Amaechi, six other govs float new party

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61954

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MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

BANKS: 20% interest rate killing local industries — FG

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Amaechi, six other govs float new party •Nyako, Wamakko, Kwankwaso, Babangida Aliyu, Ahmed, Lamido in VOP

TARABA GOV, SUNTAI RETURNS

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

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AGOS—THE crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, took a turn for the worse, weekend, with the decision of seven of the party’s 23 governors to float a new party, the Voice of the People, VOP. The application for registration by the new party, it was learnt at the

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•P.21

COLUMNISTS:

DELE SOBOWALE W •P.37

LES LEBA •P.44

OCHEREOME NNANNA•P.17

Mr & Mrs

SUNTAI —Taraba State Governor, Danbaba Suntai being helped out of the aircraft on his arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport , Abuja, yesterday. Below right: L-R: Prof. Jerry Gana; Governor Suntai; Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Darius Ishaku and former Minister of Water Resources, Mr. Obadiah Ando at the airport.Photos: Abayomi Adeshida.

Stories on Page 7.

2015: Why PDP NEC is silent on Jonathan C M Y k

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POCKET CARTOON

ODOGWU!—HRM Agbogidi Obi Victor Chukwumalieze 1, Obi of Onicha-Ugbo Conferring the title of Odogwu of Onicha-Ugbo on Chief Ibe Kachikwu (left), at the Obi Palace, Onicha-Ugbo Delta State. weekend. Photo: Nath Onojake.

Amaechi, six other govs float new party Continues from page 1 weekend, has been filed with the Independent National Electoral Commission,

which is processing it. A source in INEC contacted on the development, yesterday, said he was unable to confirm

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Do not despise adversity; learn from itt— Pastor Taiwo Odukoya. There is definitely a lesson in everything.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

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NLESS you know the basic mechanics behind the workings of the ego, you won’t recognize it, and it will trick you into identifying with it again and again. This means it takes you over, an imposter pretending to be you. You cannot fight against the ego and win, just as you cannot fight against darkness. The light of consciousness is all that is necessary -You are that lightt —E. Toile Lord Tennessee’s insightful message about the ego is very thorough and sums it beautifully, when he says that nobody sees anybody truly but all through the flaws of their own egos. That is the way people sometimes view others in life. Vanity, fear, desire, and competition- all such distortions within our own egos- condition our vision of those in relation to us. Add to those distortions to our own egos the corresponding distortions in the egos of others, and you see how cloudy the glass must become through which we look at each other. That’s how it is in all living relationships except when there is that rare case of people who love intensely enough to burn through all those layers of opacity and see each other’s naked hearts.

This much I do know, no matter what you do, how good your intentions, people will always see the reflection of themselves in you. It does not matter how a person sees you, if your heart holds a beautiful conviction of harmony, purity and divine love that is all that matters.

the veracity or the stage of the application.

The party, it was learnt, is receiving the patronage of several chieftains of the PDP. The seven governors alleged to be behind the new party include all five Northern governors that have engaged in a series of consultation with eminent statesmen, including former heads of state. The five governors are Murtala Nyako of Adamawa ; Rabiu Kwankwanso of Kano; Aliyu Wamakko of Sokoto; Sule Lamido of Jigawa and Babangida Aliyu of Niger State. The five governors are being joined in the rebellion against the PDP by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State.

Another governor is also sympathetic to the proposed VOP, but his identity could not be confirmed as at weekend.

The inclinations of Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal towards the new party have also not been confirmed though it was learnt that he has been approached.

The decision of the governors to move out of the PDP came ahead of the special national convention of the PDP this weekend. Governor Amaechi who has been

suspended has not been invited to the convention but the decision of the other six to pull out of the PDP could come as a blow to the PDP given the electoral weight of the states involved.

With Sokoto, Kano and Jigawa states out of control of the PDP and the Southwest totally out of control of the ruling party, the PDP would be reduced to playing second fiddle in the Northwest and Southwest regions whose total voters’ population is more than 40% of the national voting population.

There were indications that last Friday’s private meeting between Governor Kwankwaso and President Goodluck Jonathan was a last minute bid to stop the governor and his colleagues from the rebellion.

Though associates of Speaker Tambuwal in the House of Representatives claimed ignorance of his involvement or knowledge of the new party, there were nevertheless suspicions that the involvement of Governor Wamakko could inevitably lead the speaker into the emerging party.

Speaker Tambuwal has been severally flayed by

some PDP associates for his close ties with opposition political parties.

The decision of the governors to float a party instead of teaming up with the All Progressives Congress, APC, it was gathered, flowed from deep suspicions between the governors and some of the promoters of the APC.

One of the governors involved in the new party had told Vanguard that General Muhammadu Buhari and Mallam Nasir ElRufai who are among the champions of the APC were missing when activists fought for democracy during military rule.

THE GOVERNORS' PROFILE

Alhaji Abdulfattah Ahmed (KWARA) Governor Ahmed has been a silent crusader in the PDP. Even though he has not been visible in the campaign against the alleged injustice in the PDP, his voice, has however, not been totally quiet.

His political benefactor, Senator Abubakar Saraki, it is believed, may have greatly influenced his decision.

Though he, Saraki has silently offered advice to the Jonathan administration at the highest level, Senator Saraki who was the immediate past governor of Kwara State is known to be a strong political ally of Amaechi. The administration’s on-again-offagain probes of the Saraki regime has also been taken with offence in Kwara.

With Governor Ahmed decamping to the VOP, it would inevitably crumble the PDP in Kwara State. The PDP would now have to play third fiddle after VOP and the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Governor Rotimi Amaechi (RIVERS)

Amaechi has been consistently labelled as the enemy of the people of the South-South on account of an alleged ambition. He has been accused of aspiring to the post of vicepresident with the intent of substituting the office of the president now occupied by a Niger Delta man for the office of vice-president.

Governor Amaechi who is generally believed to have performed well in office, especially in the areas of education, health and agriculture, provoked controversy with his as

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6—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

Hoodlums strip party chieftain naked in Ogun

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA — PANDE MONIUM broke out in Abeokuta when a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ogun State, Mr Emmanuel Ajala, was beaten blue black by suspected political thugs,who also stripped him naked.

Ajala was attacked at about 6:30pm, on Saturday, while going to his Gbonagun home in Abeokuta. His attackers were apparently on his trail.

Vanguard gathered that three men operating on a motorcycle were alleged to have overtaken the politician’s car and flagged him down then pounced on him.

Ajala, a former legislator in Abeokuta South Local Government of the state, was also reported to have been dragged down from the car, while his cloth was torn.

It was, however, gathered that he was saved from the attackers when they sighted an oncoming vehicle and took to their heels.

Narrating his ordeal, the politician said: “They accused me of being too bold to comment on political issues, which they considered uncomplimentary and warned me to desist.

“It was an oncoming car they saw that made them to bolt away. I have equally reported the case to Obantoko police station.”

Contacted, the Ogun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the victim reported at the police station, but had failed to report back as scheduled for further investigation of the case, explaining that his failure to report back will affect investigation.

“The man reported the case, and he was asked to be followed to the scene, but said he was scared and when asked to also come back the following day for further investigations, he failed to report.

"There is no way the police could investigate without him. He has killed investigation, so whether his claim is true or not, nobody can tell."

Jobless graduate appeals for aid after having triplet

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HARCOURT— A MOTHER of triplet, Mrs Joyce Peter, has appealed for financial assistance to enable her take care of the babies.

Joyce, who is from Delta State but resides with her husband in Port Harcour, made the appeal, yesterday, saying things had

been very difficult for her family since she had the children on July 30.

Joyce, who is a fresh graduate of English language, said her husband is in the entertainment industry, adding that he was yet to find his feet.

She said: “They are my first children. I had them through caesarean operation, CS. The cost of taking care of them is so

heavy on me and my husband. I am appealing to Nigerians to assist us.

"Things are rough with us. I have not started working, so to a large extent I don’t do anything for a living.

"My husband earns a little from his job as a musician and this can hardly help the situation. I am begging Nigerians to come to our aide. They should please

help.”

She said her mother was still alive but a petty farmer in the village, adding that her father died long ago.

According to her, “we were planning for one child when three came. Thought they are gift from God but we never planned for this number. Nigerians should please come to our aide."

Ogun police recover 2 fleeing robbers corpses

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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Protest in Kaduna against use of chemical weapons in Syria.

3 die, 4 injured, 18 others arrested at cult initiation

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

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LORIN — THE combined team of Kwara State Police Command and Vigilance group in Ilorin, Saturday night, swooped on the hideout of Aiye Confraternity initiation which led to death of three, four critically injured while 18 were arrested.

The cultists from neighbouring states, who were returning from an initiation ceremony were mistaken for robbers by the security operatives.

The command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olufemi Fabode, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP P confirmed the incident in Ilorin, yesterday.

Fabode explained that prior to the incident, the police had information that on Saturday night, robbers were hiding in a bush behind NASFAT village along Airport Road, Ilorin preparatory to unleashing terror on the residents of the area.

He said: “This prompted various vigilance groups in the communities around the place to mount sentry on all roads that lead to the bush and waited until early hours of the morning when the Aiye Conferternity completed their initiation.

“Unaware that ambush had

been laid for them, they ran into it. The vigilance groups mistook them for robbers and opened fire on them.”

The PPRO said during the exchange of gun fire, three of the cult members fell and were almost burnt before men of the command got there.

The police spokesman con-

firmed that three of the cultists died, four critically injured and 18 of them were arrested and are being interrogated by the men of the state CID. He said some of the cultist came from as far as Lagos, Osun, Ibadan and Oro respectively, adding that more of them will be arrested

Store keeper docked over alleged N1.5m theft

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS— A 21-year- old store keeper, Ebuka Matthew Ugboma and one other, Onwuatuelo Obinna, 28, have been arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate's court, sitting in Apapa, for allegedly stealing N1.5 million belonging to TonyZen Nigeria Ltd. The suspects, who are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and obtaining, preferred against them by the police, were docked before Magistrate A Shonubi.

The police prosecutor, Sergeant O. Festus, told the court that the defendants and three others at

large, committed the offence sometime in July 2013, at Aspanda market, Trade fair complex in Lagos.

He said that Ugboma, being the store keeper of TonyZen Nigeria Ltd, stole 98 cartons of Mobil Oil XHP P, worth N999,600, belonging to the company.

Festus said that in the same month, Obinna stole 54 cartons of Mobil Oil XHP P, valued N560, 800, property of the same company.

The prosecutor also alleged that Obinna received 54 cartons of Mobil Oil XHP from Ugboma, which he knew was stolen property from the company.

BEOKUTA — THE Ogun State Police Command said it had recovered the corpses of two of three robbers who fled when policemen attached to Odogbolu division of the state engaged them in a gun battle along Omu/Epe road in Odogbolu Local Government Area of Ogun State, last Wednesday.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, in a statement in Abeokuta, yesterday, explained that his men went in search of the fleeing robbers with some members of the vigilante service of Ogun State and recovered the corpses in the nearby bush a day after the gun duel.

It would be recalled that three robbers escaped with gun wounds after engaging the police in a gun duel last Wednesday.

According to Adejobi, “the corpses have been deposited in a mortuary in Ijebu Ode. He said: “The command has put machinery in place to harness all available resources on ground in the state to provide adequate security of lives and property for the general populace.

“The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State, CP Ikemefuna Okoye appreciates the people of the state particularly the members of the Vigilante Service of Ogun State for their support in achieving the effective policing of Ogun State.

“In the same vein, the command will always work with other security agencies in Ogun State, in all ramifications, to get the state rid of hoodlums."

Vanguard , MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013— 7

Suntai's return grounds Jalingo

BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North, HENRY UMORU & JOHN MKOM

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ALINGO—HUMAN and vehicular movement in the Taraba State capital, Jalingo, was disrupted for about two hours, yesterday, following the return of injured Governor Danbaba Suntai to the state.

The aircraft, a Hawker 800, which brought Suntai, who had been away from the state since October last year, touched down at 3:40pm at the Jalingo Airport, amidst tight security.

Suntai sat in the plane with his aides and junior brother, Babangida Suntai.

Two other small aircraft, a Dornier, with registration number 224 BA, ferried members of the governor’s family, while another one marked 5NBMR, conveyed his friends and associates and touched down at 3:45pm.

ours of addressing the large crowd, he smiled and motioned to the crowd in acknowledgment.

The expected arrival of

the governor had caused serious traffic snarl, a development that made it impossible for them to be able to leave the airport, nearly two hours

after the governor ’s entourage had left.

The state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr. Emma Bello, described the safe return of

Roll call

Deputy Governor He was received by the Deputy Governor, Garba Umar, who has been acting since the absence of Suntai, and his wife, Hajia Hauwa Suntai, who arrived the state with his children last Friday ahead of the Governor ’s return.

As the plane touched down, an excited Hauwa, assisted by the governor ’s security aides, got into the aircraft and came out with Suntai, while the crowd that had taken over all available space in the medium airport, hailed.

Supported while disembarking from the aircraft, Suntai walked to his waiting car, waved to the cheering supporters and was immediately driven away in a convoy of cars to the Government House, Jalingo.

He did not address the hordes of party chieftains and supporters, who had gathered, apparently expecting him to speak to them or relive his experience since the unfortunate incident of October 25, 2012, when his plane went down, inflicting him with injury that took him to two countries— Germany and the United States of America— for treatment.

Traffic, crowd control Security men had a hectic time trying to control the crowd within and outside the airport, as thousands of Taraba natives flocked out to welcome the governor to the capital.

Although it appeared that the governor was still in pains and unable to stand the rig-

Suntai as a vindication of the state government’s position that the governor was hale and hearty and able to perform his functions.

He said: “Today is a good day for Taraba people. The governor has returned to a tumultuous welcome and we are happy with his arrival in Jalingo.”

The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Ahmed Yusuf, thanked God for the safe arrival of Suntai and expressed happiness that it would lead to peace and stability in the state.

Cultural and religious groups decked in various attires, sang and danced in solidarity with the governor.

DANBABA SUNTAI: T Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State (2nd left) on his arrival at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Abayomi Adeshida.

Suntai, who arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport from the United States at 1pm in a chartered Gulfstream jet, was immediately taken to a VIP lounge at the airport where he rested for a while before being ferried by another aircraft to Jalingo later in the day.

At the airport to receive the governor, who was clad in a French Safari suit, were former Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Danjuma (rtd.); former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana; Minister of State, Niger Delta, Darius Ishaku; Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, among others.

Politics of Suntai’s return

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, Deputy Political

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XACTLY 10 months after he went out of ‘circulation’ on account of an air crash, Governor Danbaba Suntai of Taraba State, yesterday, returned to Nigeria amid wide ululation in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.

Beyond the excitement trailing his return, Suntai, w ho was piloting the crashed helicopter, will be welcomed by the politically unstable polity that Taraba has morphed into during his absence.

On the eve of the crash on October 25, 2012, Taraba appeared a united state without any shadow of doubt over who was incharge. However, Suntai’s 10-month absence has led to the emergence of a new and polarised Taraba.

Questions His absence has also raised an avalanche of questions he must begin to answer in words and actions urgently, to prove his critics wrong and douse

rising political tension in the state.

One of the big questions is whether or not Suntai, who was aided to alight from the aircraft yesterday, is physically and mentally fit to carry on with his duties as governor? Another question is how will he handle the dichotomy in the State Executive Council, SEC, and House of Assembly. Both had been divided along pro-Suntai and antiSuntai camps?

What kind of relations will he have with his deputy, whom his supporters have branded disloyal and plotting to take over from him? Will he reverse the ‘unpopular ’ appointments and decisions taken by his deputy?

After several failed promises about Suntai’s return, indications that he would ‘actually’ return, yesterday, emerged when the state acting Governor, Garba Umar confirmed the development on Friday.

“His Excellency, the acting governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Garba Umar, is pleased to announce that the executive Governor, Danbaba Suntai, has recovered from the injuries he sustained during the air mishap of October 25, 2012,” a

statement by Umar’s Chief Press Secretary, Kefas Sule said.

Until now, the issue of Suntai’s return was a controversial one in Taraba. His supporters in the cabinet, who felt that the acting governor, Umar, was strategising to retain the seat on account of the recovering governor’s incapacitation, were said to have made plans to bring Suntai back in the state to check the deputy governor ’s alleged ambition.

‘The cabal’ Now regarded as the Suntai Cabal, the group is expected to ‘lobby’ Suntai to restore all the pre-October 25, 2012 political structures that the acting governor ‘tampered’ with.

The affected structures include the G-7 loyalists of Suntai in the House of Assembly and principal officers, who were impeached last April, a move allegedly hatched

by Umar’s faithful, to entrench him in governance.

Another attempt was made to impeach the current leadership of the House last week, following plans of the governor ’s return.

Will Suntai’s return end or increase the boiling hostilities in the House?

How Suntai handles this deli-

cate issue will go a long way in determining the political future of Taraba ahead 2015 elections, when he is expected to quit the governorship seat after eight years and hand over to a successor.

Flood funds Will Suntai also reverse the sack of some commissioners and the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, who were relieved of their jobs over alleged misappropriation off N400 million released by the Federal Government to caterr for flood victims in the state?

The affected persons, who were appointed by Suntai, have alleged that they were victimised because they refused to go along with plots to initiate impeachment proceedings against Suntai.

Will Suntai be comfortable to work with Umar in spite speculated loyalty gulf created between by their warring supporters and fall for the trap to back impeachment of his deputy?

Acting Taraba Governor, Umar, had repeatedly pledged his loyalty to Suntai and dismissed as unfounded and baseless allegations that he was eyeing Suntai’s seat.

8—Vanguard , MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

Rivers crisis 'll soon be over — Okupe

BANK: 20% interest rate killing local industry, says FG

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

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BY PETER DURU

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AKURDI—THE Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has assured that the protracted feud between the Presidency, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and other aggrieved governors in the country would soon be resolved.

He said that “the national reconciliation committee that was set up by Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would tackle all the lingering issues that gave birth to the crisis and ensure true reconciliation in the party.”

The presidential aide spoke yesterday in Makurdi, Benue State capital, after featuring as a guest preacher at the Rock of Victory Evangelical Ministry special church service held in honour of the state’s Duty Governor, Chief Steven Lawani.

Okupe said: “Our party, PDP, as the ruling party, has a reputation of overcoming its crisis and coming together as a family to remain in power.

“There is a time for everything. There is time to fight and time for peace and let me inform you that for PDP, this is the time to make peace and the leaders of the party are working round the clock to reconcile all aggrieved parties.”

On the recently released manifesto of All Progressives Congress, APC, Okupe said: “It is a useless document that was just downloaded from Internet. In any case, APC will remain as the opposition in 2015 as PDP will still retain power.”

While pleading with Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to return back to the classrooms in the interest of the future leaders of the country, Okupe said: “If you ask me my own views on this matter, I would suggest that government hands off the running of higher education in this country.

“If the private universities are working, I wonder why public universities cannot work.”

LORIN—THE — Federal Government has complained about the high interest rate of 20 percent being charged by banks on indigenous investors, saying that it is killing, even as it assured stakeholders that there would be combined efforts to bring it down.

The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, said this during her precommissioning visit to KAM Industries' ultra-modern cold roll steel sheet mill complex, meant to produce car body sheets, in Ilorin, weekend.

She explained that zero import duty granted by the Federal Government to industrialists was to support industrialisation, job creation and agricultural revolution in the country.

On the high lending rate, she said the current interest rate of 20 percent by banks cannot encourage sustainable investment, particularly among indigenous industrialists.

She also said that the development had continued to kill the desire and commitment of indigenous industrialists in financing their capital projects capable of developing the nation’s economy.

The minister was apparently reacting to the claim of the Chairman of the company, Alhaji Kamaldeen Yusuph, that the interest rate on the six-year loan granted to the company by First Bank, to finance the project was 20 percent.

She said: “They got some resources from First Bank and we want to thank and congratulate First Bank for making available a facility for six years.

“They also got some resources

VISIT: From left— Hajia Maryam Yusuph, Vice Chairman; Alhaji Kamaldeen Yusuph, Chairman, both of KAM Industries Ltd.; Alhaji Isiaka Gold, Secretary to Kwara State Government, representing Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed; Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of Finance, and Mrs. Ramat Abubakar, a staff of KAM Industries, during the pre-commissioning visit by the minister to the ultra-modern cold roll steel sheet mill complex in Ilorin. from Bank of Industry and we are very proud that the Bank of Industry under Ms. Okputu has been able to support them.

“But there is a catch, which is that the interest rate on the resources that they have from First Bank, like many other banks, which is generally known to most of those who are in industry or small and medium scale enterprises, SMEs, is very high.

“Government wants the interest rate to come down because we believe that we cannot have sustainable investment at such a high rate.

‘Inflation is down’ “One of the things we have

to do as government is to bring the rate of inflation down because banks surcharge an interest rate that is higher than the inflation rate to stay solvent.

“So we have been working harder together; between the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank. And what has happened? Our inflation has gone from 12 percent in January to 8.7 percent now.

“So, we are driving it down, meaning that interest rate can also go down. So that is why I was asking the question, why is their loan at 20 percent? Because this Alhaji and Alhaja KAM here, they’ve got assets.

“They have been in business for 15 years; they have mov-

Minister negotiates with striking health workers

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE & CHIOMA OBINNA

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N D I C A T I O N S emerged, weekend, that the Ministry of Health is meeting with the leadership of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, this morning towards finding quick resolution to the ongoing health workers’ strike.

It was gathered that the meeting, which is expected to be presided over by the Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, would explore available options for negotiation towards ending the strike that has paralysed activities in all Federal tertiary and specialist hospitals nationwide.

Meanwhile, the five-day old

strike called by MHWUN over irreconcilable issues with the ministry, may be extended to primary healthcare centres and state ownedhospitals should government fail to accede to their demands by August 28.

