FG orders sack of20,000 PHCN workers by Vanguard Media Limited

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61870

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

Grounded aircraft: We are not aware — Rivers govt .... As ACN, others kick

.8 •P

KIDNAPPING:

We'll enforce death •P.6 penalty

FG orders sack of 20,000 PHCN workers — Delta Gov

•Set to pay them off •Labour directs workers to shut down if... AFTER THE BAGA OPERATION

BY EMMA UJAH, ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF & VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

BUJA — THE Federal Government has ordered the retrenchment of no fewer than Continues on page 5

•Pgs.17-40

COLUMNISTS:

DELE SOBOWALE •P.34

LES LEBA •P.40

OCHEREOME NNANNA •P. 45

Mr & Mrs

Residents returning to Baga community after clashes between men of the Multinational Task Force and members of the Islamist sect Boko Haram on April 19 in the town near Lake Chad, 200 kms north of Maiduguri, in Borno State. PHOTOS: AFP.

Obasanjo tackles Jonathan on proposed pipeline protection —P.9

2 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013 — 3

4 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013—5

POCKET CARTOON

From left: Minister of Energy, Republic of Cameroon, Mr. Antagana Basile; Group Managing Director, UBA Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza; Chairman, UBA Cameroon, Mr Ekoko Mukete and CEO, UBA Africa, Mr. Emmanuel Nnorom, during a working visit by UBA management to the Cameroonian Prime Minister, in Yaounde.

FG orders sack of 20,000 PHCN workers Continues from page 1 20,000 workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, ahead of takeover by successful bidders of its assets. Vanguard gathered that the Bureau for Public Enterprises, BPE, issued the directive to the Chief Executive Officers, CEOs, of the 18 successor companies to PHCN at a meeting in Abuja, to compile names and drastically reduce the 50,000 strong workforce before the new investors take over. It was gathered that new investors demanded that the workforce must be

pruned before government hands off.

Labour kicks, warns on danger of action Though it is not clear how government arrived at this figure, however, General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, Mr Joe Ajaero, who confirmed the directive to massively retrench the workforce, said it was obvious that the Federal Government had decided to truncate the implementation of the collective agreement reached with the unions. Already, organised labour had kicked against the

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

To achieve success, we do not need to try and be someone else, we simply need to be the best of who we are.

TAKE HEART BY ELLA RANDLE

HE truth is: Belonging starts with self-accept ance. Your level of belonging, in fact, can never be greater than your level of self-acceptance, because believing that you’re enough is what gives you the courage to be authentic, vulnerable and imperfect. When we don’t have that, we shape-shift and turn into chameleons; we hustle for the worthiness we already possess —Brene Brown. According to psychologist, Alice Domar, people who aim for perfection in all areas of life are reaching for an unrealistic, stress-inducing goal that will leave them feeling unhappy and unfulfilled. “The way we are operating these days, no matter how many good things are going on in our life, we zero in on what’s not going right.” Here are some suggestions to remind us of how to stay in balance, keep a gratitude journal. Every night before bed, jot down the things in your life for which you’re grateful. People who do this get less anxious and they feel better about their lives. More often than not, the negative things we think about ourselves are illogical and untrue. Dr. Domar says: “The stuff we say to ourselves is either based on something someone said to us a long time ago or it’s our fear speaking.” Ideally, we should rid ourselves of judgmental thoughts altogether.

move and warned the government against such action even as the agreement reached between both parties in December 2012 on the terminal benefits of workers had not been implemented. The Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies, SSAEAC, has petitioned the government through the Federal Ministry of Labour to explain the dangers and futility of government action when agreement on terminal benefits had not been honoured by the government. On its part, NUEE directed members to shut down the power sector once any worker is issued a retrenchment letter without a financial back up in line with the December 2012 agreement. NUEE, in a statement by Ajaero, rejected the planned retrenchment of workers without honouring the agreement the government entered into with the workers. According to NUEE, “our attention has been drawn to the nocturnal meetings being held between Federal Government and all chief executive officers in Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, where a mandate to retrench workers in the power sector has been handed down to them. It is rather unfortunate and provoking that the Federal Government is hatching such obnoxious idea when agreement reached with the unions on payment of severance benefit is yet to be implemented. "Information reaching us reveals that arrangement to close down PHCN’s Corporate Headquarters has been put in place. While people are still working, government plans to kill

their management. “It was equally gathered that the Federal Government has concluded plans not to pay pension or transfer money to the Pension Fund Administrators, PFAs, all in the name of driving workers to their early graves. We are worried that the government could be privatizing without cash backing, as information at our disposal suggests that about N43 billion is available out of the over N400 billion agreed with the unions. "At the moment, agreement on certain indices to be used in calculating entitlements like life expectancy which the Federal Government put at 14 years is yet to be reconciled. “By this posture, it is obvious that the Federal Government has decided to truncate the implementation of collective agreement reached with the unions. Nigerians should, therefore, hold government responsible for any reaction this action may generate. "While there is still opportunity for the Federal Government to follow due process, we wish to state unequivocally that PHCN workers will legitimately resist every attempt to shave their hair in their absence. Should the Federal Government make good its threat to retrench workers in the sector when labour issues have not been settled, all members are advised to stop work, while those monies paid into their accounts should be seen as free money. The hour has come for you to defend your rights.”

FG set to pay off workers —Igali Meanwhile, the Federal Government has said it is now set to pay off the staff

of PHCN. The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali disclosed this, weekend. Igali told journalists in Abuja that the fund for the payment of the workers’ severance package was ready and that in a matter of weeks, they would be paid as part of the process of the takeover of the sector by private investors. His words: ”What we have done so far is to try to ensure that the entitlement of these people and their severance package is well calculated from the point of their engagement to the point where the government is bringing the private people to take over. “We have agreed on virtually everything. Government is preparing towards the formal takeover by the private sector. We expect the process to be seamless. So far, there is no major problem; the fund required to pay the people is available.”

...assures workers The Permanent Secretary expressed satisfaction at the resolution of the issues surrounding the disengagement with the PHCN staff as well as casual workers and assured that the Federal Government was working to ensure that they were all happily disengaged. According to him, the new owners would certainly re-engage many of the workers as it would be practically impossible to operate without the old staff. He said the private sector operators would be made to adhere to the nation’s labour laws. His words: “The people that are working in these power plants are Nigerians, and when the private people take over, they are not going to bring workers from Jupiter, Mercury or China; most of their workers would remain Nigerians. “The only difference is that they have been government workers up till now and as the government finishes with them, they will transfer their serv-

ices to private operators who are driving the sector now. But the private sector will still follow the Labour law of this country. “So, it is not a situation of whether there is going to be mass exodus of people out of the sector. Most of these workers have been very competent; they have been serving the country very well with commitment. And you cannot just replace those who have been on the job for many years.”

Training and retraining of workers For those who would not be re-employed by the new owners and those who may choose to go into private business, Igali said: “Government also has a very robust programme to train and retrain the workers of most of these companies. Retraining them is at two levels: first is to retrain people in such a way that they can fit into a new nature of the sector. Before it was public service but now, we have private people taking over. “So we are retraining them so that those who will continue working on contract basis will fit into the system properly. The second training is directed at those who would opt for private life. A lot of people may want to go into consultancy; like I said, the private people coming in cannot go out of the country to import thousands upon thousands of workers to take over our electricity sector. They will still need these same people. “Government from the highest political authority has assured people of their commitment to ensure that all parties are satisfied with the way the issues are resolved.” He added that the power reform transaction signing summit presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, last Monday, was an eloquent demonstration of highest commitment by the government to ensure a successful conclusion of the power transaction.

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

Police foil Aba bank robbery

BA—POLICE in Aba, Abia State, have foiled a bank robbery attempt, killing one of the robbery suspects. Commissioner of Police in Abia, Alhaji Usman Mohammed, who confirmed the incident, said the robbery was foiled as the gang broke into the bank, located on Asa Road. Mohammed said that the robbers came at about 2a.m. and attempted to force their way into the banking hall. He said policemen promptly stopped them. According to him, one of the robbers was gun down while others escaped.

... as robbers steal $5m in Asaba BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

SABA—AN Onitshabased bureau-dechange operator was allegedly robbed while exchanging five million dollars into its naira equivalent for a guest in an Asaba hotel. His fellow bureau-dechange operator, whom the victim said invited him for the transaction has been arrested. Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Lucky Uyabeme, confirmed the story. He said detectives swung into action and arrested one, while investigation is in progress and efforts are on to arrest other suspects.

Court remands 18-yr-old, 13 others over robbery BY DAYO JOHNSON

KURE—A teenager, Kazeem Adedun, was among the 14 persons ordered to be remanded in Olokuta Prison for armed robbery by an Akure Chief Magistrate Court, weekend. Three others were ordered to be remanded in police custody by the Chief Magistrates, Mrs Funke Adegoroye and Johnson Adelegan, following their arraignment in two separate courts in Akure for armed robbery cases. Two others were granted bail and one discharged. The offences were committed between December 13, 2012 and March 31, 2013.

Kidnap: We 'll enforce death penalty— Delta A-G BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

SABA—DELTA State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Charles Ajuyah (SAN), has assured Deltans that there is no going back in implementing the law recently passed by the state House of Assembly prescribing death penalty for kidnappers, in which the governor ’s veto was overturned. Also, Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Mr. Johnson Erijo, insisted that the passage of the Bill into law by overriding the governor ’s veto was in line with what their respective constituents craved for because of the menace of kidnapping. Both spoke in Asaba in a television programme, Focus, on the state Broadcasting Service, DBS, weekend. According to the AttorneyGeneral, “the penalty for murder is death, but I can tell you

that every other day you find this offence being committed. “So it is an argument now whether it will serve as a deterrent or not, but as far as we are concerned we have laws and we will apply them. “We will see what comes out of it. As Ministry of Justice and the executive, we will certainly go ahead to implement the laws as it is. The extant laws, of course, we have a duty to do that. "We cannot go to court and say we don’t like that law. It is the law that is in force. We will certainly press that the maximum punishment is given because that is the law.” Erijo, who is the Deputy Majority Leader of the House, said overriding the governor ’s veto would not breed any form of friction between the legislature and executive. He said: “It is because people feel we are still at the elementary stage of our democracy."

Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield, impounded this

Police rescue abducted American School student Family driver among suspects BY EVELYN USMAN

AGOS State Police Command has smashed another kidnap syndicate, rescuing a 16-year-old student of the American International School Lekki, who was kidnapped on his way to school two weeks ago. During the rescue operation, one of the abductors was reportedly killed, while two others were arrested. Alleged mastermind of the kidnap was the family’s driver, one Adebayo John, who was taking the teenager to school when the kidnap occurred. The teenager (names withheld) as reliably gathered by Vanguard, was rescued by policemen attached to Ikoyi division under Area ‘A’ command, from the kidnapper’s den last Friday, in a forest located in Olorun Lekan village, OjaOdan, in Ilaro, Ogun State. One of the suspected kidnappers reportedly attacked one of the policemen, stabbing him twice in the head.

The kidnap

Vanguard was informed that the driver, John, went to drop the boy’s father at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport the previous day before he invited two of the kidnappers. The following day (Thursday), while supposedly going to drop the teenager in school, he picked the kidnap suspects and drove to their den in Ilaro, from where they called the vic-

tim’s family two days later, demanding for a N60 million ransom. The news of the teenager’s abduction reportedly forced his father, who had traveled out of the country, to return immediately, while his mother was said to have been admitted in hospital.

Rescue

However, on the day the kidnappers were to receive the ransom (last Friday) operatives from Ikoyi, acting on a tip-off, stormed Ilaro, where they arrested one of the suspects, who during interrogation, disclosed where the teenager was kept. However, on their way to the dreaded forest, two other members, John and one other person, were said to have been waiting by the bush path for the ransom. On sighting the policemen, one of them reportedly attacked them with a knife, following which he was shot. The deceased suspect was reportedly discovered to be the brother of the driver.

“Even when the police went to rescue him, he was reluctant to leave because he was scared.”

...narrates experience

Narrating his 10-day ordeal in the hands of his abductors, the teenager was quoted to have said he never suspected he was kidnapped until they got to the bush. He was quoted to have said “even when Mr. Adedayo stopped to pick the men on the way, I did not bulge. I did not

know where I being taken to until I was taken to the forest. “They kept me in a tent made with bamboo sticks, with fetish objects hung everywhere. At that point, I became afraid. I even thought they kidnapped both of us. I was scared all through. “I was only fed twice. The first time I was given rice and the second time I was given pap and bean cake. “They threatened to kill me if my father did not bring the ransom.”

Crude theft: JTF nabs 76, BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

ENAGOA—THE Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, otherwise known as Operation Pulo Shield, yesterday, said its operatives have

impounded a vessel over alleged involvement in crude oil theft along Otokomabie creek near Oloma community in Rivers State. A giant barge was intercepted lurking around an illegal oil loading point close

Victim made to swear oath

Family sources told Vanguard that after he was rescued, the teenager could not talk to anyone. The source said: “When he eventually opened up, he said he was made to take an oath never to reveal anything that happened in the forest to anyone or else he would die.

One of the suspected oil thieves and his weapons

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013—7

Drivers, police clash in Ekiti BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

vessel, MT Shandy, over suspected crude oil theft.

DO-EKITI—COMMERCIAL drivers operating under the umbrella of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, and men of Ekiti State Police Command engaged in a violent clash for several hours in Ado-Ekiti, weekend The face-off was allegedly caused by the refusal of a police officer to pay N300 transport fare from Akure to Ado Ekiti. The driver of the 18-seater bus was said to have insisted that the cop must pay his fare like other passengers The policeman, who was said to be armed, allegedly fired a shot at the bus shattering the rare windshield, which attracted other drivers from nearby, who joined their colleague to beat up the policeman. After the telling-off by the other drivers and the co-passengers, the policeman, a Sergeant, was said to have re-

ported the case to his colleagues at his police station. According to the report, the policemen mobilised to the motor-park located in Ajilosun and started shooting sporadically. The action of the policemen was said to have forced the drivers and commuters at the park to flee into the bush, as the policemen dealt with the drivers that were not fortunate to escape. The source revealed that as the policemen were firing the shots, the commercial drivers were also replying with dangerous missiles like stones, broken bottles and iron rods, brandishing cutlasses and axes. Several people were said to have sustained serious injuries in the ensuing melee. Motorists going towards Ijigbo from the old garage had to make a detour at Irona to escape through the GRA side, while those coming from Ajilosun towards Ijigbo passed through Moferere to Agric at Odo Ado.

