Defection of 5 govs shocking — TUKUR

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62024

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

From Left: Member, Lagos House of Assembly, Mrs Funmilayo Tejuosho; Commissioner For Finance, Mr Ayo Gbeleleyi; Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and Deputy Governor, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, at the signing of N87.5 billion Bond in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Boko Haram activities spread to C'River, Edo, Rivers, Ogun, Sokoto, Zamfara — Army Chief 8

Defection of 5 govs shocking — TUKUR

BY HENRY UMORU, JIMITOTA ONOYUME, DEMOLA AKINYEMI, UMAR YUSUF & LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

•Says they went too far; urges them to return to PDP •We're still open to reconciliation — Baraje group •Govs' dumping of PDP good for democracy — IBB •Why we left PDP — Nyako, Ahmed, Amaechi •Dikko Committee wants Oyinlola, Baraje, Jaja expelled

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BUJA—NA TIONAL Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, yesterday, expressed shock at the defection of

Continues on page 5

•P.27

COLUMNISTS: Is'haq Modibbo Kawu•P.17

Josef•P.19

Omorotionmwan

Mr & Mrs

S-SOUTH/S-EAST GOVS—From left: Governors Peter Obi (Anambra); Sullivan Chime (Enugu); Theodore Orji (Abia); Emmanuel Uduaghan (Delta); Liyel Imoke (Cross River); Deputy Governor of Ebonyi, Dr Dave Umahi and Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, after a meeting of the South-South and South-East Governors' Forum in Awka, Anambra State, yesterday.

POST-PHCN PRIVATISATION:

Blackout persists nationwide C M Y K

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POCKET CARTOON

BOOK PRESENTATION—From left, Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State; former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida; former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mohammed Uwais and Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, at a public presentation of a book: "Landmark Constitutional Law Cases in Nigeria 2004-2007: The Atiku Abubakar Cases" in Abuja,yesterday.

Defection of 5 govs shocking — TUKUR Continues from page 1 five governors on the platform of the party to the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, declaring that the governors went too far by dumping the ruling party.

The governors of Rivers, Adamawa, Kwara, Kano and Sokoto states alongside leaders of the Abubakar Baraje-led faction of the PDP announced on Tuesday that

they have dumped the PDP and were on the verge of merging with APC. However, the Barajeled group clarified, yesterday, it was still available for reconciliation and peace moves with the Bamanga Tukur-led National Working Committee, NWC and could back out of the proposed merger with the APC if the reconciliation succeeds.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Love overlooks a person’s faults. That’s not always easy, but love believes the best in every person. Anybody can return negative for evil, but having divine love helps heal wounded hearts —Joel Osteen You may live or work around a bunch of weeds, but don’t let that stop you from blooming. Realize that your environment does not prevent you from being happy. Some people spend all their time trying to pull up all the weeds. Meanwhile, they miss much of their lives. Don’t worry about things you can’t change. You can’t change the traffic in the morning. You can’t fix everybody at work. You can’t make all your family members serve God your way.

But you shouldn’t let that keep you from being happy. Bloom anyway and focus on the things that you can change. You can change your own attitude. You can choose to be happy right where you are.

You may be at a crossroads in your life. You may have issues to deal with; people you need to forgive. You can go one of the two ways. You can ignore what you now know to be true and keep burying that bitterness in your life, pushing it deeper and allowing it to poison and contaminate you and those around you. Or you can make a much better choice by getting it out in the open and keeping your heart pure and true.

Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida in his reaction threw his weight behind the governors’s action, saying it is good for democracy even as three of the governors, Governors Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers, Ahmed Abdulfatah of Kwara and Murtala Nyako of Adamawa gave reasons why they decamped.

Reacting to the exit of some of his governors, Tukur, yesterday, urged willing members of the G7 and other aggrieved members of PDP to return to the party against the backdrop that PDP would always be eager to welcome back all returnees with happiness.

According to Tukur, the decision of the governors was least expected because it happened at a time the doors of negotiations and dialogue were kept wide open by President Goodluck Jonathan and the party for all.

Tukur who noted that the PDP never takes delight in having its key members defect into the opposition party, said that those who did so had exercised their fundamental rights to associate as guaranteed by the law.

Tukur, currently in

China on the invitation of the government of the Peoples Republic of China said he was in constant touch with the presidency and party leaders on the development, even as he assured party members that the turn of events was normal in a democracy, adding that party leaders would always put heads together to salvage PDP and further its desire to remain in power.

There is limit to anger — Tukur

In a statement, yesterday, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur said: “There is always a limit to demonstration of anger. If anger can cause you to pack all your bags and loads and then move into the home of your arch opponents, that to me is an anger so misdirected and it is unfortunate.

“We cannot ask anyone not to leave the party if he so decided. After all soldiers go, soldiers come. If any one leaves the PDP, many more people will join, it happens every time. All the same, I seize this opportunity to say to others who want to remain to stay back and join the process of re-building and reforming PDP”.

The PDP chairman who insisted that the turn of events would not halt the ongoing reforms within the party and the desire by the leadership to entrench party supremacy, discipline and cohesion, said: “I am currently in China to study some modern day models of development that China can offer on party organization and good governance. I have taken note of so many things here. We will adopt the good ones to complement the reform process that is ongoing in PDP. “We cannot do it alone.

We need the cooperation of the party and the cooperation of every member so that we can leave the primitive stage we always find ourselves and then link up with modernity.

“What we are saying is let us come together as a party to promote the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan who we elected to lead us in Nigeria.

“Let us put behind us those successions of crises and bickerings so that the President and leaders of the party could concentrate on governance and delivery of the dividends of democracy to all.”

IBB backs decamping govs

Former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida on his part threw his weight behind Tuesday’s defection of five of the G7 aggrieved governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC. Answering questions from journalists, yesterday, after the launch of the book, titled: “Landmark Constitutional Law Cases in Nigeria 20042007: The Atiku Abubakar Cases”, at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja,

Babangida who described the action as good for democracy and democracy in action, simply said, “it is good for democracy, it is democracy in action.”

When asked further on what this defection portend for 2015, General Babangida who noted that 2015 was still far, stressed that we were presently in 2013 and yet to get to 2014, adding that action could be taken anytime and peace talks can still continue.

We've not Merged — G7 Govs, Baraje, others

Meanwhile, the Baraje-led group clarified yesterday that it was still open for reconciliation and peace moves with the Bamanga Tukur-led National Working Committee, NWC. The group said that there was no merger with APC on Tuesday at Kano State Governor ’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, but a declaration of intent to merge.

Answering questions from journalists, yesterday on the development, the National Publicity Secretary of the group, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze noted that the event was misrepresented. He said that the parties have not signed any memorandum of understanding, even as he stressed that the parties in the alliance have just set up a committee to work on the conditions of the merger and that the report of the committee will be submitted to the steering committee on Tuesday.

Eze said: “It is only after we have signed the MOU that you can say we have merged. You guys should have asked us to list conditions of the merger. Can we merge without conditions?"

Continues on page 54

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

Two sales executives docked over alleged N3.9m theft

BY ONOZURE DANIA & AYUBA SHUAIB

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AGOS — TWO sales executives, Chinyere Ibe and Monica Jackson, were yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate Court, for allegedly stealing products of Soulmate Industry Ltd worth N3.9 million.

The defendants are Ibe, 35, and Jackson, 35, resides at 20, Olaiwola Close, Ajayi Road, Ogba, Lagos and 35, Taju Bello Street, Ishaga, Tako-Taya, Lagos, respectively, were docked before Magistrate O. Akinde The defendants are facing a two-count charge of stealing.

The prosecutor, Inspector Chinalu Uwadione, informed the court that the defendants committed the offences between 2010 and 2012, at 2-6, Ode Close, Oke-Ira, Ogba, area of Lagos.

He said that Ibe stole N2.97 million, while Jackson stole N985,000, being proceeds from sales of company products entrusted to them.

60-yr-old driver remanded for manslaughter

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS— A 60-year-old man, Felix Alele, was yesterday remanded in Kirikiri Prisons over alleged manslaughter.

Magistrate, Miss A.O Akinde, ordered that the defendant be remanded pending the legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP. The defendant, who resides in Delta State, is facing a three-count charge bordering on manslaughter and reckless driving.

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

Prosecutor, Inspector Chinalu Uwadione, had earlier told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offences at 8.30 a.m. on November 12 along Ogunnusi Road, Opposite Babs Fafunwa, Ojodu, Ikeja.

Mystery healing river springs up in Enugu village E

NUGU — A HEALING mys tery stream has surprisingly appeared in Nachi community in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, almost 42 years after it allegedly surfaced and disappeared in the same place.

The miracle stream, as it is now fondly called by millions of Nigerians, both young and old, especially sick ones and their relations, surfaced and disappeared in 1972 and reappeared this time around in the area about two weeks ago.

The stream is about 4km away from the old Oji River/Onitsha road.

According to reports, the stream, which has continued to attract healing seekers, was first noticed by a Fulani herdsman who went to the area to feed his cattle, and suddenly saw water gushing out from a sandy farm land close to where he was standing.

According to a source, before the Fulani man could turn his back, the entire area had water about five feet deep.

The Fulani herdsman was said to have alerted some farmers in the community about what he saw.

They went to see things for themselves, after which they took the news to the traditional ruler of the community, His Royal Highness Igwe Onuigbo, Obi (11) of Nachi.

A visit to the wonder stream, Tuesday, showed that the community had turned it into a pilgrimage centre with the development, opening up windows of business for the people, especially plastic container sellers, food vendors,

The mystery stream commercial motorcyclists and vehicle operators as they now make brisk businesses.

Healing testimonies

Meanwhile, there had been scores of alleged healing testimonies from sick people who either swam in or drank from the stream. According to reports, dozens of people, young and old including security operatives were seen fetching the water just as many were taking their bath in

the stagnated stream, believing it would cure ailments.

Some people said to have been taken to the stream last Saturday with crutches and other supporting devices, were said to have gone home rejoicing after dipping themselves in the stream.

One Mr. Cyril Eneh, a civil servant, shortly after coming out of the water was quoted as saying: “Indeed, this is a miraculous water, people with different sicknesses have been coming here

to receive their healing. And I also have the faith and strong belief that God Almighty, who provided this water will use it to tackle every health challenge in my life.”

Also speaking, an octogenarian and community leader in Nachi, Mr. Festus Udeh, said the stream surfaces and disappears every 20 to 30 years, adding that it forbids evil things. He said any evil doer that goes to the stream might run into serious problem.

Man charged for defiling 30-month old toddler L

BY INNOCENT ANABA

AGOS — A family court sit ting in Ikeja Magistrate Court, Lagos, will today, resume hearing in the charge of defilement of a two and half years old child (names withheld) against one Kehinde Layode.

According to Access to Justice, AJ, a non-governmental organisation, handling the matter, “on November 11, 2013, we received information that a girl (names withheld) (two and a half years old at the relevant time), was sexually molested by a man, Kehinde Layode, who had been

put in a position of trust over the child.

According to the family, the mother of the girl had kept the child with the defendant and his wife to go and buy drugs for the toddler as she was running a fever.

“This was a fairly routine help

Women protesting at the premises of the Chief Magistrate's Court, Enugu Ezike, Enugu State over the killing of one Mabel Udaya, 30, by ritualists, yesterday.

that the girl’s mother often sought and the defendant and his wife offered. However, on this fateful day when the girl's mother returned to the house, she knocked on the door but the defendant told her that she was sleeping.

"The mother, however, insisted that the door be opened so that she could administer the drug she had bought.

Subsequently, she took the toddler home but noticed that there was a thick white fluid coming down her laps at which point she raised an alarm.

“The alarm attracted neighbours, who insisted that she report the matter to the police and take her for medical examination, which she did. The case was reported to the Igando Police Station and the police have, after investigations, launched a prosecution against the defendant.

“The case is presently before Mrs A. Oshoniyi of the magistrate sitting at Family Court, Ikeja Magistrate Court, Lagos State.

"The charge against the defendant is that of defilement of the little child by having sexual intercourse with her on January 12, 2013."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013—7

MASSOB parades alleged robbery suspect in Onitsha

BY OKONKWO EZE

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Sharia enforcers, Hisbah, destroying over 240,000 bottles of beer along with over 8,000 litres of local brew called "Burukutu" at a ceremony attended by Hisbah chiefs and government officials as part of sharia enforcement, in Kano, yesterday.

PHOTO: AFP

Court remands man over serial rape of own daughter I

BY OLA AJAYI

BADAN— A 48 year-old man, Mr. Sanni Idowu, has been remanded in Agodi Prison, Ibadan by a magistrate court for allegedly raping his daughter.

Until his arrest, the 48-yearold man was living at Ifedapo Amuloko area of Ibadan.

The girl, 15, was said to have been de-flowered by her father at the age of 10.

It was further gathered that the accused who has two wives had sent the mother of the girl away while the second wife has been ill for quite sometime.

According to the charge sheet marked MI/15079/c/ 2013, the accused was caught on October 23, 2013 at about 09:15 a. m.

The prosecutor, Mr. S. Ogunremi said: “That you Sanni Idowu on October 23, 2013 at Ifedapo, Amuloko area of Ibadan, in the magis-

terial district did have unlawful carnal knowledge of one girl(name withheld) age 15 years without her consent.

“The offence contravened section 357 and punishable

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At the arraignment of the accused, he pleaded not guilty to the charges. Magistrate S. A Oyediran adjourned the case to December 9 for hearing.

Man pleads for more time to reconcile with ex-wife

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A R A R A B A (NASARAWA) – A civil servant, Abdulmumini Ibrahim, 30, of Gurku village, yesterday, prayed a Grade 1 Area Court, Aso Pada, Mararaba, to give him time to reconcile with his former wife, Aishatu Isah.

Ibrahim told the court that he needed more time to enable him settle with the wife as he still loved her.

The presiding judge, Mr Albert Maga, asked Isah if she heard what her ex-husband said, and she said yes.

Police arraign NURTW official for assault BUJA — The police, yes terday, in Abuja arraigned Peter Garba, 37, an official of the National Union of Road Transport, NURTW, in a Wuse Zone 2 Senior Magistrates’ Court for assaulting a taxi driver.

The prosecutor, Cpl. Sani Yussuf, told the court that a trader, Emmanuel Adoga of Garki Mall Abuja, lodged a report against the accused at the Mabushi Police Station on Nov. 25.

Yussuf said that the accused stopped the complainant from

under section 358 of the Criminal Code Cap. 38 Vol II Laws of Oyo state of Nigeria 2000.” The daughter said the father threatened to kill her if she told anybody.

carrying passengers near Mabushi junction, and that, in the process, an argument ensued and the accused attacked the driver with an object.

He said the accused broke the rear light of the driver’s car valued at N12, 500.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened the provisions of Section 327 of Penal Code.

Garba, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the Senior Magistrate, Mr Aminu Eri, admitted him to bail in the sum of N20, 000 and one reliable surety in like sum.

She told the court that she was not interested in settling with him.

Maga then adjourned the case till December 9 for continuation of hearing should the out-of-court settlement efforts fail.

It would be recalled that on November 22, Isah sued Ibrahim to court for criminal intimidation.

On that same date, Isah prayed the court to take judicial notice of the fact that she and Ibrahim were legally separated sometime in October by the same court.

She said: “Any time he sees me talking to a man, he will intimidate me. He told me that he does not agree with the divorce and therefore, I am still his wife to which I said no.

“I decided to bring the matter to court because my exhusband has refused to allow me be.”

The accused had pleaded not guilty to the charge, saying: “I am not aware that we are separated by the court.

“When I came back from my sojourn, I asked her where I went wrong that made her go to court and divorced me, she said nothing.

“I do not agree that we are no more husband and wife because I was absent in court when the judgment was given, granting her prayer for divorce.

“I later asked my parents if the dowry I paid on her was returned, they said no; so, I said I must get the dowry back.”

NITSHA —THE Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, yesterday at Okpoko Layout in the suburban area of the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State, arrested a robbery suspect armed with a locally made pistol.

The suspect who was identified as Fredrick Edeh from Ebonyi State but resides in Onitsha, according to the source, was alleged to have been terrorizing inhabitants of the Okpoko vicinity in Ogbaru Local Government Area.

Parading the suspect before newsmen, MASSOB Ogbaru Regional Director, Emmanuel Omenka, said he would be handed over to the police after arresting other members of his gang now at large.

Omenka confirmed that the illegal activities of the robber came to the limelight when he robbed occupants of 12, Starling Street Okpoko, at about 1.00 a.m. with three of his gang members.

Omenka also confirmed that hours after the robbery, Edeh was identified as one of those who robbed the occupants of the said building and was subsequently arrested by the MASSOB members in the area.

2 robbery suspects held in Ondo

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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KURE — TWO robbery sus pects have been arrested by policemen in Ondo State during a shoot-out while robbing a quarry company.

Vanguard gathered that one Bello Kamorudeen who is a night guard in the company in Ore area of the state tipped off the police of the robbery incident.

Kamorudeem, according to police sources, informed the police at the Ore Divisional Police office that three hoodlums were raiding the company.

Consequently, the police

raced to the scene and a shootout ensued between them and the hoodlums.

The exchange of gunfire lasted about 20 minutes following which one of the robbers, Babayaran Musa, was shot in the leg while two others escaped.

One of the fleeing suspects, Saadu Ibrahim, was later arrested by the police during the search of the area.

The third robber reportedly escaped while effort is still on to arrest him.

Contacted police image maker, Wole Ogodo, confirmed the arrest of two of the robbers after a gun battle.

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

FEC approves N42bn for roads rehabilitation

BY BEN AGANDE

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BUJA— THE Federal Executive Council, FEC, yesterday, approved contracts worth N42 billion for the rehabilitation of roads across the country.

Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, told newsmen after the weekly meeting of the council that the contracts include rehabilitation of three federal roads in Kogi, Kwara, Bauchi, Plateau and Adamawa states and dualization of one federal road in Kano State.

Others include the Ilorin-Omu Aran-Kabba Road in Kwara and Kogi states at the cost of N8.217 billion with a completion period of 36 months.

Maku said: “Council also approved the award of contract for the dualisation of KanoKatsina Road Phase 1: Kano town at Dawanau roundabout, Katsina State border with Kano State at the cost of N14.078 billion with a completion period of 30 months.

“Council also approved the award of contract for the rehabilitation of TumuPindiga-Kashere (Gombe State)-FutukYalo (Bauchi State)Bashar-Dengi (Plateau State) road: construction of YaloBashar-Dengi Section in Bauchi and Plateau states, for N3.076 billion with a completion period of 18 months.

“After deliberations, council approved the award of contract No. 6210 for the rehabilitation of IlorinJebba-Mokwa-BirninGwari-Kaduna road section 1” among others.

Council also approved a memo presented by the President for the award of contract for supply of 70,000 software development and support for Permanent Voters Card Radio Frequency Identification, RFID, Readers.

Army kills 40 Boko Haram suspects in Borno

BY NDAHI MARAMA

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AIDUGURI— OVER 40 suspected Boko Haram members were killed in an offensive by the military, which raided its identified cells using air strikes and ground troops from the 7 Division, Nigerian Army, in Bita village, Damboa-Gwoza road in Borno State.

Two weeks ago, no fewer than 20 suspected terrorists were reportedly killed by troops from the same Division in the area, while several others escaped during a similar raid in one of the Boko Haram hideouts as confirmed to journalists by the Division's spokesman, Colonel Mohammed Dole.

Bita, which is 32 kilometres

west of Gwoza town is about 135 kilometres away from Maiduguri, the state capital and it is alleged to be one of the strongholds of the Boko Haram insurgents.

The area has witnessed series of attacks and killings, with the bombing of public schools, a new generation bank and road attacks in recent times by the

VISIT: From left— HRH Godwin Akenzua, the Enogie of Evbobanosa; former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) and Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, during the former Head of State's courtesy visit to the governor in Benin, yesterday.

insurgents.

Reliable security sources told Vanguard that the military raid of Boko Haram hideouts in Bita took place on Sunday and Monday, adding that it was aimed at flushing out the insurgents who were suspected to have fled the recent attacks by the troops, and taken refuge in bushes on the Sambisa Game Forests.

During a routine visit last week by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Iherijika to Maiduguri, he challenged military officers to be steadfast, as there would be what he described “as total war and destruction of Boko Haram camps in the state this week.”

The source, however, said: “The recent attacks launched by the troops from the Division beginning from this week was a huge success, as one of the strongholds of the terrorists were destroyed with the killing of unspecified number of suspected Boko Haram insurgents.”

The military authorities in Maiduguri could not be reached on telephone from Maiduguri as there were no communication networks in Borno State due to the state of emergency declared in some northern states.

... as sect's activities spread to C'River, Edo, Rivers, Ogun

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

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BUJA— CHIEF of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Iherijika has declared that activities of Boko Haram Islamist sect have spread beyond Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, as members of the sect now operate in Cross River, Edo, Ogun, Rivers, Sokoto and Zamfara states.

The Army boss disclosed this in a presentation he made before the 20-member Joint Committee on National Security and Intelligence and Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters set up to investigate the alleged extrajudicial killings of eight persons, who were suspected of being members of Boko Haram members in September 20, when a combined team of soldiers and Department of State Services, DSS, carried out a raid at the Apo Legislative Quarters Abuja.

The committee, in its report which was presented before the Senate, yesterday, however absolved the

security agents of extrajudicial killing but concluded that it was a hastily executed operation.

According to the committee’s report, “the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Ihejirika in his submission to the committee, stated that in the last two months, activities of the Boko Haram sect had spread to other states of the federation including the FCT as was evident in the arrest of over 50 terrorists in Cross River, Edo, Ogun, Rivers, Sokoto and Zamfara states.

Reason for the spread

“This relocation, he said, was a consequence of the pressure of the military operations on the terrorists in the North-East, particularly Borno State, where the sect is most active.”

The committee further stated that Ihejirika testified that a “Nigerian was arrested on August 16, while attempting to gain access into Niger Barracks and in the course of investigation, the suspect, who claimed he was directed by Allah to enter the Barracks was confirmed to be

on spy mission.”

The Joint Committee was chaired by Senator Mohammed Magoro (PDP, Kebbi South), a retired General in the Nigeria Army.

The committee, in its report which was adopted on the floor of the Senate, said that the operation of security agents at Apo that resulted in some casualties, was necessitated by electronic intercepts made by the DSS which indicated plans to attack the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, on September 22.

The report, however, led to a sharp disagreement between the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Magoro and Senator Mohammed Saleh (CPC, Kaduna Central), who presented what could be said to be a minority report which was in contravention of the senate standing order that any dissenting report should be documented and submitted to the senate for debate.

On Apo raid According to the finding of the committee, there were influx of Boko Haram elements into the FCT and its environs that was noticed through various sources

inclu-ding electronic intercepts.

It further stated that, “the security agencies had enough and convincing intelligence to believe that some Boko Haram elements were embedded among the over 100 dwellers of the uncompleted building at Apo. “The arrest of Kamal and Adamu (Boko Haram suspects) and intelligence information derived from them, while in the custody of the DSS, actually confirmed increased activities of terrorists in Abuja, the seat of government.

“The categorical and damning evidence given by Kamal and Adamu, including the large cache of weapons allegedly buried in Gudu cemetery and the presence of members of Boko Haram sect living in uncompleted building made it imperative for the security agencies to take action.”

Senate, in its findings, said that security agencies anticipated that the military operations in Borno and Yobe states against the Islamists Boko Haram sect would lead to the sect finding other locations for safety and continuation of its operation.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013—9

POST-PRIVATISATION: Blackout persists z New owners incompetent— Marketer zPower will take time to stabilise— TCN

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG & KUNLE KALEJAIYE

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EARLY a month after new owners took over the assets of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, electric power supply has remained irregular and, in some areas, worsened.

Several reasons, according to investigations, are being adduced for the power situation in the country.

While it was gathered that gas supply to power plants has been cut off since weekend due to debts, it was equally discovered that the power sector since the massive and indiscriminate sack of the defunct PHCN workers, had been grappling with shortage of manpower.

It was gathered that power supply had dipped by 450 MW, from the peak generation of 4,500Mw as a result of alleged unpaid gas fees to Nigerian Gas Company, NGC. Similarly, investigations revealed that the morale of workers re-engaged by the new owners on a six-month contract was very low because over 7,000 of their former colleagues sacked after the hand-over on November 1 were yet to be paid their terminal benefits.

It was also reported that about 30,000 of the sacked and re-engaged staff received part payment of their severance benefits.

‘Not enough hands’

A staff re-engaged as a marketer told Vanguard yesterday that the sector was presently short of competent hands.

The marketer said: “I can tell you that we do not have enough hands competent to handle transformers and other technical requirements to keep the plants afloat.

“The problem we are facing is that the new owners are more interested in how to make quick profits. Majority of those re-engaged are marketers.

“It is obvious that the new owners lack the competence to run power plants. Because of the hurry to sack workers, they threw caution to the wind and indiscriminately sacked most of those that can handle plants and transformers.

“Ordinarily, they ought to work with the staff for at least six months within which they would know the competent and experienced personnel to retain.

“As we speak, when there are multiple reports of break down or faults, we do not have enough personnel to deploy to effect repairs.

TCN reacts

However, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, said drop in power supply occurred between November 23 and 26 due to reported vandalism of gas pipeline

supplying gas to Okpai Power Plant in Delta State, resulting in the shutdown of the power station and unavoidable power rationing nationwide.

General Manager (Public Affairs) of TCN, Mrs. Seun Olagunju, said the repair of the vandalised gas pipeline had been done on Monday, but admitted that it would take a while for power supply to stabilise in the country.

She said: “There will be about 450Mw reduction in electricity generation due to reported vandalism of gas pipeline supplying gas to Okpai Power Plant in Delta State, resulting

in the shutdown of the power station and an unavoidable power rationing nationwide.

“TCN is reliably informed that repair work is expected be completed within three days and the power plant will expectedly resume generation today (yesterday).

“TCN regrets the inconveniences to the Federal Government and our highly esteemed electricity consumers nationwide and enjoined members of the public to work with the government in protecting installations and facilities meant for our socialeconomic development.”

15% BUDGET FOR HEALTH: Executive Director, Advocacy Nigeria, Hajia Bilijisu Yusuf (right) and Regional Coordinator, Evidence 4 Action, E4A, Mr. Aminu Garba, at a briefing on the 15 per cent budgetary allocation for health in line with United Nations' Secretary-General’s Strategy on Women and Children’s Health organised by Accountability for Maternal Newborn and Child Health in Nigeria, in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Senate quizzes FCT Minister over N500m NYSC project, others

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

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BUJA— THE Senate, through its Ad-hoc Committee on Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, yesterday, tackled the FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed, for allegedly injecting N500 million on rehabilitation of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, camp in Abuja.

The upper chamber equally asked the minister and top management staff of the FCT to explain how they used N140 million to maintain new buses said to have been procured and donated to SURE-P beneficiaries by FCT administration.

This is even as the Senator Abdul Ningi-led committee frowned at the minister for alleged release of N1 billion to Abuja Investment Company, AIC, when the agency, it noted,

was solely established for generation of income for the FCT administration.

Following the inability of the minister and his staff to provide satisfactory answers, the committee, through its chairman, demanded that details of allocation, receipts and payment made with the SUREP funds, which accrued to it since 2012, be forwarded to it.

Members of the committee wondered why N500 million would be spent to rehabilitate the NYSC camp in Abuja when the agency was being taken care of financially by the Federal Government.

Mohammed was specifically asked to justify the approval of N140 million to refurbish new buses bought in 2012 by the Federal Government less than one year after the buses were purchased.

The minister promised to forward statement of accounts and backlog of current account balance to the Senate.

Defending his alleged use of N1 billion to pay Abuja Investment Company, Bala said the firm was registered under the Company and Allied Matter Act, hence the ministry went through the company to procure vehicles under the mass transit scheme.

He said the money would be recovered given that beneficiaries have accounts and sureties.

He said: “They are already paying back. Banks already approaching us and promised us additional N1.1 billion loan because we have a system that is working.”

He also added that the rehabilitation of the NYSC followed due process.

He said additional 100 new buses would be bought because the ones on the fleet of his ministry’s mass transit scheme were already breaking down and that another N100 million lifeline was needed to help the operators build capacity.

MILITANTS TO BENIN REPUBLIC GOVT: Release AsariDokubo or...

BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

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group loyal to the Niger Delta activist, Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force, NDPVF, has warned the authorities of Benin Republic to free the former militant leader or be ready to face its wrath.

The Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, NDPVF, issued the warning, signed by its leaders, Mr. Rex Ekiugbo Anighoro in Abuja last night, following the arrest and detention of Dokubo in an unknown location since Tuesday afternoon.

NDPVF, which also likened the arrest to a kidnap by the authorities, said that they were appalled by the unprovoked breach of the fundamental rights of the youth leader.

It said: “We hold this arrest as an absurdity. It is unprovoked and questionable and has been without any reason from the government of Republic of Benin.

“We consider this as a kidnap of our leader by the President of Republic of Benin working with certain opposition figures in Nigeria.

“We hereby make demand on President Yayi Bonni of the Republic of Benin to release, unconditionally and with immediate effect, our leader Alhaji Asari-Dokubo and offer unreserved apology to him for this monumental breach of his rights.

“We call on all the aggrieved youths of Niger Delta to be on red alert and ready for a total showdown and shut down if in the next 48 hours his release has not been made.

“We call on the President of the Nigerian union to mediate on this potential diplomatic row that may lead to an unprecedented conflagration.”

10—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

Lagos arrests suspected water thief

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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AGOS — LAGOS State Special Taskforce on Environment has arrested a female suspect over alleged theft of public water.

According to the Executive Director of Lagos Water Corporation, Mr. Diran Akingba, who disclosed this, the suspect was arrested while committing the nefarious act at Ijora Badia area of the state.

Akingba said the exercise was part of measure aimed at stemming the tide of water theft throughout the state as it had discovered that some people were found stealing public water.

According to him: "The Lagos Water Corporation, LWC, is clamping down on the nefarious activities of water thieves. A raid was carried out by the LWC recently, in conjunction with the Lagos State Task Force on the Environment, which led to the arrest of one Mrs. Abiye Oshindele in the Ijora Badia area of the state."

Firms unite against cholera

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N THE wake of the recent out-break of cholera in six states of the Federation, Lifebuoy from the stable of Unilever Nigeria, in partnership with UNICEF, is promoting basic hygiene practices in schools and homes.

Corporate Relations Manager, Unilever Nigeria, Mr. Yemi Adeboye remarked that consistent evidence showed that hand washing with soap at critical times - before eating or preparing food and after using the toilet - could reduce cholera risk by 70 per cent and acute respiratory infections (ARI’s), by 50 per cent.

Adeboye observed that Lifebuoy has been promoting hand hygiene awareness in Nigeria since 2011.

UNICEF Representative, Lagos Office, Mrs. Sara Nyanti, said the promotion of hand washing with soap has high impact in reduction of children’s deaths.

Lagos raises N87.5bn bond to finance light rail project, others

BY MONSURU OLOWOOPEJO

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AGOS — LAGOS State government, yesterday, raised N87.5 billion bond under the Lagos State fixed rate bond (series 2), to execute the ongoing construction of the blue line light rail project from Okokomaiko to Marina and expansion of the Lagos Badagry Expressway into 10 lanes.

It will be recalled that the state government commenced the debt issuance programme of N275 billion in 2009 with the issuance

of N50 billion bonds which was expected to mature for payment in February, 2014.

The state governor, Babatunde Fashola, speaking at the issuance ceremony, at the State House, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, said that this marked the completion of the six years N275 billion debt issuance programme of the state.

According to him: "This is part of the state process of looking inwards rather than outwards for solutions to the state challenges.

"We cannot seriously ask people to invest in the country if ourselves do not show

commitment, by making investment in the country. This we have done with the bonds which would be financed locally."

Fashola added that the bond which was expected to mature in 2020, would also be used to execute other projects like: Apapa Central Business District, CBD, road networks, construction of the Adiyan Phase 11 Water works with 70 million gallons of water per day, Mushin Isolo Road, Isolo Isheri Ijegun link Bridge, completion of the Ayinke House Maternity Hospital, protection of the Atlantic shoreline from

ORIENTATION: Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, taking a salute, during the PassingOut-Parade of Batch C of the National Youth Service Corps, at the Orientation Camp, in Emure-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

Goshen Estate to Alpha Beach.

The governor, while reacting to critics' comments on the state bonds issuance programme, said that they were voodoo economist who did not have knowledge of bonds issuance, adding, "But I will put the fact straight.

"In 2002 when we raised N25 billion and drew N15 billion of the bonds, voodoo economists in the country complained that government had mortgaged the country for 50 years. But the projects we committed the bonds for, are still functioning even after we had repaid the bonds.

"Some of the projects are: Kudirat Abiola Way, Oregun, Akin Adesola Way, Awolowo Road, Lawanson Itire Road and others for which the loan was taken are still functioning long after the loan had been paid.

"The N50 billion bonds we raised in 2009, which was the first under this programme, I can tell you that as at today, there is already N94.6 billion in the consolidated Debt Service Account under the care of Trustee to the lenders to repay the debt next year.

"This is almost double of what we owe that is due for repayment; and the account continues to grow to meet our existing debt obligations as they fall due to payment.”

Speaking earlier, Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Ayo Gbeleyi said that this is the largest issuance ever made by any government in the country including the Federal Government, that has not issued more than N70 billion.

Attempted murder of Lagos Judge: Trial judge withdraws

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

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AGOS — JUSTICE Christopher Balogun of Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, yesterday withdrew in the trial of a 33 year old commercial bus driver, Quadri Kasali charged with alleged attempted murder of a Lagos judge, Justice Ebenezer Adebajo.

At the resumed hearing of the trial, yesterday, which was fixed for cross-examination of the second prosecution witness, shefiu Amoo, the presiding judge made his intention known to the parties in the matter.

Justice Balogun told the parties that he had to withdraw from the trial based on personal reasons, stating that the case file would be quickly forwarded to the head judge for reassignment.

It will be recalled that the

defendant (Kasali) was arrainged before the court on March 20, 2013 but pleaded not guilty to the charge, the trial

judge denied him bail on June 6, 2013.

He was first denied bail by M.A. Ladipo, Chief Magistrate

of a Tinubu Magistrate's Court, Lagos, where he was initially made to appear to answer the charges.

Magistrate orders journalists out of court

BY ONOZURE DANIA

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AGOS — A Lagos Magistrate, Mrs. O. O Martins, of Court 11 Igbosere Magistrate Court Lagos,

yesterday, ordered Vanguard Newspapers and News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reporters out of her court, for unknown reasons.

The journalists were Onozure Dania of Vanguard Newspapers

Govts should develop women — Deputy gov

BY WILLIAM JIMOH

EKITI STATE Deputy Governor, Professor Modupe Adelabu has called on government at all levels to double their efforts towards the development of women across the country as this will contribute to effort at achieving a sustainable economic growth.

The Deputy Governor, who stated this while addressing participants at this year's Erio Day celebration, noted that "women's voices are now being heard across Nigeria clamuoring for improvement in their socioeconomic status and for recognition of their immense contributions to national development."

and Henry Oladele of NAN. The journalists were in the court to hear court proceedings, when suddenly the police prosecutor of the court, Sergeant Godwin Oria, informed the magistrate that there were journalists in the court.

According to Vanguard reporter: “ Immediately I entered the court I saw the prosecutor whispering something to the magistrate.”

"The magistrate immediately announced that any journalist in the court should stand up. And as we did, she ordered the two of us to get out of her court, that she did not want any journalist in her court.

"Efforts made to know our offence proved futile."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013—11

Ogun FRSC tear-gas children trying to impound dad’s car

PDP to expel Oyinlola, Baraje

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ATIONAL DISCIPL- INARY Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, headed

by Second Republic Minister of Transport, Alhaji Umaru Dilkko, yesterday, asked the Bamanga Tukur led National Working Committee, NWC, to expel from the party the suspended former governor of Osun State and National Secretary of the party, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.