Chairman of LUTH branch of MHWUN, Mr. Kehinde Adegoke said: “There is a meeting in Abuja tomorrow (today) between the Ministry of Health and the Joint Action Committee.

“I understand the Minister wants to negotiate before the ultimatum expired. Even before the expiration, the Minister of Labour tried to mediate, but neither the Health Minister nor his representative showed up.

“Before we went to court

last year, the Ministry of Health and our unions signed an agreement that we would abide by the judgment, but now the Minister said he has gone to the Court of Appeal.

“Now the courts are on recess, and may not resume till middle of September.

“We have agreement on five points out of the 10, and it was the minimum that was to be implemented between May 6- 29, 2012. The others not agreed on were referred to the Industrial Court.

“We may be able to reach a compromise within the shortest time if they should implement those areas where we have reached an agreement.

Up till now, none has been implemented.”

able assets; they have immovable assets; they have a lot for collateral. So, someone like this should be enjoying much lower interest rate, not much above the 8.7 percent.

“It could be in the lower double digit. It could be 12 percent, it could be 13. But 20 is killing.

“So, we must work harder.

We must have the cooperation of the banks, the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance; the President is concerned about this and that is why we are talking to the banks.”

Governor reacts Vice Chairman of KAM, Alhaja Yusuph, said the vision of the industry was in consonance with Federal Government’s drive to speedily industrialise Nigeria and put the economy on sound footing.

Yusuf, who said that the cold steel rolling mill complex was the third in the country and the biggest and the best of the three, added that it was a multi-billion naira project comprising HR slitting line, pushpull, pickling line, cold steel rolling mill and many more.

She said: “The Cold Rolling Mill is an assembly of technology from 11 countries of the world, which includes Belgium, India, USA, Brazil, Germany, China, among others.”

Also speaking, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, called on the Federal Government to wave import duty for the farm input as it would go a long way in helping the state’s Shonga Farm scheme.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013—9

Tinubu, Fashola others hail Omojola @ 75

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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LL Progressives Congress, national leader, and ex-governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, his successor, Governor Babatunde Fashola and his counterpart from Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, yesterday described 75-year-old activist, Baba Oluwide Omojola, as a man whose activism and leadership qualities helped in the political emancipation of the country.

They spoke at the 75th birthday/lecture in Lagos, organized for the activist, with the theme An overview of the progressive movement in Africa.

The lecture was delivered by Dr. Nkem Oyekpe, from University of Lagos, UNILAG. The event was also attended by the former General Secretary, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Chief Frank Kokori, (Chairman of the occasion), leader of Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Publicity Secretary of the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, Chief Ayo Opadokun, among others.

Omojola fought for the masses Speaking, Asiwaju Tinubu, who was represented by Professor Adebayo Williams, described Omojola as a Nigerian who participated in several protests to demand for better standard of living for the masses and to ensure that the right of the citizens were not violated.

He said: “For me, in order to ensure that while still alive, his legacy can be inculcated into everyone, I have concluded plans to establish a foundation in his honour. And it would be named ‘Baba Omojola Foundation’. The foundation will help inculcate the idea of selfless service in Nigerians.”

He fought for democra-

cy—Fashola On his part, Fashol, a represented by his Special Adviser on Political, Power and Legislative Bureau, Mr. Taofeeq Folami, said: “He is a lofty man. He is an activist who fought for the democracy that we are all enjoying today. The best legacy I believe is the legacy that the representative of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has suggested that we should have a

foundation for him. That, I believe, is a legacy that will linger his performance while on earth.”

Similarly, Opadokun said Omojola was an excellent leader who served the country with his activism, saying, “he is a man who wants the best for the people. I have not seen a good number of people with such carriage in the country. This is a man that will sell his personal property to

PRESENTA TATION: Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, presenting the championship trophy in the male category to the captain of Port Harcourt winning team, Bright Emmanuel, at the Agege Township Stadium, Lagos on Sunday. His is flanked by Coach Joseph Egbu of Port Harcourt (left) and members of the winning team.

APC approves state harmonisation c'ttees

BY OLASUNKANMI

AKONI

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AGOS—AS part of measures to ensure harmonious relationship, the National Interim Executive, NIE, of All Progressives Congress, APC, has approved the establishment of state harmonisation committees.

This, according to the party, was established in order not to create a vacuum and regulate the activities of the party at the state level and the Federal

Capital Territory FCT. The Interim National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement, yesterday, said the decision to set up the State Harmonization Committees, SHC, followed the adoption of the report of the Masari Committee by NIE which met last week in Abuja.

He said the SHC shall comprise President/Vice President, past and serving, who are members of the legacy parties; governors/deputy governors, past

Fani-Kayode: Yoruba group warns against inciting comments study these attacks and others

BY DAPO AKINREFON

A

YORUBA group, Oodua Descendant Union, ODU, has appealed to the Igbo to desist from making inciting comments capable of severe consequences.

In a statement by the group’s coordinator, Adeyemi Aboderin, the group said it was reacting to what it described as “calculated campaign of calumny and threat against the Yoruba people by some Igbo groups.”

It said: “These campaigns

fund protests to demand for the rights of the citizens. He is broad minded. He is a dogged fighter. What you have contributed to the country will remain a lasting legacy. You have added value to the country.”

Speaking, Chief Kokori, the former General Secretary of NUPENG said “this is one of those frontrunners in the struggle for the democracy that we are enjoying today."

have become loud since the publication of an article by former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode. These attacks have continued unabated despite his explanations that his comments have been greatly been misunderstood, and that his intentions were not to ridicule or malign the Igbo.

Some Igbo groups have not stopped at attacking him alone, but have gone ahead to issue threats against his wife and children.

“The ODU has taken time to

like it in the recent past, and has concluded that the attacks on Fani-Kayode are mere screen-smoke. The main target of these attack dogs is definitely the Yoruba race. The Yoruba has a saying that when a child threatens to slap you, the child is not acting alone. He has the backing of an adult who is acting behind the curtains. It is in this light that we view this latest attack as a calculated attempt by some Igbo groups to disparage and insult the Yoruba."

and serving, who are members of the legacy parties; serving and former senators who are members of the legacy parties; serving members of the House of Representatives who are members of the party and Speakers or Minority Leaders of the states Houses of Assembly who are members of the party.

APC listed others as former ministers who are members of the legacy parties; all immediate past national executive members of the legacy parties; immediate past gubernatorial candidates of legacy parties, and their deputies where APC does not have a sitting governor, who are still members of the legacy parties. Nine persons, comprising of three elders, three youths and three women, with one of each being from each of the senatorial districts of the state; state Chairmen and the Secretaries of the Legacy Parties; members of the National Interim executive and Federal Commissioners who are members of the Legacy Parties.

The party said these persons shall be recommended to the National Interim executive for approval and inauguration.

Namibia’s lady Dillish wins BBA

BY UDUMA KALU with agency reports AMIBIA’S Dillish, last night, grabbed the 2013 Big Brother Africa, BBA, grand prize.

It was, however, a shock for Nigerians after making it to the finale, as the country’s hopes of snatching the chase crown went up in flames last night when Beverly and Melvin became the first two Chasemates in the Top 5 to be booted out.

The two Nigerians received the lowest votes after an intense round of voting this week. One could hear a pin drop as the housemates, all dressed to the nines, sat in the lounge and awaited their fate. With USD 300 000 at stake, it is given that nerves would be more than frayed.

The gorgeous Namibian started her Chase race as the proverbial underdog and was labelled everything from lazy to a pampered princess. As the Chase rolled on however, Dillish quickly emerged as a very strong contender for the Chase title and won her fellow Housemates and Africa over, with her quirky, accented alter ego, aptly titled Princess Dillish.

Last night proved once and for all that Africa is all about girl power! The two top spots in The Chase finale were snapped up by Ruby ladies, Cleo and Dillish.

The Namibian made sure to stay away from trouble and coasted through the Chase by taking her place behind the scenes. While her fellow Housemates got themselves into hot water, fighting and gossiping their way to what they hoped was the top of the mountain, Dillish remained grounded and maintained cordial relations with her fellow Housemates.

The only time the Namibian got herself in a spot of trouble was when she and her good friend, Nigeria’s Melvin, had a disagreement after she told her fellow Housemates about a relationship he was involved in, which was less than stellar.

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10—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

20 Osun youths on training in Germany

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HE first batch of 20 youths chosen by Osun State government for training in best practice agriculture abroad are to depart for SaxonyAnhalt, Germany, next week.

Already, the youths were, last Friday, at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Osogbo, taken through an orientation programme handled by different levels of experts in health, information and communications technology and ethical trainings.

Amosun tasks Yewa indigenes in UK on investment

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O N D O N — G OVERNOR Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun has urged members of the Yewa Descendants Union in UK and Ireland to key into development prigrammes back home.

Amosun, who spoke against the backdrop of the ongoing infrastructure development in the state, gave the charge on Saturday at the 1st Yewa Descendants Union Day held in London.

He said that the state government had embarked on various projects, especially in the areas of agriculture and tourism, and stressed the need for those in the diaspora to bring their expertise to bear.

Fielding questions from members of the union, Amosun addressed the issue of security challenges, unemployment and bureaucratic bottleneck in the allocation of land.

He said that the state would only allocate lands that already had basic infrastructure.

He said: “We will adequately allocate lands to Yewa indigenes who want to invest at home; in doing so, we will build infrastructure before allocating lands.

“On youth empowerment, we have created many job opportunities.”

DINNER: From left: Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Chief Nike Okundaye; Chief Précious Agbabiaka and Mrs Victoria Scott, during a dinner in honour of Trade Delegates from United State after a conference on Trade Investment and Culture, at the Government House, Osogbo, weekend.

Ondo guber poll: S-Court to hear suit against Mimiko today

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA—THE Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, has ordered the Supreme Court to commence hearing on appeals seeking to sack Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State today.

The apex court, which is currently on vacation, had earlier fixed September 24 to begin hearing on four separate appeals challenging the Appeal Court judgment that okayed Governor Mimiko as the validly elected candidate in the August 27 gubernatorial election in Ondo State.

However, sequel to protests from the appellants who maintained that September 24 would fall outside the mandatory 60 days prescribed by the constitution for the determination of election petition appeals, the CJN, decided to bring forward the hearing date.

Specifically, the pending appeals were filed by the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as well as a cross appeal that was entered before the court by Mimiko and his Labour Party, LP. It will be recalled that an

appellate court in Akure, the Ondo Capital, had few weeks

ago, upheld the verdict of the Ondo State governorship elec-

tion petition tribunal in which Mimiko’s victory was upheld.

FAAN, Arik trade words over teenager’s get to the runway. matter as FAAN’s investigastowaway General Manager, Corpo- tion has revealed, are comBY LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE HE Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ,FAAN, yesterday, asked the management of Arik Airlines to accept responsibility for the teenager that stowed away on it’s aircraft rather than put the whole blame on FAAN. The management of Arik Airlines had earlier said that it was surprised at the incident wondering how the teenager beat the Aviation Security personnel at the Benin Airport to

T

rate Communications, FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati, said that Arik Airlines’ accusation was unfair to FAAN stressing that the airline took no responsibility whatsoever for such a serious security breach.

According to Dati , when the passengers notified the authority of the airline, the airline would have conducted a proper check and ensure that the boy was promptly arrested but they rather chose to continue with the flight.

Dati said: ”The facts of the

Police seal off senator’s constituency project in Ogun

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA—ANXIETY has gripped residents of Ota, in Ado-OdoOta Local Government Area of Ogun State, following the deployment of a detachment of policemen from the state police command who eventually sealed off a town hall project.

The project was reportedly constructed by Senator Akin Odunsi, representing Ogun West Senatorial District of the

state on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and was billed for commissioning this weekend.

Vanguard gathered that the police acted on a petition allegedly written by the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state.

Reacting to the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, said the action was meant to prevent break down of law and order in the state.

pletely different to the Arik account. The facts of the stowaway incident are as follows: “On Saturday August 24, 2013 at about 0905hrs, ARIK flight 544 departed Benin Airport for Lagos. The normal runway inspections were conducted by FAAN Security at 0730hrs and 0850hrs. These runway inspections are conducted routinely all day, everyday, by a FAAN Security patrol teams and are aimed at preventing animal and human incursions unto the aircraft maneuvering areas of the airfield.

“Our investigations reveal that a passenger on board the flight called the attention of the cabin crew while the aircraft was waiting to take off at the threshold of the runway, to the effect that they had seen a young boy walk under the aircraft and had not seen him reappear either side.

“The cabin crew in turn informed the pilots in the cockpit about this. The pilots called the control tower and asked them to request FAAN to do a sweep of the area after their departure, opting to carry on with their flight despite the report.”

Vanguar MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013—11

PH kingship: Emergence of two crowns fuels tussle

You’ll be blamed if Nigeria breaks up, Uduaghan charges Guild of Editors zGbenga Adefaye, others inducted as fellows of Guild

BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

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O R T HARCOURT— UNSETTLED by the controversial crowning of two contenders for the stool of Eze Apara Rebisi, also known as the King of Port Harcourt, another contender, Eze Emeka Anyagbulem, has returned to court over the disputed kingship.

Stating his case to Vanguard in Port Harcourt, Anyagbulem said there cannot be two kings for one stool, adding that the action of the duo who were crowned amounts to contempt of court as there is a subsisting suit challenging such actions.

“Apart from the fact that there can’t be two kings for one throne, it is untenable that while a suit (No. PHC/1818/2013) is yet pending, two persons namely Prince Victor Woluchem and Uche Isaac Elikwu of OroOlozu lineage on Tuesday respectively crowned themselves.

‘Stow-away teenager thought he was on US bound flight’

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN CITY— THE teenage boy who emerged from the landing gear compartment of Arik Air plane at the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos thought he was on a US-bound flight, saying he had to move due to alleged maltreatment by his parents.

The boy had sneaked into the compartment at Benin Airport last Saturday as the plane was at the holden point ready for take-off to Lagos.

A source at the airport, who spoke to Vanguard, said the parents were already on their way to Lagos to bring the stowaway back to Benin City, after they expressed shock on seeing the story of their son in the newspapers.

“The boy said he was being maltreated by the parents and decided to run away from them. He thought he was on a flight to the US,” the source said.

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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OVERNOR Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, said, weekend that editors would be held responsible should Nigeria break up.

Consequently, he charged the editors to be mindful of the kind of reports they churned out for public consumption..

Speaking at a gala nite organised for the editors to round up 9th edition of Guild of Editors Conference in Asaba, the governor said: “I want to sincerely thank the President and other members of the Guild who have been here for these past few days. There is no doubt that as journalists you owe our people the responsibility of ensuring that we keep Nigeria one.

“Whatever you write or whatever you do not write for those who write whatever you say and whatever you do not say can keep us together or break us.

So I want to appeal, some of us love Nigeria and want Nigeria to remain one.

“Some of us love democracy and want democracy to continue. We believe that yet we are still not firm on the ground in terms of democracy, but we believe that with time as we fall and get up, we will eventually stop falling. We will start walking and start running.

“So I want to appeal that sometimes before you write think of the impact of that writeup, how it will affect society. I’m not saying you should not criticise but when you are doing it, have the interest of the country uppermost in your hearts”.

Uduaghan challenged the

editors on the need to hold government accountable to the people.

Earlier during an executive session held on Friday, Governor Uduaghan told the editors to monitor the implementation of budgets in order to achieve transparency and accountability in governance at all levels.

He stated that government’s budget was a public document that should be made available to the public to see and assess the level of its implementation.

This, he said, informed the need for Delta State government to print and circulate its 2013 budget freely to individuals, including participants at

the conference.

“Budget should be a public document that people can have access to and hold government accountable to it. This is why we have printed and distributed our state budget to people including you all in this hall.

“You can also access our budget online at any of our websites. I think we are the only one in the country to have done this. Government is accountable to the people in everything,” he said.

Ten distinguished Editors were inducted as new Fellows of the Guild at the colourful gala nite, which included the General Manager/Editor-in-Chief of Vanguard Newspapers and two-term

President of the Guild, Mr. Gbenga Adefaye.

Other fellows were Malam Modibo Kawu, John Ndukauba, Bayo Atoyebi, Folu Olamiti, Jide Adebayo, Segun Babatope, Buki Ponle, Olusegun Aribike and Bonnie Iwuoha. The oath of office was administered by Mr. Ray Ekpu.

Mr. Adefaye while responding on behalf of others, promised that they would uphold the ethics of the profession as well as live up to expectation.

Apart from the fellows, other new inductees into the Guild took their oath of office administered

by Mr. Bonnie Iwuoha.

CONFERENCE: From left; Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, President of Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr. Femi Adesina, and Mr. Kayode of Channels TV, during the Gala-Night put together by Delta Sate Government, marking the end of 9th Nigerian Guild of Editors Conference, at the Event Centre, Asaba, weekend. Photo: Henry Unini

Okocha denies SANs’ support for Rivers acting CJ

BY INNOCENT ANABA

F

ORMER PRESIDENT of Nigerian Bar Asso ciation, NBA, Chief O.C.J Okocha, SAN, has denied the reports that Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SANs, in Rivers State, supported the appointment of Justice Peter Agumagu as acting Chief Judge of Rivers State.

Okocha, in a statement, said “My attention has been drawn to a false and misleading story published in the media, whereby, it was alleged that the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria supports the appointment of Justice Agumagu as the acting Chief Judge of Rivers State. The story was credited to Granville Abibo, SAN, a lawyer based in Port Harcourt.

“While the matter of the said appointment of Justice Agumagu is a matter under the purview of the National Judicial Council, it is important for me, as Chairman of the Port Harcourt Chapter of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria to state as follows that we did not visit or pay any courtesy call on Justice Agumagu, and neither did the Body issue a statement to the effect that it supports the said appointment of Justice Agumagu as acting Chief Judge of Rivers State.

“The Port Harcourt Chapter of the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria has a membership of nearly 20 and none of them, except Granville Abibo, was present at the said visit or courtesy call.

Granville Abibo is the most junior of all the Sen-

ior Advocates of Nigeria in Port Harcourt, and was admitted to the Rank of Senior Advocate just about a year ago. He does not have, and has never had, any author-

ity or mandate to speak for the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, and he is aware and ought to be aware of that incontrovertible fact.

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

Kidnapped DELSU lecturer: ASUU faults Delta CP

BY EMMAAMAIZE

A

BRAKA — CHAIRMAN of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Delta State University, DELSU, Abraka chapter, Dr. Emmanuel Mordi, has described as untenable reason adduced by the police in Delta State for failure to produce a female lecturer of the university, Dr. (Mrs.) Mercy Mokobia, kidnapped in her residence since April 9.

About a month ago, the union asked the police to produce the abducted lecturer, dead or alive but reacting to the order, Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, who disclosed that police had arrested some suspects in connection with the incident, said the police were not magicians.

CRC chides group for disparaging Amaechi A

GROUP, Concerned Rivers Citizens, CRC, has condemned disparaging statement made against the person of the state governor, Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, by a body that identified itself as Grassroots Development Initiative, GDI. GDI had in a statement signed by its President-General, Bright Ameawhule, accused Governor Amaechi of raping the Nigerian constitution in connivance with his Attorney-General and President of the Customary Court of Appeal in respect of appointment of new chief judge for

the state.

But CRC, in a statement signed by Igo Aguma, a former member of the House of Representatives, described GDI’s allegation as mischievous, blasphemous, adding that it strengthened its suspi-

cion that the elements behind the GDI were determined to destabilize the state, adding, however, that Rivers people would resist it.

The statement read: “While we do not want to join issues with the evil driving, volatile

Former Gambian CJ persecuted on account of nationality—Brother

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

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ENIN — MR. Godwin Wowo, elder brother to Nigeria- born former Chief Justice of the Gambia, Justice Joseph Wowo, week-

end, raised alarm that his younger brother was being persecuted in Gambia on account of his nationality.

Justice Wowo, according to his elder brother, is being prosecuted on the allegation that he

NANS’ protest in Asaba: Police warn parents

BY EMMAAMAIZE

A

SABA — DELTA State Police Command, weekend, urged parents to warn their children/wards against participating in the planned protest by the National Association of Nigeria Students, NANS, scheduled to hold from today till Friday in Asaba, Delta State.

“We have information that the protest is being sponsored by some unidentified persons and that hoodlums will hijack it to cause unrest in the state and the police cannot fold their hands and watch people cause problem,” Commissioner of Police, Ikechukwu Aduba, said in a statement.

The statement read: “It will be recalled that students under the aegis of National Association of Nigeria Students; Delta State chapter, applied to Delta State Police Command for Police permit to stage a peaceful rally in relation to the ongoing nationwide strike by ASUU.

and rabble-rousing GDI and its sponsors over the appointment of an acting Chief Judge for the state, we take serious exceptions to abuses poured on Governor Amaechi and his administration.

UNVEILING: From left, CAN President, Pastor & Mrs. Ayodele Joseph Oritsejafor; Warri South LG Chairman, Dr. Augustine Uroye JP; Warri South LG Vice Chairman, Dafe Ikpuri, and Warri South Council HPM, Mr. Douglas Acambe, in front of one of the unveiled signposts to formally name a four-kilometre road in Warri, in honour of Pastor Oritsejafor.

asked for bribe in a land dispute that he had earlier given judgment.

In a statement made available to journalists in Benin, the Edo State capital, Mr. Wowo said the bribe story was falsehood orchestrated in YOU Tube by powerful forces in Gambia who did not want a foreigner to be appointed a Chief Justice of their country.