9 oil workers kidnapped in Bayelsa BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

ENAGOA—NINE oil workers, attached to the Nigerian Oil Servicing Companies of the Octopus Clan Nigerian Limited and the Deck Oil Services, have been reportedly kidnapped by gunmen suspected to be renegade militants along the Ilebiri Creek in the Southern Ijaw Area of Bayelsa State. Though the alleged kidnap of the oil workers could not be independently confirmed, security sources said they were seized last Thursday at 2p.m.

by gunmen suspected to be part of the gang that killed 12 policemen three weeks ago at Lobia II in the creek of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area. It was learnt that the abducted oil workers are Nigerians and were on their way

Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NOAC. An indigene of the Ikebiri community, Kelvin Okuneibie, said some local fishermen along the waters witnessed the abduction of the oil workers by armed gunmen operating in two speedboats.

Man, 40, murders relative in Ebonyi BY PETER OKUTU

BAKALIKI—ONE Emmanuel Nwegwe, 40, from Umunaga village in Uburu

impounds vessel, barge to Burma Rice Farm between Brass and Obiama water-ways in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Seventy-six suspects were reportedly arrested during the raids on identified locations by operatives of the JTF. The vessel, MT Shandy, according to JTF, was intercepted by personnel of 146 Battalion patrol team of Sector 2. Spokesman of the JTF, Lt.-Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement in Yenagoa, said the vessel, before its arrest, had been kept under surveillance by its operatives while it lurked around Bonny anchorage. He said: “JTF gun boat patrol team laid in wait until the vessel prowled into Otokomabie creek close to Shell Petroleum

to resume repair work on several pipeline leaks ranging from 18 Tebidaba Brass line, Ogoda Ogboinbiri 24 line at Oporoma, Ogboinbiri Tebidaba 14 line at Ikebiri, Kemebiama, Osiama 6 flowline, Tebidaba wells 14 & 11 flowline replacement and several others for the

Development Company, SPDC, pipelines before swooping on it. “The 12-man crew on the vessel initially resisted arrest by refusing to let down the vessel’s stairway (ladder) for the patrol team to access the vessel until the troops threatened to apply some force."

community of Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, weekend, was reported to have murdered his relative, Innocent Onu, 54, over an unresolved misunderstanding. Vanguard gathered that the suspect had been engaged in a feud with the deceased and other relatives on Saturday over the suspects’ decision to offload sand inside the compound where the family members had planned to use for a wedding reception of another family member on Sunday. It was further learnt that the family members of the suspect had scolded him over his deci-

sion to build a house for his father on a part of the compound different from the one allocated to him for that purpose. After much persuasion, he agreed to move the sand to another part of the compound and to abide by their decision on where to site the building. A source said: “On Sunday (yesterday) morning, when the family members gathered to put finishing touches to their plan for the wedding, he came out with a pump action gun and ordered the elders to lie down. "He opened fire on the head of one the family members, Innocent, who died on the spot.”

...raids 7 communities, kills one in Delta BY EMMA ARUBI

ARRI—OPERATIVES of the Joint Task Force, JTF, was Saturday morning, alleged to have shot one person dead in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State after raiding seven communities. Ami Dada, the spokespersons for Egbema for Positive Change,

a socio-cultural organisation, who spoke to Vanguard, listed the raided communities to include Elume- Ugbo, Itagbene, Itagbene- Zion, Okunfaba, Abadegbene, Adagbarasa and Asantuagbene. Dada said the victim was shot dead at Elume-Ugbo village. He added that the raid may be connected with the plan

peaceful protest the people of the communities intended to embark on in furtherance of their protest against the state government and the authorities of Chevron Nigeria limited. According to him, "at 5a.m., gunboats from the army (JTF) went to raid everybody in seven communities in Warri North local government area."

90-yr-old kidnap victim freed BY DAYO JOHNSON

KURE—KIDNAPPED 90 years old former President of the Association of Master Bakers, Ondo State chapter, Alhaji Musa Adisa, was, weekend, freed just as detectives picked up three of his abductors. A ransom of N30 million was requested for by the kidnappers last week. Detectives from Ondo State Police Command, weekend, secured his release. He was abducted last week Wednesday while going to the mosque in Akure, the state capital. Vanguard gathered that detectives from the state command stormed the kidnappers’ hideout in AdoEkiti, capital of Ekiti State, where he was held hostage. Three of the abductors were arrested at the hideout by the detectives, who acted on a tip-off. The old man was abducted by four armed men in front of his 121, Isolo Street, Akure home while he was about to cross the road to a nearby mosque.

UTME: NSCDC arrests 82 over exam malpractice BY DAUD OLATUNJI

BEOKUTA—NIGERIA Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ogun State Command, said weekend, that it had arrested about 82 candidates of the just-concluded Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, in the state for alleged involvment in examination malpractices. The exam, held last Saturday in about 108 centres across the state, however, recorded no violence. State Corps Commandant, Aboluwoye Akinwande, in a statement by the Command Public Relations Officer, Kareem Olanrewaju, said the candidates were arrested from different centres across the state for cutting corners during the examination. Akinwande said, 30 candidates were arrested in various centres in Abeokuta, nine in Ewekoro local government, while others were arrested at Olabisi Onabanjo University, OOU centre, and Molusi College in IjebuOde, Ijebu-Ode Local Government Area of the state.

8—Vanguard , MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR, KENNETH EHIGIATOR & JIMITOTA ONOYUME

HE Rivers State government, yesterday, claimed ignorance of the ban on the state’s aircraft flying in the country, saying it would not give heed to media speculations on the issue in the face of its own compliance to regulatory procedures on the registration of the aircraft. The assertion nonetheless, ripples arising from the ban continued, yesterday, across the political and aviation sectors. The Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, alleged the ban to be part of a growing scheme by the ruling administration to humiliate and cripple Governor Chibuike Amaechi, saying the ban had more than anything exposed the hypocrisy of the present administration. Leading aviation expert, Captain Tito Omaghomi, a former captain with the defunct Nigerian Airways on his part, flayed the procedure adopted by the aviation authorities on the matter. Caution was, however, the refrain across the political landscape in Rivers State as both supporters of the governor and his traducers recently empowered to form the new executive of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state shied away from speaking on the issue. The 700 Bombardier Global Express aircraft belonging to the Rivers State government normally used in conveying Governor Amaechi was on Friday temporarily stopped from taking off in Akure allegedly for the failure of the crew to provide a manifest. The aircraft was subsequently on Saturday banned from flying in the country by the aviation authorities on the claim that its papers expired on April 2. The ACN was quick to read political meanings into the action alleging it was the beginning of the days of sorrow for Governor Amaechi from the Federal Government Amaechi, chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum has lately been in the news on allegations that he is opposed to the 2015 re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan and conceiving a plan to run as a running mate to an incumbent northern governor in the 2015 presidential election. The governor has repeatedly denied the claims. In its reaction yesterday, the Rivers State government in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari, claimed ignorance of any action taken against the aircraft by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA. "As we speak, all I have is information that I have gleaned from the media. All we have as a government is that information. "No formal communication has reached us in Rivers State. We believe that it would be best that we await formal communication from the regulatory agency.

Grounded aircraft: We 're not aware — Rivers govt It's FG's plot to humiliate Gov Amaechi—ACN Captain Tito flays procedure "Just to say that all our documentations are in place. And to also say that as a responsible sub-national, we have complied with the norms that regulate aviation business in Nigeria. "We have applied formally to the minister of aviation for the import license. That application was received in her office in Sept. 2012. "So, we believe that all of the procedure, we have complied as best as we know. "However, we do understand that the regulatory agencies are best equipped to tell us if they think there is any lapse and we will expect that the communication will come to us formally and not through the media," she said. But asserting vengeance for the ban, the national publicity secretary of the ACN Alhaji Lai Mohammed said: “One thing I can assure you is that the PDP and Jonathan will never allow Amaechi one minute. They will use every trick in their arsenal to fight Amaechi’s government. I have no doubt in my mind that the ultimate is to remove him as governor, but before then, they will do everything to ground him. People don’t know the significance of grounding Amaechi’s aircraft. When you ground the aircraft of a person like Amaechi you are demobilizing him completely. He no longer can plan his programmes as he wishes,” Mohammed told Vanguard. “He will now be at the mercy of commercial aircraft, friends or fellow governors to even move out of Port-Harcourt. Now, Governor Amaechi should get ready and accept more humiliation, more frustration, from the Jonathan-led Federal Government.” “Nothing has unveiled the hypocrisy of Jonathan and the PDP more than what is happening to Amaechi. When the aircraft was grounded in Akure, they claimed it was because the crew did not file the passenger s' manifest, but of course it is not true. Now we know the real reason is to completely humiliate and embarrass him and they will stop at nothing.” Calling on well meaning Nigerians to rise and speak against arbitrariness, he said: “And I think it is about time too that well meaning Nigerians should start cautioning the government because matters like this, you can only know the be-

ginning, you can never know the end. "I will not be surprised in the next couple of days that they mobilize the Rivers State House of Assembly to impeach him or if the EFCC and ICPC now suddenly find allegations against the speaker and members of the house. They did it before in Plateau, Oyo and Bayelsa. But we all know where it almost led Nigeria. All these deliberate acts of destabilization of the polity, the government should desist from it.” Captain Tito one of the country’s most respected voices in the aviation sector slammed the procedure adopted by the aviation authorities. The regulatory agency had claimed that the clearance approval expired on April 2, 2013, after which the aircraft ought

to have been grounded immediately. But Capt Tito wondered why it took the NCAA till April 27 to take action on the aircraft, noting that if the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, had not raised issues about the pilot’s flight plan in Akure, the regulatory agency wouldn’t have known that the aircraft documentation had expired. “NCAA is just trying to cover its track in grounding that aircraft. Why did they have to wait till April 27 to ground the plane, if its documentation expired April 2? “Is it not the same NCAA that granted extension for the aircraft to continue to fly, if there was any extension? What has happened is to tell you that the NCAA is not doing its job. What the agency did was fire

brigade approach,” he said. Tito, who said the regulatory body was right in grounding the plane, said the manner it was carried out was what led to the controversy. He disclosed also that the NCAA had also long before now allowed the aircraft to fly using Rivers State government as call sign which, according to him, is against standard practice in aviation. According to him, it was not until about a month ago that it started using the right call sign, which is the registration number N565RS. On ways out of the logjam, now that the aircraft had been grounded, Tito said Rivers State government could re-apply for extension of the concession earlier granted the government to operate the aircraft.

TURBANING—FCT Minister, Bala Mohammed (left) and former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida discussing during the turbaning of members of Minna Emirate Council at Emir's palace, Minna on Saturday.

Patience Jonathan tasks Chief Judges, others on prison congestion BY CALEB AYANSINA

BUJA – NIGERIAN First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, weekend, called on the state chief judges to pay more attention to problems of prison congestion and design ways of finding a lasting solution to it. Mrs. Jonathan also called on prison authorities to device appropriate strategy that would properly take care of about 6,000 Nigerian children living in prisons and detention centres across the country. Jonathan, who spoke at the commissioning of the Prison Staff School built by the Prisons

Officers Wives’ Association, PROWA, in Abuja, noted that there were inmates that had no case to answer, but suffered injustice because they had no body to stand for them. She added that the present situation of the country’s prisons had defeated the purpose of prison system to reform offenders, while urging state chief judges, including the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, to carry out periodic visit to prison for the purpose of examining the cases of suspects awaiting trial, adding that, her NGO was willing to render any assistance on the matter.

Mrs. Jonathan said: “It will interest you to note that a 2012 report by the African Union on the rights and welfare of a child has shown that an estimated 6,000 Nigerian Children live in prison and detention centres. “Some of these children are said to have been born in the prison, while a majority are minors who are awaiting trial. I hope that the prison authorities will urgently look into the situation of babies born in prisons. Such children can possibly be handed over to a responsible family member or to the Department of Social Welfare for proper care and integration.

Vanguard , MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013—9

Obasanjo tackles Jonathan on proposed pipeline protection As Oby Ezekwesili marks 50 years BY LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU

BUJA BUJA—FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, faulted move by the Federal Government to set up an agency for pipeline protection, saying it was another way of stealing from the government coffers. Obasanjo who spoke at a thanksgiving at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Garki Abuja to mark the 50th birthday of the former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili also said he took full responsibility for any failure his regime has been accused of and that his team of ministers who worked with him should not be blamed for any inadequacies. The former President who extolled the outstanding qualities of Ezekwesili who served under him stated that no one would have probed her following her position on the state of the nation as widely reported recently. Instead, Obasanjo said the government would have paid her for the services she rendered to the country during the time she served. Obasanjo who chided the present government for a move to set up an agency for pipeline protection, argued that this was another way of stealing from the government coffers. Said he: “When I was coming from Abeokuta, I was listening to the radio and they said they are going to set up an agency for pipeline protection. Now, what are the Police there for? All the security agencies that we have, what are they for. This is another chopchop. We have no choice we have to get it right. Let us decide individually that I will have to do what I will do to bring about change in Nigeria. And if you do that, let me assure you, you will be abused. You will be called names. Some people are hired to do that. But like Oby, say what you believe is right and stand by it.” Commending his former minister for the role she played in government, the former president said, “those who wanted to probe you, I think if they were honest, after probing you, they would ask that the government of Nigeria should have specially given you money for work you have done for this country. But as one of those who worked with me and to achieve whatever we may claim we achieved, and I have always said it you should be commended. Whatever you might want to blame in my government, blame me, don’t blame any of those people who assisted me. Blame me. If there is any credit, we share together. But if there is anything you want to say it is wrong, I was the one in-charge.”

