Knocks, Kudos greet Buhari's directive

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 63017

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N200

FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

DESOPADEC Governors push for new revenue BUDGET: Itsekiri sharing formula 5 re-echoes rejection12 HERDSMEN ATTACKS:

Knocks, kudos greet Buhari's directive

See story on Page 9

•Soyinka, Falae, ACF, Arewa, Igbo youths, others react •Senate summons service chiefs, NSA, Police, others

PDP governors got N2bn each from ecological funds under Jonathan —Oshiomhole 12

Mr & Mrs MEETING—GOVERNORS FORUM: From left: Zamfara State Governor, Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari; Kastina State Governor, Aminu Masari; Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha; Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed; and Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima; during the President’s meeting with Nigerian Governors Forum, at the Presidential Villa Abuja, yesterday.

Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Should we be less critical and more optimistic?

EXTORTION: NERC reads riot act to DISCOs over transformers, others

•P.17

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COLUMNISTS: EKITI: Tears flow for dead doctors Fidel and Che: A See inside C M Y K

generational •P.19 farewell

2—Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

CCT trial: FG re-arraigns Saraki on amended 16-count charge As Justice Umar refuses to hands off trial

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Pro-Bukola Saraki supporters at National Assembly yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

2016 budget impasse: Appropriation c’ttee chair, Jibrin, must go —Reps Say he allocated 20 projects to himself without members' consent Vow to pass returned budget with its amendments verbatim May suspend rules to expedite action

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA — OVER 200 members of the House of Representatives are poised for a showdown with the leadership of the House should it decides to commit the returned 2016 budget estimates to the House Committee on Appropriation for scrutiny.

Their anger is hinged on the belief that the approved copy of the budget by the National Assembly was grossly padded by the Chairman of the Committee, Abdumumuni Jibrin, who allocated over 20 projects to himself without the consent of the members.

The development had irked many federal lawmakers, especially members of the House of Representatives, who said but for the insistence of President Muhammadu Buhari that the submitted budget by the National Assembly be returned, they wouldn’t have known the level of mutilation done to the document by the Chairman of the Appropriation Committee.

The members were more angered by an addition of N20 billion worth of projects shared within the leadership of the House without involving other members.

Leadership ups projects funds from N60bn to N100bn A dependable source in the National Assembly said it was a rude shock to both the speaker and members, who later discovered that the President rejected the document because it C M Y K

was padded by the Appropriation Committee chairman, Abdumumini Jibrin, with projects to the tune of N4.3 billion without the consent of members of the House.

This excludes the N40 billion worth of projects which the leaderships of the Appropriations Committees of two chambers of the National Assembly shared among themselves without the knowledge of other members.

The source further revealed that the executive had provided N60 billion in the 2016 Appropriation Bill for senators and members of the House of Representatives as their zonal intervention constituency projects.

But the leadership of both chambers, it was learned, for whatever reasons, upped the funds to N100 billion, allocating N20 billion each to themselves without the knowledge of the members.

Vanguard gathered that the situation became aggravated after other committees’ chairmen, who were promised juicy projects as a way of protecting their interests, were later sidelined.

The source said it was at the height of this that Dogara asked that the projects allocated to him as “compensation” be withdrawn.

A source told Vanguard that it was to forestall a repeat that members resolved to pass the budget as it had come from the executive without any form of scrutiny or amendment.

Jibrin allocates 22 projects worth N4.169bn to himself A document seen by Vanguard

indicated that Jibrin, who represents Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency of Kano State, allocated to himself 22 projects worth N4.169 billion.

The projects were said to be scattered across five Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, of the Federal Government, including Ministries of Works, Agriculture, Water Resources, Women Affairs and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF.

Jibrin, must go —Reps Sources revealed that members became seriously enraged when the lid was blown open and swore to “trouble” the speaker until Jibrin was stripped of his chairmanship position.

According to the source, “over 200 members, including some committee chairmen, have resolved that the budget would not be touched again. We would allow whatever additions or minuses the President may make on the budget at it is now.

“We are not going to allow any debate again. The first experience was frightening. They may repeat the same thing, if given the opportunity.

"We have decided that the chairman must be changed. We have pressed for this earlier at the peak of the issue but had to put it on hold in order not to send a wrong signal that what the executive said was true and that we were all compromised.

“We are likely to suspend the relevant House rules to pass the budget expressly, maybe within three days."

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

BUJA— The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, yesterday, pleaded not guilty to an amended 16-count criminal charge the Federal Government entered against him before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, sitting in Abuja.

Saraki was re-arraigned on a day the tribunal chairman, Justice Danladi Umar, refused to disqualify himself from presiding over the trial.

In a ruling, yesterday, Justice Umar, dismissed the motion Saraki filed through his lawyer, Mr. Raphael Oluyede, asking him to hands off the case on the ground that he was likely to be biased against the defendant.

Meanwhile, barely an hour after the ruling was delivered, Saraki, served the CCT with a copy of an appeal he has lodged against it before the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal.

More so, Chairman of Elders Council, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Senator Joseph Waku, yesterday, alleged that Justice Umar was being teleguided by some political forces to deliver a predetermined judgment.

Waku, who said he was sent by the ACF to monitor yesterday’s proceeding and report back to it, spoke with newsmen after Saraki’s application was thrown out by the tribunal.

Oluyede had in the motion he filed pursuant to section 36(6) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, contended that Umar lacked the moral pedestal to preside over the trial since he is equally being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over his alleged complicity in N10

We reported ex-minister’s $115m cash transaction—Fidelity Bank

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

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AGOS — FIDELITY Bank has defended the receipt of the cash of $115 million from four companies and former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison Madueke, in the heat of the 2015 elections, describing it as normal banking transaction that was promptly reported to appropriate quarters.

The transaction which took place in 2015, led to the arrest of the bank’s managing director and head of operations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which is investigating allegations of graft against the former Petroleum minister and others, who served in the last administration.

The two bank officials are currently being quizzed by the operatives of the commission in Abuja on the suspicion that the cash worth about N24 billion might have been used to bribe officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to compromise the 2015 polls.

Many INEC officials, including the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Rivers, at the time of the election, Gesila Khan, have been detained and questioned by the EFCC. But Fidelity Bank said, yesterday, that it was cooperating with the EFCC in its investigation since it was convinced that the transaction it had with the former minister was normal banking operation.

The bank said in a statement by its Head of Corporate Communication, Mr. Ejike Ndiulo, that the said transaction was also reported to relevant authorities as required by

banking regulations.

Ndiulo said: “Our attention has been drawn to reports in the media on investigations into transactions undertaken by the bank in the normal course of business in 2015.

“The transactions are now the subject matter of investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. “We can confirm that the transactions were duly reported as required by the regulators and the bank is cooperating fully with the authorities on the investigation."

Fidelity MD refunds N40m

Meanwhile, the detained Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, Nnamdi Okonkwo, last night, refunded N40 million, representing the interest the bank garnered from the $115 million Diezani’s cash to the Federal Government.

Also, top officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from Osun and Ondo refunded huge sums of money they reportedly obtained as bribe from the N24 billion shared to them to alter the results of last year’s polls.

A credible source in EFCC told our correspondent that the commission had made progress in its investigation of the detained bank and INEC officials.

“These people have made useful information to us and we will get to the roots of the huge cash spent by the former minister on the affected INEC officials a few days to the election,” an official of the agency said.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016—3

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4—VANGUARD, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

Turkish journalists get two years in Papa Wemba’s body arrives home in prison for blasphemy all-night concert held in his spread through the Congo continent. honour in the city.

WO journalists in

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Turkey have been sentenced to two years in jail for “insulting religious values” after they reprinted a controversial cover from the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo above their columns.

An Istanbul court on Thursday sentenced Ceyda Karan and Hikmet Cetinkaya to two years behind bars for illustrating their columns with a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad published by French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.

“The two journalists were sentenced to two years each in jail,” said Bulent Utku, lawyer for Hikmet Cetinkaya and Ceyda Karan.

“We will appeal the ruling at the appeals court,” Utku told AFP

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UNDREDS of mourners have welcomed the body of Papa Wemba, one Africa’s best known singers, back to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It was flown into the capital, Kinshasa, from Ivory Coast, where he died on Sunday after collapsing on stage in Abidjan.

Ivorian fans attended an

•President Edorgan of Turkey whose government is believed not to be favourably disposed to press freedom. news agency following a hearing at Istanbul’s criminal court.

Writing on her Twitter account @ceydak, Karan lashed out at the Turkish government, saying: “Let our two-year sentence be

a gift for our liberal fascists #JeSuisCharlie.”

Muslim Turkey ’s constitution strictly separates state and religion, but its penal code makes it a crime to insult religion.

US drug agency probes Prince's OCAL police inves- death Officials have yet to say Jim Olson said, suggesting

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tigating the death of pop star Prince are asking for help from the Drug E n f o r c e m e n t Administration, US media reports.

NBC News reported that police found prescription painkillers in the singer’s possession following his sudden death in Minneapolis last week.

what role, if any, those drugs may have played.

A post-mortem last week discounted suicide - but a medical examiner said full results could take several weeks.

Prince, 57, was found dead in a lift on his Paisley Park estate on 21 April.

There was no sign of trauma on the body, Sheriff

Caitlyn Jenner uses women room at Trump hotel, posts video

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AITLYN Jenner has taken up Donald Trump’s offer and used the women’s restroom at one of his luxury buildings.

The Republican presidential candidate said last week that he believes transgender people should be able to use whichever bathroom they choose.

Trump said North Carolina’s so-called “bathroom law,” which directs transgender people to use the bathroom that matches the gender on their birth certificates, has caused unnecessary strife.

Trump said that if Jenner - who won an Olympic

•Caitlyn Jenner gold medal as Bruce Jenner - were to walk into Trump Tower, she could use whichever bathroom she wanted.

Instead, Jenner used the women’s room - without incident - at the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Manhattan.

China passes law tightening control on foreign NGOs

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HINA passed a law Thursday tightening controls over foreign nongovernmental organizations by subjecting them to close police supervision, a move officials say will help the groups but critics charge is the latest attempt by authorities to clamp down on perceived threats to the ruling Communist Party’s control. The law, adopted by the national legislature, C M Y K

states that foreign NGOs The move to pass such a law has drawn criticism from U.S. and European officials and business and academic organizations. They are concerned it will severely restrict the operations of a wide range of groups, further limiting the growth of civil society in China and hindering exchanges between China and the rest of the world.

the singer had died alone.

The DEA will be working to “determine such things as where the medications came from, and what prescriptions Prince had obtained,” NBC reported.

A search warrant was obtained to use at Prince’s house, TMZ reported.

There have been suggestions the star was addicted to the painkiller Percocet, which he had been taking since 2009 to relieve hip pain.

His former percussionist, Sheila E, told the news agency Prince had suffered the effects of years of jumping off speakers on stage while wearing high heels.

London’s ex-mayor in anti-Semitism row JEREMY Corbyn has denied Labour is in crisis after Ken Livingstone was suspended for comments made defending an MP accused of anti-Semitism.

The party leader said there were “grave concerns” about language used in a BBC interview by the former London mayor.

But he said: “There’s no crisis. Where there is any racism in the party... it will be rooted out.”

MP John Mann, who called Mr Livingstone a “Nazi apologist” in a public confrontation, has been reprimanded.

The Labour MP had been referring to comments Mr Livingstone made about Adolf Hitler.

The row was prompted by the suspension of Labour MP Naz Shah over comments she made about Israel on social media.

He is due to be buried on Tuesday after lying in state in a stadium in Kinshasa, on Monday.

After Papa Wemba’s coffin left the airport it was taken to a morgue Papa Wemba, who died aged 66, was considered one of Africa’s most influential musicians of his generation. He pioneered modern Congolese soukous music, which

Many of Africa’s top musicians have paid tribute to Papa Wemba, including Cameroon’s Manu Dibango, who described him as the “voice of Africa”.

Ivory Coast’s Culture Minister Maurice Bandaman said at a memorial service before the body left that “an artist never dies... Papa Wemba is dead, and now [he is] even greater than before.”

Hackers leak stolen Kenyan foreign International Trade. The ministry documents sample documents cannot be ONLINE activists who claim ties to Anonymous said on Thursday they had begun to leak documents from Kenya’s foreign ministry as part of a campaign to expose government and corporate corruption across Africa.

HackRead, a cyber security news site, reported that a hacker affiliated with “Operation Africa” had told it:

“In (a) few days you will receive full disclosure of the data–WetheAnonymouswill standagainstcorruption,child abuse, and child labour!”

A link to a sample of 95 documents was published to a widely known Anonymous Twitter account, part of what it claimed was a one-terabyte stash of date from Kenya’s MinistryofForeignAffairsand

read using standard Web browsers but can be viewed using TOR. The documents, viewed by Reuters, appear to consist of mostly routine correspondence between Kenyan foreign ministry officials and other diplomatic missions, trade partners and international companies around the world.

•The arrival of Papa Wemba's remains amid tears from sympathisers yesterday in Congo.

UK joins IMF, World Bank to suspend Mozambique aid response”. Meanwhile,

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HE UK government says it has suspended financial aid to Mozambique over an alleged “serious breach of trust” relating to undisclosed debts.

This follows similar action from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.

The IMF halted funding 10 days ago when it found Mozambique had not declared debts of more than $1bn (£700m).

The government says the liabilities relate to guaranteeing loans taken

out by two mostly stateowned companies.

The UK said in a statement that it was now “working closely with other international partners to establish the truth and coordinate an appropriate

Africa’s longest serving leader extends rule in E/Guinea

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FRICA’S longestserving leader is extending his rule further as election officials say the president of Equatorial Guinea has won another term. Teodoro Obiang, 73,

NITAD to hold training conference

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HE Nigerian Institute of Training and Development (NITAD) has concluded plans to convene its second annual conference where developmental issues affecting the country would be addressed with a view to proffering solutions.

Briefing newsmen, chairman of the event’s planning committee, Mr. Benson Aruna said the forum

Mozambican security forces deployed on the streets of the capital Maputo on Thursday after rumours of planned antigovernment demonstrations circulated on social media, witnesses said.

would hold from May 3, 2016 to May 5, 2016 in Lagos.

He said: ‘’ We will look at critical issues within the country and analyse them.

Presently as a nation, we know what we are passing through. How do we develop entrepreneurship? We need a complete value creation. We will also look at skill development because these days we produce unemployable graduates.

took power in Equatorial Guinea back in 1979 following a military coup.

While the constitution has been changed to impose term limits in this former Spanish colony, those rules do not retroactively apply to him. On Thursday, the country’s election officials announced on a state media website that Obiang had won 93.7 percent of the vote. While the percentage is high, Obiang previously took in 95 percent or more in past elections, which have been criticized by rights groups.

Critics accuse Obiang of overseeing a deeply corrupt government that represses and tortures opponents.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29 , 2016—5

POCKET CARTOON

MEETING—Chairman, House Committee on Environment, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, (Middle) and member of the Committee, Sen. Foster Ogola flanked by Senator Gbenga Aluko(4th Right); Manager, Compliance and Regulatory Affairs, Chevron, Mrs. Titi Ajose (3rd Left) and others during a meeting of Senate Committee on Environment and Health, with Environment & Safety Division of Chevron Nigeria Limited at the National Assembly, Abuja.

Governors push for new revenue sharing formula

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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B U J A —

GOVERNORS of the 36 states of the federation, yesterday, pushed for a new fiscal restructuring plan due to the present economic realities in their states, which had made it impossible for them to pay workers' salaries. This is despite bailout funds advanced by the federal government to the states a few months ago.

The governors, acting under the aegis of Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, made the proposal at a meeting with President

Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

They pushed for a new revenue allocation formula and handed over to the President a Fiscal Restructuring Plan for the Federation.

As the governors were putting forward their proposal, President Buhari expressed regrets that despite the bailout funds released to the states, 24 of them could still not pay workers salaries, saying the situation was of great concern to him.

The President, who shared the concern of the governors, however, said the Federal Government

IT'S UP TO YOU

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BY AYO ADIO

EVER take seriously, anyone that vehemently criticizes anything he has never handled.

Opinions are cheap. It's up to you.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Destiny is not a matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited, it is a thing to be achieved —William J Byran

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HAT is your life purpose, maybe you know it and are living your best possible life. But really to live a fullfilling life comprise mastering your gifts, talents, desires and challenges. Your destiny is what you do best, combined with what you want and what challenges you most. The process is the means to an end...as you overcome challenges and develop character strengths. You’re unfolding into greater opportunities in mastering your destiny.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

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F they tell a man a proverb and he demands an explanation, it means that the dowry paid on his mother's head is a waste.

would quicken action on refunding monies spent on federal infrastructure by the states. He also promised to set up an inter-ministerial committee to enable him study the document.

According to the President, the committee will review the plan to improve the finances of state governments and make recommendations on how proposals in the plan should be dealt with by the Presidency, the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly through legislation.

He also reminded the governors that though the Federal Government had plans of rescuing the states, it also had its own financial challenges.

“You all know the problems we have found ourselves in. You have to bear with us,” he said.

Speaking to journalists at the end of the meeting, Chairman of the Governors Forum, Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State, said that the review of the allocation formula became imperative in view of dwindling oil prices.

Reminded of a report that the governors were not saving, a situation which had caused the present economic quagmire, Yari said that it was impossible for the states to save when the Federal Government was taking 52 per cent and allocating a paltry 26 per cent to the states.

He stated that the Federal Government had agreed to refund part of

monies spent on infrastructure, adding that what was more important to them was the implementation of the new plan to enable states meet their fiscal challenges.

He said: “The meeting is about the economy. We deliberated among our colleagues and we did say we would pass our demands to the Federal Government to look at demands per state.

"You will agree with me that states are the landlords. We own the land and the people, therefore, the economy of this country lies in the states. Everything comes from the states- the oil, agricultural produce, mining and people are in the states, while the federal government is in Abuja.

"Therefore, if any state has any issues and is known to Mr President, I doubt very much if he will be able to sleep with his two eyes closed. We are closer to the people and have many challenges in the states."

Bailout funds, restructured debts, temporary measures

“Today, we have received support from the Federal Government in terms of bailout, restructured our debts, given us 15% of the Excess Crude Account for development.

“All these are temporal measures. Each state has a programme right from short to mid and long term which we presented to Mr. President and he

graciously accepted and he plans to put a committee in place that would look at the matter starting with short term.

Short term measures

“Concerning loan restructuring, bailout and Excess Crude Account, ECA, we are asking for 18 months moratorium before we can start paying, so that we would be able to strategise.

“To develop Internally generated revenue, IGR, is not overnight, it is a long term programme that one has to plan for.

And also our service has exploded and there is nothing we can do about it because people are getting their daily bread from there and we cannot say we are going to cut salaries and wages.

“We have to find a solution, otherwise we would keep going back and forth because you have the plan for $100 per barrel and now oil is selling below the expected price, you will not achieve anything.

Therefore, we have deviced a plan for short term, medium term and long term.

Part of the medium term programme

“We are looking at the revenue mobilization formula in ensuring that resources which were due for the past 10 years to states will be made available to them after the National Assembly approval, while the agricultural and mining will be a long term programme.

Osinbajo, Fashola as members of inter-ministerial committee

“The committee that will be set up will have the Vice President, Minister of Power, Works

and Housing, Babatunde Fashola on that committee because he headed similar committee on revenue formula at the Nigeria Governors Forum in 2012/2013.

“At the same time, some states have committed their resources to some federal government projects like roads and airports. There is a committee that was set up to look into that. We are urging the committee to hasten and complete their work and present to Mr. President so that states can get relief.

These governors are in the states and we are supporting the states in so many ways.

Why states can’t save

“States are only taking 26 per cent, whereas the federal government is taking 52 per cent and you are asking us to save?

Anyway, I doubt if the minister made that statement. It is coming from the media. The truth remains that states are taking 26 per cent and the federal government 52 per cent. We are not sovereign so how can we save? We are dealing with our different states' economy which we are trying our best to fix. Most times, we are busy shouting that what is supposed to be given to us has not been given.

"For the past three years, we have been asking if the excess crude has been used judiciously. So, the question of saving or not does not arise.”

Reacting to the new demands of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, that the minimum wage be increased, the governor said Labour was right.

“Well, they are right because we agree that what they are being paid is too small but they must understand the situation the country is because from where we are deriving our resources from is now lower by 60 per cent. So, how do we do the magic? But we are going to do our best."

6 — Vanguard, FRIDAY APRIL 29 , 2016

Hold elected politicians to campaign promises, Seadogs tell Nigerians

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS—NATIONAL Association of Seadogs, NAS, has called on Nigerians to hold elected politicians to their campaign promises, urging citizens to pay their taxes as at when due.

The group spoke during its 2016 Citizens Summit/ Advocacy Campaign, themed: “Making #Our votes count beyond elections; Public accountability and citizens participation in governance,” organized by Egbeda Municipal chapter of NAS. The Citizens Summit is a nationwide ongoing campaign initiated by the leadership of NAS to highlight the imperative for electorate to hold elected officials accountable to their campaign promises.

While distributing flyers and stickers to passers-by and commuters around Isheri and Idimu, in Egbe/ Idimu Local Council Development Area of the state, President of Egbeda Municipal chapter NAS, Hawkins Deck, Mr. Ojo Eboreme, noted that the measure became necessary for Nigerians to task elected officers in fulfilling their electoral promises, saying that recent happenings indicated that most of the elected public holders have gone to sleep.

Ambode, Anglican Bishop eulogize Braithwaite

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS—GOVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, yesterday, paid glowing tribute to late activist and foremost lawyer, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, saying he was inspired by his disposition towards the masses and the people of Nigeria.

Similarly, Bishop of Lagos Anglican Diocese, Most Reverend, Dr Adebola Ademowo, said from the testimonies of people about the deceased, he lived an impactful life and Nigerians to think about

REVOR Manuel, former South Africa’s Finance Minister & Senior Advisor, Rothschild Group and Chukwuka Monye, Director General, Delta Economic Summit Group & founding partner, Ciuci Consulting were part of the speakers at the Oxford Business Africa Forum.

The forum was hosted by Oxford University’s Said Business School last month to discuss spurring sustainable economic development across the continent.

The conference brought together a number of business heavyweights, Africans in the diaspora and students from across the United Kingdom.

The aptly themed “Unreasonable Africa” forum

and it appears that I have a personal connect around the issues that relate to people and to the masses. That is why we decided, on behalf of the good people of Lagos, that we must honour this very good man and to also immortalize him in a way that people can come to understand those who actually stood for true democracy and also fought for the masses but never had the opportunity to do what I have a chance to replicate.

“I just want to encourage the family because we are celebrating and we know that those yet unborn will read about what Dr. CONFERENCE: Chukwuka Monye, Director General, Delta Economic Summit Group & Founding Partner, Ciuci Consulting (left) and Trevor Manuel, South Africa’s former F i n a n c e Minister & Senior Advisor, Rothschild Group, at the O x f o r d University's Business Africa Forum.

Braithwaite actually stood for. He was a foremost lawyer, statesman and an activist. ''He spent all his life fighting good causes especially for the common man. He fought for what he believed in and he had strong conviction to be the voice of the voiceless. Whatever we are advocating as change today has actually been manifested from all the things he had preached about.

“He was consistent and persistent in the fight to enthrone better society for all Nigerians. He was deeply religious and this church is one of his contributions. He has left good footprints on the sands of time for us, including myself to follow and his efforts will never be in vain,” the governor said.

Drawing his lessons from the book of Matthew 25: 14-21, Romans 12: 6 and 1Peter 4:10, Most Reverend Ademowo said Braithwaite never buried his talent but used it to fight against corruption, injustice and a system promoting mediocrity and criminal wealth.

“Nigeria is a complex country with myriads of bad users of talents and therefore, the national rebirth of the country must start with all through inculcation of virtues of selflessness, honesty, integrity,” the cleric added.