Tracing the genesis of the travails of his younger brother who was two weeks ago granted bail by a Magistrate’s Court on criminal charges of giving false information to a public officer, Mr. Wowo said Justice Wowo who was also a judge of the country’s Court of Appeal, was invited by Gambia’s ex-Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Lamin Jobarteh, to help in resolving a dispute over land matter in which he (Justice Wowo as a High Court Judge had earlier given judgment in favour of a German plaintiff, Bernd George Diedrich, against 12 trespassers, including one Andre Sape Van Klaabergen, who was the former minister’s client before his appointment as attorney-general.

CAN President excited over ‘Oritsejafor Road’

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ARRI — AUTHORITIES of Warri South Local Government Council have named a four-kilometreroad after the National President of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayodele Joseph Oritsejafor, describing him as a great ambassador of Warri.

In a brief remark before unveiling two sign-posts of the road, Transition Committee Chairman of Warri South Local Government, Dr. Augustine Uroye, noted that the formal unveiling in honour of the CAN President was the first in the history of the local government.

According to him, Pastor Oritsejafor has contributed immensely to the development and positive projection of Warri both within and outside the country.

Pastor Oritsejafor, who was flanked by his wife, Pastor Hellen Oritsejafor, stated that

he felt elated and excited, stressing that a man could not be said to have achieved anything until his people honoured him.

According to the former Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria President, even Jesus Christ

could not do many miracles in his own town because the Jews had no value for him.

An emotional Pastor Oritsejafor, who prayed for continuous peace in Warri, declared that with the honour done him, every good thing

that left Warri would return.

The four-kilometre-road, which runs from the Police Barrack Junction axis of the popular Warri-Sapele Road terminates at the Mabiaku road in Warri GRA.

House of Reps aspirant promises to develop Warri

BY KENNETH EHIGIATOR

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EOPLES DEMOCRATIC Party, PDP P, aspirant for the House of Representatives Warri Federal Constituency, Meyiwa Erewa, has promised to change the face of Warri, if elected into the lower chamber of the National Assembly.

He also commended Comrade Francis Arhiyor on his election as President-General of Urhobo Youth Leaders Association, UYCA. Speaking with newsmen at the venue of the swearing-in ceremony at Oviorie, Ethiope East

Local Government Area, the pioneer PDP chairman of Warri South Local Government, said Warri Federal Constituency had been lacking in development, stressing that now was the time to activate its development.

Erewa, who is deemed to be acceptable to Itsekiris,Urhobos and Ijaws for his openness and steadfastness, said he was fully prepared for the race to the House of Representatives to change the face of Warri Federal Constituency positively for the benefit and interest of all the tribes in Warri.

He said: “For now, nothing is working. During my consultations, I discovered that as a rep-

resentative of Warri Federal Constituency, a lot has to be done, the gap is very wide, I must do something when I get there by involving everybody. Whether Iteskiris, Ijaws or Urhobos, we are all one and co-stakeholders of Warri.”

He described the successful election and subsequent swearin-in of Comrade Arhiyor as very well deserved, adding that the fact that his election and subsequent swearing-in into office was peaceful and devoid of any violence, gave an indication that he was, indeed, the leader of Urhobo youths.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013—13

Cleric denies receiving N250m from Imo govt

UN agency harps on free, fair polls in 2015

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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WERRI—CATHOLIC Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province, His Grace, Dr. Anthony J. V. Obinna, has denied ever receiving N250 million from Imo State government for distribution to Ohaji/ Egbema/Oguta youths.

Archbishop Obinna, who was reacting, in Owerri, to a recent government statement that appointed him chairman of a committee that would disburse the money to youths of oil producing communities, also explained that his clerical duties did not include disbursement of government money.

Dr. Obinna said: “I want to state clearly that I did not touch the N250 million. I did not accept the offer and it is not my duty to distribute money to Ohaji/Egbema/ Oguta youths.”

The Catholic cleric wondered why the state government went ahead to announce his name, even after he warned them against it before travelling overseas.

Soldiers arrest 16 suspected pipeline vandals

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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WERRI—SIXTEEN suspected pipeline vandals arrested by eagle eyed soldiers at Oguta local council area of Imo State, are now cooling their heels in the state Police Command Headquarters, Owerri.

The soldiers also recovered and handed over to the police many vandalized pipes, equipment, a Mack truck, an L-300 Mitsubishi bus and a trailer load of 40 feet eight-inch diameter pipes valued at over N5 million.

Disclosing this while parading the suspects in Owerri, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mrs. Joy Elemoko, said that the command arrested three of the six people who allegedly vandalized underground optic cables belonging to Nigerian Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n Limited, NITEL. C M Y k

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BUJA A—THE United Nations Development Programme, UNDP P, has tasked stakeholders in the electoral process in Nigeria to ensure that the outcome of the 2015 general elections was free, fair and transparent.

The outgoing Country Director, UNDP P, Ade Mamonyane Lekoetse, threw the challenge at a farewell organised for her by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

Lekoetse, who got a new appointment as UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative for the Republic of Gambia, was accompanied by her successor, Bernado Cocco.

She said the country required a peaceful poll in 2015 to sustain the current unity, as well as foster cohesion to confront development and other challenges.

According to her, “as for 2015, I pray for the unity of Nigeria and that the forthcoming 2015 elections would be peaceful and results widely accepted so that Nigeria would continue to smile after 2015.”

The UNDP is a major development partner with the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, and under the outgoing Country Director, the partnership yielded tremendous achievements in physical development and production of the famous Niger Delta Action Plan aimed at fasttracking the region’s development.

Lekoetse advised the Federal Government to take the issue of development challenge in the Niger Delta seriously, noting that the region was very important to the survival of the country on the account of its economic capability.

She said: “Our work was not in vain because the validation mission was very successful and the report was widely accepted and the recommendations were laudable and approved.

Special attention for Niger Delta region “For me and for most Nigerians, Niger Delta is very important because as they say, the goose that lays the golden eggs. And if the goose and eggs are not taken care of, Nigeria would not be what it is or aspires to be.

“Niger Delta is very important and we are hoping that the action plan which is a very beautiful document and has been widely endorsed be implemented, particularly because most revenue for development and well being of this nation comes from that region, so, efforts to ensure that the people in the Niger Delta are well looked after ensuring that they get the benefits of what God endowed on the country, which they are the custodians, should be our concern.

“It is also very important that we have peace in this region and the nation at large. It is on this basis that the UNDP in 2009 supported

the preparation of the marshal plan that ushered in the amnesty programme to curb the insurgence of militancy.

“Another major efforts of UNDP under my regime is that the body has been working in the region to ensure that the issue of environmental pollution is addressed and cleaned. Recommendation would be implemented as discussions are on and actions have already been taken.

“The report is not only being looked at only for the Ogoni land, the issue of pollution affected all the Niger Delta states. We are working with the ministries of petroleum and environment to clean up the region and enhance the livelihood of the people around there.

“I want to solicit that the professional and cordial relationship that I enjoyed from the ministry that held my

partnership in high esteem be extended to my successor to safeguard the cooperation and friendship between UNDP and MNDA.” The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, who assured that President Goodluck Jonathan was committed to keep Nigeria one, said the President was determined to support the electoral institutions ahead of the 2015 general polls.

Triumphant entry of Senator Chris Ngige, APC gubernatorial aspirant for 2014 Anambra State election in Awka, weekend.

APGA primaries: Anambra North holds stakeholders' meeting on guber ticket

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—AS the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, holds its primaries today to select governorship candidate for the November 16 election, stakeholders from Anambra North have been holding crucial meetings to evolve ways of ensuring that the zone secured the ticket.

Of the seven cleared aspirants of the party, four are from Anambra North. They are Chief Willy Obiano, Chief Emeka Emeka, Chief Paul Odenigbo and Mr. Patrick Obianwu. The fear of the zone is that if they did not select one person to represent the zone, the ticket might go to Mrs. Uche Ekwunife, who is said to be seriously making great inroad among the list of delegates. Ekwunife is from the same Anaocha local government area of Anambra Central as Governor Peter Obi who will complete eight-year tenure in March.

While the former Secretary to

the State Government, SSG, Mr. Oseloka Obaze, who was disqualified by the screening committee of the party for the race, met weekend with one of

the front runners to the race, Mr. Willy Obiano, to discuss the way forward, some powerful traditional rulers from Anambra North also met for the same issue.

14—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

We 've spent N32bn on rail projects — SURE-P boss

BY CALEB AYANSINA

A

BUJA—THE Chairman, SubCommittee on Railway Subsidy Reinvestment Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, Chike Okogwu, said weekend that the committee had expended N32 billion on railway projects.

Okogwu, who revealed this in an interview with newsmen, assured that the committee was working assiduously to ensure that all the projects were completed on schedule, despite challenges.

He said the issues of insurgency and flood remained a major source of concern to the government and contractors handling the projects, particularly the three projects that constituted Eastern Line.

He said: “SURE-P is intervening in the railway sector. As at today, we are working in the Eastern Line from Port-Harcourt to Makurdi, Makurdi to Kafanchan, and from Gombe to Maiduguri. So, we have up to three contracts from Eastern Line.

“For example, at some points, one of the contractors delivered materials at site, and went into restaurant to have dinner, the insurgents came in there and executed about 10 of them, it took a while to convince them to come back to site.

“We will also agree that, two to three years ago, we did not have flooding, so some places had just been discovered to be flood prone areas, because of the climate change, and having seen what happened to us last year, what SURE-P decided to do, as a task team, is to be proactive.

So, nonetheless, we are not going to go beyond 2014.”

Okogwu also explained the reason for the delay in the modernization of Abuja – Kaduna rail line, noting that kilometre 16 to 20, which is about four kilometres in Kubwa axis, were occupied by residents, adding that there was need for them to be compensated.

He said: “Although compensation is not the issue, as compensation is being taken care of by government, it takes time because there is process to follow and it has to be done with human face. You don’t create more problems when you have not solved one.”

C M Y

PDM registration, mischievous deviation — ANENIH zHe dosen't know what he is saying — PDM

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR & HENRY UMORU

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HE battle of legitimacy within the Peoples Democratic Movement, PDM, continued yesterday, after Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP P, Chief Tony Anenih, disowned the newly registered political party.

Anenih in a statement, dismissed the registration of the PDM as a mischievous deviation from the original aspirations of the original PDM which he said remained committed to supporting a second term for President Goodluck Jonathan.

The new party in a sharp reaction said Anenih’s claim was a confirmation of its suspicion that he had been the big masquerade behind recent attempts to rubbish the image of the new party in the media.

Anenih in a statement entitled, “Our PDM is not a Political Party”, said the movement remained an integral part of PDP and would not be distracted from its original inclinations.

The statement by Anenih read thus: “Reports about the registration of Peoples Democratic Movement, PDM, as a political party by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, have inundated the polity; and because of my leading role in the formation and nurturing of the Movement, concerned members of the Movement have contacted me to confirm if it was our PDM that has witnessed the transformation.

“After in-depth investigations and extensive consultations with a wide spectrum of the membership and leadership of the PDM, which is just like a pressure group within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP P I consider it moral to use this medium to clarify that the PDM, which some persons, purporting to be interim leaders, secretly and mischievously promoted and succeeded in registering with INEC to operate as a political party, is not our PDM that worked with other political associations to form the PDP in 1998.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the PDM, which we collectively envisioned under the leadership of the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, remains an integral part of the PDP, whose Board of Trustees, I currently chair by the grace of God and the consensus of founding fathers and leaders of our great party.

“I hereby wish to urge those who look up to me for guidance in this circumstance to remain steadfast with me in the task of building a much more united and formidable

PDP and to discountenance the registration and treat it as a political trickery which will not survive the test of time.

“Members of the Peoples Democratic Movement, which is working for the unity and success of the PDP and the Federal Government under the able leadership of President Goodluck Ebele Joanthan should not panic. They should,

instead, see it as an attempt to undercut our PDM, which was never intended to be and should not be a registered political party within and against the PDP” P The PDM in a sharp reaction articulated by Alaba Yusuf, Media Advisor to the national chairman of the new party, said: “The masquarade behind the anti-PDM propaganda has been unmasked. Chief Anenih’s

statement is a positive advertisement for PDM and what it stands for. There’s no turning back the hand of time. PDM is an idea which time has come. We are not going to waste our time exchanging words with those who want to live in the past. Let the Chief resolve the crisis tearing his party apart before dabbling into the affairs of another party over which he has no control.”

Fire gutted Globacom Abuja office located at Wuse 2, Aminu Kano crescent. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

How 21 banks defrauded FG through tax evasion, non-remittance of revenue

BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

A

BUJA—THE House of Representatives has accused 21 banks in the country of defrauding the Federal Government of money running into billions of naira through tax evasion, non-remittance of tolls and falsification of official financial records, saying the heads of the banks had queries to answer Chairman, House Committee on Finance, Dr. Abdulmumini Jibrin, who disclosed this weekend, listed the banks to include, CitiBank, Stanbic IBTC, Standard Chartered Bank, GT Bank, Access Bank and Zenith Bank.

Others are, First Bank, Union Bank, United Bank for Africa, Diamond Bank, Unity Bank, Fidelity Bank, Mainstreet Bank, Sterling Bank, Heritage Bank, EcoBank, FCMB, Wema Bank, Skye Bank, Enterprise Bank and Keystone Bank.

Jibrin said the committee decided to embark on closer and thorough scrutiny of the banks due to suspected sharp

practices.

He said since the inception of the seventh assembly, the Committee on Finance had been inundated with reports on cases of tax evasion and sharp practices in tax remittances by banks.

According to him, the exercise commenced with series of engagements with the commercial banks.

He said: “Pursuant to the statutory mandate of the House Committee on Finance and its oversight functions over the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, and tax matters, the Committee on Finance has been investigating tax remittances, tax assessments and payments by banks.

"Consequently, the committee decided to bring the banks under close legislative scrutiny.”

He announced that some templates were distributed to the banks to fill after holding meetings with the chief executives but expressed surprise that the banks falsified documents to protect past shady deals.

He said: “As a fallout of two separate meetings with Chief Executives of the banks, three different templates were distributed to all commercial banks in the country to complete and submit to the Committee.

"In the last few months, the Committee has analyzed volumes of documents submitted by the banks and is pleased to announce that it has enjoyed tremendous capacity support from the DFID, NABRO and reputable professionals in the industry in conducting its revenue generation and remittances investigations.

"Preliminary findings show a poor quality of returns by the banks, discrepancies in data submitted, outright refusal to present documentary evidence, blanket violations of existing laws, self exemption from existing rules, false declaration, manipulation and distortion of information among others.

According to Jubrin, the banks during the investigations submitted different audited monthly accounts to the Committee, aside from what were submitted to the CBN.

15—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

NAF moves against espionage, cyber crime, others

BY PETER DURU

M

AKURDI—THE Nigeria Air Force, NAF, has developed a curriculum to fight espionage, cyber and information and communication technology crime in the country.

The Commandant of the Nigerian Air Force School of Air Intelligence, Group Captain Benson Omoyungbo, stated this at the combined graduation ceremony of the Document Security Course 5 and the Basic Intelligence Course 17 of the school in Makurdi.

While recalling the recent hacking of the computer system of the Army headquarters, Omoyungo said: “The graduands of the Document Security Course of the school have been prepared to arrest such security threats in the course of their duties. Let me bring to our notice that the intelligence community in Nigeria, especially the Nigeria Air Force Intelligence Directorate, is committed everyday to provide multidisciplinary intelligence to all and sundry. ”It was on this note that the school has been organising Document Security Courses for the administrative personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

We want to assure the Chief of Air Staff that we are committed to maintaining the highest educational standards and will continue to deliver world class programmes that prepare our graduates for higher assignments in complex and dynamic environment.”

Omoyungbo noted that among the 40 officers graduating from the Document Security Course 5 and the Basic Intelligence Course 17, were 12 female officers who exemplified themselves.

In his speech, the Air Officer Commanding Training and Command of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Isiyaku the Umar, urged graduands to “imbibe what you have learnt in the school in order to safeguard the national security and integrity of our country from being compromised or jeopardized.”

Tapgun blames PDP crisis on bad leadership

BY TAYE OBATERU

J

OS—FORMER Plateau State governor, Ambassador Fidelis Tapgun, has blamed the habit of running the affairs of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, as a personal empire for the crisis within the party.

He spoke weekend, while reacting to a disclaimer on his membership of the party, saying he remained a bona fide member of the party.

Tapgun said: “The crisis that has been bedeviling this party is about this ‘grabbing’ and ‘grabbing’. People want to take the party as a personal property and it is against the philosophy of the party. This is what the national secretariat of the party is fighting against.”

According to him, it was the same problem the Ekwueme reconciliation committee of which he was a member, found in 2007 when it went round the states and found people trying to personalise the party and make it a personal empire from which they could shout at others at will.

He said he was happy that Mr. President and the national chairman of the party were ready to check the trend saying,

“this party belongs to the people and it must go back to the people. It is lack of internal democracy that has been killing this party and this has to be reversed.” dismissed the He advertorial placed by the Pla-

teau PDP in some national dailies disclaiming him and two other members of the Electoral Sub-Committee for the special convention of the party.

“I am a full-fledged member of the PDP. I have done all I

need to do to return to the party by returning to my ward as directed by the national secretariat. You are familiar with all that went wrong with the party that made some of us to leave the PDP, he said.”

SESSION: From left: Mr. Ayodele Akele, Chairman, Gani Fawehinmi Memorial Organisation; Dr. Sam Amadi, Chairman/CEO, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, and Mr. Adewale Adeoye, Coordinator, South West Human Rights Community/Director, Journalists for Democratic Rights, JODER, during the session between NERC and human rights groups in Lagos. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

2015: Aliyu warns youths against thuggery

BY WOLE MOSADOMI

M

INNA—GOVERNOR Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, has warned Nigerian youths not to allow themselves to be used as thugs by desperate politicians during elections, but be fully involved in partisan politics.

Aliyu who spoke in Minna, yesterday, when the newly elected National Executive Council, NEC, of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, led by its Chairman, Abdullahi Abdulmajeed, paid him a courtesy call, reminded the youths that they were the foundation upon which the development and progress of the country rested.

The governor said: “Nigerian youths must be fully involved in partisan politics and not allow themselves to be used by desperate politicians as thugs.

The youths of any country are the custodians of ideas and creativity. It is imperative that the youths take their destiny into their hands. Most countries of the world pay serious attention to the development and wellbeing of their youths, hence, the call for Nigeria to protect its future by providing a conducive environment for self actualisation of the Nigerian youths.”

Aliyu pointed out that until this was achieved, the country

would continue in vicious circle of underdevelopment and insecurity.

Earlier, Abdulmajeed told the governor that the visit

was to thank him and the people of the State for hosting the national congress of the NYCN and hospitality accorded delegates that at-

tended the congress.

No fewer than 2000 delegates attended the two-day congress.

Northern govs felicitate with Sultan @ 57

BY WOLE MOSADOMI

M

INNA—THE A Northern States Governors Forum, NSGF, has felicitated with the Sultan of Sokoto, Dr. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, who attained 57 years, weekend.

The forum described the monarch as a bridge builder who had consistently worked for peace, unity and tolerance among diverse ethnic and religious interests across the country.

In a tribute to Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar, the chairman of the forum and Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu, said Dr. Sa’ad’s years on the throne had brought tremendous progress and modernisation to the Caliphate and across the length and breadth of the nation.

The forum in the tribute by Governor Aliyu’s Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo, said: “The forum notes that since Sa’ad mounted the sad-

dle as Sultan and PresidentGeneral of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, the problem of violence - whether sectarian or otherwise, has become a rare occurrence in the Caliphate and even beyond, thanks to the fatherly role of the Sultan.”

The forum prayed God to grant the Sultan excellent health, courage and many more years of selfless service to Nigeria and humanity at large

5,000 pilgrims to perform 2013 hajj from Sokoto

S

OKOTO—SOKOTO State Government has said that 5,180 prospective pilgrims from the state are expected to perform the 2013 hajj.

Alhaji Muntari Maigona, Chairman of the state Pilgrim’s W Welfare Agency told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, yesterday in Sokoto that the figure was arrived at after the reduction of 20 per cent of the number of pilgrims in the 36 states and Federal Capital Terri-

tory.

He said: “Initially, Sokoto k State was allocated 6,450 seats and they were duly allocated to the 23 local governments of the state.

“But when the need to reduce the 20 per cent arose, we conducted balloting across the state and successfully effected the reduction.”

Maigona explained that the agency had concluded all arrangements required to ensure the success of the exercise.

He said that the local governments had refunded the Hajj fares of all pilgrims who were affected by the reduction.

“All those who were affected and needed their money back had since been refunded across the 23 local governments.

“But all those who want the agency and the local governments to keep the money until the 2014 hajj would be given automatic seats next year,” he added.

16—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

Labour tasks Northern govs, firms on N1bn textile workers’ entitlements

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-

YOUNG ADUNA—ORGAN ISED Labour in Textile industry, has asked the 19 Northern States Governors; owners of the closed Kaduna Textiles Limited to pay workers their entitlements put at N687, 073,346.00.

Under the umbrella of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, also called on the owners of closed Nortex/Finetex Limited, to pay workers their N379, 688,077 benefits.

Both Kaduna Textiles and Nortex/Finetex Limited, closed about ten years ago, jointly owe workers and NUTGTWN, about N1, 063,761,423.

At a briefing, in Kaduna, NUTGTWN, lamented that the workers had been passing through untold

K

hardship, pleading with the governors and owners of Nortex/Finetex Limited, to honour their obligations to the affected workers and their families.

Giving details of the frustration of labour and workers of the affected companies, General Secretary of NUTGTWN, Issa Aremu, said both Nortex and Fintex closed in September 2003 without settlement of workers’ gratuities amounting to N305,653,887, outstanding salaries amounting to N63,434,190 as well as outstanding union dues amounting to N7.6 million.

According to him, the union had obtained several court judgments compelling owners of Kaduna Textiles and Nortex/Finetex Limited, to pay the entitlements to no avail, saying

the union had equally made several appeals, among others, to sway the owners of the affected companies without success.