Obasanjo who said he would have been in Ghana but for the importance he attached to the celebration, however, stated that their role as citizens of Nigeria and stakeholders in the affairs of the nation was to continue offering advice that would bring the needed change. He also recounted an experience he had with a friend on the natural endowment of the country, stressing that mismanagement of resources is Nigeria’s greatest challenge. Obasanjo: “Today is a great day in your life and I know that otherwise I should have been in Ghana. But because I realize how important this day is to you, when I leave here I will proceed to Ghana. I want to thank you for what we jointly worked for

and lived for; service and values. And I do hope that we will never stop meditating, repeating, shouting and talking. “One of my friends said the other day when I said let us pray, he said stop tempting God and I said what do you mean by that, he said Look, God has done everything for you and you are mismanaging it. You are tempting God. I hope you will stop tempting God. But let me say personally what Oby stands for, what she has lived for and the exemplary service she has rendered under my own administration and indeed in the global setting Speaking to newsmen at the reception on how she feels at 50 years, the celebrant, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili looked back and

said it was the grace of God that has brought her thus far. Her words: “It feels really great. I have to tell you that I feel a sense of completion of a certain phase in my life and when I look back I just remember so much that God has done in my life, you know I can’t help but really understand God as the One who gives greatness. "It is only because of the Grace of God that I am what I am today and grace is called unmerited favour, not because I deserve it but because God decided that He will take a child from a humble home and enabled my parents to give me education and He laid on my path the opportunity to prove myself then He blessed the work that I did at different stages of my life.

VISIT—From left: Mr Eze Anaba, Deputy Editor, Vanguard Newspaper; Mr Mideno Bayagbon, Editor; Mr Gbenga Adefaye, Editor-in-Chief/GM Publication; Dr Doyin Okupe, Senior Special Assistant for Public Affairs to the President; Mr Taofik Gani, Publicity Secretary, Lagos PDP; Dr Olusanya Awosan, Special Assistant to the President (Public Relations) and Bamidele Salam, Special Assistant to the President, Director Media on Public Affairs, during a visit to Vanguard. Photo: Akeem Salau.

Jonathan congratulates Adenuga on his 60th birthday BY BEN AGANDE

BUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has congratulated one of Nigeria’s most successful and renowned businessmen, Otunba Michael Adenuga, as he celebrates his 60th birthday today. In a statement, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, quoted President Jonathan as noting that Otunba Adenuga was celebrating 60 years of great achievements in business and philanthropy. Mike Adenuga is one of only two Nigerians not former leaders that was recently conferred with Nigeria’s second highest National Honour of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, GCON. The President described Otunba Adenuga as an embodiment of the ideals of “diligence, commitment, unmediated patriotism and selfless service.” “On behalf of the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I join your family, friends, protégés and wellwishers in thanking God for your exemplary life. “It is my prayer that Almighty God continues to bless you with robust health and enduring happiness,” President Jonathan said.

Lagos govt seals off 30 illegal medicine stores

ACN accuses FG of plans to spy on private emails of Nigerians

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

CTION Congress of Niger ia, ACN, has accused President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration of launching an unprecedented assault on the civil rights of Nigerian citizens, through the reported planned $40 million internet surveillance contract that will allow the government to invade the privacy of citizens, especially journalists and those considered to be opponents of the administrat i o n . National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a statement, yesterday, posited that since the report of the contract, said to have been awarded to an Israeli firm, had not been denied several days after it was published, it was an indication that it was true. The party stated: "For a gov-

ernment that is increasingly paranoid, having failed to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the citizenry who are justifiably becoming restive by the day, the ability to spy on the internet communications of citizens as well as to intercept and read private emails, not to talk of being able to suppress unwanted connections, is a potent weapon against the civil rights of Nigerians as well as the constitutionally-guaranteed rights like freedom of expression, freedom of the press and freedom of association. "It is common knowledge that the Jonathan's administration has been getting a bad rap from Nigerians in the traditional media as well as the social media - a veritable platform for the citizens to vent their frustrations at a do-nothing government. "It is also common knowledge

that journalists have borne the brunt of the administration’s increasing propensity to stifle freedom of expression and press freedom, while members of the opposition are being portrayed more and more as enemies of the administration, rather than being seen as indispensable allies in the nation’s quest to evolve a strong and enduring democracy. "These may have been the motivation for the administration to acquire the internet surveillance capability". "However, no government in the history of our country, whether elected or otherwise, has taken this kind of brazen measure for whatever reason, hence it must raise serious concerns among the citizenry, their political representatives as well as civil liberties organisations,’’ the ACN said.

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

AGOS State government, through its task force on counterfeit, fake drugs and unwholesome processed foods, weekend, sealed off at least 30 illegal patent medicine stores, in the Ajah-Lekki axis of the state. The government warned members of the public on the inherent risks in the purchase and consumption of drugs from hawkers. Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, who disclosed this, noted that the state government was not only worried by the dangers posed by illegal drug hawkers but also by nefarious activities of illegal operators of patent medicine and pharmaceutical stores in the state hence, the latest clampdown on illegal operators in Ajah-Lekki axis.

10—Vanguard , MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

Stakeholders advocate more efforts in malaria fight BY CHIOMA OBINNA

TAKEHOLDERS in the health sector in Ogun State, have called for an allinclusive strategy to drastically reduce the current unacceptably high malaria prevalence in the country and other African countries. The stakeholders lamented that although malaria was preventable, there was need for proactive steps to halt the current trend of avoidable deaths resulting from malaria, especially among pregnant women and children below five years. Ogun Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, spoke at the flag-off ceremony to mark the 2013 World Malaria Day organised by Ogun State Government in collaboration with Reckitt Benckiser’s Mortein insecticide brand in Abeokuta. He said due to the strategic placement of Africa as the new

hub for the world’s economy, it was imperative to accord malaria eradication priority and solicit every support. Soyinka commended Reckitt Benckiser for its Mortein antimalaria initiative and called on well-meaning corporate bodies and institutions to emulate the company in its bid to make the country malaria-free. General Manager for Central (West & East) Africa, Reckitt Benckiser, Mr. Ashok Bashin, said the need to fill what he described as the “deadly gaps” in the various malaria eradication programmes, informed the company's intervention initiative.

FAIR: From left— Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, former Minister of Health and guest of honour; Dr. Jide Idris, Lagos State Commissioner for Health; Mrs Ayodele Iroko, Chief of Party, Strengthening Health Outcomes Through the Private Sector, SHOP; and Dr. Anthony Omolola, National President, Association of General and Private Medical Practitioner of Nigeria, AGPMPN, during the opening of private health sector trade fair themed Effective Public-Private Partnership: A Sure Way of Promoting Healthcare Delivery System in Nigeria, oragnised by USAID Nigeria and SHOP in Lagos. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

Labour calls for Director of Agric Institute's sack over arrest of workers BY OLA AJAYI

BADAN—FOLLOW ING the arrest of some of the striking workers of the Institute of Agriculture, Research and Training, IAR & T, Moor Plantation, Ibadan, the workers have called for the removal of the director of the institute, Prof. Benjamin Ogunbodede. The call was made by the National Vice-President, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, IAR & T branch, Mr. Alfred Jimoh, weekend. Fifteen members of the union were arrested over the industrial unrest that has paralysed activities in the institute for the past 10 months. Meanwhile, the union members, who were arraigned in court, were granted N50,000.00 bail with a surety each Justifying the call for the removal of the director, Jimoh accused him of abuse of office, fraudulent diversion and misappropriation of funds. He said: “The workers

no longer have confidence in the leadership of Prof. Benjamin Ogunbodede.” However, Ogunbodede denied all the allegations, saying “I will not wait a minute longer at the institute if found guilty of any offence or wrong doing in office.”

He added that the allegations of misappropriation of funds were spurious and unfounded. Contrary to the claims of the aggrieved workers, the panel that was set up by the management of the institute did not find him guilty. Jimoh said: “I whole-

heartedly support the call of the workers of the institute for Ogunbo-dede’s removal as the director, due to loss of confidence in his administration. "We are at the institute to have a meeting with the members and to brief them about development at the court on Thursday."

Aregbesola warns of impending disintegration

OVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, weekend, expressed fear that the nation was gradually moving towards disintegration. Aregbesola spoke in Osogbo at a social gathering the government organised in honour of the newly-elected President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr. Femi Adesina, and other executive members of the guild. The governor said unless the Federal Government urgently took con-

crete steps to arrest the protracted unrest in virtually all the regions of the country, the nation may collapse. According to him, anyone with the interest of the country at heart would certainly know that Nigeria was at present closer to failure than success as a nation. He said rather than address the fundamental causes of the crisis, Federal Government was only scratching them on the surface. The governor said: “I am particularly worried about

the fate of this nation today. Nigeria is very close to being a failed state than being successful." The governor charged the media to practice developmental journalism and said through this brand of journalism, it would interest all stakeholders where the nation is going. He said: “Media should challenge the leaders and wake them up to their responsibilities. “I want you to use your medium to also correct the bad impressions created for our state."

90% attendance prerequisite for WAEC— Osun State

SUN State Government has warned students against absenteeism, saying a 90 percent school attendance by senior secondary students is a condition to sit for the May/June 2013 West African Senior Secondary School Examinations, WASSSCE. State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, gave the warning in

Osogbo during an interactive session with principals of secondary schools. She cited cases where secondary schools students resorted to commercial motorcycle operations during school hours, saying “a student that refuses to comply with a 90 percent attendance requirement would not be allowed to sit for

the final examinations.” She urged principals to be diligent with recordkeeping to enable them identify those who stayed away from classes. Laoye-Tomori, who doubles as the Commissioner for Education said: “From the statistical standpoint, out of 44,388 students, who sat for the 2010 May/June WASSCE, 6,773 students

made credit level passes in five subjects, including English and Mathematics. “In 2011 May /June WASSCE, 54,810 students sat for the examinations, while 11,949 students recorded credit level passes in five subjects, including English and Mathematics. This is an improvement of 76.4 percent.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013—11

PTML Customs command first quarter revenue ups last year's by N1bn BY IFEYINWA OBI

HE Area Comptroller of Port Multiterminal, PTML, of Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Zakari Jubril, said, yesterday, that comparatively, this year's first quarter revenue surpassed last year's revenue figures by over N1 billion, adding that the feat was due to the efforts of men and officers of the command. Against this backdrop, the command said it was confident that it would achieve its 2013 revenue targets and even surpass same. Mr Jubril, in Lagos, said the command generated over N17.38 billion during the period under review, and raked in N16 .44 billion into the Federation Account in the corresponding period last year.

Edo LP chieftain urges Sanusi to check illegal sale of Naira BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

ENIN—DEPUTY Chairman of Labour Party in Edo State, Chief Patrick Eholor, yesterday, challenged the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, to address the sale of the nation’s currency by illegal operators in the open market. Wondering why the sale of the nation’s currency has become a thriving business in major motor parks in the country, he blamed officials of the apex bank for the problem. Eholor, weekend, in Benin, Edo State, maintained that the ban on the sale of the Nigerian currency by illegal operators of bureau de change would be a ruse, unless there was outright stoppage in the patronage of the business by government officials and other highly placed persons. He said the illegal sale of

the currency had depreciated the value of the naira and had also dampened the morale of citizens. He said: “What is Mallam Sa-

nusi doing about it? These are not the ordinary citizens, they are the bourgeois, who are selling our money. It is better to stop them but rath-

er, we are playing blind to them, as they are using tax payers' money to print our currency and after doing so, they resell it to the ordinary citizens.”

FUNERAL SERVICE: From left: Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal; Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State; former Presidential Adviser on Media, Segun Adeniyi and Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, during the funeral service for the Deputy Speaker's late sister, Mrs. Natachi Ben-Chukwuma, at St.Cyprian's Church Umuihi, Imo State, weekend.

Amaechi tasks state varsity on financial autonomy BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

ORT HARCOURT— GOV-ERNOR Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State, has called on the management of Rivers State University of Science and Technology to evolve measures to achieve financial autonomy in the running of the university.

The governor, at the silver jubilee convocation of the university, charged the granduands to remain good ambassadors of the university, just as he urged the management to ensure that the lecturers were periodically examined to ensure their ability to deliver quality education. Amaechi, who gave the university the go ahead

to recruit more lecturers, said the institution should endeavour to always vote funds for research and capacity building for the lecturers. He tasked the university authority not to hesitate to punish lecturers who fail in their jobs, stressing that his government will continue to support qualitative university education in the state.

Olu of Warri charges Nigerians to embrace peace BY FESTUS AHON

GHELLI—THE Olu of Warri, His Royal Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse II, has charged

Nigerians to shun acts capable of undermining the peace of the country. Giving the charge when the founder and President of Destiny

Helpers International, DHI, Mrs. Victoria SilloFregene, led other officials of the non-governmental organisation, on a thank you visit to the roral father and to felicitate with him on his forthcoming 26th coronation anniversary, the monarch appealed to Nigerians to show genuine love to one another. He commended Destiny Helpers International for keeping faith with the vision and goals of the foundation, stressing the need for Nigerians to close ranks and demonstrate true love for one another irrespective of their religion and tribe. He added that ‘’love covereth sin while hatred stirs up strife.”

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

Rivers councillors reject new state PDP exco BY EGUFE YAFUGBORHI

ORT HARCOURT—FOLLOWING the footsteps of serving local government area chairmen and the Rivers State House of Assembly, councillors in the state, have rejected the newly inaugurated state executive council of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. In a communique after an extra-ordinary meeting in Port Harcourt, the local government lawmakers, under the aegis of National Councillors Forum of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, pledged their loyalty to the sacked Chief G.U. Ake-led executive of the party, describing the court ruling, which legitimised Felix Obuah-led executive as “kangaroo and unacceptable.” The communique, by the executive of the forum and presented by Dagogo Humphrey, Publicity Secretary, said the forum also pledged “full support” for Governor Rotimi Amaechi while advising him not to be distracted by current political antagonism against him.