Oyinlola was recently reinstated as National Secretary of PDP through a judgment by an Appeal Court sitting in Abuja.

But rather than ask him to resume, he was suspended and also summoned by the party to appear before the Dikko led Discplinary Committee.

Addressing journalists, yesterday, at the end of the meeting of the committee which took place at PDP Presidential Campaign Office, Legacy House, Maitama, Abuja, Deputy Chairman of the Committee and former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope disclosed that Chairman of the defunct splinter group of PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje and his deputy, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja were also asked to be expelled from the party.

Chief Babatope, who briefed journalists in the presence of Umaru Dikko, said the Committee recommended that the suspension of the National Vice Chairman of the PDP, North West, Ambassador Ibrahim Kazuare be extended by one month, adding that, "he is expected to appear before the committee on December 10."

Chief Ebenezer Babatope, who said there would be no questions from journalists, said: “Some cases were referred to us and these cases affected Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Alhaji Kawu Barage, Sam Sam Jaja and Alhaji Kazaure.

“We have examined all the charges very meticulously and very critically and we have arrived at these conclusions that we are passing on to the National Working Committee.

"Three of them have been found guilty of charges brought against them; and they are Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Alhaji Kawu Barage, and Sam Sam Jaja."

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

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BEOKUTA — OFFICIALS of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Ogun State sector unleashed terror on three school children in Abeokuta, yesterday, by tear-gassing them while attempting to impound their father's new vehicle.

An eye-witness told Vanguard that the incident occurred when the children -Ibrahim Folorunsho (8), Basirat LECTURE: Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Osun State Governor; Senator Olabiyi Folorunsho(6) and Faridat Folorunsho (6 Durojaiye, Chairman, YETFUND, and Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa, Secretary to the State months) were being conveyed to school Government, Ogun State, at Yoruba Education Trust Fund Public Lecture, Fund by their father in company of their mother.

Raising and Award Ceremony, at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau The source, who pleaded anonymity, said the officials of FRSC flagged down the Mitsubishi space wagon car in Omida area of the town to impound the car.

It was gathered that the alleged offence of the father of the kids was that he was

BY OLA AJAYI during the November 4 the Permanent Secretary, ASUU, driving an unregistered car meeting him were not included through its National Treasurer, Dr. BADAN — STRIKING in the letter signed by a Ademola Aremu said the N200 which prompted the officials members of the Academic permanent secretary in the billion agreed upon as 2013 of FRSC to attempt to seize Staff Union of Universities, Federal Ministry of Education, revitalisation fund for public it.

One of the corps allegedly ASUU, have called on Dr. Mark Nwobiala.” universities should be kept and Nigerians to disregard the The union also advised disbursed to concerned tear-gassed the occupants of the car before the vehicle was comments made by the Minister President Goodluck Jonathan to of Education, Nyesom Wike expedite action on the universities by the Central Bank driven to the sector headquarters at Government that the union was making new endorsement of resolutions of Nigeria.

Dr. Aremu, who said this, Reservation Area, GRA, Ibara, outrageous demands, saying it reached with him. was a blatant lie.

Such resolutions, the yesterday, while speaking with Abeokuta.

ASUU said: “We are not academic union insisted must newsmen in Ibadan, faulted the The tear-gas caused serious making fresh demands. In fact, be signed by high ranking Education Minister, saying he discomfort to the kids who the NEC of the union would government official possibly the failed to tell Nigerians that apart were heading to Lawson have suspended the strike, but Attorney-General of the from the N30billion earned Private School in Kuto area of allowances released for university the town. the concerns of our congresses Federation. were that many of the things While warning that the staff, the government was yet to The kids were seen profusely agreed to with Mr. President resolutions must not be signed by release the N100billion it shedding tears as a result of the announced earlier. teargas, a development which To him, the strike could be attracted many passers-by called off within 24 hours once the expressing displeasure over observed omissions were corrected the action. and reflected in the new The people in the area offered resolution. first aid treatment to the “They are interested in wasting children, before they regained the time and lives of Nigerians. stability, while six months old What we observed does not had to be rushed to hospital by

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE property is at the lowest ebb as require an additional kobo effect. the mother for adequate the state has witnessed a lot of The letter does not include communal crises as well as non-victimisation clause. This is medical attention.

When our correspondent SOGBO — THE ruling harassment of people.” a routine when you negotiate any All Progressives Olaoluwa said despite the agreement. There is nothing that visited the headquarters of the commission, no officer was Congress, APC, and the main demolitions the administration opposition party in Osun State, cannot boast of commissioning talks about renegotiation. We have ready to talk to the press. the Peoples Democratic Party, any road, noting that the few intra now asked that it be included in PDP, yesterday, disagreed on the road commissioned had been the resolution," he said. achievement of the Rauf done during the PDP regime.

Aregbesola administration in the But in a swift reaction, the state state.

Director of Publicity, Research While the PDP described it as and Strategy, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi a waste, adding the state has not said: “Olaoluwa does not have the witnessed any development in capacity to understand what is others, died in a fatal crash

BY DAYO JOHNSON any sector, the APC said even the going on in Osun. involving an aircraft on the fleet blind can see the unprecedented KURE — A special edition of the Associated Airlines “His statement is not meant for achievements recorded in the consumption by the citizens of the of the annual mountain October 3 this year while past three years. state. He must have targeted climbing competition, popularly conveying the remains of the late Chairman of the PDP in Osun ignorant and mischievous known as ‘Mare festival,’ will be former Governor Olusegun State, Alhaji Gani Olaoluwa people. held this year in Ondo State in Agagu from Lagos to Akure for stated that, “ithe last three years “If Olaoluwa does not know honour of the deceased burial.

Osun have not witnessed any that every aspect of life in Osun Commissioner for Culture and Akinmade said in Akure that development or what have Mr. and every home within the state preparations had begun in Aregbesola’s overseas trips has been impacted by the good Tourism, Deji Falae.

Information Commissioner, earnest for the 2013 edition of the added to the state?” work of Governor Aregbesola, not The PDP chairman said the only on education and Kayode Akinmade said the annual fiesta where various education sector in the state has development, but also on social annual festival, will to be low-key, artistes, who had packaged collapsed with the merging of security for the aged and our will also be used to celebrate the interesting songs and short plays schools as this has catapulted children in schools and life and times of the former in honour of the late Falae, would into a religious crisis render them to the admiration of employment of the youths, then commissioner The late commissioner and 15 the teeming audience.

“Also, security of lives and he is a political misfit,” he added.

New demands: Education minister, Wike lied against us — ASUU I

Osun PDP, APC bicker over Aregbesola's performance O

Ondo holds festival in Deji Falae's honour

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12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

UNEP REPORT ON OGONI: Environmentalist flays FG’s inaction

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HARCOURT—THE delay in implementing recommendations of the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, in Ogoni, Rivers State, by the Federal Government, has been described as an open sore on the conscience of the government.

Renowned environmentalist, Mr. Nnimmo Bassey, who spoke, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, on the sidelines of a roundtable on the report, said that inaction of the government two years after the report was released, was lamentable.

Urging government at all levels to make the environment a major concern, he called on people of the Niger Delta to engage in what he termed direct peaceful actions to put pressure on the government to be alive to its responsibilities.

The environmentalist, who went round some spill sites in Ogoni with the Co-Chair, Right Livelihood Award Foundation, Dr. Monika Griefahn, said he was shocked to discover that residents had fled Goin community in Ogoni because of pollution.

Calling on government to

take practical steps to implement the report, he said that what he saw in several parts of Ogoni were sign posts mounted by Hydro-Carbon Pollution and Restoration Project, HYPREP, with the inscription, ‘This is a polluted area.’

“All you see are signposts

by HYPREP, saying this is a polluted area. Where do the people go to when all their communities are polluted?

Both surface and ground water is polluted. The land itself is polluted. The situation calls for emergency on envi-

ronment to be declared,” he said.

He called for community participation to end oil theft, adding that government should stop opening new oil fields to save the region from reccurring oil spills.

VISIT: From left: Mr Hannibal Uwaifo, Legal Adviser; Mrs. Edima Otuokon, Publicity Secretary; Mr. Emeka Ugwu-Oju, President; Mr. Dagogo Karibi-Whyte, Secretary General; Mr. Princewill Utchay, member; Mrs. Ero Kate, member, All South-East, South-South Professionals of Nigeria, and Mr. Eze Anaba, Deputy Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, during a courtesy visit by South-East, South-South Professionals of Nigeria, to Vanguard Newspapers, Head Office, in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

G7 govs’ defection no threat to PDP — Ex-ASUU boss

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

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SABA—FORMER Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Professor Patrick Muoboghare, said in Asaba, Delta State, yesterday, that the defection of G7 governors to

All Progressives Congress, APC, does not pose any threat to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Rather, he said, the affected governors, including the lawmakers, are faced with serious consequences.

Muoboghare, now Delta

State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education and a staunch member of PDP, said: “There is no threat.

They are finished. Now, tell me who they will carry along.

Any House of Representatives member who goes with them will lose his seat. That

Bayelsa govt worries over high prevalence of HIV/AIDS

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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ENAG OA—BAYELSA State Government has expressed worry over the high HIV/AIDS prevalence rate put at 9.1 per cent, making the state the third highest in the country.

It attributed the high prevalence rate to, among others, low condom use and poor comprehensive knowledge of HIV routes.

Director, Policy, Public Affairs and Advocacy, Bayelsa State Action Committee on HIV/AIDS, Dr. Jones Stow, in Yenagoa, at a dissemination facility assessment of the Elimination of Mother to Child Transmission, EMTCT of HIV/AIDS, noted with regret that “in terms of funding

BYSACA, state Ministry of Health, World Bank, SURE-P and other partners have been providing inadequate funds to fight the scourge.”

He identified barriers to the prevention to mother-to child transmission of HIV/AIDS as logistics challenges, human resources and infrastructure limitations, few facilities and scarcity of essential commodities.

“Others are facility security concerns, negative provider attitude, cost, delivery at home with traditional birth attend-

ants, fear of surgery, low HIV/ AIDS knowledge and existence of myth at community level as well as high level stigma associated with HIV/ AIDS,” Stow said.

is very clear. You cannot be fielded by PDP and then you jump to another party.

“Like somebody said, have they really left PDP? Don’t they know how to leave the party? Is it by announcement on television and radio, drinking beer and pepper soup in one man’s house, you now say you have left the party? They know what to do. You formally write to your party, stating that you have resigned from the party. So, the way it is now, if they register with APC that is double registration. It disqualifies them straight away from contesting any position in Nigeria.”

Dickson to complete 40 yr-old Bayelsa road project in 2015

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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ENAGOA—GOVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, has rekindled hope on the 40-year-old OgbiaNembe Road project, assuring that the multi-billion naira road project would be completed in 2015.

The Ogbia-Nembe axis of the state in the East senatorial district is host to some of the largest oil fields in Bayelsa State.

While Ogbia headquarters could be accessed by road, the oil rich Nembe flank in the deep mangrove swamp of the state can only be reached by water or helicopter, which is the exclusive preserve of the oil majors.

The completion of the project, he noted, would boost investment, tourism and other socio-economic activities in the state.

The road project was conceived by the administration of General Yakubu Gowon in 1973, but actual work was started by Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, in partnership with Shell Petroleum Development Company, sometime in 2007 as part of community intervention agency effort.

Governor Dickson, while on a “Thank You” tour yesterday, in Nembe Local Government Area, said that the decision of the state government to facilitate the completion of the road project was due to the need to boost the economic profile of the state and address security challenges being faced by indigenes of the community.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013—13

YULETIDE: Customs intensifies patrol at Seme

Nothing has changed in criminal justice administration —AJ

BY IFEYINWA OBI

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BY INNOCENT ANABA

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CCESS to Justice, AJ, yesterday, expressed concern that much has not changed in Lagos State with the introduction of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law in 2011, as the people are still arrested by the police and detained for more than the prescribed 24 hours while many are arrested without a warrant of arrest.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos on a report on the Implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law in 2011, Director of Programme, Access to Justice, Mr. Leonard Dibia, said: “Magistrates unanimously report that the police do not usually inform them of cases of persons who are arrested and kept in police custody without being offered bail, or of persons who are arrested without a warrant and are detained without any charge brought to court.

“Corroborating this, 92 percent of police officers interviewed indicated that they do not notify district magistrates of cases of persons arrested. Indeed, 70 percent of the police officers interviewed reported that they are not aware of this requirement of the law.

40 percent of the police officers added that there are no existing templates or forms provided in the Law which can serve as a guide for such notifications to guide them in fulfilling this requirement.

“Sadly, much unjustified time continues to be wasted between the filing of information or charges against suspects and the eventual trial of such suspects who are typically left to languish under grueling detention or prison conditions. 55 percent of lawyers report that many of the magistrates in Lagos State do not comply with the oversight safeguards enshrined in the ACJ Law concerning 60 days adjournment with respect to persons detained under remand C M Y K

TELECOM WORLD 2013: From left: Minister of Communications Technology, Omobola Johnson; First Lady of Nigeria, Dame Patience Jonathan and Airtel’s Director, Regulatory Affairs & Special Projects, Osondu Nwokoro, at Nigeria’s stand during the International Telecommunication Union Telecom World 2013, held in Bangkok, Thailand.

Oba of Benin, Gowon give Oshiomhole pass mark

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—THE Benin monarch, Oba Erediauwa, yesterday, said that Governor Adams Oshiomhole has “done very well” in his five years as governor of Edo State.

The Oba spoke, when the governor paid him a courtesy visit to present the scorecard of the first year of his second term.

Similarly, former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has described Governor Oshiomhole’s administrative style as a model for the kind of good governance which Nigeria needs today.

Speaking yesterday, during a courtesy visit to the governor in Benin City, General Gowon said: “I thank you for all the good things you are doing for this state. I am a witness to it and I am delighted to see you.

It is always a pleasure to see you.

“I am also delighted to meet your cabinet and thank them for the great support and advice they have been giving you to achieve these great things.

You have a vision and you are a motivator, which has made you to achieve all these. You have been able to achieve many of the things you set for yourself. The support of your team and the vision of the governor have led to the kind of good governance which we need very badly in Nigeria today.”

On his part, the Benin monarch, who expressed satisfaction with the scorecard which the governor reeled out, said he would not relent in his prayers for the governor to sustain the good work.

The Oba said: “You have done very well, all that you have done for the state. I can say this openly, I often pray for you to our ancestors to keep you going, and to keep your treasury going. I want you to

keep the flag flying.

“All the roads you have done and are still doing, I want to thank you very much. There is one road you want to do which is very close to me, Adesogbe, I hear you want to repair it and I thank you for it.”

Earlier, Oshiomhole said government would sustain the pace of work in the three senatorial districts.

He said: “When I came in for the second term, I did promise that we would continue with the projects we started and when they are completed, we will take on fresh ones. We have completed the Airport Road and it is a beautiful sight with six lanes and purpose-built bus stops. We are trying to plant palm trees in the median of the road.

“We have also constructed six roads off the Airport Road. We have completed the Five Junction with drainage under the ground, that means that the flooding problem in that area has been solved.”

Nigeria-Egypt ties getting stronger, says envoy

BY SONI DANIEL

E

GYPTIAN Ambassador to Nigeria, Ashraf Abdelkader Salama, said, yesterday, that relationship between the two countries was deliberately being strengthened for their socio-economic advantage.

Salama, in a statement in Abuja, said it was in a bid to actualise the new bond of friendship that the two countries’ foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the Arab/African Summit in Kuwait last week to work out ways of fur-

ther collaborations.

He added that that following the meeting, the two countries pursued their consultations in Cairo, which culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of a Mechanism of Political Consultations and the first round of political consultations held accordingly .

According to the Egyptian envoy, all the high level consultations were aimed at intensifying political coordination between the two countries to reach more profound

means of understanding to achieve the expected goals of the development and interests of the African continent and support bilateral relations.

He said that the two sides also agreed on reviving the Joint Governmental Bilateral Commission that would focus on promoting the economic cooperation and to increase the level of the bilateral trade in the fields of health, pharmaceutical products, agriculture, tourism industry, mining and consolidating the two nations’ cultural and humanitarian ties and bonds.

O curb the activities of smugglers this yuletide period, when import and transit activities within the land frontier are expected to be on the increase, the Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command, has intensified its anti-smuggling patrol.

Already, the Comptroller, Othman Abdu Saleh, the Customs Area Controller, CAC, has directed the full deployment of all patrol vehicles, logistics and personnel, while all leave, passes and permits for absence to all personnel of the command had been cancelled with a view to ensuring that all operatives are fully on ground during the yuletide.

He said the command cannot afford to disappoint the government and people of Nigeria, adding, “Our Comptroller General, Dr Abdullahi Dikko Inde, is committed to the realisation of the full potentials of the service.”

CBN asks Banks to make financial inclusion top agenda

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ENTRAL Bank of Nigeria, CBN, governor, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, yesterday, said that financial inclusion should be high on the agenda of banks. He said this while flagging off the the first agent banking scheme in Asejere market, Makoko, Lagos State. The scheme was initiated by Sterling Bank as part of its financial inclusion strategies.

Sanusi said, “Financial inclusion has been defined in various ways around the world but the essence of inclusion is tied to economic development and providing a better way of life for all Nigerians.

In 2012 the Financial Industry with other stakeholders decided to make Financial Inclusion a top priority and launched a National Financial Inclusion Strategy.

The Strategy was designed to help reduce the number of adult Nigerians who are excluded from formal Financial Services from 46.3% in 2012 to 20% in 2020 with specific targets for Payments, Savings, credit & Insurance.

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14 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

Anambra poll, sign of looming danger, says Chukwumerije

BY JOHNBOSCO

AGBAKWURU & JOSEPH ERUNKE

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BUJA—SENATOR Uche Chukwumerije representing Abia North, PDP, has said that the controversy trailing the November 16th governorship election was a signal of looming danger in the country.

Senator Chukwumerije stated this while speaking on the confirmation of Professor Akinola Muritala Salau as National Commissioner in the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. He said: “INEC requires somebody like Professor Salau. I would continue to say that unfortunately the recent experience in Anambra State.

“The heated controversies that followed the governorship election of 16th November are the kind of things we must not allow to repeat themselves in 2015 elections if we want to save this country.”

....As PDP suspends Nwoye campaign boss

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—ANAMBRA State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Kenneth Emeakayi yesterday announced the suspension of the director-general of Tony Nwoye Campaign Organisation, Prince Okey Ezenwa and his director of publicity, Mr. Ken Arinze over their alleged comments on the Anambra governorship election.

Emeakayi said their suspension was in line with the provisions of the party ’s constitution, Chapter 10 Section 57 (3) Emeakayi said: “Following developments in our party regarding the unauthorized publications in the media credited to some members of our party over the supplementary governorship election scheduled for November 30, 2013, the State Working Committee of PDP, at a meeting, reviewed the whole situation and resolved to suspend Prince Victor Okey Ezenwa and HonorableKenArinzefromPDP for anti party activities, Both breached the provisions of the party constitution.

Ebonyi cholera outbreak claims 4 lives zState govt sets up committee to fight epidemic

BY PETER OKUTU BAKALIKI—THE death toll arising from the incident of cholera in Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi State yesterday increased to four, following the death of one more person (name withheld) in the same council area.

Confirming the number of deaths recorded so far during the flag off of Maternal Newborn and Child Health Week, MNCHW, at Afikpo North Local Government Area, Mr. Umahi assured the people of the state that measures had been put in place by the state government to ensure eradication of the plague, especially in the rural areas.

He further stated that the state government had set up a 9-man joint committee, comprising staff of the Ministry of Health and the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, to tackle the epidemic and Lassa fever.

It would be recalled that no fewer than three persons were weekend confirmed dead, while others are still currently receiving treatment at Ikwo General Hospital in Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi State.

The names of the deceased include: Margret Nwali Odor,

A

Ifeoma Nwali Odor and Ginika Nwancho as 2 other victims suspected to be suffering from the disease were rushed to the hospital for urgent medical attention.

They are Ogechi Nwali Odor and Chineye Nwali Odor.

Umahi charged the people to always ensure they kept their environment clean and

drink portable water provided for them by the state government, adding that such measures will help in eradicating the disease from the state.

He also warned the people, especially those in the rural areas, on the danger of eating rats which, according to him, aid in

spreading Lassa fever.

“Rats are very dangerous; I want to use this opportunity to advise you on the dangers of eating rats. Lassa fever is a very dangerous disease; it is more deadly than AIDS and other dangerous elements. It kills and also kills those that struggle to save the lives of the victims,” he said.

FEC MEETING: From left: Special Adviser to the President on Projects Monitoring and Evaluation, Professor Sylvester Monye, Women Affairs Minister, Hajia Zainab Maina and Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, during the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, yesterday.

S-East, S-South govs meet, plan summit Jan 2014

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—SIX governors from the South East and South South geo-political zones met yesterday, in Awka and announced that a Southern Summit will be held in the first week of January, 2014.No venue for the summit has been named.

The governors that attended the Awka meeting were Liyel Imoke of Cross River, Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta, Godswil Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Theodore Orji of Abia, Sullivan Chime of Enugu and host, Peter Obi of Anambra. Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi was represented by his deputy, Mr. Dave Umahi.

Governors from the two zones that did not attend the meeting were Adams Oshiomhole of Edo, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers and Rochas Okorocha of Imo. The meeting lasted more than four hours and when it was time to brief journalists, the only issue stated was the proposed Southern summit.

Addressing reporters at the

end of the meeting, Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River said the summit would attract prominent leaders from the southern states.

According to Imoke, the summit will offer a platform for cross-fertilization of ideas and contributions of input on common needs of the southern zones and the country with the ultimate aim of engendering economic and other activities that

would be to the greater glory of Nigeria.

The governors after assessing the state of the nation, reiterated their total support for the government of President Goodluck Jonathan and called on Nigerians to support him in his efforts and determination to make Nigeria a better place for all Nigerians.

They also encouraged Nigerians to promote only

those things that would promote the unity and progress of the country, instead of highlighting issues that tend to cause tension in the country.

After addressing reporters, Anambra State governor, Mr. Peter Obi introduced the APGA candidate in the Anambra State gubernatorial election, Dr. Willie Obiano to them and Obiano joined them in a group photograph.

Dame Jonathan seeks cooperation in skill acquisition between Nigeria, Thailand

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BY STARRYS OBAZEI

ANGKOK—First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan has called on Nigeria and Thailand to harness their bilateral relations in the area of skill acquisition and capacity building for women empowerment, processing of rice, cassava and other economic goods.

This was contained in the message delivered by the First Lady when she paid a courtesy visit to the Prime

Minister of Thailand, Madam Yindluck Shinawatra recently at Bangkok.

In a statement by Omoba Kenneth Aigbegbele, Media Adviser to the First Lady, Dame Jonathan also used the opportunity to express appreciation to the Thailand Prime Minister for having actively bolstered bilateral relations between both countries especially since the visit of deputy prime minister Dr. Surapong

Tovichakchaikul few months ago.

The First lady was in Bangkok, Thailand, for the ITU Telecom World 2013, where she was invited as the ‘Child Online Protection, COP, Champion’ to deliver a keynote address and add her voice to the call against cyber threats and child online abuses as part of her numerous advocacies since she was inaugurated as a global ambassador.

Vanguard , THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013 —15

ANAMBRA POLL: Judge me after 2015, Jega begs Nigerians zSays ‘I need evidence to prosecute corrupt INEC officials’

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

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BUJA—PERTURBED by the wave of protests trailing the inconclusive governorship election in Anambra State, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, yesterday, begged Nigerians not to evaluate his integrity till after the 2015 general elections.

Jega who made the call during an interaction he had with the Civil Society Election Situation Room and Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, PLAC, in Abuja, insisted that the tainted November 16 gubernatorial poll in Anambra should not be a parameter to judge his determination to conduct free, fair and credible election in 2015.

to do our best so as to meet public expectation?

“We have resolved that no matter what, we shall retain our sanity and remain focused. I have and will continue to tell Nigerians that there is no need for us to panic at this time.

Making things right

“We must put our hands together and make things right, starting with Anambra State. Like I said previously, though we cannot cancel the election, my promise to Nigerians is that we will not spare anybody that has been found to have done anything fraudulent to sabotage our efforts.

“This is why we are still calling for information against any of our officials involved in any act of illegality during the election.

Unfortunately for us, people are still very skeptical about our intentions. Yes, I admit that some of our officials in the state did things to undermine public trust, however, we cannot afford to just lose hope in the system because of such people.

Keeping hope alive

“We have to keep hope alive and continue to build confidence.

We must deepen our democratic process. We must prevent reversals.

“Obviously, the voters’ register is not perfect. I can however say it boldly that the voters’ register we have today is the best we have ever had in this country. There is no Mike Tyson or Micheal Jackson inside the register like before.

“We will keep on improving it through continuous voters’ registration. There is also the issue of under-aged registrants. There was even community connivance in certain places. They connived and compelled our officers under duress to register under aged persons.”

Admits lapses and betrayal

Admitting that there were significant lapses and betrayal of trust by some unscrupulous INEC officials during the poll, Jega said the commission had intensified its effort towards ensuring that corrupt elements within its fold were weeded out before the next general election.

The INEC boss urged members of the public to come forward with evidence against any staff of the commission who was involved in electoral malpractice during Anambra election.

He said: “We had expected Anambra election to be the best but unfortunately it was not. We did our best, however, from all indications, our best doesn’t seem good enough. This is why we have gone back and asked ourselves, how can we continue

VISIT: First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan (left), presenting a gift to the First Lady of South Sudan, Mrs. Mary Mayardit, during her visit to the Presidential Villa in Abuja, yesterday.

Reps to probe expenditure, subsidy on kerosene

BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

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BUJA—THE House of Representatives yesterday mandated its committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) to conduct an investigative hearing on the expenditure and subsidy on kerosene.

The committee was also asked to ascertain the actual amount spent on kerosene subsidy from 2010 to 2013; establish the source of the money used in financing kerosene subsidy and the relevant budgetary approval; determine the companies benefiting from the subsidy; establish the extent (if any) to which the subsidized kerosene gets to the consumers at the regulated price and also investigate all incidental issues relating to kerosene supply and distribution.

The hearing followed a motion moved by Adeyinka Ajayi (Osun) that the

investigation be conducted into the matter.

In the synopsis of his motion, Ajayi said that kerosene, being the only source of energy for millions of Nigerians, was scarce and sells at an exorbitant price, wondering if kerosene was subsidised in Nigeria and who authorised it.

He had earlier noted that kerosene, which is supposedly sold to marketers at N40.90, hardly got to the consumers at the regulated price as it was only the Nigerian National Petroleum, NNPC, retail outlets that sold the product at N50 per litre, while other major and independent marketers retailed the product at between N130-N135 per liter.

The lawmaker also drew the attention of the House to the N634 billion said to have been spent on kerosene subsidy between 2010 and 2012.

According to Ajayi, the

House should be more “concerned about the alleged racketeering going on at NNPC where allegations are rife that kerosene is purchased from the depot by dealers at between N65 to

N75 per liter which in turn makes it commercially impossible to resell to Nigerians at the recommended retail price of N50.”

Navy, Air Force, elevates 21 Rear Admirals, Air Vice Marshals, 206 others

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

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BUJA—THE Nigerian Navy and Air force Councils headed by President Goodluck Jonathan, has approved the promotion of six (6) Rear Admirals (2-Star Generals), on the recommendation of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba and 15 Air Vice Marshals on the recommendation of Air Marshal Alex Badeh, Chief of Air Staff.

The Nigerian Navy board approved the promotion of 130 officers to various ranks including the Rear Admirals, 44 Commodores, 50 Captains and 30 Commanders.

The newly promoted Rear Admirals include Commodore O.C. Medani, Commodore J.O. Okojie and Commodore J.O. Oluwole.

Also promoted are Commodore F.D. Bobai, Commodore A.O. Odeh and Commodore S.U. Ahmadu.

Commodore Shehu Usman Ahmadu is the Commander, Central Pay office, Lagos, Commodore Obiora C. Medani, Director of Training at Naval Headquarters, and Commodore Joseph Okojie, Director of Operations at Naval Headquarters.

Others are Commodore Ferguson Bobai, one time Commander, Naval Unit, Abuja, Commodore James Oladipo Oluwole, Commanding Officer, NNS Victory, Calabar and Commodore Odeh, an engineering officer.

Vanguard gathered that the promotion of the Naval officers which came after a rigorous screening exercise that involved 70 officers was like the proverbial camel passing through the eye of a needle.

FG engages tax consultant to raise revenue

BY BEN AGANDE

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BUJA—THE Federal Government has engaged the services of an international tax firm to assist the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, in strengthening tax collection in non-oil sector.

Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, who disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting, said with the coming on board of the tax firm, government would generate

additional N75 billion into its expected revenue within the 2014 fiscal year.

According to her, the firm, McKinsey & Co, which will begins operation this year over the next 12 months, is expected to be paid 1.75 per cent as commission, which amounts to N470 million from the targeted collectible revenue.

She said the company’s involvement was for the provision of technical support to the FIRS towards non-oil revenue and enhancement and capacity of the organisation in its tax drive.

The FIRS targets about

N2.2trillion of non-oil tax revenue in 2014, with additional N75 billion through the new drive.

Okonjo-Iweala said: “The FIRS brought a memo seeking to strengthen non-oil tax collection and non-oil revenue collection. The drive that this administration is undertaking in terms of diversifying the economy seems to be yielding results. We need to expand our tax and revenue base to be able to do better.

“Nigeria’s tax to GDP ratio currently is relatively low at seven percent compared to other countries of the world.”

16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

Dutse court issues bench warrant on minister

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UTSE—A MAGISTRATE Court sitting in Ringim, Jigawa State, has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Senator Danladi Sankara, representing Jigawa North West Senatorial District in the National Assembly and his son Auwalu Danladi Sankara and one Dan Gumel for alleged contempt of court.

The court presided over by Senior Magistrate, Nuhu Dawaki Aminu, directed that Senator Sankara and his coaccused persons be arrested for their alleged refusal to appear before his court to answer certain charges against them even after they were properly served with court summons.

Plateau police threatens traditional rulers

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OS— THE Plateau Police Command, yesterday, threatened to arrest traditional and tribal leaders in the state whose domains continued to record attacks by unknown gunmen. Mr Chris Olakpe, the Commissioner of Police in the state, said this in Jos at a stakeholders’ meeting with various tribes in Plateau North Senatorial zone.

Olakpe who debunked claims by the leaders that the attacks were carried out by unknown gunmen said that the police had resolved to arrest the leaders as accomplices because as custodian of the society no crime would happen without their knowledge.

FG to re-examine 30-day annual leave

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ANO—THE Head of Service of the Federation, HSOF, Alhaji Abba Aji, has said that the Federal Government will look into the issue of the current 30 days annual leave being enjoyed by civil servants.

He spoke, yesterday, in Kano while responding to a question raised by a civil servant on the inclusion of weekends and public holidays in the existing annual leave regime.

Aji who spoke at an interactive session with Federal Civil servants in Kano, said the current 30 days leave being enjoyed by civil servants was a matter of policy which needed deliberation before it could be reviewed.

He added, “It was in the wisdom of government that weekend and public holidays were included in the annual leave. A particular situation led to this policy."

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Tambuwal summons emergency House PDP Caucus meeting

BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

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PPARENTLY jolted by the political devel opment in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Tuesday, which saw four serving governors of the party defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC, members of the House of Representatives elected on the PDP platform, yesterday, summoned a strategic caucus meeting.

The meeting will hold today in room 231 at the new building, House of Representative wing of the National Assembly, Abuja. The Speaker, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal gave the announcement to the PDP members in between debated motions at plenary, yesterday.

He said “there will be a PDP caucus meeting tomorrow. Venue is room 2.31, new building.”

Though the agenda of the meeting was not made public, it is apparently believed not to be unconnected with the rumpus in the PDP occasioned by the defection of Governors Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers, Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State, Abdulfatai Ahmed of Kwara State and Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State to APC. The movement is now signaling a dangerous alteration of the House Leadership. Fears abound that members of the House who hail from the respective states and already members of the prohibited new People Democratic Party, nPDP, would switch sides with their governors in the APC. The implication of this is that the number of the PDP members which necessitated its hold on power via the House leadership will dwindle, consequently stripping Tambuwal of his office while paving way for an APC leadership.

ABOVE: L-r, Col. Rabe Abubakar, Commandant, Nigeria Army School of Public Relations and Information, NASPRI; Major Emmanuel Adeniyi, Chief Instructor and Major Michael Etete, Leader of Media Operations Officers Course 2013, during their visit to Vanguard Newspapers in Apapa, Lagos, yesterday. BELOW. Mr. Ajibade Akingbade, Acting Printing Manager, Vanguard Newspaper, (centre) explaining a point to the NASPRI commandant and students, during the visit Photo: Bunmi Azeez

G-7 rejection: Trial of Gov Lamido’s sons to continue

By SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

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HE trial of the sons of Governor Sule Lamido of Admawa State for money laundering is to continue despite the decision of the governor not to defect from the ruling People’s Democratic Party to the opposition All Progressives Party.

A senior Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, official made it clear last night that the arrest and investigation of the governor’s children over funds amounting to

Communication minister for ebusiness confab

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HE Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson, will lead other dignitaries in the sector to the annual e-business conference with the theme, e-Business: Broadband Technology, an Important Tool for Accelerated Growth & Development at the Golden Gate Restaurant, Lagos, December 12 to 13, 2013.

A statement signed by Francis Orji on behalf of the Nigeria Internet Group, NIG, which is promoting the internet services in the country said the NIG is collaborating with the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, on the conference.

N10 billion had no political undertone.

The operative said the agency did not want to be seen as playing politics with a serious issue of money laundering, for which the suspects had already made some statements that would lead to prosecution at the appropriate time.

The source, which confirmed the release of the governor’s sons on bail, pointed out that they would be made to return

for questioning in connection with the matter, which was already in the public domain.

The official said,” This is a pure case of money laundering and does not have anything to do with the governor’s position on PDP or APC and we do not want any political meaning to be given to the matter, which is being investigated."

The arrest and detention of the two sons of the governor also opened the door for the de-

BOKO HARAM

tention of some bank workers accused of aiding and abetting the alleged crime.

But the governor, Sule Lamido, had imputed political intimidation and unwarranted attempt to frame his sons in a bid to cow him because of his political leaning.

Although he refused to join the APC on Tuesday, Lamido pointed out that he would not be stampeded by any person to act against his belief and conviction.

Borno govt cautions local vigilantes M AIDUGURI—THE Borno Government, yesterday, warned local vigilantes called “Civilian JTF” against the arrest or detention of suspected Boko Haram terrorists or other criminals.

Governor Kashim Shettima gave the warning in Maiduguri at the end of the training of the second batch of beneficiaries of the state youth orientation and empowerment scheme.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Alhaji Zanna Mustapha, said the duty of the vigilantes was to liaise with security agents in efforts to fight crime.

He said, “It is important to note that you have no power to arrest or detain anybody

but you should liaise with security agencies with whom you will be working. You do not have powers to create detention cells or detain suspected criminals because it is illegal.”

Shettima added: “We have received information that some of you have already started creating detention camps for suspects; you must stop the practice immediately. Any persons who engage in such practice will be made to face prosecution according to the law.”

The governor also warned the vigilantes against criminal acts such as stealing and harassment of innocent persons.

“With the training you have acquired, government will

employ you and deploy you to work with our security agencies. This does not give you the licence to steal or harass innocent persons in your area of operations,” he added.

Shettima stressed that the government placed great premium on the training programme because it would help in reducing restiveness among the youth.