According to him, “when all efforts by the union to bring the management to a round table discussion failed, the union resorted to legal action, a stiff measure to safeguard our members’ interests to get justice and secure the payment of their terminal benefits. In reaction to the union’s petition, the management filed a counter petition on Friday February 25, 2005, contesting the legality of the union to wind-up the company under receivership.

Monday February 28, 2005, a judge of the Federal High Court ruled in favour of the union; that the union has legal right to institute the action. The case was then adjourned to March 3, 2005.”

Navy seeks independent probe into oil theft

BY EVELYN USMAN

L

AGOS—NAVAL per sonnel at a three-day training on “Maritime Awareness and Operations”, weekend, called for an independent judicial probe, deviod of politicians, into the increasing oil theft in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea.

Participants made up of captains and below, lamented that non-prosecution of oil thieves in Nigeria and Gulf of Guinea, was the cause of the increasing illegal bunkering and other criminalities in the nation’s waters and its environs.

In a communiqué at the end of the seminar held at the Naval Training Command, Apapa Lagos, participants attributed high wave of criminality in the Gulf of Guinea to non-existence of functional refinery in Nigeria, making pirates and oil thieves to have access to pipelines conveying crude and oil products.

In his closing remarks, the Flag Officer Commanding Rear Admiral Azubuike Ajuonu, explained that as a major stakeholder in the coun-

try ’s maritime sector, knowledge of the designated domain was nec-

essary for effective operation towards curbing criminal activities.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013—17

T

The list goes on When I open the papers, I am now looking for something to cheer me up and give me hope for a better tomorrow, if not for me but at least for my children and their fellow “leaders of tomorrow”.

As I write this Friday, August 23rd 2013, I have one right in front of me telling of the first international flight to land at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu. Aha! That’s the stuff. This is more than a mere international flight. It is a historic leap for the capital of the defunct Eastern Region that has been starved of federal presence since the end of the war.

It was this starvation of federal amenities and opportunities that forced Igbo people and easterners in general to migrate in large numbers to other, more favoured parts of Nigeria, such as Lagos and Abuja. It was also this denial of opportunities that led to the avoidance of that part of the country by other Nigerians, thus denying it of the impetus that the presence of non-Igbo Nigerians would have contributed to its development as the Igbos are doing in other parts of Nigeria.

Akanu Ibiam International Airport will be the first international gateway to the world out there. It will lead to the establishment of a major international market and industrial parks within that

Return of the trains area, which will attract Igbos, other Nigerians and internationals. It was an that successive opportunity administrations at the centre have denied the former secession protagonists and their homeland theatre of the civil war. It is a giant step away from the shadows of our bitter history.

On this same day (August 23rd 29013), another epochal news unfolded.

Unfortunately, because it is “good” news, few media houses are paying it quality attention. I am referring to the resumption of cargo freighting from Lagos to the North by rail!

Managing Director of the Nigerian Railways Corporation, Mr. Adeseyi Sijuade, had informed the media that the first cargo of twenty wagons carrying between twenty to forty containers would be transported in the maiden voyage, while within a short time the frequency of the Lagos – Kano freight services

C Gl att Congrats g to Glo t en ten

C

OME Thursday, August 29th 2013, Nigeria’s foremost indigenous telecom giant and second national carrier, Globacom, will be marking its ten years anniversary. Part of the success story of this company is that it has enabled you, my readers, to reach me through calls and text messages, a sponsorship that has endured for seven years with the magic number on this column’s logo.

Congratulations, Glo, and many more happy returns to the ebullient Chairman, Dr. Mike Adenuga (GCON), his hardworking managers and general staff. Please, don’t stop.

would be increased to thrice weekly.

It is also certain that by the end of this year, the rehabilitation of the eastern flank of the rail system would have been completed up to Makurdi from the Port Harcourt Terminus. The NRC informs that already, 34 bridges along the rail line have been rebuilt and tracks refurbishment has reached about 48%.

Nigeria is one of the most railwaybackward countries of the world. The British colonialists established our railways in 1898, mounting them from the ports in Lagos and Port Harcourt to the hinterland up north for the

,

HERE is an old, simple way of defining the news for fresh journalism students. “When dog bites a man, it is not the news. But when man bites a dog, that is the news”. It is also held that bad news sells.

But for me, bad news has become very tiresome. There is too much bad news in the media. It has become too monotonous, especially these days when extreme wickedness has become the daily fallouts of extreme poverty. It is no longer shocking to read about a man setting his octogenarian mother ablaze and threatening neighbours who wanted to rescue her from a burning house; men impregnating their own daughters and fathering children thereby; children conniving with kidnappers to abduct them with a view to sharing the proceeds extorted from their parents; hotel owner serving human meat to lodgers in his hotel; young man beheading his son in a farm for money rituals; terrorists massacring preteen students in a boarding school; state governments deporting fellow citizens to their states because they are poor and nonindigenes.

immobile, the resumption of aggressive railway transportation and the very promising master plan the Federal Minister of Transport, Alhaji Idris Umar unveiled during the Ministerial Platform, Nigeria is, indeed, on the march again.

The railway system was a great symbol of our nobler past. Since the system collapsed in the early 1990s Nigeria’s economic and social status imploded.

The rails were the primary movers of our agric-driven economy signposted by the groundnut pyramids in the North, the produce boom in the East and the Cocoa power in the West. With the coming of oil boom in the 1970s and the shift of preference to import dependency, the railways started losing its relevance. The final nail on the coffin was the sabotage of the railways by the haulage mafia, who leveraged their connections with the military government to kill the railways in connivance with the Indian contractors brought in to manage it after the civil war.

Thus was born the phenomenon of thousands of trucks, trailers and tankers littering our highways and destroying our major trunks nationwide. The collapse of the rails threw the local economies along the tracks out of commission and millions of Nigerians lost their economic means of livelihood.

We must encourage the Federal Government to proceed at full speed with its current efforts not only to bring back the trains but also to modernise them and rapidly broaden the network to other areas not currently covered by the archaic network.

When next you hear the sound of train horns, smile. It is the sound of promise

evacuation of goods and human cargo.

The British colonial masters left us with 3,505 kilometres of single-track narrow gauge rail network. We only managed to add another 277 kilometres of standard gauge line from Warri to Itakpe, which is hardly operational. Thus with only 3,880 kilometres of railway network, Nigeria is a dwarf compared to Egypt (5,150), South Africa (20,192), Brazil (23,538), Canada (46,552) India (63,974), China (86,000), Russia (87,157) and USA (244,792).

Bearing in mind that until a couple of years ago Nigeria was totally railway

,

Some of the most heinous crimes are taking place among the 19 states where traversed by the railways, and these include violent robberies, kidnapping, terrorism and vandalisation of public utilities.

We must encourage the federal government to proceed at full speed with its current efforts not only to bring back the trains but also to modernise them and rapidly broaden the network to other areas not currently covered by the archaic network.

When next you hear the sound of train horns, smile. It is the sound of promise.

OPINION

BY SYLVSTER IRUONAGBE

I

T is no longer news that the All Peoples Congress (APC) has been registered in Owan East and Owan West LGAs in Edo State, the registration of APC has re- energize the political life of the people.

In 2015, we will also look forward to an APC candidate to represent the good people of Owan Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives. This is the only elective position that is rotated between Owan East and Owan West in the Owan Federal Constituency.

It is a common understanding between the peoples of East and West to rotate the office of the member of House of Representatives representing Owan Federal constituency on a one term basis. This is as a result of the agreement and understanding reached by our elders and political leaders.

At the inception of democracy in 1999, the people choose to elect Late Hon. Benson Alegbe into the Federal House on the platform of PDP . Alegbe who was from Axis one (Ora-Ozalla - Sobe) Owan West did only one term and as a honourable gentleman, stepped aside to honour the agreement of the people on rotation between the two local government areas on a one term basis.

In 2003, Abdul Oroh activist, Journalist and Lawyer, now commissioner for Agriculture, Edo State indicated interest in the Reps seat and a former C M Y K

O wa E dW d l constituency i Ow an n East and West est fe ederal y: R Respect espect p t i arrangement rrotation g t Chairman of Owan West L.G.A, Hon. Johnson Abolagba indicated interest. Oroh is from Owan East Axis One (Emai – Ihievbe – Ivbiadaobi) and Abolagba is from Owan West Axis Two (Iuleha) The leadership of the PDP in the area prevailed on Abolagba not to run and that he should respect the agreement of the people on rotation, but he refused. To ensure fairness, the PDP then conducted primaries between Oroh and Abolagba, Oroh won and Abolagba immediately decamped to NDP where he ran against Oroh. Oroh won the elections and represented the Owan Federal Constituency between 2003-2007. At the end of Oroh’s tenure, he wanted to return to the House as a result of his achievement and pedigree but the people asked that the rotation agreement be kept. Oroh tried all he could to get re-elected but was defeated at the primaries by Johnson Abolagba and Abolagba from Owan West Axis Two (Iuleha) won the 2007 elections and represented the people between 2007 and 2011.

At the expiration of Hon. Abolagba’s tenure, he wanted to be re-elected and ran on the plat form of PDP against Pally Iriase who ran under the Action

Congress of Nigeria (ACN). Hon. Pally Iriase is former Deputy Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, former Chairman Owan East LGA, former Secretary to Edo State Government, and now member, House of Representative representing Owan Federal Constituency.

At a meeting of the Leaders of Owan East and Owan West hosted by Chief Shagari Oni of Erue Owan West, they unanimously agreed to respect the rotation and emphatically averred that it was the turn of AXIS TWO in Owan East.

Presently, Hon. Pally Iriase is representing the good people of Owan Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives. Now we have heard from the grapevine that he is interested in returning to the House for another term. This is laughable because it was mainly because of the rotation that he got the ticket to run for Reps in the first place.

*Mr. Iruonagbe, a lawyer,wrote from Benin City, Edo State.

18 — Vanguard, MONDAY,AUGUST 26, 2013 THE unfolding events in Egypt should be a cause for serious concern for Nigeria.

The continent’s second most populous country sits on the proverbial keg of gunpowder, and there is no predicting the outcome of its on-going turmoil.

After more than forty years under a militarised civilian autocracy, Egyptians joined the train of the 2011 “Arab Spring” wave of revolutions that swept across most of the Middle East, which ended in the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak on 11 February 2011. The army, which assumed power, started an orderly transition that produced a constitution and culminated in the election of Mohammed Morsi, the candidate of the Freedom and Justice Party. FJP, the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood, as the first democratically elected president of Egypt.

Morsi’s inability to carry the mosaic of the Egyptian political interests along, as well as his increasing bent towards radical Islamic interests led to demonstrations by the alarmed opposition, thus triggering the return of the military to power. Since then,

An Eye On Egypt the army has cracked down on supporters of Morsi who have been staging series of unrests, wreaking a grim harvest of high death tolls.

One of the earliest reactions to the return of military rule to Egypt was the decision of the African Union, AU, to suspend her.

Nigeria, which is a signatory to the AU policy of distancing itself from military regimes in Africa, has bought into the AU posture.

As a country now menaced by armed Islamic insurgents, Nigeria has a duty and an interest to watch developments in Egypt with vigilance. As much as we should toe the line of the continental body, we must place our national interests

above every other consideration.

Our primary national interest is the security of lives and property of Nigerians both in Nigeria and elsewhere. Nigeria’s security will be threatened if events in Egypt are allowed to degenerate into a civil war. Our recent experiences in the relatively smaller Libya, whereby large amounts of arms mainly from the deposed Muammar Ghaddafi’s camp fuelled the wheels of terrorists in Nigeria, must be an object lesson.

We call on the Federal Government to join hands with other concerned powers to moderate events in Egypt to avoid the collapse of the state or reign of anarchy.

Though we abhor military rule, we must go beyond this and play our role as a major continental power with something to lose if Egypt goes wrong. Our pragmatic approach to the Omar Al Bashir visit to Abuja recently, in which we placed our national interest above that of the International Criminal Court, is a good pointer.

Let us be constructively engaged.

OPINION

BY WILLIAM BOZIMO

T

HE political climate is getting foggier and complicated as INEC was reported over the weekend to have registered another party apart from the APC, thereby creating more avenues for politicians who enjoy jumping from one party to another to test their popularity at the forthcoming polls in 2015.

The new party- Peoples Democratic Movement- was said to have been floated and financed by some highly placed Nigerians led by former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Atiku, it would be recalled, formed the PDM as a crucial anchor that gave birth to the present PDP. This was while he was under the tutelage of the late General Shehu Musa Yar ’Adua during the military era.

With the backing of the PDM, the Social Democratic Party, SDP, was able to outdo the National Republican Convention, NRC, in the elections of that period.

It will be recalled that Atiku held the franchise of the PDM which he used effectively when former President Olusegun Obasanjo, aka OBJ, was scheming for a second term ticket under the PDP. With 14 serving governors under his control as Vice President, Atiku almost succeeded in upstaging OBJ, almost literally bringing the President to his knees.

The governors wanted to replace Atiku with OBJ for the 2003 presidential C M Y

A j i the h political As PDM joins p li i l racee election but somehow, Atiku himself begged them to let him go. If those were to be believed, it could well have been that some of the governors who had withdrawn their threat later faced various forms of victimization from OBJ and subsequentlyAtiku himself suffered greatly as the President embarked on full scale vicious revenge mission.

The heat put on Atiku was such that he decided to dump the PDP for the opposition Action Congress Party, ostensibly to actualise his presidential ambition. But it did not work out and the former Vice President returned cap in hand, begging to be re-admitted into the PDP. On his return he kept working towards realising his presidential ambition once again. Unfortunately his old nemesis, OBJ, was still around to frustrate him when he made his bid at the PDP presidential primaries at the Eagle Square.

The news of the registration of PDM as a party did not come as a surprise except for those who are not familiar with the Atiku design to ascend the presidency by hook or crook.

The Daily Independent of August 19, 2013 with a front page headline: ‘’PDM Unsettles PDP,” reported that the PDP high command were caught unawares and they did not know of the PDM

schemes until the party’s registration was announced. The paper cited some PDP politicians who had benefitted from the party to be involved in what it described ‘’ as a great betrayal and a very strong position should be taken against the traitors".

The confusion was again more compounded when the former Vice President denied any knowledge or involvement in the birth of the new party, saying: "I may not be aware of the registration of the PDM as a party but I cannot stop my friends who are ready to register a party if they so wished. I am still in the PDP”.

This is not surprising because politicians are known to play games, always finding new ways of trying to bargain for better gains and opportunities.

W

ith the emergence of the APC and now the PDM , the political market is becoming crowded and it is better for politics and its practitioners, most especially as the other APC had not found the might and spirit to come out to compete for the APC acronym. Some other mischief makers had gone one step ahead to register a party which might end up being North- based and do battle with both the APC and PDP, splitting votes as they move along to

the disadvantage of both parties. Will the PDM throwing its hat into the 2015 presidential election signal any substantial gain for itself or APC? It is, perhaps, too early in the day to gauge to whose advantage the coming into being of the PDM will be.

Something tells me it is simply a bargaining chip by the Atiku Group of the PDM to rattle the comfort zone of the PDP across the country and by extension they will also collide with the APC in the the Northern states, especially the battle ground states of Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi, Niger and Sokoto states.

One thing is sure and that is that the more the parties , the better for a healthy rivalry and politicking. It might also be a new ball game for parties which hitherto had banked on sweeping the polls with their multiple brooms. That instead of fragile brooms as weapons of sweeping to power, they might reach for sledge hammers and other weapons of selective destruction to reach Aso Villa because the ruling party, the PDP will fortify itself with all the coercive powers of state apparatus to bear on the 2015 elections. Mortar for mortar, broom for broom, naira for naira and just name it. It is going to be total war to finish because in a state of war anything goes, including starvation of your opponents. *Mr. Bozimo, a veteran journalist, wrote from Asaba, Delta State.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013— —19

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N April 14, 2007, Andy Uba won the Anambra State governorship election. It was a landslide victory for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP P But on June 14, same year, barely two weeks after he was sworn in, Uba, in one of the most controversial Supreme Court judgements, was asked to vacate his office. Not because he didn’t win the election. And he was not impeached. The final court ruled that Governor’s Obi’s tenure had not lapsed and that the Independent National Election Tribunal, INEC, was wrong to conduct the election.

Uba licked his wounds; digested his tragic fate and accepted the judgement even though he did not seem to agree with it.

When Anambra was up again for election in 2010, many thought that PDP would at least be kind to Uba considering the circumstances under which he lost his mandate. To be sure, every governor that his election was annulled in PDP states was given a chance to recontest as decided by the 175th NWC meeting of April 24, 2008 held in Abuja which resolved that '' all Party members are reminded that no court ruling has nullified the governorship candidates of PDP Flag bearers " and directed " there is therefore no need to substitute candidates " .

Surprisingly, the NWC decision, availed all other 2007 flag bearers including Cross River State governor, Senator Liyel Imoke and then Edo State governor, Professor Oserhiemen Osunbor, removed by court pronouncements, but denied Dr. Andy Uba, the PDP flag bearer in Anambra State, when the election became due in 2010.

Andy Uba was given no chance to re-contest, to seek a return to an office he was compelled to vacate

for no fault of his. The then Chairman of PDP, Vincent Ogbulafor acted like one who had scores to settle with the reticent former presidential assistant while the PDP leadership watched in either an attitude of passivity or cold complicity.

The primary election that year was a charade. And before the dust could clear, Charles Chukwuma Soludo, a former Central Bank Governor, a respected scholar but a political neophyte, without structure and without political history was imposed on Anambra PDP as their candidate.

Other PDP aspirants felt that their party had put justice on the gallows and so left for other platforms to reinvigorate their aspirations and to seek their actualization. PDP votes in Anambra had consequently been bulkanised. It was a fatal self injury. And expectedly Soludo brought no solution or healing.

PDP lost Anambra State for a second time.

The question is, has PDP now learnt its lesson? Are they ready to allow Justice to prevail as it gets ready to organise its primary election? The signs appear ominous. History seems about to repeat itself. But this political tragedy can be avoided. Let us look at the unfolding drama.

PDP vs INEC This time, PDP’s battle may not exactly be against a member. INEC is the object of its battle cry. The reason? The Chairman of Anambra State PDP recognised by INEC is not acceptable to PDP Acting National Working Committee and its chairman, Dr Bamanga Tukur . And Tukur has told anyone that cared to listen that it is not the mandate of INEC to recognise or impose a chairman on PDP. But therein lies the irony.

To begin with, that PDP today is working under an Acting NWC

The caustic truth Tukur needs to appreciate is that the whole idea of pushing the name of Ken Emeakayi as Anambra State PDP chairman is in crass violation of the PDP constitution

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was simply due to INEC’s report which pointed out some defects in PDP’s last convention in terms of strict adherence to the party’s constitution. As a consequence of INEC’s observation and indeed report, the affected members of NWC were pressurized to resign while a mini-convention has been scheduled for August 31, 2013. The purpose is to ensure that the convention is organised in absolute conformity with the “ party’s constitution and so to say, to correct the defects contained in INEC’s report. In fact, the PDP chairman, Tukur had gallantly asserted that the INEC report had validated his own election as chairman. He also accepted, pronto, INEC’s report that adjudged Adamawa State congress as illegal.

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he stinging question now is, why is Anambra’s case different? At what point did Tukur realise that INEC’s report is no longer binding or is untenable?

Why should INEC report be a testament to the authenticity of his election as Chairman while the same INEC report should be regarded as inconsequential and of no effect in Anambra State?

Why should INEC report be valid in Adamawa, his home state and invalid in Anambra State? Is

Fani-Kayode and his naked dance

BY OKEY NDIRIBE

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HAD intended not to dignify Femi Fani Kayode with any response since he decided to dance naked in the market place.

Somebody ought to have reminded him that those who live in glass houses don't throw stones. He has only himself to blame about his unpalatable past which has been on display all over Facebook k in the last few days.

In the first place, I no longer have any iota of doubt that his articles are products of a sick mind. For instance, he claimed that all Igbos are vulgar.

My response to this is that Fani Kayode is not only vulgar and obscene but outrightly morally depraved. How can any sane man disclose the lurid details of his escapades with the opposite sex on the pages of newspapers all in the name of proving that he is not a tribalist?

Hear him: "I was not a tribalist when I had a long-standing and intimate relationship with Miss Bianca Onoh, an Igbo lady, who many years later married Ojukwu and who is now our Ambassador in Spain. I was not a tribalist when I had a long-standing and intimate relationship with Miss Chioma Anasoh, another Igbo lady, who I almost took as a second wife. I was not a tribalist when I had a longstanding and intimate relationship with Miss Adaobi Uchegbu, another Igbo lady, who was exceptionally close to me and who is now at the National Headquarters of the

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ruling PDP P." Kayode was also laughable when he wrote: "I was not a tribalist when I wrote an essay, just two years ago, extolling the virtues of Igbo women and telling the world about their sudden and meteoric rise and how far they had gone in the power circles of this country in the last 10 years."

The complete illogicality of his argument was further exposed when he wrote: "I was not a tribalist when many years ago I attended and gave my life to Christ in a church called TREM, which was established by a great Igbo man by the name of Bishop Mike Okonkwo."

He further exposed his irrationality by presenting another position which could at best be described as non-sequitor in logic.

According to him: "I was not a tribalist when my grandfather, Justice Victor Adedapo Kayode, taught Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe at Methodist Boys High School in Lagos and when my father, Chief Remilekun Fani-Kayode, was appointed as the leader of the predominantly Igbo NCNC in the Western Regional House of Assembly".

Pray, what is the relationship between Femi's religious beliefs who once worshipped in Bishop Mike Okonkwo's church and his attempt to deny that he is a tribalist? Was he trying to say a tribalist could never attend Bishop Okonkwo's Church or what?