Jonathan endorses N-Delta Trust Fund BY CHRIS OCHAYI

YO—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, has endorsed the establishment of a Multi-Stakeholder Trust Fund, MSTF, to fast track the development of the Niger Delta region. President Jonathan, while inaugurating the 40-member National Council on Niger Delta, weekend, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, said the process will create development partners to ensure the transformation of the region. The proposed MSTF is expected to solve the decades of funding problems faced in the process of developing the region. Under the arrangement, as contained in the Niger Delta Action Plan, developed by the Ministry, MSTF will mobilise an additional $200 million, about N3.2 billion, as the first tranche of fund. President Jonathan, represented by his Vice, Mr Namadi Sambo, said the government was committed to pushing forward a new dawn for development in the region. He said: “This mechanism will assist the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to more effectively coordinate development resources from different stakeholders to achieve the intended objectives. “Today’s event marks one

in the series of efforts by the Federal Government to consolidate and reaffirm all commitments to the people of the Niger Delta, made within the framework of the amnesty programme in 2010. “We must now capitalise on the prevailing peace framework in the region to push forward a new

dawn in the region. When we work together, we are better able to unleash our creative potentials in optimising our huge human and natural resources for the stability and prosperity of the Niger Delta, and the good and progress of our people. “We consider it a priority

to sustain the consolidation of the current security situation in order to deepen the very foundations of durable and mutually beneficial peace. This is achievable if we forthrightly, and with articulation, address the development challenges and neglect of the people.”

RETREAT: From left: Mr. Adewale Peter, Director-General, Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, ASCON; Mrs. Jumoke Okoya-Thomas; Mr. Emeka Ezeh, Director, Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, and Mr. Victor Nwokolo, at a retreat for chief executive officers of parastatals, at ASCON,Badagry. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

Etok’s allegations spurious —Akpabio A KWA Ibom State Government has described as unfortunate, statement credited to Senator Aloysius Etok, of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, wherein he made “spurious allegations that the state governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, was after his life.” The state commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, in a statement, dismissed the allegations as paranoid, deceitful, baseless and mere hallucinations that serve

no purpose whatsoever. He maintained that Governor Akpabio has no problem with Senator Etok and would not join issues with anyone on conjectures credited to the senator, who the governor, worked hard with the people to produce. Umanah said: “Governor Akpabio is a God fearing and peace loving man, and has never, and will never contemplate evil against anyone, let alone, his brother and friend, Senator Aloysius Etok.”

He described the allegation of mobilising local government chairmen and members of the state House of Assembly against Sen. Etok as a figment of the imagination of the authors of such demented scripts because Governor Akpabio was not in the country at the time the alleged actions were taken neither was he party to same as he was attending the Commonwealth Bar Association Conference in Cape Town, South Africa at the time.

60,000 women die through pregnancy complications annually —NPHCDA BY VICTORIA OJEME

BUJA — E X E C U TIVE Secretary of National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Ado Mohammed, has said that no fewer than 60,000 Nigerian women die annually from complications in pregnancy. He spoke when he re-

ceived an award of excellence confered on him by the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, for his agency’s commitment to efficient health care service delivery in Nigeria. Ado, in a statement by the Assistant Public Relation Officer ofNPHCDA, Mr. Abubakar Musa, said: “The agency solicits for more support and cooperation of

well meaning Nigerians in collaborating with NPHCDA towards providing better health care service delivery to all Nigerians, especially at the grassroots level.” He said to achieve this, “all hands must be on deck towards ensuring that Nigeria attains the MDG’s goal 4 & 5, reduction in maternal and child mortality, before 2015.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013 — 13

Tell BH to stop attacking Christians, Anglican primate urges Amnesty Panel By SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

Edo LGA Polls: Nigeria’s democracy under threat •PDP raises alarm •Asks FG to probe military presence in Esan North East; Says Oshiomhole wants to be the only Emperor •To drag ACN, Oshiomhole to Court •Says EDSIEC members are ACN card carrying members •Most PDP chieftains are suffering from political curses imposed on them by the people of Edo State— Oshiomhole •Says PDP failed to campaign like ACN

OR peace to reign in Nigeria, the Boko Haram Amnesty Committee raised by the Federal Government must prevail on the sect to stop killing Christians and destroying their places of worship, the Primate of Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, has cautioned. Okoh’s admonition is contained in a position paper released by the church and made available to Vanguard last night. In the document entitled ‘The rough edges of the amnesty proposition’, the primate noted with concern the rush to grant amnesty to the BH sect without any form of truth and reconciliation, which he noted, should have preceded amnesty. The Anglican Communion noted that although the motive of the Federal Government was to achieve peace in the north, ignoring the first steps that should have been taken would only result in the attainment of what it called ‘half peace’. The church said: "If the Federal Government goes ahead through the amnesty committee to make peace on BH’s terms, it would have inadvertently and effectively banned Christians and Christianity from the North. In the amnesty committee, who will speak for the right of the church, not to be tolerated, but as Nigerian Christians to exist side by side with Islam and Muslims, build churches, worship freely, move about freely without being hunted down with all sorts of weapons? ”Will the amnesty committee ensure that Christians are not merely tolerated in the north but are allowed to live abundant life as Muslims as Christians do in other parts of the country?"

By HENRY UMORU

BUJA— NATIONAL Leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, raised alarm that the nation’s democracy was under serious threat, just as it condemned the just concluded local government election in Edo State. According to PDP, since June 12, 1993, presidential election that was annulled, Nigeria as a country had never witnessed what the party alleged to be assault on the people as well as harassment and intimidation during the polls, especially in Esan North East local government, the place of the Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, Chief Tony Anenih. The PDP also said that Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State wanted to make himself the only emperor as well as the only leader, adding that power and leadership were ephemeral. Addressing Journalists in Abuja, PDP national Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, who urged the military authorities to investigate the role of the Brigade commander in Benin in the use of the military against PDP members during the elections, however, vowed that the party would challenge the outcome of the election in court. But in a swift reaction, Governor Adams Oshiomhole noted that some chieftains of PDP were suffering from what he termed political curses imposed on them by the good people of Edo State. Oshiomhole, who spoke through his Special Adviser, Media, Kassim Afegbua said: "We are of the opinion that most PDP chieftains are suffering from political curses imposed on them by the good people of Edo State over the misrule of the party when they presided over the affairs of the state for ten years. The potency and efficacy of that curse is still in force, that is why they cannot win any election in the State. Even if

they conduct elections in their bedrooms among family members, they will still lose because they have since become political turn coats with little or no electoral value. This is why you see members of the PDP in Edo State behave often times like gang of sinuous fawns all over the place, gallivanting like unshepherded flock just to remain visible. "The LGA election complied substantially with the provisions of the electoral act of the State and to that extent, we are satisfied with the outcome so far. Rather than go on the field to campaign for elections they were busy chasing after the age or no age of the Comrade Governor, like members of Jacobian scandal club of medieval age. Why won’t they complain when they did not campaign? They must give a

reason to cover up their indolence, lazying about with tired adults struggling to remain relevant in the system. This is the age of ACN and the PDP should learn how to play the new opposition role which civilization has thrust upon them. Edo State has been liberated from the buccaneering attitude of a Party as rudderless as the PDP.” Speaking further, Metuh who also accused members of the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission, EDOSIEC, under the chairmanship of Solomon as card carrying members of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, stressed that the Commission started an onslaught against the PDP by imposing illegal fees of N100,000 and N50,000 for col-

lection of forms on the chairmanship and councillorship candidates respectively designed to frustrate members of PDP from contesting. But when asked to comment on a similar situation in the past where similar charges were made during former Governor Lucky Igbinedion, Metuh simply responded saying, "Oshiomhole and Lucky Igbinedion are birds of a feather.” Metuh said: "As we speak, the survival of our democracy is under very serious threat. Unpatriotic and undemocratic elements have laid siege on our nation’s democracy and Nigerians are now living in serious fear and uncertainty. Since the annulment of June 12 1993, presidential elections, we have never in the political history of Nigeria witnessed any such assault on the people and democracy like what is going on in Edo State today. "As I address you, the people of Edo State are being subjected to the worst form of tyranny."

L-r: National president, Motion Pictures Distributors of Nigeria, Igwe Gabosky; minister of finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; minister of tourism, Chief Edem Duke, and president, Association of Movie Producers, Zik Zulu Okafor, during a media briefing after Federal Government delegates and Nollywood stakeholders meeting on FG/Nollywood grant disbursement plan in Lagos...yesterday

Poly teachers begin indefinite strike By BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

HE Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, has commenced an indefinite strike, following failure of the federal and state governments to implement agreements on issues affecting polytechnic education in the country. The indefinite strike declared,

yesterday, by the union, followed end of a seven-day warning strike which ended weekend. Some of the issues in contention are non-migration of members at the lower cadres on CONTISS 15 salary scale; release of white paper on the visitation panel to federal polytechnics; noncommencement of needs assessment of N i g e r i a n polytechnics; worrisome state of state-owned polytechnics/ monotechnics; and c o n t i n u e d appointment of unqualified persons as rectors by some state governments. Others include

failure of most state governments to implement approved salary packages (CONPCASS) for polytechnics and 65 years retirement age; continued recognition of the NBTE as a regulatory body for Nigerian polytechnics against the creation of a national polytechnics commission; and and the snail speed associated with the amendment of the Federal Polytechnics Act, amongst others. National President of ASUP, Mr Chibuzor Asomugha, told Vanguard, yesterday, that the indefinite strike had become inevitable because the meeting the union had with Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, on the issues yielded no positive results.

14 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

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Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013 — 15

Infrastructure Bank raises capital to N29 billion

HE board of Infra structure Bank has approved the recapitalisation of the bank to the tune of N29 billion. Its Managing Director, Mr Mr Adekunle Oyinloye, disclosed this to journalists after the bank’s board meeting in Lagos. Oyinloye said that the board had agreed to raise new funds both in equity and debt capital to meet the recapitalisation exercise. He explained that the board members had agreed to raise three to four billion naira as equity among themselves, while the rest would be raised from the capital market. He also said that the debt capital would drive the bank’s business more than the direct equity because of the nature of bank’s business noting that the board believed the new level of capitalisation would be adequate enough to address the capital required for its projects based on its fiveyear capital plan.

Baga: Defence hqtrs challenges Borno State govt •Denies claim that 185 persons were killed By KINGSLEY OMONOBI

BUJA—THE Defence headquarters, yesterday, accused politicians and officials of Borno State government, of deliberately inflating the casualty figure in the shoot-out between the military and members of Boko Haram at Baga community in Borno State two weeks ago to discredit the military so that the troops will be withdrawn from the state. It was reported that about 185 residents of the community were killed by the Multi-national Task Force during the shoot out while over 2000 homes were destroyed. The Defence Headquarters said in a statement, however, that the series of allegations were aimed at discrediting the military, with the aim to put pressure on government to order the withdrawal of troops from Borno, adding that no mass grave was found anywhere after two days of searching as alleged by the politicians. The statement noted that after the operation to flush out the terrorists from Baga had been

successfully carried out on April 16 and 17, “the situation in the town had been stabilized until the arrival of some politicians and government officials who addressed the community on Sunday, April 21, making a series of allegations which ended up raising fresh tension and campaign to discredit the military. The politicians reiterated their call for withdrawal of soldiers from the State during their address”. The statement signed by Brigadier General Chris Olukolade, Director of Defence Information reads: “The Defence Headquarters fact-finding team to Baga has returned to present its report to the Chief of Defence Staff on the outcome of its three-day visit to Baga following the reports on last week's encounter between the Multinational Joint Task Force, MNJTF, and Boko Haram Terrorists in the town. “The team which was led by the Chief of Training and Operations, Defence Headquarters, Major General Lawrence Ngubane interacted with the commander, officers and troops of the MNJTF as well as some community leaders, the police, aid workers and residents of the town with a view of getting their perspectives on the incident. The team also

went round the town interviewing those who participated or witnessed the encounter at the various scenes connected with the incident as it tries to verify various claims reported in the media concerning the professional conduct of the soldiers. “In its particular concern to ascertain the claims of massive loss of lives, the team was taken to cemeteries in the town as it tried to locate the reported large number of civilian casualties that were buried. It, however, found no mass grave after nearly two days of search”.

No mass burial in domain Responding to the enquiries of the team, the District Head of Baga, Alhaji Babagana Zanna, who was also accompanied by the Local Government Chairman Alhaji Kone, maintained that he had not received any report of the said mass burial in his domain. Also responding to the team, the Chairman, Kukawa Local Government Area, who was earlier quoted to have given some figures, said he was not

in the town during the incidence and as such does not know the number of civilians who died in the incident”. Briefing the team earlier, the Task Force Commander, Brigadier General Austin Edokpayi narrated how the task force operation was conducted on April 16 and 17, 2013. General Edokpayi maintained that the operation was only targetted at stopping the Boko Haram terrorists who had established a pattern of burning buildings and property as a mode of operation in the area lately. He cited instances of how the terrorists employed the tactic of burning properties in communities such as Duguri, Metele, and Kangarwa where they operated recently. The leader of the DHQ team, Major General Ngubane later addressed the troops of the task force, assuring them that the Chief of Defence Staff was concerned about how operations are carried out in any location where the troops are deployed. According the General, his team was also in Baga to confirm the logistics and welfare needs of the troops and brief the CDS for immediate attention.

16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013 ONE of the biggest achievements of the House of Representatives – involving the people – in the constitution-making process is passing unnoticed because many Nigerians keep focusing on daily issues. The Constitution Review Adhoc Committee which Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Deputy Speaker of the House chaired raised a 43-item template on which Nigerians voted on 10 November 2012, a referendum of sorts. The issues ranged from liberties to creation of States and local government councils, the judiciary, state police, aspects of federalism and electoral commissions. More than 200 memoranda from diverse interest groups and the public formed the core of 43 items that were tested at 10am throughout the 360 federal constituencies. Even places with persistent securities challenges participated in the process that was reported in details for each constituency. At different stages, the transparency of the process was enhanced. From Ihedioha declaring his non-interference, to the people having copies of decisions reached at their sessions, benchmarks for checking the sanctity of the processes were set.

