to gamble by whoever and/or whatsoever reason you must resist it or else you would be the loser. Being aggressive may help SAGITTARIUS; Provided you are willing to co-operate with other poople things will not go out of hands but exhibition of inordinate ambition can earn you avoidable trouble.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY By Richard Eromosele

O many people, thought is formless, baseless and abstract. To some, it is like a mere shadow. Yet, to others, it is a very simple and ordinary thing to do. But the truth is that, thinking is the hardest

Live your thought thing for a man to do. Studies have shown that the human mind produces thousands of thoughts every second, every minute and every hour and every day. And these

TERROR MUDA

thoughts are either positive or negative. No one mind produces negative thoughts all the time, not even the most wicked of minds. Same thing with the

in “Never say goodbye”

positive. What distinguishes everyone of us, is our ability to organise our thought. Are you living your thought today? Thinking for thinking same cannot take you far in life. So, don’t just think, act your thought. By Lanre Kehinde

CAPRICORN; Element of luck will assist you. Those of you who are more hard working will have more positive things to show for your efforts. Take care of your health. AQUARIUS; Many natives of this Zodiac sign will be excited either because of romantic interest within your working arena or practical advancement at work. PISCES; Reason with those you can take as veterans within your base of operation because if you want to force your way without carrying necessary and more experienced people along it would back-fire now or soonest ARIES; The more creative you are the better for your cause. However is typical day when too much expectation can bring disappointment. Be more family minded. TAURUS; If your priority is financial success you may not be disappointed provided you prepare for a few challenges. For now both your mental energy and physical attributes are enough to win you love not MONEY. Be more receptive.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

GEMINI; This is your day when both good luck and your personal efforts will bring you success. Try to be as caring as possible to those within your base. CANCER; Although there will be challenges at the end of it all you will have genuine cause to smile. The more secretive you are the better for your cause. This is not the right time to ignore your sex life. Do away with unnecessary argument. LEO; This is not the right time for you to either gamble with money or take friends for granted. Secret lovers may be in for an exciting day.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

Should I remain hopeful? Dear Joshua I want your in-depth analysis and tell me about my social life, and the time I am likely to have my much desired break-through in life. I am hopeful though Anonymous Nigeria. Dear Anonymous, Yes be very hopeful. And what you will find here-under will answer your questions. YOUR SOCIAL LIFE Social life will always bring you attention good luck envy opposition and possibly fame. The best way for you not to be constant loser in the social world is to always study situation practically and know that your finance will not suffer (if it can not be beneficiary) from the setting before taking responsibility. As for influential friends you will have them but never always take them for granted. Sudden SUCCESS will come your way during your 44th year on earth and will serve as a break-through year you can build great foundation of endless success on. But the same 44th year will bring love related challenges you must manage with all maturity or else it will linger till after your 46th year on earth.

Commen3

by Lawrence Akapa

62— Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

I want more trophies — Mikel N

IGERIA star Mikel Obi has said he wishes for more success with club and country as that would make him a more matured player and person. “Every big tournament you win seems to take you to another level, both as a player and a person,’ Mikel told Chelsea official website. “You mature by winning major trophies, that’s what it’s done for me since I’ve been at Chelsea, I’ve won pretty much everything but I’m still hungry for success.” Mikel won his first Africa Cup of Nations winners’ medal earlier this month and he has won all the major trophies on offer with Chelsea – UEFA Champions League, English Premier League, English FA Cup and League Cup.

Mikel with the Afcon trophy

Ferguson: Title race not over yet

ANCHESTER United manager Alex Ferguson says the Premier League title race is far from over despite seeing his side move 12 points clear of Manchester City after a 2-0 win at Queens Park Rangers. With 11 games remaining, and City due to face third-place Chelsea today, Ferguson’s side are

in a dominant position, but the manager refused to declare his side champions-elect. “We’re in a better position today (Saturday) than we were yesterday,” he said. “It’s one game less and it’s really important and the way we can approach it is by winning the next game."