Again, of what relevance is the fact that his grand father Justice Victor Kayode taught Nigeria's first President, Dr. Nnamdi

,

BY ZIK ZULU

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Anambra 2014: Can Tukur save PDP

justice about to be put in the purgatory once again? One does not think so because we know Dr Tukur to be an honourable man.

But he must stand up for justice and so make a hard but right decision.

What PDP must do Dr Tukur is a man who speaks with profound candour and conviction. His integrity has never been in contention. May be, just may be, he needs to understand the core political scenario in Anambra State PDP to appreciate why he needs to change his posture against INEC. The caustic truth Tukur needs to appreciate is that the whole idea of pushing the name of Ken Emeakayi as Anambra State PDP chairman fractures the principle of logic, justice and importantly, is in crass violation of the PDP constitution. For a lucid understanding of the situation, it must be understood that Emeakayi’s claim to headship of PDP in Anambra State remains vague and illegitimate, as it were.

Once the state congress was conducted on March 17, 2012 and Ejike Ogbuebego was elected as substantive chairman, Emeakayi’s claim automatically came to an end. This is the letter and spirit of PDP constitution and it remains inviolable.

That Emeakayi ran to the court on December 18, 2012 to obtain exparte order to restrain INEC from recognising no one but himself changes absolutely nothing. In the first instance, the order was obtained nine months after the PDP congress and it couldn’t have been retroactive and therefore cannot displace a duly elected chairman. But he would now cause Anambra PDP to embark on judicial odyssey to seek authenticity as a rash of court orders and judgements over leadership followed. While a Federal Capital Territory High Court judgement of July 5, 2012 between Emma Mbamalu and PDP declared null and void the ward, local government and state congresses that produced Ogbuebego as chairman, of which

He has only himself to blame about his unpalatable past which has been on display all over Facebook in the last few days

Azikiwe, to the issue at hand?

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nother evidence that the man is a very poor example of what a graduate of Cambridge University should be, was his response to some of the rejoinders that have been written about his "scholarly" articles.

The self-acclaimed blue-blooded Kayode stated: "The shameless and emotional thrash and disjointed verbiage that have been described as rejoinders so far are just not up to scratch. They are bereft of any scholarship and intellectual content. They also invoke (sic) pity in me for the faceless plebeians that wrote them and those they claim to be speaking for."

In his effort to whip up anti-Igbo sentiments, he was very effusive in his emotional outbursts. According to him Igbos hate Yorubas "and only pretend to believe in one Nigeria as long as they can always have their way and laud(sic) it over others.

Worst of all, generally speaking, they have no restraining factors because money and the acquisition of wealth is their sole

an appeal exits, a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt in a suit No. FHC/PH/CS/213/2013 between Ejike Ogbuebego & 2 Ors vs PDP and INEC also restrained INEC from having anything to do with Emeakayi.

If Anambra PDP has to be rescued from this cacophony of judgements, INEC has to be the messiah as the court appears to have been drawn into this complex and intricate political web and their judgements seem to contradict one another and so seemingly ineffectual.

Since INEC was not a party to the suit at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory that nullified the election of the substantive chairman, Ejike Ogbuebego, the PDP Chairman, Alhaji Tukur should see a leeway in there to permanently resolve the Anambra PDP crisis as INEC is not bound by that judgement.

And since INEC itself has affirmed emphatically that it did not monitor the process that ushered in Emeakayi as chairman of PDP in Anambra State, the only way to assure justice is to recognise Ogbuebego as the authentic chairman which indeed he is.

Besides, Dr. Tukur and INEC had been according recognition to Ogbuebego since his election. In May 2013, Dr Tukur forwarded Ogbuebego’s name to INEC as the chairman of PDP in Anambra State and INEC duly recognised him.

There will be no justifiable reason now to throw up any name or person as chairman. It just wouldn’t fly. It can only complicate the Anambra political conundrum and castrate its potentials.

Dr Tukur, surely, is a man of honour. And the honourable way to go now is to accept and recognise Ogbuebego as the Anambra State PDP Chairman. He needs to do this before the Anambra PDP governorship primary election on August 24, 2013.

*Mr. Zulu, a political analyst, wrote from Lagos.

objective and purpose in life."

He continued: "They have labelled the Yoruba as tribalists and Igbo-haters simply because we have refused to accept their claims to our land and territory and even though we were more charitable, hospitable, accommodating and generous to them than any other nationality in Nigeria after the civil war.

"They have labelled the Northerners as tribalists and Igbo-haters simply because the North has refused to tolerate their excesses and accept their complicated ways.

They have labelled the Niger Deltans as tribalists and Igbo-haters simply due to the ”abandoned property issue” and because historically many of them have always resisted the idea of Igbo domination."

Another evidence which clearly indicates that Femi is not only possessed of a confused mind but lacks good education, came few days after his first article claiming he had intimate relationships with some Igbo ladies.

The statement which was issued on his behalf indicated that he never meant to convey the impression that he had slept with the Igbo ladies whose names he mentioned earlier.

For Femi's information, among the entries for the word 'intimate' as contained in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of English is: "having a sexual relationship especially outside marriage".

So, how can a so-called graduate of Cambridge not know the meaning of words he used in an essay he claims is a scholarly article?

Continues tomorrow on page 18 * Mr. Ndiribe, a journalist, wrote from Abuja.

20— —Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

PIB: IOCs grievances are not Nigerians’

BY ABIYE MEMBERE

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N April 4, Vanguard reported that the IOCs – or international oil cormpanies – have responded aggressively to the latest draft of Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). It’s no surprise that they’ve been so critical. The IOCs making the criticisms – including ExxonMobil, Chevron, Total and Shell – responded through the Oil Producers Trade Section, a body that was founded to speak for both international and indigenous corporations in the Nigerian petroleum industry.

They’re on dubious ground speaking through this organ, as the complaints they’re making are only relevant to international corporations: many of the issues disliked by IOCs are supported strongly by domestic Nigerian producers. But despite this, these criticisms are being heard, and they deserve a response – because the arguments make out that their private grievances are also grievances for the Nigerian people. They are not, and we have to get rid of this idea. The public interest is quite separate from the IOCs’ private interests – indeed,on occasions they’re directly opposed.

So Nigerians need to hear a

Map of the Niger Delta

President Goodluck Jonathan Natural gas is important, and the PIB makes a powerful and justified effort to persuade oil companies to let Nigerians buy some of the gas coming from their own land. And this gas is important. As all Nigerians know, our power supply is unreliable and needs lots of investment. As well as new power cables and generators, we also need a supply of fuel – and gas is the best option.

So why are the companies not eager to make the most of the PIB’s incentives to keep gas in Nigeria? Perhaps they’re under political pressure elsewhere to keep the flow of export gas

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In spite of what the IOCs say, they won’t be leaving Nigeria any time soon. The oil industry here will remain profitable

counter-argument from the PIB’s defenders, so that it becomes clear that the Nigerian public interest is not harmed by the legislation – even if IOCs have problems with it, for reasons of profit and loss.

Attacks on PIB What are their attacks on the PIB? One of the main criticisms noted by the Vanguard d was that the IOCs prefer to export gas, and are reluctant to produce it for the Nigerian market. The PIB gives companies great reasons to produce gas for Nigerian consumers, including tax breaks, but the IOCs have made clear that they still favour export to America and Europe. As many IOCs know, natural gas is a clean, efficient source of energy – as Statoil argued in 2013, “natural gas is a particularly attractive energy source and should play a key part in … the EU’s long term energy mix”.

coming – in America, in Europe.

Undoubtedly, it appears that export-oriented gas projects are taking precedence over the needs of the Nigerian people. It stands to reason, therefore, that only the Nigerian people can secure this protection for themselves, through legislation to create new incentives to keep Nigerian gas in Nigeria. The draft PIB 2012 is poised to do just that as lack of gas infrastructure forms a major constraint.

In a further criticism, the IOCs criticised the new approach being taken to regulation. Under the PIB, two new taxes at fixed rates will be introduced – the Nigerian Hydrocarbon Tax and the Companies Income Tax. But though these tax rates are fixed in the PIB, royalty rates – the amount of profit that the IOCs get – are going to be set at a later time, in more detailed regulations. Contrast this with the 1993 deep water regulations, in which oil companies gained an 80 per cent share of profits,

and it’s clearer why the IOCs are dissatisfied with the new PIB model. For the IOCs, this new deal enforces a standard of fairness that defends the NigePetroleum minister, Deziani Madueke rian taxpayer and the underdeveloped communities of able, even at higher rates. Inthe delta, asking a little more deed, many high-rate countries from the IOCs’ generous profit have benefited from recent investments, including Total’s Ofon margins.

Furthermore, to the IOCs’ Phase II investment, Shell’s claim that this plan will create Southern Swamp project here in uncertainty for investors, we re- Nigeria, and ExxonMobil’s Reply that in truth setting rates like serve developments – the last of this is common across the world, which won African deal of the and already happens under the year award in 2012. We know, current Petroleum Profits Tax Act and the IOCs know that it’s bethere in Nigeria. The system ter to have something than nothworks well, because it offers ing – especially when indigregulators the degree of flexibil- enous Nigerian competitors are ity needed to respond to chang- reading to snatch up any availing market conditions – it stead- able oilfields.

So the Nigerian government is ies the ship in the storm. The Nigerian taxpayer, represented no enemy of investment, and the by the government, is not locked IOCs are not looking after Niinto a fixed regime but is able to geria’s best interests when they respond nimbly to rising and fall- scaremonger about possible falls ing prices, ensuring that (as in in investment: investment will other areas of taxation) rates can continue, as it has elsewhere.

Another key objective of the PIB alter as political and economic circumstances change. We’re ask- is the introduction of a modern ing that companies take on some system of acreage administration of the uncertainty that was pre- which would ensure that tracts viously taken on by the taxpayer. of acreages that have been lying dormant under the current regime are operated in a vigorous Lower and continuous manner that royalty would shore up the nation’s reA further complaint exposes a serves and production.

Therefore, under the PIB, the similar, rather self-interested defence: citing the lower royalty- days in which IOCs could sit on take rates of other African coun- valuable acreage without actively tries, the IOCs argue that Equa- working them would be over. torial Guinea (with a 44 per cent This system will not only help Government take) or Ghana (52 Nigerian oil companies, but will per cent) are more attractive than also attract new independent Nigeria, which is uncompetitive players that are ready to take by comparison. But in reality, exploration risks to increase proeven countries with far higher duction.

Predictably, the IOCs are takes – the UAE takes 77 per cent, Angola 83 per cent – have im- scared of the competition this will plemented these rates without create, as it will reduce their causing a flight of IOCs to low- dominance and open up the sectake countries like Ghana. There tor for increased investment. If has been no exodus – because we remember that in the past investment remains very profit- decade, much success in major

oil and ga as discoveries globallly has been by the inde ependents, not by riisk-averse IOCs wh ho expand through a acquisition and merge mergers, it’s easy to understand why this regulation is viewed as a threat to IOCs, but positively by non-dominant, up-and-coming market players.It’s an excellent reform for the sector as a whole.

In a final attack, the IOCs have criticised the system of investment allowances, which rewards companies by output, discouraging wasteful behaviour

by IOCs. Once again, these rules do turn the tables on IOCs, improving the terms for the taxpayer and Nigerian citizen.

IOCs have complained, here, that the authorities are not paying enough attention to their needs, and haven’t consulted them sufficiently. In a way, they’re right – the Government is listening, but they’re going ahead with reforms in spite of the complaints.

Because the PIB deliberately shifts the balance of interests in favour of the people.

Nigeria’s oil industry remains profitable Legislation doesn’t have to be a zero sum game, in which one side gains as the other loses: as the Nigerian people claim some basic standards, just as other countries across the world have done, the IOCs will pay their fair share.

But in spite of what the IOCs say, they won’t be leaving Nigeria any time soon. The oil industry here will remain profitable. We just need to be careful, as the debate about the PIB goes forward, to separate the IOCs’ complaints from the public interests.Their concerns about profit are real to them, but they shouldn’t be allowed to wear the mask of public interest. The government, elected by the people of Nigeria is legislating to improve Nigerians’ lives: the IOCs can contribute to this democratic process of reform, but we will not stand by as their petrodollars spread misinformation. The PIB represents the real public interest. It should pass.

zAbiye Membere is Group Executive Director for Exploration and Production at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

Vanguard, MONDAY,AUGUST 26, 2013 — 45

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MONDAY , AUGUST 26 6, 2013 MONDAY, 26, 3

Hole-in-heart baby seeks N2.5m for corrective surgery

BY MODINAT AMUSAT

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HE only thing standing between 14month-old Temiloluwa Ojebode and a happy healthy life, is N2.5 million to undergo a crucial corrective heart surgery in an Indian hospital.

Disclosing this to Health & Living last week, Temiloluwa’s mother, Toyin, explained that she had known no sleep ever since her baby was diagnosed with a hole-inthe-heart.

•Temiloluwa Ojebode

Toyin, a native of IjadaIjesha in Osun State and an an unemployed HND graduate in Statistics said when he was born on May 31, 2012, Temiloluwa was perfect in health.

“But after about three months, I began to notice his hands, legs and lips were turning blue. This continued for close to one year without improvement.” Then, one day, the baby fell asleep and could not be roused, and she was compelled to take him to Gbagada

General Hospital, where the doctor ordered an xray of the chest. “I did the x-ray. and also did an Echo. In the end, it was discovered that he had a hole in the heart. So we were referred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH.” A medical report signed

by Prof. A. Okoromah, a Consultant Paediatrician at LUTH, confirmed the diagnosis of a congenital abnormality described as tetralogy of fallot. The doctor confirmed the baby requires further

evaluation and possible open heart surgery to correct the abnormality y and forestall irreversible and life-threatening complications.

In a passionate appeal, Toyin is desperately y pleading with the Oyo State Governor and well meaning Nigerians forr assistance. If you are touched, send donations to Ojebode Temiloluwa John, First Bank k 3074678881, or call 0 7 0 3 8 5 6 9 5 2 6 , 08090901934 for more details.

Declining male fertility: IMSI to the rescue

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

A

S the rising problem of male-factor infertility is being effectively tackled with a technologically advanced approach called Intra-Cytosplasmic Morphologically-Selected Sperm Injection, IMSI, Nigerian couples with such challenge have been urged to take advantage of the technique.

IMSI enables direct selection of good sperms from the man and then injecting into the woman’s egg to successfully achieve pregnancy.

It is a build up on a previously existing treatment for male-factor infertility treatment procedure called Intra-Cytosplasmic Sperm Injection, ICSI. Making the call last week,Medical; Director, Nordica Fertility Centre, Lagos, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, said couples who may have been experiencing failed assisted reproduction conceptions or recurrent miscarriages, may need to be investigated for the problem of malefactor infertility.

“When we compared the sperm parameters of men who presented 10 years ago in our clinic with parameters of those who are presenting now, we found that there is about a 30 percent decline in the sperm count of those presenting now,” Ajayi stated.

Noting that although the observation

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was based strictly on patients attending the clinic and not the whole community, he hoever noted: “We are seeing more male issues than what we saw 10 years ago. The sperm parameters are becoming worse, and therefore it is necessary to bring it to the front burner and we cannot talk about it without talking about technology, because we know there is no drug right now that solves the problem of deranged sperm count or bad sperm parameters.”

Arguing that IMSI is someting we need to talk about, Ajayi stated: “From our findings, IMSI has increased pregnancy rates in people with previous failures in ICSI, and we also

saw there were less abortion rates.

IMSI is only indicated when there is less than two million sperm count and motility less than 5 percent.

“First, sperm count is low, then there is higher incidence of genetically deformed sperms. Much of the problems with bad sperm is genetic, and they can burn out,”he noted.

Nordica Fertility Centre pioneered the technique in West Africa, and says IMSI doubles the chances of men with abnormally low sperm count and poor sperm motility. It was gathered series of pregnancies have already been successfully achieved through the pioneering initiative.

•Dr. Abayomi Ajayi

Nigeria records reduction in polio cases

•Rotary International blames slow progress on insecurity

BY CHIOMA OBINNA & KOSISO UDEMBA

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IGERIA A has recorded reduction of reported cases of the wild polio virus, WPV, even as Rotary International says insecurity in the northern part of the country is responsible for the slow progress of the eradication drive.

Presenting an update report on polio

in Lagos last week, Chairman, Nigeria National Polio Plus Committee, NNPPC, Dr. Abdulrahman Tunji Funso said the country has halved the number of WPV cases, with 43 confirmed cases in nine states as at August 9, 2013 compared to 81 cases in 11 states within the same period in 2012.

Funso however, lamented that 84 per cent of the current burden of polio still comes from Kano,Borno, Yobe and Bauchi States, mostly affected by activities of Islamic sect, Boko Haram.To this end, NNPPC held a two-day polio immunisation programme in endemic local councils in the four States.

“It remains a challenge for the country that about 200,000 children are still missing the three doses of polio vaccine needed to prevent the deadly virus. The danger is that for every polio infection we allow to happen anywhere in the country, it puts the whole country and the world at the risk of new spread,” Funsho warned.

He said: "Yes! No case has been recorded in the south so far, but new cases in the north equally put us all at risk. Which is why we are still appealing for collective support to tackle polio disease through continuous routine immunisation and fund support."

Further, Funsho said: “Nigeria has no business being among countries that are yet to eradicate polio. Nigeria has eradicated Type 2 and Type 3 strains of the WPV said the country is currently faced with the challenges of eradicating Type 1. It will be embarrassing if the country is the last among the three countries to eradicate polio.

"This is why Rotary is committed to eradicating polio from the surface and ensure that Nigeria is not the last to be declared polio-free country in the world.

"It is not about statistics, but about the picture of that child that has once walked but soon came down with fever and then could not walk again or just died of polio. That is the picture we want to eradicate in Rotary," he said.

Rotary Club Service Projects, R.I Districts 9110, Nigeria, Yemi Osilaja said to address funding gap in Nigeria, the Club plans to raise N100 million before the end of the year through cycling race in collaboration with Cycology Riding Club in Lagos.

Osilaja said the Club is organising the six–hour non-stop cycling race in Lagos. Cyclists from outside Lagos will be invited to join in the campaign aimed at filling the funding gap in Nigeria.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013—49

Thrills and frills at PDP primaries

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

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LAIMS of disenfranchisement and monetary inducement by some aspirants, have continued to

trail the PDP governorship primaries conducted by the Ken Emeakayi-led faction of the party.

It was gathered that many of the 1500 delegates from the 326

Tony who?

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ONY Nwoye’s victory in the PDP governorship primaries was shocking to many, especially to those outside the mainstream of the PDP in Anambra State. This was especially so since he was not regarded as one of the money bags in the party and was

not known to be among the early front runners.

Nwoye polled 498 votes ahead of his closest rival, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, who polled 357 votes at the keenly contested primary election conducted at the Women

wards that voted were financially enticed by agents of the aspirants. But how many of them succumbed remains an issue especially given that Nwoye, who won the primaries

would not be considered the richest or a moneybag in the Anambra sense of estimation of money.

At the Women Development Centre where accreditation

Development Centre, off EnuguOnitsha Expressway, Awka.

The exercise was originally scheduled for the Alex Ekwueme Square at 10 am, but it did not commence until about 6 p.m. after rigorous verification of the delegates and those who did not have party's cards were turned back.

Party officials, who handled the process amid tight security called in the delegates according to

their local governments.

Some people were caught claiming the identities of delegates.

As results came in early yesterday morning there was excitement in the camps of Ukachukwu and Nze Akachukwu Nwankpo following momentary leads by the two aspirants, but their joy turned sober as Nwoye caught up and took over.

took place, delegates had a hectic time entering the venue, as some were refused accreditation for non possession of party's membership card.

A Director General of one of the aspirants, who spoke with Vanguard on condition of anonymity, regretted that eligible delegates were disenfranchised through that process.

“Delegates are being stopped because they don’t have party's card. That is not supposed to be the criteria. I have never voted with a voter’s card before.

Once you are a delegate, it is assumed that you have fulfilled all the needed requirements to participate in the exercise” he stated.

Nwoye: Payback for the student activist

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

has come with that of Senator Andy Uba, who won the rival primaries conducted by a rival faction of the party, headed by Ejike Oguebego, an associate of Chief Chris Uba. Even though the Oguebego

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OMRADE Tony Nwoye who was announced as the winner of the PDP governorship primaries early yesterday is a man of many ironies.

If endorsed by the PDP he could end up becoming one of the youngest governors in the country, if elected. Nwoye who is now 38 won recognition as national president of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS and subsequently used the platform to firmly plant himself on the political landscape in his native Anambra State.

Born as a twin on September 13, 1974, Nwoye, while at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka was elected national president of NANS in December, 2003 and became the first and only Igbo man to hold that office.

He served on several Federal Government committees and boards and was a delegate to the National Political Reform Conference in 2005. In the same year, he was appointed assistant secretary of the PDP in Anambra State, a position he held until 2006 when he was appointed chairman of the party.

He was a close associate of the then presidential aide, Andy Uba, who subsequently won the 2007 gubernatorial election with Nwoye as chairman of the PDP P In the 2011 general election, Nwoye contested for a seat in the House of Representatives to represent Anambra East/West Federal Constituency, but even though the courts upheld his election and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC issued him a certificate of return, he has till date remained outside on the basis of legal technicalities.

faction of the party has been disowned by the national secretariat of the PDP P, Senator Uba is banking on the recognition given the faction by INEC.

Will Andy Uba be second time lucky?

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, DEPUTY POLITICAL EDITOR

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•Nwoye Nwoye’s win in the PDP governorship primaries conducted by the party, however, again puts him at odds this time

OR the second time in three attempts, Senator Andy Uba, weekend, emerged as the Anambra State gubernatorial candidate of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He was the party’s candidate in 2007 and went on to win the governorship election. He was sworn-in as governor; he was on

the saddle for 17 days before the Supreme Court asked him to step down because Governor Peter Obi’s tenure had not elapsed.