“Government is optimistic that the programme will reduce youth restiveness, while creating employment opportunities for the youth,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that a total of 1,000 vigilantes took part in the three-week training aimed at reorienting the “civilian JTF”.

WHEN President Goodluck Jonathan suddenly fell ill last weekend in London, rumours of likely cause went viral. SAHARA REPORTERS had suggested the illness was due to revelry at President Jonathan’s birthday. Even when presidential handlers promptly reported Jonathan’s indisposition, many chose to believe otherwise.

ThatPresidentJonathanre-appeared again,within24hours,merelydeepened suspicions about happenings behind presidential closed doors in London.Nigerians’skepticismabout presidentialinformationbetrayedthe near-total lack of faith in their rulers.

They have been caught pants down too many times telling unconscionable lies, that even an issue of human fallibility as an indisposition, that should draw sympathy, makes Nigerians suspicious that they might be victims of spin and outright lies.

There is very little trust between rulers and the ruled.

But the more fundamental issue that should worry us was not presidential indisposition, no matter how serious,butthereasonJonathanwas in London in the first place. We will return to that point. It is important to notethedeep-seatedinferioritycomplex at the heart of the Nigerian ruling class political and social intercourse. It seems of very recent origins and can be situated with the civilianadministrationin1999.Hitherto, there was a sense of dignified comportmentbyNigerianrulers,with independence in 1960. The Balewa administration was often described by sections of the Southern Nigerianeliteandmediaas“conservative”; yet videos on Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa’s visits to the US/UN, reveal a man of dignity, poise and incrediblemasteryoftheEnglishlanguage, who stood toe-to-toe with leading imperialist politicians of his time. When France tested atomic weapons in the Sahara Desert, he promptly broke diplomatic relations.

And the ANC in South Africa and NelsonMandela,rememberthatTafawa Balewa was Africa’s first leader that gave the ANC substantial mon-

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013— 17

Baroness Lynda Chalker and Nigerian ruling class’ colomentality jo,whoinapreviousincarnation,had nationalized British Petroleum, BP, to force British hands in the Zimbabwean independence struggle; the veteran soldier who railed against the depredations of Babangida’s Structural Adjustment Programme, SAP,demandingthatthevicious,nation-wreckingprogrammebeinvested with a human face, suddenly made a reactionary volte-face, by 1999. Obasanjo returned from incarcerationaveryembitteredman.More fundamentally, he had abandoned nationalisticpretensionsandbecame indescribablycondescendingtoleading imperialist politicians and had swallowed, line, hook and sinker, their neo-liberal economic policies.

As Editor of DAILY TRUST during the Obasanjo’s years, I was invited severally to briefings, while I participated in many interview sessions with him. It always surprised me, watching Obasanjo drop names of leading imperialist politicians as his friends; and he wore a groveling House Nigger smile in photo-ops with imperialist politicians.

This inferiority complex triggered a very bad row with former Army Chief of Staff, General Victor Malu.

Obasanjo surrendered to US demands for access to Nigerian military and national security doctrines.

Under the guise of teaching peacekeeping tactics, Americans got access to Defence HQ. Malu dis-

,

The arrival of Americans/Europeans on sundry visitations, leads to displays of groveling servitude

by Nigerian rulers, almost as if they’ve undergone a severe form of lobotomy, and have completely unlearned how to do anything positive

eyfortheliberationwaragainstapartheid. Even Kwame Nkrumah, everstrong on pan-African rhetoric, did not give the financial support that “conservative” Balewa offered!

Under military administrations, Nigeriaconsistentlyhadaradicalforeign policy posture, standing firmly for African liberation. Murtala Muhammed’sspeechtoOAU’sExtraordinary Conference on Angolan independencewasNigeria’sfinestdiplomatic hour. Nigeria opposed imperialist machinations; it rallied to support for MPLA against UNITA and FNLA puppets of apartheid and imperialism. Nigeria’s decisiveness was in tandem with Cuban military support that defeated apartheid South Africa, and decisively broke the backbone of apartheid’s army eventually in the battle of Cuito Cuanavale. That hastened Namibia’s independence and strategically brought apartheid’s demise. Even Abachawasfiercelynationalisticand neverbrookedimperialistnonsense!

Things changed when Obasanjo returned to power in 1999. Obasan-

,

agreed,pointingoutthatNigeriahad a distinguished peace keeping tradition and should teach Americans, not the other way round. As in defense, so in the Nigerian economy, where our surrender to neo-liberal doctrinewastotal:privatizationofassets into the hands of cronies; dismantling of social spending on health, education and services for Nigerians; wholesale importation of “experts” trained to do imperialism’s bidding; and the institution of an ethos of plunder, theft and a doctrine of dog-eat-dog, as the ruling orthodoxy in our country. The arrival of Americans/Europeansonsundryvisitations, leads to displays of groveling servitude by Nigerian rulers, almost as if they’ve undergone a severeformoflobotomy,andhavecompletely unlearned how to do anythingpositive.Theirso-calledexperts are more interested in ratings by imperialist institutions than the endorsement of the Nigerian people.

Themoredevastationtheyvisitupon socio-economic conditions of Nigerians, the greater they crave imperi-

alist institutions’ ratings.

This explains the continued to-ing and fro-ing of discredited imperialist politicianslikeTonyB-liar intoNigeria.Heregularlyleadsdelegationstocut deals here, even when he cannot walk freely in London.Thesameistrue oftheso-calledHonorary International Investors’ Council led by Baroness Lynda Chalker. It is one of the expressions of in- •Baroness Lynda Chalker feriority complex by Obasanjo, which someand social well-being of people how, survived into the Yar’Adua and around the world (This is a LIE! Jonathanadministrations.Yetitisab- OECDpromotesimperialistinterests solute rubbish! The Nigerian gov- and the continued exploitation of ernment statement released on the neo-colonial countries/peoples council’s most recent meeting an- around the world!)”. nounced that: “The meeting The statement added that: “Memof…(NHIIC) is coordinated by Bar- bers of the council (NHIIC) include oness Lynda Chalker and will fea- the Chief Executive Officer of the Inture a review of Nigeria’s existing vestmentCorporationofDubai,Muinvestment policies by the Organi- hammedalShaibani;aformerSouth sationofEconomicCooperationand African Minister of public enterprisDevelopment, the Paris-based inter- es, Mr. Alec Erwin; Vice President national organisation dedicated to- Hewlett-Packard’sEnterpriseGroup policies that…improve…economic in Europe, Middle East and Africa,

Mr. Oliver Suinat, and a former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Shaukat Aziz and the Director of Shell’sInternationalUpstreamBusiness, Mr. Andrew Brown”. These supposedly are the international jetset Baroness Chalker co-ordinates that took a Nigerian presidential entourage to London. It is a very expensive fraud that we can do without! THE NATION newspaper’s HARDBALLcolumnofMondayand Tuesday, this week, also weighed in ontheabsurdityandonTuesday,November 26 stated inter alia: “Without any disrespect to her, Baroness Lynda Chalker of Wallasey was a FORMER MINISTER OF STATE at the United Kingdom Foreign Office. She was also a member of the British Parliament representing Wallasey. Ms Chalker, who is now an internationalconsultant,ischairman of Africa Matters Limited, a consulting firm which specialises in African business. NHIIC is a sweet-heart organ floated by Ms Chalker during the reign of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo”. It had stated on Monday that: “NHIIC is Mrs Chalker’scolonialcontraptiontocoral contractsfromNigeria”.Thecolumn asked whether South African President, Jacob Zuma would arrive in London to discuss with some fictitiousforeigninvestors:“Whichofthe namesbeingbandied…measuresup to a Nigeria serving minister if we had our heads well screwed on...What then is the President of Nigeria, the biggest Black nation in the world, doing presiding over a meeting in far away London with retired and inconsequential people from inconsequential places? I will like to remind Reuben Abati to hold a CD of Fela’s song, ‘COLO MENTALITY”, the next time they meet. I also volunteer to loan him my copy!

Smart Adeyemi’s frontier exploration agency bill

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AST week, Senator Smart Adeyemi presented a draft Bill for the establishment of a Frontier Exploration Agency, supported by Senator Ndoma Egba, who argued that it was absurd not to make effort to explore for petroleum in other basins around our country. Adeyemi’s Bill is actually one of the most important economic laws in recent times.

Northerners have been lukewarm about Diezani’s draft Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, because of perception that it was skewed to make it almost impossible to explore for oil in the North. Yet industry experts have talked up possibilities for petroleum deposits in various basins and troughs located in Northern Nigeria: Benue, Borno, Bida and Sokoto. They argued that the geological contiguity with Niger and Chad, where commercial quantities of oil deposits were found, made geological sense for oil finds in related Nigerian zones.

But there is a controversial content to the politics of Nigerian oil.

There is an almost apocryphal story that is quite indicative. Leading Jonathan administration officials were allegedly urged by Nigerian diplomats accredited to the Chad Basin Commission to intensify exploration efforts in the Borno Basin; these officials pointedly asked why the diplomats thought Jonathan’s government would facilitate emergence of oil

deposits that will compete with Niger Delta’s! Many in the North believe these conspiracy theories and these feelings have also inspired the lukewarm attitude to PIB, seen rightly or wrongly, as prepared to facilitate a Niger Delta elite stranglehold on the Nigerian oil industry.

When the agency is established, adequately funded and given the mandate to effectively function, the possibilities that oil might be discovered in basins and troughs outside the Niger Delta will come closer to realisation.

Such a possibility will in fact add

immeasurably to Nigeria’s revenue base. It is in anticipation of that future, that the Borno State government recently issued several scholarships to its indigenes for post-graduate studies in several fields related to petroleum development. The Bill potentially offers a win-win possibility for our country. We had very bitter differences with Adeyemi in the past, related to the politics of NUJ, mainly. But I think the Frontier Exploration Agency Bill will be one of his remarkable contributions to Nigeria’s development.

That is why it is an initiative to be applauded.

nPDP and APC: Come has become

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IGERIA effectively be came a two-party state on Tuesday when the nPDP joined the APC. It has brought about a fascinating political scenario in the lead to the 2015 elections. Jonathan has his work cut out to win the next election, just as the APC will need more than Solomon’s wisdom plus the deftest political footwork, to balance contending interests within.

It has potentials to suffer political indigestion! But all politics is local. I am concerned about political happenings in Kwara. Our own battle is to uproot Bukola Saraki’s hegemony. That arrogant chap sits

atop the resources of our state.

Dele Belgore’s emergence as the leading opposition candidate ignited a lot of optimism during the last election. As is his wont, Saraki has now come to take away the toil of others, just as they originally stole PDP in 2003!

With Saraki’s movement into APC, I DON’T WANT APC’S victory in Kwara, since it means possibility of continuation of Saraki’s hegemony. It will be interesting to see if Jonathan’s PDP will learn how to handle Kwara’s politics to terminate Saraki’s hegemony. For me, in Kwara, it is anybody but Saraki!

C M Y K

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28 2013 ONCE again, the National Assembly and the executive arm of government are at loggerheads over budget projections and overall management of revenues accruing from the sale of the country’s oil and gas.

Also, some state governors are accusing the Federal Government of insincerity in accounting for excess revenues from oil export.

This, while not new, is a worrisome development. That Nigeria is experiencing cash flow challenges arising from shortfalls in projected income, especially from crude sales, is also no longer news.

We have been inundated with tales of how attacks on the pipeline arteries taking crude oil to the export terminals are hurting the economy. There have been fluctuations in daily production ranging from 2.2 million barrels per day (mbpd) to 2.3 mbpd, against a projected production level of 2.5mbpd in the 2013 budget.

Recent reports from the Naval Intelligence Unit shows that the first half of the year witnessed incidents of hijacking of nine vessels and 55 cases of unauthorized vessel boardings.

Squabbling Over 2014 Budget While veracity of figures being bandied and sincerity of agencies that generate these figures are separate matters, it has become established that crude theft and pipeline vandalism have become major sources of revenue leakage.

We have heard from the Comptroller-General of Customs that waivers and concessions granted on some imported goods cost the economy N603billion. These and other unchecked acts of economic sabotage exert heavy impact on revenue receipts.

Unfortunately, it appears the authorities who should tackle the menace are treating it with kid gloves.

We are not surprised because those who have turned a blind eye to this rot in the oil sector and the economy in general are mem-

bers of the ruling class, particularly, the military and political elite and their business acolytes.

They are the ones that have the political connections, economic power and security protections, to pull off this crime against the economy.

Nigeria is going through an economic warfare which threatens the survival of the state and the collective well-being of the citizens. We denounce the cant and hypocrisy associated with the 2014 budget.

We firmly believe that these present quarrels over budget projections, like the ones before this, are not about how to better the lot of Nigerians, but battles for selfish interests.

Nigerians need a more committed leadership, both in the legislative and the executive branches of government, which will plug all the leakages in our national revenue system and channel funds properly for the development of the nation. That is why we elected people to represent us in government. We are not satisfied with the way we are being represented or led when it comes to the nation’s financial management.

OPINION

BY MAGNUS ONYIBE

Ibori: Is there justice in this world?

Continued from yesterday

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OW, some have argued that if Ibori was not culpable,why did he plead guilty in the UK court?In my view,Ibori pleaded guilty due to the psychological and physical trauma he has been put through by law enforcement agencies in the past eight years in Nigeria,Dubai and now the UK.Tell me which man will not succumb to the pressure of his only sister, Christine,his wife of many years,Nkoyo and the mother of his child,Udoamaka, being jailed on account of a crime allegedly committed by him? How could he still think he had a fighting chance when his young kids in kindergarten and elementary schools were left without parental care and exposed to the vagaries of life in a foreign land?If he was counting on the judiciary to offer him succour,that hope might have evaporated when his lawyer that turned out to be a tool used against him,Bhadresh Gohil, was also jailed for 10 years probably for not co-operating well enough with investigators.Under such circumstance,hardly any man would still be fighting to free himself when all his loved ones have been cast into the dungeon,as it were,for his sake.

Let me be clear: l don’t condone corruption or fraud; so l subscribe to justice being served and if Ibori is fairly tried and found guilty, let him do the time but by the same token,l do not support fighting perceived injustice with injustice as the British judicial system appears to be doing in Ibori’s case. l’m particularly appalled and even outraged by the fact it has been established through a legal process of their choosing that Ibori is guiltless of the allegation of money laundering based on the evidence put forward. So why are they trying to subject him to a retrial through a new legal process if not that the British are hell-bent on jailing him and confiscating his assets ,which by the way,the British government gets to keep 40% with only 60% returning to Nigeria.

If the latest antics of the Crown Prosecution Counsel that they should be allowed to use a new legal statute ,Assumption 72AA 1995 that shifts the burden of proof from the prosecution to the accused is allowed by judge Pitts, it is believed that C M Y K

the mission to nail Ibori will be a fait accompli as the Crown Prosecution won’t have to manufacture/fabricate evidence as they initially did since the burden will be shifted to Ibori to prove ownership of his assets .That would be unprecedented and a mockery of justice system and it would be embarrassing and a negation of the legal dictum: ‘He who alleges must prove’.

Undoubtedly,switching from Criminal Justice Act 1998 which places the burden of proof to the Crown Counsel to Assumption 72AA 1995 which pushes it to the accused just to nail Ibori will be nothing short of ambush,persecution as opposed to prosecution and we must all work together to put a stop to this blatant perversion of justice in the UK. When we do, we may be unwittingly protecting ourselves,uncles,aunties,brothers ,sisters,fathers, and mothers from being victims of persecution in the future.

O

rdinarily,human rights societies around the world would rise up in defence of lbori whose rights to a fair trial is being trampled in the UK, but, then again, most of them are funded by UN organs or Western countries whose enlightened self interests are involved .Unsurprisingly, all the top lawyers and civil society organisations in Nigeria that shouted on top of their voices in the bid to impress their paymasters abroad with pages of newspapers and television airtime that quoted them bashing the Nigerian judiciary for failing to nail Ibori and hailing the British court for excellent job, have now gone silent in the light of the new discovery that the learned Nigerian Judge, Awokulehin, did no wrong in quashing the case against lbori for lack of evidence as Justice Pitts just concurred nearly four years after. It may also be fitting to recall at this juncture that British investigators were allegedly funding round trip tickets for TV crews and newspaper journalists from Nigeria to cover the Ibori trial in the UK leading to his conviction in the court of public opinion

via the media that regaled Nigerians with stories of how Ibori allegedly frittered away £50m belonging to Delta State Government.

With all those lies being admitted by Metropolitan Police manPeter Clark as mere fabrications,the media houses that were gloating over it are now silent like the grave yard.This calls to question the integrity of the media in Nigeria which should in the spirit of balanced reporting give the Ibori's recent victories in UK court similar if not equal airtime and newspaper space as a testament to their frequent boast that they bring all side s of the story to Nigerians.

Furthermore, it is an open secret that some sections of the Nigerian society believe the Federal Government is culpable in the Ibori odyssey as it has been alleged that government outsourced Ibori’s case to the UK. So, it is about time government exonerated itself by also seeking a political solution.After all government recently freed Russians involved in arms struggling into Nigeria, just as it had previously pardoned American and English men and women who contravened our laws through diplomatic channels which l believe are yet to be explored in the Ibori’s case.

Without further ado,let me quickly conclude by quoting Jonathan Ekpelle,one of Ibori’s solicitors in the UK who surmised the whole situation in these words: “It must be obvious to all that the whole foundation of the prosecution case is built upon conjecture,half truths and fabrication”. He then concluded that”this is a proverbial house built on sand,with no solid foundation”. l share that positive sentiment but unfortunately only time and determined effort of men and women of goodwill who have zero tolerance for injustice all over the world can determine when Ibori will be free.

•Mr Onyibe, a former commissioner in Delta State, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013— 19

, the G.7 and other rebel PDP members two days ago a “merger”. It was more of a defection. The difference between these two political expressions is clear. A defection means the transfer of membership, belonging or loyalty from one platform to another. A defector drops his old individuality and assumes the identity of his new group.

A merger, on the other hand, can be illustrated with the political action that led to the birth of the APC. Three separate registered political parties – the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC and the All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, shed all their old identities and assumed a completely new one. The three parties formally held their respective valedictory national congresses and announced the end of their old parties in favour of the new one. The leadership of the main parties sat down, negotiated, shared power and offices and evolved a new flag, symbols, constitution.

tionally, it would seem. By so doing, the size of the APC has ballooned (at least, on paper) from 11 to 16 governors compared to PDP’s 18 (assuming that Governors Sule Lamido and Babangida Aliyu are now rated “ nonaligned”); 48 senators as compared to 58 of PDP and (as some newspapers put it) and 199 members of the House of Reps compared to 147 of PDP).

Watchers of these unfolding monumental political events must be dumbfounded by the PDP’s rather cool attitude to the threat of these defections. Every expectation by the rebels that their grievances, whether real or contrived, would be entertained in any way was calmly rebuffed. It was the rebels that were hungry for a deal, but the Bamanga Tukur-led PDP simply refused to play ball.

When the President returned from his recent London visit, he parried an opportunity to meet with them. He pretended that his six-hour plane ride from London was exhausting, when we know that a politician would plunge

,

head-long into a crucial meeting if he considered it of import to his political survival. Meanwhile, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, quietly ducked into a dark corner after riotously leading the nPDP out of the August national convention of the party.

I

mmediately the news of the defections hit the airwaves, the reactions were predictably mixed. PDP members and their sympathisers were relieved to see them go. Perhaps, the party will now sit down and prepare for 2015 without looking over their shoulders whether Alhaji Abubakar Baraje or Governor Rotimi Amaechi and their agents would be snooping around for information with which to sabotage the party or accuse the Jonathan administration of real or imagined misdeeds. Now swallowed in a new party, the newcomers will be forced to shut up and allow the APC’s leaders

Budget scare and NASS phobia HO is afraid of the National Assem for his failures. bly? We have no reason to think that W We overheard him thinking aloud that a our Presidents are not. During the administration of the late President Musa Yar’ Adua, the man developed cold feet whenever it was time to appear before the National Assembly to present his budget proposals. The 2007 and 2008 proposals suffered not less than four deferments each in the dates of presentation before they finally limped into the National Assembly.

We debit whatever happened in 2009 and 2010 to the period of uncertainty. That was when the President was already ill and Goodluck Jonathan had not fully stepped in.

By the time Dr Jonathan became the substantive President, the default got even worse. We soon lost count of the number of deferments suffered by the 2011 and 2012 estimates.

Usually, people would capitalise on your weakness. The National Assembly has since picked up President Jonathan’s phobia to appear in their hallowed chambers.

On July 18, 2013, this column discussed, at full length, how the National Assembly offered the President a unique opportunity to x-ray the political, economic and social health of the nation as well as showcase himself and his administration’s policies and programmes to the world.

While we were yet commending the National Assembly for the bold initiative, the President probably saw it as a Greek gift and he quickly went to work to kill it by employing various tactics, including the argument that it was a duplication of theprovisions of the 1999 Constitution.

So far on the 2013 Appropriations, he has twice written to the National Assembly of his intention to come and perform the annual ritual and he has twice failed to appear before the Assembly. He has now started coming up with ludicrous excuses

section of the National Assembly had planned to boo him. We are not about to be carried away by why that should happen or not. Rather, our President must be quickly informed that he probably needs a seminar on the fact that from time, booing has been an instrument for expressing opposition in parliament. We have watched very turbulent sessions of the British, Canadian and other parliaments of the world. While the Prime Ministers were being booed, they waded through their presentations and were finally applauded by the government bench.

That’s leadership!

Recently, there was a town hall meeting of the National Conference Planning Committee in Benin City. We do not believe that Governor Adams Oshiomhole did not know that a rented crowd was awaiting him at the venue. He deliberately went there to show that there was a difference between the men and the boys. No sooner did he start to speak than the hirelings went to work with the active connivance of one of the Committee members. Oshiomhole waded through to the total consternation of his detractors. The rest is now history.

Leadership is not always a tea party. You must also be prepared to swallow the bitter sips when they appear. You cannot be butchering a big animal and be running away from blood.

We also hear of this loose reference to the Medium Expenditure Framework in which the President claims that the disparity between the two Houses of the National Assembly on the benchmark of our crude oil was the reason for the last deferment. This simply suggests that the President was not ready in the first place. It means that what he was bringing to the National Assembly was a temporary assignment. Some salient questions must be answered here: Must

and spokesmen to tackle the PDP and its Federal Government.

On the other hand, APC members and sympathisers rejoiced. It was also understandable. A venture that started with rumours of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, the leader of the ACN going into a merger with General Muhammadu Buhari, founder of the CPC has now spawned a true mega party, with the potentials to rival the ruling PDP in every department of the game come 2015.

It is a success story unlike any other in the annals of merger efforts aimed at curbing the nation’s drift towards one-party state.

But then, I daresay that the real work has begun for the APC. First of all, it has to come up with deft strategies to accommodate the newcomers and give them a place of belonging. How they go about this will be a major test of their strength as a political party. For instance, how will the old APC stalwarts in states like Kano, Nasarawa and Sokoto fare, with the governors of those states coming in with their structures from PDP? How will Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau weigh alongside Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso in Kano, or who will the APC as a party listen more to in a battle for supremacy between former governor Attahiru Bafarawa and the newcomer Governor Magatakarda Wamakko in Sokoto State? Amaechi has no such problem in Rivers State because APC was virtually nonexistent before he decamped. It is now left to be seen how he can convert Rivers from a solid PDP base for President Jonathan to that of APC, even if he becomes the unfancied vice presidential candidate of a Northern

flagbearer as being speculated.

The APC also has to brace up for the fierce battle for the presidential and other tickets come next year. It remains to be seen how Kwankwaso’s presidential ambition will fly in his new party, since he was committed to it enough to decamp from the PDP. We wait to see whether Tinubu will still be able to manipulate the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Waziri Tambuwal, as his favoured presidential candidate, especially now that the North has upstaged the South West.

Yes, and that is another thorny issue that the APC is condemned to tackle in the days ahead.

Things have changed in the APC. The South Western media have been branding Tinubu as the “National Leader” of the APC. When Tinubu controlled six states (Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Ekiti and Edo) and the North had only four (Borno, Yobe, Nasarawa and Zamfara), he was able to win the concession of the interim National Chairman and other prime spots for his group. Now, with the coming of Kano, Kwara and Sokoto States into the APC, the comparative advantage has gone into Northern hands since they now have seven states.

Northerners in APC are likely to rally around one leader since they desperately want to recapture power in 2015. Tinubu will have to learn from now on how to play the second fiddle.

If Buhari succeeds in clinching the presidential ticket of the now seriously enlarged APC, his chances of winning the election in 2015 will significantly improve from his woeful running in the past, though it be an uphill task to topple President Jonathan at the polls.

there always be a universally agreed benchmark before a budget is presented? Does the budget office of the National Assembly not have the right to collect its independent data and make same available to its members? Is the President expecting that whatever he submits to the National As-

,

APC’s new mega-headache T is a great misnomer to call But the PDP defectors simply the joining of the All emptied into the APC, uncondiIProgressives Congress, APC, by

Northerners in APC are likely to rally around one leader since they desperately want to recapture power in 2015; Tinubu will have to learn from now on how to play the second fiddle

Our President must be quickly informed that he probably needs a seminar on the fact that from time, booing has been an instrument for expressing opposition in parliament

,

sembly will be passed without any input of the National Assembly?

The benchmarks of a thing and the Excess Crude Account, ECA, have since become the bane of our society. Excess crude is excess fraud. The excess crude account is like stolen money for which no proper account can be expected. A man has N1000.

He decides to keep N500 in the bank where it can be properly accounted for and the balance is kept under the pillow and in calabashes, where all hands can be dipped into it at will.

This may seem simplistic but that is what the ECA represents. The ECA is extra-bud-

getary. It is a veritable source of slush funds of all sorts, particularly campaign funds.

In an election year, the benchmark gets drastically marked down so that the ECA can be fully enhanced. The likes of our President prefer this because they do not need any approval from anyone to pull out any amount from the account.

And this is where the states and local governments are having a raw deal in the hands of the Federal Government. The money in the pool is supposed to belong to the three tiers but it is the Federal Government that operates and runs the account.

The balanceof the account is what the Federal Government says it is.

We have suggested elsewhere that there is need for a separate office of theAccountant-General of the Federation as distinct from that of the Federal Government. The 36 states have cried to the high heavens about the illegality of the ECA, particularly the decision of the Federal Government to transfer the balance of the Sovereign Wealth Fund, SWF, into the illegal account.

The states have approached the Supreme Court to order the Federal Government to collapse the ECA into the Federation Account but to no avail.

We have deliberately avoided blaming Jonathan for his actions. If a man has an inexhaustible dark pool from which he can draw any amount, why shouldn’t he be afraid to openly ask for pittance, which will, in fact, amount to self-betrayal?

C M Y K

20—Vanguard, THURSDAY,

NOVEMBER 28 , 2013

Benue refugees take to menial jobs for survival

BY PETER DURU, MAKURDI

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ENUE State may be facing the worst refugee situation in the entire country given the recurrent bloodbath between native Benue farmers and Fulani herdsmen in parts of Guma, Makurdi, Gwer West and Agatu local government areas of the state.

Following the unending crisis, huge refuge camps had sprang up in the affected local government areas. Sadly the sitution in most of these camps ar e heart-rending and pathetic.

In Guma local government, close to 3,000 displaced persons are still afraid to go back to their homes for fear of being waylaid by the rampaging herdsmen inspite of the peace moves by the Benue and Nasarawa state government. Most of the displaced persons housed in three separate camps across the council have resorted to begging and engaging in menial jobs to feed their families.

*Chief Akaa Dajo

*Some of the displaced persons

is an important issue they want to discuss or whenever any individual, organisation or agency wants to meet with them. ”Outside that, they are all over the town looking for what will put food on their tables. But our fear is that the little facilities we have in the town are being over stretched and we might also be confronted with security issues. ”We also hope that in the near future these people will not start to lay claims to our lands; no one can rule out that possibility

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What we are facing is beyond the scope of the Guma council and even the state government; we hardly get food to eat; no water, no drugs, even the accommodation in the school can hardly take a quarter of the refugees in this camp

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Vanguard Metro, VM, gathered that the refugees decided to take their destinies in their own hands and desert the camps because of lack of care and the huge burden on the local government council and state government to cater for them.

At the Saint Francis Primary School, Daudu, which houses over 1,000 displaced Tiv speaking women, children, the elderly and youths, for instance, the displaced persons have abandoned the camp and resorted to seeking better sources of livelihood after alleging that they were abandoned to their fate.

VM gathered from an indigene of Daudu, Mrs. Jane Igba that: “The refugees have abandoned the camps and have resorted to seeking for accommodation and other sources of livelihood in the town, while those who have relations in the town have moved in with them. ”You only see them converging at the camp whenever there C M Y K

because land tussle in a major cause of crisis in our communities”.

Recounting their ordeal, a middle aged man who claimed to be the leader of the camp, James Ugba, said he fled the fighting at Yogbo. “We resorted to begging around the town and farming for people to take of our families. ”We always come together whenever we see people coming to visit the camp but outside that, we go about to look for food for our families because we ran from our places for fear of being killed only for us to face starvation and death in camps,” he lamented.

Ugba who was flanked by some displaced women, children and the elderly said: “What we are facing is beyond the scope of the Guma local government council and even the state government. ”You can see the camp for yourself, we hardly get food to eat, no water, no drugs even the accommodation in the school can hardly take a quarter of the

refugees in this camp. ”Toilets facilities are not there, most of us are forced, at most times, to defecate in the open despite its attendant consequences on the health of everyone. ”That probably accounts for some of the deaths we recorded, which was mostly among the children and women in this camp. The truth is that the state and local government cannot cope with the situation in Guma,

Gwer West and Agatu at the same time; it’s not possible. ”So we were left with no other option but to take our destiny in our own hands by seeking for accommodation and food outside the camps; we work in the farms for people and at the end of the day get paid; that is how we are surviving at the moment”.

In his account, the paramount ruler of Daudu, where the refugees are camped, Chief

Akaa Dajo, noted that the recurrent fighting and incursion into Benue communities by herdsmen had distorted the livelihood of the affected people.

Chief Dajo urged the Federal Government to create grazing routes for Fulani herdsmen around the country in order to avert the recurrent crisis and displacement of persons occasioned by disputes over farmland.

For 200 S-East women, empowerment is it

BY BOSE ADELAJA

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O fewer than 200 women drawn from the South-East part of Nigeria have benefited from the empowerment scheme of the South-East Women Progressive Initiative.

At an event in Lagos, the body, a nongovernmental organisation, first trained the women in various skills such as soap, dettol and izal making before distributing items like sewing and grinding machines as well as power generating sets to boost their small scale businesses.

Apart from a visit to orphanages, there were cervical screening, HIV and hypertension tests for the women who were received amidst fanfare.

The brain behind the programme, Oluoma Ndi Igbo, Mrs Chisom Eze Onuoha, said

the initiative was founded about three years ago as a subsidiary of Oluoma East Women Progressive Initiative with the aim to develop the total woman and make women fit for the community and the nation.

She said women can walk tall in the society when they are totally rescued from the prevailing inhibitions imposed by ancient traditions and religion.

‘’The activities of the South-East Women Progressive Initiative include the empowering of women through seminars, workshops, lectures, demonstrations where skills needed for everyday living are taught,’’ she said.

She gave kudos to President Goodluck Jonathan for uplifting Nigerian women to the highest levels in his administration. ‘’This, in itself, is a record achievement in the history of our great nation, Nigeria. We are in the process of building our national secretariat and extending our activities to new and virgin states,’’ she added.

Some of the women: Uchenna Ananga from Anambra Nnewi South, Ukwuoma Nduba, Edna Odumegwu and Okeke Felicia expressed gratitude to the organisation and called on Nigerian women to come out of their sheds to give expression to their Godgiven talents.

Mrs Onuoha (m) dancing with the women

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013 — 21

Price of foreign rice may crash as FG plans tariff cut

By FRANKLIN ALLI & WALE OSHIKOYA

T

he price of foreign rice may fall ahead of this yuletide as the federal government wants to review downward the 110 percent import duty and levy it slammed on the commodity January this year to boost local production.

Currently, the market price for full bag of rice goes for N9, 500 and N4, 800 half bag depending on the brand.

Chairman, Presidential Committee on Trade Malpractices, Alhaji Dahiru Ado-Kurawa, who gave the hint while fielding questions from journalists in Lagos said the decision by government to review the tariff downward was because the policy has escalated smuggling of the commodity and loss of revenue to the government to the tune of N2 billion in the past eleven months.

“Benin Republic is one of the highest importers of parboiled rice this year. This is the country that ordinarily imports about 230,000 tons per annum.

The two million tons parboiled rice imported from Benin was all smuggled to Nigeria,’’ said Ado-Kurawa.

According to him, the stakeholders met recently in Abuja and part of the resolution was to advice the federal government to review the rice policy and sift out the grey areas where improvements could be made with a view to ensuring that

T

From left: Mr. Antonie Moudaber, Chairman, Universal Furniture Ltd; Dr Massad Boulos, Group Managing Director, Scoa Plc and Danielle Moudaber, Interior Designer, Universal Furniture during the showroom opening of Universal Furniture Nigeria Ltd in Lagos. Photo

by Lamidi Bamidele the government’s quest to halt rice import was achieved.

According to him, the review is not a policy somersault but an approach to create a healthy mechanism for Nigeria to be self sufficient in rice production and earn income from imported rice The chairman disclosed that the government would also give incentive to to rice millers into backward integration

-0.05

2,768.00

-40.00

17.27

-0.05

93.77 CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYA KRONA SDR

BY NAOMI UZOR

108.05

110.80

154.7 2 250.6464 209.2433 169.9473 1.5433 1.5198 236.1248 25.2921 3897 28.0513 236.8763

155.22 251.4564 209.9195 170.4965 1.5483 1.5248 236.8878 25.3742 25.4722 28.142 237.6418

Private sector to finance N220bn 4th Mainland Bridge

-0.20 -0.32 SELLING 155.72 252.2664 210.5957 171.0457 1.5533 1.5297 237.6509 25.4564 25.5547 28.2326 238.4073

CBN Exchange rate as at 27/11/2013

According to him, government’s policy on rice has greatly deepened local production, which was geared towards attaining selfsufficiency in the product.

He noted that local milling capacity has increased to 200 percent and there has been an increment in production of about four million tons of local rice, thereby driving the production of paddy rice to an all-time high.

President, Millers, Importers and Distributors Association of Nigeria, Mr. Tunji Owoeye, commended the federal government for looking into the challenges facing the rice subsector.

He listed the challenges as smuggling of foreign rice brands through the Benin Republic border as well as incentives to rice farmers and processors.

Infrastructure development crucial for sustainable agriculture — NESG

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

I

nfrastructure development and building strong institution to support agriculture in Nigeria, as well as change in present state of land use and right have been identified as some of the factors necessary for sustainable agriculture in the country.

This was part of submissions made by participants at the sustainable agriculture business principles stakeholders’ consultation put together by Nigeria Economic Summit Group, NESG in conjunction with United Nation’s Global Compact in Lagos.

Other factors identified by the participants that needed to be paid attention to include: yield and productivity, workers’ rights, optimal use of soil and water, women rights and gender equality, climate change, managing waste, biodiversity, protecting children and energy efficiency.

The rest are animal and marine welfare, supply chain and trade, small scale farmers and co-operatives, value chain financing, and health and nutrition.

According to a White Paper developed by both bodies ahead of conclusion of United Nation’s White Paper on sustainable agriculture, due to be published and adopted by member countries by May, 2014, “Businesses should build, support and operate agriculture systems that delivers sustainable intensification sufficient to meet global needs, together with environmental protection, restoration, enhancement and improved resource efficiency.”

They observed that there is need for balance between the growing demand for food, fuel and fibre and environmental needs, intensification by increasing yields per hectare and cropping intensity, production of more in less space and minimising further land conversion, using the best available knowledge and technologies.