BOKO HARAM: France, Nigerian Defence Ministries move to end menace

By Kingsley Omonobi

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BUJA—FRENCH Defence Minister, Jean-Yves Le Adrian, has said the Nigerian military deserved a pat on the back for the bravery and courage displayed in the fight against Boko Haram.

The minister spoke in Abuja

Ex-South Africa’s Minister, Delta Economic Summit Group boss discuss governance at Oxford Varsity’s conference

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the legacies they would leave behind.

Governor Ambode, who made the remarks at the burial service, held in honour of late Braithwaite at Reverend Braithwaite Memorial Anglican Church, Epe, said he was a beneficiary of the kindness of the Braithwaite family, as the late nationalist fought for good causes and for Nigerians throughout his lifetime.

According to the governor: “I never thought I would ever be a politician but I have always been very excited about the things Dr. Braithwaite used to propagate

discussed the sort of out-of-thebox thinking that is required to successfully conduct business on the continent with real life examples from a panel of experienced speakers. Key opportunities and challenges in agribusiness, energy, health, infrastructure, security, trade facilitation, ICT, finance and other sectors were discussed in detail.

Trevor Manuel in his keynote speech spoke on the importance of integrity in business and public policy in Africa. Chukwuka Monye spoke about the importance of collaboration between the public and private sectors. Other speakers included Tara Fela-Durotoye, Wale Olokodana, Akinwole Omoboriowo and Ladi Delano.

during his visit to Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Mansur Mohammed Dan Ali. His words: “I am pleased with the cooperation between the Nigerian Defence Ministry and the French Ministry of Defence. I will like to salute the bravery and courage of the Nigerian forces in the fight against Boko Haram. ‘’I will be visiting the headquarters of the MultiNational Joint Task Force in N'djamena which is also headed by a Nigerian general, to see how things are going and can be improved upon.

“The fight against the barbaric organization, Boko Haram, in Nigeria is the same fight that we have in France because these terrorists groups that are hitting Nigeria are of the same with those we have in France.

“The second phase that we are looking into in this cooperation is about maritime insecurity. We are extremely happy to help Nigeria in this which is going to be a much longer-term effort to guarantee security in the Gulf of Guinea.”

In his address, the Minister of Defence, Mansur Mohammed Dan-Ali, said the visit of the French minister had a made a very big impact on the nation’s defence cooperation with France.

He said: “If you remember,

our President was in Paris and he also went to all our neighboring countries of Niger, Chad, Cameroon, this is to strengthen cooperation between us and our neighboring countries. France has a great influence on these countries and that is why we are

looking forward to a fruitful defence relations with France.

“Nigeria will benefit in the sense that as we are fighting terrorism in connection with France and other neighboring countries, it will give us an impact in ending terrorism within our sub region and the world at large.''

NGE plans to protect journalists against killings, attacks

By Bartholomew Madukwe

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AGOS—THE Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, yesterday said it would partner with stakeholders to bring an end to incessant cases of attacks and killings of journalists.

NGE’s General Secretary, Mrs. Victoria Ibanga, who disclosed this at the launch of the Nigerian Journalists’ Safety Project, Lagos, pointed out that there was urgent need to ensure a safe environment for journalists in Nigeria.

According to her: “Journalists all over Nigeria are vulnerable. We are vulnerable in the sense that our profession demands that we interface between the government and the people on a daily basis.

In essence, we are in danger, and if you like, we are endangered species. We are as vulnerable as

the soldiers at the war front. The only difference is that they have the support of various governments.”

Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, NIJ, Mr Gbemiga Ogunleye, who was Chairman at the launch, noted that if journalists performed crucial functions in the society, they deserved the protection of everyone.

Ogunleye, in his opening remarks, pointed out that when journalists were intimidated, attacked or killed not only their media, family or loved ones suffered, the nation too suffered collateral damage.

“For acts of repression against the journalist hit at the soul of freedom of expression, which includes the right to receive and seek information,” he added.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 — 7

How Anisulowo was abducted — DRIVER

By Daud Olatunji

RESCUE PLAN: From left; CP Abdulmojeed Alli, Ogun State Police Commissioner; AIG Bala Hassan; G o v e r n o r Ibikunle Amosun and Brig-Gen M. D a n -Wa l i s , Commander Alamala Barrack discussing how mapping out rescue plans for Senator Iyabo Anisulowo, who was abducted by kidnappers, yesterday. Photo

by Wunmi Akinola.

A

BEOKUTA—DRIVER to the kidnapped former Minister of State for Education, Senator Iyabo Anisulowo, Wasiu Afonja, yesterday, narrated how the four man gang carried out the abduction of the Senator.

Afonja said this when the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun accompanied by heads of security agencies in the state including the state commissioner of Police, and Commandant, 35 Artillery Brigade, Abeokuta, visited Anisulowo’s farm at Sawonjo community in Yewa-North council area which is about 100 metres from the scene of the abduction.

Senator Anisulowo was abducted at about 6: pm on Wednesday between Sawonjo and Imaseyi junction in Yewa North council area of the state.

Afonja said four of them, including Senator Anisulowo were in her Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) before they were waylaid and attacked in ‘commando' style by four members of a gang about a kilometre from the farm.

He said the kidnappers thereafter collected their phones, dropped others on the way and whisked Anisulowo away.

He said, “They ordered the three of us, who were with Mama, down from the vehicle, they collected our phones and beat us with machetes. The men spoke both English and Yoruba languages. Mama kept asking them what they wanted but they didn’t answer. It was in the evening we discovered the abandoned SUV around Iganokoto.”

Kidnappers yet to contact us — Family

Meanwhile, the family of the kidnapped Septuagenarian, who was a Senator of Ogun West Senatorial district between 2003 and 2007 has said the abductors were yet to contact them.

A younger brother of the former minister, Kola Popoola said 24 hours after the disappearance of their breadwinner, the abductors were yet to contact the family.

Popoola, who was contacted on phone around 4pm, yesterday, said the family has reported the matter at the Ayetoro Police station which he said was handling it.

The commander of the Vigilante Service in the area Mr Oluyemi Zachaeus said they had information that Anisulowo was spotted on bike with a hood. The information, he said, came from Obalado, a community within the kidnap radius.

A

DO-EKITI—THREE medical doctors from Ekiti State and their driver, who died on Sunday along Abuja-Kaduna Expressway on their way to the Annual Delegates Meeting of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Sokoto, were buried.

They were buried after a commendation and funeral service was held in their honour at the NMA Secretariat, along Ado-Iyin Road, yesterday.

The funeral service was attended by Governor Ayo Fayose represented by his deputy, Dr, Kolapo Olusola; House of Assembly Speaker, Kola Oluwawole; Head of Service, Dr. Gbenga Faseluka; Chief of Staff, Dipo Anisulowo; other senior government officials and top NMA officials.

Those who were buried were the late Dr. Atolani Adeniyi, Senior Health Officer with the

In the meantime, Governor Amosun has assured the people of Ogun State of Senator Anisulowo’s rescue.

Amosun, who gave the assurance when he visited Anisulowo’s farm at Sawon community in Yewa-North council area, assured that all efforts are in top gear to secure the release of the APC chieftain.

3,000 Oyo women benefit from Aisha Buhari’s free healthcare programme examina-tion. In attendance

By Ola Ajayi

I

BADAN—OVER 3,000 women across the 33 Local Governments of Oyo State, yesterday, benefited from the free healthcare programme organized by the wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, under the aegis of the Future Assured Initiative.

The programme, held at

Loyola College, Ibadan, was organized with the support from the state government and volunteers. The beneficiaries were screened for diabetes, hypertension, cervical and breast cancers.

While some were treated on the spot and given drugs, those with serious ailments were referred to tertiary health institutions for comprehensive

EKITI DOCTORS: Four more victims buried ...As Fayose offers two widows automatic employment

By Rotimi Owomoyela

Amosun assures on release

Hospitals Management Board; the late Dr J.B. Ogunseye, who served as Senior Dental Officer at General Hospital, Ifaki, the late Dr. Olayiwola Olajide, who until his death was President of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) branch and the driver of the NMA bus, Mr. Olowookere Ajibola.

Ogunseye and Olajide were buried at the premises of the Doctors’ House while the remains of Adeniyi and Olowookere were conveyed to their communities for interment.

The remains of two other victims, the late Dr. Alexander Akinyele, who was a Resident Doctor, Community Medicine, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti (FETHI) and the late Dr. O.J. Taiwo, a consultant Anatomic Pathologist at EKSUTH will be buried on Monday and Tuesday respectively.

Taiwo’s burial was put on hold

because his mother died barely 24 hours before he died on his way to Sokoto.

Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, the Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye, offered prayers for the families left behind by the deceased.

2 widows get automatic employment

Meanwhile, Governor Fayose has given approval for automatic employment of the wives of Akinyele and Olajide, who were not in government service before the demise of their husbands.

Fayose, who spoke through Olusola urged the family of the dead persons to take heart during the period of grief pledging the support of the state government to them.

He said: “When God says it is time, it is time. When your own day comes what will people say about you and when my own time comes what will the people say about me?

were wives of state governors across the country: Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola (Osun State); Bolanle Ambode (Lagos); Iara Oshiomhole (Edo); Edith Okowa (Delta); Nkechi Okorocha (Imo); and Mrs. Mero Al-Makura (Nassarawa).

Senators Oluremi Tinubu and Monsurat Sunmonu, as well as wife of the Minister of Solid Minerals, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi; various women groups and non-governmental organisations also graced the occasion. The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji were among royal fathers that attended the event.

Flagging off the programme, Mrs Buhari said that the situation in the country in terms of the poor health conditions of women and children in the country motivated her into embarking on advoc a c y towards improving t h e i r wellbeing.

N3.4bn fee: We did our best for Nigeria, deserve honour not blackmail —NBC board replies EFCC

By Soni Daniel

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EMBERS of the Board of Directors of the National BroadcastingCommission, NBC, have justified the actions they took in selling a radio spectrum worth N34 billion and paying a commission of N3.4 billion to the consultants, arguing that it was the best action taken to raise money for Digital Switch Over in Nigeria.

The members, including the former Director General of the commission, Emeka Mba, have been summoned to appear before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to answer questions on why they hastily paid out the sum of N3.4 billion to the technical consultant engaged by the board even before presidential approval was sought and obtained.

The others invited by the EFCC to appear this week, are: Professor Herbert Orji (Chairman), Mohammed Kabir Umar, Mike Iheanetu, Yakubu Busa Buji, Ebenezer Ayorinde, Isa Badamasi Dahiru, Prince Dennis Sam, Jude Nnodum, SAN, and Peter Dama; as well as Basil Udotai Esq., and Technology Advisors LLP. The members who wrote the EFCC through their lawyer, Chief Ogwu Onoja, SAN, of O.J. ONOJA (SAN) & ASSOCIATES, objected strongly to the approach adopted by the EFCC to invite them to answer to their actions while in office through the media, describing it as a media trial.

The members, whose appointments were terminated in July last year, said they should be given national honours for their ingenuity in raising the bar in digital transmission rather than being chastised through media trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

According the members, there was no scam whatsoever relating to the payment of the sum of N3.4 billion to the consultant as it represented only 10 percent of his professional fee, which was successfully reviewed downwards from the initial 20 percent which the consultant requested for.

They said: “Members of the commission remain proud of all the unprecedented accomplishments recorded in the NBC during their tenure, which have now propelled both NBC and the Nigerian broadcasting sector to national and international limelight.

8—

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016—9

more than Boko Haram sect.

“The herdsmen are now considered one of the worst terrorist organisations in the world today. They are a deadly force, they have turned Nigeria into a very dangerous country," he said.

ACF commends Buhari, says attacks unfortunate

File picture of some residents of Ukpabi Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State fleeing the community during the attack, Monday.

Fulani herdsmen’s attacks: Knocks, kudos greet Buhari’s directive Soyinka, Falae, Adebanjo, Tsav, ACF, others speak Senate summons service chiefs, NSA, Police, others Sets up ad-hoc c'ttee to probe kilings It can result in self-help — Ohanaeze

By Emeka Mamah, Clifford Ndujihe, Anayo Okoli, Dapo Akinrefon, Charles Kumolu, Gbenga Oke & Jude Opara

L

AGOS — HARD knocks and kudos, yesterday, heralded President Muhammadu Buhari’s order to the Chief of Defence Staff and Inspector General of Police to crack down on rampaging herdsmen, who have been attacking many villages and killing hundreds of people across the country.

President Buhari’s order came on the heels of the latest attack on Ukpabi Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State on Monday, in which about 40 persons were killed and 11 buildings destroyed.

Among those, who spoke on the issue, yesterday, were Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka; Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; former presidential candidate and Secretary to the Federal Government, Chief Olu Falae; former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav; former Transport Minister, Chief Ebenezer Babatope; National Publicity of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Muhammad Ibrahim; National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin; founder of the Igbo Youths Movement, IYM, Evangelist Elliot Uko; President of Arewa Consultative Youths Forum, ACYF, Alhaji Yerima Shettima and Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo.

Soyinka blasts Buhari over killings

In clear terms, Professor Soyinka criticised the President

over his seeming inability to rein in the violent activities of herdsmen across the country.

In his address to the National Conference on Culture and Tourism, Wednesday, Soyinka said the President Buhari-led government was yet to come up with an articulate solution to tackle the menace.

He said: “I have yet to hear this government articulate a firm policy of non-tolerance for the serial massacres that have become the nation’s identification stamp. I have not heard an order given that any cattle herder caught with sophisticated firearms be instantly disarmed, arrested, placed on trial, and his cattle confiscated.

The nation is treated to an 18month optimistic plan which, to make matters worse, smacks of abject appeasement and encouragement of violence on innocents.

“Let me repeat, and of course I only ask to be corrected if wrong: I have yet to encounter a terse, rigorous, soldierly and uncompromising language from this leadership, one that threatens a response to this unconscionable blood-letting that would make even Boko Haram repudiate its founding clerics.

“When I read a short while ago, the Presidential assurance to this nation that the current homicidal escalation between the cattle prowlers and farming communities would soon be over, I felt mortified.

“He had the solution, he said.

Cattle ranches were being set up, and in another 18 months, rustlings, destruction of livelihood and killings from herdsmen would be ‘a thing of the past’. 18 months, he assured the nation. I believe his Minister of Agriculture

echoed that later, but with a less dispiriting time schema."

Senate summons service chiefs

Worried by these developments, the Senate, yesterday, summoned the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin, to brief the lawmakers on the efforts put in place to address the problem.

Also to appear before the Senate today are the National Security Adviser, NSA, General Babagana Monguno (retd); Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Yusuf Buratai; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibok- Ete Ekwe Ibas; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar; and the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Air Vice Marshall Mirgan Riku.

According to the Senate, inviting the service chiefs would enable it get briefs on the fleeing terrorists to ensure that measures are put in place to forestall spread of terrorists activities all over the country as well as carry out an investigation of the incidents and suggest ways of stopping the attacks before the affected communities resort to self- help.

The Senate also set up a sixmember ad-hoc committee to investigate cases of killing by suspected herdsmen across the country and come up with solutions to the problems, with the Senate leader, Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno South representing North East, as chairman.

The committee has been given next week to commence work with a public hearing.

Meanwhile, Senator Ben Murray Bruce, in his contribution, noted that Fulani herdsmen had killed Nigerians on annual basis

The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, said the country could not afford to graduate from Boko Haram insurgency to an unwarranted attack by unknown gunmen alleged to be Fulani herdsmen.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, the ACF said: “The attack was most unfortunate, barbaric and condemnable.

Arewa Consultative Forum commends the prompt action taken by President Muhammadu Buhari by directing the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector General of Police to not only secure the affected communities under attacks by herdsmen but also ensure that the perpetrators of the dastardly acts are fished out and brought to justice.”

It can result in self-help — Ohanaeze

The apex Igbo group, Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo, has warned that the ugly development was capable of resulting in reprisal attacks unless the Federal Government puts measures in place to stop the killings across the country.

This came as Abia State House of Assembly directed security agencies in the state to thoroughly search all trucks and other vehicles conveying cattle, onions, tomatoes, fruits and other goods from northern part of the country to the state, for arms and ammunition.

Similarly, Anglican Communion, traders and other residents of Enugu protested the killings of innocent villagers at Nimboe as well as previous killings of Ndigbo in the SouthEast President-General of Ohanaeze, Gary EnwoIgariwey, at briefing, yesterday, warned that the failure of security agents to arrest these herdsmen would only result in the communities resorting to self-help to defend themselves.

He said it was very dangerous to allow gun trotting youths to continue to run riots on unsuspecting communities, adding that the Federal Government had much to do to ensure the continuous corporate existence of the country.

Govt should not stop at just sending security forces —Tsav

Also speaking, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, said: "Apart from what the President has said, I believe the only thing that will be the lasting solution to the killings by Fulani herdsmen is for the government to set up an inquiry committee to find out why they are doing so. Sending security agencies after them will

not be enough because they are masters of the bush; they live in the bush and are very united."

Buhari’s directive reassuring – Falae

Chief Olu Falae, who was kidnapped by the herdsmen at his farm in Ondo State, recently, said the President’s statement was reassuring.

“It is a welcome development and it is most reassuring. As you know, I was a victim of these herdsmen terrorism. So, I am happy that the president has declared war on this terrorism which has the potential to destabilize Nigeria. So, I am happy but I hope that the security forces will take the order from the president and ensure that we all feel safe and secured in our respective communities.

It’s too late – Adebanjo

Chief Ayo Adebanjo said the president’s comment was belated.

“Too late to comment. It does not show that he was conscious of the lives of the people that have been killed in the last three months. It was the same thing we accused Jonathan of saying nothing about the Boko Haram. Anyway, it is better late than never and now the excuses being made is that they are not Fulani, including some responsible people.

"What evidences have the police provided to arrest those who are not Fulani but are calling themselves Fulani? At what stage did it occur to them that they are just hoodlums?

Buhari should act fast — Babatope

Chief Ebenezer Babatope urged Buhari to act fast on the herdsmen’s murderous activities to avert mayhem.

He said: “I think the President has capacity to arrest the situation and he must act very fast for the purpose of unity of this country.

The killings are becoming too much and Nigerians are tired of these senseless killings."

President should ‘ve addressed the nation – Odumakin

On his part, National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr Yinka Odumakin, said the president should have addressed the nation on the matter rather than speak through an aide.

He said: “For public relations, the president should have spoken to the nation directly on this kind of matter, rather than speaking through an aide..”

It’s a welcome development – Shettima

For the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, no one should hide under any guise to commit crime.

Its National President, Alhaji Yerima Shettima said: “It is a good development because nobody is above the law. Making a bold statement like this is a good development because we cannot continue to live in a country where there is law and order and people take laws into their hands and get away with it as if we are running a banana republic. We cannot accept that.”

10—Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

Joint military team arrests 6 suspected pirates

T

HE JOINT military team deployed to protect oil facilities in the Niger Delta said, yesterday, that it arrested six suspected vandals and pirates in multiple operations in April.

The team in a statement

by Col. Isa Ado, its spokesperson, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, noted that its men recovered arms in the operations.

The statement said that troops deployed to Ohaji/Oguta Local Government Area in Imo State on April 7, recovered an automatic rifle with one magazine loaded with 14 rounds of 5.5mm ammunition.

It said that the troops also recovered two locally made single barrel guns and a pistol.

It said that following a tip-off on April 20, troops in conjunction with the Nigeria Pipeline Development Company and the Directorate of State Services, DSS, recovered a lorry suspected to be carrying crude oil.

Lawyer, 46, gets N.5m bail over alleged theft of N1m

A

46-YEAR-OLD lawyer, Olagoke Akeusola, who allegedly defrauded one Tolulope Otenaike of the sum of N1million was, yesterday, granted N500, 000 bail by an Ikeja Senior Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

The Senior Magistrate, Mrs Y.R Pinheiro, also ordered Akeusola to produce two sureties in like sum as part of the bail condition.

Pinheiro adjourned the case till May 11 for mention.

The accused, who resides at Plot 24 Omole Layout, Ojodu, Lagos, is facing a onecount charge of stealing.

The Prosecutor, Sgt. Mathew Akhaluode had told the court that the accused committed the offence at Omole Estate, Phase 1, Ojodu, Lagos on December 15, 2015.

Akhaluode said the offences contravened Sections 285 and 319 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

2 killed, five houses razed in Delta inter-communal clash

By Ochuko Akuopha

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BIARUKU—NO fewer than two person have been killed and over five houses razed in an inter-communal clash between youths of Umuezegoli

community of Ebedei clan and Akoku clan, both in Ukwani Local Government Area, Delta State.

Though the cause of the hostilities could not be ascertained at press time, sources said youths of Umuezegoli had invited an indigene of Akoku to their community for a discussion,

Tuesday night, after which he was allegedly stabbed to death with sharp objects.

Tension heightened when youths of Akoku, on getting wind of the development, invaded Umuezegoli for a reprisal attack, Wednesday, setting ablaze over five houses.

FUNERAL SERVICE: Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left), with wife of the deceased, Dr. Grace Braithwaite (2nd right); Son, Dr. Olumide Braithwaite (right), and daughter, Mrs. Ebunolu Adeosun (3rd right), during the funeral service for Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, at the Rev. Braithwaite Memorial Church, Papa Epe, Lagos, yesterday.

“When Akoku youths got to Umuezegoli, the place was deserted because the people had anticipated the reprisal attack and fled the community. One person has so far been arrested by the police over the incident,” a source from Ebedei clan told Vanguard.

Reacting to the incident, yesterday, Chairman of Ukwani council, Mrs. Ndudi Osakuni, said: “Immediately I was alerted on what was happening, I visited Umuezegoli, but the place was deserted and we met only the Okpara-Uku of the clan, a man of over 100 years.

“Over five houses had already been razed. One of the buildings that is close to the house of the Okpara-Uku was still in flames, so we struggled to put out the fire to prevent it from spreading to him.

“I then went to Akoku and appealed to the youths to remain calm that the situation was under control. Then early this morning (yesterday), I got information that one other person had been killed at Umuezegoli.”

Osakuni said efforts were being made to bring the feuding parties together to restore peace to the communities.

Contacted, state Police Public Relations Officer, Celestina Kalu, said she had not been briefed on the incident.

Trial of SARS policemen begins in Calabar over killing of robbery suspects

By Emma Una

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ALABAR —TRIAL of 13 Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, operatives attached to the Cross River State Police Command accused of extra-judicial killing of six robbery suspects in Atambo, outskirts of Calabar in April 2014, has begun before the state high court sitting in Calabar.

The policemen comprising a Deputy Superintendents of Police, Assistant Superintendents of Police, Inspectors and corporals, have been in detention since August 2014, following a petition by a mother of one of the robbery suspects, Dereck Ben to the Inspector General of Police, that her son was killed extrajudicially by the SARS officers.

At the hearing in the matter, yesterday, before Justice Obojor Ogar, a medical pathologist from the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Dr. Theophilus Ugbem, while being cross-examined by Nkanta Nkanta, the defence counsel said, "he carried out post-mortem on the bodies of the six robbery suspects, but could not specifically know, who among them was Dereck Ben, as nobody identified him among the corpses to me.”

He said he became a consultant in 2015, a year after the killing of the robbery suspects by the SARS officers.

“Normally, during postmortem, a relative of the dead person who knows him has to identify him to you, but during

the post mortem examination of the six suspects, nobody identified any of them by name to me.”

Dr. Ugbem said after the postmortem, no other medical expert carried out another medical examination of the bodies as the

one he carried out was considered adequate for any purpose.

Justice Ogar, who had two weeks ago granted the SARS policemen bail, adjourned the matter for the investigating police officer, IPO, to testify before the court.

3 suspected kidnappers of GUO Motors boss discharged, acquitted for lack of proof

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

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NITSHA—THE protracted legal tussle between the state and three suspected kidnappers of Chairman of G.U.O Motors Limited, Chief Godwin Okeke was, yesterday, brought to a conclusion with the discharge and acquittal of the accused persons for lack of proof by an Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha.