BY BOBSON GBINIJE Continued from Friday viewpoints

N his address to the Institute of Directors, Brian Anderson, who was until June 1997 the Managing Director of Nigeria’s Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited observed that: “The world around us is changing rapidly; liberalisation, globalisation and technology are three powerful forces at the global level shaping the future. Societies are moving from a highly regulated environment as trade and ideas are globalised. Rapid technological development is taking place of which information technology is the great enabler”. It is in the light of the aforesaid that one could not help but wonder: Where were Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and our Delta State leaders, brinkmanship, dialoguing dexterity and magnetic pull before Shell decided to leave Warri and nay Delta State. No matter what, this is a great indictment on Governor Uduaghan and the entire Delta State leadership. Shell was the greatest provider of employment as it were in Delta State. The Delta State leadership is inexcusably guilty for this brazen administrative socio-economic solecism and harakiri. It is has been vaunted with C M Y K

Finally A Peoples’ Constitution? Were the processes perfect? They were not. The inequality in the sizes of federal constituencies, differences in interests in the constituencies, produced results that reflected the diversities of the constituencies. What remained constant was the involvement of organised labour groups, professional bodies, civil society organisations, women and youth groups to ensure the fidelity of the process. “This process may not be perfect, but I dare say, that it is the first time in the history of this country that Nigerians at the grassroots have been made part of the constitution review process in a practical and transparent manner,” Ihedioha admitted. Efforts to protect the process included the collation of the results before the media and the

various groups that had monitored it from the beginning. The openness, transparency and accountability limited chances of its manipulation. It is possibly the most thorough work the House of Representatives has done. The presentation of the collated report was delayed until 18 April for members to cross-check with their constituents that the results reflected their voting at the sessions. The House and its leadership deserve commendation for deepening the peoples’ involvement in its work. More remains to be done. Members’ convictions would be tasked during debates and voting on the issues. Would they vote against views that their constituents have expressed on certain issues? How would the collated results influence the harmonisation sessions of the House of Representatives and the Senate that would amend the Constitution? If the public’s views are in the amended Constitution, the document would have become true to its opening words, “We the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria … Do hereby make, enact and give to ourselves the following Constitution”.

OPINION Between Delta State govt and Shell (2) goebelian gusto by the Uduaghan administration that we should be thinking of alternatives to the oil industry. But is this the way to go about it? It is clear that the consequences and effect will tell enormously on the Delta State economy as Shell contractors, allied and service companies, are beginning to move to River State, Edo State and Akwa Ibom State, etc. We know that Pan Ocean Oil Service Company has already moved to Edo State. The buying of the divestment carcases of Shell, like equipment, estate houses, hospitals, etc, are now the focus for our Delta State leaders and politicians. The Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, is supposed to take full accommodation of all the infrastructures that Shell is leaving behind. But that is not the case as our leaders and politicians are bending over backwards to buy Shell's assets and divestment paraphernalias. Why is the NPDC that took over part of Shell’s divestment assets in Delta State move its headquarters to Edo State? Why is the Bonga Oil Field being serviced from Lagos instead of Delta State that is nearer? There are,

indeed, so many loose and open ended omnibuses which Governor Uduaghan and his team must block to salvage Delta State from the labyrinth of massive joblessness, social kamikaze and economic contretemps. There are virtually no governmentowned industries in Delta State as Asaba Textile Mills, Delta Glass Factory, Bendel Steel Structures, Africa Timber and Plywood Industries Sapele, etc, have been harakiried, comatosed and kwashiorkored by dubious privatisation. The Delta Steel Company Limited Ovwian-Aladja was sold out whilst the Ibori administration slept and now Uduaghan has followed suit over SPDC. Delta is now the Mecca of unemployed artisans and young graduates and the socio-economic consequences are too diabolically disastrous to contemplate.

he discourtesy of Shell leaving their host communities without a farewell is a disgrace to diplomacy after over 46 years of operations. We call on theses oil service companies to relocate their secretariats and headquarters to the communities in which they operate, and development

projects and assistance should not be channeled through fraudulent conduits, but by providing them directly through their in-house agencies. In spite of the recent events that threatened the bold initiatives and strategies of the Federal Government, further dialogue and conciliation amongst the host-governors, communities and other stakeholders drawing on reliable statistical data should douse the embers of conflict and reckless relocation of oil companies and their contractors from long drawn-out contracts and location. In conclusion, it must be emphasized that the environmental protection issues and the politics relating to them cannot be divorced from the vital economic role of the Niger Delta. While oil from the region accounts for over 90 per cent of national and state budgets, the attribution of derivation, that is, the proportion of funds allocated to producing areas or states, which now stands at the mere pittance of 13 percent should be allembracingly repositioned with reasonable increase to 25 percent. But our Governors must put these monies to good use with honesty and transparency.

Concluded. *Mr. Gbinije, a social critic, wrote from Warri, Delta State.

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Chief Clark, please don’t

HIEF E.K. Clark is quoted as saying that at 85 years old he is free to say whatever he likes. Well, the Ijaw Leader has been living it up lately. He even married another wife recently and was photographed putting a piece of cake in the bride’s mouth! Enjoy your old age, baba. Na God give you. But don’t say anything you like. You could set the nation ablaze. Since it is unlikely anyone would arrest an 85 yearold for what he says, that is the more reason not to say it. Let your long life be a blessing to Nigeria, not a curse?.

forces on duty to your own utter peril. Before you decide to harbour criminals, terrorists and militants who seek to destabilise the nation, be reminded that you are setting down conditions that could lead to a severe military action. You are inviting tragedy upon your community.

The Baga military expedition government after each of these bloody adventures. When Obasanjo thrashed Odi and Zaki Biam he virtually went on the rooftops to beat his chest over his “feats”. In fact, he boasted to the Niger Delta people that the federal government went to war against Biafra because, according to him, the secessionists’ real motive was to control the oil weath of the defunct Eastern Region of Nigeria. He warned that the federal government would not hesitate to do to the Niger Delta militants what it did to Biafra. Even when he was politically pressurised to apologise for the human casualties in Odi and Zaki Biam, Obasanjo did so, but boldly restated that any person or community that violently targets our security forces must be prepared to pay a heavy price. His message was clear: never attack the Nigerian armed forces. It is not good for you. When Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State eventually got the President to deploy the military to tackle the kidnappers I applauded on this column. While at it, the JTF under General Bello spare no effort. Villages were flattened, and innocent bystanders lost their lives. But in the end, the situation was brought under control.

ust like in the Odi, Zaki Biam, Ngwa and other instances, the indigenes of Baga allowed enemies of the nation, the Boko Haram terrorists, to live comfortably among them. They worshipped in the same mosques. In fact, some of those mosques were used as armouries to stock the arsenal of the Jihadists. And it was from one of these

BY ERIC TENIOLA

BOLD foreign policy has become major mishap in the face of grave internal problems confronting Nigeria today. As they say in Latin, FUIMUS TROVESwe were once Trojans but TROY is no more. Though we recently hosted the South African President, the Polish Prime Minister, and even the Ghanaian President was in Uyo recently and we can still boast of an experienced foreign Minister who spent almost his entire public service life in the foreign Affairs Ministry, but the fire for which Nigeria was known in the foreign scene, has extinguished. In the past when Nigeria spoke the world noted and when Nigeria led the rest of Africa followed not because of population or resources but because of bold global foreign policy initiatives. But no more. It is either we lack the initiatives now or we are now hostage to our internal problems. In the global scene, we have become very inert and supine. No doubt, we still attend regular global summits, regional meetings, Presidential inaugurations, Foreign burials, ceremonies and events but not in an active capacity but as onlookers, bystanders and mere back benchers. Passive is the word. Even Nigerian students, who in the past, use to be very operative and dynamic on foreign affairs particularly on African affairs to the extent that they marched along with the government, have now been submerged with internal contradictions.

HAT happened in Baga, the border town of Borno State, on Friday, April 19th 2013 was very regrettable. A confrontation between the Nigeria-led multinational Joint Task Force (JTF) and the Islamist sect, Boko Haram, led to the near-total destruction of the fish market town, reportedly leaving over 200 people, mainly vulnerable civilians, dead and about 2,000 houses burnt. It was a typical military expedition. But unfortunately, it was not the first such expedition in this crisis-riddled nation. We saw something of this scale in Odi, Bayelsa State on November 20th 1999 when over a dozen policemen were massacred by unknown hoodlums. There was another macabre military strike, this time in Zaki Biam, the Sankera axis of Benue State, on October 29th 2001. The Nigerian military had responded with vehemence to the slaughtering of nineteen of their colleagues sent to keep the peace there. They left in their wake over 300 civilians dead and the town completely flattened. There have been other military forays, especially in Gbaramatu kingdom in Delta State, just before the amnesty programme was proclaimed for repentant Niger Delta militants in 2009. Another military mission was witnessed in Aba and Ngwa areas of Abia State to liquidate kidnap networks, which led to the elimination of Obioma Nwankwo, alias Osisikankwu, the kidnappers’ generalissimo. It was after the Niger Delta and Abia State expeditions that Joint Military Task Force (JTF) Commander, Major General Sarki Yakin Bello, earned his promotion to Lt General and eventually became the presidential assistant on counter-terrorism. It is instructive the glaring differences in the reactions of the federal

These noisemakers never see anything wrong in what the terrorists are doing even to them and their people. They want the government to abdicate its constitutional responsibilities and withdraw the armed forces to allow Boko Haram take over. Then, they would turn around and accuse President Goodluck Jonathan of failing to protect that country as the constitution mandates him

“armoured mosques” that a Nigerian soldier sent as part of the multinational effort to eliminate the terrorists, was shot and killed. The terrorists resorted to using the locals who harboured them as human shields. Much as we regret the human tragedy in Baga, let what happened be object lesson to any other community that decides to hide terrorists and so-called militants. You attack Nigerian security

am happy that the Presidency has reacted in a manner different from Obasanjo’s gloating after Odi and Zaki Biam. He has set up a committee to investigate whether some elements in the military violated the rules of engagement. If it is found out that the people of Baga were not hiding terrorists as alleged or that they did not allow their mosques to become armouries for terrorists, or that the deceased soldier was not a victim of unprovoked attack by terrorists or anybody, then those responsible for what happened in Baga must pay according to law. But if the information in the public domain is correct, then I am afraid we are wasting our outrage. We must support the military forces to safeguard our lives and property and secure the country. We must also encourage them to do their work professionally and responsibly. We must not make them feel they are on a thankless assignment. We must openly express our gratitude for their sacrifices and see them for the heroes of the nation that they are. If Nigeria is to remain one united nation, the military, being the last man in defence, must be esteemed rather than made an object of ridicule. We must beware of the growing trend of Boko Haram supporters who noisily blame and blackmail the President, the Federal Government and the Nigerian military for every firm response to the terrorist threats. These noisemakers never see anything wrong in what the terrorists are doing even to them and their people. They want the government to abdicate its constitutional responsibilities and withdraw the armed forces to allow Boko Haram take over. Then, they would turn around and accuse President Goodluck Jonathan of failing to protect that country as the constitution mandates him. These people are simply implacable. They must fail. The best answer is to ignore them and do what is right and in the overall interest of the nation. We must stay the course in the effort to reassert totally the sovereignty of Nigeria over all its territories.

OPINION Lost in the global radar Bad and negative stories have become part of our foreign exports. From 1960 till date, this country Nigeria has contributed in 25 peace keeping operations: 1.United Nations Operations in the Congo (ONUG),1960-64 2.United Nations Transition Assurance Assistance Group in Namibia (UNTAG),1989-90 3.United Nations Angola Verification Mission II (UNAVEM II) 1991-95 4.United Nations Angola Verification Mission III (UNAVEM III) 1995-97 5.United Nations Observer Mission in Angola (MONUA), 1997 6.United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara ( MINURSO), 19917.United Nations Operation in Somalia II (UNOSOM II) 1993-1995 8.United Nations Operation in Mozambique (ONUMOZ), 1992-1994 9.United Nations Assistance Mission of Rwanda (UNAMIR), 1993-96 10.United Nations Aouzou Strip Observer Group (UNASOG),1994 11.United Nations India-Pakistan Observer Mission (UNIPOM),1965-66 12.United Nations Security Force in West New Guinea

(UNSF),1962-63 13.United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTA), 1992-193 14.United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT),199415.United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFR),199295 16.United Nations Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia (UNCRO),1995-1996) 17.United Nations Preventive Deployment Force in Macedonia (UNPREDEP),1995 18.United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (UNMIBH), 199519.United Nations Transitional Administration or Eastern Slovenia, Baraja and Western Sirmium (UNTAES),1996-98 20.United Nations Mission of Observers in Prevlaka (UNMOP), 199621.United Nations Civilian Police Support Group in Croatia,1998 22.United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group,1988-91 23.United Nations Iraq-Kuwait Observer Mission (UN IKOM), 1991-

Continues tomorrow on pg 18 *Mr. Teniola, a former director in the Presidency, wrote from Lagos.

46—VANGUARD, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

Jonathan is playing politics with Amaechi — Okupe •We must pay sacrifice to make peace with Boko Haram DR. Doyin Okupe, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs was in the Corporate Office of Vanguard Media Limited during which he had an interactive session with Vanguard editors on topical issues affecting the polity. He spoke on the administration’s response to the Boko Haram insurgency, corruption and the face off between the presidency and Governor Chibuke Amaechi of Rivers State among other issues. BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR, DAPO AKINREFON, GBENGA OKE

Virtual personality He is a virtual personality and we have been corroborated by the fact that two or three people in the Boko Haram arrangement have borne the same name. So, these are virtual personalities and virtual personalities are not in perspective terms, are not too far from ghosts. So, that was the position of government. But then, the issue of politics in Nigeria and the peculiarity of Nigeria now comes into play. You have the president of a nation taking a logical, decisive and correct step. The Sultan of Sokoto is the spiritual leader of the entire Muslims in the entire north. He is also the paramount traditional leader in the entire north and he was the one who spoke at first. Later on, virtually all the spiritual leaders in the north except for Sheik Gumi, came together and said they supported the suggestion given by the Sultan. . The leadership of the elite class in the north came together to state their position. Should they

*Okupe...no federalism inside the PDP be ignored? Are you aware Northern Christians are opposed to the Amnesty plan? That is true. When we have a conflict like this, various interests are at play. We have faced a civil war in this country, over one million people were killed on all sides, but eventually it ended. We all had to bear the individual pains that we bore in order for the country to move on, it is impossible to ponder on all shades of opinion and rule a nation.