The development made him to be known as the ’17-day governor.’

Andy Uba’s attempt to ‘automatically’ take over from Obi on account of his ‘2007 mandate’ did not yield dividend at party and court levels. He was

denied the PDP ticket in 2010 as the party favoured Professor Chukwuma Soludo.

This time, it is to be seen whether Anambra people will return the mandate to him. And this will depend on what happens with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which does not recognize his PDP faction, but is backed by the party hierarchy.

Ngige’s endorsement forecloses aspirants' chances — CNPP

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

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HE Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, yesterday said that the political calculations, which threw up Dr. Chris Ngige as candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has foreclosed the chances of candidates of other political parties in the November 16 governorship election in Anambra State.

National Publicity Secretary of CNPP, Mr. Osita Okechukwu who said this in a statement issued in Abuja, was emphatic that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP P and All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, should forget dreaming of winning the election.

He said the umbrella body of registered political parties bid the ruling APGA farewell from the state.

"The CNPP congratulated Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha for his foresight, diligence, uncommon commitment to common good and patriotism in bidding good-

bye to APGA, by joining the progressive train of All Progressives Congress."

Okechukwu said that with Okorocha’s exit from APGA to APC and the role he played to

APGA 'll be fair, says scribe

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

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ECRETARY of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Anambra State Barrister Emeka Meze, has dismissed fears in some quarters that today ’s governorship primary would be a coronation exercise for any of the contestants, saying that the party would provide a level playing ground for all aspirants.

Meze, in an exclusive chat with Vanguard said six aspirants will be participating in the exercise scheduled to hold at Alex

Ekwueme Square, Awka.

He further dismissed fears that the crisis holding the party down before now, might play out today.

His words: "We are ready for our primaries tomorrow (today).

And we are going to witness the most transparent promaries in history. We have about six aspirants who will be participating. And all of them will be given a level playing ground.

“The APGA crisis is a media creation. APGA is not a party to any suit in the court so we have no crises.”

midwife a seamless APC primary election in Anambra, APGA’s end is near in the state.

According to the statement, Okorocha’s exit from APGA and entry into the APC is a clarion call for Ndigbo and indeed Nigerians to join the progressive train, where hard work, innovation and competition more than patronage, prevail.

•Uba C M Y K

50—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

Yes, we're not all clean in APC, but … — Kanti Bello SENATOR Mahmud Kanti Bello represented Katsina North Senatorial District between 2003 and 2011 and was Senate Majority Whip. In this interview with Vanguard, he spoke on the newly formed APC and its acceptability in the North. He also flayed President Goodluck Jonathan for failing to keep to the alleged one term agreement and insists that APC is the party for all Nigerians. Excerpts:

BY GBENGA OKE

M

ANY believe that APC will be torn apart when the party decides to choose candidates for election...

Even councillorship positions must be decided honestly because that is what will show Nigerians whether we are honest or not.

So, how prepared is the new party to fight the PDP in the coming elections given that elections will take place six months to the end of the life of the present administration?

We do not have any problems with time once we are willing.

All that people want is that it must be different from the PDP P, people want distinct party, crises-free and you can only get that if you are honest.

Putting the cards on table now, there is no way zoning will not play out...

(Cuts in) Which zoning?

Zoning is not even part of the constitution of the APC. There is nothing like zoning but there is something we call fairness but most importantly, there must be capability, credibility and somebody who can do the job.

So, don’t bring the question of zoning because it is not part of our constitution. It is part of PDP’s previous constitution because President Jonathan kicked C M Y K

Will you then say APC leaders are ready to drop their ambition to salvage this country?

That is what we are saying that everybody having ambition, please drop it and it should not be shown now. It is something to put something on paper, another is the implementation.

For me, the only way to implement all these things is through honesty of purpose.

•Bello

,

Are you saying that zoning will not decide how things will move in the party?

Not a question of zoning, there will be congresses after registration and if the registration is hijacked by some people, then there will be problem.

Every Nigerian that intends to register with the party should be allowed and should be given equal right.

I can tell you that when we merged and came together as APC, we were not all saints, there are some bad guys within the party, and we cannot run away from that because we couldn’t have sent people away when we were registering the party because this is a Nigerian party.

Some of us are in this party with our life and in the interest of this country and we will do everything possible for it to succeed and we are not going to leave any stone unturned from any quarter that wants to cheat ordinary people or party members.

We just need somebody to clear this corruption menace. Do you agree with me that Buhari is not corrupt?

And do you agree with me also that the problems of this country are corruption? All these subsidy and pension problems boil down to corruption and something needs to be done urgently.

I can tell you that when we merged and came together as APC, we were not all saints, there are some bad guys within the party

against it and he is the leader of the party and that is one of the reasons why I disagreed with him.

Not because the North is having an agenda but because I sat down with you and we made an agreement that this is the way we want to live together, you cannot come and change it because you have an advantage.

It is not because Jonathan is from the South-South and I am a Northerner, it is because there is a rule and the rules have been disobeyed and that is why the PDP is having a lot of troubles now and they will continue to have problems because some

,

people want to cut corners and that is what I am saying to my new party not to allow this to happen; be honest with your people and be sincere.

How does the North’s clamour for power shift play out in APC? We need a large hearted President; we need somebody who is honest and ready to take criticism. What we have been suffering in this country is a President without experience and without focus and because of that, we don’t even know where we are going and that is why there is no respect for the party.

And you can see what is happening within the PDP P the five governors are going stronger and fighting the chairman, Bamanga Tukur.

All these show lack of discipline for the party, I cannot say that to Chief Akande because I respect him, not because I cannot mobilize the same people Chief Akande can mobilize in my own state in my own right, but because he is my leader and I recognize him as a leader.

We need a disciplined society and that is why we need General Buhari because he has the power to bring discipline and wage war against corruption.

If you are still talking about Buhari as a Presidential candidate, how does that come to play when people are already calling for generational change?

I hope that the party will accept him. I am not saying he has to be. Where were you when there were problems in South Africa and Mandela became President?

What is your comment on the call for the adoption of part time National Assembly?

We are so selfish in this country but every right thinking Nigerian will agree that we cannot afford the system we are operating now.

It is the system that we are operating that is wrong, and in the whole world, go and check, it is only Nigeria and United States that are operating this system.

Nigeria is a nation but the revenue and the economy of California is many times bigger than that of Nigeria even that of Texas is bigger than that of Nigeria.

Our local governments are what they call counties in the United States, but yet we decided to have 109 Senators and at the same-time we wanted to function as Senators of the United States of America.

We have legislative aides, constituency offices, vehicles and others, but are we as rich as the United States? I am not saying the National Assembly members are being over-paid, I am saying the system is wrong, reduce the numbers and have one single house with maybe 180 members.

You cannot reduce their remuneration, you have reduced their function. It is just like arithmetic, if you reduce it, you get less result.

There are several things some of those monies go into, like housing which is expensive in Abuja, you have constituency officers who want you to do things for them because they elected you, you need to buy vehicles and motorcycles for them most times, whether you have quality contribution on the floor or not, they are less concerned.

That is our culture, so reduce the number that will also reduce the cost.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013—51

•Amosun: Doing things his own way

Ogun APC: It's

•Osoba: Not pleased with Amosun

fight to finish

IT was a fight long expected. However, no one expected the clash of egos between the Governor Ibikunle Amosun and Aremo Segun Osoba led factions of the party to manifest so early in the life of the newly registered All Progressives Congress, APC.

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HE absence of Osoba, all three senators and majority of the members of the House of Representatives on the APC ticket at the formal inauguration of the new party recently in Abeokuta, was a major blow to the unity of the newly emerged party.

While Amosun and many of his supporters sang and danced away at the Alake Palace ground on that day, Osoba and many of his followers including all three senators it was learnt watched the proceedings on television. They were definitely not bemused.

They couldn’t have. Just three years ago they were the ones that invited Governor Amosun into the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, the party that is the mainstay of the APC in Ogun State. Amosun before then was in the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP and was the main tree and he like Osoba and others knew that a tree could not make the forest they needed to crowd out the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP P. Amosun's entry into the ACN was, however, laced with crisis as he was accepted almost alone and all other prominent associates who had political ambitions for the Senate and the House of Representatives were dropped.

While he was easily crowned

as the ACN gubernatorial candidate, his associates were dropped. Even his deputy, was imposed on him. It was the humble pie that Amosun took, but those who know him, knew that he was bound to take his pound of flesh.

Genesis of the squabble The internal wrangling rocking the party began shortly after it was clear that Amosun, who was a member of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, was going to be hand-picked as Ogun ACN governorship ahead of the 2011 election.

In fact, his choice as the party’s standard bearer was greeted with violence as the party secretariat located along Abiola Way in Abeokuta was destroyed. Some leaders of the party had to run for a cover as supporters of other aspirants felt cheated by the arrangement.

The trouble became bigger when the governor, reportedly, a rm-twisted the party leaders in the nomination of his commissioners when he jettisoned the party’s list.

Over time, the crisis seemed to have been bottled until the issue of nomination of local government chairmen, which also went in favour of the governor and thus polarised the party the more.

Then, the party was sharply divided into two: the

ACN and Senator Ibikunle Amosun, SIA. For the council polls, the party ’s nominees were jettisoned for SIA’s candidate by the State Independent Electoral Commission, which led to defection of many aggrieved members to other parties including the Preoples Democratic Party, PDP and

members leaving 20 seats for the ACN. Apparently irked by the arrangement, the SIA camp hit back at the Osoba camp.

He swapped the position of deputy speaker which had been given to a female lawmaker from Ifo 11, Khadihat Adele Oladipo, to his loyalist, Tola Banjo from Ijebu-Ode

,

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

Over time, the crisis seemed to have been bottled until the issue of nomination of local government chairmen, which also went in favour of the governor and thus polarised the party the more

Labour Party.

It was further gathered that, what angered SIA camp against the other party believed to be loyal to Osoba was that his camp was stripped almost naked in the nomination of lawmakers especially at the Federal level.

The Osoba camp produced all the nine Federal lawmakers but one was defeated at the election

by PPN candidate from Imeko.

Also, SIA was said to have felt cheated and humiliated with the paltry slots offered him at the state House of Assembly as his camp was given 10 out of the 26 seats and Osoba camp also got the speaker’s seat. The Assembly has six opposition

,

constituency.

Ever since, relations between SIA and other federal lawmakers can be likened to that of cat and mouse.

Effects and threats To show their grievances, all the Federal lawmakers stayed away from the launch of APC in Ogun State.

Dramatically, all of them reportedly gathered in the Lagos home of their leader where they watched the programme on the state-owned television.

Interestingly, 24 hours after the launch of the party, the posters of another

governorship aspirant, believed to have been sponsored by the Osoba camp, flooded major places in the state capital.

The speculation that Amosun might have been dumped by the party played itself out as the posters of Fola Adeola, former running mate of ACN Presidential candidate in the 2011 election; Nuhu Ribadu, was sighted at strategic places in the state capital.

But, dramatically, some people believed to be loyalists of Amosun swiftly removed all the posters, which they considered as an affront against the sitting governor.

With this development, a s e e d o f destruction seems to have been sowed right from the birth of the new party in Ogun State following the several endorsements of Governor Amosun for second term in office.

Although, it is at the stage of silent war but political observers liken the situation to keeping a keg of gun powder within the house which only needs a little spark to explode.

They also maintained that “the only lesson that has been learnt from history is that man does not learn from history”.

One would have expected that APC would have learnt from the bitter lesson of the PDP in the state whose demise started as an internal wrangling before it blossomed into a deadly canker worm that spelt doom for the then ruling party in the state.

According to some political watchers in the state, Amosun has demonstrated amiable virtues such as gentility and understanding before he later became power drunk.

They further said that no matter the amount of power he possessed he could not afford to dismantle the structure that brought him to power. “It is interesting to have powers like a lion but it is tyrannical to use it like a lion”, they concluded.

The other camp is said to be suffering from ego which, according to political watchers has made it difficult for them to respect their governor who is also their leader.

Amosun, according to them, boosted their chances in the last general election as some of them were little known in the state.

They take the issue of the candidates that defeated exSpeaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole and daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Iyabo, as part of a case study.

However, the crisis is taking toll on the party’s chances ahead of the 2015 general election. It may suffer incalculable losses at the polls if it did resolve the matter.

C M Y K

52—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

Ukpabi advocates power shift along geopolitical zones

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN

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AGOS— ELDERSTATESMAN, Senator Chris Ukpabi, has advocated power rotation along the geo-political zones even as he dismissed northern agitation for power shift to the North.

Ukpabi who served as a senator in the Second Republic on the platform of the defunct National Party of Nigeria, NPN, in an interview said it was unrealistic for the north to seek the presidency after holding on to power for 38 years.

He said: “Of course, powers should rotate within the zones. As far as I am concerned, there is nothing like North and South. I stand to be opposed by anybody. There are six geo-political zones because they are entities of their own. It should rotate within the zones and not North and South. This North and South thing is an imaginary demarcation.

“How can they be talking about this now after how many years of Nigeria’s independence? They have ruled for more than 38 years. Others are also entitled to be there. You can’t rule for 38 years and expect others to continue to look at you. Nobody will take it. ”Now, these 38 years they maintained that they are military. But I want to tell you this, whether civilian or military, they are northerners.

“There is a popular Latin adage which when translated says ‘the gown does not make a mock.’ What you are is what you are, whether you are wearing babariga or not. ”If you are wearing khaki as a General or you are wearing babariga as a civilian, you are from the north. But in any case, they are the ones pushing for North and South. As far as I am concerned the northern issue ended during the Southern and Northern Protectorates. “’For me today, we have six geo-political zones and we should operate on that,” Ukpabi who is one of the founding fathers of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP P said.

C M Y

Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Special Guest of Honour (2nd right); President, Busy Bees Society of the United African Methodist Church Cathedral, Oke-Arin, Lagos, Mrs. Arinola Fuwa (right), Grand Patron, Dr Akinola Ogunlewe (2nd left) and Proprietress, Seagate College, Chief Tessa Egbe-Ikimi (left) during the United African Methodist Church’s Juvenile Harvest Thanksgiving Service at the Church Cathedral, Oke-Arin, Lagos Island, yesterday.

Ozekhome: Police intensify manhunt for abductors zAs lawyers, activists, others condemn kidnap

BY EMMA AMAIZE, GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE, SIMON EBEGBULEM & ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

B

ENIN CITY — EDO State Police Command, weekend, vowed to ensure that the human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome, and his driver, abducted, Friday, by suspected kidnappers, were released unhurt.

This came as Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, appealed to his abductors and, indeed, all other kidnapped victims to, as a matter of urgency, release them unhurt to their families and friends.

Similarly, Raymond Dokpesi Centre for Media Development has begged Ozekhome’s kidnappers to set him free due to his humanitarian services in the legal profession.

It was learnt that a contingent of crack detectives are combing the bushes in the state and neighouring Delta and Ondo states.

However, the Edo State Police Commissioner, Mr Folunso Adebanjo, who was contacted by Vanguard, declined to comment on the issue, explaining that “this is a security matter but we will ensure that they are freed unhurt.”

Ozekhome was abducted at Ehor after a gun duel between policemen who came to rescue him and the suspected kidnappers.

Four brave policemen died in the shoot-out that followed, while

most of the armed men escaped with bullet wounds.

NBA, senior lawyers demand release Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, yesterday, asked the Federal Government to ensure Ozekhome was released to his family unhurt.

NBA President, Mr Okey Wali, SAN, at the pre-conference National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of the annual conference in Calabar, Cross River State, said it “is a sad commentary on the state of our national security in Nigeria.

“The NBA condemns the kidnap of Ozekhome and urges the kidnappers to release him. We also urge the Federal Government to ensure that he returns to his family safe and sound.”

Other lawyers called for the creation of state police to tame the high rate of insecurity in the country.

Afemai youths condemn the kidnap Afemai Youth Coalition, AYC, on its part regretted that Ozekhome was kidnapped while on his way to Afemai land despite his struggles for good governance, equality, justice, and accountability in governance over the years.

The activist hails from Afemai land.

According to the group, “he

has fought for the poor and has fought for the rich. He has defended the defenceless and has offered probono legal services to the disadvantaged in society.”

While commending the bravery exhibited by the police officers that lost their lives, Afemai youths expressed their profound condolence to the families of the four policemen who fought to stop the abduction but lost their lives in the process.

Edo PDP appeals to abductors Also reacting, Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appealed to abductors of the activist and all other kidnapped victims to release them unhurt to their families and friends.

The party in a statement in Benin, yesterday, by its state Publicity Secretary, Mr. Matthew Urhoghide, described Ozekhome as “a good citizen, a defender of human rights, a loving father, husband, a professional and a good friend to the oppressed. We, therefore, urge his kidnappers to please let him as well as the other victims go unconditionally.”

The party also commiserated with the Edo State Police Commissioner and families of the police officers killed.

...Raymond Dokpesi Centre, too Similarly, Raymond Dokpesi

Centre for Media Development appealed to the suspected kidnappers to set him free due to what it described as his humanitarian services in the legal profession.

Director General of the centre, Mr Chris Ebuetse, called on “all spirited Nigerians to join hands to see to the release of Chief Mike Ozekhome who was kidnapped last Friday. Apart from being an indigene of Edo State, Ozekhome has transversed the country, advocating good governance, issues of national development and peace.

“He is a brilliant advocate.

Ozekhome’s significant contribution in the defence of human right and peace is evergreen in our mind.”

FJHD calls for his release Also, the Coordinator, Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence, FJHD, Warri, Delta State, Mr. Oghenejabor Ikimi, yesterday, called on the kidnappers to release them unhurt on humanitarian grounds.

In a statement made available to Vanguard d in Warri, he said: “We call on the abductors to immediately release Chief Mike Ozekhome and his driver unhurt on humanitarian grounds, while we commiserate with the families of the four policemen killed in the process of foiling the said kidnap by the unknown gunmen.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013—53

Senator's son arrested for alleged robbery

Egyptians, not military ousted Morsy — ENVOY

BY VICTORIA OJEME

A

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

A

BUJA—A former senator’s son has been arrested and remanded in prison following his involvement in robbery in Abuja.

Police sources told Vanguard that the former senator’s son, who hails from Ekiti State, led a gang of armed robbers to rob a Colonel (names withheld) at Mbora Estate by Jabi District, where his AK-47 and other valuable items were removed.

The source disclosed that the robbery operation which took place on the July 5, 2013, resulted in the arrest of the exsenator’s son whose name was given as Ola Kila.

The source said in the process of investigation operatives from the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, working on a tip-off subsequently arrested Ola Kila and while a search was conducted in his house around Life Camp area, Abuja, 16 live cartridges and some other incriminating exhibits were recovered from the suspect’s house.

During interrogation, it was discovered that the suspect allegedly belong to a notorious armed robbery gang that has been terrorizing the FCT and its environs.

The suspect reportedly told investigators that his friend, an Igbo boy whom he knew to be a member of a robbery gang brought the gun and the cartridges to his house and that the boy has gone back to the East with the intention of bringing more arms and ammunitions.

Ola Kila, however, denied participating in the robbery attack on the Lt. Colonel’s house at Mbora Estate on the day in question.

He confirmed however, that the said Ibo boy brought two laptops robbed at gun point to him, which he sold in the GSM Village, Abuja.

He also alleged that the said Ibo boy robbed a man at Life Camp and shot him sometimes in May this year.

The suspect and another member of his gang were last week charged for false information at Area Magistrate court, Karu by the magistrate who ordered that they be remanded at Keffi and Nasarawa State Prisons.

PROMO—From left: Director, Consumer Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Oluwole Rawa; Winner of a brand new Mercedes Benz GL 500, Miss Blessing Fubara with her father, Reverend Zion Fubara; and Head, Regulation and Monitoring, Lagos HQ, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, NLRC, Mr. Jude Ughuwajabo, during the second monthly prize presentation of the Etisalat/FC Barcelona promo at Etisalat office in Ikoyi.

2015: Why PDP NEC is silent on automatic ticket for Jonathan zTo force aspirants to step down for him

BY HENRY UMORU

A

BUJA—FRESH facts have emerged why the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP P was last Thursday silent at its National Executive Committee, NEC, on planned moves to amend the constitution to pave the way for President Goodluck Jonathan to have automatic ticket towards 2015 election.

A motion was to be moved to allow for the President and governors on the ticket of the party serving the first term in office the right of first refusal to the party’s ticket for a second term.

The proposal which would have scaled through only to be ratified at the August 31, Special Convention, was jettisoned at the last meeting following advice by members of the Board of Trustees, BoT, and also from meetings held last Wednesday. It was also gathered that members argued that since the convention was designed for the election of members of National Working Committee, NWC, the PDP decided to suspend such volatile issues which included the amendment of the constitution.

According to a source, since it was expected that the 62nd NEC meeting would be stormy, raising it will further aggravate the PDP crisis.

A source told Vanguard d that at meetings before last Thursday NEC, members argued that there was no need amending the constitution for the purpose, adding that it was resolved that 2015 was still far and other teething problems of the party should be

resolved at the moment.

It was also resolved that when the primary election comes, rather than including it in the constitution, other aspirants will be asked to step down for President Jonathan like what happened at the 2012 National Convention where other aspirants stepped down for Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

Vanguard gathered that to cool tempers especially from the anti-Tukur’s camp, the meeting became the shortest in the history of NEC, just as it was gathered that only item five on the agenda was taken after Mao Ohabunwa moved a motion for the ratification of the item, “Ratification of Date for the Special National Convention” His motion was seconded by former National Woman Leader, Hajia Maryam Inna Ciroma.