In his judgment, the trial judge, Justice Alexander Okuma said that the court does not rely on speculative evidence to convict a person or persons being charged with commission of criminal offences, adding that the evidences of the prosecution witnesses against the accused

persons were not weighty enough to convince the court that they were guilty as charged.

Justice Okuma noted that for instance, there was no concrete evidence to prove that the first accused person, Kelechi Okafor, who the kidnappers engaged to sell Okeke’s vehicle for them, after they snatched it from Okeke’s driver when he went to deliver the N30 million ransom to them, had any knowledge that it was a stolen vehicle before he took it to Lagos where the intending buyers on seeing the vehicle particulars, discovered that it belonged to Okeke, who they said they read in newspapers that he was recently kidnapped and as a result, refused to buy the vehicle.

In the case of the second defendant, Anthony Okafor,

Justice Okuma held that there was contradiction in the evidences against him by the prosecution witnesses that he was not among the gang that kidnapped Okeke, adding that it appeared to the court that the prosecution mistook him for one Chukwudi Agu (a.k.a. Small Black), who later jumped bail after confessing to the police at the state headquarters of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Awkuzu, that he was one of the gang members.

Justice Okuma insisted that since the prosecution could not prove their allegation against the defendants beyond reasonable doubt, as required by law, as far as the kidnap incident was concerned, the court had no other option than to discharge and acquit them for lack of enough evidence.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016—11

5 remanded in prison for insulting Gov Bello

By Wole Mosadomi

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INNA—A Chief Magistrate Court in Minna, Niger State has ordered the detention of

five middle-age men for insulting the state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Bello.

The suspects, Ahmadu Audu, Rabiu Muhammad, Nasiru Isah, Bashiru Shehu and Surajo Isah

Man, 40, docked for raping deaf-mute girl in Osogbo

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—A 40year-old man, Kamoru Shittu was, yesterday, arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrate's Court by men of Osun State Police Command for allegedly raping a 21-yearold deaf and mute girl in her school.

Shittu was charged with a two-count charge bordering on rape and unlawful assault of the victim identified as Olurunnifise Deborah.

The charge sheet read in part: “That you Kamoru Shittu, aged 40, on March 7, 2016, at about 10p.m. at Osun State Secondary School for persons with Special Needs, Osogbo, did have unlawful carnal knowledge of one female, Olorunifise Deborah, aged

21, a deaf and dumb student of the school. That you (accused person) on same date and place did unlawfully and indecently assault one Olorunifise Deborah.”

The Police prosecutor, Mereti Wilson told the court that Shittu allegedly committed the offence contrary to Section 357 and punishable under Sections 358 and 360 of the criminal code, cap 34, vol. II, laws of Osun State, 2003.

But Shittu pleaded not guilty to the charges and his lawyer, Bola Ige applied for his bail, arguing that the constitution presumed him innocent until the contrary was proved.

However, the presiding Magistrate, Mrs. A. Olowolagba granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in the same amount.

were said to have publicly disgraced the governor during a visit to Kagara town in Rafi Local Government Area of the state by calling him provocative names.

Besides calling him names, they were said to have eventually thrown stones and other dangerous weapons at the official vehicle of the governor and that of his convoy.

According to the First Information Report, FIR, the suspects were charged for criminal conspiracy, inciting, disturbance and intentional insult aimed at provoking the governor, which contravenes various sections of the Penal Code law.

They rained the insult on the governor when he visited the Emir in his Palace, Wednesday.

When the charges were read to the suspects, they pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Police prosecutor, Corporal Emmanuel Bassa objected to the court granting the suspects bail, pointing out that Police were still investigating the matter and that granting them bail will pose a security threat to Kagara town.

In your Saturday Vanguard tomorrow: •Meet a great Yoruba Oba with over 140 children and whose father had 300 wives, five of whom were virgins at his passing •What Fulani herdsmen told Nsukka people before Monday’s attack.

Gov. Ugwuanyi •Will peace reign with the Grazing Reser ves Bill?

Nigerians pass verdict

•Horror in our hospitals: Special report on General Hospital Marina, Lagos; LUTH and UNTH •Father Mbaka steals show again

Mbaka

C M Y K

Yetunde Arebi red-hot on Sex in different cultures

12—Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

DESOPDEC Budget 2016: Itsekiri re-echoes rejection

By Egufe Yafugborhi

of militants.”

ILOT, in its objections to the 2016 DESOPADEC budget proposal as it affects the Itsekiri, had harped on the perceived observation that projects amounting to N1 billion cited as central for Itsekiri people were included without consultation with leaders and people of Itsekiri, making the projects lopsided and serving selfish interests.

“A Central project should be one that serves the interest of majority of Itsekiri people. Two of the projects, construction of units of Cluster Houses (2bedrooms) at Oboghoro/ Otonlila valued at N361,257,119.00 and cearing, parking 10 acres of land and sand-filing through haulage with 60,000 cbm of sand at Oboghoro/Utonlila communities (N138 million) are sited in one community where one of the DESOPADEC board members hails from.

“The construction of 2km Township Road at Obitugbo community valued at N400 million, is a project designed to get access road to a private

W

ARRI—ITSEKIRI leaders, through the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, ILOT, yesterday raised more justifications for their call on Delta State House of Assembly not to pass the 2016 budget of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, over allegations of “official corruption.”

A statement in Warri, Delta State, by Edward Ekpoko, ILOT Secretary, said: “The sum of N600 million has been added to the wages of Itsekiri staff in the budget. This is as a result of protest by some ethnic nationalities that the money withdrawn on first-line charge and collected by individuals from Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic nationalities for phoney jobs be on second-line charge.

“Itsekiri people will no longer tolerate it. No money should be budgeted and/or approved for any individual for any phoney project either in the name of security or pipeline surveillance.

Relevant Federal Government agencies will be alerted if it continues, as we believe that it is being used to line the pockets

oil depot owned by the same member of DESOPADEC board and not in the overall interest of the Itsekiri people.

All the so-called Central (star) projects are located in one local government area (Warri North).

“On the whole, the so-called Itsekiri Central projects for

W

ARRI—THE OluIn-Council, the policy organ of the Olu of Warri, His Majesty, Ogiame Ikenwoli, has joined the growing rejection of the 2016 Appropriation Bill for Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, now before the state House of Assembly.

A statement by the Olu’s Palace, through its Executive Secretary, Chief Kofi Kartey and Director, Palace Administation, Chief Emmanuel Tetsola, noted that the Itsekiri people were not consulted before the contentious bill was packaged and forwarded to

the House.

“The content of the bill, as it affects the Itsekiri ethnic nationality, merely seeks to serve the parochial and selfish interests of some of the commission’s board members of Itsekiri extraction.

By Emman Ovuakporie known as zonal intervention funds, & Johnbosco Agbakwuru were standard international

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BUJA—SPOKESPERSON of the House of Representatives, Abdulrazak Namdas, has said that the sum of N60 billion has been approved for constituency projects of lawmakers in the 2016 budget

by President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.

Namdas explained that the approved funds in the budget, which is expected to be signed next week, were not initiated by the legislature but the executive.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, he said that the constituency projects funds, also

A

BUJA—EDO State governor, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, has hailed President Mohammadu Buhari on his fatherly stance in the financial meltdown facing the states.

He said that the

Villagers sue Asaba monarch over alleged ostracism

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HE people of O g b e o g o / Umuelibujor Village, in Oshimili South Local Government, Delta State, have sued their traditional ruler, the Asagba, and the Asagbain-Council before a Delta State High Court sitting in Asaba, over their purported ostracism from the rest of Asaba.

The suit is informed by C M Y K

“As a result, we pray the House to suspend debate and/ or passage of the D E S O P A D E C Appropriation Bill, 2016 as it affects Itsekiri pending when the people are consulted,” the statement said.

PDP govs got N2bn each from Ecological Funds under Jonathan —Oshiomhole

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

the alleged denial of their rights to participate in activities of the town by traditional organs of Asaba.

They are urging the court to determine whether the Asagba of Asaba and his traditional council are above the law and whether the action is not in conflict with the 1999 Nigerian constitution, as amended.

Appropriation Bill with regard to the Itsekiri ethnic nationality Central projects pending when the Itsekiri people will be consulted and agreed on the projects. We believe strongly that the projects as it affect Itsekiri is designed to facilitate official corruption,” ILOT said.

2016 Budget: Buhari approved N60bn for constituency projects —Reps

Olu of Warri’s Think-Tank joins rejection of DESOPADEC’s 2016 budget

By Egufe Yafugborhi

which about N1 billion was opaquely budgeted is done with impunity and tainted with vested interests of some members on the DESOPADEC board and not Itsekiri and it is lopsided.

“We pray the Delta State House of Assembly, to suspend debate and /or passage of the DESOPADEC 2016

president despite being elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, has shown love, equity and justice to all the states, a situation he said was entirely different in the regime of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

Oshiomole said that Jonathan showed favour to the governors of the then Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, states.

Oshiomole, who spoke to State House correspondents on the heels of the meeting between the president and governors, revealed that the PDP governors got N2 billion each from the Ecological Fund without a dime going to the opposition states. He thanked President Buhari for intervening in the dwindling economy of the states without prejudice.

practice.

“We are allowed to nominate projects since we are the representatives of the people and we know the problems in our communities, but the projects are domiciled with the ministries or agencies. The funds are not given as cash to legislators,” Namdas stressed.

Also at plenary, Muhammadu Farouk ,Niger APC, was asked to retract a statement he made in an interview to a foreign radio station, that lawmakers had been given N100 million each for constituency projects.

Several members noted that the

report had led to their being threatened by their constituents.

Farouk, however, insisted that he was misquoted.

In another development, The House has directed its Public Accounts Committee, PAC, to carry out a comprehensive investigation of public funds and assets recovered from 1999 till date.

The investigation is hinged on statements credited to the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had so far recovered $2 trillion since its establishment

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016—13

Wike tackling security challenges in Ogoni —PDP

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State has said that Governor Nyesom Wike was doing everything possible to tackle security challenges in Ogoni area of the state.

Speaking against the backdrop of allegations by Senator Magnus Abe that the governor’s comment at the 50th birthday anniversary of Senator Lee Maeba triggered electoral violence in Ogoniland, the party dismissed same as untrue.

Deputy Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Sam Wonosike, who spoke, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, said it was unfortunate that Senator Abe could make weighty allegations that he cannot substantiate.

He said that the governor merely enjoined Ogoni people to give their votes to Senator Olaka Worgu in the re-run election as a befitting 50th birthday gift to Senator Maeba, a chieftain of the PDP. “I am not surprised that Senator Abe will twist what the governor said that was widely reported in the media for cheap political reasons. This has been his style. You remember when

he claimed that police shot him. We know him. All Wike said when he attended Lee Maeba’s birthday was widely reported. He only appealed to Ogoni to give Senator Maeba a 50th birthday gift by voting for his party, the PDP.

There is noting wrong with that statement,” he said.

Wonosike said that Governor Wike was working with the various security agencies to wipe out cultism and other related problems in the state.

He advised the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to ensure they conduct free and fair re-run election in areas where they suspended the exercise.

PAN: From left— Peugeot Regional Director, Africa, Mr. Eric Maydeu; Dir., Middle East and Sub-Saharan Countries, Mr. Phillipe-Jean Lafond, both of Peugeot; Chairman, Executive Motors, Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan; Executive Vice President, Middle East and Africa, Peugeot Citroen, Mr. Jean-Christophe Quemard, and MD, Peugeot Automobile Nigeria, PAN, Mr. Boyi Ibrahim, during a courtesy visit to the National Assembly.

May Day: Delta NLC to visit charity homes ...assures workers on laudable programmes

By Victor AhiumaYoung

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ELTA State Council of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, yesterday, said that its leaders will visit the less privileged in the state as part of activities to mark this year’s Workers Day, assuring workers that congress would strive to initiate laudable programmes in the interest of workers at every given opportunity.

Factional Chairman of the council, Williams Akporeha, in a statement, said: “In line with this year ’s May Day theme, Inclusive Socio-economic space for sustainable development, leadership of the state congress has planned to visit orphanages in Warri and Effurun, not only to assure inmates that state workers and society care for them, but also to build confidence in the inmates that even in their situation, they can still participate in celebrating workers day.”

According to him, it had become customary for Congress in Delta State to add value to the celebration of May Day each year by initiating people oriented activities to herald the day, noting, “This C M Y K

year, Congress has decided to mark 2016 May Day celebration in Warri in collaboration with nongovernmental organisations and civil rights groups in a bid to assure the general public that NLC belongs to

the people. The state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, who is the Special Guest of Honour will lead other government functionaries to the event deliberately designed to take congress to the people.”

He recalled that in previous years, congress, under his leadership, collaborated with some stakeholders to organise a two-weeks ‘Labour Product and Services Fair’ as well as a symposium on workers- related issues.

Edo 2016: Three PDP aspirants to boycott screening

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN—AHEAD of Sunday ’s planned screening of the four governorship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, three of the aspirants have concluded plans to boycott the screening which they described as illegal.

A chieftain of the party, Mr Okharedia Ihimekpen, explained that screening of aspirants was normally done by the national leadership of the party and not the state.

Vanguard learned that the four aspirants, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, Osaro Onaiwu, Pastor Osagie IzeIyamu and Chief Solomon Edebiri, had been directed to make available their documents before the 15-man committee set up by the leadership of the party last Sunday with a view to

screening them.

But it was gathered that three of the aspirants described such move as illegal, saying that the duty to screen aspirants lies with the national leadership of the party and not party leaders in the state.

It was further learned that top leaders of the party who were backing some of the aspirants had directed them to stay away from the screening which, according to them, was a ploy to discredit some of the aspirants before the primaries.

...I'm a winning factor for PDP —Edebiri

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DO State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant, Chief Solomon Edebiri, has assured that the party ’s ticket for him will translate to victory in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Chief Edebiri stated this when he visited the State Working Committee at the state secretariat during the week to officially declare his intention to contest the

September governorship poll on the party’s platform.

Edebiri who also kicked off his state-wide party tour ahead of the party's primary, promised to revamp comatose industries in the state if giving the chance.

“Every time I realize that all the viable industries that were established by our founding fathers are dead, I lament and pray for an opportunity to be in administration to revive them," he said.

Bayelsa Speaker swears in three lawmakers

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—THREE elected members of Bayelsa State House of Assembly were, yesterday, sworn in by the Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Kombowei Benson.

The members are Alfred Belemote (APGA, Brass II), Gabriel Ogbara (ADC, Ogbia III) and Gibson Munalayefa (Labour Party, (Ogbia II).

They were declared winners of the 2015 state House of Assembly election by the ruling of the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr Benson, while swearing in the lawmakers, blamed the delay on the failure of the trio to follow due process in the submission of their documents.

He said though the House leadership knew about the court rullng declaring them as elected members, the processes of admission of new members needed to be followed in accordance with rules and procedures of the House.

Delta LP passes vote of no confidence in chairman

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A R R I — D E LTA State chapter of Labour Party, LP, has passed a vote of no confidence in its chairman, Chief Tony Ezeagwu, over his position on the party’s merger plan with All Progressives Congress, APC. The party, in a communique by its acting state chairman, Evang.

Ossai Abeh, said: “After xraying Ezeagwu's activities, the house concluded that he has been compromised and so has lost his integrity and can no longer be trusted to lead the merger process.

“The house has passed a vote of no confidence in him and every member who agrees to the merger can no longer hold meeting, private talks or even phone calls with him.”

Reiterating the party's commitment to the merger process with APC, Abeh said that negotiations with APC would continue under a new pressure group, Light of Labour, LOL, with Abeh as state chairman and Tosan Awani as secretary.

14—Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

NBC board to EFCC: We did our best

By Soni Daniel

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BUJA—MEMBERS of the Board of Directors of National B r o a d c a s t i n g Commission, NBC, have justified the actions they took in selling a radio spectrum worth N34 billion and paying a commission of N3.4 billion to the consultants, arguing that it was the best action taken to raise money for digital switch over.

The members, including the former Director General, Emeka Mba, have been summoned to appear before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to answer questions on why they hastily paid N3.4 billion to the technical consultant engaged by the board, even before presidential approval was sought and obtained.

The others invited by EFCC to appear this week, are Professor Herbert Orji, Chairman, Mohammed Umar, Mike Iheanetu, Yakubu Buji, Ebenezer Ayorinde, Isa Dahiru, Prince Dennis Sam, Jude Nnodum(SAN), and Peter Dama; as well as Basil Udotai (Esq.), and Technology Advisors.

Tourism, culture 'll soon be bedrock of Nigeria’s economy— Buhari

By Caleb Ayansina & Jonah Nwokpoke

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BUJA—PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, disclosed that tourism and culture would soon be the bedrock of Nigeria’s economy.

This came on a day the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajia Aishat Abubakar, said the Federal Government was developing a holistic strategy to tackle the menace of smuggling, which is threatening the patronage of locally-manufactured goods.

President Buhari, who declared the 2016 National Summit on Culture and Tourism open in Abuja, described tourism as rejected stone that would be rejuvenated to address the dwindling economy of the country.

Represented by the Minister of Trade, Industry and

Investment, Dr. Okechuwku Enelama, the President said though culture and tourism sector was driven by private sector all over the world, government would provide conducive environment to encourage investment in the sector.

He said: “As a result of the combination of various factors such as the sharp drop in the price of oil, combined breakdown of protectionist policies and changes in social relations, countries are compelled to look for alternative sources of revenue

HE Federal government will on June 2 launch the kickoff of Ogoni clean-up programme as contained in the United Nations Environment Programme Report, UNEP. The Minister of Environment, Mrs Amina Muhammed, said this yesterday in Port Harcourt during a visit to Governor Nyeson Wike of Rivers State.

Represented by Minister of

right attitudes towards achieving the desired goals.

“We are aware that the development of the tourism sector all over the world is largely private sector-driven.

“However, as evident in the 2016 budget, this administration will continue to provide the required enabling environment for arts, culture and tourism to thrive and develop, through the massive upgrading of infrastructure and the provision of security.

“We will continue to encourage public and private sector participation and partnership.”

Release Ugochinyere now, Reps order DSS

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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BUJA—SEQUEL to allegations that the Department of State Services,

Ogoni clean up begins June 2

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and employment.

“Tourism, therefore, is a resource of development and means of providing an additional opportunity for a non-industrialised country as ours, to diversify its economic base for the betterment of all.

“Consequently, the road for us as a nation to achieve our set objectives of diversifying our economic base will depend partly upon the quality of design and implementation of tourism policies.

“We must develop appropriate policies and the

State for Environment, Ibrahim Usman, she said the visit was to seek the collaboration of all stakeholders in the exercise.

She said: “The programme is expected to be launched on June 2. It has been designed to be driven by all stakeholders in the region. The essence of this is to ensure that the people of Ogoni and the region at large benefitted from the process.”

DSS, is holding the President of Nigerian Youth Council, Mr. Ugochinyere Michael, without any charges filed against him, the House of Representatives yesterday directed DSS to either charge him to court or release him immediately.

The House asked DSS to make public the offences allegedly committed by the embattled youth leader, following a motion under matters of urgent public importance brought before it

by Goodluck Opiah, PDP, Imo. The lawmaker expressed worries that the arrest was alleged to be because of a view he (Ugochinyere) expressed in a television

interview on the trial of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

He said: “The House is worried that he has been harassed and intimidated for supporting the Senate President and taking the Minister of Youth and Sport to court in protection of his office as President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria.

“Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees the freedom of opinion of all Nigerians, including Mr. Ugochinyere Michael.

“Section 35 further guarantees the right to personal liberty of Mr. Ugochinyere and we are worried that he has been held for more than 48 hours by the men of the DSS.”

FLAGGING OFF OF MRS AISHAT BUHARI'S INITIATIVE The flagging off of Mrs Aishat Buhari's pet project, Future Assured Initiative, held at Loyola College Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTOS: Dare Fasube.

From right— (First Ladies) Osun State, Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola; Edo State, Mrs. Iara Oshiomole; From left—Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji; Lagos State, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode; Delta State, Dame Edith Okowa; Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari; wife of Oyo State Amosun; Imo State, Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha; Enugu State, Mrs. Monica Ugwuanyi; Abia State, Mrs. governor, Florence; and the Governor, Senator Abiola Nkechi Ikpeazu, and representative of Kwara State, Dr. Aisat Ayinke Saka, at the flag-off.

Ajimobi, during the free health screening programme under the Futured Assured Initiative of the President's wife in Ibadan.

Some women from Atiba Local Government Area being attended to by health workers at the event.

C M Y K

Royal fathers arriving the event venue.

Mrs Meiro Almakura, wife of Nasarawa State Governor (left) and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016—15

EXTORTION: NERC reads riot act to DISCOs over transformers, others

By Peter Okutu

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BAKALIKI—NIGERIAN Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, yesterday warned that it would sanction Electricity Distribution Companies, DISCOs, found extorting money from consumers to supply transformers and other distribution accessories to them.

Acting Chairman of the Commission, Dr Anthony Akah handed down the warning during the commissioning of Ebonyi State Consumer Complaints Forum Office in Abakaliki.

According to him, it was a criminal offense for DISCOs to charge money to replace transformers and other power distribution accessories.

He said: “The Commission will punish DISCOs caught in such act to the full extent of the law. This can include fines and even revocation of licenses depending on the magnitude of the offense.”

He debunked the allegation that the Commission was a toothless bulldog that was unable to sanction erring DISCOs, adding that the

recent sanction handed out to Abuja DISCO and others by NERC was a clear testament of the powers of the Commission.

“But the consumers have the duty to provide the Commission with proof of these offenses not just to complain. They should help us with incontrovertible proof”, he said.

Dr Akah said the opening of the Commission’s Abakaliki Consumer Complaints Office signified the responsiveness of government toward

addressing the needs and challenges of residents in the state with regards to the power situation in the state and the country at large.

He said NERC had instituted measures to accelerate metering through very close monitoring of distribution companies meter roll out plan, adding“the present metering gap in Enugu DISCO alone is about 512,335 when compared to its total customer size of 732, 423, which is a whopping 70% deficit in metering.”

Senate bill on sexual predators for first reading

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

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bill prescribing stringent sanctions for sexual predators in schools and allows victims of sexual harassment to file civil damages against predators, even after conviction, is pending in the Senate.

The bill in a revolutionary step prescribes a minimum of two to five years compulsory imprisonment for administrative heads in schools that cover up sexual harassment petitions committed by teachers and lecturers.

The landmark bill initiated by Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (Delta Central) and cosponsored by all female prescribes that vice chancellors of universities, rectors of polytechnics and other chief executives of institutions of higher learning will go to jail for two years if they fail to act within a week on complaints of sexual harassments made by students.

The bill which is scheduled for first reading permits sexually harassed students, their parents, or guardians to seek civil remedies in damages against sexual predator lecturers before or after their successful criminal prosecution by the State.

PARTNERSHIP: From left— Business Development Manager, Anglophone West Africa, Luther Obuotor; National Business Manager, Dr. Ajibola Abdulkadir; Marketing and Customer Solutions Director, Barry Buchanan, all of Johnson & Johnson; Regional Director Sub-Saharan Africa, MISSA, Bassem Bibi; Group CFO, Pacific Diagnostics, Chacha Winani; Group Operations Director, Pacific Diagnostics, Nora Petty; and General Manager, Pacific Diagnostics Nigeria Limited, Yateen Chandarana, during the announcement of partnership with Johnson and Johnson in Abuja.

Oyemade wants ‘dead’ capital for economic devt

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ONVENER, The Platform, and Pastor, Covenant Christian Church, Mr. Poju Oyemade, yesterday, emphasised the need to explore the potentials in untapped and unexplored capital in the quest for growth, irrespective of the challenge posed by the volatility in the price of crude oil.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja on the forthcoming The Platform programme fixed for April 30, Oyemade said development had always come by finding capital in places that people once overlooked, and that the present economic travail had presented an opportunity for people to think outside of the box.

He said: “The whole world is reaching for new economic and political paradigms.”