Sacrifices for the country Some will pay sacrifice, some will keep paying sacrifices and the country must find a way for which it must go ahead. Christians in the north have been consistently victims of many of these religious riots and yet Christians in the south have not thought it necessary for a reprisal, even though we are pained. That is the sacrifice we are paying for nation building, it will not always be like this. Some people have been killed, some churches have been burnt,

some people have been forced to relocate but the crisis continues. If the crisis continues, more people will be killed and so, you solve the problem one after the other. If we are able for instance to end the Boko Haram insurgency with this amnesty, everything becomes quiet, then you now go back to the victims and see how you can attend to them. But can we be attending to the victims now that more victims are been brought into play; or is it not better for us to stop the things that cause victimization first? Whatever is required for us to have peace, let us have peace. What is the problem between President Jonathan and Governor Amaechi of Rivers state? It is politics. The answer is politics. I can tell politics is at play. What kind of PDP politics are you talking about? Are you not aware that PDP is its own problem and all the problems of criticism within the PDP is created by the PDP. Why does the president percieve Amaechi to be a stumbling block ahead of 2015?

Governor Amaechi cannot be a stumbling block to Mr President's aspiration. So why is he moving against him?

LIP-flopping of the FG on Boko Haram We are not in touch with Shekau. There is no flipflopping. When you are saddled to run and govern a country like Nigeria, there are so many so many considerations that come into play. To manage and to pilot the ship of this country in order that it does not capsize is an arduous task. When the president went to Borno and Yobe, and he said ‘I will not grant amnesty to ghosts’, he was right and it was correct. I said Shekau is the leader, I did not say he is the recognised leader because he is the one that comes up and nobody has opposed him. So, it is not like the presidency has recognised him as the leader but the whole world knows that the face of Boko Haram is Shekau. Are you in touch with him? The argument is unassailable that we do not know the real person because Shekau himself is a virtual personality. You only see him on television and youtube

NGF is headed by a PDP governor. Now if the NGF now becomes an opposition platform, then there is a problem. It is not what people are thinking, it is not a matter of whether somebody wants to get to a position or somebody wants to run for an office. We are a government, we are party and we must move in one direction. If we move in different directions, we are not going to achieve much. Why must all Governors agree to the President? All the governors do not have to agree with the President. What I am saying is that we are the majority party in Nigeria and the ruling party is the PDP and inside the PDP, there is no federalism and that is the truth. There is no federalism inside the political party, we have just one party, the party has one mission, one goal, one objective and one leader. So you cannot say because of democracy, you now start to pull the party apart or pull the party down. That is our business and that is why we have problems with people who do not understand politics, they have refused to understand there is no federalism in the party. If the party takes a decision that we are going this way and members of the party seem to be going the other direction, the party has taken a decision and we should all move in that direction. Can you give one example where Amaechi went against the interest of the party? There are too many examples. Give an example where some PDP Governors in the forum spoke against the wishes of Mr

We are the majority party in Nigeria and the ruling party is the PDP and inside the PDP, there is no federalism and that is the truth

He is not moving against him. There are two things. If I want to achieve an objective and in achieving that objective, it will affect you, my primary purpose is not that it will affect you, my primary purpose is to achieve the set goal that is before me. So if there are collateral damages, there are collateral damages. What are goals of the President for the Nigerian Governors Forum? Stability of the country. We all know that the NGF was already becoming a destabilizing factor in the polity, that is the truth and let us all face it. In what way? The government must go in one direction and if there are dissension, there is problem. We have 36states in Nigeria, 23 of them are PDP governors and the

President? If the Federal Government takes a decision for example on Sovereign Wealth Fund and it is something the party has agreed that it must be established and the NGF says no it cannot be established. Despite being a fugitive from the United Kingdom, former Governor of Bayelsa state, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was pardoned. Did the government take the case in Britain into consideration? Why should government take into consideration what is existing outside its own shores? We get too much holier than thou in this country. We are a sovereign nation and if Alamieyeseigha has a problem with Britain, let them sort it out with him.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013 —47

Kogi: Power show LOCAL governments in Kogi State have for long borne the brunt of the muscle flexing between successive governors and the State House of Assembly. The power show has in course paralysed democratic franchise at the local government level. Given that background, there are no reasons to cheer ahead of the forthcoming local government elections next month. BY BOLUWAJI OBAHOPO

HE tenure of the last democratically elected council chairmen in Kogi state ended in July 2011 and ever since, the councils have become a fighting ground between Governor Idris Wada and the state House of Assembly each trying to exercise authority. Once the tenure ended, Directors of Local Government (DLG) were mandated to take over the affairs of the councils as indication was given that elections will hold in May 2012. However that was not to be as the Supreme Court cut short the elongated tenure of the then governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris. Wada who succeeded him not surprisingly jettisoned the idea of holding council elections four months into his tenure, having been sworn into office in January 2012. Though he was believed to have initially resisted the idea of appointing caretaker committees, the governor, however, was understood to have succumbed to pressures from his predecessor, Idris and other stakeholders to appoint two Liaison officers

•Wada: Is he following the path of his predecessor? Three chairmen were suspended by that legislature and it was no secret that oversight visits by the legislators were considered as

Though he was believed to have initially resisted the idea of appointing caretaker committees, the governor, however, was understood to have succumbed to pressures from his predecessor, Idris

for each of the 21 Local Government areas of the State. The appointment of the liaison officers was, however, resisted by the State House of Assembly, but for reasons that subsequently emerged to be selfish motif. The opposition of the legislators emerged after the governor rejected some of the nominees proposed by them, notably those of one of the prominent principal officers of the house. LG and State Assembly Even before the expiration of the tenure of the last democratically elected councils, the councils were continuously the subject of several attacks from the House of Assembly.

council election which it fixed for December 20th, 2012. It was, however, obvious the time table was a scheme from the executive to douse the

Will election hold? The fate of the May 5th council election date itself hanging in the air as three political parties, the Action Congress of Nigeria, (ACN), All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) and Congress for Political Change (CPC) are challenging the neutrality of the SIEC chairman and other commissioners as they claim that a number of them are card carrying members of the ruling PDP. The three parties have presented what they claim is the campaign poster of Olaniran as a candidate in the 2011 PDP primaries for the Kabba/Bunu House of Assembly constituency. The parties are also wary that what they claim to be the alleged bias of the KGSIEC in the last election when Olaniran was head of the electoral body could again be replayed. The case which was filed in December, 2012 is yet to be decided and hence apprehension about the feasibility of next month’s election. CNPP kicks

visitations from hell and the peak of the animosity was the truncation of the term of the councils from three to two years. Though, the then governor, Idris refused to give assent to the bill, but his veto was overridden by the House of Assembly. The chairmen at that time jointly sued the Assembly and won as the court ruled that though the Assembly had the constitutional right to regulate the administration of the LGAs, but that it could not make the new law to take retroactive effect. SIEC election By last September the State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) rolled out another time table for

tension that the appointment of Liaison officers generated given that no one thought the time frame to be viable. It was as such not surprising when the SIEC chairman, Barrister Ayo Olaniran who had earlier boasted that the election would not be cancelled again, swallowed his words and postponed the election to May 5th, 2013. It was the third postponement in a space of 12 months.

The state chapter of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has, however, taken a position against the court action by the three parties describing it as vexatious. The Chairman of the CNPP Barr. Abubakar Aliu at a press conference penultimate week chided the parties saying the court action was in total disregard of desire of the people.

48—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

“

OU cannot legislate a society of law and order into existence. Neither can you cause it by fiat. You build. Law and order are the conditions for all other socio-economic activities of man,” wrote Alozie Ogugbuaja, in his controversial memo on "The People’s Police". Indeed, beyond the legacy projects, one outstanding achievement of great value by Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State is the building of a new society of law and order. Orji’s Abia is standing tall in the federation as a model state in terms of law and order and social harmony. And this was not legislated into existence but a product of committed and pragmatic action. In the midst of a country gripped by violence, where bloodshed either by accident or by deliberate organised crime make the headlines everyday in the papers, Abia State has remained an isolated case of a sort of haven on earth where peace reigns and where residents sleep with their doors wide open. And, I emphasise again, this did not come by fiat or by providence but a product of judicious and strategic governance. Governor Orji toiled day and night, tasked his brain and mind to attain this state for his people.

From Umuahia, the state capital, to Aba, the business hub and to the villages and communities, it is a very commendable story of a society at peace with itself. The Governor succeeded in clamping down all manners of social deviancy, from street gangsterism, city mugging, and armed banditry to the menace of kidnapping. Today, while the neighbouring states are still battling with the scourge of violent crimes, Orji has moved ahead to consolidate his vision of legacy projects. The Governor has even moved beyond Abia to invest energy on a programme of regional integration, with the argument of harnessing the regional abundances which were the glories of those regions. If you realise that the first primary duty of government is the maintenance of law and order and the greatest achievement of any leader can make is the sustenance of peace in the land, then you would appreciate the sacrifice of Orji in building an Abia of peace and harmony. This is why I argue that societal peace which is a product of law and order is a cardinal human need. But, unfortunately, Abraham Maslow, the legendary psychologist missed this point in his theory of the hierarchy of human need.

The state of Abia today is a proof that law and order is not an utopian dream; Orji has proven beyond doubt that it is realisable even within the context of the limitations of Nigeria

For Governor Orji, peace and an atmosphere of law and order are the very ultimate of human need. Anybody who has experienced war like the Igbos of the Biafran generation would agree with Orji. In a state of anarchy, people abandon their shelter to find refuge in the cold corners of the bush. Nobody talks about the need for social acceptance or recognition. Nobody remembers the desire for comfort or pleasure. Selfactualisation becomes an illusion. The only drive and need become the protection and preservation of life.

t is on the basis of the importance of law and order and a sustainable atmosphere of peace that one must give kudos to the dynamic Governor of Abia for his vision of building a new society of peace out of the

Osun’s changing environment BY ALABI OYELEKE

HAVE lived through several administrations since the creation of Osun State and none has had the sort of visible impact that this man has had in so short a time. Perhaps what makes the difference is that no governor before him has approached the issue of the environment from a deliberate policy perspective as he is doing. He has developed a coherent policy on the environment, with a focus on health, which he has been implementing since he took office. Previously the situation in Osun was characterised by heaps of refuse everywhere, resulting from people uncaringly dumping waste in any open spaces they deemed suitable for that purpose – on roadsides and road median, in streams and rivers and just about anywhere. Another prominent feature of the landscape was the ubiquitous markets that opportunistically sprang up everywhere, with their enormous capacity for generating garbage. It needs little emphasis that we have had to live with the resultant untoward health implication, and we actually lived through the flooding consequent upon silting and blocking of waterways by refuse. Flood-occasioned destruction of lives and properties is one of my most enduring recollections of the reign of the last administration in the state. Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on assumption of office, declared a state of emergency in environmental sanitation, with his O’Clean programme aimed at ridding our environment of filth and getting the people

to have a change of attitude in the way they treat the environment. The 90-day emergency period saw a mandatory weekly sanitation exercise in Osun and the weekly cleaning of markets and places of work. This is strengthened by the daily street cleaning exercise by the O’YES volunteers. Obviously, ridding the streets of garbage heaps requires a waste management policy. The government of Ogbeni Aregbesola is no less impressive in this area. Besides getting the people to clean up and gather their refuse, collection and clearing of rubbish have been a fruitful partnership between government and private waste collectors who charge fees, but go into the inner streets where government trucks cannot reach. And there is the fee-free government alternative, but which requires taking one’s refuse to designated collection points for onward evacuation to landfill sites for processing. The green-painted garbage trucks – and I’ve seen scores of them – with their peculiar honk are now a part of our daily morning traffic in Osun. The waste management is aimed at achieving an integrated system that will comprise transfer-loading-stations in all the local government areas of the state, from where the refuse would then be carted away to the central landfill site. Recycling facilities that are still under construction are a component of the system. These facilities, meant to enable the re-use of plastic waste, are to be complemented by a buyback scheme for plastic waste for a more effective control of the hazards constituted by plastic bottles and pure water sachets.