Explaining the rationale for stakeholders’ forum, Mr. Frank Nweke Jnr, DirectorGeneral, NESG, said, that developing principles on agriculture would provide the framework for partnership that would enable sustainable agriculture.

he private sector in the country is to finance the construction of the 4 th Mainland Bridge with N220 billion.

This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Lagos State, Mr. Ben Akabueze, at the 2013 Seminar/Luncheon of the Financial Services Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI. Akabueze said the federal or states government would not be financing the 4th Mainland Bridge as private sector investors have made plans to invest N220 billion in the construction of the bridge.

Akabueze noted that the state requires a much larger budget than it currently operates, adding that inadequate revenues constitute the principal impediment to achieving a larger budget.

“Lagos State has consistently recorded good budgetary performance, more than any other state government in Nigeria. We have tried to make the people to own the budget, and make it work for them because effective budgetary systems and implementation have contributed significantly to socio-economic development in Lagos.”

According to him, investment in infrastructure simultaneously tackles a number of challenges such as job creation, poverty reduction, lower cost of operations for manufacturing and commercial enterprises.

“Empirically-proven correlation between investment in infrastructure and economic growth (a World bank study of 39 African countries covering 1990-2005 shows that if our infrastructure was developed to standard of Mauritius (best infrastructure in Africa) GDP growth would rise by about 2.5 percent per annum.

“Percentage allocated to sectors reflects government’s priorities and sustenance of past trend highest priority goes to Economic Affairs Sector. In line with the policy thrust of government, infrastructure, health and education sectors are being gradually notched up to meet global benchmarks.

22 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

SMEs should position to harness benefits of power reformsExperts

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mall and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) should position themselves to harness the benefits of the ongoing power sector reforms.

This advice was given by two foremost entrepreneurs, Mrs Ibukun Awosika, Group Chief Executive, Chair Center, and Mr. Sim Sagaya, founder of Kongi.Com and DealDey.Com who spoke at the maiden FirstBank SME Connect National Conference held on Tuesday.

Awosika noted that with the privatisation of the power companies, the challenge of inadequate supply of power will soon be a thing of the past. She noted that the expected surge in power supply will create lots of opportunities in the economy, and SMEs should begin to prepare to take advantage of these opportunities.

Sagaya on his part cautioned SME operators against unnecessary consumption, saying their focus should be on savings so as to enhance their capital base. “There would be a time when your business will begin to make profit and when you see the cash-flow you will be tempted to consume. The choice at this point is whether to plough the profit back into the business or to spend it on consumption. But you need to realise that you need to build your capital for future opportunities to grow. An example is the opportunities that would be emerge when the benefits of the power sector begins to impact the economy”.

In his opening remarks, Managing Director/Chief Executive, FirstBank Nigeria Limited, Mr. Bisi Onasanya said that the “FirstBank SME Connect National conference was dedicated to spotlighting a critical aspect of our national economy. The conference, he added, “is consistent with the FirstBank Impact Series, our policy and thought leadership initiative consisting of conferences and associated activities to foster the spirit of enterprise, facilitate business and economic growth, drive social change, and entrench outstanding values in leadership and governance in the polity.

C M Y K

CeBIH Annual Conference in Uyo: (L-R) Emem Udosen-Ekong, General Manager, South-south Regional Director Skye Bank; Mr. Chuks Iku, Chairman, Committee of e-Banking Industry Heads (CeBIH); Lady Valerie Ebe, Akwa-Ibom State Deputy Governor and Mrs. Cecilia Udoessien Akwa-Ibom State Head of Service at the Annual Conference of Committee of e-Banking Industry Heads in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State.

Banks’ liquidity ratio falls by 18% as total assets hit N23.3tr

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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he 24 banks in the country suffered 18 per cent decline in liquidity ratio in the third quarter of the economy, despite total assets rising to N23.3 trillion.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revealed this in its Economic report for the third quarter released on Tuesday.

The report stated, “Available data indicated that the total assets and liabilities of the deposit money banks (DMBs) stood at N23,301.4 billion at the end of the third quarter of 2013, representing an increase of 3.4 per cent over the level at the end of the preceding quarter.

The funds, which were sourced, largely, from increased mobilization of demand deposit and unclassified liabilities, were used for accretion to reserves, extension of credit and acquisition of foreign and unclassified assets.

“At N11,272.0 billion, banks credit to the domestic economy, declined by 5.8 per cent below the level in the preceding quarter. The development was attributed, largely, to the 125.8 per cent decline in claims on the Federal Government.

“Central Bank’s credit to the banks rose by 1.5 per cent to N233.4 billion at the end of the review quarter, reflecting the decline in overdrafts to banks, while total specified liquid assets of the DMBs stood at

N5,992.8 billion, representing 37.7 per cent of their total current liabilities. At that level, the liquidity ratio, fell by 18.4 percentage points below the level in the preceding quarter, but was 7.7 percentage points above the stipulated minimum ratio of 30.0 per cent. The

loans-to- deposit ratio, at 33.4 per cent, was 10.5 and 46.6 percentage points below the levels at the end of the preceding quarter and the prescribed maximum ratio of 80.0 per cent, respectively.”

The report however revealed that banks’ lending to farmers under

theCommercialAgriculturalCredit Guarantee Scheme increased by more than 200 per cent n the third quarter. It stated that “A total of N2, 923.6 million was guaranteed to 16,349 farmers under the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme (ACGS) in the third quarter of 2013.

Sanusi to address CIBN 50th Anniversary Dinner

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overnor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, CON, and FCIB will address stakeholders as on the economy at the occasion of the 50th Anniversary Awards/Gala and 47 th Annual Bankers Dinner of the Chartered

Institute of Bankers of Nigeria The event which will is scheduled to hold today in Lagos is the grand finale of the programmes and activities for the commemoration of the Institute’s 50th Anniversary, which commenced with a

SADC holds 17th Entrepreneurs Award

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uccess Attitude Development Centre (SADC) organizers of Success Digest Enterprise Awards (SDEA) will tomorrow hold its 17th annual award for outstanding entrepreneurs.

Dr. Sunny –Obazu Ojeagbase, Chairman of SADC and publisher of Success Digest Magazine, organizer of the awards said it was his own way of contributing to the development of entrepreneurship in the country.

He explained that the award

which now has run for more than 16 years has been based on merit.

The awards, he said, is yearly sponsored by some corporate organizations which include First Bank Plc, MTN, Cadbury among others.

Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim (OFR), Group Managing Director, Energy Group who is billed to deliver the keynote address at this year’s event where nine outstanding entrepreneurs will be honoured will unveil the secret behind his undying love for turning around moribund companies to a going concern.

world Press Conference in May 2013.

The Institute will use the forum to appreciate and honour individuals and corporate organizations including banks, with Awards, in recognition of their consistent and outstanding support and contributions towards the growth and development of the banking profession, the Financial Sector and economy.

Mallam Sanusi will deliver a Keynote Address; His Excellency, Dr. Andrew Pocock, British High Commissioner to Nigeria, will propose the Toast to the Federal Republic of Nigeria while Chief Kola Jamodu, OFR, President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, will propose the Toast to the Institute.

Mr. ‘Segun Aina, OFR, FCIB, President/Chairman of Council, CIBN, will be the Chief Host and will be assisted by Dr. ’Uju M. Ogubunka, FCIB, Registrar/ Chief Executive.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013 — 23

BRIEFS

Ghana chocolate firm enters Nigerian market

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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From right: President, Nigerian-Danish Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, Prince Ben Koya Adako; Regional Director, Research, Bank of Industry, Mr. Balarabe Hassan; and Danish Consul in Nigeria, Jakob Bejer, during a breakfast meeting of the chamber in Lagos.

NACCIMA calls for merger of SON, NAFDAC

BY NAOMI UZOR

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HE Nigerian Associa tion of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) has called for the merger of National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, and Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON. This call was made by NACCIMA President, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar.

“To address the high and multiple charges, we call for the streamlining of these agencies because of their overlapping mandates and adequate funding provided so that charges are reduced to a level that will not constitute a burden to the private sector,” he said.

“While we support the existence of regulatory agencies to bring sanity to bear in the economy, we are worried that the charges by these agencies have become too high and even overlapping, thus, constituting a major burden on businesses, especially manufacturing industries.

“Some of these agencies are -. NAFDAC, SON, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency “Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency,

Federal Ministry of Environment, and Weights and Measures Department of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.

He also called for budget roundtable dialogue between public and the p r i v a t e s e c t o r stakeholders.

“Starting with the 2014 Budget, it may be necessary for the Executive and the Legislature at Federal and State levels to jointly hold a Budget Roundtable Dialogue with private sector stakeholders once the

annual budget has been presented to the lawmakers and put in place.

“There is no gainsaying the fact that our capital budget does not achieve 60 per cent implementation due to late passage and signing of our annual budgets at both the federal and state levels.

“We have repeatedly drawn the attention of all three tiers of governments and their national/state House of Assemblies to ensure timely budget crafting, presentation, debate, passage and signing

of their annual budgets latest by mid-December; and for Mr. President/ Governors to announce same to the citizens on 1stJanuary of every year so as to forestall dislocation of proper planning by government ministries , departments and agencies, MDAs and business operators whose business plans and projects are directly dependent on the policies and provisions in the annual budgets,” he stated.

WACL to invest N8bn in ceramic industry

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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EST African Ceram ics Limited, WACL, is set to expand its interest in the ceramic industry with an additional $50m (N8 billion) investment.

WACL has been manufacturing tiles in Nigeria since 1995 under the name- Royal Ceramics and since 2009 as West African Ceramics Limited. The company is the manufacturer of Porcelain, Vitrified and Glazed tiles in West Africa.

The Group Executive Director of the company, Alhaji Lawal Idirisu, who disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the Honorable Commissioner, Ogun State Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru,

said the new factory will be located in Ogun State.

Idirisu said that the plan to establish the ceramic tile plant is necessitated by the rising demand for European standard quality tiles in Nigeria and across the sub-Saharan West African region.

“The market demand for quality tiles as obtained in European countries such as Spain and Italy is rising on an alarming rate owing to the trends in the home, property, and real estate industry.

“Although the company’s factory in Ajaokuta, Kogi State is fully operational to capacity, meeting both domestic demands and export to the West African market, we are been proactive based on consumer and in-

dustry insight, and research to establish another production plant. This is expected of us as market leader by the market we serve and our stakeholders,” Idirisu stated.

In response, the Commissioner, commended the initiative and hailed the choice of Ogun State.

He said that his ministry welcomes the initiative and would provide constitutional support in ensuring the investment is realised as the economic benefits to the state and people of the state is enormous.

Ashiru urged the visiting team to remain determined in the expansion plan and assured them of all necessary support the state can possibly accord.

OCOA Processing Company (CPC) Ghana, the producer of GoldenTree chocolate confectioneries and other semi-finished cocoa products has made its entry into the Nigerian market.

Genevieve Pawar, the company ’s Marketing Manager, said the entry of the products into the Nigerian market has given the company a truly regional footprint.

She said the goal is to create awareness and generate more sales for GoldenTree range of chocolates in a strategic pursuit to expand its mar-

ket in Nigeria.

“Our participation at this year’s Lagos International Trade Fair opened a new vista for GoldenTree; we are opening up one of the most attractive growth market in Africa “With this move, we will make our products more readily available to Nigerians. Together with our strategic agent in Nigeria, Anthill Investment Limited, we have the wherewithal to efficiently create market channels for the brand to reach more consumers.

This formal entry in the Nigerian market is an important first step and we are currently working on very interesting strategy to cultivate more consumers for the brand in the country.”

NBCC set to open British business centre

BY NAOMI UZOR

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HE Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) has concluded plans to open a British business centre in Lagos and a Nigerian Business Centre in London to facilitate bilateral trade between the two countries.

President of NBCC, Prince Yemi Adefulu, disclosed this during a parley with the media in Lagos.

He said that the centres when floated will be providing information and guide investors seeking information on

the respective countries adding “This will be our humble contribution to the growth of trade between the two countries.”

He said that the centres wll commence service in the New Year, stressing that they are aware of the fact that Nigerian business people visiting the UK also require such services.

“The relationship between Nigeria and Britain has had its highs and lows. To this day, Britain is the home of two million Nigerians and the country holds the largest number of Nigerians outside Nigeria.

Waskara Nigeria unveils new brand of fertiliser

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ASKARA Nigeria Limited has launched a new brand of fertiliser(CEN) into the market.

Chief Wasiu Ola, the company’s Chairman ,who is also the Lagos Deputy Chairman, Poultry Association of Nigeria, PAN, said that CEN is profitable for both the consumer and the environment.

According to him, the application of small quantity of the new product manufactured in Spain, gives complete nutritional support to any plant to grow effectively.

“Applying small quantities of this fertilizer gives compete nutritional support that any plant needs.

This is profitable for both

the consumer and the environment.

CEN is a sophisticated fertilizer and it is ready for an intensive agriculture with the kind of climate in Nigeria “The innovative concept in producing it is great and it is handy to move about. It’s very convenient to put in your pocket and go to farm with,” he said. .“There is CEN 1-66 for instance. CEN 3 is especially for vine and vineyard, CEN 9 is for sugar, growth and production: sugar cane, sugar beet, forest trees, growing trees, artichoke and more ,while CEN 15 brings high nitrogen, fast and growth in crops”.

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

PAAR : S tak eholder Stak takeholder eholderss skeptical over take over of Destionation Inspection by Cust oms Customs Stories By GODWIN ORITSE

OPERATORS in the maritime industry have expressed concern over the expected take-over next week of the Destination Inspection scheme by the Nigeria Customs Service. Besides the fears being expressed by port operators, there are anxieties that government may again bow to the renewed pressure being mounted by lobbyists for further extension of the contract of the three Destination Inspection service providers to 2014 fiscal year.

The three service providers are: Globalscan Systems Limited, SGS, and Cotecna Destination Inspection Nigeria Limited.

Sources close to the interest groups in Lagos and Abuja confirmed that no final decision has been taken about the December 1, 2013 hand over date.

It will be recalled that the Federal Ministry of Finance had in January 2006 entered into a seven-year Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) contract with the service providers. It was to expire on December, 2012. But government, on December 31, 2012 announced a six-month extension of the contract to June, 2013. A further six months extension was granted towards the tail end of the second extension.

Although a senior official at the Ministry of Finance told Vanguard that there is nothing yet to indicate a further extension, it was also gathered that the ministry is in receipt of briefs which indicted the Customs on its level of preparations for the take –over.

Specifically, a copy of the report, revealed that, while the Customs has done well by posting officers to run the scanners ahead of time, it has not done anything about the need to guide other stakeholders into the emerging dispensat i o n .

The Customs was also

scored low on preparation for the smooth flagoff of the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR).

The report specifically pointed at the low level of awareness on the part of those who will use it.

It stated that a few days to the hand over day, only the Customs is aware of what PAAR is all about.

SEIZURE: Opened 36.9Kg of Cannabis Sativa Seized at Customs Tarmac Check point Seme Border`

How cargo dwell time stalls trade facilitation at por ts — Report ports T

HE perennial port congestion seems to have defied all solutions that have been proffered by various government committees that were set up for that purpose.

A World Bank report has shown that Nigerian ports are the worst on the issue of cargo dwell time, a development the report says is not only stalling trade facilitation, but also causing inflation as the high cost of goods due to delay in the port are passed onto consumers The report also indicated that Nigeria being the worst hit in t his situation, also has the least penalty for the use of the port as storage facility by importers.

The report also noted that while it takes at least 21 days to clear cargo from the ports in Nigeria, it takes between two to six days to clear cargoes from other ports that were considered in the report.

In the report, it was said that while the storage rate in Nigeria attracts as low as $253, storage in the Port of Mombasa n Kenya attracts $546; the rate in Gothenborg in Sweden goes for $763; Sydney Australia $2,918 and that of New Jersey goes for as much as $3,673.

The terminal operators are of the opinion that the low rates storage in the ports attract, could be be the reason why im-

porters prefer to leave their cargoes in the ports.

The long dwell time of cargo at Nigerian seaports has become a problem, not only to efficiency but to port operation, part of the report said.

The Lagos Port Complex (LPC) and the Tin Can Island Port Complex (TCIPC) both in Apapa were used as the case study for the report just as it added that the attitude of importers to

quick clearance of cargoes leaves much to be desired.

It further stated that the two major factors responsible for the high dwell time is poor clearing process, graft and low storage charges.

“Many importers and agents are not worried when their containers stay long at the port terminals because storage charges are low,” a Customs officer at LPC recently told journalists even as he urged

terminal operators to make it unattractive for use of the port facilities for storage.

“Once those who leave containers for too long at the port are punished for doing so, every other issue will be addressed,” he stated.

In addition to long cargo dwell time, poor transport infrastructure around the ports such as narrow exit gates and multiple agencies are among others have been identified as major fac-

tors responsible for creating bottlenecks at the ports. According to concerned stakeholders, some clearing agents allegedly use port terminals as warehouses pending when they complete their long clearing process with Customs, thereby compounding congestion at the ports.

A maritime economist, Dr. Wilson Adeshina, said recently that cheap storage rates encourage the use of port facilities for storage.

Revenue leakages: Operator wants Customs involved in crude oil export GODFREY BIVBERE

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maritime operator and Managing Director of Ogbese Marine services ltd, Olusegun Ogbese, has called on the federal government to involve the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) as the agency in charge of monitoring crude oil export from the nation’s shores.

Ologbese noted that the involvement of the customs will not only ensure that government has accurate account of the volume of the product leaving the country, but will also help curb revenue leakage from duty payable on such export.

The operator

expressed this view while addressing journalists on avenues to curb the menace of crude oil theft, piracy and account mismanagement plaguing the nation.

According to Ologbese, dutiable goods that go out or come into the country have always been under the purview of the NCS including crude oil, as “Customs has the capability of measuring the tonnage of the oil that is leaving the shores, finished products coming in, and to make sure that revenue is collected on those products.”

Recent reports of declining crude oil revenues he noted, led to depletion of reserves

in the excess crude account (ECA) which shrunk to $5.1 billion following withdrawal of N115 billion from it to augment revenue shortfall for the July Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursements to the federal, states and local governments.

Olusegun said, “It is necessary for us to know what is going out as a product from NNPC and what is coming in.

Right from inception, the Nigeria Customs Service has been transparent and consistent in generating huge amount of money to the federal government purse. It will help the government the more if the NCS

could be drafted to rescue the theft of our oil revenue and other related products, which the NNPC has not been able to give accounts all these years,” he added.

He, however, decried the embarrassment Nigeria faces from seeming inability of its leaders to address these issues, more so in light of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) failure to account for crude oil transactions and related products undertaken through it over the years. He urged the nation’s leaders to stop lamenting over issues within their control and work out measures to ameliorate the financial mess the people are being plunged into.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013—25

Jonathan to launch NLC-Kriston Lally Housing Scheme

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan is expected to Flag-off the construction of N960 billion Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC-Kriston Lally Workers Housing Scheme in January, 2014. The housing scheme which on completion would reduce accommodation problems is targeted at providing over 600, 000 houses for Nigerian workers.

NLC and its partner, Kriston Lally EPC Nigeria Limited said they had finally resolved to commence the construction by the second week of December, following their visit to Athens, in Greece, and crucial meetings with their foreign partner, Kriston Lally Enterprise & Atti-kat, the financiers as well as the Nigerian Ambassador to Greece, Mr. Ayodeji Ayodele.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja , NLC President, Abdulwahed Omar and the Managing Director, Kriston Lally Nigeria, Alhaji Madawaki said President Jonathan would lay the foundation of the first phase of the over 600,000 workers' housing units to be built at a cost of N960 billion, in January, and that work would commence by the second week of December.“ They also assured that the President would hand over the houses to subscribers in December 2014.

TUC tasks President Jonathan on his 56th birthday

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HE Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, has congratulated President Goodluck Jonathan on his 56th birthday.

TUC however appealed to the President that in the spirit of his birthday celebration to grant Nigerians a sigh of relief in some fundamental areas.

In a statement by its President and Secretary General, Bobboi Kaigama and Musa Lawal, said “Foremost is the need to redress the failure of the federal government and some state governments to pay salaries to civil servants as and when due since July 2013. Investigations have revealed that Nigerian workers are among the least paid in the sub-Saharan Africa, and this ought not to be so.We also reiterate our earlier call on the President to apply measures that would immediately end the fivemonth old strike embarked upon by university lecturers under the auspices of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), his “primary constituency.”

No business without union business — OATUU SCRIBE RECENTLY, Kolagbodi Memorial Foundation , KMF held it 17th annual memorial lecture in Lagos. It was a gathering of who is who in the labour movement. Students were not left out. All were there to hear the Secretary General of the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity , OATUU, Owei Lakemfa speak on “ A centenary of Trade Unionism in Nigeria and the Challenges of International Trends”.

Owei Lakemfa, the OATUU scribe, was a student activist, former Acting General secretary of Nigeria Labour Congress and the pioneer Labour Editor of Vanguard .

The KMF annual lecture has been sponsored solely by Friedrich Ebert Stifftung for 17 years.

This edition of Labour Vanguard presents excerpts from his paper which can be described as a well documented history of the Nigerian labour movement.

BY FUNMI KOMOLAFE

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HE Secretary General of the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity, Owei Lakemfa took his audience down memory lane when he spoke of how the trade unions evolved, the anti – union posture of the colonialists, alliance with politicians and how the militant union leaders and workers influenced the political destiny of Nigeria.

He reminded all of the 1945 general strike which was to agitate for a cost of living allowance to “cushion the inflation set off by the Second World War” which began on June 1945 and lasted 45 days.

Lakemfa made the point that the labour movement has long been in the struggle for improved living standards for all Nigerians.

Students movement It was therefore no surprise that trade unions under the auspices of the Nigeria Labour Congress and working with others in the students movement and other focused non- governmental organisations led the struggle against the introduction of the Structural Adjustment Programme, SAP, by the military government of General Babangida.

SAP itself was introduced to developing countries including Nigeria by the Bretton Woods organisations ; the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. His paper analysed extensively the impact of the policies of these institutions on African countries and the role of the trade unions.

Africans getting poorer Lakemfa made a critical reivew of the economic policies

of West which he stated, “includes cuts in social spending, withdrawal of subsidies, trade liberalization, currency devaluation, enthronement of the private sector as the so called engine room of the economy ,less government and placement of profit over human lives. Like in Ghana, the so called growth has no positive effect on the lives of the people; the prosperity of the country does not translate to more jobs, better and wider social protection. In all these, the people are mere figures, just objects with no life of their own”.

The situation in Ghana he noted is typical of what it is in many African countries. He noted that although Ghana in about a decade has recorded a growth rate of over seven per cent with high Foreign Direct Investment , FDI, the people of Ghana are getting poorer by the day.

How? He explained, “ In my first eight months in Ghana, the cost of petrol (PMS) was increased at least six times making it virtually impossible for manufacturers and the people to make any long term planning or projections. This is more so when transportation is primarily by road with no mass transit options. Within the same period, the Ghana Cedi which was GHC 1.85 to the Dollar, has climbed to GHC2.17. So there is a marked currency devaluation in Ghana. I also noticed, that the fastest growing sector in the country is the Forex Bureau!

On September 25, 2013, electricity tariff was increased by 78.9 per cent, and water by 52 per cent. When the people protested, the Information Minister explained that the increases were done because the government does not want to continue

Owei Lakemfa, OATUU scribe subsidizing the rich. In a globalised world where electricity is basic for existence and development and should therefore be available, accessible and affordable, an African minister says it is for the rich only! Water is basic for sanitation and good health, it is also for the rich!”.

Mr. Lakemfa said trade unions have basic responsibilities to workers which include: - Workers right to unionize which is being observed in the breach in a number of cases. If the NLC can make institutions like First Bank, AIRTEL and Union Bank to recognize and respect workers basic rights, then it can get others to do same. There should be no business without union business.

•Enforcing the right to Col-

,

BITS Bits

agenda. They should popularize their alternative and struggle for its implementation. *Trade unionism is a call; the unionist must choose who to serve for he cannot serve the worker and the employer equally.

While in the overall interest of the work place, the trade unionist must work with employers to promote industrial peace and harmony, he must never forget that workers and employers have fundamentally divergent interests. . *Principles and values rule the Labour Movement; to hold a leadership position, is service. A trade unionist with no commitment to the cause of the working class is like a onearmed bandit, and obviously, the trade union is not the place

For me, a labour leader without moral authority, is like a carpenter passing off as a surgeon. Let the labour leader be said to be stubborn or uncompromising, but never that he is a sellout, or is on the pay role of any government or employer

lective Bargaining and ensuring that Collective Agreements are implemented. If this is not done, the whole concept of Social Dialogue would be compromised.

•Combating Child labour and Discrimination at the work place whether on the basis of gender, health status or for whatever reasons etc.

The role of the unionist For the trade unionist, OATUU scribe suggested " *The world is ruled by ideas while vision propels institutions; therefore, any trade unionist with no ideas or vision, is a danger to the Labour Movement.

•Trade unions cannot just disagree with government or protest against given policies; they must posit an alternative thought process or development

,

for him.

For me, a labour leader without moral authority, is like a carpenter passing off as a surgeon. Let the labour leader be said to be stubborn or uncompromising, but never that he is a sellout, or be on the pay role of any government or employer.

•Trade unionism is a collective, it is basically about unity and solidarity, therefore, unions should build a culture of collective leadership. They should not sink into the morass of individualism or the cult of a strong leader as world politics has become. They need to deepen internal democracy which should include respect for union constitution and rules, holding regular organ meetings, conferences, elections and respecting terms in office as constitutionally stipulated.

26—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

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N view of challenges fac ing your sector, how secure is gratuity payment for your members at retirement?

I want to say that gratuity which is separated from pension is still on. The gratuity is not a new phenomenon in the industry.

However, there are moves by employers to discontinue it arising from the emergence of contributory pension scheme.

But at the moment I can tell you that there is mutual relationship between the employers and the workers in an attempt for each party to see the problem from the same perspective. I can assure you that yes, the gratuity still runs, not stopped and it is with tears that the employers are still sustaining it. We sympathise with them.

Since the Pension Reforms Act, PRA, 2004, are your members fully registered under the contributory pension scheme, CPS, and what is the level of remittance of deducted fund, any complaint?

So far no complaint. Though like they say, in every 12 you have a Judas. In that respect, there are likely to be some few developments that are not in consonance with the contributory pension system. But there is no report that has come to us in that regard at the secretariat.

I can assure you that as far as I know, a good number has been registered and payment and transmission of fund deducted from workers salaries have always been paid to the Pension Fund Administrators,PFAs. Since the emergence of CPS, your members that have retired under the scheme, have they been able to access their funds?

Supposedly yes, because again no issue of not being able to access fund has been brought to us.

To be more specific, they were cases where I was involved in ensuring that some few individuals were able to access the fund. In some cases like where I work,

Accessing pension funds should be less cumbersome — NUSDE PRESIDENT AS the National Assembly is putting finishing touches to the amendment of Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi the Pension Reform Act, PRA, of 2004, President of the National Union of Shop and Distributive Employees, NUSDE, Comrade Kelly Ogbaloi, in an interview with Pension and You, said among others, that the cumbersomeness in accessing pension fund of the fact that there is going to even though it is 7.5 percent, by beneficiaries must be addressed. Excerpts: some of retirees who were registered they came to me for assistance I followed it up, have some of their documents witnessed and they got the percentage payments.

The moves to amend Act PRA, 2004 are almost concluded.

Taking your industry into consideration which areas do you think the amendment should focus?

I think that accessing the fund is cumbersome because when you want to access the fund there are myriad of questions and documents that may not be immediately reachable by the individual involved that will be requested for.

So, I think that the amendment should focus on among others, making easy the assessment of the fund by either the contributor or beneficiary. Again there is no total exposure of investment carried out by PFAs that is known to contributors. So, something should be done in that respect that so, so and so have so far been contributed by this group of per-

sons, and we are investing so, so and so into so, so and so venture.

In which case, you have nothing to fear, but today it is not so. That aspect is still shrouded in secrecy. If we are involved in an issue, we should be able to know what is going on. We are contributors and if the whole lot of this money will be put in some investments it should be made clearer and the people made to understand that this particular investment . So, if there is any amendment, that aspect should be entirely opened to those who are contributing the fund.

The regulator and others have argued that the issue of cumbersome process is to avoid fraud and ensure that the right person accesses the fund either directly or the right next of kin. Do you share this view?

I do not agree. I don’t see it as a very stringent and virile instrument to actually check fraud. We could as well have very simple machineries and fraud is still checked. To explain it on the basis

PenCom showcases gains of CPS at world summit

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ATIONAL Pension Com mission, PenCom, has showcased what it calls the successes of Nigeria’s Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, at the 2013 World Pension Summit, in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

At the summit attended by delegates from 40 countries, Acting Director-General of PenCom, Mrs Chinelo AnohuAmazu, told the gathering that besides the fact the scheme had accumulated not less than N3.73 trillion, with over 5.8 million contributors since inception in 2004, the pool of assets generated had aided the deepen-

ing of Nigeria’s financial sector.

A statement by Emeka Onuora, Head, Communication Unit, PenCom, said Mrs. Anohu-Amazu equally informed the delegates that the CPS was sustainable, fully funded and privately managed by operators licensed by PenCom. According to her “the legal and institutional frameworks established by the Commission have led to the registration of over 5.8 million members and the pool of pension assets generated has aided the deepening of Nigeria’s financial sec-

tor.

They have also provided a platform for the provision of infrastructure and the development of the real sector, thereby reinforcing the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.”

The Acting Director-General led a delegation comprising Mrs. Grace Usoro, the General Manager/Head Public Sector Pensions Department and Ms. Olusola Odufuwa, Head Corporate Counseling Unit of the National Pension Commission (PenCom) to the Summit which took place between 13 and 14 November 2013.

be fraudulent practices by others, that is why the legitimate person will come to ask for his or her fund and he or she is almost mistaken for one who is not due for it, is not right. The whole essence of the safety that is being canvassed is defeated if the man cannot actually have easy access to his own money.

So I think there are other things we could do. Yes, we must put safety valves but we are saying that the current safety valves look as if people are hindered, first of all not to even approach it.

Current safety valve For instance, my father was a civil servant who was a messenger perhaps or watch night and he registered with a PFA for instance and he is not very lettered and as of now his health is almost failing. The man was retired about a year or two ago, he has lost almost half of his memory and does not even know where these documents are kept.

He comes to say look, I may die any moment, can I get this percentage of my money? Then, you say, well he should go and bring this, and that because you are saving the money. It is as good as money not saved for him.

Some have argued that the contribution ratio should be changed so that the employers would pay higher than the employees as against the current 7.5 both are contributing. Do you subscribe to that?

I subscribe to it because the wealth cannot be created except the workers are there too. The capitalist and his machines do not make money just like that except you put the workers to work. So, it is my opinion that employers should pay higher than the workers. Although discretionally, I am aware that in some sectors

some employers definitely pay 10 or more while the workers in that arrangement pay less. I encourage such.

But, since that is based on the discretion of individual industry something must be done to legalise it to say you must do this so that at the end of the day, you don’t turn around and say well, even this one we are doing for you is just that we are magnanimous therefore we could even reverse it if we so desire.

So, I agree with such advocacy that the employers should pay more. Again, you discover that employers' profits are not even quantified before the workers, but the workers’ salaries you can know. So, if you say workers pay 7.5% and employers pay 7.5% from what amount of money are the employers paying the 7.5 percent ? So, it is not as a worker who earns N50,000 is paid for instance, Pay 7.5 and you also ask the employer to pay 7.5% too.

So, you must be looking at the weight of the employer to now determine what he should pay.

But, when you make it 50,50 then that it is not well thought of.

Because gratuity is not explicitly stated in the Pension Refund Act of 2004 some employers are canvassing that gratuity be discarded, while others argue that it should be clearly stated in the amendment. What is your take?

In the reform act itself because it was not included it has created confusion in some quarters. That is why some employers has been insisting that gratuity is the same thing as pension. Of course, they are two different items. So, I accept the fact that if the amendment is coming, gratuity should be succinctly supported by the law, that notwithstanding that you pay pension, it does not mean the same thing as gratuity. So, that the employers will understand what they are doing.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013 — 27

Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State laying a foundation of one of the capital projects in Plateau State University.

STRIKE: Mixed reactions trail ASUU’s fresh demands GPE grants $549m for quality education in 14 developing countries, skips Nigeria

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

T

HE Board of Directors of the Global Partnership for Education has approved US$549 million in grants to 14 developing countries, to provide critical funding and momentum toward quality education for all children.

These countries include: Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Kyrgyz Republic, Niger, Sao Tome and Principe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda.

In a press release, Alice Albright, Continues on page 28 C M Y K

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI AND LAJU ARENYEKA

R

EACTIONS have continued to trail the recent media reports that the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has said it will not suspend its ongoing strike until the salaries owed its members are paid and government shows reasonable level of commitment, starting with the release of N100bn this year.

While some parents and students who are in support the fresh demands opine that such is necessary, considering government’s past irresponsibility towards keeping to its end of agreements, those who oppose say ASUU

should sacrifice its unpaid arrears as part of its struggles.

According to the demands, the ASUU NEC members unanimously agreed that before the strike can be called off, government should pay the four-month salary arrears being owed varsity lecturers while there should be immediate implementation of the N1.2tn offer by the Federal Government to public varsities, starting with the release of N100bn this year.

Though some exco members of ASUU who spoke to Vanguard Learning denied making such fresh demands, the federal government, through the Supervising Minister for Education, Chief. Nyesom Wike, has

Too much ado about teaching practice

— Page 30

described the demand as outrageous, saying the new demands would need further discussions.

Wike said: “I will have to see Mr. President to see how government can go about this development, which is not favourable. It is outrageous. ASUU is now making fresh demands and this will definitely need further discussion.”

Whoever is saying the truth between ASUU and Federal Government, the reports of the fresh demands have triggered some reactions as parents, students and even university lecturers are divided in their stand.

Commending the efforts of ASUU in

Continues on page 28

ASUU strike: Fresh students resume registration — Page 34

28 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

L

eiden University offers Excellence Scholarship programme (LExS) for excellent students from all nationalities and Non-EU/EEA students. Scholarships are awarded for all MA, MSc and LL.M programmes for Non-EU/EEA students and for master’s of Law Advanced Programme or MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy for all nationalities students. Scholarships will not be awarded to applicants who have already obtained a Leiden University master’s degree. Deadline is 1 February 2014 for September 2014 intake.

Scholarships are awarded for all MA, MSc and LL.M programmes as mentioned on the website Master’s programmes in Leiden (for Non-EU/EEA students). Scholarships are awarded in the following programmes (for all nationalities for September 2014 intake): Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in European and International Business Law, International Tax Law, Public International Law, International Civil and Commercial Law and MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy.

Non-EU/EEA students enrolling in a

SCHOLARSHIP 2014 Excellence Scholarship for Master’s Degree Programme at Leiden University in Netherlands Leiden University master’s degree programme starting February 2014 or September 2014( All MA, MSc and LL.M programmes as mentioned on the website Master’s programmes in Leiden, a number of programs have a start date in September only).

-All nationalities enrolling in the following programmes starting starting February 2014 or September 2014 (programs listed below have a September start date only, with the exception of Adv. Studies in Air & Space Law): Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in Air and Space Law Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in European and International Business Law Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in International Tax Law

Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in Public International Law MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy International students can apply for these scholarships. To apply, go to www.scholarship-positions.com Nanyang Fellows MBA Scholarship for International Students at NTU in Singapore, 2014 Nanyang Technological University is offering partial scholarships for outstanding international candidates.

Scholarship is open to international applicants seeking to pursue a full-time Nanyang Fellows MBA programme at NTU. Singaporeans and Singapore Permananent Residents are not eligi-

ble to apply. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree with a strong academic capability.