Wolves Continues from BP from Warri Wolves to the Enugu side at the end of last season. War ri Wolves have repeatedly said that the attacking midfielder was still their player as transfer formalities had not been done. The Nigeria Premier League Interim M a n a g e m e n t Committee had also looked into the player ’s contract and ruled him a Warri Wolves player. But Mba made the following comment yesterday: “We were four players that left Warri Wolves before the Nations Cup. Why is it that I am the only one they are bothering. The truth of the matter is that I have no contract with Wolves.” Wolves so sure that no transfer formalities had taken place yesterday directed Mba to return to the club for training on or before Friday,

March 1. “We don’t want to be exchanging words or be arguing about Sunday Mba. If he were a bonafide player of Rangers let them field him in a match and see if they would not be sanctioned,” Amaju Pinnick, the Executive Chairman of Delta State Sports Commission said, adding that “the Interim Management Committee ruled on February 13 that he was a Warri Wolves player as Rangers were yet to buy him and we want to leave it at that.” War ri Wolves spokesman, Etu Moses tried to accuse Mba of treachery, saying “ why did he present himself as Warri Wolves player and collected additional N2.5m when the governor of Delta State rewarded Super Eagles players on February 14 with N2.5m each? “His

Okpala Continues from BP ahead. He pointed out that despite the rapturous celebrations that followed the Eagles success story in South Africa, “many Nigerians doubted their ability. “We had faith in what we were doing. It was not easy anyway as many people never believed in what we were doing. Things were not as bad as people made it to look. But whether we played a good game or below standard, compared with other games in the tournament, we were never dominated by our opponents,” Okpala defended their performance in Afcon, and insisted that poor officiating and, perhaps, a dint of luck complicated Super Eagles’ start to the tournament. “Everybody saw what happened in the first game; we lost a man and ended up conceding a late equaliser. Against Zambia, we all saw the late penalty against us and the resultant equaliser. If that is how penalties are awarded then the Super Eagles would have had up to twenty C M Y K

before Zambia would have got their own. “Against Ethiopia, we knew the match was going to be our toughest in the group. Many people do not know that Ethiopia played their best match against Eagles because they wanted to prove a point. But we raised our game. “We started knowing

became N5m because the governor doubled the reward for all the Warri Wolves players. He has one year remianing in his contract,” Moses said, adding that the club expected Mba to resume in Warri on or before March 1, 1013. Rangers’ spokesman Foster Chime said yesterday that “this matter is between the Delta Football Association and the Enugu State Football Association. At the 2009/1010 season, Sunday Mba went to Dolphin on loan from Rangers and another matter is to know how he ended up in Warri Wolves. The chairman of our state FA, Chidi Okenwa has all the documents and we will be going to Abuja to sort out things.” The Delta FA said yesterday they equally had documents to prove that Rangers had no genuine claim on Mba. the boys better after the first two matches. We began to adjust the team as the matches came. Against Ivory Coast we, the coaches were sure we could stop them because we had seen them play, and we watched their tapes several times. And you could see that they hardly found the ball to play. The tactical approach from coach Stephen Keshi was fantastic.”

Boxing Champion Continues from BP ranged for cocaine to be delivered to undercover Sun reporters by a dealer who repeatedly boasted about his close links to the fighter. And Hide bragged about how he would fix a showpiece bout, saying: “Whoever, which round you want, whatever you want as long as you put the money. “I can guarantee one thing, you can get whoever is the favourite, you can get them to step down for a million pounds. “You need a big name on good record — yeah, like myself!” The twice-crowned

champion outlined the cynical fight-rigging scheme in a series of filmed meetings with our investigators. Hide even suggested drawing another unwitting top boxer into the plot — a move which would allow crooked punters to make millions from a fixed fight. He said: “Boxing is not like what you think. It’s a business. “It’s not about who is the best, it’s about business.” The cocaine dealer told our reporters: “Herbie gave me your number. How many grams was it you are after, four? It’s £100 a gram.

Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013 — 63

Chioma and the “where was Jonathan?” drama

T was in the Punch Newspapers that I read about Chioma Ajunwa and the “Where was President Jonathan” drama. According to Pius Ayinor, during the press conference announcing the Police Games, the Policewoman was asked about the largesse that has come the way of the Super Eagles for winning the Africa Nations Cup. She replied that she got an MON, but without the EY, making reference to the Super Eagles, who got MONs with a lot of EYs. By way of comic regret, Chioma asked “Where was Jonathan?” If President Jonathan was in power, for winning an Olympic gold medal, the least Chioma Ajunwa would have gotten, by way of EY, would have been 30 million naira. We are writing here about the Olympic Games, a global feat that does not come easy, reserved for the very best, and in an individual sport for that matter. The story brought to the fore the argument advanced by sympathizers of the so called lesser sports who argue that should they have even as less as twenty million, they will take their sports to greater heights. Not here the argument why they have not been able to break free from the apron strings of government, waiting perpetually for government crumbs called subventions to be able to advance the course of their sports. Linked to this argument is the sponsorship package that accrues to successful sports men and women. As if we did not know, it was the Tiger Woods episode that brought to the fore the millions that sports men and women make from endorsements and sponsorships. Most recently, the Blade Runner turned Blade Gunner Oscar Pistorius is also involved in a scandal that threatens his earnings and endorsements in the lucrative world of sports management and consultancy. Just on Saturday, I read about the millions that will be made by British Athlete Mo Farah should he agree to take part in only thirteen kilometers of the London Marathon. I quote “ Mo Farah is set to pass Jessica Eniss as