BY GODWIN ADINDU

Orji’s model state of Law and Order

wreckage of the past. Orji inherited a society hanging precariously on the precipice of anarchy. He inherited an Abia where kidnappers and other sundry criminals were the lords of the manor. But, today, all these anomalies have become a thing of the past. At a time of global anarchy when violence has been let loose on earth and blood has dented our lands, peace becomes a treasured diamond. Law and order becomes an oasis for a hapless wanderer. In Nigeria particularly, it has been a regime of violence. From kidnapping in the South-South and South East, Boko Haram in the North, ethnic cleansing in the Plateau, armed banditry in the West, Nigeria has been a state under siege. But, in the midst of this upheaval, Orji’s Abia has been an oasis of sanity. With a sincere sense of purpose, he sanitised the streets of Aba and Umuahia and staged an intensive fight against insecurity in all its manifestations. But, the Black American civil rights leader, Martin Luther King, once observed that: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” The sad news of kidnapping emanating from neighbouring states and other sundry criminal activities and spate of insecurity still reigning in some parts of the region are obviously a threat to the peace of Abia. So also is the regime of bloodbath in the entire Nigeria. They all constitute a threat to the ideal of law and order. Thus, today, Orji is audaciously saying after the legendary Ghanaian leader, Kwame Nkrumah, that the liberation of

Anybody who is well familiar with the landscape in Osun State would understand what it means to take up the dredging and desilting of its extensive network of streams, rivers and tributaries

he environment policy includes the comprehensive dredging and desilting of the quite numerous streams and rivers across Osun to make for free-flow of water. Anybody who is well familiar with the landscape in Osun State would understand what it means to take up the dredging and de-silting of its extensive network of streams, rivers and tributaries. Yet, this is precisely what Ogbeni Aregbesola’s government has been doing, and is still doing, even now, because the dredging and de-silting are still ongoing. The exercise has covered streams and rivers extending over large areas, including Ipetu-Ijesa, Ife Ilesa, Ejigbo, Iragbiji, Ode-Omu, Iwo, Ila-Orangun, and Osogbo, the state capital. In Osogbo alone, more than 15 rivers, streams and canals are being dredged and de-silted. The effect of all these dredging and desilting activities has been the safety of the lives and properties of the people of Osun from the devastation of flooding that was

Abia is meaningless unless it is linked up to the total liberation of the Nigeria. Orji is speaking to the nation, that the revolution he orchestrated in Abia that has progressively expanded the frontiers of existence and uplifted the lives of the ordinary citizens will be meaningless unless such transformation are transmuted to other states. This is precisely the new mandate and the new mission for this visionary leader. Indeed, the Nigerian federation has a lesson to learn from Abia. The state of Abia today is a proof that law and order is not an utopian dream. Orji has proven beyond doubts that it is realisable even within the context of the limitations of Nigeria. First, there is a lesson from Orji’s personality which he translated into governance. The Governor gave his heart and soul to the politics of service. The nation must draw from the workable mechanisms which Abia deployed in tackling insecurity and which has been very successful. For technical reasons, security strategies are not discussed in the open which is why I suggest that Governor Orji must be the consultant for this national quest. As the national dialogue and negotiation for peace and progress, Orji would become the inspiration for the affirmation of the possibility of national peace. For the promoters and advocates, Abia must be the new signage for the campaign for a new Nigeria of peaceful co-existence.

*Mr. Adinudu, a social critic, wrote from Aba, Abia State.

their lot under the immediate past administration in the state. It is on record that there has been more rain since Governor Aregbesola came into office yet there has been no flood, especially in Osogbo, unlike the tragedy that flooding has wreaked in neighbouring states in the South West. Ogbeni Aregbesola’s environmental policy also covers urban development and beautification. Here, indiscriminate market activities are being discouraged, while ultra-modern market complexes are being constructed around the state. Notable among these are Dagbolu, Aiyegbaju and Aje markets, which are all in various stages of completion. The beautification project involves the development and modernisation of strategic public spaces for public use in a manner that enhances the landscape architecture of our cities. The Hassan Oladokun Park at Gbongan Junction and the Freedom Park at Old Garage Roundabout stand out in this regard. The beautification also involves a massive tree planting exercise, for which some 2.5 million seedlings of different tree species have been purchased. The trees are intended to line the major roads right from the Oyo State border into the heart of the major cities in Osun, including the state capital, Osogbo. The trees will not only serve as beautifiers, they will also serve as checks to erosion as well as help to limit the negative impact of stormy winds, not to mention their roles in reducing greenhouse gas emission. In only two years, Ogbeni Aregbesola’s environmental management is already a legacy that will be better appreciated.

* Mr. Oyeleke, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Osogbo, Osun State.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013 — 49

Bosnia court detains Bosniak-Croat President Zivko Budimir A

Bosnian court has ordered the president of the autonomous BosniakCroat Federation to be detained for a month on corruption charges. Zivko Budimir was arrested on Friday along with at least 17 others. On Sunday, prosecutors said Budimir and four other officials

had taken bribes to arrange pardons for convicts. They demanded his detention in case he tried to flee the country. Lawyers for the accused said they would appeal against the ruling. The court said it was detaining Budimir and his co-accused aide, Petar Barisic, because of the danger of flight.

Two shot outside Italian PM’s office T

WO national police officers were wounded Sunday when a gunman shot at officers outside the Italian prime minister ’s office, authorities said. The gunman, described as a 49-year-old man, fired six shots at police before being taken into custody, said a national police officer who was not authorized to speak to the media. The officers didn’t suffer life-threatening wounds, and the shooter was also hospitalized — though not wounded, the source said. Rome prosecutor, Pierfilippo Laviani, said the gunman had hoped to target politicians but as he was unable to, he shot the police officers instead. The attack came as a new government was sworn in across the city at the Quirinale Palace. Democratic Party Deputy Leader (PD), Enrico Letta, 46, becomes prime minister at the head of a

“grand coalition” including Silvio Berlusconi’s People of Freedom party (PDL). Preiti was reported to be an unemployed man from the southern region of Calabria with no criminal record. A man believed to be the gunman is detained at the scene The Ansa news agency said the gunman, dressed in a dark business suit, fired several shots outside the Chigi palace, about a kilometre (mile) away from the Quirinale and had acted alone. There had been earlier reports that the gunman may have suffered mental problems. Ansa quoted Mr Preiti’s brother as saying that Mr Preiti suffered no such disorders and that the family was shocked at what had happened. The agency reported that Mr Preiti had separated from his wife, with whom he has a son.

Budimir ’s Party of Justice and Trust has accused state prosecutors of “meddling in politics”. It has described his arrest as a “show of strength put on for the sake of the public”. The Bosniak-Croat Federation, together with the Republika Srpska, make up BosniaHerzegovina. Each has its own president, government, parliament, police and other bodies. Bosnia was split into two autonomous regions - joined by a relatively weak central government - under a US-brokered peace deal that ended the 1992-95 war.

Algeria’s president suffers ‘mini-stroke’ to the stability of the Spring uprisings and L G E R I A ’ S examinations.” Bouteflika was first country, overseeing the cooperating with Western A president was in France on Saturday elected president in 1999. end of the country’s civil powers in the fight where he was being treated for a “ministroke,” medical and government officials told the state-run Algerian news agency. President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s condition was characterized as “not serious,” Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal told the Algerian Press Service. The news agency reported the 76-year-old president was transferred to a Paris hospital for treatment. “There was no reason for worry,” Rachid Bougherbal, the director of the National Center of Sports Medicine told the news agency. He said the president “needs rest before continuing

Egypt’s Mursi climbs down, seeks compromise on judges

G Y P T I A N President Mohamed Mursi and top judges agreed on Sunday to seek a compromise to defuse a battle over Islamist attempts to force out thousands of judges that have deeply polarized the Arab world’s most populous nation. Mursi’s Islamist allies had proposed legislation to purge more than 3,000 judges at a stroke by reducing their mandatory retirement age to 60 from 70 to sweep away senior jurists appointed under

autocratic former President Hosni Mubarak. But after nearly three hours of talks, the president’s office and the Supreme Judicial Council said they had agreed to launch a conference on the future of the justice system that would work out a reform acceptable to both sides. The deal appeared to be a significant climbdown by the ruling Muslim Brotherhood in the face of fierce resistance to its push for a fast-track law to “cleanse the

•Firemen walk past the collapsed section of an apartment building yesterday in Reims, eastern France, after a suspected gas explosion killed at least two people and injured nine others leaving people trapped under debris, authorities said. Photo: AFP

judiciary”. A presidential spokesman said in a statement read on state television that Mursi had praised the idea of a justice conference and would start preparatory sessions at the presidency on Tuesday. Mursi would “personally adopt all the conclusions of this conference from project laws to present it to the legislative council,” he said. Mohamed Mumtaz, president of the Supreme Judicial Council, gave an almost identically worded statement.

He is considered central

war, staving off Arab

against al Qaeda.

50 — Vanguard Vanguard,,

MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013 YOUR LUCK TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 GEMINI; Although friends are willing to assist you circumstances may not allow complete help as expected. 9.46am to 12.43pm can be a bit sensitive. CANCER; Emphasis will continue to be on career related issues. However you will not be wrong if you take matters-of-the-heart more seriously now. Be more loving. LEO; Mid-morning till early afternoon period may bring more promises than it can actually deliver; your being clever will see you through. Be very practical. VIRGO; Continue to attach necessary importance to your family values. Here is a day when joint ventures can bring you under pressure between 9.46am and 12.43pm. LIBRA; Other people will continue to feature in your activities; that is to say you will need to be as co-operative as reason permits. Watch it between 9.46am&12.43pm

THOUGHT FOR TODAY By Richard Eromosele

T is Easter period, Paschal Time. Everybody that answers to that name ‘Christian’ is expected to purge himself/ herself of the various iniquities he has committed all the while. Among these penitents could be

The Glory of the Cross included, the grandchildren and perhaps the great-grand-children of those that murdered our Lord Jesus Christ. Ordinarily, the Cross is seen as a burden. It symbolizes

pain, sorrow, agony, loneliness, anguish etc. Our Lord Jesus underwent all of these in order to restore us back to our Father. But for our Lord dying on the Cross, Salvation

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye”

would have been far from us today. Our future here and in the hereafter, would have been bleak. Thank God, our Lord Jesus accepted the cup and thereby restored our sonship with the Father.

By Lanre Kehinde

SCORPIO; You will be in good position to consolidate on progress made yesterday. However you will need to watch your mood from 9.46am to 12.43pm. SAGITTARIUS; It is important you don’t take things for granted around mid-morning and early afternoon period so that you will not run into avoidable disappointments. CAPRICORN; If you are in position to control your actions you would fare better if you can wait till after 12,43pm before you make an important move. Be family minded. AQUARIUS; Your being receptive can enhance your prospects but that is not to say you have to be naïve, especially during mid-morning and early afternoon periods. PISCES; Success is boldly printed on your cards and like yesterday if priority attention is given to money the scope of your success will be wider. ARIES; Although things may be happening around you, you are the right person to make things happen and give others opportunities.. Be wise. TAURUS; Take note that others may break promises made before early afternoon period; that is to say you should not take anybody for granted before 12.43pm.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

“Princess Shii’

By Andy Akman

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,

Are they compatible? Dear Joshua, MY daughter seems to be seriously committed to a boy. And from the look of things they may be willing to marry each other. And before it is too late I want to know if they are compatible or not. However publish not their names and birthday. Giwa.

Dear Giwa, What will follow here-under are analyses of two horoscopes of two willing heart, so that you will know them very well vis-à-vis strong and weak points of each other. By this you will decide if actually what you are looking for is in the relationship. THE HOROSCOPE DATA/PLANETARY PLACEMENT OF THE LADY SUN SIGN = AQUARIUS; SUN IN 13TH DEGREE OF AQUARIUS. MOON SIGN = CANCER ; MOON IN 3RD DEGREE OF CANCER MERCURY IN IST DEGREE OF AQUARIUS VENUS IN ZERO DEGREE OF ARIES MARS IN 29TH DEGREE OF PISCES JUPITER IN 29TH DEGREE OF CAPRICORN SATURN IN 27TH DEGREE OF SCORPIO. URANUS IN 16TH DEGREE OF SAGITTARIUS. NEPTUNE IN 2ND DEGREE OF CAPRICORN PLUTO IN 4TH DEGREE OF SCORPIO. NORTH NODE IN 23RD DEGREE OF TAURUS. SOUTH NODE IN 23RD DEGREE OF SCORPIO. SUMMARY ANALYSIS OF HER CHART Here is a gentle person who cares so much for both her extended family (especially her mother) and her personal family. She can be highly emotional, although highly intelligent too THE WEAK POINT She can unexpectedly burst into tears whenever she fails to control her husband. And if she does not result to weeping she can many times force this man to turn violent to the detriment of too many things. She in particular will many times become jealous for no reason and can be difficult to manage by this man. Although she loves freedom, she will want to be in firm control of the man’s freedom. Issues of control and freedom must be clearly defined before final marital rite, or else serious trouble would be the result.

VIRGINIA

Commen3

dadadekola@yahoo.com

by Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013 — 51

52—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

Chioma Chukwuka’s AMAA plane drama report: A response

Vanguard CLASSIFIED Confirmation of Name This is to confirm that the name Ezimoha Clinton, refers to one and the same person as Ezimoha Emmanuel, now wish to be known and addressed as Ezimoha Emmanuel. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

HALLEN—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Dafe Annabel Hallen, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Dafe Annabel Ogboduwa .All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

OYEBANJO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oyebanjo Oluyemi Precious, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akinduro Oluyemi Precious. All former documents remain valid. Trustfund Pension Plc and general public please take note.

ONUBOGU—I, formerly known and addressed as Chizua Ifeoma Onubogu, now wish to be known and addressed as Chizua Ifeoma Whyte. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AKPAN HARRY—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Glory Akpan Harry, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Glory Anthony Onwuemenyi. All former documents remain valid. First Bank of Nigeria Plc and general public please take note.

ERNEST —I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Janet Ernest, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Janet Ernest Olalekan. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AYODEJI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ayodeji Elizabeth Yetunde, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Zainab E. Mustapha. All former documents remain valid. Federal Court of Appeal Headquarters, Abuja; Federal Judiciary Service Commission, Abuja; Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria and general public please take note.

AGUTA —I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Jane Ukamaka Aguta, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Jane Ukamaka Umeh. All former documents remain valid. University of Jos, NYSC and general public please take note.

IBADIN —I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Izilin Mavis Ibadin, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Izilin Mavis Okaiwele. All former documents remain valid. University of Benin and general public please take note.

BILIYOUNG—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Biliyoung Bleino, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ohale Bleino. All former documents remain valid. Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa and general public please take note.

EZECHIEFO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Anastasia Uzoma Ezechiefo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Anastasia Uzoma Chukwu Ekwe. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

IZUEGBU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nneamaka Virginia Izuegbu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nneamaka Virginia Eke. All former documents remain valid. Asset M a n a g e m e n t Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON and general public please take note.