IELTS and TOEFL are required. The duration of scholarship is of one year which covers partial tuition fee of the Nanyang Fellows MBA Programme. Application deadline is 31st January 2014.

Eligibility: •A good bachelor’s degree •At least 8 years of management or senior professional experience •For applicants whose university degree was not imparted in English, a minimum score of 600 for paper-based, 250 for computer-based and above 100 for internet-based in TOEFL or a minimum band score of 6.5 in IELTS is required.

•Proven leadership potential •Strong academic capability •Character and personal qualities •One should not hold any other scholarship, fellowship or bursary concurrently during the prescribed period of the award Scholarship Open for Students of Following Countries: This MBA scholarship is open for international students.

To apply, go to www.nfp.ntu.edu.sg

STRIKE: Mixed reactions trail ASUU’s fresh demands Continues from page 27 improving the standard and quality of education, a student of University of Calabar, who simply gave his name as Bright, said “ we know our government is not responsible, therefore, it would be disastrous for ASUU to call off the strike without worthy results.

They should ensure that the Federal Government shows enough commitment by immediately releasing part of the agreed funds.” In agreement is Williams Rita Titilola, a student of the Lagos State University, who urged ASUU to get government to fulfill at least 80 per cent of the agreement before agreeing to call off the strike, else, those agreements will end up being on the paper it was signed upon.

“Government can’t say there isn’t enough money to revamp universities because there was enough for them to gallivant round UK all in the name of birthday party”, Titilola said.

Urging students not to be

carried away by government’s propaganda against ASUU, a parent and a varsity lecturer who declined to have her name in print, said “government is only displaying how irresponsible she is, and this is why they plead with us

whenever we meet so that we don’t expose their inadequacies.

For Samuel Bright, what ASUU is requesting is the best bet considering past engagement with government.

“Since government has only

been offering lip services, ASUU, by this request, is only trying to avoid future strikes.

So let them settle this once and for all since we have already spent a long period at home.

It will be useless not to have something concrete after over

Students Of Doregos Private Academy, Ipaja, Lagos, performing at the school's 2013 Cultural day held at the school premises last Friday. PHOTO;AKEEM SALAU

GPE grants $549m for quality education in 14 developing countries, skips Nigeria Continues from page 25 help support the second phase of CEO at the Global Partnership said: “At a time when we face an education crisis with 57 million children still not in primary school and aid to education declining faster than any other sector, the Global Partnership is proud to help these countries and millions of children. All children should have access to a school, have effective teachers, and be able to learn so they can contribute to the development of their community and nation.” The grant however, did not include Nigeria a country with over 10.5 million out of school children-the highest number in

the world.

Along with the approval of $482 million earlier this year, the Board of the Global Partnership has approved a record amount of over $1bn in education grants to 27 countries in 2013. Yet, the demand for education funding, which the Global Partnership receives from its low-income partner countries, far exceeds this amount, showing these countries’ strong commitment to education. At the same time, external aid commitments to basic education dropped by 16% between 2010 and 2011.

“The need for additional financing is very clear and the

Global Partnership is committed to mobilizing new funds so we can continue to help our 59 developing country partners improve education for the children in their countries,” Albright added.

Topping the list are Uganda and Ethiopia which would both receive $100m each. Uganda’s $100m will help to improve teachers and schools’ effectiveness in the public primary education system, specifically with a focus on new approaches for early reading and numeracy and improved school facilities and accountability. The same amount given to Ethiopia will

its General Education Quality Improvement Program (GEQIP). GEQIP includes key measures to improve the quality of basic education through curriculum reform, textbooks, learning assessment, teacher development, school improvement, capacity building, and the use of information and communication technology.

Tanzania will receive $94.8m, Cambodia $38.5m, Cameroon $53.3m, The Central African Republic $3.69m, Djibouti $3.8m, Eritrea $25.3m, The Gambia $6.9m, The Kyrgyz Republic $12.7m, Niger $84.2m, Sao Tome and Principe $1.1m, Sierra Leone $17.9m, and Somalia $6.8m.

five months we have spent at home.”

Not everyone shares this sentiment. While some ASUU members under the aegis of a pressure group, Concerned Academics, gave the National Executive Council of ASUU a one week ultimatum to call of the strike, the ASUU Ibadan zone chapter held a meeting to uphold the decision of the ASUU-NEC to iron out some ‘grey areas’ before suspending the strike.

Addressing a press conference on behalf of the Concerned Academics on Monday, Dr. Adeyemi Daramola and Dr. Michael Ogbeide, both lecturers of the Faculty Arts, University of Lagos, said that they represent a majority of lecturers who want the strike called off immediately, and had called a meeting of ASUU members, but had to postpone it because of the UNILAG-ASUU leadership.

The statement read: “We shall call a new meeting if ASUU-NEC fails to suspend the strike before the end of this week. If necessary, we shall take all legitimate steps to ensure that normalcy is restored to all Nigerian Universities as soon as possible.”

The group accused ASUU NEC of derailing from the struggle.” Daramola and Ogbeide said that the President should be commended for sitting down with the union to discuss the issue and that the union need not waste more time in putting an end to the strike.

Arguing that the national body had kept its members in the dark for too long, the group worried that ASUU could not guarantee that the President would sit with it’s NEC again, and that other officers in the government may not be able to iron out ASUU’s grey areas.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28 2013 — 29

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30—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

Group calls for application

BY GILBERT ALASA, UNIBEN

Too much ado about teaching practice

BY KEMI BUSARI, OAU

T

EACHING practice is one of the basic requirements for the award of the National Certificate of Education (NCE) and education related degree courses. The programme, which lasts between six to 12 weeks, is a platform which allows education students to take up teaching in real setting thereby availing them the opportunity of putting into practice what has been learned in the lecture rooms.

Teaching practice in Nigeria is as old as the study of education in the country. Students are posted to various schools and subjects related to their courses are undertaken under the supervision of lecturers who later award marks at the end of the exercise.

Adventurous and inspiring teaching practice is, the exercise is not free from problems and hindrances which hamper its fulfilment and sometimes stalls it on the way.

Speaking to Quadlife, teaching practice students from various schools listed non remuneration, disrespect from students, among others, as challenges they face in the course of the practice.

Adebisi Japhet is a 300 level student of Osun State College of Education, Ila Orangun, and his major challenge is overcrowded classrooms and disrespect from the students who, though are brilliant, but look down on us because we are student-teachers.”

For Olowo Omotoke ,a 400 level education student of Obafemi Awolowo University, his major challenges are ac-

-er American kilometer

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From left: Prof Etiebet Nduka, DVC Administration, University of Portharcourt, representing the VC; Mr. Adeyemi Fakayejo, Manager, Public/Government Affairs Mobil Producing Nigeria Port Harcourt; and Dr Lambert Akhiovbare, Chairman, Ehimade Nigeria Ltd, during the commissioning of laboratory equipment at the Department of Geology, University of Port Harcourt by ESSO Exploration and Production, Nigeria, weekend. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke

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YOUTH development organisation, Tolerance Academy (TA) in conjunction with Youth Development Centre, Osun State and the United Nations Alliance of Civilisation, has called on undergraduates across the country to take advantage of its coming leadership engagement programme.

The Curator of the academy, Ayodele Obajeun, said that the organization was committed to developing young people across the country to build a peaceful nation.

“Through this programme, we are dedicated to incubating youths across the country for peace development and leadership engagement through dialogue, religious tolerance and cultural integration. It is a mobile peace-building academy that drives ethnic integration among young people. It also fosters cross-cultural relations for sustainable development,” he stated.

He said that the event was a week-long residency programme where 40 successful students will be taken through engaging situational analysis which included classroom dialogue, field demonstration and video modeling.

Quadlife learnt that the programme which commences in January next year was set to impact leadership skills in young people and promote the spirit of tolerance.

The Programme Coordinator of the group, Ishola Samson said: “Tolreance Academy is poised to bring about a paradigm shift in our approach to the task of nation building and security. The only reason why Nigeria wallows in insecurity is because there is a high level of unrest. We can make a lot of difference when we start preaching the message of peace and tolerance to our young people.”

High standard of education should mean high standard of creativity—Egbu

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of its aims.

“Today’s students are not studying education because of interest but because they don’t have any other choice, and this is affecting the exercise because there is no way you’ll be a good teacher without having interest in the profession.

“Also, due to the falling standard of teaching practice, teachers at the school where the students are posted to are shying away from supervising them.”

On what could be done to make the practice a more enjoyable experience, both lecturers and students recommended that a proper remuneration system be in place to ease the stress of financial burden and serve as a source of motivation.

BYNAOMI UZOR

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American analog catalog

to ask us for money and extra lessons. Ridiculously, some will walk up to you to say ‘Aunty I love you’. Imagine how disrespectful it is for a student to ask his teacher out.”

For Olaniyan Omotola of the Faculty of Education Obafemi Awolowo University, “the students don’t know anything and they don’t read so when our lecturers come to supervise us, it looks as if we don’t teach them.”

Quadlife sought the thoughts of Dr. Adisa Olawumi of the Osun State College of Education, Ila Orangun, who said though the exercise is achieving what its aims, but some challenges poses as stumbling blocks to its full accomplishment

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commodation and transportation.

“I spend more than N200 daily on transportation and this leaves me with little or nothing to feed on, sometimes I feed on just fried yam and sachet water for a whole day”, she lamented.

Agreeing with his colleagues, Ogundele Dorcas of the Mathematics and Economics Department, Foreign Links College of Education, Moro, added that dealing with the troublesome and aggressively notorious students is difficult.

“My experience here so far has been terrible. Even when what you have on you is not enough for your sustenance, some of the students still come

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UTHOR and entrepreneur, Chris Egbu, has said that if the employment crisis in the country must be solved, high standard of education should mean high standard of creativity and high standard of creativity should translate to more jobs as more jobs means economic growth, productivity and prosperity.”

Speaking recently at the launching of his book titled: “Entrepreneurial Finance (Vol) ‘How to raise capital to start your business.” Egbu, said a recent survey conducted by CPSPD revealed that over 300,000 graduates were still jobless five years after graduation, and a significant number have taken to riding

commercial motorcycles; while others have taken to crime, including armed robbery, kidnapping and internet fraud and 419.

Egbu, said it is on this backdrop that the Centre for Public Service Productivity and Development, (CPSPD) commissioned a research five years ago on how to get funds to assist graduates, NYSC members, unemployed Youths and over 40 million unemployed Nigerians and thus reduce youth restiveness in Nigeria.

According to him, many skills acquisition training provide the unemployed youths with relevant skill without teaching them avenues to get start up finance. This book is on the other hand fills that gap.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28 2013 — 31

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28 2013 — 33

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34 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

Don advises freshmen to set academic s l a o g ASUU strike: Fresh students resume registration

BY LAJU ARENYEKA & BINOGUN WINIFRED

D

ESPITE the crisis in the sector, new students in universities across the country have already begun the registration process to begin a new academic calendar while the incumbent calendar is being stalled by the 5 month old ASUU strike.

Some of these new students who spoke to Vanguard Learning are apprehensive about being inducted into a university system bedeviled by incessant strikes. Ese Aigbodun, a fresher at the University of Lagos said: “I just hope it will change because I don’t think I can keep going through this kind of a thing every year. There is nothing exciting about an educational system that is faulty. It is rubbish, if I had my way I would go to one of the private Universities.”

Kayode Majekodunni has also begun his registration process into one of the nation’s Federal Varsities. He is in 100 level, but so are his counterparts who got admission a year ago. Not yet a matriculated student, he has begun to grow a thick skin in accordance with the shaky education sector. “I’m already trying to get used to the fact that there will be a lot of strikes during my time as an undergraduate. We have no choice; it is now a normal thing.”

Sarah Osarumwense is more excited about being an undergraduate than the prospect of a crisis prone educational career.

“I am really looking forward to resuming school,” she says “I’ve been home for way too long and honestly I’m frustrated. I can’t wait to resume, have my first lecture, and start complaining of wicked lecturers. I just want to have the feeling of being an undergraduate.”

It would be recalled that ASUU has earlier in the strike, condemned the National Universities Commission (NUC) for putting pressure on University Vice Chancellors to conduct Post-United Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (PostUTME) in the wake of the strike. The National Treasurer of the Union, Dr. Ademola Aremu opined that the screening exercise embarked upon by

universities is questionable because the Academic staff is not involved. Aremu said: “Some universities are inviting external consultants and deploying members of the non academic staff to examine PostUTME. This puts a question mark on the authenticity of such results.”

The ASUU-Ibadan zone coordinator, Dr. Adesola Nassir had also told newsmen earlier, that universities, who have embarked on Post-UTME screening exercises during the strike, will definitely face crises caused by such an action in the future. He said: “NUC through its executive secretary has been putting pressure on Vice Chancellors to undermine

our struggle in the name of certain deadlines in our calendar, especially the admission of fresh students. Regrettably, some of the Vice Chancellors have fallen for their antics and have conducted postUTME screening, even when they know that the exercise if for matriculation and hence academic.

These Vice Chancellors, have by their actions, debased their own personality, confirmed themselves pathetically as either pawns to political maneouverings or simply too meretricious to live beyond pecuniary gains in the interest of our nation.”

Cross section of celebrating students during the recently concluded Africa Day celebration at the Sheffield Hallam University, UK campus.

UK vasity offers £3,000 discount fees to Nigerian students T

O celebrate its strong links with Nigeria and the new office which was recently opened in Lagos, Sheffield Hallam University, UK is offering a £3,000 automatic discount on tuition fees to Nigerian domiciled students.

This discount is for the September 2014 admissions, thereby making studying in the UK much more affordable for Nigerians.

To promote this opportunity, the University is conducting a Bus Tour, moving across selected neighborhoods, locations and event centres in Lagos, for discussions, interviews and counselling sessions from 25 November – 8 December, 2013.

Sheffield Hallam University is currently the third largest C M Y K

university in the UK with around 37,066 students and 4,170 staff from over 100 countries across the world. It has an excellent graduate employment rate as up to 89 percent of students are in work or further study within six months of completing their course.

Sheffield Hallam University is one of the UK’s leading new universities and is built with a strong relationship and links with business and industry.

The University boasts excellent facilities with two campuses which are both centrally located and provide excellent and modern, state-of-theart facilities with some of the most advanced teaching and learning IT facilities amongst

UK institutions. World class sport and leisure facilities, a multi faith centre which provides information about religious groups in the university and city.

According to the Nigeria Office Coordinator, Shola Okubote, “Offering 3,000 pounds automatic discounts to Nigerian domiciled students on tuition fees will go a long way in assisting intending students to access the quality education, infrastructure and global world view that Sheffield Hallam University offers.”

The locations where the “Bus to success” will visit in Lagos include the Radisson Blu Hotel Victoria Island, Silverbird Galleria, Bogobiri Hotel Ikoyi, Ozone Cinemas

Yaba, the Ikeja Mall, 500 City Ilupeju and more.

Interested students and parents can get full event details and register to participate by clicking on the Event Registration button on the Sheffield Hallam University Facebook Page for the Africa Region at www.facebook.com/SHUAfricaRegion.

With more than a hundred million pounds invested in infrastructure in the past decade, Sheffield Hallam University has some of the most advanced learning and teaching facilities in the UK. The University ensures a consistent investment for success.

HAMEED MURITALA, UNILORIN

F

ORMER Dean of the Faculty of Art, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Prof. Zakariyyah Oseni has advised students to always set lofty academic goals and pursue them without distractions.

He gave the advice last Sunday, November 24, while delivering a lecture titled, ‘’Campus life: the Battle for Survival” at the Orientation Programme organized by the UNILORIN Chapter of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN).

The Arabic lecturer urged new students to always focus on their primary assignment of being in school and should not be carried away by the kind of freedom they enjoy on the university campus. ‘’There is so much freedom in the university; do not get distracted by it. Do not be influenced by other people, know exactly what you want in life and stand by it,” he enthused.

Prof. Oseni, who is also the Chief Imam and Waziri of Auchi land in Edo State, warned the students, particularly the female students against indecent dressing on campus, noting that university is for decent people. ‘’Always dress neatly and decently on school campus. Be well behaved and exhibit good characters; by doing this, you are promoting the image of your family and the town you come from. Lets people see the beauty of Islam in you.”

The Professor of Arabic and Islamic studies also cautioned parents against pushing their children into higher institutions at tender ages, adding that higher institutions of learning are meant for adult and not the underage. ‘’Parents should stop pushing their children to enter the university at the tender ages of 15 and 16. The university is meant for adults and not children. At least, you must attain 17 or 18 years before you get to the university, because maturity matters a lot.”

In his remarks, the Amir of the MSSN, Unilorin, Fasasi Kabeer noted that the orientation programme was targeted at giving a warm sensitization to the new Muslim students on campus.

The 300l Arabic student urged the students to strike a reasonable balance between their religious and academic activities on campus, adding that one must not disturb the other. He also encouraged them to work hard and pray to Allah to achieve academic excellence.

Fasasi said further, ‘’we must implement the knowledge we acquire, because knowledge is a beauty to the one who has it and knowledge is a label to students. I wish you all the best in your academic pursuit on this campus.”

The new students were also tutored on how to compute Grade Points (GP).

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013—35

Oando Foundation wins Africa Oil and Gas education CSR Award

By AMAKA ABAYOMI

O

ANDO Foundation, an independent charity launched by Oando Plc, has won the Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative award at the 2013 Africa Oil & Gas Awards in recognition of its continued commitment to improving the learning environment in public schools across the nation.

The Africa Oil & Gas Awards recognise achievements in Africa’s oil and gas sector, rewarding companies which have played a defining role in moving the industry forward.

Competing within a category alongside BP, Addax Petroleum, and Caracel, Oando Foundation’s Adopt-A-School Initiative was recognised for its contribution to economic development and the improvement of the lives of children and communities in Nigeria.

Commenting on the award, the Director of Oando Foundation, Ms Tokunboh Durosaro, said “ we are very excited to be selected amongst other contenders for this award. We regard it as a call to a higher level of commitment and service. This is be-

cause we realize that education is critical to broad-based economic growth and poverty reduction, having a multiplier effect and contributing greater outcomes in other areas such as health, democracy, and governance.

“The major way our Nation

can actualize these benefits given our burgeoning population is to continuously support government’s efforts aimed at improving access to quality basic education for all citizens.’

“The concept of adoption is based on the premise that im-

proving the quality of education across the continent, with Nigeria being no exception, requires a multifaceted approach focused on whole school development, ensuring ongoing engagement and sustainability are key components of this endeavour.”

Olufunto Igun, Executive Director, Corona Schools' Trust council in a group photograph with some staff awardees at the 2013 Award and prize giving ceremony of Corona Secondary School, Agabara.

Corona sues for individual inputs for nation reforms

By DAYO ADESULU

E

VEN as one tree is be lieved to not make a forest, at the least, “ It (One tree) can start a forest, as One step must also start each journey, said, it is up to every individual,” this dictum, as predicated on ‘The Power of One,’ forms the focus of this edition of the annual Speech and Prize-Giving Day, of the Corona Secondary School (CSS) Agbara, Ogun State, in her clear determination to rouse consciousness of the students and Nigerians in order that all may chase vibrant visions and be instrumental for change for the profound benefit nation.

Speaking at the occasion, the Educationist and Executive Director Corona Schools’ Trust Council, Mrs. Olufunto Igun, believes that an individual cannot do everything to impact his nation, but yet he can do something.

According to her, “The power of one is that you do your bit, I do my bit and then together, we move Nigeria forward but if all of us are just sitting back saying the government is not doing well and we are not doing what we have the capacity to do, then the nation would not move forward.

Stressing the significance of C M Y K

the Prize-Giving Day, Igun maintained that it is thoughtful and also on the positive side of academics to do so .

She said, “The programme is on the positive side of learning because in the class you have someone who does better than the other. If you look at the prizes, they are not just for academics alone but also for peripheral.

Explaining further the reason for the prizes, Igun pointed out that it was meant to motivate those who are doing well to do

better and those who are not doing so well to also improve.”

In the same stratum, Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Ademola Aladekomo, The Managing Director Chams Ltd who also brought an uncommon perspective to the theme noted that, “Nations are not built by masses, nations are built by individuals.”

Throwing light on the poem: ‘The Power of One’ he said, “You can only knew a few number of people in any society, family and group to make a

difference. “Leaders are not that many, it may be just one out of 170 million, one out of 30. It is that leader that draws other people along to make a change. Therefore, we are quite excited that we are grooming up leaders of tomorrow here.”

On its part, the guest speaker, Mr. Eromosele Omokhodion, the school’s Headboy of 2004 class, amongst other issues raised, emphasised on the triad ‘theme of Friendship, the theme of Structure and the theme of Discipline.’

Rector advises NANS on pattern of agitation

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

T

HE Rector of ICT Polytech nic, Itori, Ogun State, Dr. Ayodeji Ogunsanya, has advised the National Association of Nigeria Students, NANS, to change its pattern of agitations, saying such change is the only panacea to the association’s current predicament.

The Rector stated this while delivering a lecture at a one

day sensitization programme in commemoration of International Students’ Day organised

by NANS, Ogun State chapter.

Ogunsanya said that the leaders of the association needed redirection and reorientation for them to make use of the opportunities that abound in the nation. He advised that acquiring knowledge in higher institution of learning is not a certificate to slavery.

“Each student should look inward rather than blaming the

system for non availability of job opportunities. They should work more on how to discover their talents and explore and exploit them maximally for their betterment and that of the nation.”

The Ogun State NANS Chairman urged his colleagues not to relent on their oars in keeping public office holders on their toes so that the future of the nation would not be in jeopardy.

Avi-Cenna holds school fair, gives N3.150m to kids with cancer

BY LAJA THOMAS

I

n keeping with its tradi tion, the Avi-Cenna International School, Lagos recently treated its students to splendid entertainment to, among others, reduce the boredom of learning in the classrooms and enhance their physical fitness.

The school also reached out to children with health challenges as it presented a cheque of N3.150 million to the Children Living With Cancer Foundation (CLWCF) to assist in the treatment of kids afflicted with cancer who are on admission at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).

The Foundation supports children of the less privileged who have been diagnosed with cancer, and whose parents cannot afford to pay for the treatment their children require.

It cares for the children in conjunction with the Oncology Ward of the Pediatric Department of LUTH. At the event held at the school’s premises at the GRA, Ikeja, the Principal, Mr. David Ogburn, said the yearly School Fair is basically driven by the need to provide entertainment for the students and their parents, boost cordial relationship among students at various levels of study in the school and exhibit love for the less privileged.

The school fair which was characterized by lots of rides and games, including rock climbing and horse ridding in a carousel, dancing, raffle draw where everyone looked forward to winning a prize, also featured exhibition of various children products, including wears, toys, sunglasses, beads, and shoes by different companies.

Also around were Mozaya Classic Burgers and French Caffe, among others, to sell burgers, snacks and other delicacies.

Textbooks on various subjects were sold while interested customers availed themselves the services of participating educational companies.

The Head of the Organising Committee, Mrs. Adeolu Adesanya, said ”we do not, however, keep the fun and entertainment to ourselves, at AviCenna.

"We remember that, somewhere out there, are children who are not as privileged as we are. In our own little way, we have decided to put a smile on the faces of these children.”

36—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

Teaching staff scarcity a major problem for universities (2) P

ermit me to bring forward the chart published when the first part of this article was published. It summarises most of the problems associated with scarcity of teaching staff in Nigerian universities. The Federal government had taken the lead, as it should, in establishing universities over the years. President Jonathan alone added the following since 2011:

UNIVERSITIES ESTABLISHED IN NIGERIA SINCE 1948

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

Federal University, Gashua.

Federal University, Dutsin Ma, Katsina State Federal University, Kashere, Gombe State Federal University, Lafia, Nassarawa State Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State Federal University, Ndulu-Alike, Ebonyi State Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara State

The President also approved the upgrading of the Police Academy at Wudil to degree awarding status. All of these universities are headed by Vice Chancellors poached from other universities already suffering from shortage of lecturers and experienced university administrators. The University of Ibadan remains not only the oldest university in Nigeria, but it has been the worst victim of head hunters who need professors to head their institutions. Like the rich man in a large family of the destitute, U.I is being bled to death; so are the first generation universities nationwide.

In addition to the demand for experienced lecturers by the new from the old public universities, the private universities are also head hunting – virtually all the time. Private universities have been assisted by the mandatory retirement age imposed on public university lecturers.

No sooner do they depart from U.I or UNN or Ahmadu Bello than they re-surface elsewhere as Head of Department. Very soon, we should be able to get a grip on the number of lecturers who, after retirement from public universities end up in private universities – still able to carry out their functions with greater exposure in their disciplines.

HOW AMERICAN UNIVERSITY IN NIGERIA SOLVED THE PROBLEM

One university had solved the problem of staff scarcity in a unique way. AUN, which is far ahead of any other university in Nigeria, has faculty drawn from twenty-three (23) countries; they come from all the continents and together they are creating a truly global university. So, while, AUN also recruits lecturers from Nigeria, it casts its net all over the globe. To the best of my knowledge, no other university can boast of such a wide spectrum of lecturers from different countries.

E-teaching has become a veritable tool for making up the shortfall in teaching staff by various universities. At the moment students at the American University in Nigeria, receive lectures from teachers all over the world without leaving Yola. How, this is done will be described more fully later in this series.

Visit: www.delesobowale.com C M Y K

Chevron committed to quality education in Nigeria —Haastrup T

HE General Manager, Policy, Gov ernment and Public Affairs of Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mr. Deji Haastrup has said that Chevron is committed to improving the quality of education in the country.

Speaking in Warri at the 2013 edition Award Ceremony of the National Chemistry (Awokoya Memorial) Competition, Haastrup stressed the importance of education in the development of any country.

Speaking through the Warri Area Manager of CNL, Mr. Tunji Idowu, Haastrup stated that “The NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture is committed to contributing towards improving the quality of education in Nigeria because education is important for the development of the country. Over the years, we have demonstrated commitment to qualitative education through investments in education infrastructure, sponsorship of manpower development programs and provision of scholarships.

“Our corporate belief is that education remains a veritable tool for personal and societal growth and sustainable development. We are pleased that our contributions to education are helping to improve the ability of Nigeria to develop quality manpower in different fields.

“With the support and commitments of the Delta State Ministry of Education and the Chemical Society of Nigeria, we are sure that the Awokoya Memorial Competition in Chemistry will continue to stimulate students’ interest in the study of Chemistry and other science and technology subjects. That aspiration also underscores our commitment to the sponsorship of the Chris Ikomi Essay Competition for schools in Delta State. Apart from immortalizing the persons who these competitions are named after, they also help the students to develop their mental aptitude for their personal development and the benefit of the society.”

Principal of Avi-Cenna International School, Lagos, Mr. David Ogburn (left), Business Manager, Mr. Mahmoud Foudeh (2nd left), Chairman, Mr. Darwish Foudeh (2nd right), Head of Primary, Mrs. Adesola Adesanya (right) and the Chief Executive Officer of Children Living With Cancer Foundation, Dr. Nneka Nwobbi (third right) at the presentation of N3.150m cheque to the foundation to support treatment of the cancer-afflicted kids during the school fair held at its premises in Ikeja, Lagos

Ex-UNILAG law students celebrate former Deans with Among Giants

BY JOSEPHINE IGBINOVIA

T

HE celebration of top socialites, politicians and other high-ranking public figures has become so commonplace in societies that many of such personalities no longer revere honorary awards. However, a vital class of nation builders who work consistently- with an almost insignificant financial reward- to produce these public personalities seem to have suffered neglect. This notion set the tone for the writing of the book, Among Giants, whose official presentation drew dignitaries to the University of Lagos, UNILAG, recently.

Jointly authored by Great Nwakaibeya, Vang Begha and Adetola Onayemi, all of whom were students of the Faculty of Law, UNILAG, the book Among Giants tells the story of the lives of Deans that have shaped the Faculty of Law which is notably the most reputable in the institution, from 1962 to 2012.

The 300-page stimulating third person narrative book is enlaced with first hand narratives of the former Deans, beginning with frontline scholars like

Professor Lawrence Cecil B. Gower who headed the faculty from 1962 to 1965 and ending with Professor Oyelowo Oyewo who headed it from 2008 to 2012.

Extolling the work of the trio, Professor Oyelowo Oyewo, whose numerous achievements throughout his deanship was said to have inspired the work, emphasised the multi-tasking job of a faculty dean.

“The vision for driving the goals and objectives of every faculty, rest squarely on the dean. That is why there is a world of difference between being a professor and being a dean. I was a professor living quietly and just doing little administrative tasks before I was called upon to serve as a dean. As a dean, you have to be a multi-tasker because the job pulls you in different directions!

As a matter of fact, the administration of deanship took the whole life of the four years that I served”, Oyelowo said.

However discounting the general lack of inclination towards celebrating scholars, Oyelowo stressed that, as scholars, their joy emanated only from the success of their students.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013 —37

I N S I D E

Limitation of Court's jurisdiction in our jurisprudence — Page 39

Lawyers urged to embrace professional tools for efficiency

— Page 40

Law School at 50: Decentralization has brought diversity and challenges — Prof. Oyewo

BY DAYO BENSON

PROFESSOR Oyelowo Oyewo, the immediate Past Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, is the Chairman of the 50th Anniversary Celebration Committee of the Council of Legal Education (CLE), a former Member of the Council and the Council of the Nigerian Institute of Advance Legal Studies (NIALS).In this interview, he spoke on the Nigerian Law School at 50 taking a look at its problems , progress and prospect.

Excerpts .

A

S the Nigerian Law School celebrates its 50th Anniversary, what would you say is the significance of the celebration?

The celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Council of Legal Education (CLE) and the Nigerian Law School (NLS) is first an acknowledgement of their contributions to legal education. Second, to evolve a new paradigm in the relationship between the institutions and their Alumni. Third, to establish platform for endowments in and advancement of the NLS by the different strata of stakeholders in the NLS. Lastly to take time to acknowledge the contributions of various personalities in the establishment, operation, and growth of the institutions, and to honour some of

Professor Oyelowo Oyewo Attorneys General of the Federation and the States. Indeed, Governors like Fashola (Lagos), Suswan (Benue), Imoke (Cross River), Shema (Katsina), among others. The Federal Legislature has Speaker Tambuwal, Deputy Senate President Ekweremadu, Senate Majority Leader Ndoma Egba, House Minority Leader Gbajabiamila, to mention a few, as graduates of the NLS. Several Political Leaders passed

,

,

Graduates of the NLS have played significant roles in government, especially as Chief Law Officers/ Attorneys General of the Federation and the State

these personalities.

How would you describe the landmark achievements of the institution in the last half a century?

The first noticeable achievement is the sourcing of the legal personnel for a whole arm of government, the judiciary, almost entirely from the products of the NLS. The NBA has more than 90% of its current membership being products of the NLS. Consequently, one can ascribe the vibrancy of the legal industry in Nigeria to the enduring quality of the products of the NLS! In what ways would you say the NLS has impacted on the polity especially as it is the only institution saddled with training of lawyers?

Clearly, graduates of the NLS have played significant roles in government, especially as Chief Law Officers/

through the NLS. The polity can therefore be said to have been impacted one way or the other by the Lawyers trained by the NLS. How has the Law School fared in the last five decades, considering some of the challenges it has faced?

The NLS evolved from a mono - bicampus into a multi-campus institution, with campuses in Lagos, Abuja, Enugu, Kano, Yenegoa and Yola. From a three month course Programme, it has transformed into a full year course Programme with reviewed curriculum and teaching methodology to meet the needs of the contemporary legal industry in Nigeria.

Would you say the founding fathers of the Nigerian Law School are happy with the state of the institution?

The vision of the founding fathers to

have an institution for the training of Lawyers in Nigeria has not only been long realised but has been surpassed by the current state of development of the NLS, considering that from a single campus in Lagos 5 more campuses have been established in the last 50 years.

Some are of the view that decentralization of the Law School campuses has affected the quality of lawyers being produced; do you agree?

Of course decentralization of the NLS through the establishment of the other Campuses brought some diversity and challenges of quality assurance and control.

However, the NLS Administration has risen up to the challenges through reforms and innovations that ensures uniformity and equality of standards in all the 6 Campuses in all ramifications.

Others have advocated a complete review of the institution’s curriculum to meet present day challenges; what is your take on this?

NLS/CLE have embarked on the review of curriculum and reform of teaching methodology in the light of modern technological developments and changing nature of client needs, awareness, and legal practice. Indeed, the National Universities Commission has been constantly revising the curriculum for legal education (BMAS) and the standard of legal education is being constantly reviewed to meet the challenges of the legal industry.

In what ways would you say NLS

alumni have contributed to its development in the past 50 years?

In the past, various sets of the Alumni of the NLS have undertaken projects to improve the infrastructures in the various Campuses of NLS. However, with the 40th Anniversary celebration, the Council passed a resolution to formally institute the Alumni Association of the NLS and to establish an Endowment/Development Office to integrate the Alumni into the process of contributing to the provision of infrastructure and other developmental requirements of the institution. This is has already started yielding dividends as the various campuses have had donations and contributions from Alumni in governments and private sectors to the provision of infrastructure in their campuses.

Would you say the institution has been attracting quality hands in terms of academic staff, considering the available facilities and other incentives?

The NLS relationship with the various Universities and the NBA ensures a constant blended stream of qualified, competent, and versatile personnel in the academic and administrative staff of the institution. The terms and conditions of service of personnel is comparable to that obtainable in the various tertiary institutions, the staff are thus well motivated and incentive driven.

What next after the 50th Anniversary celebration?What is the vision for the school in the next 50 years?

The blueprint for the medium and long-term vision of the NLS is the primary concern of the Council for Legal Education (CLE). There are several projects and plans for the future and some of such projects are in the pipeline for execution through endowments, donations, and stakeholders contributions for the development of the NLS for the next 50 years.

EDITORIAL TEAM Dayo Benson (Editor) Innocent Anaba Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri

38—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

Uwechue, a brilliant jurist —Nwabueze

BY DAYO BENSON

F

ORMER Chairman of the Body of Benchers, Chief George Uwechue (SAN) has been described as a leading jurist whose brilliance shone early in life.

This assertion was made

by Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN) who was a Special Guest of Honour at the public presentation of a compendium of essays in honour of Uwechue, adding that he (Uwechue) was head and shoulders above his peers in academic performance.

Prof. Nwabueze spoke at the launching of a book, Law in Motion: Nurturing Democracy and Development – Essays in Honour of Chief George Uwechue (SAN) at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos.

Among the dignitaries at the event were former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, HM Obi (Prof.) Chukwuka Aninshi Okonjo (OFR, FNES), the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku who was the Royal Father of the Day; Justice Opesanwo of the Lagos High Court; Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode; managing director of Arik Air Mr Chris Ndulue; Mr. Norrison Quakers (SAN), and former President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).Mrs Stella Ugbomah.

Prof. Nwabueze who recalled that Uwechue was among the first students he taught at the University of London in 1960,s said: “Something that marked George out – I hope I can say this

L-R: Chief Arthur Mbanefo (CON); Mr. Charles Ajuyah (SAN), Attorney-General/Commissioner for Justice, Delta State; Chief George Uwechue (SAN), Chief Emeka Anyaoku and Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN) at the public presentation of Law in Motion: Nurturing Democracy and Development – Essays in Honour of Chief George Uwechue at NIIA, Victoria Island, Lagos recently.

without causing offence to his classmates – he was simply the best! It is not surprising to me that he distinguished himself in the legal profession.”

The legal icon commended the contributors to the book, saying the need to promote legal scholarship cannot be overemphasized.

Chairman of the occasion, Chief Arthur Mbanefo said Uwechue has contributed immensely to the growth and development of the legal profession in Nigeria, noting that as Chairman of the Body of Benchers, he singlehandedly founded the Elders Committee of the Body of Benchers to act as a stabilizing arm for the profession.