The story brought to the fore the argument advanced by sympathizers of the so called lesser sports

team GB’s top earner with a deal to run just half of this year’s London Marathon. The track star is set to be getting 250,000 thousand pounds for doing only the first 13 miles on April 21.” Should he decide to go all the way, the report says he will definitely get more. The moment the latest deal is signed, this will take his potential post Olympic earnings with sponsorship and merchandise to 3.75 million pounds! Renowned runners like Paula Radcliffe and Steve Cram have dubbed it a “little strange” and “ difficult to comprehend” That, is the benefit of success. Do I have to repeat here the millions the Williams Sisters make for just playing tennis? What about other tennis players in the circuit, men and women who every week earn millions for just swinging the racket, sometimes for less than two hours? Sometimes I ask myself, what is so fantastic about

Nigeria records first win at T Pepsi/ICC T/20 tourney •Beats Botswana by 7 wickets

HE Nigerian national cricket team defeated their Botswana counterparts by 7 wickets at the ongoing Pepsi/ICC Africa Division 1 T/20 tournament in Uganda. Botswana batted first at Lugogo and scored a respectable 123/4. Karabo Modise notched 86 off 64 balls and Ogunlola 2/15 could not do much to stop the board ticking but decent knocks from Olatuji Oladotun 67 off 41 balls with support from Segun Oloyinka 25 off 31 balls took the West Africans home with victory. Uganda on the other hand continued its unbeaten run when they beat Tanzania by 9 wickets. Under a bright sunny morning, Tanzania won the toss

and opted to bat posting 62/10 in 20 overs, K Mussa scored 16 and K Rehemtula 13 as F Nsubuga 2/9 in 4

overs and D Karashani 2/14 in 4 overs stepped on the break. Uganda chased the score for a loss of 1 wicket after A Kyobe got 34 Not Out 22

HE 2013 edition of the All Nigeria Secondary Schools Football Championship tagged NNPC/Shell Cup enters the quarter finals Thursday with 10 schools vying for the four semi final tickets available, National Coordinator of the competition, Shola Akinwale has said. At the Shagamu centre, Oyo State representatives, Govrnment College, Ibadan will square up against Edo State flagbearers, Henson

tennis that we cannot introduce our children to it, develop them to be superstars? Yet we have somebody who has decided to be a dog in the manger of our tennis for only God knows how long with nothing to show for it. Last week I did mention in my column that it takes not less than 80 million naira to organize one Super Eagles match. I have since been corrected that it is in the region of 110 million naira. I agree that for half the budget of the NFF in a year, we can nurture and produce two or three world champions in certain sports, if only we knew how. I also made reference last week to the situation in South Africa where multiple sports are thriving, where football cannot really claim to be the dominant sport, not with rugby and cricket boasting full houses every match with lucrative sponsorship in tow. It is on the strength of this that I welcome, whole heartedly the decision of the National Sports Commission to sweep clean all the Federations and Associations with a view to turning them around. If I heard well, no more the patronizing posture of appointing friends to board of associations and so on. Now, even the passion for the sport may not be enough. I pray that God gives us the will to do that which we say IJN.

Minister as soothsayer After the Sports Minister “had visited home” he went back to Johanesburg where he told his friends and subordinates that the Super Eagles will beat Mali easily, that Ghana will not survive Burkina Faso and that the final will be tight but that at the end, his country will triumph. When Burkina Faso beat Ghana as he had predicted, against all prognostications, one of his aides told me that there was need to go home and sleep believing Nigeria will win the cup and that is exactly how it turned out See you next week.