He added that the forthcoming The Platform event, with the theme Nigeria, What is in your hand? Tapping into dead capital, has nation building as its vision, public education and enlightenment as its tool.

Papa Wemba begins final journey home

By Benjamin Njoku, with agency report

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UNDREDS of mourners yesterday welcomed the body of Papa Wemba, one Africa’s best known singers, back to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It was flown into the capital, Kinshasa, from Ivory Coast, where he died on Sunday after collapsing on stage in Abidjan.

Ivorian fans attended an allnight concert held in his honour in the city. He is due to be buried on Tuesday after lying in state in a stadium in Kinshasa, on Monday.

After Papa Wemba’s coffin left the airport it was taken to a morgue, reports the BBC’s Poly Muzalia from Kinshasa.

Papa Wemba, who died at 66, was considered one of Africa’s most influential musicians of his generation.

He pioneered modern Congolese soukous music, which spread through the continent.

Many of Africa’s top musicians have paid tribute to Papa Wemba, including Cameroon’s Manu Dibango, who described him as the “voice of Africa”.

Papa Wemba

Ivory Coast’s Culture Minister Maurice Bandaman said at a memorial service before the body left that “an artist never dies... Papa Wemba is dead, and now (he is) even greater than before,” reports said.

Meanwhile, the International Committee of the All Africa Music Awards,

AFRIMA,has described the late singer as “a voice of Africa, an icon of African music and epitome of Africanness.

“His pride and commitment to African music and sense of dressing were part of the narratives of African culture.

These are the African narratives we shared and are propagating across the world.”

Lagos judge begins case afresh after delivering judgment

By Innocent Anaba

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HERE was a mild drama yesterday at a Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere before Justice I. Harrison, when the judge reversed herself in a judgment she had earlier delivered in a civil case involving a Lagos family and started hearing the case afresh.

The judge while reversing herself insisted that her action was in conformity with the provisions of Order 30 Rule 4 (2) of High Court Rules 2012, which she said empowered her to set aside any judgment obtained

where any party did not appear at the trial upon terms as the court might deem fit.

Claimants in the matter, Mr. Muyiwa Ojebiyi and Mrs. Adenike Ayebiwe, who are siblings, had in October 2010 through their lawyer, Okokon Ita, commenced the suit.

However, throughout the pendency of the suit, the defendants including Mrs. Rebecca Ajiboje (for herself and on behalf of the children of Mrs. Funmilayo Ojebiyi), Mrs. Adekemi Alade (for herself and on behalf of the children of Late Mrs. Taiwo Ojebiyi), neither

filed appearance nor any document indicating their opposition to the suit, despite evidence of being personally served.

Meanwhile, having given evidence and adopted their written address, Justice Harrison on February 16, 2015 delivered judgment in the suit.

Amongst others, she ordered the property of the deceased, Mr. Stephen Tella Ojebiyi, situated at 33, Sounde Street, Ijeshatedo, Surulere, Lagos; 30, Ojowore Street, Mushin, Lagos and 120, Railway Line, Mushin, Lagos (the subject matter of the suit) be shared among the children of the deceased according to their respective mothers.

16 — Vanguard, FRIDAY APRIL 29 , 2016

Investors fret as N100bn foreign investment withdrawal deadline expires today volume of 54.1 million

By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor

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PPREHENSION heightened in the equities market yesterday as the deadline for withdrawal of Morgan Stanley Capital International, MSCI, foreign investment index from the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, expires today.

The US-based provider of equity, fixed income, and hedge fund stock market indexes, announced earlier in the month that it was considering yanking off Nigeria from its MSCI Emerging market index.

Though a decision is expected to be announced today, April 29, 2016, feelers from the NSE indicated that MSCI authorities may postpone the decision while keeping close watch on the investment climate in Nigeria.

Equity investors in the Nigerian bourse had lost over N174 billion in the first trading day after the announcement of the intention to withdraw, precisely on Monday, April 11, 2016 and this was followed by moderated losses on the second and third days that culminated into a week loss of about N206 billion.

The total volume of investments outstanding as at yesterday was about 177 million shares worth about USD500 million (N100 billion on official exchange rate) in 15 companies.

A few of the stocks affected had recovered slightly

Passage

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ATE Adegbegha Folorunsho Joseph, a. k. a (Sapero) who died January 28, 2016 after a brief illness at the age of 70, will be buried in Ajabue, Ondo State today.

A statement from the family said Christian wake keep would be held, Thursday, April 28 at his 1, Adegbegha Close, Iyere Owo, Ondo state at 5.00 p.m, while funeral service will be held at the St. John’s Anglican Church, Iyere Owo, Ondo State at 10 a.m.

The statement said said that interment follows immediately. The late Adegbegha is survived by wife, children, grand children, brothers, sisters and cousins among whom is Mr. Alabi Aladebumuyi, a brother.

C M Y K

but further declines in the share prices were noticed this week, apparently indicating renewed apprehension as the deadline approached.

However, three of the affected stocks had a positive outing in the stock market yesterday closing with gains while the overall market position was also positive in terms of both market capitalization and the All Shares Index.

Though only 15 stocks were under threat by the MSCI moves, the impact snowballed into several others.

The top ten blue chip stocks affected by the threat of withdrawal includes United Bank of Africa Plc with the highest MSCIlinked foreign investment

shares followed by First Bank of Nigeria Plc with 48.1 million shares and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc with 23.5 million shares.

Also amongst the top ten equities to be affected by the withdrawal are Zenith Bank Plc with MSCI-linked 23.1 million shares, Ecobank Plc with 12.2 million shares, Nigerian Breweries Plc with 6.9 million shares and Unilever Nigeria Plc with 5.7 million shares valued.

Others affected in lower magnitude includes Lafarge Cement with 2.2 million shares, Dangote Cement Plc with 1.5 million shares and Nestle Nigeria Plc with 0.5 million shares.

MSCI’s threat followed the introduction of restrictions on foreign currency trading in Nigeria.

Police, Civil Defence avert pro, anti-Saraki groups' clash

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

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BUJA—THE police and civil defence corps yesterday averted what would have been a violent clash between pro and anti-Saraki protesters in the National Assembly complex.

For the third day running, hundreds of antiSaraki protesters, under the aegis of Citizens United for Peace and Stability, CUPS, had laid siege to the National Assembly, insisting that Senate President, Bukola Saraki, resigned on allegations of corruption levelled against him and contro-

versies surrounding the 2016 budget and purchase of 36 exotic cars for some senators.

Pro-Saraki senators had also in the last three days protested at the National Assembly, countering those against the senate president.

While the anti anti-Saraki’s group insisted that Saraki must go, the proSaraki’s group said the senate president was not going anywhere, describing his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, as political persecution which, if not checked,

could portend danger for the nation’s democracy.

PDP zones chairmanship position to north

By Ben Agande

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HE National E x e c u t i v e Committee, NEC, of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday approved the retention of the chairmanship of the party to the North, setting the stage for continuation of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff in office.

Addressing journalists after the meeting of the committee, national chairman of the party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, said members of NEC approved all the recommendations of its zoning committee, headed by the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Emmanuel Udom.

Other positions zoned were those of national auditor, national publicity secretary and Secretary of the party which were zoned to the South West, while the position of deputy national chairman was zoned to the South South.

Prominent members of the party from the South West, such as Bode George, Ebenezer Babatope and others were, however, not in attendance at the meeting.

Some members of the party in the South West had canvassed that the position of the national chairman be zoned to the region, arguing that the zone had never produced the leadership of the party since its formation.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 —17

Should we be less critical and more optimistic?

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AST week on this page, I responded to the many Vanguard readers who have reprimanded me for voting for Buhari; and I admitted that he has yet to deliver the Change he promised Nigerians during the run-up to the 2015 election campaign and that I myself am disillusioned by the fact that the country is in very bad shape (thanks to electricity meltdowns, fuel shortages, widespread poverty, etc).

Some APC supporters were unhappy when they read the above comments and have contacted me to accuse me of defeatism and unfairness…and to chide me for caving in “too easily” to critics of Buhari’s administration…because they reckon that it is too early to be disappointed in Mr President, given that he inherited several monumental headaches from Jonathan and has only been in office for 11 months.

Fulfilling his potential For the record, I have NOT given up on Buhari and agree that he has not had enough time in which to fulfil his potential and show us what he can do for us.

However, I completely disagree with the view that Jonathan is to blame for almost everything that is going wrong at the moment (let me facetiously say that some folks are so eager to lay all of our woes at Jonathan’s door that I’m surprised they are not running around insisting that the global oil price drop is Jonathan’s fault!).

And I refuse to apologise for feeling that Buhari will have to become more dynamic on several fronts if he wants to shine and deliver before his term expires in 2019.

A Fulani friend tells me that he has ceased to believe in Buhari because his people have a saying that you will know by Wednesday how the weekend will be.

I’ve told my friend that he is being too pessimistic because we haven’t yet reached Wednesday! If you do the C M Y K

•President Muhammadu Buhari

•Ibe Kachikwu maths and divide five weekdays by four, each year of Buhari’s tenure boils down to 1.25 days…which means that we are still on Tuesday morning!

But time flies and Wednesday is around the corner. By the end of his second year in office, we

I completely disagree with the view that Jonathan is to blame for almost everything that is going wrong at the moment will hit Wednesday afternoon; and Buhari needs to get his skates on NOW if he wants to convince sceptics that a pleasant weekend is on the horizon.

Yes, Buhari was saddled, from

•Babatunde Fashola Day One, with chronic problems that existed long before he took over the reins of power – insane levels of corruption, decaying infrastructure and the Boko Haram curse, for example. And I don’t think that anyone with half a brain expected him to eradicate all of these ills within a year.

But some of the problems with which this administration is grappling are largely or wholly self-inflicted. For example, I don’t see why Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu should hold two super-tough government jobs simultaneously and be the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and the Group Managing Director of NNPC.

Laudable credentials Kachikwu possesses laudable academic credentials and was working for a respected multinational oil company (ExxonMobil) before Buhari recruited him.

But Kachikwu’s intellectual brilliance and impressive CV are not manifesting themselves in the job he is doing. His embarrassing struggles with fuel supply issues prove that he has bitten off more than he can. His failure doesn’t surprise me at all because industry experts have told me that there

*Dr Goodluck Jonathan, former president is no other country in which the Oil Minister also happens to be the Chief Executive of the state oil company.

So why on earth did Mr President take such an eccentric gamble? I sometimes admire original thinking; and I’m not opposed to the idea that Nigeria needs to develop some unique strategies that will address our peculiar circumstances.

But there are contexts within which it makes sense to be conventional and simply copy those who are doing well; and the stakes are way too high for this type of experimentation. If countries that are more successful than Nigeria are not giving one man two huge hats to wear, why should Buhari decide to do things differently?

Similar concerns I have similar concerns about Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), the former Governor of Lagos State who is now the Minister of Power, Works and Housing.

Fashola has a big brain and was much-praised between 2007 and 2015 for his calm, effective gubernatorial style and his considerable achievements in Lagos.

But his reputation has taken a massive nosedive in recent months as Nigerians bitterly protest about the constant power cuts that are making our lives a misery. And I wonder why Buhari gave Fashola 3 extremely difficult portfolios to manage.

Power is more than enough wahala on its own. Ditto Works.

Ditto Housing. And I am pretty sure that no mere mortal can skilfully juggle all of these responsibilities.

If I’d been in Fashola’s shoes, I’d have politely declined and

requested a less hellish workload when Mr President summoned me to offer me this triple whammy!

To cut a long story short, optimism is still called for because Buhari means well and still has three more years in which to get his act together, prove his enemies wrong, make his supporters proud and drag Nigeria into the 21st century.

But journalists – and citizens in general – SHOULD grumble LOUDLY, whenever this (or any other) government makes mistakes or performs lethargically.

Democracy is about holding our leaders to account, about demanding that they earn the privileged existences they enjoy (Buhari and his family do not have to worry about mundane and stressful chores like finding petrol for their cars!) and about NOT sychophantically letting them off the hook when they are clumsy or inept.

Human nature is such that most of us benefit from constructive pressure. A teacher or boss who doesn’t accept feeble excuses for laziness or avoidable faux pas gets better results from his or her pupils or staff and a President who has to deal with high expectations from his electorate is more likely to pull his socks up.

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18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 The standoff in the Kogi State House of Assembly that has factionalised the House is a pathetic reminder of the defective growth of our democracy.

At the heart of the current crisis is the “impeachment” of the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon Momoh Jimoh, by five of the 20 members of the Assembly. The “impeachment” was despite the support for Jimoh by 15 members of the legislature as at that time.

The development in Kogi is, however, not new among the country’s state legislative houses and political institutions which are known for their gross disregard for the laws guiding our democracy.

It will be recalled that the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) was, in 2013, factionalised when a group of 16 governors refused to submit to their majority 19 counterparts. Also, the Rivers State House of Assembly broke into two factions whereby five of the 32 members “impeached” the

Quiet in Kogi Assembly please!

Speaker.

The crisis in Kogi boiled over with the thwarting of the legitimate attempt by the House of Representatives to take over the duties of the legislative body as spelt out in the constitution.

That move was countered by the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN) who, in a brazen, partisan manner that seemed to support Jimoh’s queer impeachment by the minority faction, ordered the Inspector General of Police to reopen the Assembly. This sparked off a face-off between the Attorney General and the House

of Representatives.

The inability of the Kogi House of Assembly to work together has only compounded a series of crises that arose after the governorship election which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) controversially declared inconclusive.

Instructively, AGF Malami’s advice to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to provide a replacement for the late Alhaji Abubakar Audu in the subsequent rerun poll led to a lawsuit by Abubakar’s deputy governorship candidate, James Faleke, which

OPINION Re:Battle for Edo: The high stake game (2) Continued from yesterday

ByEdun Akenzua HE said the Obasekis respected the tradition of Benin and that they have played many roles in the development of this Kingdom and that they have joined the Oba of Benin to develop this Kingdom.

He also said: “The Agho Obaseki we are talking about died as the Iyase of Benin.

Before he became Iyase and before the invasion of the Benin empire by the British, Agho Obaseki was given the title Inneh (sic) of Benin... after that he (Oba Ovonranmwen) elevated him (Agho) to be the Iyase of Benin, which is the number one chieftaincy title.

Unfortunately, the incident of 1897 came about and that led to the deportation of the Oba of Benin to Calabar”.

“When the Oba of Benin left for Calabar, there was a vacuum. Agho Obaseki was the highest chieftaincy title holder (emphasis mine) in Benin. He never tried, to the best of my knowledge from what I have read in history, to become the Oba of Benin. I don’t know, he may have played a role as the number one chief...”

“A few years later, information got to Benin that Oba Ovonranmwen has passed on and his son Oba Eweka became the Oba of Benin from around 1914 or so, few years later he passed on. His eldest son, Oba Akenzua, who was a grand son of Oba Ovonranmwen became the Oba. He (Oba Akenzua) also blessed one of the Obasekis (Gaisu) and made

him the Iyase, the highest chieftaincy title in Benin”.

Agho’s title was Obaseki, not Ine, at the time Ovoramwen left for Calabar. The Oba did not confer the title, Iyase, on him either.

The colonial authorities did. That was after the passing on of Oba Ovonramwen.

I do not know from which history book Mr. Imasuen got his information since he is talking about my family, (my great-grand father, my grandfather and my father) it is

Obaseki deserves honest and courageous friends who will present to him factual and wellresearched position reports necessary that I tell the story about them the way it is and to put the records straight.

The British summoned a meeting of Benin chiefs and elders in 1914 to give them the sad news from Calabar. That was the opportunity the British waited for to make Agho, their friend, Oba. They offered him the position twice before.

He could not accept it because the chiefs told the British they would not crown another Oba as long as their Oba was alive, whether in Benin or Calabar. After breaking the news, they asked to be told the system and method of installing Oba in Benin Some supporters of Agho orchestrated

appeal on the British to appoint Agho Oba. That was what the British wanted. After all, they offered him (Agho) the position twice when Ovonramwen was in Calabar.

Agho was their friend. He was also a friend to Dore and Duru, the two Itsekiri middlemen who doubled as agents for the British merchants. Dore and Duru had been agents for the British from the time of Nana of Ebrohimi. They were said to be privy to the petition against Nana by traders which instigated the British move against Nana in 1893.

Agho, Dore and Duru met at Ughoton, (Gwatto) the commercial centre at the time.

He was the aide Ovonramwen sent to Ughoton to collect levies and other payments from British agents. They struck a relationship.

The British and Agho’s minions were happy, thinking they would achieve their objective. Then, Izedomwen Ero, a senior chief, spoke. He told the British that ascension to the throne in Benin was based on the principle of primogeniture; the eldest son succeeds his father, in case of hereditary titles.

The British, feeling disappointed by that new twist, asked the others if what chief Ero said was true. They said it was. They granted the chiefs permission to go and crown Aiguobasiwin, Ovonramwen’s eldest son.

Out of frustration, the British ordered that the title, next in hierarchy to Oba, be given to Agho.

That was how Agho became Iyase in 1914.

remains unresolved and constitutes a precursor to the ongoing crisis in the Kogi House.

The crises in the body politic of Kogi State has become convoluted and may never be fully resolved unless the political interests and actors decide to sink their differences and put the state first.

We frown at the roles being played by the Attorney General of the Federation, Malami, who should have allowed the House of Representatives to carry out their constitutional role of legislating for Kogi State until its House of Assembly can sit in peace, form a quorum and effectively do their work as demanded by law.

Our political practitioners make a laughing stock of our democracy by frequently re-enacting the practice of minority groups, with the backing of the Executive, lording it over their majority counterparts.

The Oba is the only person who confers state titles. Rites go with conferment of titles. Any person on whom the Oba confers a title must perform the rites. Agho Obaseki did not perform the rites.

Years later, Oba Akenzua did not confer the title, Iyase, on Agho’s son, Gaius.

Okorotun, the Iyase, died in July 1943. Oba Akenzua had not conferred the title on any person. Members of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity (ROF) wanted Gaius, who was their leader, to be conferred with the title.

Some of them applied on his behalf to Oba Akenzua to confer the title on him.

The Oba did not grant their request.

Defiantly, they turned their request to the Council which was then controlled by Benin Tax Payers Association, whose member were all members of ROF. The Council passed a resolution that the title, Iyase, be given to Gaius Ikuobasemwonyemwen Obaseki, inspite of the Oba’s position on the issue. So, by Council’s resolution, Gaius became Iyase.

He too did not perform the rites associated with the conferment of the title. History repeats itself.

Earlier in this piece, Godwin Obaseki was described as the amiable and intelligent gentleman. He deserves honest and courageous friends who will present to him factual and well-researched position reports; not band-wagon commuters who will simply churn out platitudinous propaganda instead of hard facts.

Concluded *Prince. Akenzua, MFR & a Bini High Chief, wrote from Benin City, Edo State.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016— —19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com In his 1965 farewell letter to Fidel and the Cuban people, Che, who was originally an Argentine medical doctor, had resigned from the party leadership, his post as Minister, rank of Commander and Cuban

Fidel and Che: A generational farewell HE tiny island of Cuba with communists will remain as proof T no major natural on this planet that if they are resources, military prowess or worked at with fervour and strong economy, produced two of the most famous and charismatic leaders of the last one hundred years; Ernesto Che Guevara and Fidel Castro Ruiz.

Both have lasting legacies and assured places in world history as people who defined their generation and had global cultlike followership. Though contemporaries, both had unique farewell addresses fifty one years apart; while Che made his on April 1, 1965, Fidel gave his on Tuesday April 19, 2016.

Addressing the Seventh Congress of the Cuban Communist Party in his valedictory address, Fidel was philosophical "Soon I will be 90 years old…Soon I will be like all the rest. Everybody's turn comes." Like a man passing on a flaming torch, Fidel, a proud marathon runner of ideas and principles, told those he is leaving behind to continue the race: “The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban

dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need; and we need to fight without truce to obtain them.” Here, Fidel is reminding his comrades, that the struggle for human emancipation is not Cuban, but global. In this he is continuing Che’s 1965 thesis that all lovers of humanity must fight for a new moral, cultural, political and material world: “We will make the human being of the 21st Century… creating a new man and woman with a new technology.”

This may be the last time we will hear from Fidel in public; the first time was sixty three years ago when he stood in the dock for treason following the attack on the Moncada Barracks. Rather than plead for mercy and his life, the then 27-year old rookie lawyer had on October 16, 1953, told the court "Condemn me, it does not matter. History will absolve me." Indeed, history has absolved him.

But to convince humanity that Che had truly been killed, his hands were cut off; they killed a man, but not his ideas citizenship and headed for Africa to fight against the dictatorship of General Joseph Mobutu (later known as Mobutu Seseseko). He saw himself as a citizen of the world whose duty is to fight injustice and oppression anywhere they rear their heads.

He explained to Fidel why he was leaving Cuba “I feel that I have fulfilled the part of my duty that tied me to the Cuban revolution in its territory, and I say farewell to you, to the comrades, to your people, who now are mine…Other nations of the world summon my modest efforts of assistance.”

On a clear mission to carry out revolution in other parts of the world, Che told Fidel “I carry to new battlefronts the faith that you taught me, the revolutionary spirit of my people, the feeling of fulfilling the most sacred of duties: to fight against imperialism wherever it

The National Grazing Bill (2)

By Clement Udegbe

P

ART VII called the Miscellaneous Provisions restricts any legal action or suit against the commission. A written notice shall first be given to the commission of the intention to sue it or any member of the council; “No execution or attachment of process shall be issued against the commission without the consent of the Attorney General of the Federation”. The Commission is indemnified out of the assets of the commission against any proceeding whether civil or criminal in which judgment is given….”

The idea of this bill is to take farming land belonging to communities, all over the country, make it Federal land permanently held for any class of persons it may fancy or please, and in this case it is for the economic, social, and religious benefit of the cattle rearers, whom we know as Fulani herdsmen.

In the views of the proponents of this bill, it may well be their answer to resolving the communal clash between the Fulani herds men, and rural farming communities across this nation, but the bill is laden with potentially explosive provisions.The Bill omitted and underestimated the role of the Ministry of Information and the National Orientation Agency in the execution and implementation of important national policies, especially new ones that are potentially controversial like in this case, by not including them as part of the membership of the Grazing Commission.

Part II, (7) (f) says “… Fostering the mind of general public particularly the pastoral transhumance population, the necessity for the establishment and development of National Grazing Reserves and Stock Routes with the object of developing a greater appreciation of the value of lifestock and environmental conservation”.

Transhumance means the movement of livestock to different grazing lands according to the season,for example when flocks are taken

C M Y K

up to the mountain pastures in the summertime in Europe.

Transhumance is a method of grazing practiced in the early 20th century, which the world has since abandoned, and moved beyond in livestock production. Transhumance in itself, cannot cope with the demands of increasing populations in modern day society.

With civilisation and modernisation, it cannot supply adequate protein requirements from cattle to any society in these times, why then do we in Nigeria insist on it ?

The world of today cannot be satisfied with the early 20th century methods be it in agriculture, health, commerce, industry, you name it, and same applies to transhumance in livestock production.

It was a subtle way to oust the role of courts in Commission matters, It is tyranny!

Nigeria and more directly, our Fulani brethren, should accept to change their method of trade and doing the business of cattle production, because times have moved on, and waits for no one, not even Nigeria.

Transhumance in live stock production died several decades ago, but our agricultural policy formulators did not see it, and they did failed woefully to accept that fact, and change and which now accounts for the restiveness in the cattle grazing cultures of our country today.

The solution is neither in encouraging, AK 47 wielding Fulani cattle men across the nation, because others with time, can also carry modern and even more deadly fighting equipment to check them, nor is it in trying to sponsor laws that will allow medieval agricultural practices in modern day society, as that will make and leave us as a nation with a poor protein supply plan,

may be. This is a source of strength, and more than heals the deepest of wounds.”