He said that following

the demise of Chief F. R. A. Williams fondly called “Timi the Law ” and consistent with Uwechue’s prodigious achievements and numerous legal precedents, the legal giant who is also the Owelle of Ogwashi-Uku in Delta State should now be called “Owelle the Law,” so as to fill the void left by late Chief Williams.

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan described Uwechue as a pride to Delta State, adding that the State is enriched by his uncommon achievements both in law and politics.

Represented by the Delta State AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Charles Ajuyah (SAN), Uduaghan said it was instructive that one of

the topics in the book dealt with climate change and human rights. He pointed out that Delta State was the only state with a climate change policy in the country.

Following a citation on Uwechue read by eminent lawyer Chief Tony Idigbe (SAN), the two-time member of the House of Representatives who rose to the exalted position of Speaker pro Tempore, received a rapturous and sustained standing ovation. He was also the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Petitions.

While the book reviewer, Prof. (Mrs.) Felicia Monye described the work as intellectually provocative and breathtaking in the breath of topics covered, the editor of the book, Prof. M. O. U.

Gasiokwu said he inspired the work even without initially seeking Uwechue’s approval as a ‘Book of Remembrance’ for the legal luminary’s “benevolent gestures” to him and many others. He added that he would still have gone ahead to coordinate the work and dedicated it to Uwechue had he been turned down, adding that the work would promote legal

scholarship and research.

Uwechue’s first daughter, Mrs. Sally Uwechue-Mbanefo who gave the vote of thanks, said the entire family was overwhelmed by the honour done to their father, thanking especially the guests, alumni of Uwechue’s chambers and members of the public presentation committee including Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN) and Mr. Chidi Ilogu (SAN), both products of the chambers, for their contributions to the success of the event.

With a Foreword by Hon. Justice Dahiru Musdapher (GCON), immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, the over 700-page book is a rare festival of ideas on such diverse subjects as human rights, money laundering, witness protection, victim remedy, collective agreements, elections, oil pollution, maritime boundaries and judicial activism, to name a few.

The book, which has 24 law professors and jurists as contributors, has been described as an apt celebration of an exceptional manager of men, a man of ideas and a jurist of the finest refinement.

Three remanded over fake NPA contract

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

A

Lagos High Court, Igbosere, has remanded three persons in prison custody, following their alleged defrauding one Mrs Lara Marire of

N26.9 million, by promising to help her secure a contract from Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) to build a 100 unit duplex at Lekki, Lagos.

The accused persons (Katchy Okoye; 38, Matthew Usong; 40 and Princewill Eze; 45) whose bail application was adjourned, are facing a 12count charge offence bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretence.

According to the charge, the defendants conspired with three others now at large to obtain the said from their victim between May 25, 2010 and May 9, 2011.

The defendants were arraigned on November 22 and the case was adjourned for hearing of bail applications on Tuesday, as the presiding judge, Justice Aishat Opesanwo, adjourned the case to December 2 for ruling on the bail applications.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013 — 39

Uweche (SAN) celebrated at book launch Law in Motion: Nurturing Democracy and Development – Essays in Honour of Chief George Uwechue (SAN) at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos. Below are some of the faces at the event

Limitation of Court's jurisdiction in our jurisprudence Who lost out?

BY PHILIPS ADU-ODOGWU

L-R: Chief George Uwechue (SAN), Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN), Mrs. Sally U w e c h u e Mbanefo and Chief Emeka Anyaoku

L-R: Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN), Mrs. Sally Uwechue-Mbanefo and Chief Emeka Anyaoku

L-R: Chief George Uwechue (SAN), Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN), Mrs. Sally Uwechue-Mbanefo and Chief Emeka Anyaoku

L-R: Mr. Charles Ajuyah (SAN), Chief George Uwechue (SAN) Mrs. Sally Uwechue-Mbanefo and Chief Arthur Mbanefo (CON)

Continued from last week

T

HIS issue of jurisdiction, as has been held over and over in the past, is very fundamental and touches the core of the competence of a court to adjudicate the claims placed before it by the litigants. Thus where a court has no jurisdiction, it lacks the competence to entertain the suit, any proceeding conducted in such suit no matter how well conducted, is a nullity.

This point was made in the case of DAPIALONG V. DARIYE (2007) 4 SC (PT 111) 118 (AT 162-163 PARA 40, 4&5-15) RESPECTIVELY. WHERE ONNOGHEN JSC STATES AS FOLLOWS: “it is settled law that jurisdiction is a radical and crucial question of competence because if a court has no jurisdiction to hear and determines a case, the proceedings are and remain a nullity ab inito however well conducted and brilliantly decided they might be since a defect in competence is not intrinsic, but extrinsic, to the entire process of adjudication.

Jurisdiction is therefore considered to be the nerve center of adjudication, the blood that gives life to the survival of an action in a court of law in the very same way that blood gives life to the human being in particular and the animal in general.”

Jurisdiction is determined by the plaintiff’s claim as formulated by the Plaintiff where the subject matter of the suit can be found and not parties in litigation.

On this point, see the cases of TUKUR V GOVERNMENT OF GONGOLA STATE (1989) 4 NWLR (PT 117) PG 517 @ PG 561 PARA B; ORTHOPEDIC HOSPITAL MANAGEMENT AND BOARD V GARBA (2002) 14 NWLR (PT 788) PG 538-564 PARA C-D; AND MUSTAPHA V GOVERNMENT OF LAGOS STATE (1987) 2 NWLR (PT 58) PG 539.

Jurisdiction of a court to adjudicate in a matter or issue is material not only at the point of filing the suit, but also at the point of hearing and determination of same see the case of O. H. M. B V. GARBA Supra.

Another very important point to note in the subject under review is the role of statutes. The courts are created by statute and the statute assigns to them their various jurisdictions. As mentioned earlier in this work, we cited the example of section 232 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which gives original jurisdiction of certain matter to the supreme court of Nigeria. In such matter, no other Court in Nigeria can entertain them except the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court in a plethoral of cases held that it is the statute creating the court that vests jurisdiction in the court. See the case of GAFER V GOVERNMENT OF KWARA STATE (2007) 1-2 189 and again the court has

also said that the law that governs the jurisdiction of courts or that gives our court jurisdiction over a particular claim is the law in force at the time of hearing and the determination of the suit. SEE NEPA V EDEGBARO (2002) 18 NWLR (PT 789). SEE ALSO OLUTOLA V. UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN (2004) 11-12SC 214.

The point we are making here is that the law which supports a cause of action is the law in force at the time the cause of action arose, whereas, jurisdiction of the court is determined by the state of the law conferring jurisdiction at the point in time the action was instituted and heard. This was the decision of the supreme court in the case of ADAH V. NYSC (2004) 7SC (PT 11) where this principle was driven home in the dictum of UWAIFO JSC as follows: “I think there is much merit in the contention of the respondent. The appellant appears to me to have misconceived the essence of a courts jurisdiction. It ought to be understood that the law which supports a cause of action is not necessarily coextensive with the law which confers jurisdiction on the court which entertain the suit founded on that cause of action. The relevant law applicable in respect of a cause of action is the law in force at the time the cause of action arose whereas the jurisdiction of the court to entertain an action is determined upon the state of the law conferring jurisdiction at the point in time the action was instituted and heard. SEE UTIH V ONOYIVWE (1991) 1 NWLR (PT 166) @ 201 PER BELLO CJN. The jurisdiction of courts in this country is conferred upon them by the constitution or by statutes as may be permitted by the constitution see OSADEBEY V ATTORNEYGENERAL OF BENDEL STATE (1991) 1 NWLR (PT 169) 525……”

The issue of jurisdiction goes to the root of the matter, where parties have failed or neglected to raise it, the court can raise it Suo Motu to do justice to the matter. On this point SEE THE CASE OF OLUTOLA V UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN SUPRA AND THE CASE OF CYRIL OSAKWE V FEDERAL COLLEGE OF EDUCATION (TECHNICAL) ASABA & ORS SUPRA. SEE ALSO THE CASE OF ADAH V. NYSC SUPRA. In conclusion, we refer you to the concurring judgment of PATSACHOLONU, JSC IN THE CASE OF OLUTOLA V UNIVERSITY OF ILLORIN @ PAGE 651. “the argument of the appellant that because the cause of action arose at the time when the State High Court where the action was later Instituted had jurisdiction therefore, regardless of the fact that before the action was taken, that like all state High Courts had been divested of jurisdiction by reason of the amendment of section 230(1) of the 1979 constitution by constitution (suspension and modification) Decree No. 107 of 1993, could still entertain the case, is rather skewed and puerile.

Continues next week

40—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

Lawyers urged to embrace professional tools for efficiency INNOCENT ANABA

M

AJORITY of Nigerian Lawyers are of the opinion that the Administration of Justice in Nigeria is very slow and inefficient. Furthermore, they opined that the inefficiency of the system is mostly as a result of the delays caused by legal practitioners. This was the result of a recent survey carried out recently and revealed at the Nigerian Bar Association’s Section on Legal Practice Conference in Makurdi, Benue State.

At the plenary session titled “Justice Delivery at the Speed of Light: Tools and Tips for the Busy Practitioner,” the MD of LawPavilion, Mr. Ope Olugasa showcased how 17 state Judiciaries and several leading Law Firms have adopted digital tools in partnership with LawPavilion to drive speedy administration of justice.

He also presented the results of an extensive survey conducted recently by the firm. Participation in the survey was exclusively limited to legal practitioners, to ensure a more informed opinion of the real issues plaguing the industry. He said 88.8 percent of Nigerian Lawyers agree that the Administration of Justice in Nigeria, especially through the Courts is very slow and inefficient, while 9.2 percent disagree. In his words, “some of the results have been what we expected, but some have been a bit shocking and quite revealing as to the actual challenges of justice delivery and administration in Nigeria.

Political influence In response to a request to list top five issues contributing to the inefficiency in the Nigerian Justice delivery through the courts, the survey highlighted what most Legal Practitioners considered as the top 10 issues responsible for the inefficiency. Olugasa expressed his surprise that almost 50% of the participants opined that the inefficiency of the system was as a result of the delays caused by legal practitioners. Following closely is the 42 percent that believe political influence on Judges and Magistrates is also a major issue, while 36.3percent said lack of thorough investigation of criminal allegations is a front burner. Other top issues raised, in descending order of contribution to the inefficiency in the system are: Insufficient number of Judges and Magistrates – 33.3 percent, Absence of ICT tools – 29.7 percent, Weak Enforcement of Judgments – 29.1 percent, Absence of Proactive Case Management by Judges and Magistrates – 26.2 percent, Absence of Effective and Thorough Appraisal of Judges – 23.2 percent and Sharp Practices by Legal

Practitioners – 21.8 percent. He said the percentage contribution of the issues would not sum to 100 percent since each participant was to pick 5 issues.

A survey participant was quoted thus: “There should be multiple approaches to delays caused by legal practitioners. These approaches will include: (a) General restructuring of the nature of law offices to eliminate sole practitionership and build up chambers with many active associates/partners. At present, though we have large number of lawyers graduating every year, there is no corresponding impact on speedy determination of cases.

The absence of effective partnership and large number of sole practitioners translates into delays the moment the practitioner becomes indisposed or for any reason is not able to come to court on time. The result is an adjournment.” Olugasa, although while not totally agreeing with the view of the participant, believes the underlying issue to be looked at is that of capacity by law firms, as many of them are obviously overwhelmed with volume of work.

In LawPavilion’s characteristic way of innovatively crafting solutions for the Legal Industry, Ope Olugasa swiftly itemised and highlighted a few tips and possible solutions to some of the main issues expunged by the survey.

Pointing the audience’s attention to the fact that Lawyers spend 60 to 70 percent of their time on Legal Research, Olugasa demonstrated how the use of electronic search engines and e-library platforms like LawPavilionin conducting legal research while preparing for cases will help save valuable time and increase speed of legal research.

He said LawPavilion Search Engine, widely acknowledged as the leading provider of electronic law report and legal research service in Nigeria, searches across 44 years consolidated index scanning through over 9,000 judgments of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, over 300 Laws of the Federation and Civil Procedure Rules of the Courts. He said, with over 80,000 principles of law covering several legal areas, it’s performance and efficiency cannot be compared to manual search. Assuring the audience of the Nigerian Judiciary’s acceptance of Electronic Law Reports, he said the LawPavilion Electronic Law report, fully paginated and paragraphed, is extensively cited in both the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal as LPELR. An example is the case of Chief S.S. ObarovsAlhaji Sale Hassan, delivered on 22nd February 2013 by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

Since the world is becoming a global village, Mr Olugasa recommends that Judges and

•Mr. Ope Olugasa Legal Practitioners need to be abreast of how other jurisdictions like Ghana and Tanzania have used proactive case management and application of robust Rules of Court to change the face and wave of justice delivery in their countries since 1999, in the case of Tanzania.

In addition, he revealed that the company recently launched a Case

Management System for Nigerian lawyers and Judges at the International Bar Association Conference, held in Boston, Massachusetts, United States in October 2013.Explaining further, the LawPavilion Case Management System ensures full compliance with global best practice Project Management

processes listed as: Initiation, Planning, Execution, Monitoring and Control and Closing. It also monitors cases and helps to stay abreast of all intricate details such as Cause List, task list management, Timer/Billing, etc, and even plots a graph of resource allocation to each case file in the office, measuring staff performance to drive efficiency.

Perhaps, the high point of the event was when Mr. Olugasa focused on the Criminal Justice System by demonstrating the new LawPavilion IPO/DPP ADVISORY SYSTEM, designed to eliminate the incessant blame passing between the DPP’s office and the Nigerian Police on the issue of DPP’s advice. The software solution allows the Public Prosecution department of Ministries of Justice to fully integrate with the Investigating Police Officers, providing them with templates for effective capture of the essential ingredients of crime and monitors the request for advice, escalating any delay to superior officers in the Ministry of Justice He said that Lawpavilion is willing to partner with Ministries of Justice that intends implementing this solution.

Appeal Court reserves judgment on N66m suit involving bank

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

T

HE Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, has reserved judgment in an appeal filed by Nigerian Bank for Commerce and Industry (NBCI), challenging decision of the Federal High Court in awarding damages of N66 million to Dauphin Nigeria Limited.

It will be recalled that Justice Abdulkadir Abdul-Kafarati of the Federal High Court, Lagos, in its judgment delivered on August 4, 2008 awarded damages against the defendant (NBCI) in the sum of N66, 040, 000 and costs of N20, 000.

The lower court also ordered that the Plaintiff/Respondent (Dauphin Nigeria Limited) Title documents to a Property in Owerri unlawfully detained and held by the Defendant be returned to the Plaintiff.

Having reviewed the evidence and submissions of counsel in the suit, the lower court identified four issues for determination and resolved all in favour of the Plaintiff/Respondent.

The four Issues were: “Whether a banker/customer relationship exists between the plaintiff and the defendant; Whether there was a privity of contract between the plaintiff and the defendant over the issue of Confirmed Bank

Guarantee; Whether the Defendant is in breach of its contractual obligation which it assumed and accepted as bank on the plaintiff and whether the defendant is in negligence in the conduct of its affairs in relation to the plaintiff within the facts of the transaction.”

Dissatisfied with the Federal High Court judgment, NBCI filed an appeal at the appellate court, urging it to set aside judgment of the lower court.

However, counsel to the Plaintiff/Respondent, Dr. Joseph Abugu, argued that the judgment of the lower court was well founded on the pleading of parties, the evidence led and proved before the lower court.

Abugu urged the court to uphold the judgment of the lower court, and prayed the court to grant the Respondent’s Cross appeal on the issue and measure of damages.

He argued that the lower court’s judgment was given in naira value whereas the Plaintiff had claimed damages in both US dollars and Nigerian naira, adding that the Defendant/ Appellant had issued an international bank guarantee without confirmation, which they promised to ratify whatever was wrong but failed to do so.

The Plaintiff/Respondent counsel contended that it was an

error for the lower court to determine the amount payable to the Plaintiff at the exchange rate obtainable in 1990. He also sought the intervention of the court on the payment of interest due on the judgment sum prejudgment and post judgment.

Abugu concluded that the general damages of N5 million was insufficient, noting that N66 million damage does not satisfy a transaction that lasted for 15 years.

Counsel to Defendant/ Appellant, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo SAN, argued that the lower court erred in ordering NBCI to pay the Respondent for goods allegedly exported and shipped from Nigeria by the Respondent.

Oyetibo pointed out that the alleged goods exported was in violation of the provisions of the Sales Agreement, stating “the Sales Agreement itself expired January 1992 while the purported export took place in August 19, 1993 as evidenced by Bill of Lading (Exhibit 14).”

After listening to argument of both counsels, the presiding judge, Justice Amina Adamu Augie, assured parties that ambiguities in the matter would be extracted and the court would enter judgment on the crux of the matter, which date shall be communicated to parties.

Vanguard, THURSD AY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013 —41 THURSDA

Beware of ‘safe’ medications that cause blood pressure to rise

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• From left: Bola Fashola, Regional Director for Internationl Association of African NGO's, with Moni Ani, Monique Ltd and Lawretta Sam-Ogrih, during the 5th anniversary of Allure Vanguard Women On Wellness[, WOW Seminar, held in Lagos weekend. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

O make sure your medication for high blood pressure is working effectively, you may need to avoid certain other drugs because, experts say some medicines can make blood pressure rise.

Some medications interact with blood pressure medicine. This can prevent either drug from working properly.

Common types of drugs that can make already high blood pressure worse include Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs,NSAIDs. These are prescription and over-thecounter medications used to relieve pain or reduce

MWAN partners Delta, Pfizer against pneumonia

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NEUMOCOCCAL disease caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. It is a leading cause of vaccine preventable illness and death in Nigeria.

While anyone can get pneumococcal disease, people 65 years and older and young children are more at risk.

The disorder kills one out of 20 people who get it. Although potentially fatal pneumoniapreventable by appropriate vaccination.

. In Nigeria, pneumonia is the biggest killer of children aged five years and below.

Towards tackling the menace of pneumococcal disorders in Delta State and environs, the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria,MWAN, Delta State Chapter in collaboration with the Delta State government and Pfizer, Nigeria and East African Region, recently embarked on awareness campain to herald the 2013 World Pneumonia

Day At the event, Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Otumara, decried the effect of the disorder, noting that about 155 million children below five years are afflicted yearly by pneumonia globally.

Represented by Dr. Minnie Osaji of the Primary Healthcare/ Disease Control Unit in the ministry, Otumara listed measures to prevent pneumonia to include promoting adequate nutrition,

adequate breast feeding, and adequate ventilation of homes, among others.

President, MWAN, Delta State Chapter, Dr. Vivian Omo Aghoja, said the World Pneumonia Day was held to raise awareness on the dangers of pneumonia and the importance of pneumococcal vaccine. High point of the occasion was the donation of the “Talking Books” on pneumonia prevention to the Ministry of Health by Pfizer.

inflammation from conditions such as arthritis. However, NSAIDs can make the body retain fluid and decrease the function of kidneys. This may cause blood pressure to rise even higher, putting greater stress on the heart and kidneys.

Many cough and cold medications contain NSAIDs to relieve painand decongestants which may prevent blood pressure medication from working properly.

What can you do? Avoid using cough and cold medicine that contains NSAIDs or decongestants, especially pseudoephedrine.

Also beware of some migraine medications that work by tightening blood vessels in the head. This relieves migraine pain, but constrict blood vessels throughout the body. This makes blood pressure rise, perhaps to dangerous levels.

Some weight loss drugs and appetite suppresants can make blood pressure rise and put more stress on the heart. These medications can be useful for weight loss, but may do you more harm than good. Be sure any medications you choose to use are safe for people who have high blood pressure.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

H

ELLO everybody and welcome to our unveil ing of more new products. Today, we will start with a new supplement for erectile dysfunction called Rock Hard Weekend. Like many of our top supplements, Rock Hard Weekend is an all-natural erection enhancer for men who experience partial or total erection loss. Men of all ages can use it and in addition to giving you very firm erections, it also increases your sex drive and the stamina to have sex several times within a short while. Rock Hard Weekend also ensures that you don’t have to wait for too long after ejaculating the first time before another erection comes around. Within minutes of ejaculating, you will get another erection. One pill of Rock Hard Weekend is fast acting and starts working as early as 30 minutes after taking it. One pill remains active in your body for three days so it is a wonderful formula that you only have to take every four days or twice a week.

Rock Hard Weekend also comes in different packages so that if you cannot afford to buy the pack that will last you for a month, you can buy half a pack that will last you for two weeks. This is good news for all men that want a more affordable but effective erection enhancer.

Next on the list of new products is Sex Shots Black Cherry, a sexual performance drink for men who simply lack the energy to go the distance. Sex Shots Black Cheery is fruit flavored, all natural and safe. It will give you the energy for hours of sexual performance especially after a long day at work.

As you all know, we always stress the importance of sex education. Nigeria as a country does not have the necessary structures through which comprehensive sex education can be taught to adults who need it. So we always try to bring in books that we can all learn from. Two of such books that just arrived are Sex Positions you never thought were possible and the G Spot and Female Ejaculation book. Both books are well done, easy to understand and full of images

that properly illustrate the points being made. Sex is after all very practical in nature. Let us now answer a few questions from our readers.

I need a solution to premature ejaculation. I cannot satisfy a woman and I also lose my erection during sex sometimes – Moses Moses quick ejaculation is a common experience that haunts a lot of men. But it can be brought under control with a variety of means. You can solve it with e delay cream like the Rock Hard Delay Cream or with a penis sleeve such as the Nasstoys Penis Extender.

And then to avoid losing your erection, wear a Cockring during intercourse. A Cockring is a simple but effective device that prevents erection loss. An example is the new O Wow Cockring. But since you are experiencing weak erection as well, I recommend one product that handles all these problems and that product is Rhino 5. Rhino 5 gives strong erections, delays ejaculation, enlarges the penis and gives performance stamina. One capsule works for four days. So it is perfect for you and adult men of all ages – Uche I have received my Power Stud vibrator. I am not a loud mouth but I had my first orgasm last night and I just had to testify. I like it – Grace Hello sir. Please what will you recommend for a newly married couple that want to have a long lasting successful romantic relationship? Thanks – Isaac Isaac I recommend the educational movie How to be a Better Lover by Wicked pictures. It will help both of you in many ways – Uche I took Rhino 5 last night. Good stuff. I want three more bottles. Well done - Mark That’s it for today. Adults in need of these treatments/ novelties can call 08027901621 or 08051924159 or any other number here. They can also order them online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com. We deliver to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries, email us at custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

42—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

Anambra and Imo, the SouthEast and South-South could not be said to have strong presence of the opposition. But given that Rivers accounts for about 2,419,057 voters out of the 8,937,057 registered voters in the South-South, the loss of the state is enough to give the PDP sleepless nights.

Also, in the North-East, analysts have argued that the exit of the five governors might have little or no impact on PDP’s prospects, as the party is known to be in firm control of party structures in Taraba, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe and Gombe states. The only state where the opposition control in the zone is Adamawa, where former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Governor Murtala Nyako come from.

NASS equation

Can APC be ignored?

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

H

AVING prided itself as the largest political party in Africa, it was not a surprise that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, dismissed the defection of five of its seven aggrieved governors to the All Progressives Congress, APC, as a non-issue. ‘’The presidency does not feel threatened; the PDP does not feel threatened. PDP is the party to beat. We have had it before; even people who occupied higher offices left the party and came back to the party. Outside, there is nothing, PDP is the only party.

It is good that they have shown the world that they have taken a stand so that PDP will not be distracted,” Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Ahmed Gulak, said in response to the development.

Needed geo-political spread Contrary to Gulak’s view, the development is an issue that can threaten the PDP’s electoral strangle-hold and pretending that the defection of five state governors to the APC does not constitute any threat may be suicidal for the ruling party.

How? Obviously, the development has altered

political equations across the country and the polity is expected to witness switching of loyalty and defections by party faithful in the days ahead.

The implication of this is that the numerical strength and spread upon which the party derived its acclaimed status, have been reduced, making it to almost be on same numerical page with the APC. Accordingly, the development has left the PDP with 18 governors, while APC has 16. The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, and Labour Party, LP, have one each.

The APC now has the geopolitical spread needed to pursue its electoral objectives, given that unlike the PDP, it has a foothold in all the geopolitical zones—a situation some analysts described as unhealthy for the PDP, which does not have a governor in the South-West zone.

Besides, the North-West and the South West, which have the highest voting population in the country, are not under the PDP’s control. The North-West which is the home base of Vice President Namadi Sambo and Major General Muhammudu Buhari (rtd) may in the days to come, witness a very strong presence of the APC, thereby dimming PDP’s hope of securing huge votes from the

zone in the 2015 general elections.

Numerical implications: Statistically, the zone has about 18,900, 543 registered voters.

A breakdown of the figures showed that Sokoto is believed to have 2, 065,508 voters; Kano has 5,135, 415 while Jigawa has 1,852,698, voters.

In the North Central with the numerical voting strength of about 7,675,369 registered voters, Kwara State accounts for 1,115,665 voters.On the

strength of this, PDP’s dominance of the region is now under threat following the loss of Kwara to the APC and membership of former Nassarawa State governor, Alhaji Adamu Abdullahi of the party. This is why the zone can no longer be regarded as an exclusive preserve of the PDP, though the party is believed to be unshaken in Benue and Kogi states.

Apart from Rivers State,

The equation is likely to be altered in the National Assembly where previously the PDP had the majority of lawmakers. While the Senate might remain under the party’s control, the PDP could lose its majority in House of Representatives.

In the Senate the APC, before the defections had 34 senators, while the PDP had 71. But now, APC has 49 senators, PDP 56, APGA 1 and LP 3.

Before now, the PDP had 208 lawmakers in the House out of which 57 pledged allegiance to the defunct New PDP, while the APC had 107 members. With legislators from the affected states likely to defect to the APC alongside their state governors, the opposition would end up having 194 members, thereby leaving PDP with 1147 legislators in the lower chamber.

2015: Anambra is a lesson for us — Ikeazor, APC national women leader Ms Sharon Ikeazor is the protem national women leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC. Ikeazor was recently in Lagos for a town hall meeting with the women wing of the Southwest zone of the party. On the fringes of the meeting she spoke on the quest of the party to wrest control of the Federal Government, the role of women in the move among other things. Excerpts:

BY DAPO AKINREFON

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PC women were tear gassed by Police during their protest, what is your take on that?

It just shows you the impunity that we are talking about in Nigeria. It shows that we don’t have a right to protest anymore.

It is totally wrong for the Police to tear gas the women. The police should make sure that we have security but we that are having a peaceful protest are being tear gassed, this has to stop in Nigeria.

From the voters’ register, it was realized that more women registered for the election than the men. Don’t you think if there had been a female candidate, she would have emerged the winner of the election?

Precisely. The problem is that we women are not yet united. The essence of this town hall meeting is for us to unite. You know we are three merging parties from the state level to the ward level. We decided to hold this town hall meeting for us to unite.

Our strength is in our numbers, we are Continues on page 43

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013—43

Whither PDP in S/west THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has almost perpetually been in crisis. Its fate can only be worsened by the defection of the nPDP to the APC.

BY DAPO AKINREFON

F

INALLY, the G7 governors alongside other aggrieved members of the factional People’s Democratic Party, PDP, have pitched tent with the All Progressives Congress, APC. With this development, the political equation in the country and indeed in the south west geopolitical zone is expected to change.

Former governors of Osun and Ekiti States, Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Engineer Segun Oni were leading lights in the nPDP before last Tuesday’s celebrated merger.

The two men are remarkably some of the PDP chieftains closest to former President

removed from office to the benefit of the APC. But even within the PDP, the two men were also persons of contention and it is remarkable that the crisis that has bedeviled the PDP in Abuja since 2012 was largely inspired from the crisis in the Southwest.

Some party stakeholders in the Southwest had following the national convention of 2012 taken the party to court alleging that Oyinlola was not validly elected as national secretary of the party.

Last January, the court had given vent to their prayer only for a superior court to reverse the prayer few weeks ago.

Though reinstated, the interim South west leadership in conjunction with the national

,

The prospect of Tinubu sitting beside Obasanjo today or speaking on a book written in his honour is still befuddling observers Olusegun Obasanjo who is known to have until recently been the patron of the PDP in the Southwest.

Obasanjo’s antagonism towards the leaders of the APC in the Southwest is a tale that has been told and retold in the region.

It is instructive that Obasanjo was reportedly instrumental to the decision of two of the G7 governors to pull back from joining the APC. However, given Obasanjo’s own well reported discomfort with the present leadership of the PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan himself, many are watching to see how far Obasanjo could go to get his pound of flesh from those presently in control of the PDP. It is in this light that curiosity would be much raised in Abeokuta today at the launch of the book, “Obasanjo: President of all Presidents.” Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the national leader of the APC has been slated to attend the book launch as Chief Launcher, a development that has set several tongues wagging.

Remarkably, the event has been slated for the Obasanjo Presidential Library.

The prospect of Tinubu sitting beside Obasanjo today or speaking on a book written in his honour is still befuddling observers.

The two men were also known to be some of the most rabid opponents of the APC in the region, having both been

•Oyinlola and Akande

,

secretariat, however, refused to accept the ruling.

The acting chairman, Caretaker Committee, South West PDP, Engr. Adedeji Doherty was blunt

•Obasanjo in his rejection of the ruling and Oyinlola’s claim as being the

2015: Anambra

PDP’s national scribe.

“It is height of self-delusion for Oyinlola and his co-travellers to imagine that he would return as the National Secretary of our great party, the PDP when a Motion for Stay of Execution has been filed at the Court of Appeal and there is a pending appeal against (same) at the Supreme Court.”

Doherty further argued that since Oyinlola has left the party for the nPDP and on the basis of which he and some of his loyalists were suspended by the Osun State chapter of the party.

He further wondered where

is a

lesson for us — Ikeazor Continues from page 42 going to be a formidable force within the political party.

As women, we constitute 51 per cent of the population and as it has been pointed out, majority of registered voters are women. So, we want to use that numeric strength to bring about victory for the APC because APC is bringing about that change for us women.

Beyond bringing victory for the APC, 2015 is around the corner, what will the women be asking for in terms of positions?

We are already preparing our female aspirants. We have started organising training and workshop for female aspirants who are going to run in the 2015 general elections.

We have local government elections going on and we have been preparing women who have been running. In 2015, we will see an increase in the number of women running for elective positions on the APC platform.

What are the chances of APC in 2015?

Our chances are bright. APC is a conglomerate. Think of the strength of the defunct CPC, ACN and ANPP, with these three together, our chances are very bright.

Do you have fears that INEC may not live up to expectation in 2015?

No! We are going to have our party agents, who will protect our votes. Protection of votes is key and we are already training our polling unit agents, both male and female.

But in the case of Anambra, the APC in a statement recently said they were not given accreditation for the agents to be used..

(Cuts in) this is all part of the problem we went through with INEC, which we will not allow in 2015. Anambra election has shown us what INEC might do in 2015 and so we will start working now to prevent it.

•Ikeazor What is the party going to do to ensure it wins election in the South East where it is not too strong?

I am from Anambra State. APC is a new party for them in the Southeast but by the time they see the members of the interim

Oyinlola sought to return, “is it as the National Secretary of a party he voluntarily left or as the National Secretary of his outlawed and illegal group? Why do they want to reap when they did not have the patience for harvest to come? If they knew they had a good case, why did they jump ship?”.

Though Oyinlola was at the Kano State Governor’s Lodge where the pact between the nPDP and the APC officials was sealed he, however, has not come out to formally stake his position. Is he abandoning his claim as the authentic National Secretary of the PDP as was recently confirmed by the Court of Appeal?

Oni on his part was not present at the meeting and associates of the former governor, however, preferred to play safe on the development when contacted on the proposed merger.

Vanguard reliably gathered that Oni, who was in Lagos at a function, received the news of the merger as every other Nigerian.

This development, Vanguard was told, did not go down with Oni, who is sitting on the fence on the matter.

Undoubtedly, the development is of no benefit to the PDP. It is bound to further worsen the fate of the party which has been struggling to find its footing in the region.

NEC and members of the APC who are from the South east,, they will buy into it. That is why I am doing town hall meetings to sensitize people.

Once they know that their people are part of the APC, they will join.

A P G A started by playing regional politics by saying that APGA was for the Igbos.

No party is for one tribe.

I was the national women leader of the CPC and I am from Anambra. We just have different ideologies, you have family members in one party and you be in another. We should not play regional politics.

I grew up in Lagos but I am Igbo.

44—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

Oshiomhole inaugurates probe panel on suspended council exco

Council boss lauded on devt programmes

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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HAIRMAN of Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, Mr. Rotimi Rahmon, has been commended for his provision of qualitative and affordable education, quality health care and empowerment of the aged, youth and women of the area.

Rahmon, who was commended at the town hall meeting in the council, said he appreciated the people's understanding, support and cooperation, adding that it had made it possible for him to transform the community.

He said he had rehabilitated various health centres and purchased medical ambulances to enhance quick response to emergency.

ENIN— GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has inaugurated a panel of inquiry to probe the suspended Chairman, Vice Chairman and Councillors of Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state, who allegedly travelled to Italy without permission.

He said government’s action was in line with the Local Government Act. The governor said: “We are founded as a government on the principle of social democracy, accountability, transparency and above all, respect for the electorate.

“We depend on votes, we don’t depend on any rigging machine and we know for a fact that for us to attract the votes government must function and it functions better when the three tiers of government complement one another.

“And with the state government and the local governments working together, we are better able to deliver services to our people.

Spelling Bee

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AMPERS Private School’s Literary Week came to an end with the annual Spelling Bee competition.

Eshiotse Itemuagbon emerged from higher grade 4 to 6 category as overall winner.

Other winners include Vitalis Etim, Anozie Chidera and Oderinde Makinde Semiloore, who won in their grades 1, 2 and 3, respectively.

Pupils also entertained parents, faculty and guests with poetry, news reading, drama and cultural presentations.

The ‘crime’

“However, it is now a matter of public secret that the

Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Councillors of Orhionmwan council left the country allegedly to Italy all at the same time without anybody’s permission.

“I only got to know of it when I was watching news on television and saw people protesting

that the entire government was out of the country.

“I made some preliminary checks and found that there was some truth in it.

“In line with the Local Government Act, when a local government official has misbehaved, we are obliged in

FG promotes 2,672 civil servants

BY OKEY NDIRIBE

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O fewer than 2,672 federal civil servants have been promoted to the directorate level by the Federal Civil Service Commission. This followed the promotion examinations held for them earlier in the year.

Dr. Joel Oruche, Head, Press and Public Relations, Federal Civil Service Commission, in a statement, said that 4,493 officers participated in the 2013 promotion exercise for the Directorate levels (14-16), adding that out of this number, 2,672 were successful, representing 59.57 percent.

Oruche said that the number and percentage of officers, who got elevated after this year ’s promotion examinations, was significantly higher

than that of previous years.

He traced this to certain positive measures that were introduced during the screening process for officers, thereby accommodating more of them for elevation to the

A

SABA— FORMER Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Dr. Olisa Imegwu, has expressed fears that the 2015 governorship slot might elude the people of Delta North senatorial district due to what he described as “selfish interests.”

He spoke in Asaba, even as

the leadership of the newly revived Urhobo Political Forum, UPF, said they were repositioning for 2015.

According to the former Speaker, “how prepared are the people of North for the 2015 governorship race to take their turn?

“They can’t because some of the major aspirants have sowed the seeds of our disunity. They

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI— DELTA State Deputy Governor, Professor Amos Utuama, has described the late Madam Obireyibo Amori as a virtuous woman, who scored many firsts in her lifetime.

He noted that the late mother of Chief Ighoyota

have decapitated strong personalities that are clannish, selfish and subservient.