NNPC/Shell Cup q-finals begin Thursday Demonstration Secondary School, Benin while the Port Harcourt centre will host the ties between Annuciation Secondary School, Ikere, Akunne Onah Memorial Secondary School, Onitsha and Purple Krown College, Enugu. Sani Dingyadi Secondary School, Sokoto and Government Secondary School, Wuse

in the FCT will battle first at the Minna centre and the winner will play G o v e r n m e n t Comprehensive Day Secondary School, Bauchi which drew bye. The last quarter final match will be played at the Kaduna centre between champions of Kano State, Government Arabic College, Gwale and Borno flagbearers, Government College, Maiduguri.

LAGA to adopt SNAG curriculum — Lawson

Nigeria batsman Endurance Ofem in action

AGOS Amateur Golf Association (LAGA) has said that the Starting New At Golf (SNAG) curriculum is complimentary to its state-wide golf campaign and will adopt it for children in Lagos State. The Honourary Secretary of LAGA , Sola Lawson said this during a demonstration of the SNAG at the Astro Turf

in Ikoyi at the weekend. Lawson added that the new board of the Lagos State Amateur Golf Association led by Honourable Habeeb Fashinro has outlined ways to popularise the sport by taking golf to schools where the kids will be exposed to it. “We want to make the game as easily accessible to kids as possible.

And with what we have seen the kids display here; there is no point trying to re-invent the wheel-so to speak. LAGA will work with this firm (2AT), this has made things a lot easier for us.”f things very easy. “There is nothing wrong with sitting down with them and setting a goal of reaching 50, 000 kids in our first year” he said. C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2013

Boxing champ Herbie Hide peddles cocaine and offers to throw title fight

ORMER boxing world champ Herbie Hide is today exposed as a drug Mr Fixit ready to throw a title fight for £1million. The 41-yearold British heavyweight ar

Continues on Page 62

Nations Cup party over — Okpala By JACOB AJOM

UPER Eagles assist ant coach, Sylvanus Okpala has said the team’s triumph in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations concluded in South Africa penultimate weekend is now history even as Nigerians continue to celebrate the feat. The former Nigerian international said the technical crew and the players have put that behind them and were now focused on winning a ticket to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Although he admitted that it was a very good experience which he has had as a player, and now as a coach, it was pertinent to start thinking seriously on the task Continues on Page 62

•Herbie Hide

Wolves accuse Mba of betrayal •Give him March 1 deadline to report •Rangers adamant, move to Abuja BY ONOCHIE ANIBEZE

CHAMPIONS: Swansea City's Welsh defender Ashley Williams (R) lifts the trophy with team mates, Garry Monk (C), Nathan Dyer (L) after the League Cup final football match between Bradford City and Swansea City at Wembley Stadium yesterday. Swansea won the game 5-0. AFP PHOTO

PUZZLE

•Mba

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

ATIONS Cup hero Sunday Mba yesterday, in Sunday Vanguard, said that he was a Rangers player having moved Continues on Page 62

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Toss (5) 7 Dandy (4) 8 Rebellious (6) 9 Rendezvous (5) 11 Ban (3) 13 Limb (3) 15 Watched (4) 16 Meadow (3) 18 Region (4) 19 Constitute (7) 20 Employed (4) 22 Subside (4) 23 Clanked (7) 25 Staunch (4) 27 Strike (3) 28 Stupefy (4) 30 Golf-peg (3) 31 Finish (3) 33 Animal (5) 36 Evade (6) 37 Curse (4) 38 Pious (5)

DOWN 1 Hindrance (5) 2 Place (3) 3 Attempt (3) 4 Shed (3) 5 Snoop (3) 6 Stare (5) 10 Observed (4) 11 Legacy (7) 12 Umpire (7) 13 Performer (7) 14 Humanity (7) 16 Reluctant (5) 17 Advantage (5) 18 Donkey (3) 21 Barrier (3) 24 Dwell (4) 26 Taut (5) 29 Join (5) 32 Wicked (3) 33 Plead (3) 34 Help (3) 35 Plaything (3)

FRIDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Elect 5, Bewail 8, Repel 10, Career 11, Unit 14, Eating 15, Pesist 18, Gem 19, Air 21, Rear 23, Agree 24, Mess 27, Eel 29, All 31, Defined 32, Reveal 34, Edge 35, Sparse 38, Steal 39, Recess 40, Unbend.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 2, Lea 3, Crease 4, Tee 5, Blue 6, Writer 7, Linger 9, Presage 12, Nag 13, Time 16, Ease 17, T ired 20, Release 22, Able 24, Mirror 25, Save 26, Sledge 28, Finale 30, Lag 33, Less 36, Par 37, Sea.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number). Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row. No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470; Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

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