It will be recalled that the Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT of PDP P, Chief Tony Anenih had at a meeting of the party’s leaders in South-South region, proposed the granting of automatic tickets to a sitting president and governors, just as he stressed that PDP must not subject the president to the party’s primary election.

Chief Anenih also at a dinner meeting called by President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja with select leaders of the party drawn from the federal and state levels, said he did not see any problem in PDP extending the gesture to the president to

serve a second term without going through the rigours of primary election.

Anenih had on May 30, said, "Party leaders, brothers and sisters listening to reports of Ministers of various sectors at the Democracy Day celebration held at the International Conference Centre on May 29, 2013, I felt proud that Nigerians have not been disappointed by this administration, buoyed his own achievements, President Jonathan confidently asked Nigerians to develop their own criteria in judging his performance during the last two years.

"I do not see anything wrong if the PDP considers automatic tickets for the President and its Governors who have performed well and are seeking a second term. It is my view that with the outstanding performance of President Jonathan in the areas of power, rail, and water, transformation, road construction, aviation reforms, education, agriculture, job creation, etc, the party should not find it difficult in granting him the opportunity to serve a second term if he so desires.

At today's emergency NEC meeting which will have President Goodluck Jonathan, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and other members in attendance will deliberate on the crises rocking the party, as well as assess the successes recorded

by Governor Seriake Dicksonled National Reconciliation Committee.

BUJA A—THE Egyptian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Ashraf Salama, yesterday, denied the claim by the Muslim Brotherhood that the ousted Egyptian President, Mohammed Morsi was deposed by the military. saying the Egyptians themselves removed the president.

The envoy who disclosed this during a briefing in Abuja, declared that the ousted Egyptian president dug the grave for himself when he reneged on all his promises to the people of Egypt. He said that Egyptians could not wait for two more years to depose him, as the economic and political landscape was stuck in quandary.

The envoy said: “We don’t have even economic projects for a five-year plan to improve the lives of the people. They (Muslim Brotherhood) were all concerned on how they could distribute the piece of cake among themselves; how to distribute the positions, the companies and so on. There were a lot of discrimination against women.”

On Morsi’s whereabouts, the envoy said, “Morsi is not in prison because it is not a military coup; he is under the national security for his own protection.”

2015: Monarch cautions politicians

BY ANAYO OKOLI

A

BA—THE traditional ruler of Umuola Egbelu in Aba North Local Government Area, of Abia State, Eze Love Wogu, has called on politicians not to over heat the polity ahead of 2015 elections.

Eze Wogu particularly cautioned the Ukwa/Ngwa political class of Abia State not to allow the 2015 governorship tussle break the age-long bond between the Ngwa and Ukwa people.

Wogu who is the chairman of Aba North traditional rulers council, spoke on the heels of where power should shift to in 2015, saying that Ngwa people have been working together with their Ukwa brothers.

According to the monarch, 2015 is still far to be causing tension in the system, he therefore urged politicians to play by the rules so as to maintain peace in the society.

54—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

PDP would be a major loss for the party and he would almost certainly deliver the state across board to the VOP.

Murtala Nyako (ADAMAWA)

Aliyu Wamakko (SOKOTO)

PRESENTATION— Obi-In-Council, HRM Agbogidi Obi Victor Chukwumalieze 1, Obi of Onicha-Ugbo presenting a certificate to Chief Ibe Kachikwu, Odogwu of Onicha-Ugbo (centre) after his conferment weekend in Onicha-Ugbo, Delta State. Photo: Nath Onojake.

Amaechi, six other govs float new party Continues from page 5 cendancy to the chairmanship of the NGF. As the NGF chairman he had the responsibility of speaking the minds of the governors. Amaechi remarkably had enjoyed some level of personal rapport with the president, and had the closest relationship with the president of all SouthSouth governors until about two years ago.

His refusal to heed the alleged directive of the PDP hierarchy not to recontest the chairmanship of the NGF brought him into direct conflict with presidential minders and it was a testimony of his political tenacity that he braved the odds to win the contest against the PDP’s favoured candidate for the position, Governor Jonah Jang.

The PDP had left Amaechi’s few options in the last few months. The party structure was taken from him in controversial circumstances and handed over to his one time chief of staff, Mr. Nyesom Wike.

Not long after, the governor was suspended from the party. Only last week, the new leadership of the party under Mr. Felix Obuah commenced an appraisal of public officials elected on the platform of the PDP.

The move it was claimed by associates of Governor Amaechi was aimed to effect the expulsion of the governor’s associates from the party on the fact that Amaechi’s associates would not appear before the panel.

Amaechi’s move to the VOP would create a challenge to the PDP in the sense that the party would be denied that leverage of harvesting its traditional two million votes in presidential elections.

Despite Governor Amaechi’s near excellent performance in office, his capacity to swing the whole state in the direction of the VOP would be undermined by the forces of Mrs. Patience Jonathan and Mr. Wike.

Rabiu Kwankwaso (KANO)

Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso’s exit from the PDP came despite last minute apparent pleas from Presi-

dent Jonathan last Friday when the two men held a one on one session.

Kwankwaso has had a running battle with the PDP since 2010 when he formally launched his campaign to reclaim the governorship he lost in 2003.

Party bureaucrats working in cahoot with some officials in the presidency allegedly sympathetic to Vice-President Namadi Sambo had tried to deny Kwankwaso the PDP gubernatorial ticket on the fear that Kwankwaso would at the end of the second term pose a serious challenge to the hushed ambitions of the vice-president.

It took strong security reports of a possible riot in Kano for the PDP to belatedly restore Kwankwaso’s ticket. Perhaps buoyed by that victory or the messianic spirit that now effuses through his Kwankwasiya movement in Kano, Kwankwaso has turned into a stronghold that no one can stop. He has been consistent in championing regional interests.

Many disaffected PDP stalwarts in Kano would be glad to see him leave as it would give them room to operate. His exit would also gladden many in the APC as it would soften the state for the opposition party.

Sule Lamido (JIGAWA)

Arguably one of the best performing governors in the country today, Governor Sule Lamido’s politics is following the path of rebellion against feudal oppression he learnt from his late political master, Mallam Aminu Kano.

He has not had any direct political problems with Abuja except the notable suspicion that his sterling performance could galvanise a momentum from stakeholders for him to contest the 2015 presidential election as a way of replicating the Jigawa experience on a national level.

It is not surprising that posters of Governors Lamido and Amaechi are regularly advertised as an item for the 2015 presidential contest.

Given the revolution he has put in terms of infrastructure and the welfare programme, Governor Lamido’s exit from the

Governor Aliyu Wamakko is the political phenomenon whose tentacles attracted President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007 to the extent that the former president caused his protégée, Alhaji Mukthar Shagari to surrender the PDP’s ticket to the then ANPP gubernatorial candidate.

It was one act of political engineering by Obasanjo without which the PDP could not have dreamt flying its flag in the Sokto Government House.

Governor Wamakko’s problems with the national party are in part an extension of his domestic challenges. Many of his foes who found habitation at the PDP national secretariat helped to stoke the crisis between Wamakko and the national party. It is, however, reflective of his prominence that when the national party announced his suspension on the fact that he did not answer the national chairman’s telephone call, zonal and state officials of the party and also, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal publicly came out to denounce the national party.

One of the greatest dangers in Wamakko’s exit from the PDP is the effect it could have on Speaker Tambuwal. If Tambuwal as it is most likely joins him, the speaker could through his network in the House cause a free fall of the PDP in the House of Representatives.

Though Sokoto State has not been very lucrative for the PDP in presidential contests, the fact that the votes mobilized

by Wamakko could go to another party of influence could put the ruling party in more jeopardy.

The challenges in Adamawa arguably were the main factors that exacerbated the crisis in the PDP. When Alhaji Bamanga Tukur sought to displace the PDP structure under the control of Governor Murtala Nyako, PDP governors led by Governor Amaechi quickly came to his support and at one time forced the National Working Committee, NWC to disown Tukur.

But with steadfastness and the presidency backing him, Tukur has held his own against Nyako But Nyako' exit from the PDP would be too much of a good news to his traducers. His capacity to rally support for the VOP in the state against the determination of Tukur and the PDP is, however, open to debate.

Babangida Aliyu (Niger)

For Governor Babangida Aliyu his path of rebellion was like a call to duty. As chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum, NSGF it was his obligation to defend what was alleged as the understanding that President Jonathan would serve only one term in office. Governor Aliyu though without proof went on to say that the president signed an agreement on the issue.

Though some had in the past alleged that the governor could do a deal with Jonathan under the correct understanding, so far no deal has been marshalled.

His exit from the PDP would leave Niger State an open play for all three major parties, the VOP, PDP and APC.

V d, Vanguard Vanguard, g

MONDAY , A UGUST 26, 26 , 2013—55 2013 5 MONDAY, AUGUST 013 55

YOUR LUCK TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 LIBRA; If you back your financial plans with concrete and positive actions things’ll go according to your desire.

If you fail to realise importance of your spouse you would work your way into avoidable trouble; aren’t you tired of crisis?

SCORPIO; Your intelligence, competence and level of concentration may today bring you envy, which you don’t deserve within your working arena in a negative form but.

SAGITTARIUS; The Moon highlights your Solar second house of money which is good but, if you try to buy true love with money, you’ll be disappointed CAPRICORN; The. Moon in your Star sign’ll gives you new confidence and with new supports from the powersthat-be, it’s like you are now un-stop-able. But be cautious, especially with the veterans within your base of operation AQUARIUS; Better days are ahead of you but, you will today need to do away with non-productive argument and/ or agreement. Try to be more diplomatic now.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

Are you a photocopier?

I AM sure your swift answer to the above question will be God forbid, how can I be a photocopier.

But let us first examine what photocopier is: A photo-

copier simply put is a machine used in producing duplicate copies of documents.

Can you now answer the question?

Do you copy other

people’s behaviour easily without any modification? For example you see some men put on ear rings, can that be rationalised?

Some people ex-

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye”

pose their under wears, is this justified?

Don’t just do things because other people are doing it, do it because it is the right and proper thing to do.

Think about it!

By Lanre Kehinde

PISCES; If what you’re doing today’ll depend on tomorrow’s event it’s better you’re more careful now. Even things may not go according to your personal plans today.

Yet it’s important you plan both your immediate and far future carefully now ARIES; If you take to aggression, your ego would be deflated by your superior colleagues, but your being cooperative in a civilised way’ll prevent trouble TAURUS; Those willing to put you to shame one way or the other’ll be disappointed with the turn of things today.

It’s good to secure support of your spouse.

GEMINI; You’ve had enough of fun in the recent times and it’s now time you settle down for hard work in order to prevent avoidable trouble. Be patient please.

CANCER; Your concentration level and determination are the pillars of your success today. Yet you’ll need to respect your senior colleagues and protect your image

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

LEO; It’s true you’re willing to work harder but you just have to drop both aggression and mental arrogance to allow things to roll accordingly. Then, you’re accident prone within your working arena. Respect the law and its agents today.

VIRGO; Serious thought may be giving to matters of the heart but it’s better you tarry a while. Joint ventures of short duration today may be an invitation to avoidable trouble.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING S d yyour our ddat bi h AAs t rological l gi l Send datee andd place pl off bir birth r thh to t o the Astr tr trological C lli g PP.M.B .M.B MB 1 A p p Lagos L g s Counselling, 100 0077, Apapa, 007,

Success for me?

Dear Joshua, I am interested in your Astrological counselling.

Kindly tell me everything about myself, especially my finance and career; would I be rich eventually, if yes what should I do to make it happen quickly.

Ambrose, Lagos.

Dear Ambrose, There are indications of financial success for you but you can not change what Almighty God Has designed for you talking about the timing (the quickness you talked in your letter) Certainly however no failure for you.

Mercury –the planet of education and Accountancy, together with mighty Sun at positive angle to planets in Virgo (another Accounting Star sign) attracted you to both Accountancy profession and the academic world.

Truly you did not make wrong choice of career.

Money will eventually come along this line but it’ll not be as faster as if you take to OIL RELATED BUSINESS. Because Neptune (the planet of OIL) was very comfortable when you were born. It will not be out of place if you have filling stations as time goes by, because you are basically a GAS PERSON. Another money spinning vocation for you include writing either along your line or for film making industry; it is important you exhibit the higher quotient of creativity in your inner-self. Yes your dream of becoming A Professor will come to reality. Politics is another area you are not looking at now but will surely come. Do you say why? Because Aquarius is equally political Venus that was powerfully placed when you were born is all about MONEY. Thus you have special ability to make money. And as it was at positive angle to disciplined Saturn, you are not giving to serious frivolity. One major challenge here is envy by others but you will eventually overcome. Another source of challenges is your love life which looks not totally balanced.

Basically you are a family minded person. You are equally loving and caring. But sometimes your love of freedom get better off you to the resentment of your closer partner(s).Then some other times it is other party’s fault making love-business very interesting. And unless you are more careful and determined you may marry y more than once.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

56—Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

Fashola advocates family values as building blocks for good governance

L

AGOS — GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, advocated the promotion of family values in the home as the building blocks for good governance and development in the country.

Fashola, who spoke as guest of honour at the Children’s Harvest Thanksgiving Service of the United African Methodist Church, Oke-Arin, Lagos, said every family unit represented a government with the father and mother as governor and deputy governor, local government chairman and deputy chairman as well as president and first lady.

He told the congregation: “Every family is a government and the mothers and the fathers are the heads of those governments, the governors and the deputy governors, the chairmen and the vice chairmen, the President and the First Lady in their home. If we get it right in the home, we will get it right in the Local

Government”.

“I have said and I will repeat that the first government is the government at home. The more well-governed homes we have, the more well governed states we will have and the more well-governed state that we have, the more well governed federation we will have.”

Urging parents to spend more time with their children, the governor said in bringing up a child, everyone, including the parents, the teachers and pastors as well as imams, have roles to play, adding that if the family must grow together for the benefit of all the members, no one should abdicate such responsibility.

“We all have roles to play, we all have responsibilities. The most important responsibility is not to abdicate the development of these children to the teachers alone. A day like this on Sunday in the church, a day like this on Fridays in the mosque and on Sunday

when you are going for Asalatu, is a day spent in developing that government at home,” he said.

Recalling the drama earlier performed by a group of children as part of the event, Fashola noted: “I need not say much but we have seen a most useful drama showing the reward of being close to God and listening to His words. I know that our children will learn a lot from that drama.

“We have spent what is essentially a Family Day when parents have committed a substantial part of the day to their children in the presence of the Lord. I am sure that the rewards lie ahead. These are the traditional building blocks of modern families and even ancient families.”

He debunked the notion that the problem of the country is caused by politicians alone, pointing out that no one was exempted from the problem as, according to him, there is politics even in the family.

Vanguard, g MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013 — 57

US, China spy on UN, EU ---- German report T

HE UN headquar ters were being wiretapped by American intelligence agency NSA, according to German news magazine Der Spiegel. If confirmed, it would be against a longstanding agreement between the US and the UN. Germany’s Der Spiegel claims to have analyzed secret NSA documents that show that, last summer, the US intelligence agency managed to get access to the video conferencing system used at the United Nations headquarters in New York, leading to “a dramatic improvement of data on video conferencing and our ability to decode that data,” according to the document.

The NSA also allegedly caught Chinese intelligence spying on the UN and started analyzing the material China was wiretapping.DW.DE The alleged spying activities are illegal. The US has a long-standing agreement with the UN stipulating that the US refrain from covert operations with regards to the UN’s activities.

Der Spiegel also claims that the NSA documents it has analyzed show that the NSA spied on the EU even after its move to its new UN embassy in September 2012.

The article says the NSA’s nickname for the EU embassy was “apalachee,” the EU embassy in Washington was dubbed “magothy.”

The NSA used traditional bugging devices to spy on UN activities, says the report. It also allegedly copied hard drives and infiltrated computer networks in Washington.

Der Spiegel also says that the NSA operated a global monitoring net-

work called “Special Collection Service” in more than 80 embassies and consulates, often without the host country’s knowledge.

The NSA documents urged staff to keep the network a secret so as not to damage relations with other countries.

In three weeks, Der Spiegel said, the NSA increased the number of decrypted communications at the UN from 12 to 458. Snowden’s leaks have exposed details of the United States’ global surveillance apparatus, sparking an international debate over the limits of American spying.

Syria lets UN inspect gas attack site S

YRIA agreed to let the United Nations inspect the site of a suspected chemical weapons attack from Monday but a U.S. official said any such offer would be “too late to be credible” and there was little doubt the government was to blame.

Foreign powers have been searching for a re-

sponse since many hundreds of people were killed by poisonous gas on Wednesday in the suburbs of Damascus in what appears to have been the world’s worst chemical weapons attack in 25 years.

The United Nations said Damascus had agreed to a ceasefire while a U.N. team of experts are at the

...As US moves forces closer to Syria

T

HE Pentagon is moving naval forces closer to Syria in case President Barack Obama decides to order military strikes, US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel has suggested.

Speaking to reporters aboard his military aircraft en route from Hawaii to Malaysia, Hagel declined to discuss any specific force movements.

He said Obama has asked the Pentagon to provide military options in light of reports that the Syrian government used chemical weapons against civilians.

Hagel said the US will coordinate with the international community in deciding whether such an attack was carried out.

And he said it is important to make a decision swiftly because of the possibility that the Syrian government

Egyptian soldiers and medics transport former President Hosni Mubarak after he attended a court hearing back to a military hospital, in the southern suburb of Maadi on the outskirts of Cairo yesterday.

could be readying further chemical attacks.

Obama played down the prospect of speedy US intervention in Syria, stressing the difficulty of ordering military action against the Assad government without a strong international

coalition and a legal mandate from the United Nations.

However, US defence officials said the US Navy moved a fourth warship into the region.

Each can launch ballistic missiles.

site for inspections which will begin on Monday. Syria confirmed it had agreed to allow the inspections.

But there were increasing signs that the United States and its allies were considering taking action, a year after President Barack Obama said the use of chemical weapons was a “ red line” that would prompt serious consequences.

U.S. official said there was

IMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe threatened “titfor-tat” retaliation against companies from Britain and the United States on Sunday if the Western nations persisted in pressuring his government with sanctions and what he called “harassment”.

Mugabe’s latest verbal broadside against his main Western critics followed their questioning of his reelection in a July 31 vote that his rival Morgan Tsvangirai denounced as a “coup by ballot” which he

said involved widespread vote-rigging.

Mugabe, who at 89 is Africa’s oldest leader, has rejected the fraud allegations and was sworn

A

group of 25 African Americans waited two hours to get in a Wild Wing Cafe restaurant in

in on Thursday for a new five-year term in the southern African nation that he has ruled since its independence from Britain in 1980.

North Charleston, South Carolina, only to be asked to leave almost immediately after entering the restaurant because a white patron felt “threatened” by them.

One member of the group took his complaint to Facebook when the corporate office of the restaurant did not call him back.

Gibraltar criticises Spanish police dive

G

IBRALTAR has strongly criticised Spanish police for sending divers to inspect an artificial reef in waters claimed by the British territory.

Governor Sir Adrian Johns said the action constituted a serious

gime’s persistent shelling and other international actions over the last five days,” the official said.

Syria’s information minister said any U.S. military action would “create a ball of fire that will inflame the Middle East”.

He said Damascus had evidence chemical weapons were used by rebels fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad, not by his government.

US restaurant throws out blacks over white customer

Mugabe threatens UK, US over sanctions

Z

very little doubt that the Syrian government had used a chemical weapon against civilians on Wednesday and that Washington was still weighing how to respond.

“At this juncture, any belated decision by the regime to grant access to the U.N. team would be considered too late to be credible, including because the evidence available has been significantly corrupted as a result of the re-

violation of UK sovereignty over Gibraltar.

He said it was particularly unhelpful in the light of the current row over fishing rights which has led to strict border checks and long car queues.

Meanwhile, Spain has

said that the reef is damaging its fishing industry.

Last month, the government of Gibraltar dropped 74 concrete blocks onto the sea bed to create an artificial reef designed to reinvigorate marine life.

Michael Brown was one of those 25 customers.

They were there to send off Brown’s cousin, who was leaving the Charleston area. After finally being seated after the two hour wait, the shift manager came to the table and told the group that there was a “situation.”

According to Brown “She (the shift manager) said there’s a situation where one of our customers feels threatened by your party, so she asked us not to seat you in our section, which totally alarmed all of us because we’re sitting there peaceably for two hours.

Obviously, if we were causing any conflict, we would have been ejected out of the place hours before.”

58 — Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

Vanguard CLASSIFIED ISOKO—I, formerly known and addressed as Isoko Collins, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Isoko Ajokpoghene Tavwojiroma Collins.

All former documents remain valid. PHCN, UNIZIK, NYSC and general public please take note.

ONYEACHONAM —I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Onyeachonam Ifeoma Rita, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ike Ifeoma Rita.

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

A K I N B AA N I — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Temitope Funmilola Akinbaani, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Temitope Funmilola Adegbola. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ARUGU-IWORI—I, formerly known and addressed as Dr. Love Obiani Arugu-Iwori, now wish to be known and addressed as Dr. Love Obiani Arugu.

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

ANUNIRU—I, formerly known and addressed as Dr (Miss) Chinenye Anuniru, now wish to be known and addressed as Dr (Mrs.) Chinenye Oche Otorkpa. All former documents remain valid. UNN, NSUKKA, MDCN, all professional bodies and general public please take note.

EZE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Eze Chioma Scholastica, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Obichigha Chioma Scholastica. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

IBEKIE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ibekie Adaora Geraldine, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ifediata Adaora Geraldine. All former documents bearing my former names remain valid. General public please take note.

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General public please take note.

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Wikileak: European editors slam UK

T

HE editors of leading European newspapers have written to David Cameron over the detention of the partner of a Guardian journalist.