ANAGOR—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Anagor Blessing Ukamaka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. N w a c h u k w u Blessing Ukamaka. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MBONU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Mbonu Ngozichukwuka Chinyere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. O n y e k a b a Ngozichukwuka Chinyere. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ORANEKWU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oranekwu Scholastica Nwamaka Ifeoma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ezekwe Scholastica Nwamaka Ifeoma. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

E N YA D I K E — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Ifeoma Enyadike, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ifeoma Leba Maurice. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKOTIE-EBOH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Idolu Karen OkotieEboh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Idolu Karen GiwaOsagie. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

W O PA R A — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Wopara Chisa Gift, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chisa Gift Wopara Akpomreta. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NWOSU—I, formerly known and addressed as Nwosu Onyeka Abuchi, now wish to be known and addressed as Nwachukwu Onyeka Abuchi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Correction of Name My correct name is Mrs. Ezaka Eucharia Adali, but my surname was wrongly spelt as Ezeaka in my Nov/Dec 2001 WAEC Certificate. This is to confirm that Mrs. Ezaka Eucharia Adali, and Mrs. Ezeaka Eucharia Adali is one and same person. All former documents remain valid. WAEC and general public please take note.

MUONEME—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Muoneme Cynthia Chioma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nzimorah Cynthia Chioma. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OBIAKOR—I, formerly known and addressed as Dr (Miss) Obiakor Philomena Ngozi, now wish to be known and addressed as Dr (Mrs.) Okeke Philomena Ngozi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKOMA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Lucy Ndidi Okoma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Lucy Ndidi Elekwa. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MAURICE DAVID—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Rebecca Maurice David, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Rebecca Kenneth Essien. All former documents remain valid. Grimaldi Agency Nigeria Ltd. and general public please take note.

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By AY

ECALLING what happened between Chioma Akpotha and Yemisi (The Vanguard reporter) on the AMAA flight from Port Harcourt, one would have expected a cultured woman to be contrite and apologize forthwith, since everybody is error-prone. I crave your indulgence to say this not because the former is a movie star and the latter a journalist. More so, I dread not to raise my voice for the truth and my compassion against injustice. It was quite unfortunate to read a report from today’s Vanguard Online in favour of Yemisi (their staff), as against Chioma Akpotha who was publicly insulted alongside every Igbo speaking individual on that flight, by Yemisi. Besides, if some of us do have the franchise to suffer disharmony with our personal values, I still want to believe that in reporting a case, Professional Journalism should keep it quite professional by not identifying with any side in an issue of this manner. But this is obviously not the case of the Vanguard reporter who wrote the story between Chioma Akpotha and Yemisi. The reporter in question has proven to me that fiction can sometimes make a better job of the truth and an exaggerated relativism.

Exaggerated relativisim How could you in every sense of professionalism start a story involving your fellow reporter and Chioma Akpotha by saying “Like most Nollywood stars, Chioma ChukwukaAkpotha is not given to pretence. She’s always ready to vibrate and return fire-for-fire. Last Sunday evening was not different. Smarting from the

frustration and exhaustion that greeted everyone after the AMAA awards and the endless wait at the PortHarcourt International Airport, Chioma boarded the evening flight back to Lagos, determined to cause another stir on board”.Determined to cause another stir on board? I am 100 per cent convinced that even a blind reader could perceive that your biased and fully loaded rifle was well targeted at the Nollywood actress from the very beginning of your report. My dear journalist (the almighty one with the ability to make and kill the career that was given by God), what happened to being objective and giving equal space to all sides in your newsgathering? So the best you could do to justify your false report was to hide the identity of the Vanguard reporter by concluding thus: “A quarrel ensued between herself and a Lagos based female journalist, which caused the actress to loose [sic] her temper in a manner that attracted the attention of everyone on board. But for the fact that she was on board, the visibly angry Chioma would have done the unexpected. She claimed that the journalist was rude to her, adding that most painfully, she “called me Igbo bitch and all that’. I wouldn’t blame her because AMAA brought us together. I can conveniently pay her salary,” she fumed. Who cares!” Now would you really like to know who cares? AY cares! And yes I was on that same flight like many other industry people including a good number of foreigners who flew in to be a part of AMAA 2013. To be concluded

Gunmen attack former IG Ringim’s residence BY ALIYU DANGIDA

HERE was pandemonium in Ringim town, headquarters of Ringim local government area of Jigawa State last night as gunmen stormed the town and started shooting. An indigene of the town who spoke to Vanguard on phone said the gunmen arrived Ringim town around 8 pm and took over the personal residence of former Inspector General

of Police, Hafiz Ringim as well as the Divisional Police headquarters, while people deserted their business places and entered their respective homes. He added that there were bomb explosions in the town. As at press time last night shooting was still going on as the residents were locked up inside their houses.

Contacted the PPRO Jigawa State Command, ASP Abdul Jinjiri confirmed the incident but said the police had little information to give to the press.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013 — 53

C M Y K

54 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

Neymar snubs Santos deal N

EYMAR has put Chelsea and Manchester City on red alert by rejecting a new contract. And Santos have declared their intention to put him up for sale. The 21-year-old, whose deal runs out next year, is rated at £32million. Barcelona are also on his trail but City lead the chase for the 32-cap Brazil strike sensation after holding talks in January. Santos vice-president Odilio Rodrigues said: “We’ve spoken with Neymar’s father, who is also

•Nermar

C M Y K

his agent. “Our intention has been for him to stay beyond 2014. But he thinks his time at Santos and in Brazil is at an end.

“Now’s the time for the speculation to start and for offers to come in. If they arrive, both Neymar and ourselves will have decisions to make.”

Milo Basketball: Adamawa, Katsina for final

HE stage is set for the final of the Confluence Conference of the 2013 Nestle Milo Basketball championship holding at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Confluence Stadium in Lokoja, Kogi State. The final which comes up Tuesday will see Adamawa State taking on Katsina in the Boys category while Zamfara and Kano will fight for honours in the Girls category. In the semi final matches decided yesterday, Adamawa

Boys sent out hosts, Kogi Boys by a marginal one point victory as their highly contested, tension-soaked encounter ended 33-32 in favour of Adamawa. The victors defied the massive support enjoyed by the home side from the spectators that included the Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Nasiru Ajana to achieve their feat. In the other semi final, Katsina Boys out dunked their Borno State counterparts to qualify for the final. Katsina won the tie by 53 to 50 points.

Commodore Mufutau Adeoye, Chief Staff Officer Naval Training Command (r) presenting the Football Trophy to AB Seaman Ilegogie Anthony of NNS BEECROFT at the end of the Intra Command Sports Championship of Western Naval Command Lagos.

Nigerian Unity tourney: Iwuanyanwu, Tukur to unveil 5,000 balls Peoples Democratic Parfive thousand balls for the

HE National Organising Committee of the Nigerian Unity Football Tournament tagged: Youth Peace and Unity Cup 2013, will tomorrow officially unveil

tournament. The ceremony will take place at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Abuja under the chairmanship of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.

ty chairman, Dr. Bamaga Tukur will also grace the ceremony. According to the organisers, the balls will be branded in the names of the sponsors and the 36 state governors.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013 — 55

Regina Continues from BP World Championships this August in Russia when she ran 49.55 seconds in her lap, during the women 4x400m in the event. It was the fastest time of the competition attended by top world athletics countries. However, her effort was not able to power the Nigerian women featuring Ajoke Odumosu, Idara Otu and Bukola Abogunloko to the

top spot won by USA. The team placed fifth with a time of 3.28. 65 seconds. USA red won the race with 3.22.66, while Great Britain placed second with 3.22.68. USA blue was third with 3.26.26. The women 4x100m also retain a spot in the final they placed fourth with a time of 43.52 seconds Blessing Okagbare, Endurance Abinuwa, Gloria Asumnu

and Olivia Kazie put up a spirited effort but it was always going to be the USA and Jamaica dominating. Jamaica won the race with 42.42 seconds USA red 42. 65 and USA blue was third with 42.66. “I’m impressed with the performance of our athletes, considering the time of the year. They did well and I commend them,”said Solomon Ogba, President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria.

Chukwu Continues from BP Eaglets who were disqualified after MRI test didn’t place them under the age of 17. CAF organised the tests before the U-17 event took off in Morocco. The disqualified players could not immediately be replaced in Morocco. Chukwu who watched with dismay as the high scoring Eaglets fell twice to the Ivorians Baby Elephants in the championship said it was unfortunate that they had to lose on penalties after failing to convert many chances they created in the first

half in the final game on Saturday at the Grand Stade, Marrakech. Chukwu said, “it’s unfortunate that we lost on penalties but you could see that we could have rapped off the match in the first half as we had clear chances which we could not utilize. It is all part of football. I think our boys have done their best, we still need to keep them together and with more exposure before the World Cup, I think we will do better. ”Again, we should now replace the three players that we lost through the MRI test

immediately. Our team started well in the tournament and gave us high hopes only for them tofail to live up to expectation on the last day. My advise is that the coach should keep the boys together and give them more exposure with more international friendly matches before the World Cup proper because I believe with this team we can still do something at the World C u p . The former skipper of the Green Eagles also advised the coach to beef up the team with more attackers.

Athletes Continues from BP three years. The three athletes are: Saheed Osanyande, Afeez Imama and Lekan Soetan. The federation said the three had instigated a boycott of the 2nd Golden League by some athletes. The event was staged at the University of Benin Sports Complex at the weekend. AFN also suspended the Golden League, a money spinning event for the athletes. The Technical Director of AFN, Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama, said in Lagos that the athletes’ behavior was ‘unruly’. “The three athletes that instigated the boycott of the event have been suspended from participating in AFNorganised activities for three years,” he said. Nesiama noted that the suspension was invoked C M Y K

because they had also demanded that AFN review downwards the standard of the competition, in order to extend award of prizes to the top eight in each Golden League event. “This is totally unacceptable to the federation,” he said. Nesiama said that based on the current development, the Board would channel available funds into its developmental programmes toward promoting the youths and the juniors. “Rather than spend money on unruly athletes like these, we will rather develop our youths and junior athletes because they have a brighter future. “I will prefer that we spend money on our developmental programmes, rather than spend money on athletes that want to remain as local champions,”

Nesiama said. He said that the federation would not condone any acts of indiscipline, saying no athlete was forced to participate in the Golden League. “The demand is an indication that they are not serious and probably do not have the national interest at heart but just personal interest. “We have chosen to do something different from what we were doing in the past, in order to get better results, ‘’ he said. “The unruly athletes do not know what it takes to put together a Meet of that magnitude, in terms of raising finances and other ancillary structures,” he said. “There is nowhere in the world that athletes dictate to Meet organisers the conditions on which the meet should be run,” he said.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

Van Persie frustrates Arsenal

OBIN van Persie scored on his return to Arsenal as newly-crowned Premier League champions Manchester United drew 1-1 at Emirates Stadium. On his first appearance back at his former home since last summer’s £24million move to Old Trafford, the Dutchman converted a penalty late in the first half to cancel out Theo Walcott’s early opener.

NPFL result Rangers 4 Pillars 0 Warri Wolves 2 Kw Utd 1 Eyimba 2 Dolphin 0

Shocker! Athletes protest against high standards •AFN bans them, suspends Golden League

AERIAL BATTLE: Arsenal’s midfielder Aaron Ramsey (L) challenges Manchester United’s defender Phil Jones (R) during the English Premier League football match at The Emirates Stadium yesterday. The match ended 1-1. PHOTO / AFP

CAF U-17: Chukwu calls for replacement BY SOLOMON of players NWOKE

ORMER Super Eagles Coach Christian Chukwu has called for the immediate

Results

replacement of three players of the Golden Continues on Page 55

Reading 0 QPR Chelsea 2 Swansea 0 Arsenal 1 Man Utd 1

PUZZLE

suspended three athletes for instigating the boycott. They will

no longer compete in their events for the next Continues on Page 55

Regina George shines at Penn Relays •Ogba commends Nigerian teams BY BEN EFE

IGERIA’s women relay teams made appreciable impact at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, USA at the weekend with Regina George being the star performer. George gave Nigerian officials a reason to believe that the country could win a medal at the

•George

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

IZARRE! Scared that they would not be able to measure up to the standards set for them not only to develop but also to earn money at the Golden League, Nigerian athletes staged a protest in the Benin on Saturday and opted out, hoping that the the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) would lower the standards for them. Top athletes now easily run sub 10 seconds in the 100m. But AFN set 10.49 seconds as their standard and the athletes protested. It was a show of shame for which the AFN acted promptly. They have

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Ballet-skirt (4) 4 Rotter (3) 6 Formerly (4) 8 Obstruct (6) 9 Hidden (6) 10 Watch (3) 12 Centre (5) 14 Verdant (5) 18 Fame (6) 20 Sturdy (6) 24 Avoid (5) 26 Berate (5) 28 Keen (5) 30 Consumed (3) 32 Rut (6) 33 Shrewd (6) 34 Repair (4) 35 Still (3) 36 Story (4)

DOWN 2 Combine (5) 3 Experience (7) 4 Trouble (4) 5 Valley (4) 6 Exterior (5) 7 Admit (7) 11 Aye (3) 12 Girl’s (3) 13 Pull (3) 16 Individual (3) 17 Epoch (3) 19 Omit (7) 21 Poem (3) 22 Nasty (7) 23 Sailor (3) 25 Tank (3) 27 Sensational (5) 29 Go in (5) 30 Absent (4) 31 Orient (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

How to Play Sudoku

ACROSS: 2, Dream 7, Menu 8, Update 9, Dated 11, Sea 13, Orb 15, Pelt 16, Tot 18, Ever 19, Risible 20, Rued 22, Kris 23, Article 25, Eddy 27, Doe 28, Dual 30, Day 31, Ewe 33, Petty 36, Fettle 37, Airy 38, Group.

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 1, Melee 2, Dud 3, Eft 4, Mud 5, Odd 6, Store 10, Eros 11, Spurned 12, Already 13, Overdue 14, Bristle 16, Timid 17, Title 18, Elk 21, Dry 24, Core 26, Dazed 29, Aware 32, Sty 33, Peg 34, Too 35, Yap.

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

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