He had no material wealth or savings to bequeath to his family, but he was confident that the new Cuba which would cater for all citizens will also take care of them. “ I am not sorry that I leave nothing material to my wife and children; I am happy it is that way. I ask nothing for them, as the state will provide them with enough to live on and receive an education.”

After fighting on the side of the Lumumbists –followers of Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba- in the Democratic Republic of Congo, he moved to the jungles of Bolivia. Che had written “To die under the flag of Vietnam, of Venezuela, of Guatemala, of Laos, of Guinea, of Colombia, of Bolivia, of Brazil-to name only a few scenes of today’s armed strugglewould be equally glorious and desirable for an American, an Asian, an African, even a European.”

Two years after his farewell, Che was ambushed in the Bolivian jungle, interrogated and murdered by Bolivian forces and their American “advisers” who not only advised he be executed summarily without trial but also be buried in an unmarked grave so that his resting place does not become a shrine. But to convince humanity that Che had truly been killed, his hands were cut off; they killed a man, but not his ideas.

It would be 32 years before his remains and those of his six other comrades would be discovered and moved to Cuba. At Che’s reburial in October 1997, Fidel

and thereby dependent on imports for our animal protein requirements.

The solution lies in doing what other nations did to succeed in feeding their increasing populations;change how we practice agriculture and more particularly livestock production. Federal Government should encourage and sponsor laws that will transform our primitive agriculture to modern day practices.

Cattle, sheep and goats ,poultry, and pigs production should be supported by laws that will enable those interested in such businesses to buy or acquire their land legitimately, obtain funding from financial institutions under very liberal terms, with their business implements and equipment supplied possibly under a special scheme, to enable them succeed in the farming and livestock production business.

Cattle production should not be the sole preserve for Fulani men, the space should be opened up for investors so as to attract foreigners into livestock production in Nigeria.

A close look at the fishing industry will reveal that it is only foreigners that are reaping the benefits, because our governments have failed to encourage local fishing and trawling magnates to develop.

However, it is better late than never as the saying goes. Let Nigeria start now to see cattle production business as one any person or investor can do, and not for Fulanis alone, let our laws support commercial cattle, sheep and goats ranching, along with piggery, poultry, fish production, etc.

The taking of lands and alienating them permanently is a stone age, medieval, primitive, and very harsh method of land acquisition.

The present pretended silence with the "I am not aware” body language of the Federal Government is only a good invitation to conflict and chaos in our rural communities.

Sections 20,21, and 22 of the bill, empowers the Grazing Commission to only give Notice to a Governor of a state whose land is intended to be acquired etc. There is no provision in the bill for the consent of such a targeted Governor.

Consent of the state concerned ought to be obtained to avoid conflicts, disputes and

had wondered “Why did they think that by killing him, he would cease to exist as a fighter? Today he is in every place, wherever there is a just cause to defend. His indelible mark is now in history and his luminous gaze of a prophet has become a symbol for all the poor of this world.”

Fidel survived ten American administrations some of who had signed his death warrant and sent assassins after him.

President John .F. Kennedy not only authorised the CIA to assassinate Fidel, but also militarily invaded the island in what became known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

Following the 1959 revolution, Cuba was isolated by other Latin American countries in an attempt to force it to change; rather, Cuba changed Latin America so much that the United States which engineered the isolation, has itself restored diplomatic ties.

Celebrating Che and Fidel, is celebrating ideas, programmatic vision, unparalleled conviction and uncommon commitment to a cause, people and the universality of humanity.

The ideas of Fidel and Che were incendiary; they glowed in the hearts of youths, captured the imagination of generations and, even people who do not agree with their ideas and actions, could not deny their faith in humanity and commitment to building a better world. Today, more than ever, we need to create what Che characterized as a New Man and Woman, a new globalization and a new humanity. World without end.

Amen!

trouble. Consent should be in a written form with the signatures of the Community heads, traditional rulers, the State House, and the Governor. An aggrieved community must have the right to seek redress in court. Any law like this bill, that seeks dexteriously to kill or muffle the right of redress in court is unconstitutional, and must not be allowed. The omission of consent from ancestral or traditional land owners betrays the manipulative intentions of this bill.

Section 24, of the bill empowers the Grazing Commission to enter into negotiations with holders of either statutory or customary rights of occupancy for the assignment or alienation of the unexpired residue and terms to the Commission. This provision is ambiguous, and can be used by the Commission to deny or refuse discussions with ancestral and traditional land owners who have no written titles to their lands.

Farmers in the villages own their lands by inheritance through family, community and clan history. This section can be used to take their land without compensation! The treachery and mischief intended by the proponents of this bill is the shutting of the door of negotiation with traditional and ancestral land owners.

Section 25, gives the Commission power to regulate and restrict persons and activities on grazing land, while Section 26 excludes right and power to alienate the Commissions land.

This perhaps is most controversial section, as it requires the consent of the Attorney General of the Federation to incident any actions or court processes against the Commission.

Where the Attorney General refuses or seats on the consent, the mouth, hands, and legs of aggrieved communities and individuals are tied, which is an insult to the sensibilities of land owning communities across Nigeria, especially in the South East of Nigeria where land is scarce. It was a subtle way to oust the role of courts in Commission matters, It is tyranny !

Concluded *Mr Udegbe, a lawyer, can be reached at ceeaai@yahoo.com.

20—Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

My dream for Nigeria, by Olivia Agbajor Budget, code of conduct tribunal, EFCC and rats?

By Tunde Ajibulu ATS are rodents and the most notorious in Nigeria is the Rattus Rattus (black rats).

These rats are capable of producing as many as 2000 litters in a year. Rats operate from holes, nooks, and crannies, scavenging, causing havoc and spreading diseases. An adult rat can squeeze into your home through a hole the size of a coin and inflict maximum damage with their tenacity, doggedness and strong teeth which can chew through anything. Rats are pestilent and humans have been trying to exterminate them for centuries and still haven’t succeeded yet. Rats anyway are a threat to man everywhere.

There are different types of rats that pose great threats to Nigeria’s socio-economic and political progress.. There are the famous wharf rats that in sync with some bad eggs in the NCS cause the disappearance of fenders, headlamps, even cars, other goods and whole containers without a trace. But recently, we discovered a very new virulent specie of rat ‘budget rats’ buried deep in the structure of the Civil Service bureaucracy.

R

Caution and vigilance We saw their destructive capacities firsthand that is how they almost brought President Muhammadu Buhari to his knees leaving him apologetic to Nigerians and exhibiting immense caution and vigilance in matters pertaining to the 2016 budget. This species of rat was gnawing at the impeccable credentials of President Buhari, the heart of the Change agenda and the various programmes that President Buhari embedded in the budget to execute the Change agenda for the maximum benefit of Nigerians.

We also have another new species of rat that wants us to believe the Presidency is the Marionettist, Danladi Umar, the marionette, and Nigerians are the paying spectators in the Code of Conduct Tribunal theatre. I refuse to believe President Buhari has a hand in this parody, comedy or farce that we are currently witnessing at the tribunal….if he did he would be more dexterous and would not involve a marionette like Mr. Danladi Umar who is wont to crack under pressure. As a retired soldier, President Buhari (something I can very much relate to) understands the essence of stoicism, impartiality and gravitas and we all know our President who is generally perceived as being Spartan and serious minded is neither a joker nor a fan of comedies.

One cannot help but be astounded and bewildered at the ongoing soap opera in form of the trial of the Senate President Bukola Saraki at the CCT. Whilst

not denying relationship with the man, my observations are simply apolitical and objective. What democracy entails and what Nigerians yearn for is equality, fair treatment and justice before the law irrespective of social status. But what transpired at the CCT on Wednesday April 20, 2016 was most unfortunate. I came across a video clip of Mr. Umar in a needless confrontation in court with a very polite and civil defense lawyer. We all saw how Professor Jega handled a worse situation with calm, maturity, dignity and gravitas… all of which Mr. Umar has sadly not displayed at all. This and recent events prove beyond reasonable doubt that rats are at work again orchestrating events in Bukola Saraki’s case at the CCT. Undeniably, Sen. Saraki is standing trial based on accusations against him, however, like any other citizen he has rights or he is entitled to equal protection of the law without any discrimination, full

Why should an officer of the judiciary with a bribery case dangling over his head preside over any case? equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him, the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defense and also to seek and implement legal advice that would enhance his case .

So why should an officer of the judiciary with a bribery case dangling over his head preside over any case? Accepting inducements to subvert justice is the most heinous crime any official in the judiciary can commit…the very earth screams and recoils from such a base act. I posit to the National Judicial Council that any judge or judiciary official involved in a bribery case with evidence to the fact should be barred from handling cases until convicted or

exonerated or is it that the rats have also reached the NJC? Despite a recent affirmation of clearance by EFCC, Mr. Umar statement’s to the EFCC, Zenith bank cheque to his PA, Investigation report, summary of investigation, letter by other judges, letter by the SGF on his case, draft charges against him in a federal high court etc are being circulated on the print and electronic media, does this not raise questions about the propriety of his continued supritendence over this case?

Aren’t judges meant to be neutral and objective and meant to excuse themselves from cases where their integrity and competency is in doubt?

I am not saying Saraki should be freed, Sen. Saraki is fighting the political battle of his life against a legion of traducers both just and unjust, his career and future is on the line. He has a right to seek and to get an impartial judge which is only fair, given what is at stake. Are there no other judges on the CCT that can try this case? Why is it so personal to Mr. Umar ?

Dangerous strain of rats Why is Mr. Umar so emotional about this case? I heard the CCT is under the jurisdiction of the Presidency, is this appropriate? Have these rats not tunnelled in to the CCT supervising office in the Presidency? The whole scenario seems to smack and smell of the activities of this dangerous strain of rats that are gnawing at Nigeria’s soul. But No matter how big or deadly a rat is it is always the eagle’s prey and it would be a great travesty if the EFCC eagle is being intimidated by rats. We should be aware that the law is the law “actore non probante reus absolvitur”.

This is why it is imperative that the CCT and CCB should be transferred to the judiciary where it should be to guarantee its independence and the safe administration of justice for all Nigerian irespective of sociopolitical status and affiliation.

Mr. President’s folklore tells us about a a certain specie of rat that nibbles on feet of a sleeping human at the same time blowing soothing air on the feet causing the human to blissfully sleep on….your excellency you are surrounded by rats which don’t mean well for you. They don’t share your love for the common man, your passion for equity in the distribution of our natural resources, your vision for a better corrupt free Nigeria.

Mrs. Olivia Tagbajumi Agbajoh...marks 65 LAWYER, politician and mother, Olivia Tagbajumi Agbajoh turned 65 on Wednesday. An Honourable in the House of Representatives in the Second republic, she represented the Warri Federal constituency. A lawyer with a masters’ degree in Business Administration, she served as commissioner in Delta State in the ministries of Information and Culture, Women Affairs, Social Development,Youths and Sports, Commerce and Industries, cooperative and Tourism. She also served in other capacities such as member of the Governing Council of Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Afikpo in Ebonyi State. Contested for the Senate four times, emerged winner as a candidiate under the National Republic Convention, NRC, Party in 1992. She contested the gubernatorial election in 2003 and even the presidential election under President Ibrahim Babangida’s Option A4.

Here she shares her thoughts on the Nigeria of her dream.

By Ifeyinwa Ashamole NIGERIA where government has commitment towards security, social welfare, economic growth and development. Democratic good governance must be established. Elections must not only be held but people’s will must be respected. This means our votes must count. Decency in governance must be restored.

There must be reduction in unemployment; there must be reduction in corruption. Our infrastructure must be fixed and expanded especially our roads.

Nigeria needs to revive its Agricultural sector.

A vibrant Agricultural sector will produce enough food for export, thus earning foreign exchange and will also create jobs. Nigeria needs to encourage entrepreneurs, especially in our villages to stop migration to our cities.

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Agricultural businesses Agricultural businesses are the most lucrative business in the world. Apart from the low cost of start up and running the business, agricultural businesses turn out a huge profit of up to 100%. With the increase in unemployment, young people should embrace agriculture which was considered a dirty business reserved for only the poor. Low cost Agricultural business for villages include; Rabbit rearing, Foodstuff retailing, Fish farming, Herbs, Flowers framing and gardening, livestock feed production,

Groundnut processing, Cashew nut processing, Vegetable farming, to mention a few.

To provide adequate employment for our growing urban population, we also need a robust industrial sector. Nigeria needs to remodel its education system to mirror economic reality.

More emphasis should be placed on technical skills and vocational education, particularly in construction, industrial machinery and p r o c e s s e s , telecommunication, extractive industries and agriculture.

Government should take care of old people, many of whom suffer in abject poverty and loneliness. There should be a pensioner’s social security plan. Nigeria must move forward a system that will provide free basic health care to the poor and indigent, particularly pregnant women and children.

Nigeria needs to tackle corruption. I am happy the President Mohammadu Buhari is doing this. His introduction of the Single Treasury Account system is a big move and also, the new way of budgeting.

In conclusion, Nigeria should have a creative industrial policy, infrastructural development, employment targets, a revival of agriculture, education reform, pensions for the old and modernization of essential social services including primary health care, especially for women and children.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 — 21

FBN Holdings to downsize to boost profitability F

BN Holdings Plc, the parent company of FirstBank Limited said it would cut jobs and focus less on providing loans to the oil industry in a bid to reverse last year’s 82 percent slump in profit.

Managing Director/Chief Executive, Mr. Adesola Adeduntan, FirstBank Limited disclosed this in an interview with Reuters.

He said the bank plans to boost its return on equity, a key measure of profitability, to between 11 per cent and 14 per cent in 2016 from last year’s “really bad” figure of 3 per cent.

The bank is also targeting a costto-income ratio of 55 per cent in two years time from 59 percent, he said. “ROE will be much better than last year,” Adeduntan said.

“At a minimum, we should triple it. We do not shy away from taking difficult decisions. We used to have above 8,000 people.

We’ll push it down, gradually, to 7,000.”

Profitability of the bank Vanguard investigation reveals that the process of pruning the staff to 7000 commenced last year.

A source within the bank confirmed to Vanguard saying, “It is not that we plan to sack 1000 staff at a go. It was part of the measures taken last year to enhance the profitability of the bank. So the pruning will be gradual and it started last year”.

FBN Holdings’ Net profit fell to N15 billion ($76 million) from N84 billion naira in 2014, as impairments soared and Africa’s biggest economy slowed amid a crash in the price of crude, the biggest source of government revenue and export earnings.

First Bank’s non-performing loans ratio stood at 22 per cent at the end of March, compared with 3.8 percent a year earlier. Reducing that figure is the “number one priority,” said Adeduntan. The bank will do that by reducing the proportion of it’s lending to the oil and gas sector, currently at about 39 percent of total loans, and focusing more on blue-chip companies in other industries, he said.

Adeduntan ruled out any equity raising this year, saying the bank’s capital adequacy ratio of 17.2 percent was enough of a buffer and above the central bank’s minimum requirement of 15 percent. It would still be adequate if the floor is raised to 16 percent in July for systemically important institutions, including First Bank.

“We continuously evaluate it and the position now is that there’s no need for external capital,” said Adeduntan, 46, who became CEO in January after joining First Bank as Chief Financial officer in mid-2014. “We generate enough internal capital,” he said.

FBN’s shares rose 5.3 percent to 3.57 naira on Wednesday.

They’re still down 30 percent this

year, more than the Nigerian Stock Exchange All Share Index’s drop of 13 percent.

The bank’s valuation lags that of its main competitors such as Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and Ze-

nith Bank Plc. Its stock trades at 0.22 times book value, or the theoretical price that shareholders would get if all assets were sold and liabilities paid-off. That compares with 1.18 times for GTBank

and 0.62 for Zenith. “The market has over-corrected,” Adeduntan said. “It’s priced in all the negative information. For us, it can only go up.”

African capital markets to raise $3.1bn IPOs in 2016 — NSE boss

By Peter Egwuatu ESPITE the challenging operating environment in 2015, there has been a prediction that African capital markets are expected to see a gradual pickup in growth in 2016, with the markets expected to raise Initial Public Offers, IPOs of $3.1 billion The President of African Securities Exchanges Association, ASEA and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, who disclosed this yesterday in Lagos at a seminar themed “Building $ 121.65 0.60 African Financial Mar$3,186.00 5.00 kets (BAFM) Capacity Building” said “many $ 15.41 -0.14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa are expected to see a gradual pickup in growth in $ 47.25 0.07 2016. According to research by Thomson $ 45.34 0.01 Reuters, African initial public offers (IPOs) are CURRENCY BUYING SELLING set to raise over $3.1bil196.5 197 lion in 2016 doubling US DOLLAR 196 285.2976 286.0254 286.7532 POUNDS the amount raised in 221.0684 221.6324 221.1963 EURO 2015, and the highest 200.9226 201.4352 201.7822 FRANC value raised in any 1.7642 1.7687 1.7732 YEN 0.3174 0.3274 0.3374 year since2010.”

CFA 274.771 275.472 276.1729 WAUA He stated that Tech30.1483 30.2257 30.303 RENMINBI nology, Consumer Es52.2486 52.3818 52.5151 RIYAL sentials and Industrial 29.7015 29.7772 29.853 KRONA 275.9876 276.6917 277.3957 sectors are set to be the SDR busiest among the 15 CBN Exchange rate as at 28/04/2016 IPOs in the African pipeline. “Now, what

C M Y K

From left, Mr. Oscar Onyema, Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Chief Kola Jamodu, Chairman, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc and Mr. Christos Giannopoulous, Chief Executive Officer, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, at the Closing Gong ceremony at the exchange.

D

does this mean for us? It means that we must position African capital markets as a viable funding source for the anticipated growth, and liquidity is the key success factor to this goal” he added.

Onyema emphasized that subregional integration efforts such as WACMI in West Africa, CoSSE in Southern Africa, and EAC in East Africa are important initiatives that have the potential to unlock demand among is-

It means that we must position African capital markets as a viable funding source for the anticipated growth, and liquidity is the key success factor to this goal suers and boost liquidity. He stressed that the African Exchanges Linkage Project (AELP) which is a jointly owned mandate between ASEA and the Africa Development Bank (AfDB), is also aimed at addressing the lack of liquidity in African capi-

tal markets. “Thus, these initiatives are encouraged to fast-track the integration of their regional markets like integration. Technology has become a facilitator of liquidity. Historically, the technology focus for exchanges was on execution, however today, the focus has shifted to information services, pre trade, and post trade dimensions. Accordingly, information services, pre-trade and post-trade are where the next waves of innovation for exchanges are expected to emerge.

Emerging technology such as block chain and Fintech are gain-

ing traction. Business models such as Uber and Airbnb who have no taxis or rooms but yet create liquidity in them,demonstrate that technology does not create liquidity on its own but instead it brings together market participants, and that leads to liquidity” he noted.

According to him “In the capital markets, technology can be powerful, as it can bring very diverse market participants together as you will see in some of the sessions scheduled later in this programme.

Abe elected as CIS President

T

HE Council of the Char tered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) has elected Mr. Oluwaseyi Abe as the President and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Institute.

Also, the duo, Mr Adedapo Adekoje and Mr. Olatunde Amolegbe have been elected as the First Vice President and Second Vice President respectively.

The election of the Principal Officers was announced during the Council’s meeting immediately after the institute’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday.

Prior to his election, Abe, a fellow of the CIS was the Acting President and he had served in

several capacities at the institute.

Abe, a distinguished financial market operator brings into the saddle, a robust wealth of experience spanning over two decades in Investment Banking, Money and Capital Markets, Pension Management Treasury, Asset Management , Corporate Finance and Wealth Creation among others.

He was groomed as an investment banker in the then Oba Oladele Olashore led Lead Bank. Abe, the former Chief Investment Officer of AIICO Pensions Managers has recorded many milestones in the Pension industry.

22—Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

EXHIBITION: From left, Fabrice Digonnet, New Business Development Leader showing a flexible stand-up pouch as alternative to rigid containers to African journalists during Dow chemical and plastic exhibition, in Johannesburg, South Africa, while Alessandro Corticelli; Market Development Manager, Middle East, Africa and Turkey, watch.

New plastics packaging technology challenges local manufacturers

By Franklin Alli

M

ANUFACTURERS of rigid plastic products in the country face the risk of business collapse unless they adapt to the latest technology in packaging foods, beverages and farm produces.

Vanguard’s investigations showed that more than 150 of these companies are operating in the country under the umbrella of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN. They produce rigid plastics for packaging table water, beverages, confectioneries, dairy products; vegetables and edible oil, liquid soaps, salt, including tetra

packs for fruit juice, buckets, etc.

Investigations further reveals that although, their major problem is inadequacy of petrochemi-

One-third of food produced around the world is wasted because they are not properly packaged from the factory to the consumers

cal plants in the country to produce basic raw materials needed in production, the latest challenge is coming from innovation -the way foods and agricultural produces are being packaged for longer shelf life, globally.

According to Diego Donoso, Global Business President for Dow Chemical Company, Dow’s (Packaging and Speciality Plastics), disclosed that the new innovation, flexible plastics packaging (using plastics wrappers and pouches is fast replacing their rigid counterparts . This ,he said, is due to rapid technological change resulting from advances in science and technology.

“Flexible plastic packaging is often the most efficient when it comes to reducing food spoilage and waste. They can extend the shelf life of food from three days to fourteen days in store, with instore waste reduced from an average 3 percent to less than one per cent,” he disclosed.

According to him, to better meet the demand for flexible plastic products in Nigeria and other markets in West Africa, Dow is bringing in 1.3 million tons of the latest technology in plastic packaging products into the region.

He stated that Nigeria is key market for the packaging industry with almost 50 percent of the population living in urban areas and a new generation of consumers driving GDP growth which is expected to reach $294 billion by 2020.

Javier Constante, Commercial Director for Dow business in EMEA countries, noted that 1/3 of food produced around the world is wasted because they are not properly packaged from the factory to the end users. “ Flexible plastic packaging is the solution to food waste. They reduces space required for storage, prolong shelf-life of air-sensitive products and increase transporation efficiency with empty packages shipping flat, potentially lowering carbon emisions and easily recyclable,” he said.

“Similarly, Sami Mainich, Sales Director for Dow Packaging and Speciality Plastics Middle East, Africa and Turkey, stated: “ We are a growth business in a growing region. In 2012, Dow opened its West African office in Ghana and followed by the office in Nigeria in June last year.

‘Greenhouse can boost local tomatoes production by 1.4m tonnes’

By Jimoh Babatunde

T

HE gap in tomatoes production in the country currently put at about 1.4 million tonnes can be filled by the greenhouse technological concept which is capable of creating huge employment opportunity for Nigerians.

The Integrated Project Manager – Sustainable Livelihoods, Dizengoff Nigeria, Mr. Oscar Walumbe said that Nigeria consumes over 2.3 million tonnes of tomatoes annually, while it currently produces about 1.8 million tonnes locally.

Speaking at a media parley in Lagos, he said only 50 percent (0.9 million tonnes) of the produce makes it from farm to fork, thereby, creating an immediate gap of 1.4 million tonnes to be filled.

Walumbe said the gap is essentially filled via importation, a scenario which puts more pressure on the demand for the already scarce US dollars.

He explained that the Dizengoff farmers Kit (DFK) is a technology which was specifically developed to enable farmers

produce high quality, fresh tomatoes all year round anywhere in Nigeria.

“Our greenhouse is essentially a controlled environment limiting the devastating effects of insect pests and diseases that ravage vegetables including tomatoes.

It is not rain-fed but brain-fed, as it comes complete with a

customised drip irrigation system.

With little amount of land space and water, you are sure to get a yield far higher than your traditional open field production,” he said.

Humphrey Otalor, the company’s Marketing Communications Manager, added: “As a company, we see the

huge employment opportunity the greenhouse has created for Nigerians, both directly and indirectly and we believe that with participation from both the private and public sectors, the DFK will create about 1,000 jobs directly and indirectly in the next two years.