“Subservient because even if they win, they will not serve Delta North’s interest.”

National Publicity Secretary of the newly-revived UPF, Chief Ejaife Odebala, said the group would be playing a vital role in determining the next governor of the state.”

Amori, the Senior Political Adviser to Delta State Governor left behind great legacies worthy of emulation, saying that she was the first woman to send her son to college and abroad for study from the Jesse community, Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state.

Utuama, during the burial ceremony of late Madam Amori in Jesse community, said that the deceased took the lead in farming, which he said was an attribute that was in line with the state government’s policy of developing Delta without oil.

He said: “She was also a great trader, and we were told that she was a great woman of God. “I want to tell Chief Ighoyota Amori and the entire family to be consoled because their mother has done all she was supposed to have done.”

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

directorate level.

He said that 1,229 officers were promoted to the directorate level in the year 2012 out of 4,034 that sat for the examination, representing 30.6 percent.

Utuama eulogises Amori's late mother

My fears about 2015 Delta guber— Ex-Speaker

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

law to set up an inquiry to give those who are accused of wrongdoing the opportunity to explain themselves.

“In accordance with the law, the House of Assembly has approved the suspension, while this inquiry is on, initially for a period of two months.”

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

On nPDP, APC merger

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WENTY-three governors do not equal 23 states. You will soon discover that our friend from Rivers State made a mistake. APC is not a better alternative to PDP. The G-7’s best bet was to remain in PDP and be an alternative viewpoint. — Miss Anasithesia Ezeka, Secretary.

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HE merger will mean anything but good for the ordinary Nigerian. All the G-7 want is power. It wasn’t forthcoming so they have done what any selfish Nigerian will do.

We must fight for ourselves if we want changes. — Mr. Chinedu Chinweoda, Supervisor.

T

HE battle line has been drawn. The implication of this is that we are likely to witness politics of intimidation and blackmail ahead of 2015.

It also means Jonathan might lose the 2015 polls if this gang up works. — Miss Udeaku Nwazota, Worker.

M

ANY have stolen Nigeria’s wealth for themselves and their family and evidence cannot be established against them for the law to take its course. If this merger will make Nigeria and the citizen better people, so be it.

— Mr. Eyinna Okpani, Student.

I

T has been my wish that a reasonable opposition emerge and I do hope that this present arrangement will work out. Let avarice and greed be put aside to make for the success of this formation. It might just be what Nigeria needs. — Mr. Ben Onyekachi, Banker.

T

HE G-7, PDP and APC are all the same.

APC cannot give us anything in 2015? We are watching all of them. God will not let Nigeria down.

It is always good if politics can be like this so that they will not be taking us for granted. — Miss Ogbue Immaculate, Reporter.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013—45

Kidnapping: Bring JTF to our community, Olomu people beg FG

Commissioner tasks Bayelsa youths on Ijaw native attire

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

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BY AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE

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ARRI—WORRIED by the recent upsurge in kidnapping in Olomu Kingdom of Ughelli-South Local Government Area, Delta State, the people of the area have called on the federal and state governments to urgently setup a unit of the Joint Task Force, JTF, in Oviri-AlobaOvwodokpokpo and Okpavuerhe axis of the kingdom to block exit routes used by the kidnappers.

The kingdom, in statement

by HRM Ovie, R.L. Ogbon, Ogoni-Oghoro I, the Ohworode of Olomu; Olorogun M. Ovbagbedia, the Otota of Olomu Kingdom and Olorogun John Ewenede, Chairman Communique Drafting Committee, at the end of a security meeting of the communities at Ohworode palace, said: “After an exhaustive discussion of the issue involved - security challenges facing the kingdom, the following resolutions were reached: “That the Olomu people strongly condemn criminality in its entirety including kidnapping. That the recent kidnapping of a 76-year-old woman, Mrs. Otiti Esegba, from her house in AkperheOlomu; the kidnapping of Dr. Richard Kofi of OkpareOlomu in Ughelli and another woman from Ovwodokpokpo-Olomu, are totally condemnable and unacceptable.”

Hygeia HMO unveils website

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YGEIA HMO, a health insurance provider in Nigeria, has officially unveiled its new w e b s i t e , www.hygeiahmo.com, aiming to enhance customer experience and position itself as the provider of choice for healthcare solutions of international standards.

The website reflects Hygeia HMO’s newly refreshed corporate identity.

Some of the key features of the website include a new portal for the company’s clients, enrollees and providers with easy navigations, the provider network, various healthcare plans and health tips and the recently launched care lines.

RALLY: Members of Grassroots Development Initiative along New G.R.A, jubilating over the exit of Governor Rotimi Amaechi from Peoples Democratic Party, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.

Leadership crisis rocks Delta community zAs youths reject nominations into KHRDC

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—THERE is tension in Koko community, Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State, as youths from the area, yesterday, disagreed with the purported nomination of persons into the Koko Human Resource Development Council, KHRDC, by the Koko Council of Elders.

The elders had inaugurated 12 persons as members of the Koko Human Resource Development Council, following the expiration of the tenure of the former executive, but the youths vowed to resist any attempt to impose people they described as “fake” on KHRDC. The former spokesman of KHRDC, Mr. David Atie, who addressed newsmen in Benin City, Edo State, faulted the nom-

ination, saying that there were unresolved issues within the 7 families that make up the community, describing the purported inauguration, which according to him was masterminded by some persons who are bent on creating division and crisis in the community, as illegal.

“If you look at the names they published, some of them are not the true representatives of their families and these are issues we have been trying to sort out for a long time since the expiration of our tenure because we want the right thing to be done. We don’t want a situation where, at the end of the day, there will be disagreement and crisis in the community.

“What happened was that some persons purportedly wrote some names which

they gave to the elders and at the end of the day, changed the names they originally gave to the elders and published same, trying to deceive our elders and misinform the public and oil companies in the area.

“Some of us served in the former executive and we are not power drunk, but all we are asking for is that the proper thing be done. These issues are being discussed, so that the right persons who will represent the families will emerge. Unfortunately, some people tried to deceive the public and that is causing crisis in the community now. We are advising oil companies and other stakeholders to disregard the purported inauguration as that can only be done after the contending issues have been resolved,” he declared.

Oshiomhole commissions 8.5km road, school in Igbanke youths," stressing that the

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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ENIN—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, has commissioned an 8.5 km inter-city road in Igbanke, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the state, just as he awarded the contract for another 2.5km road in the community.

The road which covers Osagie Street, Hospital Road, Igbunku, Oligie and Olobu Streets is 150mm thick, 7.5m wide with side drains on both sides.

Addressing members of the community during the commissioning, Governor Oshiomhole said: “In the administration of justice, God has used this community to produce eminent jurists. This community has pro-

duced and is producing very senior military officers, who have committed their lives in defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria, not only in the past but even now. In truth, our people have suffered needlessly because of the greed of leadership.”

He also approved another 2.5km road to be constructed in Igbanke community.

The governor commissioned a reconstructed five blocks of 3 classrooms each at Igbanke Mixed Secondary School.

While commissioning the reconstructed school with the state of the art facilities, Oshiomhole said: “The only way we can secure our tomorrow is to invest on the

youths are the leaders of tomorrow.

ENAGOA—YOUTHS in Bayelsa State have been urged to adopt the state government's policy of putting on Ijaw native attireS every Friday.

The state Commissioner for Culture and Ijaw National Affairs, Dr. Felix Tuodolo, made the appeal during a seminar at Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education, Sagbama.

The seminar, with the theme, Refining the Crude Minds of the Youth Through Cultural Sustenance, was held jointly for students of Niger Delta University, Amassoma and Isaac Jasper Boro College of Education.

Tuodolo, who urged the students to always put on their native attires to school on Fridays, pointed out that dressing was an important component of Ijaw language both at school and in their respective homes.

He said: “You should strive to put on your native attires every Friday and also speak the Ijaw language at school and home.

Our language is unique, so we should be proud to speak it always. Without culture, we are lost as a people, so we must endeavour to dress in our native attires and speak our language.”

In his remarks, the Provost of Isaac Boro College of Education, Prof Saviour Agoro, represented by the Deputy Provost, Dr. Marcus Emmanuel Seiyefa, emphasized the importance of culture and the speaking of Ijaw language. He advised the students to appreciate their culture and be proud to speak their language.

Utuama urges PDP faithful to remain steadfast

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—THE commissioner representing Ughelli South, Udu and Uvwie Local Government Areas on the board of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Mr. Festus Utuama, has charged faithful of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to remain steadfast and committed to the ideals of the party.

Utuama, when he hosted the party ’s ward chairmen in Ughelli South council, noted that the administration of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan has performed well, particularly in the implementation of its three-point agenda.

He described the ward chairmen as dedicated and faithful servants of PDP, urging them to sustain their love for the party.

Utuama said that he also belonged to the grassroots, adding, “I was only promoted to serve the grassroots better.”

46—Vanguard , THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

No controversy over my appointment, says NAUTH CMD

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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MUAHIA—THE Chief Medical Director of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, NAUTH, Nnewi, Professor Anthony Igwegbe, has explained that there was no controversy in his appointment by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Igwegbe also said there was no crisis of any kind in the teaching hospital as the administration, according to him, has made tremendous success in service delivery and infrastructure in the hospital.

He said his explanation became necessary, following a recent media report suggesting that controversy trailed his appointment as the CMD of the hospital.

Prof. Igwegbe said he emerged through due process, stressing that the records were available at the Presidency and federal ministry of health for anybody in doubt to verify.

AnyiamOsigwe book for public presentation today

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AGOS—THE Anyiam Osigwe foundation’s 2013 Anyiam Osigwe lecture series would feature a book presentation written in honour of the late patriarch of the Anyiam-Osigwe family.

Coordinator-General of the foundation, Mr. Michael Anyiam-Osigwe, said the book, titled Emmanuel Onyechere Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe: A Life of Truth and Honour, A friend’s Testimony , was written by Chief Femi Coker.

His words: ‘’‘Chief Femi Coker has remained our father and very supportive of our family and the foundation was set up in the memory of his friend.

Our father and Chief Coker’s friendship also underscores the fact that friendship does not know ethnic or religious colouration.

“It is about shared values and ideals. We are grateful to Chief Coker, a worthy Nigerian from Yoruba speaking part of the country for writting a book on his friend.”

Ministry staff demand Wike, perm sec’s sack over N900m unpaid allowances

BY LAIDE AKINBOADE

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BUJA—PROTESTING staff of Education Ministry, and colleagues from other ministries who were in sympathy, have demanded for the immediate removal of the supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, and permanent secretary, Dr. MacJohn Nwaobiala, for failure of the ministry to pay their promotion allowances since 2007.

The money, according to the protesting workers, is over N900 million and has been released by the Federal Government.

Secretary of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Comrade Isaac Ojemhenka, who spoke to journalists, at the entrance of the ministry, said if by next Monday their grievances were not addressed, they would take further steps.

Addressing the protesting workers, Supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, however, assured the protesting

workers that he would take immediate measures to address the issue.

He said it was only on Monday, November 25, that the workers directly wrote to him, explaining that he immediately took action by directing the permanent

secretary to address the issues raised by them.

Wike said: “The workers as senior civil servants are aware that I have no direct inter-face with them on the issues of promotion arrears which falls directly under the purview of the ministry’s management

headed by the permanent secretary.

“I am addressing you here out of respect for our workers. I received your letter yesterday and immediately directed that action be taken by the permanent secretary and the ministry’s management.”

AGM: From right: Mr. Chike Mokwunye, Group Managing Director, Royal Exchange Plc, Mr. Kenneth Odogwu, Chairman, Ms. Sheila Ezenko, Company Secretary and Chief Anthony Idigbe, Director, at the 44th annual general meeting of the firm in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

Human error inevitable in aviation —AON BOSS

BY AKOMACHINWEOKE AGOS—WORRIED by the unending crisis in the aviation sector, President, Chartered Institute of Aviation of Nigeria, and Chairman, Airline Operators of Nigeria Dr, Steve Mahonwu, has said that air safety could only be ensured through improvement in equipment and facilities at the

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airports .

Mahonwu, who spoke at the 23rd convocation/ matriculation ceremony of the Institute of Transport and Management Technology and official opening of International Training Centre of the institute, noted that aviation was a dynamic business and urged the country to imbibe

the culture of training and retraining to promote aviation dynamics.

He explained that the opening of the institute’s training centre marked a new dimension in the transport sector as technology was being enhanced through training and retraining, adding that aviation

Jonathan, S-East govs for inauguration of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Ekiti

BY NKIRUKANNOROM

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AGOS—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan and governors of the South East will this weekend storm Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, for the inauguration of the South West zone of apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

President of the group in the South West zone, Prince Nathaniel Uzoma, who disclosed this in a statement, also said the group planned to launch N100 million

education endowment fund for indigent youths in the South West.

He said the purpose of forming Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the South West zone was to ensure proper interaction among all Igbo living in the zone and their host communities.

According to him, since Igbo in the South West have basically the same challenges, there is need for interaction to enable them share ideas on how to live in harmony with their host

communities.

He said that apart from President Jonathan and governors from the south east geo-political zone, other distinguished Igbo that would grace the occasion would include Ekiti State governor, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha; President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr Gary Igariwey; Chief Benjamin Okeke; Mr. Nwabueze Obi among others.

Orji qualified to lead Igbo in 2015, by Onyechere

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M UA H I A — F O R M E R Special Adviser to Abia State Governor on Media, Mr. Ben Onyechere, has said that the state governor, Chief Theodore Orji was capable of providing leadership to Ndigbo in 2015.

Onyechere in a statement said: ‘’The challenge of who should provide leadership for the Igbo into 2015 is no longer an issue as it had been in the past where there were no virile leadership bearing on the gradual withdrawal of Ekwueme into a well deserved retirement.

“I am convinced beyond any iota

of doubt that Governor Orji fits in the garb of a yawning leadership vacuum to galvanise the strength of Igbo which had hitherto been in disarray, for collective bargaining power. ‘’The directionless of Igbo leadership is as a result of nonacceptability of those who tended to speak for us by other ethnic groups because to provide leadership of such magnitude, you must eschew the parochial attitude with the demands of a modern polity.

“In other words, to be an Igbo you must possess the attributes

of a nationalist which was the reason Ekwueme earned a rate of respectability. In addition to that, one must be a loyal party man whose background is not controversial coupled with a large home base support that spans across all social strata. ‘’ As it were, without any sense of ambiguity, having worked closely with him, I can assert that the governor fits into this description to provide an illusive leadership which we had treated with kid gloves and for which reason we had lost out in the past.’’

safety was a continuous phenomenon.

On the way forward for the sector, the AON boss emphasised that human error could never be avoided . “When there is a human error or equipment failure in aviation, it can never be avoided.

We have to do training and retraining.“ he said.

Former transport and aviation minister, General Jeremiah Useni (rtd), also expressed concerns at the state of the the nation’s aviation sector and urged government to give encouragement to the aviation ministry to bring it back to its glorious days.

Christ African Church holds harvest

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HE 2013 Annual Harvest Thanksgiving Service/Bazaar of the Christ African Church, Warri, with the theme “Harvest of Greatness,” will hold under the distinguished chairmanship of the member representing the Warri Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Daniel Reyenieju, while the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, will be the special guest of honour.

The chairman, Harvest Committee, Emma Okotie-Eboh, said the harvest which will be supported by eminent personalities as Prince K.B. Omatseye, Mr. Eyewu OkotieEboh, Chief S. A. Ajuyah, OFR; Chief Francis Omatseye, as well as Dr. A. E. Ikomi, will take place on Sunday, December 1, 2013, at the church premises.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013—47

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LAUNCH: From left, Mr. Kola Oyeyemi, GM, Consumer MTN; Mr. Larry

LAUNCH: From left, Mr. Yemi Adeola, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Sterling Bank Plc, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Annetts, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN; Ugonna Nwoye, GM, Products and Dr. Suleiman Adegunwa, Chairman, Sterling Bank Plc, at the launch of Financial Services, MTN, and Mr. Gafar Williams, during the MTN Dobox launch, in Inclusion Scheme by Sterling Bank Plc, at Asejere Market, Makoko, Yaba, Lagos. Photo: Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe Akeem Salau

From left, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, Public Relations/Event Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc; Mr. Olukayode James, Principal, Magbon Segun Community Senior High School, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos; Master Poroye Gbenga, Head Boy, and Mr. Olakunle Da-Silva, representative of Director of Schools Administration, Lagos State Education District 3, at the presentation of Science Laboratory Equipment to Magbon Segun Community Senior High School, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos,

by Dufil Prima Foods Plc, in Lagos.

AWARD: Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Walter Drenth, receiving Maltina Dance All best dance award from Pastor Dele Balogun, at the Society for Performing Arts in Nigeria SPANFEST award, in Lagos.

CONVENTION: From left, Mr. Kazuhiko Nakamura, Director, Audio Video Network Business Division, AVC Networks Company, Panasonic Corporation, Japan; Olajoe Eromosele, winner, Panasonic Max Your Dance Contest; Mr. Suraj Rupani Promoter, Panaserv Nigeria Ltd, and Mr. Masao Motoki, MD, Panasonic Marketing, Middle East and Africa, at the Panasonic Dealers' Convention 2013, in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele

ENTREPRENEURSHIP: From left, Marketing Manager, Personal and Business Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Alero Ladipo; Head, High Value Events and Sponsorship, Etisalat Nigeria, Ebi Atawodi, and Deputy Director, Enterprise Development Centre of the Pan-Atlantic University, Nneka Okekearu, at Etisalat sponsored Global Entrepreneurship Week, GEW, Walk, in Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau C M Y K

OPENING: From left, Mr. Antonie Moudaber, Chairman, Universal Furniture Ltd; Dr. Massad Boulos, Group Managing Director, SCOA Plc, and Danielle Moudaber, Interior Designer, Universal Furniture, during the showroom opening of Universal Furniture Nigeria Ltd, in Lagos.

TOUR: From left, Mr. Trevor Henry, Associate Vice President, Global Sales & Distribution, Arik Air; Ms Ibiyemi Odusi, Arik Sales Manager; Aare Segun Phillips, Group Executive Chairman, Peacock Group of Companies, during a joint inspection tour of Ibadan GSA office.

FORUM: From left, Director, Customer Care, Etisalat Nigeria, Plato Syrimis; Etisalat customer, David Ikechukwu; Head, Customer Experience & Retention, Etisalat Nigeria, Biola Edun, and Etisalat customer, Giwa, at the Etisalat Customer Forum, at Oriental Hotel, Lagos

48—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

Malaria kills 300,000 children annually in Nigeria —MAPS

MTN, Do Media launch new product

BY LAJA THOMAS

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AGOS—MTN, in partnership with Do Media, has launched MTN DOBOX, which will allow its subscribers, gain access to the latest and most exclusive movies on their mobile phones.

MTN, in a bid to bring cinema closer to its consumers, through their mobile phones, has introduced, a platform which will enable its subscribers gain access to latest blockbuster, premier and short movies, by simply subscribing to MTN DoBox app. The subscriber will invariably, be able to rent any movie of choice, for duration of time, from the wellstocked vault of premium movies, from the Dobox app.

Speaking at the launch which took place at the MTN headquarters, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos, yesterday, Saidat Mohammed Lawal, Senior Manager, Consumer marketing, MTN, said the “initiative was borne out of the desire to deliver top-of-the-range entertainment to MTN’s subscribers at unprecedented and unrivalled speed. This partnership with Do Media, will, provide customers a seamless user experience, through Dobox Internet Bundle (DIB)."

ADC condemns suspension of party primaries in Jos North, Wase LGs

BY MARIE-THERESE NANLONG OS—REACTIONS have continued to trail the recent suspension of party primaries in Jos North and Wase local government areas of Plateau State with the recent coming from a political party, African Democratic Congress, ADC. In a statement issued in Jos and signed by the party’s state Chairman, Mr. Sabiu Musa, the action by the State government is very unfortunate as it portrays the State in a bad light despite the peace being enjoyed especially in Jos, the state capital.

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LAUNCH—Delia Asuzu, Head, Marketing and Communications; Gabriel Ukpeh, Partner; Taiwo Oyedele, Partner, all of PwC Nigeria; and Neville Howlett, Executive Director and Head, International Banking, Group Co-ordination and Planning, PwC UK, at the launch of PwC Paying Taxes 2014 Report at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

Defection of five PDP govs to APC, good for Nigeria — ACF

BY EMEKA MAMAH

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AGOS—THE umbrella organisation of all northern socio-cultural associations, the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has welcomed the defection of five governors from the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC, saying that the move had effectively created two-party system which would provide clear choices for the voters in the country.

ACF’s position on the defection of the governors was contained in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the forum, Mr Anthony Sani, yesterday.

The governors who ditched their former party for the APC included Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers; Rabiu KwankwasoKano; Murtala NyakoAdamawa; Magatakada Wamakko -Sokto and Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State.

Governor Aliyu Babangida of Niger State and his counterpart in Jigawa, Alhaji Sule Lamido, who were expected to decamp with their other colleagues made a sudden Uturn on the issue.

Babangida said tha he would wait for the conclusion of on-going peace talks with President Goodluck Jonathan before deciding on the next step to take, while Lamido claimed that he would not leave the house he built for

strangers to occupy.

Lamido who argued that he was one of the foundation members of the party was also said to have retreated to get a soft landing for his two sons now being detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC over alleged corruption charges.

However, Sani said, "the defection of five PDP Governors to APC is democracy in action which allows players to change their political strategy towards declared goals when the need arises.

"ACF sees the unfolding events as a healthy development towards emergence of a viable alternative platform for the polity,considering that democracy without viable opposition is a sham.

"You would note that ACF has been hankering for a twoparty system that can provide clear choices for the voters.

Before now,the multi-party practices have not provided Nigerians with clear choices (as they were)painfully designed and laboriously erected by the political parties, precisely because the political parties have been clones of one another.

"Consequently,the choice has been reduced from which political parties can deliver on the promise of democracy to which of the political parties has the capacity to win elections in a political economy that enables government to determine who gets what, why, where, how and when."

AKURDI—MA LARIA is responsible for the death of more than 300,000 children under the age of five in Nigeria annually, the Malaria Action Programme for States, MAPS, has said.

Mr Dominic Usman, the organisation’s Behavioural Change Communication Officer in Benue, said this, yesterday, at the ongoing 5th Benue State Council on Health (SCH) meeting in Makurdi.

Usman said that the country also recorded over 100 million clinical cases of the disease annually.

He said that the disease was also responsible for 11% of maternal deaths in the country.

“Malaria is the major cause of morbidity and mortality which has direct effect on the growing cases of poverty, low productivity and low school attendance in the country.

“The mosquito-borne illness causes over 100 million clinical cases and is responsible for nearly 300,000 deaths in children under the age of five and 11% of maternal mortality cases annually.”

He said that the efforts by the Federal Government to eradicate the disease had not yielded much results due to structural and behavioural barriers by the citizens.

4,000 APC members defect to PDP in Nasarawa

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AFIA—MORE than 4,000 members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Keffi and Kokona local government areas of Nasarawa State.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN reports that the defectors were formally received into the PDP fold at Keffi and

Garaku, the headquarters of Keffi and Kokona local government areas, respectively by the state’s Chairman of the party, Mr Yunana Iliya.

Speaking while receiving the defectors, Iliya commended their decision to join the PDP and urged members of other political parties in the state to also join the party.

He commended the cour-

age of the defectors and urged party loyalists to embrace the new entrants.

The PDP state chairman assured that the party would continue to initiate programmes aimed at bringing development to the people.

Iliya appealed to the electorate to vote for PDP candidates in the upcoming local government elections in the state as as well as in subsequent elections."

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Kenyatta vetoes ‘unconstitutional’ media law

Malian coup plotter appears in court M ALIAN soldiers forcibly took the military strongman who led last year’s coup from his home in the capital yesterday to see a judge investigating allegations of killings by the junta leader, according to two officials briefed on the matter.

The development indicates that the government of Mali’s newly elected president is not afraid to stand up to Gen. Amadou Haya Sanogo, who led the March 2012 coup and is accused of systematically torturing and executing soldiers who questioned his grip on power. Despite

stepping down and handing control to a civilian administration, Sanogo remained a powerful force in Mali for much of 2012, and many believe he was calling the shots. This August, the country held its first election since the coup, electing a new leader, and in a move applauded by rights groups, the administration has not shied away from confronting Sanogo.

On Oct. 31, a judge issued a summons calling for Sanogo to present himself before the court in order to answer questions regarding his alleged role in the abuses. Sanogo repeatedly failed to show up.

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“There is no official position that targets the destruction or closure of places of worship, whichever they are,” Fernando told AFP. Reports that Angola, a traditionally devout Catholic nation, would crack down on Muslims had drawn condemnation from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and others.

In Egypt, mufti Shawqi Allam said such a move

I •Malian President, Ibrahim Keita

would be “a provocation not only to Angolan Muslims but to more than 1.5 billion Muslims all over the world”.

IBYA has deported more than 500 African immigrants, state news agency Lana said, sending them to Niger as it tries to tackle an influx of refugees and Islamist militants.

Western powers fear Libya has become a safe haven for al Qaeda fighters as its government struggles to rein in militias and former rebels who helped topple Muammar Gaddafi two years ago.

Weak border controls and a small army lacking

training and equipment have turned Libya into a weapons smuggling route for al Qaeda in subSaharan countries and a transit route for Islamist fighters heading to Syria’s civil war.

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HE Italian Senate has expelled threetime ex-premier, Silvio Berlusconi from parliament over his tax

People traffickers also use the remote desert borders with Egypt, Sudan, Niger and Chad to smuggle refugees into Libya from where many try to reach Europe by boat.

OCKED in a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood since President Mohamed Morsi’s ouster, Egypt has launched a diplomatic offensive against the movement’s foreign backers armed with funds from its old foes.

In their first salvo soon after Morsi was toppled, the military-installed

fraud conviction.

The vote yesterday halts the 77-year-old Berlusconi’s legislative run for at least six years, but does not mark the end of his political career.

Berlusconi had maintained his defiance ahead of the vote, declaring Wednesday a “day of mourning for democracy ” before thousands of cheering, flag-waving supporters outside his Roman palazzo.

EU outlines measures against espionage

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HE European Union yesterday laid down steps Washington must take to restore trust after a huge spy scandal, including giving EU citizens the right to US legal redress to

protect personal data.

“Massive spying on our citizens, companies and leaders is unacceptable,” EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding said, adding there was “now a

Egypt targets Brotherhood’s foreign backers

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The oil-rich southern African nation has a population of about 18 million people, several hundred thousands of whom are Muslim.

Italian Senate expels Berlusconi

Libya deports African immigrants

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rulers took aim at Qatar — the only Gulf monarchy that openly supported the Brotherhood — by closing the Egyptian channel of Al-Jazeera television.

The authorities also detained some journalists working in Cairo for the Doha-based network. In addition, officials said Cairo was willing to return to Qatar funds given to Egypt during the

ENYA’s president vetoed a bill yesterday that would have imposed fines and restrictions on journalists, saying it was unconstitutional, the first time he has used his power to reject legislation.

Lawmakers voted the bill through this month, triggering an outcry from opposition groups and the media, who said it would stunt democracy in a country which enjoys broad press freedoms.

A day later, President Uhuru Kenyatta told journalists he would make

•President Uhuru Kenyatta sure their rights were protected and on Wednesday he sent the bill back to parliament, his office said.

Arafat: Israel debunks theories

Angola denies banning Islam NGOLA’s govern ment has denied banning Islam and closing mosques in the country, after speculation that sparked outrage among Muslims worldwide.

“There is no war in Angola against Islam or any other religion,” said Manuel Fernando, director of the National Institute for Religious Affairs, part of the ministry of culture.

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Morsi presidency.

But the main confrontation for the new authorities is a diplomatic one that has developed with Turkey. On Sunday, Cairo expelled Ankara’s ambassador after Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the repression of Morsi’s supporters.

window of opportunity to rebuild trust which we expect our American partners to use”.

An umbrella agreement being negotiated on EU-US data protection “has to give European citizens concrete and enforceable rights, notably the right to judicial redress in the US whenever their personal data are being processed in the US,” Reding said in a statement.

•President Obama

SRAELI President Shimon Peres rejected theories that Yasser Arafat was poisoned, telling a Mexican newspaper Tuesday that any assassin would have found it easier to shoot the Palestinian leader.

Swiss scientists have found that lab test

results “moderately ” backed the idea that Arafat died of polonium poisoning in 2004. “I don’t believe it,” Peres told Excelsior newspaper in an interview ahead of a visit to Mexico. “If someone had wanted to get rid of Arafat, it would have been easier to do it with a bullet.”

Syria’s govt vows not to surrender power

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HE Syrian government says Bashar al-Assad’s position as president is not up for negotiation at peace talks, calling such demands by the opposition “delusions and dreams”.

The statement, issued by the foreign ministry via the SANA news agency yesterday, said a

delegation would go to planned Geneva II talks in January, but Assad would not “surrender power”.

“The age of colonialism, with the installation and t o p p l i n g of governments, is over.

They must wake from their dreams,” the statement said.

Immigration advocates pressurise Obama

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RUSTRATED with the failure of House Republicans to tackle immigration, advocates are demanding that President Barack Obama use his powers as chief executive to stop deportations or provide some relief to many of the 11 million immigrants living in the US illegally.

Obama insists that the

nation’s laws limit his ability to act unilaterally, even though his administration acted on its own last year to suspend deportations of some immigrants brought illegally into the country as children and more recently decided some relatives of U.S. service members living here illegally could remain.

Merkel, SPD clinch deal

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WO months after the German election, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives and the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) clinched a coalition deal yesterday that puts Germany on track to have a new government in place by Christmas.

The agreement was

struck roughly two months after Merkel was the clear winner in national elections but fell short of a parliamentary majority, forcing her into talks with the arch-rival SPD, with whom she ruled in an awkward “grand coalition” during her first term as chancellor from 2005-2009.

54—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

EDUCATION—From left: Ambassador of the Republic of Venezuela to Nigeria, Miguelangel Vecchia; Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; his Deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori and others, at the distribution of free education materials by the Venezuelan Ambassador to Nigeria to students of public primary schools in Osun, at Anthony Udofia Elementary School, Osogbo, yesterday.

Defection of 5 govs shocking — TUKUR Continues from page 5 Eze explained that the phrase used by the chairman of the new PDP in his speech was that “ we have agreed to work together, but it was Chief Bisi Akande who insisted on the use of the word merger. I want to tell you that the matter is not concluded. We have to share positions. We have to agree on what will come to us and what will go to them. That is what the committee is still working on and nobody has signed the MOU.” Asked whether the new PDP will attend the peace meeting called by the president on Sunday, Eze noted that the new PDP will attend and that “all options are still on the table."

According to him, “if the president agrees to our conditions, we have agreements on issues that created the crisis, then we will not sign the MOU on Tuesday. So from now till Tuesday, anything is still possible.

“If we meet on Sunday and our conditions are attended to, then the merger won’t go ahead.

If Governor Amaechi is

returned as NGF chairman, if the structures are returned to the governors of Adamawa, Kano and Rivers, then our leaders will look back and stop signing the MOU.” Asked about reports that the new PDP was desperate, Eze accused Bamanga Tukur of making life difficult for the new PDP members, saying “it was the way we are being treated that is making everybody desperate. Who will not be desperate with the way we are being treated”?

Why we left PDP— Nyako,

Ahmed, Amaechi

Governors Murtala Nyako, Abdulfatah Ahmed and Rotimi Amaechi of Adamawa, Kwara and Rivers States yesterday defended their decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for the All Progressives Congress, APC. Speaking on arrival from Abuja yesterday, Governor Nyako said that no decent man could afford to remain in the PDP just as Governor Ahmed said that the PDP

could no longer meet the aspirations of the people.

Speaking when he arrived yesterday, Governor Nyako insisted that the PDP and its leadership had disappointed Nigerians both at home and in diaspora by the high level of impunity and injustice in the party.

“No Nigerian no matter his level in the society today is comfortable with the way and manner the country is drifting. The image of the country is completely eroded at the international level and yet the PDP-led government and its operators are in Abuja making noise”, Nyako fumed.

The governor, whose official car was still flying the flag of the PDP cited the dissolution of the Adamawa executive of the party by “the decision of one man”, adding that all committees set up to look into that action by the President recommended the reversal of that decision but that no action was taken.

“We have written them (PDP) several times over this injustice and impunity. We have been negotiating for the past one

year. We have been meeting with them but no positive result”, Nyako said.

On the decision by Governors Babangida Aliyu of Niger and Lamido Sule of Jigawa states to disassociate themselves from the merger, Nyako said the said governors would soon join the bandwagon, pointing out that they were just taking time to make consultations with their people.

“It is not possible for decent people to remain in PDP with the way it is being run,” Nyako said.

He announced that part of the agreement reached with the APC was that the governors would be the leaders of the party in their respective states.

Governor Murtala Nyako disclosed that the way forward on his entry into the APC will be sealed at a meeting of stakeholders of the party in the state soonest.

Jubilation in Ilorin

Also yesterday, the news of the merger sent party faithful jubilating in Illorin the Kwara State

capital.

Meanwhile, Governor Ahmed said, yesterday, that the PDP could no longer "meet our aspirations." He spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Dr. Femi Akorede.

Earlier apprehension and anxiety over the position of Kwara State in the ongoing merger were put to rest when the former state chairman of the New Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) declared PDP dead in the state saying that the party has fully defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

There was much jubilation at the state secretariat along Nupe Road GRA in Ilorin, as party supporters from across the 16 local government areas in the state converged to solidarise with the leadership of the party on their defection into APC.

My problem with PDP—Amaechi GOVERNOR Chibuike Amaechi has also said he joined the All Progressive Congress, APC because President Goodluck Jonathan failed to address issues raised by the G-7 governors.

Amaechi who spoke, yesterday, evening at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa and in a broadcast, assured that the APC would protect the interest of all Rivers State people, adding that the state had suffered untold neglect in the government of President Jonathan.

“Rivers State must know that for me to have taken that decision, I had looked at the general interests of Rivers people. I was not elected to lead Nigeria, I was elected to lead Rivers State and I had looked at the interests of Rivers people and have seen that these interests were not protected in PDP. I have seen the fact that we are losing our oil wells in Etche, in the Kalabari areas and that the more they continue to pilfer these oil wells, the more we will continue to lose our wealth”, he said."

The governor who denied any face-off with President Jonathan said he did not join the APC to spite the President but to further interests of Rivers State.

Continuing, he said the decision he and four

other governors took to cross over to the APC was good for the nation’s democracy, stressing that it would move the nation forward.

“The governors met on Monday and decided that we must meet with the APC leadership and when we met with the APC leadership, it was important we took a position and the position we took is for the good of our democracy and ensure that Nigeria moves forward. We can’t continue the way we are, where we are. The picture painted by the PDP was as if we were begging to come back to PDP and issues were not being looked into, issues were not being resolved and it’s important that we resolve it one way or the other.

“The President and I have no personal quarrel, it’s important we put that in perspective. All the issues were issues that affect Rivers people, were issues that affect Nigerians and I am a Nigerian, I have to address those issues...he is my President and I respect him. I respect his office, respect him as a person, respect the fact that he’s older but then as elected governor of Rivers State, I have the responsibility to lead Rivers State.

‘If you look at what is going on, the Federal Government is not able to fund the states anymore. They say oil theft but oil theft is not enough reason for which we cannot fund ourselves.