The detention and subsequent criminal investigation into the partner of a Guardian journalist threatens to undermine the position of the free press around the world, the editors of several northern

European newspapers have warned.

In an open letter to David Cameron published in Sunday’s Observer, the editors of Denmark’s Politiken, Sweden’s Dagens Nyheter, Norway’s Aftenposten and Finland’s Helsingin Sanomat described the detention of David Miranda, the partner of the Guardian’s Glenn Greenwald, as

harassment. They said that the “events in Great Britain over the past week give rise to deep concern” and call on the British prime minister to “reinstall your government among the leading defenders of the free press”.

Miranda was detained by the Metropolitan police for nine hours last Sunday as he was passing through Heathrow on his way to Brazil.

NNS to participate in int'l fleet

BY EVELYN USMAN

T

HE Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS THUNDER, Nigerian Navy’s Offshore Patrol Vessel Class of Ship, is presently on her way to Australia to participate in the Royal Australian Navy,RAN International

Fleet Review (IFR) to be held in Sydney from October 3 to 11, 2013.

This is coming seven years after the Nigerian Navy Ship participated in an international naval event outside Africa.

The International Fleet Review according to the Director of Information, Commodore Kabir

Aliyu, was a historic commemorative maritime event for the Royal Australian Navy and Australia which would include a multinational sea exercise and other notable events intended to showcase the cordial relationship that exist between global maritime forces.

Swimmer snatched by crocodile in Australia

A

26-year-old birthday party goer has been snatched by a 16-foot crocodile while

swimming in a notorious habitat of the dangerous reptiles, police in Australia said.

Mexico kidnap victims found in mass grave

F

IVE bodies pulled from a mass grave have been identified as some of the 12 people kidnapped three months ago from a Mexico City bar.

Assistant attorney general Renato Sales said 13 badly decomposed bodies have been pulled from a grave covered with cement, quicklime and asbestos discovered on Thursday on a rural ranch east of Mexico City.

Ricardo Martinez, a lawyer for relatives of the missing, said there

is no doubt the other bodies would also be identified as the missing youths, most of whom are from the rough Mexico City neighbourhood of Tepito.

“They ’re going to wind up identifying all of them,” he said.

The man, whose name has not been released, was celebrating a friend’s 30th birthday on Saturday at the Mary River Wilderness Retreat, an Outback tourist destination 70 miles southeast of the Northern Territory capital Darwin, the victim’s hometown, Senior Sergeant Geoff Bahnert said.

The victim and another man had swam across the river. The pair were swimming back when the crocodile attacked, he said.

Iceland abandons plan to join EU

I

CELAND has abandoned its application to join the European Union.

Its foreign ministry says it’s disbanding its EU membership committee.

The government says elections held earlier this year, where Eurosceptic parties were elected to power, indicate the public no longer wants to join the EU.

US doctors shocked as man comes back to life

D

OCTORS in the US said that they were stunned after a man they thought was dead came back to life.

Medics say Ohio mechanic Tony Yahle’s heart stopped for 45 minutes - but he started to show signs of life after they stopped trying to revive him.

The father of two is said to have fully

recovered after having a defilbrillator fitted in his

chest. He is due to return to work on today.

Mumbai gang rape: Five suspects arrested

A

LL five men wanted over the gang rape of a 22-year-old photo journalist in the Indian city of Mumbai on Thursday have been

arrested.

The last suspect was arrested in the capital, Delhi, yesterday , and is being brought back to Mumbai, police said.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013 — 59

Djokovic tips Nadal to shine W ORLD number one Novak Djokovic believes Rafael Nadal will be the man to beat at the US Open, which starts today.

“He’s stepped in a little bit more,” the Serbian said. “He knows that now he has to be a bit more aggressive than he usually is because of, I guess, his knees and everything and because hard court is not clay. It’s not his favourite surface; it’s faster. “I’m sure he worked on that, and you could see that all the

work he put in is getting results. He’s definitely so far the best player this year. There is no question about it.”

•Djokovic

•Nadal

Azarenka keen to make up for Serena loss

V

ICTORIA Azarenka is back in New York and determined to make amends after an agonising defeat in the US Open final to Serena Williams last year.

“It will always be a special moment because I felt like that whole tournament, that final match left a big mark on my future career. I still feel

that way.”

“I just feel like I switched the light,” she

said. “It is hard...I feel like you have to find your own way on how to do it.”

Nadal: All I see is the title R

AFAEL Nadal is tar geting victory at the US Open in the hope of finishing the season at the top of the world rankings “If I am number one,

going to make a big difference. After here I will say not everything will be decided, but things can be more clear or completely less clear.”

the rampaging ocean surge in the Lagos beach coast line. It will attract popular Nigerian entertainment personalities and over a 100 participants.

The prize money for top finisher has been raised

from N75, 000.00 given out last year to N100.000.00, second placed athletes will pocket N50.000 while the third prize winner will go home with the sum of N25.000.00. There will be other consolation prizes.

her to have support from the Governor,” coach Gabriel Okon said yesterday, adding “Regina is an Olympic Games medal potential. Track and field runs in their blood. Her father, Phillip ran 400m, 800m and even cross country. He came to sprints and beat people. He was such a

great sportsman that when he went into football he was so good that he even played club football before he relocated to the United States where he resides till date. I got Regina to run for Nigeria and Phillips obliged. With Uduaghan’s support, something is coming, you can be sure,” Okon said.

Centenary beach marathon gets date

BY SOLOMON NWOKE

L

ESS than six weeks to the start of the centenary beach marathon in Lagos, runners

are already scrambling for the entry forms at designated centers.

The second edition of the beach marathon which

holds on October 1st 2013 was planned in commemoration of Nigeria’s 100 years as a nation and to also create awareness on

Uduaghan signs on Regina George la Omotosho paced well, overtaking two athletes before Regina finished amazingly. In the final, Omotosho couldn’t re-enact what she did in the semifinal and only Regina ran a great race but others had blwon the race and Nigeria placed 6th.

“It will be fantastic for

BY ONOCHIE ANIBEZE

“M

Y target is to win a medal at the next Olympics and I’ll be working hard towards that.”

This was the comment of Regina George, Nigeria’s 400m runner at the Moscow World Championships where she raced up to the semifinals. Regina is based in the United States and she has been returning fairly good times lately.

She was one of the only four Nigerians to compete at the Moscow World Championships with A standard, the rest being Ajoke Odumosu, Gloria Asunmu and of course Blessing Okagbare who won silver and bronze medals from Long Jump and the 200m.

Regina may achieve her dream if all she will require to win medal at the Olympics will be financial support.

Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, the sports loving governor of Delta State, who ensured that Blessing Okagbare won a medal at

it will be an amazing, amazing season for me.

If I am not number one, it still will be an amazing season for me.

“This tournament is

George the World Championships, has pledged to extend tremendous support to Regina George. Okagbare, while dedicating her medals to the governor in Moscow said that Uduaghan made her to remain in the sport after the London Olympics when she failed in the 100m after a huge promise. The governor has been supporting

•Uduaghan her with training grants and other necessities.

“Uduaghan has noticed the potential in Regina George and will extend a lot of support to her too. He feels that if well supported and her training and programming go well, she can win a medal in Rio,” Athletics federation of Nigeria President, Chief Solomon Ogba has said.

Uduaghan monitored the performance of Nigerian athletes in Moscow and was awed by Regina’s performance in the semifinal of the 4x400m relay when she ran the race of her life, taking the baton in the 4th place but ending up second. After the first and second legs wobbled, Omoro-

ARS 3 National finals: Port Harcourt conquers Nigeria ly.

•Hands down double defeat to Ibadan

I

T was double victory for the Port Harcourt contingent to the National Championship of the on-going season three of the Airtel Rising Stars National U-17 Tournament as their male and female teams emerged champions in their respective categories.

The South teams defeated their counterparts from Ibadan in the final matches played at the Agege Township Stadium, Lagos on Sunday.

In the female final de-

cided earlier, defending champion, Port Harcourt emerged 2-1 victors over their opponents from Ibadan to retain the trophy for the third season.

Action had started with more play concentrated in the mid-field as the two teams struggled to coordinate play. Edore Agbude beat goal keeper Abubakar Ajimoh in the 20th minute to put team Port Harcourt ahead.

The goal spurred on the South team as they began the second half pressing further to increase the tal-

They were however, pegged back when Joy Falegon popped up to nod home a cross and secured the much needed equalizer.

In the dying seconds of the last minute John Imeh Obong drove home a long range effort that beat out-positioned goal keeper Abubakar Ajimoh.

In the male final match, the Port Harcourt team took off from where their female counterparts left off as they reclaimed the trophy they last won two seasons ago at Campos Square.

60 —

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013

Cardiff shock City

Man U v Chelsea:

Moyes banks on RVP M

ANCHESTER United manager David Moyes has hailed the talents of Robin van Persie ahead of today’s big showdown with Chelsea.

Moyes says he has been very impressed with the 30-year-old striker since he took over at Old Trafford in the summer and will hope he continues where he left off last weekend when his side host Jose Mourinho’s Blues in the big clash. The Dutch striker scored two in the opening-weekend win at Swansea and appears to be in the same sort of form that saw him finish as the Premier League’s top goalscorer last season.

“Robin’s movement and his understanding of the game with his hold-up play and movement in the box is sensational. It really is top-notch. “There are some things I don’t even know if you can coach, nearly instinctive things that you pick up if you’re a top player.”

United will be bidding to build on the van Persieinspired 4-1 victory at the Liberty Stadium but are set to face one of their title rivals in Chelsea, who have begun with two wins out of two, beating Hull City and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge in the opening week.

T

WO goals from Fraizer Campbell handed Cardiff City a shock 3-2 victory over Manchester City on Sunday as the Premier League newcomers celebrated a memorable win in their first top flight match at home in 51 years.

Edin Dzeko had given the visitors the lead on 52 minutes, but Aron Gunnarsson levelled for the Premier League newcomers eight minutes later when following up a Joe Hart block.

Despite struggling to

get the ball, Cardiff went ahead in the 79th minute when Hart failed to clear a corner, allowing Campbell to nod the ball home and he repeated the feat from another corner seven minutes later..

•Robben

Bayern keep up the pace

B

AYERN Munich kept pace with Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga with Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben both on target in a 2-0 win over Nurnberg.

Nurnberg went closest to breaking the deadlock as Bayern struggled to get their game

•Robin van Persie

Soldado on target for Spurs OBERTO Soldado extended his hot scoring streak at the start of his Tottenham career, getting his fourth goal in three games on Sunday to clinch a 1-0 victory over Swansea.

Just as in last weekend’s Premier League opener against Crystal Palace, Soldado was on target from the penalty spot against Swansea.

The Spain striker, who also scored twice in the Europa League on Thursday, slotted past Michel Vorm in the 58th minute after Andros Townsend was fouled by Jonjo Shelvey.

going in the first half, though David Alaba missed a penalty for the hosts.

When Pep Guardiola’s side found top gear in the second half, though, there was only one side who was going to win with wingers Ribery and Robben clinching their third straight win.

Tevez off the mark for Juve

R

•Soldado

•Canpbell

C

•Tevez (m) celebrate in Italy

Mon Page 60 25/8/2013

ARLOS Tevez marked his Serie A debut with the winning goal for Juventus as the champions began their bid to win a third straight Scudetto with a 1-0 victory at Sampdoria.

The former Manchester City striker, a marquee signing for Antonio Conte’s team this summer, has scored fancier goals than the close-range finish that earned all three points in Genoa.

But there was no faulting Tevez’s timing, or his form, as he made the difference in Serie A’s big opening Saturday night game.

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2013 — 61

Clash of the titans: David Moyes v Jose Mourinho J

OSE Mourinho is relishing the challenge of facing Manchester United as he prepares to be reacquainted with the Red Devils in Barclays Premier League competition.

Mourinho burst into the British sporting consciousness with his touchline dash and kneeslide at Old Trafford while defeating United en route to Porto winning the 2004 Champions League before having some compelling battles with Sir Alex Ferguson’s United during his first spell with Chelsea.

He also met United with Inter Milan and Real Madrid, who ended Ferguson’s bid for a third European Cup last term, and the Portuguese insists the challenge remains even though David Moyes is now in charge.

T

Mourinho (l) and Moyes ready for battle tonight

Continues from BP

C M Y K

T

H R E E -T I M E champions, the Golden Eaglets will today in Abu Dbahi know their group opponents at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, scheduled to kickoff October 17 in the United Arab Emirates.

Already, Coach Manu Garba, who was invited as one of the guests to witness the Official Draw, starting at 4pm Nigerian time at the Fairmont Bab al Bahr,, is already in the Emirates country.

Serena to be oldest US Open queen

W

ORLD number one Serena Williams would become the oldest US Open women’s champion in the Open era if she defends her crown in the Flushing Meadows fortnight that begins Monday.

The 16-time Grand Slam singles champion, whose four US Open titles are two shy of Chris Evert’s Open-era career record, is a heavy favorite in the year ’s final Grand Slam tournament.

If Williams wins the final, scheduled 18 days shy of her 32nd birthday, she would pass Australian Margaret Court to become the oldest US Open women’s winner. Court won the 1973 crown just 55 days past her 31st birthday. ”That would be great,” Williams said. “That’s not one thing I focus on and one thing I think about. I just think about how there are so many people in the competition and so many things I would like to do.”

Lagos Int’l T/Tennis Classics: Battle for N6.5m prize money begins

Ekoku Tom Saintfiet.

Saintfiet is to report Stephen Keshi to Fifa after the Nigeria coach called him “a white dude who should go back to Belgium”.

The pair have been arguing since Malawi asked Fifa to move next month’s crucial World Cup qualifier from Calabar for safety reasons.

Ekoku, who played in the same Nigerian Africa Cup of Nations winning squad as Keshi in 1994, has added his voice to the row between Keshi and Saintfiet: “I’m mystified. I’m extremely disappointed - a little bit angry as well, that a guy who’s as smart as Stephen is, has been around international football for a long time, has travelled, has played in Belgium, was a very good footballer with a big profile in African football as well - would feel the need to say something like that.”

Ekoku, speaking on the BBC’s Sportsworld programme, went on to say that Keshi “does shoot from the hip occasionally”.

“He’s been very outspoken, saying there should be a lot more Af-

Eaglets know World Cup foes today

rican coaches, home based coaches who are in charge of their national team.

“This kind of comment has been brewing for a while, but as I said, I’m extremely disappointed that he’s chosen to vent his frustration or anger in this way.”

The controversy comes just two weeks before the crucial World Cup Group F qualifier between the two nations on September 7th in Calabar.

Saintfiet believes Keshi “is angry because of the request to change the venue”, but the Belgian stands by his feeling that Calabar is unsafe. Ekoku has never been to the venue, and although he doesn’t agree with Keshi’s language, he does have some sympathy with his view of Calabar: “Calabar, I know - in the Eastern part of Nigeria - is relatively calm.

As far as I’m aware, there haven’t been any disturbances there in the last 25 or 30 years so I can’t see the reasons for the Belgian coach wanting the match to be shifted in the first place. Stephen Keshi is obviously a little big angry that he’s made this request and

he’s decided to respond in that fashion which is unfortunate for everyone concerned with Nigerian football”.

Ekoku is hoping Nigeria will be able to put this controversy behind them as they bid to reach the World Cup finals in Brazil in 2014.

“Not to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil next year would be an absolute disaster, and I’m sure it would cost Stephen Keshi his job.

“Can they go on and perform very well at the World Cup if they qualify? I doubt that the squad is actually that good. I think we’ve had better teams in the past.

“This one went to the Cup of Nations with reduced expectation and that probably worked in their favour. We’ve had better generations of Nigerian footballers and we’ve not been able to win.

“This group of players has won something, we have one or two promising guys. I certainly hope that they can improve and we can find ourselves - in terms of consistency - at the top of the continental game for years to come”.

HE battle for the N6-5m at stake in the first Lagos International Table Tennis Classics begins today at Molade OkoyaThomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

The International Table Tennis Federation (IT TF)/ Africa Table Tennis Federation ( AT T F ) - a p p r o v e d tournament has players from Egypt, Italy, Lithuania, Senegal, Congo Brazzaville, Congo DRC, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Russia.

The highest prize money tournament in Africa is organized by the Main Organising

Committee of Lagos International Sports Classics in collaboration with the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) and it also has world ranking status.

Current Africa Champion, Omar Assar, Italy’s Mihai Bobocica and the Congo Brazzaville’s team led

by Nigeria-born Saka Suraju had their first training session yesterday at the venue with most of them vowing to upstage Nigeria at the tournament.

Team Nigeria will be led by Segun Toriola and Funke Oshonaike while other members in the

team are Aruna Quadri, Ojo Onaolapo and Kazeem Makanjuola will compete in the men’s singles. To join Oshonaike in the women’s singles are Edem Ofiong, Janet Effiom and Rasheedat Ogundele.

•Oshodi

Results Continues from BP Bayelsa United 2 ABS Fc 0 EPL Cardiff City 3 Man City 2 Tottenham 1 Swansea City 0

Technical partner of Bet9ja Dave Grodan, CEO bet9ja, Ayo Ojuroye, Chairman Remo Stars of Remo Kunle Soname during the unveiling of Bet9ja as partner to Remo Stars in Lagos

Tyson Continues from BP life, I wanna live a different life now.”

The 47-year-old admitted to being a continual substance abuser but was hopeful he was finally becoming clean.

“I haven’t drank or took drugs in six days, and for me that’s a miracle,” he revealed. “I’ve been lying to everybody else that think I was sober, but I’m not. This is my sixth day. I’m never gonna use again.”

Fullham 1 Arsenal 3 Everton 0 West Brom 0 Hull City 1 Norwich 0 Newcastle 0 West Ham 0 Southampton 1 Sunderlands 1 Stoke City 2 Crystal Palace 1 Aston Villa 0 Liverpool 1 La Liga Eiche 1 Real Sociedad 1 Espanyol 3 Valencia 1 Villarreal 2 Real Valladolid 1 Serie A Veron 2 AC Milan 1 Sampdoria 0 Juventus 1

62 — Vanguard, MONDAY,AUGUST 26, 2013

C M Y

Vanguard, MONDAY,AUGUST 26, 2013 —63

C M Y

Vanguard, MONDAY, AUGUST 26 , 2013

Tyson: I’m on verge of dying

M

IKE Tyson has claimed he is on the verge of dying from ongoing drug and alcohol problems.

“I wanna live my sober life. I don’t wanna die.

I’m on the verge of dying, because I’m a vicious alcoholic,” the former heavyweight boxing champion said on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.

“I’m a bad guy sometimes. I did a lot of bad

Racism hits sour note

•Tyson things, and I want to be forgiven. So in order for me to be forgiven, I hope they can forgive me. I wanna change my Continues on Page 61

Ekoku “mystified”, “disappointed”

by Keshi's comments Cardiff shock Manchester City 3-2 P.60 T

HE former Nigeria striker Efan Ekoku has told the BBC he’s “mystified and extremely disappointed” by Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi’s comments towards the Malawi coach

Clash of the titans: David Moyes v Jose Mourinho

Kick-off 8 pm. Story on Page 61

Continues on Page 61

RESULTS Glo League Kaduna United 2 Nembe City 0 Dolphins 2 Rangers 0 Lobi 1 Heartland

0

Wikki 2 Sunshine

0

•Moyes

Akwa United 1 3SC 0 El Kanemi 3 Wolves 0 Kwara 1 Enyimba

0

Gombe 2 Nasarawa 0 Pillars 1 Sharks 0 Continues on Page 61

TUSSLE: Fraizer Campbell of Cardiff City(L) viess with Manchester City’s Javi Garcia (R) yesterday y at The Cardiff City Stadium. Cardiff won 3-2.

Photo/AFP

•Mourinho

Serena to be oldest US Open queen — Page 61

•Serena

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TTODAY'S ODAY'S TODAY ODAY S

PUZZLEE

AY'S YESTER D DAY'S DAY AY S

ANSWERSS

ACROSS 3 Viper (5) 9 Rest (6) 10 Pliant (6) 11 Warhorse (5) 12 Hunt (4) 15 Fair (4) 17 Extend (7) 20 Pig-pen (3) 21 Moist (5) 23 Haystack (4) 25 Shoot (4) 26 Knot (5) 28 Posed (3) 30 Encourage (7) 33 Excuse (4) 35 Victuals (4) 36 Branch (5) 38 Weaken (6) 39 Dislike (6) 40 Irritable (5)

DOWN 1 Crass (5) 2 Superior (5) 3 Donkey (3) 4 Disengage (6) 5 Paradise (4) 6 Wand (3) 7 Less (5) 8 Pier (5) 13 Endless (7) 14 Boat (5) 16 Reel (7) 18 Intuition (5) 19 Intelligence (3) 22 Midget (5) 24 Relations (3) 27 Altitude (6) 28 Cleave (5) 29 Speed (5) 31 Linger (5) 32 Indigent (5) 34 Heart (4) 36 Piece (3) 37 Fodder (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Duress 5, Jargon 9, Endow 10, Refine 11, Lariat 12, Tally 14, Cord 17, Key 18, Reef 20, Timer 22, Badly 23, Passion 24, Besom 26, Again 29, Edit 30, Art 32, Erne 33, Sleep 35, Unveil 36, ?Result 37, Gorse 38, Errant 39, Eroded.

How to Play Sudoku

DOWN: 1, Direct 2, Reform 3, Sent 4, Sneak 5, Jolly 6, Away 7, Gained 8, Notify 13, Leisure 15, Oiled 16, Depot 18, Range 19, Elfin 21, Ram 22, Boa 24, Bemuse 25, Silver 27, Around 28, Nested 30, Allot 31, Terse 33, Sign 34, Peer.

TWO WEEKS TO LIVE

P

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

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

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

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