Lafarge Africa capacity to hit 14.5m tonnes

By Franklin Alli

L

AFARGE Africa Plc will be adding 2.5 million metric tons to its installed capacity by September this year to bring it to a total of 14.5 million metric tonnes. The company currently has 12 million metric tonnes of installed cement capacity which is expected to grow to 18 million tons by 2017.

Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo, the CEO Cement, Lafarge Africa Plc disclosed this in Lagos on the occasion of their Customer Awards ceremony for their distributors and block moulders across the country.

“We are continually investing in more capacity in Nigeria and

this year Mfamosing Plant, Calabar line 2 will come on stream bringing an additional 2.5m tonnes of cement into the market. We have also performed a ground breaking ceremony to provide additional capacity in Ashakacem,” she said. According to her, the new production line will be commissioned in September this year.

She applauded the customers for helping to sustain the availability of the company’s products all over the country.

“Although the Customer Awards started in 2005, this was the first time we are able to bring all our key customers across the country together to celebrate your contribution to the growth and

success of your company,” she stated.

Mr. Mobolaji Balogun, the Chairman, Board of Directors, added “We deem it important to continually recognize and energize the existing partnership between us as an organization and you as our customers by acknowledging and valuing your distinctive impact on the company’s performance. It is imperative to note that your continued dedication and partnership are paramount for the past, present and future successes of our company” Also speaking, Mr. Sam Ndionyenma, the company’s Sales Director, added: “You have given us the confidence to expand into new technical segments.

BRIEFS Govt lauds SABMiller Hero’s Foundation scheme

By Bose Adelaja

Anambra State THE Government has thrown

its weight behind Intafact Beverages Limited a subsidiary of SABMiller, one of the world’s largest brewers, for establishing the SABMiller Hero’s Foundation Kickstart Programme.

The Kickstart programme is aimed at creating and developing a local culture of business entrepreneurship among young people in the South East of the country, by encouraging and promoting business skills, managerial awareness and material support, through training programs, mentorship and provision of business grants as start-up capital or expansion seed funding.

Speaking during the official launch of the programme in Onitsha, the Anambra State Commissioner for Youth Entrepreneurship and Sports Development Mr. Tony Nnachetta, said the government will use everything at its disposal to support the initiative for appropriate delivery of its vision.

Also, Otunba Michael Daramola, Country Corporate Affairs and Strategy Director for SABMiller Nigeria, and Trustee, SABMiller Hero’s Foundation, disclosed that the programme was launched in South Africa in 1995, as a poverty alleviation scheme.

Footprint Africa launches investment programmes

By Oscar Ochiogu

I

N its bid to promote intra-Afri can and foreign investments in the continent, Footprint to Africa, will launch two investment service programmes tomorrow.

They are A ‘ frica in 10 Minutes’ and ‘The Marketsquare Africa.

In a statement, Barrister Osita Oparaugo,theManagingDirector, Footprint to Africa, said that the launch of this innovative project will change the face of global business.

“Marketqsuare Africa is the new path of global business whereby local players can interconnect with their foreign counterparts and foreign manufacturers can easily connect with suitable local agents and distributors.

“Africa in 10 minutes is an online television that features the top business stories of the week as reported on the footprint to Africa news platforms it will cover five regions in Africa and in recognition of the mobility of the emerging African middle class.

VOL. 1: NO. 17

FRIDAY, APRIL 29 , 2016 Some close relations of the deceased doctors were seen weeping uncontrollably as the ambulances were taking their beloved along the streets of Ado Ekiti to the mortuary.

EKITI: Tears flow for dead doctors •The bus that conveyed the six doctors from Ekiti State. told journalists that he spoke with his brother at about 2:30 pm on Sunday.

He said; “shortly after, I could not get to him again. I spoke with him again around 4 p.m. Around 5 p.m I called him again his line had been switched off. 10 minutes later I received a call that the vehicle was involved in an accident. Immediately I went to his house to inform his wife.

After sometime, I received a call again from someone who said he had died."

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

T

HE atmosphere in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital on Tuesday was gloomy, as tears flowed freely like torrents of rain when the remains of the medical doctors who died along KadunaAbuja road were brought into the state capital in seven ambulances.

The medical doctors, who were on their way to the national convention of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, in Sokoto State had their lives and ambitions prematurely cut short by a ghastly motor accident.

The deceased, from the major health institutions in the state were part of the 12-man delegation led by the State Chairman, Dr John Akinbote to the on going NMA national convention.

Only six, including the state chairman survived the crash, while those who lost their lives include, former Chairman of Ekiti NMA and Chief Surgeon at the FETHI, Dr Tunde Aladesanmi; 1st Vice Chairman Ekiti NMA and Consultant Pathologist at EKSUTH; NMA Secretary, Ojo Taiwo; a Resident Doctor with FETHI, Akinyele Alex and J. Ogunseye of the Health Management Board.

Others were, President, EKSUTH Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Olayiwola Olajide; Dr Adeniyi James of the C M Y K

•The late doctors FETHI and their driver, Mr. Moses Ajibola.

Immediately the news of their demise filtered into town, on Sunday evening, activities in all the major health institutions in Ekiti State, were paralysed.

Grief and protest Unhappy at the unfortunate situation, doctors, nurses and other staff of FETHI, which had lost three medical doctors in the

accident, trooped out as early as 7am on Monday, locked the main gate of the hospital in protest, a situation which stirred serious panic among patients and intending visitors.

I spoke with Aladesanmi— Brother Adewunmi Aladesanmi, a younger brother to late Dr. Aladesanmi, a Chief Surgeon at the Federal Teaching Hospital

Bodies arrive Ekiti Many residents of Ado Ekiti lined the streets to behold the remains of the doctors.

Some of the onlookers, especially the elderly women, were seen intermittently wiping their faces with either handkerchiefs or their wrappers.

Some of the deceased's relatives wept uncontrollably as they beheld the ambulances.

The convoy caused serious traffic hold up especially at Adebayo Road which leads to the EKSUTH.

IN THIS EDITION ONDO GOV POLLS: Tributes pour in Gladiators roll up late Jafojo, extheir sleeves

for

Lagos deputy gov

•Page 24

•Page 25

Funeral service Meanwhile, at the funeral service of Dr Aladesanmi at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Life Fountain Cathedral on Bank Road in the state capital, the President of Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Kayode Obembe, said Aladesanmi impacted positively on people that came across him.

Deputy Governor Kolapo Olusola led the state government officials to the ceremony where friends and family extolled the virtues of the late surgeon.

Olusola, who represented Governor Ayodele Fayose, urged the family to remain firm in God. “God in his infinite wisdom allows certain things to happen because he knows the end from the beginning. The enemy has not succeeded.

Pastor Steven Omotayo of Ekiti Province 1, in his sermon, cautioned people against making derogatory remarks during sudden sad occurrence.

“When sudden things happen to you, watch your mouth,” he said.

The national President of NMA, Obembe, was represented at the church by the Ogun NMA Chairman, Dr. Adenike Odewabi, who is also the South West Coordinator.

Tributes for late Dr Aladesanmi He said, “Even though his life was short, it is impactible. We will defend the dream he lived for. We shall live with his principles and ideals. His memory will continue in our minds. He has lived a worthy life.”

From his daughter, Jesutofunmi, “My sweet dad, I love you so much. I know you are dead but I believe you are still with me.

Please, just appear to me in a dream and make me brilliant and tell me you love me. I will always make you proud dad.

“Daddy, it was too soon to leave me. Continue to rest in the bosom of our Lord Jesus Christ”, Jesutomisin said amid tears.

Fayose’s last respect and promises As a mark of last respect for the fallen doctors, Governor Ayodele Fayose, who had declared three days of mourning and ordered all flags in the state to fly at half mast, also promised to immortalise them at the appropriate time.

24—Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

ONDO STATE

•Agunloye

•Akeredolu

ONDO GOV POLLS:

Gladiators roll up their sleeves

By Dayo Johnson

W

ITH the local government elections conducted and won by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the race to occupy Alagbaka Government House in Ondo State is gradually hotting up.

Already, gladiators from the respective political parties, are strategising to outwit one another to emerge as the flag bearer of the their party.

But the recent local council polls, seven months to the governorship election, was seen by political observers in the state as a strategic political calculation to win the election.

The opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo State having peeped into the script being written by the ruling party made frantic efforts thrice within two weeks to abort the poll.

It was, however, botched as the state and the Federal high courts described the suits as an abuse and that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit. While the opposition sulked over the rulings, the PDP went to town to celebrate the successful political coup.

Findings showed that the new helmsman in the 18 council areas of the state were strategically installed at this auspicious time to mobilize and galvanize support for whoever emerges as the governorship candidate of the C M Y K

•Mimiko: What's up his sleeves?

party.

The new council chairmen are however in a kind of a fix because their failure to deliver the required number of votes across their councils for the party ’s flag bearer in the governorship November election would certainly put an abrupt end to their own tenure.

For them to continue to enjoy their new offices, they needed to work like ‘jackals’ to ensure continuity of the PDP government in the state after the tenure of Governor Olusegun Mimiko popularly referred to as Iroko.

While the newly elected administrators in the councils have retired to their localities to work in order to preserve their own tenure, opposition parties are equally not taking chances.

Agunloye moves to SDP The dumping of the PDP by a former minister for Power and Steel, Dr Olu Agunloye for a relatively unattractive Social Democratic Party, SDP, in the state has altered the political permutations in the state.

Before he joined the Chief Olu alae led SDP in the state, the party was not in contention but now the governorship race is going to be fought on a tripodPDP, APC and SDP. basis, All eyes were on Agunloye who joined the SDP and threw his hat into the ring to slug it out in the

•Boroffice November election. The coming on board of Agunloye and his Omoluabi structure, which has its field soldiers strung across the 18 council areas of the state, was seen by political observers as a wake up call for both the ruling PDP and the opposition APC that the SDP in the November election would not be a push over.

With the coming on board of the former Minister to the SDP, life has been brought to the party. In fact, party members from both the

Of the over 40 governorship aspirants in APC, only about 10 of them have all it takes to occupy the position. Others are dreamers, pretenders or are just seeking relevance

ruling PDP and APC are joining the SDP in droves courtesy of his “door to door “ campaign to woo new members to the party.

Findings showed that those

leaving the PDP for SDP are worried that the outgoing governor will want to install his “puppet” to ensure continuity which many of them detest. Also of worry, is the fact that those jumping the APC ship opined that it would soon implode going by the about 40 governorship aspirants it presently paraded.

The APC crowd Of the over 40 governorship aspirants in APC, only about 10 of them have all it takes to occupy the position. Others are dreamers, pretenders or are just seeking relevance.

A sizeable number of those eyeing the seat in the party are "disgruntled” leaders who left the PDP before and after the general election. They are seen generally by the APC leaders and members as “wanting to reap where they never sowed”.

Others that are also working round the clock to clinch the ticket include, a House of Representatives member, Bode Ayorinde, Moyosore NiranOladunni, Tunji Abayomi, Olusegun Abraham and Olaoluwa Adeyeye.

While the likes of Olusola Oke and Victor Olabimtan are also in the frontline and equally formidable aspirants, their albatross was that they were part of the PDP clan before they defected after the last general election. So trusting them with

such an elevated position by the leaders of the APC may be an uphill task.

Mimiko’s joker The coast seems not clear yet within the PDP as to who will succeed Mimiko. The body language of the governor is vague as he still keeps to his chest the joker of who will succeed.

Those close to him said when he is asked about the November election he replied them that he is still praying on who will succeed him and waiting for God’s direction.

With this submission, Iroko has left his party leaders and members guessing on his successor. Infact they are clueless about this.

What is certain is that the November election would not be an easy ride for the ruling party in the state as the outgoing governor would have to contend with many forces that are bent on seeing that he install a successor.

On the other hand, the outcome of the primaries of the main opposition APC would determine where the pendulum would swing.

Political observers believed that the party may implode if the wrong candidate was picked and this may buy sympathy for the ruling party or the SDP .

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 —25

LAGOS STATE

Tributes pour in for late Jafojo, ex-Lagos deputy gov

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsuru Olowoopejo

O

N Saturday, April 23, news filtered in that former deputy Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Rafiu Bakare Adeyefa Jafojo had passed on.

Though, Jafojo had withdrawn from the public eye owing to his old age, his death came as a rude shock to many political bigwigs cutting across the political divide.

Jafojo, who was the first deputy Governor during Alhaji Lateef Jakande's administration in the Second Republic, between October 1st, 1979 and 31st December, 1983, died late Saturday evening in his Lagos residence, No 2 C Orishe Street, Ikeja, Lagos State, at the age of 80 after a brief illness.

He was subsequently laid to rest at his residence the following day, April 24th, 2016, according to Muslim rites.

Interestingly, Jafojo was a close ally of late Pa Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

At the burial Eminent Nigerians, who graced the burial of the late Jafojo include Governor Akinwumi Ambode represented by his Deputy, Dr. Idiat Adebule; former governor of Lagos, Alhaji Jakande; whom Jafojo served as deputy; Deputy Speaker, Lagos House of Assembly, Mr. Wasiu Esilokun-Sanni; Oba of Lagos, Oba Riliwanu Akiolu who was represented by his white cap chiefs, Chairman of APC Lagos, Chief Henry Ajomale.

Others include: Senator Bode Olajumoke, former Speaker Lagos House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Commissioner for Home Affairs, Mr. Abdullateef Abdul-Hakeem and his counterpart from Environment, Dr. Babatunde Ajomale and others.

How Jafojo died-son It was gathered that he had been ill for over two weeks and spoke faintly. “But he never lost his senses,” the source said.

According to him, “he (Jafojo) waited for all his children to arrive (home), especially those in United States of America, USA before he passed on. We will miss him because he is a perfect father.

He mentored us and built confidence in us. He believes in empowering people. We will miss him for his contribution. It will be hard to fill the vacuum he left.”

He was my friend, mentorAnother son Also, Adeniyi Jafojo described the philosophy of his father as second to none, saying “he was more than a father but also a friend and a confidant.”

“His counsel and philosophy were second to none and he imparted that into us. It is not about his wealth and personality.

C M Y K

•Late Jafojo

He believes in his people and that was why he refused to relocate from Ikeja. That afforded him the opportunity often to have an impact on several people,” Adeniyi added.

Continuing, he said his late father “came, saw and tried his best for the people. He helped several people. Infact, larger percentage of those I see today, I don’t know them. But they have all visited us because of what my father had done when he was alive.”

Ambode remembers Jafojo Paying glowing tributes to the late Jafojo, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode described the passage of Jafojo

He (Jafojo) waited for all his children to arrive (home) especially those in United States of America, USA before he passed on

as a great loss to the state, adding that his contribution to the development of state would not be forgotten in a hurry.

Ambode, in a condolence message by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna, stated that “Alhaji Jafojo was part and parcel of an administration during the Second Republic that has been widely applauded across Nigeria for achieving several milestones which is still

being made reference to.

The statement reads: “He was an astute politician who was very loyal to the course of developing the State and together with Alhaji Lateef Jakande, they formed a strong partnership and set the template for the development of Lagos State.”

“That he was a progressive minded politician was never in doubt.

Little wonder he joined the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), which was founded by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo on which platform Baba Jakande and himself rode to emerge as Governor and Deputy Governor of Lagos State in October 1979.

“He walked closely with Chief Awolowo and learnt the ropes and the ideology of putting the people first. In his latter days, it was not surprising that he joined the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which has metamorphosed to become the All Progressives Congress (APC) because he saw a semblance of what the UPN and Awolowo stood for.”

He laid solid foundation for Lagos- Obasa Similarly, the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, said Lagos State and indeed Nigeria, has lost a great patriot whose penchant for equity and justice was well known.

Obasa, reacting to the death through a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Musbau Rasak, described the deceased as one of the founding fathers of modern Lagos whose efforts in the Second Republic laid the solid foundation from which the Centre of Excellence has evolved and developed over the years.

According to him, “Papa was a very patriotic Nigerian who was well known for his progressive pro-democratic ideals and promoter of equity and justice.

Together with Alhaji Lateef Jakande and other members of the 1979-1983 Class, they laid a solid foundation for the development and growth of the state. This is the foundation from which subsequent administrations built upon to make the state live up to its sobriquet of Centre of Excellence."

OGUN STATE

Family laments killing of breadwinner by Customs

By Daud Olatunji

W

HAT could have been the offence of a young Mallam Salihu Badamosi who, according to findings, did not carry any contraband of any sort, but was shot dead by men of Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun State Command and absconded?

The deceased is survived by a wife and three children while the other victim, who was shot in the leg is receiving treatment.

Vanguard gathered that after the incident, the injured man goes about begging for alms in order to survive and got treatment.

The incident had occurred January 8, 2016 at a filling station near SagamuOgere bridge on LagosIbadan expressway at 6:30 pm.

It was further gathered that the affected men of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, in the state had attempted to sweep the incident under the carpet, but, the family of the deceased raised the alarm.

Rescue operation Family of the deceased, had reported the killing to a Non Governmental Organisation tagged, Human Rights Watch and Rescue Operation which wrote petitions to Comptroller-General of the NCS, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (retd), the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase; Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Petition and State Commissioner of Police Abdulmajid Ali. While narrating what happened as presented in the petition, national Coordinator of Human Rights Watch and Rescue Operation, Comrade Salihu Muhammed said there was a report the group received from the father of the deceased, Alhaji Gbadamosi who lives in Jos that on the 8th of January 2016 at about 6:30pm officers of the NCS, Ogun State Command allegedly killed his son.

Comrade Muhammed in the petition said “On the 8th of January, 2016 at about 6:30pm, men of Nigeria Customs Service, Ogun state command who are always stationed at a filling station near Sagamu,

•Late Badamasi Ogere bridge, LagosIbadan express way, opened fire on innocent Nigerians.

“Officers of the NCS , Ogun state command drove their Hilux van to a filling station in Ogere where many Nigerians who are on transit park their vehicles to pray.

The men of Nigeria Customs opened fire on them killed Mallam Salihu Badamasi who was on transit from Lagos to Jos. “The men of Nigeria Customs Ogun State command on the same day and time shot a young Mallam Adamu Sani who alighted from a vehicle to pray and who is now receiving treatment at Orthopaedic hospital, Kano .

“The empty live ammunition used on these Nigerians by the men of Nigerian Customs, Ogun State command were recovered.

Some were with the Divisional Police Officer of the jurisdiction area and some were with the family of the deceased.

“On October, 2015, the men of Nigeria Customs, Ogun State command caused a fatal accident resulted in the death of 18 people who were burnt beyond recognition on Lagos-Ibadan expressway way and ran away.

“Therefore, we are appealing to the Comptroller General of the customs to look into the matter and fish out officers who perpetrated the heinous act", he said.

While speaking on the next line of action by the family, the coordinator told Vanguard that the family was prepared to take the Nigeria Customs Service to court to seek redress.

26—Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29,

2016

OWAMBE

• Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs & Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Nike Odunwole; Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde; Commissioner for Women Affairs & Poverty Alleviation, Hon. (Mrs.) Lola Akande and Director, Public Affairs Office, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Mrs. Toro Oladapo during the Y2016 Ministerial Press Briefing to commemorate the First Year in Office of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.

•From left, Chief Medical Director, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital ( EKSUTH), Dr Kolawole Ogundipe; Chairman, Health Committee of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr Samuel Omotoso; Chief of Staff to Ekiti State Governor, Chief Dipo Anisulowo and Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose during procession in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday for the six Ekiti doctors and a driver who died in autocrash along Abuja - Kaduna road, last Sunday.

•25 youths from across South-West Nigeria were empowered with N50 million by the International Breweries PLC, Ilesha as a grant to commence various businesses.

From left; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth & Social Developments Mr. Hakeem Muri- Okunola; Commissioner for Infor mation & Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde; Commissioner for Youth & Social Development, Pharm. Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf; Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Habib Aruna and Director, Public Affairs Office, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Mrs. Toro Oladapo during the Y2016 Ministerial Press Briefing to commemorate the First Year in Office of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.

•Students of the University of Ibadan protesting over nonelectricity and water supply in institution in Ibadan.

THE TEAM EDITOR: Adeleke Adeseri 08054682557 (sms only)

•From Left: The Olubadan Of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji; wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari; wife of the Governor of Oyo State, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, and Gov. Abiola Ajimobi, at a free health screening programme for women organised by the Future Assured Initiative (Mrs Buhari’s Pet Project), in Ibadan C M Y K

CORRESPONDENTS: Dapo Akinrefon Lagos Ola Ajayi Ibadan Gbenga Olarinoye Osogbo Dayo Johnson Akure Daud Olatunji Abeokuta Olasunkanmi Akoni Lagos Rotimi Ojomoyela Ekiti Monsuru Olowoepejo

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 —27

C M Y K

28 —VANGUARD, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016—29

30 —VANGUARD, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

NASF AT 2 1s er sar ASFA 21s 1stt anniv anniver ersar saryy

Rajab 22, 1437 A.H.

Women empowerment is sure path to devt — NASFAT Women

T

HE Women leader of Nasrul-lahi-l-Fatih Scoeity, NASFAT, Alhaja Samiat Mumuni has said women empowerment will continue to be a sure path to societal development world-over.

Alhaja Mumuni made this known during a press conference heralding the 5th Women Biennial conference holding between 29th April to May 2nd 2016 at Porto-Novo, Republic of Benin. She said: “Globally, the

empowerment of women as a developmental tool is indisputable. The enlightenment and empowerment of the Muslim Women, both materially and spiritually is sine qua non to the propagating Islam – the essence of Dawah.

“In view of the fact that the vision statement of the Women Affairs Committee is to nurture the Muslim Women as a peaceful community builder/leader, it is

Ogun refunds N16m to pilgrims

T

HE Ogun State Government has refunded the sum of N16million being unrendered services to Muslim pilgrims who performed 2015 Holy Pilgrimage in Makkah as released by the Saudi Arabia Government through the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

The Ogun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board carried out the payment to the affected pilgrims between 19th-21st April, 2016.

According to the board’s Chairman, Dr Ishaq Yusuf, the highest paid persons received the sum of N315, 981.86 each, while the least paid went home with the sum of N11, 500.

Pilgrims payment receipts and e-passports were used as means of identification to claim the refunds after due verification at the Board’s Office, Oke-mosan, Abeokuta.

Alhaji AbdulWahab Olanrewaju, one of the beneficiaries, expressed appreciation to His Excellency, Senator Ibikunle Amosun for the refund, commending the Saudi Arabian Authority for its sincerity

of purpose and effective service delivery.

In his own remarks, Imam Saliudeen Babatunde from Sagamu, said that the board exhibited high sense of judgement with the method of refund without wasting time of the pilgrims, noting that the current administration in the State has shown high sense of transparency in paying back the money at this period of economic hardship.

imperative to empower her with the tools (knowledge, exposure and understanding) with which to attain and carry out these roles.

Speaking on the theme of the conference, the Women Affairs Secretary stated that the conference seeks to address how well has the society performed in Dawah from the point of view of the female members of NASFAT Society, adding that this would enable the the women wing to chart a way forward, to do more and do better in the propagation of Islam, in various communities and the society at large.

“Da’wah is not only limited to religious/spiritual activity. It encompasses the social, financial and the well-being of individual in Islam. The Conference activities have thus, being designed to maximize discussion on strategies to be employed or put in place for meaningful outcomes in Dawah activities.

Such programmes include but not limited to visitations to prisons, orphanages and provision to the needy among others,” she stated.

HE University of Ibadan Muslim Graduates Association, UIMGA, has distributed another sum of N575,000.00 in form of scholarship to 23 needy Muslim students in various universities across the country.

The monies were handed over to the beneficiaries during the association scholarship programme and public lecture held at the campus Central Mosques Ibadan, recently.

According to the Secretary of the association, Adewusi Shamsideen, “the association has as one of its cardinal programmes, the promotion of university education among Muslim youths and several

Cross section of women from various branches of NASFAT at the event.

Ahmadiyya visits Olubadan

Jigawa pilgrims remits N754m deposit to NAHCON

J

By Aliyu Dangida

IGAWA State Pilgrims Welfare Board has remitted the sum of N753,907,930.41k to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria,NAHCON, representing 50 percent of the hajj seats allocated to the state.