“As per development in Rivers State, we are about to commission about 300 primary schools, we are about to commission another 70 health centres to add to the 60 we commissioned before. We are about to commission the Kelsey Harrison hospital at Emenike Street, there is a new one inside Rivers State University of Science and Technology Campus, there is a partnership between us and NDDC for which we have paid NDDC about N960 million for the mother and child hospital and NDDC is expected to bring about N900 million to make it N1.8 billion for the hospital. The stadium is about to be completed, so development is actually going on. We are working”, he said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013—55

INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF WOMEN:

A tribute to my triumvirate of heroines was decided that Map ofDelta I should be let off State T is best to start at the at the beginning. I was born in d o w n s t r e a m October 1939 in Ugborodo, Delta CMS waterside State of Nigeria, the first child of instead of at the my father and only male child of M a r k e t my parents. I had an older waterside. stepsister, Akpeto and two I was happy younger sisters, Olofagbo, who when grandma, died in her early teen, and Mrs. mother and Tetsoma Pinnick. I was the first sister pushed off grandson of my maternal the canoe from grandmother, who really spoilt M a r k e t me. I did not meet my paternal waterside. About grand parents. Early in 1945 ten minutes before I was six years old, latter, however, because there was no school in they paddled into CMS Although attempts to bend my Ugborodo at the time, I was sent waterside where Aunt was right arm over my head to my to live with Aunt Oleghenju in waiting. I was told that my aunt left ear to determine if I was old Sapele, where I attended First had something special for me. enough to be admitted were Baptist School. This was a Consequently, my mother and I unsuccessful, I was allowed to momentous decision in the disembarked and wadded stay. I was told my name was family. ashore. Aunt gave me some Oritsegbemi Fregene and should First, why did my father, an sweet fluffy cake, that I had never answer “present” when it was illiterate like other parents in tasted, and made me sit down to called. That was it. My foray into Ugborodo then, decide to send eat it. Meanwhile, mother Western Education had begun. his first and only male child into announced she was going to ease Beginning as a six year old, I an unknown future in pursuit of herself as I concentrated on the barely spoke accurate Itsekiri education? I know none of my cake. When I turned around to before I picked up Pidgin English contemporaries who were sent look for our canoe it was pulling on my way to becoming one of away that early to school. Second, away. I screamed, threw the cake the Sapele Bomer Boys (SBB). this was an expensive proposition into the ground and ran straight for a poor fisherman (crayfish) on into the river. I wadded in, crying, Continuing subsistence living, because screaming, and trying to swim my education education was not free then at towards the rapidly My school fees were paid regularly, although I did not With my new brown khaki uniform of know who did. School was rather shirt and shorts, I proudly stood in front of easy for me as I had affinity for numbers and Aunt was very the Kindergarten line, as one of its smallest proud of me. However, in 1948, and youngest members Aunt Oleghenju was very sick and had to be taken out of Sapele.

While others were contemplating any level. I can only surmise that disappearing canoe carrying sending me back to my parents the decision was difficult for him grandma, mother and sister in Ugborodo, my aunt would because he did not even away, the only people I knew. As have none of that. She wanted accompany us on the journey to I started to swallow water, adult me to continue with my Sapele. In those days it was a swimmers came and pulled me education. As a result, she tedious and sometimes out and handed me to my aunt.I convinced her uncle, Mr. dangerous journey lasting three am sure this was a well-planned Olumami Fregene, to be my days and two nights of intense strategy. I looked up at my aunt guardian while she was away. So rowing and paddling on canoes holding me in her hand, and I moved down to Papa Olumami upstream from the Ugborodo looked at the people around, all Fregene’s residence at the very estuary at the Atlantic Ocean, on were total strangers. So, I end of McPherson Street, there the wide Ugborodo River through continued to cry calling out for being nothing but rubber Nana Creek into Benin River my grandma, mother, sister and plantation behind his property and to Sapele on the Ethiope father. then.

River. It was left to my But none of them showed up I lived with Papa Olumami grandmother, my mother and my as Aunt Oleghenju held my Fregene, a strict disciplinarian, sister, Akpeto, to take me to Aunt hands and walked with me to her from 1948 to 1952. As a boy being Oleghenju in Sapele. home. Besides people walking sent on errands then, I learnt a The family docked their canoe on the streets, I noticed strange lot about the Fregene family and at the Sapele Main market objects moving on two wheels the Itsekiri royal family. waterside, where Aunt (bicycles), with people sitting on Aunt Oleghenju had been Oleghenju was a well-known them. Even stranger were a few cured of her ailment and returned broker between the crayfish and contraptions that looked like a to Sapele long before 1952. fish traders from downstream houses on wheels, roaring by However, although she was bold Benin and Ugborodo Rivers and (lorries). This was Sapele town to ask her uncle to become my the traders at Sapele and those in 1945. guardian, she respected him too from Onitsha. In a couple of the A couple of weeks later I walked much to ask him to allow me to days, my family had sold their from our compound across return to her. So I took matters bags of crayfish and bought McPherson Street into First into my hands by playing wares to take back home. Baptist School. There was no truancy.

Although I was young, I could fence then. With my new brown To be continued sense that something was going khaki uniform of shirt and shorts, on, so I clung tightly to the three I proudly stood in front of the Prof. Omatete is of the women I knew. On the departure Kindergarten line, as one of its Covenant University, Otta, Ogun day, I sat tight in the canoe, so it smallest and youngest members. State

I

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State Police: Anarchy waiting in the wings

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HE call for state police in Nigeria is becoming strident. While many want us to believe that state police will merely serve to complement the services of the Nigeria Police Force in the states, others maintain that they will only set the stage for anarchy.

Only recently, the governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, warned against such a move, describing it as an invitation to anarchy.

State police, sometimes refered to as provincial police, are a type of subnational police force. In countries where true federalism is practised, each federating unit, being autonomous, has the constitutional right to set up its own police force.

The state police is unique to each state. They have state wide authority to conduct law enforcement activities and criminal investigation. In

,

BY OGBEMI O. OMATETE

laws in the state and ensuring the smooth flow of vehicular traffic. Indeed, for Lagos motorists, the fear of LASTMA is the beginning of wisdom.

In the face of the worsening security challenges in the country, a few states have set up their security outfits to boost security in the states.

In Bayelsa State, for example, the state government has a security outfit known as Doo Akpo, which patrols the towns and creeks to ensure security.

With such outfits in place, there is hardly the need for the establishment of a state police. It should be noted that in some states where security outfits have been set up, there have been instances of public outcry alleging the use of operatives of such outfits to haunt and intimidate

Rather than introducing state police, the Nigerian Police Force should be given full autonomy and the heirachy of the Police Command empowered to be more effective and responsive to the needs of Nigerians

general, they perform functions outside the functions of the federal police. The functions of the state police include enforcing traffic laws on state highways, overseeing the general security of the state and protecting the governor, among others.

Calls for the establishment of state police, if indeed genuine, would be less strident if we considered the fact that the major function of a state police outfit is the enforcement of traffic laws.

Enforcement of traffic laws In many parts of the world, the police forces in the states started as outfits set up to enforce traffic laws. With time such outfits are upgraded and adequately equipped to perform the functions of a full fledged police force.

Lagos State and a few other states that have borrowed a leaf from it already have such outfits. The Lagos State Transport Management Authority, LASTMA, is complementing the efforts of the police in enforcing traffic

,

perceived enemies of the governor. The reign of terror unleashed on the people of the South-East by the dreaded Bakassi Boys before their proscription, will not be forgotten in a hurry.

It would, therefore, be illadvised to give state governments the go-ahead to set up their state police outfits. Apart from the governors using men of their state police to rig elections and haunt political opponents, they can easily be used to engage neighbouring states in full scale battles in the event of boundary disputes and other conflicting issues.

Nigeria is not yet ripe for the establishment of state police as the country is a federation only in name.

Ours is not a true federation since the states are not autonomous. Rather than introducing state police, the Nigerian Police Force should be given full autonomy and the heirachy of the Police Command empowered to be more effective and responsive to the needs of Nigerians.

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56 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

T

HE great philosopher, Socrates after watch ing events in and around him, stated that, “an unexamined life is not worth living” and it was on the basis of that philosophical statement that one of the leading artist in Nigeria,George Edozie, after looking at his artistic life since 18 years ago when he left the art school came out with his 4th solo exhibition titled Afro Love, an exhibition of new works.

Afro Love which can be seen as a retrospective exhibition by the 1996 Fine and Applied Arts graduate of University of Benin takes stock of the artistic life of Edozie, his challenges, life as a young painter, struggle for survival as an artist and other issues. It opened on 23 November at the Alexis Gallery, 282 Akin Olugbade Street, Victoria Island, Lagos and will run till November 30, 2013.

The exhibition which was graced by top art promoters, collectors and followers of Edozie’s works *10 faces of Onyeoma, 10 panels, one of the works exhibited by George Edozie featured about 22 works, 20 paintings that comes with different messages and two sculptural pieces. Edozie who confessed that he is worried about things that happen around him, unlike his contemporaries who dwelt on the market scenes stated that his ideology now is that “Art is a universal language which cut across different cultures or races. death of a monk, Eko sikwali ike, inclusion of sculptural works

By JAPHET ALAKAM "This I have experienced over (Lagos is tough but people still which he is exhibiting for the first the years that people acquire ily and love life, social and eco- survive); City girls 1&2, Annun- time. The sculptures which are works of Art without knowing the nomic factors, the society he lives ciation 1&2, 10 faces of Onyeo- made of fabrics like the paintArtist's cultural back ground, not in, how it affects his life as an ma and others. According to him, ings also speak volumes of the speaking the same language Artist, the challenges of an artist these works depict some of the theme, for example The VIP, a with the Artist or understanding living in Africa. things that he experienced as an conversation piece with five the symbols and designs in the A closer look at some of the artist practicing in an unhealthy piece standing looking up to the work but goes ahead to acquire works reveals his visual interpre- environment. head, depicting the subsidy the work because it makes an im- tation of those things that have Apart from the paintings which wahala in the country, how pression on them.” transpired in the course of his were done in varied media that some wealthy individuals milk Afro Love according to him, work as an artist. For example, brought out the creative ingenu- the masses. depicts the life of a creative per- Negro Couples, that looks at the ity of Edozie, one other striking In all of this , the artist gives son [Artist] his struggles, his fam- challenges of African man, The feature about the exhibition is the credit to the African artists that

Edozie’s Afro Love extolls Africa's creative talents

work under such harsh environment but still creates good works that compete with works done outside. This he likened to their love for the land.

Afro Love which is co-curated

by George Edozie and Patty Chidiac Masttrogiannis is sponsored by Veuve Clicquot, The homestores, Chocolate Royal , Arra Vineyards, Avenue suits, Cool FM, Wazobia FM, Nigeria Info.

Encomiums for Prof Ikulayo at book launch

By PRISCA SAM-DURU

WITH the number of Vice and Deputy Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities, Professors and Associate Professors as well as other high ranking men and women in the academia who showered encomiums on Prof.

Bolaji Ikulayo, during the Public presentation of her biography and unveiling of International Awards, one may be tempted to believe that illiteracy has reduced to the barest minimum in the country.

It was perhaps, just very few higher institutions within the country that were not represent-

ed as roll call of intellectuals at the book launch included, Profs, J Funsho Akingbade, Duro Oni, Demola Onifade, Dipo Aina, Nebath Tanglang, Aloy Ejiogu etc, and other eminent Nigerians comprising Mrs Kehinde Daramola who represented the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Prof Modupe Adelabu; Hon. Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi; Fmr. Minister of Sports and Chairman, National Sports Commission , Hon. Sani Ndanusa; Clergymen, and many others.

Professor Ikulayo’s Biography titled, “First in Her Class”, authored by Dr Olusegun Olu-Osayomi, was presented to the public last Thursday, at Prof. Amos

mined right from childhood, to become a successful woman and an inspiration to others.

He also commended her for representing the ideals of her profession and a model for women and for standing for Physical Education and Sports.

Speaking shortly after the event, Prof. Ikulayo said that “The biography brings to limelight my contributions to my environments and the extension of my service to the National and

girl child. It will also be a great motivation for all” Former. Minister of Sports and Chairman, National Sports Commission , Hon. Sani Ndanusa described the content of the book as a “compendium most especially to those in physical education”, adding that “I am glad that she is being celebrated while alive, it is good that Nigerians are beginning to celebrate their heroes when they are alive instead of when they are no more.

Prof Ikulayo is a complete academic and a complete woman who was determined right from childhood, to become a successful woman and an inspiration to others

,

*2nd frm right, Mrs Kehinde Daramola representative of the Deputy Gov. of Ekiti State presenting the book at UNILAG

Utuama Hall, University of Lagos, Akoka, amidst pumps and pageantry.

“First in Her Class”, encapsulates the achievements of Ikulayo, the former Dean of Education and former Head of Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education at the University of Lagos, Akoka all through her 32 years of service to Nigeria.

The exploits of the amazon, reputed for being the first female author of a book on Physical Education in 1982 and 1st author of a book in Sports Psychology in Nigeria, with so many publications to her credit, a woman described as an educator per excellence, included authoring 16 books, 89 publications, contributed to 23 books and 50 publications of Academic journals. As a way of giving back to the society, she founded Star Model Schools where children are offered qualitative education.

Reviewing the book, Former Dean of Education, Lagos State University (LASU), Prof Demola Onifade, described Prof Ikulayo as a complete Academic and a complete woman who was deter-

the International/ World Sporting Organisations and the academic world at the tertiary education level.”

The main purpose of the book she noted, “is to share my expertise and knowledge for people to learn from for their own development. It will be an inspiration for young and old people and most especially for the

,

So, we should commend them, encourage them and support whatever they are doing. I expect people in her profession to appreciate the efforts of this woman who has contributed immensely both physically and in terms of publication, to development of Physical education and sports and for proving that it is no longer a man’s world.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013 — 57

Lagos narratives herald Nigeria's centenary at LABAF 2013

*Prof Soyinka(3rd from R)Gov. Amosun of Ogun State and others at the just concluded Ake Festival

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RGANISED by the Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA), the 2013 Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF) which took place from November 15 to 17 at Freedom Park, Lagos was held in memory of Africa’s literary ancestor, late Prof.

Chinualumogu Achebe, who passed on earlier in the year.

The festival which is in its 15th year, was themed “Nigeria’s Centenary: The Lagos Narrative” .In a session which formally opened the festival, the editor of The Guardian, Mr. Martins Oloja, engaged Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nassir El-Rufai in a conversation on his controversial book, “The Accidental Public Servant”. During this session titled, “A Career in the Centenary”, El-Rufai did justice to questions from Oloja as he mesmerised the audience with his views on topical political issues.

Comedian Julius (D’ genius) Agwu, later took the centre stage

with “My Encounter with the Book” at the mentoring session during which his new book, “Jokes Apart: How Did I get Here?” was utilised in telling children stories on the role books have played in his life. He encouraged the young participants to get education first and also, be determined in any chosen career path.

The festival colloquium tagged, “The Nigerian Centenary”, succeeded Agwu’s session and it was anchored by Associate Professor of Comparative Literature at Indiana University, Bloomington, United States of America, Akin Adesokan. He spoke on “Henry Carr in Lagos: A Narrative of Modern Nigeria”.

The session also had Tolu Ogunlesi and Tade Ipadeola, while Tunji Lardner moderated.

The Lagos Story and a jazz Night produced by Ayoola Shadare’s Inspiro Productions featuring a musical conversation between three bands, which was a little away from books, were also held on same Friday to set the stage for a thrilling festival. This

session also wrapped up activities for the day.

Furthermore, in a creative exercise with Ayodele Olofintuade of LAIPO and Sho-

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By PRISCA SAM-DURU

centenary in addition to how the book meets film on the live of Nigeria’s foremost Yoruba language author, D.O. Fagunwa.

The documentaries shown included; “Naij: A History of Nigeria” by Jide Olanrewaju and it traces Nigeria’s tortuous history culminating in the current democratic system; “A Journey to Amalgamation, which examines the country’s journey to 1914, which is fitting as Nigeria celebrates that landmark event next year; and “D.O. Fagunwa: Literature, Language and Literalism”.

The documentary on Fagunwa was most interesting such that it

LABAF, received commendations for giving authors and book enthusiast, an artistic, cultural and literary platform for interaction and exchange

,

la Alamatu of CATE, children participated in reading, performance and making of handicrafts for bodily adornments.

Documentary as a medium for story telling was the focus on day three of the festival. It featured documentaries on Nigeria’s

afforded literary icons in the likes of Profs. Niyi Osundare, Femi Osofisan, Tunde Babawale etc, the opportunity to examine his works.

The visual art section was up for viewing, with Jelili Atiku and his colleagues displaying

Joe-Ezigbo’s double gift unveiled

Highflyer reality show hits the screen

A

S part of its efforts to change the face of education in Nigeria, one concerned organisation has come up with a new television reality show known as Highflyer. The reality show which will soon hit the screen of most television watchers will focus on education.

Speaking at the launching of the Highflyer reality show and presentation of academic excellence awards held recently in Lagos, the initiator of the show and Managing Director, Steward Resources Ltd., Dr Bamidele Joseph, said Highflyer is an educational Television reality programme designed to contribute to the on-going reformation and transformation process of the ailing educational standard in Nigeria.

According to him“ it will engage primary, secondary and university students in different competitive educational activities.

It will innovate the thinking of pupils and students, bequeath a sound, moral education to different sectors of our national life. There are fewer programmes that inspire youths and we want to make them better persons and agents of change for the country,” he said.

Continuing he stated that, “it will subject students through a series of competitive educational, exploratory and interactive engagements in determining the true Nigerian Highflyer who can inspire and represent the positive values for which the Nigerian youth is known.”

President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr Femi Adesina in his lecture titled: Revamping the Educational Sector: whose responsibility,called on all tiers of Government to collaborate to revamp the nation’s education sector. As according to him, failure to address the issues is a call for anarchy.

stunning art pieces that in a lot of manner, redefined installation art.

In a session moderated by Ayodele Olofintuade, four authors and their books; Tade Ipadeola’s 2013 Nigeria Prize for Literature winning book, The Sahara Testament; Iquo Eke’s shortlisted, Symphony of Becoming; Igoni Barrett’s Love is Power, Or Something Like That and Sammy Sage Hassan’s Dream Maker, were celebrated.

There was also, a poetry slam and reggae splash which drew the curtains on LABAF, a festival worth commendations for giving authors and book enthusiast, an artistic, cultural and literary platform for interaction and exchange.

The Festival Arthouse Party, had Prof. J.P. Clark-Bekederemo who will be 80 next year, in the company of his wife, Prof. Ebun; Mrs.Francesca Emanuel, who was 70 recently; Dejumo Lewis, 70 and Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, with Taiwo AjayiLycet, performing the citation of these illustrious Nigerians. It was great fun watching the legends, dig it on the dancing floor.

• Audrey Joe-Ezigbo, the author and Mr Joseph Ezigbo

BY ONOZURE DANIA

ANOTHER feather was added to the array of caps of Audrey Joe-Ezigbo, the Executive Director of Falcon Petroleum, as her two new books, Uniquely Woman and Double Impact, were officially presented to the public last week.

The event which was attended by eminent Nigerians from all walks of life especially book lovers took place at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos. The forum afforded friends, colleagues and family members of the author another wonderful opportunity to celebrate her creative enterprise and womanhood. Speaking in his capacity as

the chairman of the occasion, Pastor Idowu Iluyomade of Redeemed Christian Church of God RCCG, City of David parish commended the author for taking time out of her busy schedules to make the publication of the books a reality.

Through the two books, the author, who is a business magnate and an avid writer, used some of her experiences to address some compelling issues in life.

One of the reviewers, Mrs. Binta Max-Gbinjie said that in the 185 pages of Uniquely Woman, is about the author’s experience in life. She said that the author employed an excellent writing style and has produced a flawless book despite reading it over

and over again to fish out its flaws. She also commended the author’s flexibility in her writing as she was not too strict at handling her outlined subjects she remained as realistic as possible all through the writing.

Mr. Fabian Ajogwu and Mrs. Chinyere Isibor who reviewed The Double Impact said that the book which is designed for couples that work together educates them on balancing the activities at home and work place so as to have a happy home and good business rapport.

Speaking about the books, JoeEzigbo said that Uniquely Woman, shows women that in the midst of their multi-tasking realities and vicissitudes of life, the ability to see and experience God in their everyday lives is the singular most important factor in their being at peace, flourishing on all fronts, and living fulfilled lives. While Double Impact, a manual for couples who are working together speaks directly to the heart of issues facing couples that work together. JoeEzigbo chronicles her real life learning and experiences from working side by side in business with her husband successfully for close to two decades, while maintaining a close loving relationship as a couple at home.

58

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Vanguard Vanguard,,

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

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

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

I

believe we all think of one thing or the other.

I also believe that we either think of ourselves or others. Where the world is today and where it will be

Think less... tomorrow, is a function of our thought. The world is where it is today and how it is today because of the way we think and what we think about.

TERROR MUDA

If I may ask you whawt do you think about most of the times? Do you think more of yourself? Do you think more of your personal gain? Do

in “Never say goodbye”

you think often of what is in it for you?

For a harmonious world, think less of yourself, think more of others, and think of the general good.

By Lanre Kehinde

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.

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

“Pretty Lunatic’

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

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.

Mohammed Enugu.

Dear Mohammed, 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 innerself. 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 more than once.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2013 — 59

Bayern trounce CSKA Moscow 3-1

National School Sports Festival

We don’t swim on sand in Kaduna, says Yakubu

T

HOUGH Kaduna State came with the smallest contingent - 20 athletes and 16 footballers to the Sterling Banksponsored 6th National School Sports Festival, out of which some of them have been screened out for being over-aged.

In spite of the shortcomings, the state has won three gold and four silver medals in swimming, with more events yet to be concluded in the pool, something, which their director has described as unprecedented as far as the festival in concern.

According to the deputy director in the sports and health, Ministry of Education, Abel Yakubu, “people in this part of Nigeria, most especially those of them in the riverine areas thought we

B

AYERN Munich secured a record 10th UEFA Champions League win in a row by beating CSKA Moscow 3-1 in testing conditions at the Arena Khimki.

Arjen Robben’s 10th goal of the season set the European champions on their way as the snow came down in the Russian capital and Mario Gotze doubled their lead early in the second half.

Keisuke Honda pulled a goal back from the penalty spot after spurning two golden opportunities after the break, but Thomas Muller responded with a spot-kick at the other end to ensure Bayern surpassed the record of nine Champions League victories in a row set by Barcelona in 2002-03.

Pep Guardiola’s side will be confirmed as Group D winners if Manchester City fail to beat Viktoria Plzen later on Tuesday, but even if the Premier League side claim all three points then the German champions will only need a point against Manuel Pellegrini’s side next month to ensure they claim top spot.

Victory also marks a club record sixth consecutive away win in Europe for Bayern, while CSKA are still in the hunt for a place in the UEFA Europa League ahead of their final game against Plzen.

Bayern striker Mario Mandzukic was ruled out with a calf problem, so Gotze started. CSKA were without in-form striker Seydou Doumbia due to injury and Ahmed Musa came in to replace him.

Guardiola warned his players to adapt quickly to the weather conditions and Bayern did just that to edge in front after 16 minutes.

Muller was the

in the north swim in the sand because we don’t have rivers.”

People in the riverine areas think that by nature, they should dominate swimming but we have been able to prove them wrong,” the deputy director said.

“We have good swimming pools in Kaduna and the ministry of education is really supporting the sports department of the ministry.

The present government is very interested in sports development in the state,” Yakubu said.

So far Kaduna State has won three gold, four silver and three bronze medals and are optimistic of more medals in swimming, track and field and male U-13 football, which they had qualified for the semifinals.

Anambra claims gold in high jump state Osita Okagwu

A CSKA's defender Kirill Nababkin (L) vies with Bayern's midfielder Thomas Muller during an UEFA Champions League group D match on November 27, 2013 in Moscow. AFP PHOTO architect, racing away down the left and cutting the ball back into the path of the onrushing Robben, who made beat Igor Akinfeev with a clinical left-foot finish inside the near post.

Honda tried to be too clever when he attempted to round Manuel Neuer two minutes into the second half, but the Germany goalkeeper read his drag-back and smothered the ball.

Things went from bad to worse for the Japan international when a cross from the right fell nicely for him six yards out, but he fluffed his lines with the goal gaping.

NAMBRA State has won the gold and silver medals in the high jump event for Primary School at the ongoing Sterling Bank-sponsored 6th National School Sports Festival taking place in Ilorin. While Bassey Chinazor, the reigning champion in the category retained his title as compatriots Ekene Elias clinched the silver medal in the same category.

Speaking after the feat, High jump coach of the

expressed satisfaction, saying that it was expected.

“I feel so happy because I had expected Chinaza to win he has done it before he is doing it again. Of course I have confidence in the boy and there was no threat whatsoever. He won it last year in the primary school games he won it there and this time around he said he was going to win it again and he did.

He called on the state government to increase the scholarship he is enjoying at the moment.

City should have kept me, says Toure K

OLO Toure believes Manchester City must regret sanctioning his departure from the club.

The Ivory Coast defender moved to Premier League rivals Liverpool in the summer having struggled to gain first-team action in his final season at the Etihad Stadium.

Toure has already made eight league starts for his new club and feels he has proven a point to City.

“I was better than

certain players at Manchester City but I was left on the bench,” the 32-year-old told The Sun. “Before I left the club, I told the people in charge that they would regret letting me go. People said I was finished and that I could never get back to my former level.

“But now I am at Liverpool - and I am sure that City must be kicking themselves when they see how I am performing.”

Toure sees similarities between his own

situation and the one brother Yaya faced when leaving Barcelona to join City in 2010.

“I have had a similar experience to Yaya,” he added. “Managers come to clubs bringing players with them and they want to pick them at all costs whether they are any good or not.

“Yaya was much better than Sergio Busquets at Barcelona. But he was behind him in the pecking order and he found that hard to accept.

•Toure

60 — Vanguard, THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2013

Big award delights Moses N

IGERIA and Liverpool forward Victor Moses Nigerian Footballer of the Year Nigeria and Liverpool forward Victor Moses is delighted to have got the Nigerian Footballer of the Year award.

The Nigerian Sports Awards were held on Tuesday with Moses walking away with the prestigious award after being up against John Mikel Obi and Sunday Mba. Mikel, however won the Sports Man of the Year award while Blessing Okagbare won the Sports Woman of the Year award.

Moses took to twitter and said: “Proud and honoured to win the Nigerian Footballer of the year award for 2013.

“Is a dream come true to play for my country, so thank you everyone.”

The 22-year-old represented England at Under-16, 17, 19 and 21 levels, before choosing to play for Nigeria at senior level.

T

•Moses

Nigerian Award overwhelms Keshi I never thought of being nominated let alone being named the Coach of the Year in

stadium

Continues from BP

works at the arena, reportedly confirmed two deaths while officials said there and that the dead could be as many as four.

Television footage showed the twisted metal structure on the ground amid debris.

The accident is the latest blow to construction work to

finish six of the 12 stadiums by December ahead of the World Cup. Work at the Arena da Amazonia stadium in Manaus has been beset by tropical rain.

Six of the stadiums are due to be handed to FIFA

by December 20. The other six were delivered earlier this year for the Confederations Cup.

Okocha Continues from BP won it several times before his retirement, Okocha who presented a plaque to Victor Moses, winner of the 2013 Nigerian Footballer of the Year Award said, “I am upset by the organisers . Why did they not come when we were playing?” Laughter followed.

Back to the business at hand, the former Bolton Wanderers captain defended the choice of Moses as winner of the Nigerian Footballer of the Year Award. “I totally

Globacom, CAF promise spectacular 2013 awards

agree with the voters who picked Moses for the award,” he said.

Continuing, Okocha said, “This was a young man many thought would not cope with African football. But he came in and blended seamlessly to help Nigeria win the Africa Cup of Nations. I know all the other nominees – Mikel Obi and Sunday Mba - deserve their mention, but there has to be one winner. Victor Moses is a worthy winner

Nigeria, the first time I will be receiving such an award. I am overwhelmed and thankful to those who thought me good enough to be so honoured, God will honour them”.

Those were the words of Super Eagles Head Coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi while reacting to being named the Coach of the Year at the Nigerian Sports Awards, which held at the prestigious Muson

Centre in Lagos, Tuesday night amidst pomp.

He was unavoidably absent at the occasion.

“I am happy that there are some people out there who are taking note of our little contribution to Nigerian football and thought it wise to give awards. The award will give me more energy, zeal and determination to do more for football in Nigeria at the highest level”, he said.

6th National School Sports Festival:

Cross River, Anambra dominate athletics ROSS River and silver and bronze medals “ CAnambra State have respectively. so far dominated in the athletics event of the ongoing Sterling Banksponsored 6th National School Sports Festival in Ilorin. Both states seem to have swept virtually all the medals in both the track and field events of the competition.

In the 800 meters final U- 13 boys category, Cross Rivers claimed the gold medal through Godwin Ashia, while the duo of Ugurouwa Johnson and Izuakor Kingsley of Anambra state got the

Also in the 800 metres finals for U-15 girls, the gold went to Ogun State through Ogunmola Sarah as Cross Rivers’ Patience Udeme and Ohiero Maria won the silver and bronze medals.

•Yemi Idowu

HE Confederation of African Football, organisers of the most prestigious annual African Footballer Of The Year Award and its sponsor, Globacom, have assured the global football fraternity that the 2013 Glo-CAF Awards slated for January 9, 2014 in Lagos will be magical in scope and scale.

Both Globacom and CAF gave the assurance at a joint press conference in Lagos.

Globacom’s National Sales Coordinator, Segun Adeyemo represented the company while the Director of Media Division, Confederation of African Football, Mr. Junior Binyam, spoke on behalf of CAF. Both Glo and CAF said every attention has been paid to great details to ensure the emergence of a credible winner through a very transparent process. They also pledged that the presentation ceremony to be held at Eko Hotel, will be an unprecedented spectacle.

According to Globacom, “The 2013 Glo-CAF

Awards with the theme: “Icons of Africa: Past, Present, Future,” is aimed at “honouring the legacy of the past; celebrating the Icons of today; and inspiring the Icons of the future.”

Coming on the heels of the release of the list of Top 25 African best players by CAF, Binyam stated that coaches and captains of African national football teams will vote for the best player in the continent and the list will be pruned down from 25 to the Top Ten, Top Five and Top Three in subsequent weeks. He said one of the Top Three will be unveiled as the winner at the awards night.

•Hayatou

NFF Continues from BP “I don’t know who is cooking up these stories. I think, with great apologies to you guys in the media, these stories are coming from the press because Keshi and I have not sat down to discuss anything like that.”

He said, categorically, “There is no question about it. Keshi will lead the Eagles to the World Cup as there is no plan to engage any other coach. Keshi has not told me he needs an assistant or he needs help. He is taking us to the World Cup because he is a very good coach.”

In a separate interview with a radio station in Lagos, chairman of the NFF Technical Committee, Chris Green maintained that Stephen Keshi will lead the country to Brazil 2014.

“Keshi has qualified us for the World Cup and

that simply means Keshi would take us to the World Cup. “We are satisfied with the jobs and results Keshi has produced.

And for those insinuating for a foreign technical adviser or whatever they call it, it would not affect coach Stephen Keshi because he remains our head coach and he will lead the team to the World Cup.” Keshi himself started the controversy when he said that he would not be shocked if they sacked him before the World Cup. He was given the boot when he assisted Shuaibu Amodu to qualify Nigeria for the 2002 World Cup. He also was not in charge of Togo to the 2006 World Cup even after he upset the form books to guide the little West African country to Germany 2006.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013 — 61

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62 —

Vanguard, THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2013

2013 NIGERIAN SPORTS AWARDS IN PICTURES as captured by AKEEM SALAU

Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, Executive Governor Of Delta State (Winner, Sports Governor of the Year Award at Muson Centre Tuesday night.

Mr and Mrs Robert Young, presenting Sports Administrator of the Year Award to Aminu Maigari, (centre) Nigeria Football FederationPresident.

L-R, Jay Jay Okocha Former Super Eagles player with Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, Executive Governor of Delta State and Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank Plc. At the 2013 Nigerian Sports Award Held At Muson Centre Onikan Lagos

L-R: Amaju Pinnick, Delta FA Chairman, Jay Jay Okocha and Victor Ikpeba, all members of Delta FA at the Awards.

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013 — 63

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V anguard anguard,, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2013

W/Cup stadium collapses, kills 3 T

HREE workers have been confirmed dead after part of the stadium that is due to host the opening game of the 2014 World Cup in Sao Paulo, Brazil collapsed.

The last part of the roof was being installed at the Corinthians stadium, which is due to host the opening game at the 2014 tournament, when it crashed into the stands from a crane.

Odebrecht, the

NFF 'll not sack •Maigari shocked Keshi over stories

Iloenyosi’s father kidnapped

BY JACOB AJOM

P

RESIDENT of the Nigeria Football Federation Alhaji Aminu Maigari has allayed fears over the fate of Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, declaring that “Keshi will take the Eagles to the 2014 World Cup.” Speaking in Lagos Tuesday, soon after he was honoured with the 2013 Sports Administrator of the Year Award, Maigari wondered where stories about the supposedly uncertain state of Keshi’s employment were emanating from.

Continues on page 60

F

•Maigari

ORMER Nigerian central defender, Chikelue lloenyosi’s dad, Chief James Chikelue lloenyosi has been kidnapped at his country home, Abagana in Njikoka Local Government Area, Anambra State. This happened on Monday.

The 80-year old man was picked up by armed men in a Toyota Camry car at 8.30am just two poles to the

•Keshi

Nigerian Sports Award ‘upsets’ Okocha

BY JACOB AJOM

F

ORMER Super Eagles skipper,

Austin Jay Jay Okocha has expressed regret over the Nigerian Sports Award which has come

•Blatter construction firm responsible for the Continues on page 60

long after his retirement from active football, saying, “I am upset by the organisers.”

Believing that he could perhaps, have

Continues on page 60

house on his way back from the Catholic morning mass. lloenyosi said the family has established contact with the dad’s kidnappers who have put forward a whopping N50 million price tag as a precondition for his release.

“My dad was picked up by men suspected to be kidnappers on Monday at 8.30am just two buildings away from his house on his way back from morning mass.“The armed men came in a Toyota Camry car and scared neighbours who came out to rescue my dad with ferocious gun shots.

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Enthusiasm (5) 7 Ancestry (4) 8 Loiter (6) 9 Sum (5) 11 Free (3) 13 Help (3) 15 Paradise (4) 16 Fuel (3) 18 Run off (4) 19 Arms-store (7) 20 Cupid (4) 22 Caribou (4) 23 Burdened (7) 25 Strived (4) 27 Spike (3) 28 Present (4) 30 Finish (3) 31Father (3) 33 Sordid (5) 36 Abuse (6) 37 Greedy (4) 38 Company (5)

DOWN 1 Inflexible (5) 2 Encouraged (3) 3 Kernel (3) 4 Every (3) 5 Individual (3) 6 Weird (5) 10 Unfortunately (4) 11 Shyness (7) 12 Ousted (7) 13 Maintained (7) 14 Ordained (7) 16 Class (5) 17 Cut (5) 18 Whim (3) 21 Unhappy (3) 24 Thoroughfare (4) 26 Bury (5) 29 Wild (5) 32 Intelligence (3) 33 Fixed (3) 34 Fuss (3) 35 Yelp (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Lotto 5, Recall 8, Addle 10, Stride 11, Eros 14, Design 15, Emperor 18, Per 19, Dab 21, Deft 23, Rebel 24, Plot 27, Din 29, Pet 31, Deposed 32, Moaned 34, Lane 35, Triple 38, Ashen 39, Rented 40, Dodge.

DOWN: 2, Out 3, Tailed 4, Odd 5, Reed 6, Closed 7, Linnet 9, Decoded 12, Rep 13, Sire 16, Meal 17, Rabid 20, Beneath 22, Face 24, Pamper 25, Opal 26, Tenant 28, Domino 30, Ten 33, Dead 36, Red 37, Lag.

How to Play Sudoku

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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