This was contained in a press statement issued, signed and made to Vanguard in Dutse by the Public Relationship Officer, Malam Ibrahim Hashimu Kanya

in Dutse.

Malam Ibrahim Hashimu said the remittance of the fund followed an order from the Commission which gave deadline to all states to comply with the directive.

According to the statement “the state is the first to make the deposit to the national body, this follows the board’s solid good plans and arrangements,”he added.

UI Muslim graduates give scholarships to 23 needy students

T

From left: Alhaja Morufat Omowumi George, member Planning Committee; Alhaja Monsurat Usman, Chairperson of the conference; Alhaja Samiat Mumuni, Women Affairs Secretary, NASFAT and Alhaj Faoziyat Oladoja, former Women Affairs Secretary during a press conference heralding the event.

millions of Naira had been committed to the scheme over the last ten years.”

The President of the Association, Dr. Saka Adewumi, stated that the association was proud and highly fulfilled to assist the needy Muslim students in various universities across the country. He added that, so far 36 undergraduate and eight postgraduate students had benefited from the scheme.

In his lecture at the occasion, titled: Wealth in Islam: Share of the Poor, the Islamic scholar, Dr. Sharafadeen Alimi spoke extensively on the need for Muslims to spend of their wealth to support the under-privileged members of the society. He cited

copiously from the Glorious Qur’an and teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammed (PBOH) to corroborate his postulations.

The Chairman of the Scholarship Committee, Alhaji Abdulahi Adelakun expressed profound gratitude to all those who have sustained the scheme over the last ten years. He spoke glowingly of the major donors to the scheme including Dr. ‘Wale Babalakin (SAN), Senator Ibikunle Amosun (Executive Governor, Ogun State). Prof.

Rashid Aderinoye, Engr.

Mutairu Adeniran, Alhaja Amudat Aremu and a host of others.

From left: Missionary-in-Charge of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria, Maulvi AbdulKhalique Nayyar; Olubadan of Ibadanland, HRM Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji and Amir of Ahmadiyya Nigeria, Dr Masshud Aderenle Fashola during a courtesy visit to Olubadan in Ibadan, Oyo State.

From left: National Secretary Tabliq of Majlis of Ansarullah, Ahmadiyya Nigeria, Alhaji Abdul Fatah Apoyin; National Secretary, Taribiya (Education), Alhaji Abdul Ganiyyi Ahmad; Alhaji Ibrahim Atiba and Alhaji AbdulWasiy Ahmad during a courtesy visit to Olubadan in Ibadan, Oyo State.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016—31

32 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

LEISURE

YOUR LUCK TODAY

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 TAURUS: Although matters-of-the-heart may give you cause to smile broadly, if care is not taken, you would cause friction that can’t help you r case at work. This is the wrong time for unnecessary scheming within your working arena.

GEMINI: Those of your who are red-blooded for romance may have an exciting and satisfying day. Happenings within your social circles must be taken more seriously.

CANCER: Confrontation may come your way in the circle but the heavens are working favourably for you. Some doses of romance is not too much for you on a day like this.

LEO: Provided you don’t allow your innate ability to be as diplomatic as necessary desert you, things work favourably for you to the betterment of your finances.

VIRGO: Many of you will be in sentimental mood and exhibit strong romantic desire openly. But then, if care is not taken, you may be carried away to the detriment of your finances. Serious minded lovers are in for happy day.

By Richard Eromosele

T

HE ultimate objective of every human being is to be happy. The reason why we toil all night and day is to be happy. However, in spite of our

Talk happiness (1) effort we may never achieve much because of factors beyond us .

For example,the present economic

TERROR MUDA

situation of Nigeria ordinarily does not call for happiness.

But the truth is that true happiness is a thing of the mind. It

in “Never say goodbye”

is not dependent on things, state of the e c o n o m y , possessions,etc. We cannot continue to spread sadness and sorrow just because the situation is not as good as we expect it...

By Lanre Kehinde

LIBRA: Whatever anybody says or does, you will have both your say and way. Venus and Jupiter may tempt some of you to embrace illicit (or secret) romance within your base of operation.

SCORPIO: Venus and Jupiter at positive angles may tempt you to join some of your friends who are already onboard of merry making train. Watch your health.

SAGITTARIUS: Good luck will smile at many and induce love of luxury merry making and romantic liason. Genuine lovers will need to be on guard against deceit from new admirers.

CAPRICORN: Both financial success and emotional satisfaction are closed to you than before. Those of you travelling because of maters-of-the-heart are in for an exciting romantic day Those ambitious career-wise will succeed after few struggles.

AQUARIUS: Many members of your opposite sex will go out of their ways to attract your romantic interest. This is the wrong time to engage on unnecessary argument.

PISCES: If you priority is love, much of it would come your way as desired. But here is a better day for more ambitious in the business world. Don’t allow anybody to deceive you over money.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

ARIES: Those of you with secret admirers within your working area will have the needed opportunities to make the needed moves. Resist the temptation to deceive others.

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,

What’s my horoscope?

Dear Joshua, I am a middle aged lady born on September 6, 1962.

Although I am fairly successful, I want you to give me my comprehensive horoscope, especially what my special gift is.

Which day of the week was I born? Where were my natal planets and their meanings? Who am I? Afusa, Abuja.

Dear Afusa, There is no space for comprehensive horoscope but what you’ll have here -under is answer to your questions/ You were born on a Thursday and your special gift is LEADERSHIP quality.

YOUR HOROSCOPE DATA Date of Birth: Thursday, September 6, 1962 Sun Sign: Virgo: Sun in 20th Degree of Virgo Moon Sign: PISCES: Moon on 10th Degree of Pisces Mercury in 16th Degree of Libra Venues in 5th Degree of Scorpio Mars in 13th Degree of Cancer Jupiter in 6th Degree of Pisces Saturn in 5th Degree of Aquarius Uranus in 2nd Degree of Virgo Neptune in 11th Degree of Scorpio Pluto in 10th Degree of Virgo North Node in 6th Degree of Leo South Node in 6th Degree of Aquarius Quality and Element Cardinal and air star signs hosted two planets each fixed and earth three each, no planet in fire while mutable and water star signs hosted five planets each.

Push-full influence = 20% Non- push-full element = 80% Final dispositor = Lucky Jupiter General Analysis Just 20 per cent of push-full influence in your chart can deceptively present you to others as a soft (or even timid) person but practical Virgo that hosted nothing less than three heavenly bodies when you were born and Astrological aspects between Mercury (mental focus) and aggressive Mars in you r chart are pointers to the contrary.

Yes! You are highly intelligent and your mind works the same way detective’s minds do. It is true, there are little contradictions between your inner self and your emotional being as indicated quality, water element and Virgo characteristics.

One moment, you can be very emotional, exhibiting temper with stinging tongue but a few hour later you are amiable, easy going, friendly and compassionate. You are the adaptable type who will see changes as sources of good opportunities.

LEADERSHIP quality is one of your greatest gifts from God. placement of your natal sun (basic-selfhood) and moon (your emotional being) in Virgo and Pisces respectively mean that characteristics of both Virgo and Pisces are highly pronounced in your inner-self.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016—33

Chinese Consul seeks closer ties with Edo

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—AS a follow-up to President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent visit to China, the Chinese Consul-General in Nigeria, Mr. Liu Khan, has visited Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State to explore the investment potentials in the state and locate more Chinese industries there.

Governor Oshiomhole has strengthened diplomatic relations with China with a view to deepening investment ties with the people and government of China.

Receiving the Chinese Consul-General in his office, Oshiomhole thanked him for leading a delegation of investors to the state.

He said: “Let me thank you, Mr. Khan, for leading a delegation to pay us a visit.

They, along with other Chinese companies, have set up various factories in Edo State. I have visited their factories and I am very impressed by what I saw, the quality of products they are producing, ceramic tiles and iron rods which we badly need for our construction industry.

“They shared with me their plans to further expand their operations. I have discussed with them about the possibility

of establishing new investments in Edo State because we have so much natural resources besides oil and gas which we have in sufficient quantity. Edo State actually has the highest deposit in the volume of gas deposit. So, with such huge gas reserve, this state will continue to play a very important role in the economy of our country.

“Under the power arrangement, I also know that this state is meant to be one of the major hubs for power supply and distribution. Recently, a private company, Azura Power Plant, has commenced the process of laying about 450 megawatts of power which will be completed in the next one or two years, and the

construction is still on.

“There are other power plants that are already in existence. And so, in the very near future, we will have enough power supply coming from Edo State. I know that from my conversation with some Chinese companies here, they told me that with power, they have so much more they can do.”

CULTURE: National Troupe of Nigeria performing at the opening of the National Summit on Culture and Tourism in Abuja yesterday.

Ijaw HOSTCOM to DESOPADEC: Don't build modular refinery with our money

A

By Festus Ahon

SABA—IJAWS of Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State, under the aegis of Flowstation Wellhead Host Communities, have warned against diverting money accruing to them in the state Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, to build a modular refinery.

The people who were led in a protest to the state House of Assembly complex, Asaba, by Mr Sherriff Mulade, said that building a modula refinery was not their priority.

Speaking on behalf of the people, Mulade condemned the alleged move by DESOPADEC to impose projects on host communities, stressing the need to capture the priority needs of

the people in the 2016 budget of the commission.

He warned the commission against embarking on unrealistic programmess and projects and frowned at what he described as lopsided employment in the commission.

Alleging that the Ijaws have been short-changed in the commission, Mulade appealed to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa not to allow some selfish individuals to manipulate him into embarking on unrealistic programmes and projects.

Ize-Iyamu, political jewel in Edo —PDP chieftain

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—A veteran journalist and chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, Mr. Solomon Odemwingie, has described Pastor Osagie IzeIyamu, a governorship aspirant of the party, as a political jewel of inestimable

value to the entire people of Edo State.

Odemwingie stated this in Benin, while reacting to criticisms against Ize-Iyamu by those he described as political sycophants, some of whom, he said, were new comers to the party.

He said: “Pastor Ize-Iyamu

Delta LG to construct 50 housing units for staff, stakeholders

By Ochuko Akuopha

O

LEH—AS part of efforts to improve the welfare of its workforce and other stakeholders, Isoko North Local Government Area, Delta State, has signed a memorandum of understanding, MoU, with an indigenous firm for the construction of 50 housing units in the council.

Speaking at the signing

Addressing the protesters, Chairman House Committee on DESOPADEC, Chief Denis Omovie, told them to remain calm, adding that the interest of all stakeholders would be taken care of in the commission’s budget.

ceremony with Nefkon Nigeria Limited, the partnering firm, the council Chairman, Mr. Emmanuel Egbabor, said the Public Private Partnership, PPP, arrangement would see the council providing the land and other strategic support while the firm would provide the funding for the project.

Saying that the project was expected to be completed in six

months, Egbabor disclosed that the houses would consist of 30 units of two-bedroom and 20 units of three-bedroom bungalows.

He explained that beneficiaries of the housing units would make 20 percent down payment of the cost, while the balance would be spread out on a monthly payment for five years.

is an inspirational icon in the political arena in this state. You and I know that Ize-Iyamu will never ridicule democracy. The old and the young see him as an enormous resource person, one of the brightest and most fertile minds in the politics of Edo State, a shining light and above all, a credible mobilizer.

“Precisely, these qualities account for why the bulk of the people in the three senatorial districts are filing behind him to nominate and elect him as the next governor of the state.”

He noted that no amount of blackmail can sway the people of the state from the course of Ize-Iyamu as far as this imminent party nomination was concerned.

Onolememen, Esele, 48 others for Esan Hall of Fame award

F

ORMER Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, and Mr Peter Esele, ex-Trade Union Congress, TUC, President, are among the “50 most influential Esan men and women" that have been listed for the prestigious Esan Hall of Fame Award by the board of National Chronicle magazine.

Others to be invested with the award, which comes up at Ambrose Alli Hall, Ekpoma, on May 14, include, Engr. Leemon Ikpea, Prof. Osunbor, Sen. Clifford Odia, Ken Imasuangbon, Princess Mercy Uijatalor, Famous Enearu, Austin Ilenre Amuan, Friday Itula, Princess Biddy Adele and Mr Victor Edoror, Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly.

In a statement by the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of National Chronicle, Tim Ave, the orginazers said that the honourees were picked by Esan indigenes in an opinion poll across the country.

Justice Idigbe Memorial Lecture holds today

T

HE 15th edition of the Justice Idigbe Memorial Lecture holds today at the Akin Deko Main Auditorium, University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State.

The lecture, with the theme, Law and National Development, will be delivered by Chief Austin Alegeh, SAN, President, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA at 1.00pm.

A statement by Professor Richard Idubor said Idigbe Memorial Lecture, instituted

by Chief Gani Fawehinmi, in memory of the late Justice Chukwunweike Idigbe, which the Faculty of Law, University of Benin is proud to host annually since 1985, is now the most prestigious law and legal policy public lecture series in Nigeria. It said that past Idigbe lecturers were all accomplished judges, jurists, and lawyers, including Supreme Court Justices, professors of law, and senior legal practitioners.

34

—

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29 , 2016

Ijaws congratulate Otuaro on 48th birthday

IPOB accuses S'East govs of trading off Ndigbo

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

By Tare Youdeowei

N

T

NEWI—THE Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has accused South East governors and politicians of trading off Ndigbo for personal and selfish political interest. IPOB specifically, claimed that by hobnobbing with the All Progressives Congress, APC led Federal Government, the governors were doing so at the detriment of their Igbo brothers and sisters.

IPOB in a statement by its Media and Publicity Officer, Mr. Emma Powerful, alleged that South East governors and politicians, members and no

HE IJAW Community in Asaba, Delta State, has congratulated the state Deputy Governor, Kingsley Burutu Otuaro, on his 48th birthday..

Speaking, through its President Mr. Oloya A. Tuwon and Secretary, Mr. Tare Ogbo, the group described Otuaro as a God fearing leader whose emergence as the Deputy Governor was a welcome development and had not only brought the Ijaw ethnic nationality into national and international limelight, but accorded them the pride of place as stake-holders, whose contributions to the Delta project, had finally been recognized and rewarded.

Extolling the virtues of the Deputy Governor, the Ijaw community, noted that Otuaro had exhibited the excellent traits of an accomplished gentleman, whose achievements in community and public service was commendable and impressive.

According to the group, he was a widely travelled businessman, a seasoned, politician, a lawyer, a philanthropist and a devoted Christian, whose wealth of experience spanned across the private and the public sectors .

Similarly, lauding Governor Ifeanyi Okowa's achievements, the group pledged full support for the fulfilment of his SMART agenda, and pleaded with the government to extend hand of fellowship to the entire state, especially in infrastructure and human capital development.

members of APC had so much compromised themselves or kept quiet for one political favour or the other, making them to turn blind to the killings in Igbo land

by Fulani herdsmen.

According to the statement: “The first attack by Fulani herdsmen in Enugu state that resulted to the arrest of over 76 persons who were searching for the whereabouts of their loved ones after the attack, and their subsequent arrest by the security agents, particularly the police and detaining them at Police Zone 9 Umuahia and subsequently arraignment was not condemned by the South East governors and

politicians, and that emboldened them for the next attack in the state of Ukpabi Nimbo community in the state.

“IPOB worldwide therefore is constrained to raised accusing fingers on the Governors and politicians in the South East over the killing of our people. The Governors and the politicians used the life of their brothers and subjects to play game of politics, trading them off to the APC government for crumbs they are expecting from the government that has nothing to ofer Nigerians let alone Igbo Governors and politicians. If that is not the case, how do you explain a situation

Labour tasks Buhari over unpaid promotion arrears, others

By Victor AhiumaYoung

A

SSOCIATION OF Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, yesterday, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the payment of salaries of Federal Public Servants by April 25, urging him to ensure that other benefits such as promotion arrears among other allowances owed Federal employees were settled in good time.

Recall that for some months now, payment of salaries of Federal Workers have been delayed and that prompted President Buhari to direct the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, OAGF, to ensure that salaries are paid by the 24th or 25th of every month.

In a statement, ASCSN Secretary-General, Alade Bashir Lawal, expressed joy that the OAGF carried out the directive of Mr. President as April 2016 salaries of federal officers had been paid.

“We commend Mr. President for

this directive and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation for carrying it out. It is our hope that the OAGF has put necessary machinery in place to sustain the payment schedule and not to relapse to the old ways after few months,” the Union stated.

ASCSN posited that early payment of salaries would boost the morale of employees and ginger them to improve their

productivity and urged the state governments to emulate the Federal Government on early payment of salaries to their workers.

The body also urged President Buhari to ensure that outstanding salaries, promotion arrears and other allowances owed Federal workers and captured in the 2016 Budget were paid as soon as it was signed into Law.

communities were attacked and instead of the people that attacked them being arrested, the relations and victims of the attack were arrested and detained by a government that claim to be responsible. Yet the state Chief executives and their politicians kept quiet and were clapping and praising the government that is humiliating their people.

“IPOB, other Biafra actualization agitating groups expected these politicians, the governors, the National Assembly members and other South East political appointees and others close to the corridors of power to stoutly react against the injustice, but they never did .

"Today we are talking about another attack that claimed the lives of over 40 persons in the same state and nothing is being done to assuage the pains of the people, while a blatant lie by the Department of State Service, DSS, that five Fulani herdsmen were killed and buried in Abia State.

"This unsettled the country, and the South East governors, and politicians were never moved by the killing of over 20 and arrest of their over 76, and now the recent killing of over 40 people at Nimbo,” he said.

‘Papa Wemba, one of African’s music icons'

By Anozie Egole

P

RESIDENT AND Executive Producer of, All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, Mr. Mike Dada, has described late, Papa Wemba, as one of the African’s music icons.

Papa Wemba aged 66, died in Abidjan during the FEMUA urban music festival on Sunday.

In a statement made available to Vanguard, Dada, also said the singer died when AFRIMA and Africa at large needed him most.

According to him, “At AFRIMA,

we feel a sense of loss since the announcement of the death of Papa Wemba. This is the time we at AFRIMA and Africa at large need him the most. He was one of the African music legends that had shown interest in attending AFRIMA in November this year.

He was a voice of Africa, an icon of African music and epitome of Africanness. Papa Wemba was considered an African icon and world music star after fusing his Central African musical heritage with Western pop, rock and rap.

He pioneered a blend of African, Cuban and Western sounds,

which became one of Africa’s most popular music styles. This earned him the nickname “King of Rhumba Rock.”

Besides his musical influence, Wemba popularised Sapeur fashion, an eccentric look with three-piece suits, shiny black leather shoes and flashy accessories. His pride and commitment to African music and sense of dressing were part of the narratives of African culture.

These are the African narratives we shared and are propagating across the world.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On Code of Conduct Act proposed amendment

S

omething is happening in that House that we cannot fully understand for now, but I see powers that will be hijacking the top seat in the Senate while the Federal Government struggles to achieve their promises to Nigerians. -Mr. Godsown Emeka, Businessman C M Y K

I

f they like, let them remove it entirely but this one got Bukola Saraki.

The Federal Government will jail him first, it will remain in the record of this country and serve as deterrent to any politician whose ambition is to do likewise. Miss Chika Dike, NYSC member

I

s this the type of law that is aimed at protecting a single man that we asked them to be enacting? What type of leadership is this, making law to protect just a person? It is as if our parliament wants to destroy this nation. -Mr. Akano Kolawole, Self Employed

T

he National Assembly members are selfish; they are only trying to protect their interest, but not that of the general public.

Therefore, Nigerians should be very vigilant on the activities of these politicians. -Mr. Zakariyya Muhammad, Businessman

M

EMBERS of the National Assembly make laws that favour them, and not the ordinary man that voted them in.

Saraki introduced pension law in his favour, when he was about to step down as governor in Kwara State. Mr. Emma Alukaogu, Self Employed

O

ur Senate should be fast about it. He can’t be suffering alone while Tinubu will be walking the street clean. I support the move to amend the Code of Conduct Act, enough of using Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, to settle political wounds. -Mr. Emmanuel Iyoke, Worker

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 — 35

19,000 under-5 children die of malaria annually in Niger

By Wole Mosadomi

M

INNA—NO fewer than 19,000 children below five years old, die of malaria in Niger State annually, making it the state with the highest number of child deaths from malaria in the north central zone of the country.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jibril Mustapha, who made this known on this year ’s World Malaria Day at Gussoro village in Shiroro Local Government Area of the state, said the development adversely affected

the economy of the state, making it to lose about N5.2 billion annually.

According to him, “The disease is responsible for 30 percent and 11 percent of under five and maternal deaths respectively.

The terms of the cost prevention and control as well as loss of man hours is about N5.2 billion.

Annually, a total of 19,000 under five children die in Niger. With this, in our case management, a total number of 892,300 children under five years and 668,655 adults received free malaria

treatment.”

He said in an effort to bring healthcare service to the door step of people of the state, government would soon unveil its first ever state led health reform agenda titled ‘Niger Health 1.0’ aimed at ensuring a 24-hour health service in all the 25 Local government areas of the state.

Speaking, President of the National Association of Nigeria Pediatrics Nurses, NANPAN, Olubunmi Lawal Aiyedun, called on the states and Federal governments to invest more on

preventive measures like treated mosquito nets to tackle the disease.

She added that after a demographic survey in 2013, only 11 percent of children were using the treated mosquito net, and only 12 percent had access to the net in the state a situation which she said was not encouraging.

She called on people of the state especially the nursing mothers to be more cautious by preventing their children from being infected by the disease adding that prevention is better than cure.

Boko Haram stalls completion of N17bn roads, bridges in Borno

By Ndahi Marama

M

AIDUGURI—BORNO State Government yesterday, lamented that one of negative effects of the activities of the Boko Haram insurgency in the state was the inability to complete N17 billion roads and bridges projects in Maiduguri metropolis, including threekilometre Lagos Street Bridge awarded in 2012.

The insurgents, according to government officials had targeted roads construction workers especially engineers and the routes through which building materials were transported to various projects sites in the state.

The roads projects cover a total distance of 48 kilometres, including the Old Maiduguri 7.5 kilometer dual carriage way.

Commissioner of Works and Transport, Alhaji Adamu Lawan disclosed this at the MaiduguriBulumkutu and Lagos Street project sites, while briefing newsmen over the uncompleted roads projects..

The affected construction firms, according to him; include Eighteenth Engineering Company, EEC, Grand Scope Company and a Kano-based Hajaig Construction Company handling the Bulumkutu roads projects that had been stalled by insurgency and insecurity of engineers and other workers.

According to him: “The noncompletion of these roads and bridges in Maiduguri in metropolis was caused by the insurgency. We are very frustrated over this development. It prevented the haulage of roads construction materials and equipment to sites; while the lives of sites engineers were threatened, including the killings of some contracting partners in 2013 and 2014 at three different project sites in Borno State.

“Hajaig firm had; for example, brought in its laterite from Damboa, 87 kilometres from Maiduguri, unfortunately the road was closed to motorists for almost two years ago. Other roads construction equipment had to be transported from far away Kano to this Bulumkutu project site.

The state government had wanted to revoke this contract, but doing

so could lead to the loss of over N2 billion.”

He however said the

Bulumkutu high density community roads complex had reached 98 per cent completion,

explaining that the remaining two per cent, included roads’ marking and painting.

CONSECRATION: From left; The new bishop of Dutse, Rt. Rev Markus Yohanna Danbinta; Primate of the Anglican Communion, Most Rev Nicholas Okoh; Mrs Danbinta and the Archbishop of Kaduna, Most Rev Edmund Akanya at the consecration of Rev Danbinta in Kaduna. Photo by Olu Ajayi.

Kogi to embark on mass housing scheme

By Boluwaji Obahopo

L

OKOJA—KOGI State Government is to embark on mass housing scheme for civil servants in a bid to ease accommodation problems facing the civil servants in the state.

Governor Yahaya Bello, who stated this in Lokoja yesterday, said the project, planned on Public-Private Partnership, PPP, would be provided at affordable cost for the workers in the state.

The governor also disclosed that the government would also assist the workers to access mortgage facilities from commercial banks to off-set the cost of the houses.

Bello who said the ongoing rehabilitation of the township roads in Lokoja would lead to the expansion roads network in the state capital also said that solar-powered traffic lights would be installed at various road round to ensure smooth traffic flow in the state capital.

Union Bank launches new saving programme in North East

By Suzan Edeh

Sokoto, UNICEF sign N2.5bn agreement

S

OKOTO—THE Sokoto government and the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) have signed a N2billion agreement for the implementation of the 2016 work plan in areas covering health, nutrition, education, water, sanitation and hygiene.

The work plan is aimed accelerating the realisation of the rights of all “children and women to survival, development, protection and participation,” said a statement issued by the spokesman of Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Malam Imam Imam.

In the agreement, signed by Tambuwal and UNICEF’s Chief of Field for Sokoto, Mr. Mohammad Mohiuddin, Sokoto government will contribute N1,083,384,750 while UNICEF will provide N1,006,865,500.

“The agreement has the following key objectives: improved access to, and use of high quality and high impact health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene interventions for women and children; and

improving access to quality basic education by the most vulnerable boys and girls, and increased school retention, completion and achievement rates for all,” the statement quoted Mohiuddin as saying.

Both parties agreed that the status of the sociodemographic and

development indicators carried out in Sokoto between 2013 and 2015 need to be improved upon.

“At the moment, both infant mortality and under-five mortality rates are high (89/1000 and 185/ 1000 respectively). 55.3% of children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition.

NYSC to deploy doctors, nurses, others to IDPs camps

By Umar Yusuf & Caleb Ayansina

Y

OLA—THE National Youth Services Corp, NYSC is to deploy Doctors, Nurses and other medical Corp members to all the major Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs camps across the country, the Director General of the Corp, Brigadier General Suleiman Zakari Kazaure has disclosed.

General Kazaure, who spoke in Yola yesterday at the Damare IDPs camp stated that the move is to solve the present medical challenges facing the camps.

The NYSC Director-General while on his maiden visit to the Adamawa State Directorate of the Corp admonished other stakeholders not to relent in their efforts at bringing succor to the displaced persons.

General Karauze also announced that henceforth Youth Corp members will be deployed to all the IDPs camps to help them in their day to day activities.

He also urged Nigerians to complement government efforts in alleviating the sufferings of the IDPs noting that the cruel fate that befall them was not their making, but a natural disaster.

B

AUCHI—AS part of efforts to promote a new savings culture in Nigeria, the Union Bank of Nigeria Plc has launched an initiative known as Union Korrect Dai-dai saving programme for customers in the Northeast.

The aim of the project is to assist people of the northern part of the country to imbibe the culture of economic independence through saving.

Northeast Head of the project, Sheahan Arasararatnam, who spoke at the flag off at the bank office in Bauchi, said Union Korrect Dai-da project was for 11 states of Gombe, Bauchi, Sokoto, Taraba, Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, Adamawa, Borno, Jigawa and Yobe.

According to him, Union Bank decided to site the project in the north because of its large population and land, saying: “Union korrect DaiDai is opened to 30,000 customers and the programme is for a period of two years with an open period of 6 months for customers to enroll. ''New customers are expected to open a main account before enrolling for Union korrect Dai-Dai.''

36—Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

VP AT KAM:

From left— Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State; Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; former President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, Chief Kola Jamodu, and Chairman/CEO, KAM Industries, Dr. Kamorudeen Yusuf, inspecting some products of KAM Industries in Ilorin.

TOUR: From left—Committee member, Mr. Dan Asade Hosea; Zonal Coordinator, Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, Musa Maza; Manager, Corporate Affairs, Contec, Mr. Tunde Ayansanwo, and the committee's Deputy Chairman and team leader, Mr. Patrick Aisowieren, during the House of Representatives Committee on Interior’s tour of NIS facilities in Ikoyi, Lagos.

THANKSGIVING: From left— Mrs Lovenah Ebuzor; Assistant Labour Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Victor Ahiuma-Young; his daughter, Testimony; Miss Blessing Aziken; Mr. Victor Ebuzor and Mrs Charity AhiumaYoung, during a thank-you visit to Vanguard on the first anniversay of Mr. AhiumaYoung's survival of a brutal armed robbery attack. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

MEETING: From left— Dir., Public Affairs and Communication, Coca-Cola Nig. Ltd., C. Ugorji; CEO, Ebenezer Associates Consulting on Health, Dr. E. Sonaiya; Head, Power and Infrastructure, Stanbic IBTC, P. Coetzee; CEO, Economic Associates, Dr. A. Teriba, and Finance Dir., Coca-Cola, S. Dosunmu, at the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce breakfast forum in Lagos.

VISIT: From left— Sales Director, Public Sector, Oracle, Mr. Saidu Abdullahi; Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu; Country Managing Director, Oracle, Mr. Adebayo Sanni; Acting Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, and Systems Sales Leader, Nigeria and Ghana, Oracle, Mr. Ken Dibor, during the minister' s visit to Oracle in Lagos.

WEDDING: FROM LEFT— BRIDE'S FATHER, Director of Information and Public Affairs of the Church, Rev. K. U. Eme; Prelate and Moderator of the General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Most Rev. Prof.

Emele Uka; groom, Mr. Igwe Ukoha of the Federal University of Technology, FUTO, Owerri; HIS BRIDE, former Miss Ezinne Eme, and groom's mother, Mrs. Ijeoma Ukoha, at the wedding in Owerri.

COKE FEELING:

INDOMIE: From left— Social Media Mgr, Dufil Prima Foods, Mr. K. Iruonagbe; Brand Mgr, Indomie, A. Yadav; winner of Dubai trip Indomie promo, Mrs C. Chales; Group PR and Events Mgr, Dufil, Mr. T. Ashiwaju, and Head, Consumer Protection Council, Lagos office, Mr. N. Joshua.

COMMISSIONING: Chief of Air Staff, Air

Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, alighting from the C-130 aircraft after commissioning the executive seats at the 401 Aircraft Maintenance Hangar in Ikeja, Lagos.

PHOTO: Evelyn Usman.

From left— Marketing Director, Nigerian Bottling Company, Sergio Vieira; Director, Public Affairs & Communications, Clem Ugorji; Marketing Director, Patricia Jemibewon, and Marketing Manager, Cletus Onyebuoha, both of CocaCola Nigeria Limited, during the launch of CocaCola’s Taste The Feeling campaign in Lagos. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

AWARD: Startimes PR Mgr., Mr. Israel Bolaji (right) receiving the Best Pay TV Operator of the Year award from Engr. Lanre Ajayi, Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria, ATCON’s President, at the Beacon of Information and Communication Technology, BoICT, awards in Lagos.

DONATION: CSR Manager, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria, Mr. Gbenga George (right) making a donation of classroom boards and cartons of Peak Milk to Mrs. Bassey Duke, Principal, Federal Government College, Odogbolu, during WAMCO's School Adoption Programme.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 — 37

REJOICE

IKEB ATA IKEBA

My name, Kehinde Rejoice Ojirhomu was wrongly written as Kayinde Ojirhomu instead of Kehinde Rejoice Ojirhomu, and now wish to be known and addressed as Kehinde Rejoice Ojirhomu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

HUNGA

IT OR O ITOR ORO

ESEINUNE

EZIAF A EZIAFA

I, formerly known and addressed as James Itoro Moses, now wish to be known and addressed as James Moses Udoh. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

This is to confirm that the names, Vincent Eseinune Tabauyunu, Vincent Eseinune Mojaye, Eseinune McCarty Vincent Mojaye and Eserinune McCarty Vincent Mojaye refer to one and the same person but now wish to be known and addressed as Eserinune McCarty Vincent Mojaye . All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Kelechi Chukwu Eziafa, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Kelechi Chukwu Obi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OYEBOLA

CHRIS

ONESU

I,formerly known and addressed as Chris Nnoli, now wish to be known and addressed as Christian Nnoli Onwuemena.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Edodi Onesu Ibitham, now wish to be known and addressed as Edodi Mandy Ibitham. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Ikebata Blessing Chima, now wish to be known and addressed as Kalu Blessing Chima. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

This is to confirm that Hunsu Mathew is one and the same person as Mathew Hunga Hunsu Mathew, but now wish to be known and addressed as Hunsu Mathew Hunga. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ONWUEGBUCHIAMA

OGENYI

UTOMOIBOR

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Christiana Ngozi Onwuegbuchiama, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Christiana Ngozi Nihe. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Vicky Ene Ogenyi, now wish to be known and addressed as Vicky Ene Saloka. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Mr. Patrick Richmond Odalo Utomoibor, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Patrick Richmond Odalo Augustin. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Aliyu Jumoke Oyebola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Maleek Baliqis Adejumoke. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

YETONGO

ALUFA

EDEM

SOMOYE

I, formerly known and addressed as Fasinu Segun Yetongo, now wish to be known and addressed as Fasinu Segun Kafeyimo. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Alufa Adebiyi Rasheed, now wish to be known and addressed as Adebiyi Rasheed. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Nkoyo Edem Odungide, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Odungide, Nkoyo Assam. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Somoye Adijat Oluwakemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adenrele Adijat Oluwakemi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

This is to certify that the names Mary Edet Esin and Mary Ulo Asuquo refer to one and the same person, but now wish to be known and addressed as Mary Ulo Asuquo.

All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note.

SIMON-AJOKO

EKWERUKA

PROMISE

AKINFOLARIN

AMAKA

ESIN

IKPASA I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ikpasa Doreen Orobome, now wish to be known and addressed as Dr. (Mrs.) Iyasele Doreen Orobome. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UMENWA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Anwuli Ifeoma SimonAjoko, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Anwuli Ifeoma Okonji. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ekweruka Nwamaka Uchechukwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Anyanwu Phina N w a m a k a Uchechukwu.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Aniefiok Esther Promise and Aniefiok Esther, now wish to be known and addressed as Aniefiok Esther Uwa. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Folake Akinfolarin, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Folake Adeleke. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Amaka Emmanuella Ijei, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Amaka Emmanuella Atarie. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ECHI

FINEBOY

IGHOTOMOO

MAC-ASORE

OGHENEMINE

I, formerly known and addressed as Okozi David Fineboy, now wish to be known and addressed as Okozi Onuobozeya David.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

The names, Igho Udueni and Ighotomoo Kaduna refer to one and same person but now wish to be known and addressed as Igho Udueni. All former documents remain valid. UBA Plc, NPA and the general public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Mac-Asore Saviour Ogheneovo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Jessah Saviour Ogheneovo. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

The names, Aghwadje Onomine Regina and the name Aghwadje Oghenemine Regina refer to one and same person, but now wish to be known and addressed as Aghwadje Onomine Regina. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, Miss Iroka Mary Ivuoma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okoro Michael Ivuoma.

All former documents remain valid.

Management and staff of Oil & Gas Free Zones Authority, Onne, Rivers State and the general public please take note.

AIBAOGUN

FIDELIX

OKONKWO

IBRAIHI

I, formerly known and addressed as Onya Fidelix, now wish to be known and addressed as Onya Fidelis. All former documents remain valid. Julius Berger Plc and the general public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Anulika Sandra Oluchi Okonkwo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Anulika Sandra Uzoahia. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Soremekun Kayode Ibraihi, now wish to be known and addressed as Soremekun Kayode Ibrahim. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Queen Echi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Queen Licence Oghiomeria.

All former documents remain valid. Ecobank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and the general public please take note.

PATIENCE The names, Oby Dominic and Patience Dominic refer to one and same person, but now wish to be known and addressed as Oby Dominic. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EGBODUKU I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Eloho Egboduku, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Eloho Favour OdiriOhwariovbe. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Olohita Rosemary Aibaogun, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olohita Rosemary Soghie. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

The names, Ogochukwu Lynda M m a d u k a , Ogochukwu Umenwa and Ogochukwu Lynda Okoye refer to one and the same person. But, now wish to be known and addressed as Ogochukwu Lynda Mmaduka. All former documents remain valid. Ecobank Plc. and the general public please take note.

IROKA

38—Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

JAWO I, formerly known and addressed as Mary Oluwakemi Jawo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mary Oluwakemi Omotosho.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NDIANAEFO

UZOMA I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Uzoma Adaobi Mary, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Obiagwu Adaobi Mary. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MOJUETAN

CHANGE OF NAME LUKMON DURUJI I, formerly known and addressed as Siyaka Lukmon and Siyaka Lukman, now wish to be known and addressed as Siyaka Lukeman. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Duruji Chioma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwachukwu Chioma Agatha. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ADIJAT

ADEWUMI

NWEKE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nweke Onyekachi Rose, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Rose Onyekachi Chikaodiri Okala. All former documents remain valid. Comprehensive Secondary School, Amaeze Ishiagu Ivo LGA, Secondary Education Mgmt Board, Abakiliki and general public please take note.

CHIKO

This is to confirm that the names, Tina Nkemdirim Ndianaefo and Nonye Ogochukwu refer to one and the same person, but now wish to be known and addressed as Tina N k e m d i r i m Nwokemodo. All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note.

I, Patience Mojuetan, declare that my name was wrongly written as Blessing Ebiwa, in my sons First Bank Account. My correct name is Patience Mojuetan. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Olutoke Adijat Bolatito Olayinka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olutoke Ibidunni Bolatito Oke. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adewumi Atinuke Funmi, now wish to be known and addressed as Falade Atinuke Funmi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

This is to confirm that the name, Festus Chiko and Inaya Festus belong to one and the same person, but now wish to be known and addressed as Inaya Festus. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

APILOKO

UDEZE

OJOLUM

ADEGHOR

LUCKY

This is to confirm that the names Apiloko Emmanuel and Emerota Emmanuel belong to one and the same person but now wish to be known and addressed as Emerota Emmanuel. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Esther Ngozi Udeze, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Esther Ngozi Igboayaka. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

FESINGHAN

ANIKWEZE

This is to confirm that the name Fesinghan E d m u n d Eniyegbolokumor refer to one and the same person as Fesinghan Eniyegbolokumor or Fesinghan Edmund Eniye or Fesinghan Eniye as they appear on some of my documents.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OkaforAnikweze Peter Victor, now wish to be known and addressed as Okafor Peter Victor. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

This is to confirm that the names, Emmanuel Ojolum and Emmanuel Owhosoro Chidi Ojolum belong to one and the same person but now wish to be known and addressed as Emmanuel Owhosoro Chidi Ojolum. General public please take note.

This is to confirm that the names Adeghor Onakome Raphael and Adeghor Onakome refer to one and the same person but now wish to be known and addressed as Adeghor Onakome Raphael. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

This is to confirm that the names Lucky Oritsemajemite Victor and Luckh Victor belong to one the same person but now wish to be known and addressed as Luckh Victor. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

SNOMI

My name Snomi Ronke Okpuzor was wrongly entered as my surname when I opened my pension account. My correct name is Okpuzor Snomi Ronke. All former documents remain valid. IBTC Pensions and the general public please take note.

SUNBO

FESTUS

I, formerly known and addressed as Sunday Jenet Sunbo, now wish to be known and addressed as Ogar Jenet Ikel. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

This is to confirm that the names, Patrick Festus Nwadike and Patrick Nwadike refer to one and the same person. All former documents remain valid. Julius Berger and the general public please take note.

ODIETE

ODEBIYI

ADO

IKECHUKWU

STELLA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Choice Okiemute Odiete, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Choice Okiemute Akpoetiyi.

All former documents remain valid. Delta State University, Abraka and the general public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Odebiyi Folake Azeezat, now wish to be known and addressed as Tijani Folake Azeezat. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Abimbola Gladys Ado, now wish to be known and addressed as Abimbola Gladys Samson. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

This is to confirm that the names Justus Okore Ikechukwu and Justus Okore Ugia refer to one and the same person. All former documents remain valid. United Bank for Africa, Union Bank and the general public please take note.

This is to inform that I was formerly known and addressed as Stella C. Anyanwu, but my correct name is Stellamaris Chizobam Anyanwu. All former documents remain valid. Keystone Bank, Zenith Bank and the general public please take note

NKEMCHOR

YETUNDE

OKAFOR

IBENYE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Roses Nwakaego Nkemchor, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Roses Nwakaego ImeJohnson. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ROSE I, formerly known and addressed as Obaruakporo Rose, now wish to be known and addressed as Obaruakporo Orohwo Rosemary. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Adeyemi Yetunde Maryanne, now wish to be known and addressed as Adeyemi Oluwabusayo Maryanne. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okafor Ifeoma Jane, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ugonabor Ifeoma Jane.

All former documents remain valid. UBA and the general public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Chidinma Scholarstica Ibenye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chukwudum Scholarstica Chidinma.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ODELANA

ERIAKHA

MOSES

I, formerly known and addressed as Funmilayo Gbemisola Odelana, now wish to be known and addressed as Funmilayo Gbemisola Samson. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Priscy Eriakha, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Priscy Obiakor. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

This is to confirm that the names, Shaka Moses Dafe and Shaka Dafe refer to one and the same person, but now wish to be known and addressed as Shaka Moses Dafe. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OGUNSANYA

BADMUS I, formerly known and addressed as Badmus Bolajoko Banjo, now wish to be known and addressed as BadmusBanjo Bolajoko Deborah. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AMOYEFE This is to confirm that the name Ahorho Amoyefe Juliet refers to one and the same person as Ahorho Akpesiri Juliet. All former documents bearing either of my two names remain valid. General public please take note.

ABANUM I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Mary Kemfuni Titilayo Abanum, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mary Kemfuni Titilayo Jolaoso. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EDEMUINO

This is to confirm that the names, Oghoghovbe Daniel Edemuino and Oghoghovbe Daniel refer to one and the same person, but now wish to be known and addressed as Oghoghovbe Daniel Edemuino. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ADEWOYIN I, formerly known and addressed as Olufunke Anike Adewoyin, now wish to be known and addressed as Olufunke Anike Adeleke. All former documents remain valid. GTB, NIM, and the general public please take note.

SALAMI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogunsanya Titilayo Abosede, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ajakaiye Titilayo Abosede. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Wasiu Salami, now wish to be known and addressed as Abdulsallam Abdulwasiu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OMOEMU

CLEMENCY

This is to confirm that the names, Omoemu Efe Diamond and Omoemu Diamond refer to one and the same person, but now wish to be known and addressed as Omoemu Efe Diamond. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Irabor l.

Clemency, now wish to be known and addressed as Irabor Ibhagbosoria.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EWANSIHA The names Orhionsefe Ewansiha and Thomas Orhions Ewansiha as they appear in some of my documents refer to one and the same person. All former documents remain valid. WAEC and the general public please take note.

OMORAGBON

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016 — 39

CHANGE OF NAME JIMOH EFEDUE

OKPALA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Omoragbon Augusta, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogunkoru Augusta. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Jimoh Awawu Juliet, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Martins Hauwa Juliet.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Efedue Ishani Omejevwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Omejevwe Ishani Uhrorho. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ODUOH

NATHAN

OVORAKPOR

EMAYA

I, formerly known and addressed as Ughelli Clavins Onoharigho now wish to be known and addressed as Williams Onoharigho Calvin. All former documents remain valid, any authority and the general public to please take note.

My names, Olokpa Doris were wrongly written as Oduoh Oghenerukevwe Deborah by First Bank but now wish to be known and addressed as Olokpa Doris Onome. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and the general public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Florence Ovorakpor now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Florence Joseph Okorugbo. All former documents remain valid. |General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Edna Emaya now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Edna Uzezi Emaya Ibuakevwe. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

BALA

MUKORO

PATIENCE

WARRI

UGHELLI

I, formerly known and addressed as Aminu Bala, now wish to be known and addressed as Aminu Ya’u Mohammed. All former documents remain valid. Union Bank Plc and the general public please take note.

This is to certify that Beauty Mukoro and Oyibosu Beauty refer to one and the same person but now wish to be known and addressed as Oyibosu Beauty. All former documents remain valid. Ecobank, Wetland Micro Finance Bank and the general public please take note.

OMAS

OWOLABI

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Lucy Nwamaka Okpala, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Lucy Nwamaka Nwankwo.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

These names, Idah Efe Onos and Idah Nathan Efe refer to one and the same person but now wish to be known and addressed as Idah Efe Nathan Onos. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OGHENERIORUMUEMU

This is to confirm that the names, Akpan Ime And Akpan Ime Patience, refer to one and the same but now wish to be known and addressed as Akpan Ime. All former documents remain valid. Ecobank Plc and the general public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Warri Joy Aghogho, now wish to be known and addressed as Okuogba Joy Warri. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and a d d r e s s e d as Ogheneriorumuemu A n d r e w Ighovwerha, now wish to be known and addressed as Anere Andrew Ighovwerha. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ONWUEGBUSI

OKAFOREZEH

OKEKE

This is to confirm that the names, Onokpedje Omas Vivian and Onokpedje Vivian refer to one and the same person, now to be known and addressed as Onokpedje Omas Vivian. All former documents remain valid. Ecobank,Army Children Primary School, Akure, Oak Pension Scheme, State Universal Basic Education Board, Delta State and general public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Ismaila Opeyemi Owolabi, now wish to be known and addressed as Ogungbemi Opeyemi Ismaila. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Onwuegbusi Chigozie Marybernadine, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwafor Chigozie Marybernadine. My name was wrongly written as Mary Bernadine instead of Marybernadine. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MBANEFO

TERFA

IJEOMA

I, formerly known and addressed as Ogechi Okafor, Okaforezeh Ogechukwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Obidike Ogechukwu.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OSIOBE

SAMUEL

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Samuel Oghale, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oghale Otuagoma. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AMAKEKE I, formerly known and addressed as Amakeke Henry Ochuko, now wish to be known and addressed as Eguvwese Henry Ochuko. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

SADIQ

OLOMURO I, formerly known and addressed as Kingsley Olomuro, now wish to be known and addressed as Kingsley Mordi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

The names John Terna Gboko and John Terfa Gboko refer to one and the same person, but now wish to be known and addressed as John Terfa Gboko. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Ekweze Ekeoma Ijeoma, now wish to be known and addressed as Divine Ekweze. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogheneghalome Theresa Osiobe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogheneghalome Theresa Akporhonor.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Hawa Nana Sadiq, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Hawa Zika Yusuf. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

TAMARAUMIENEBI

EJEWEYI

ISIORHOVOJA

ONYAGADA

DUMUJE

I, formerly known and addressed as Anemi Ta m a r a u m i e n e b i Fredrick, now wish to be known and addressed as Anemi Fredrick. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogulusi Ejeweyi Aboyowa, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Enubuzor Ogulusi Aboyowa. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Isiorhovoja Eloho David, now wish to be known and addressed as Ayanyen Eloho David. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and

UGWU

INYION I, formerly known and addressed as Mmekpon Usen Inyion, now wish to be known and addressed as Bassey Usen Mmekpon.All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OSENI

I, formerly known and addressed as Oseni Patricia now wish to be known and addressed as Akiyoyovwi Precious Patricia. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okeke Blessing Chinwendu, now wish to be known and addressed as Chukwwudiuche Blessing Chinwendu.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Mbanefo Thelma Oluoma, now wish to be known and addressed as Kogulu Thelma Oluoma. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss M a d u a b u c h i Okoronkwo Ugwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. C a s s a n d r a M a d u a b u c h i Onyekwere. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ANYADIKE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adaobi Anasthesia Anyadike, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adaobi Anasthesia Akalusi Obi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MOMODU

public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Elohor Akpevwe Dumuje, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Elohor Igbi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Momodu Mercy Ebosetale, now wish to be known and addressed as Uwezele Mercy Ebosetale. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AKPUGHE

KEFAS

OMIELA

NNAEMEKA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Akpughe Juliet Ovokeroyen, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adamu Gboreirembu Juliet Ovokeroyen .All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and

I, formerly known and addressed as Ezetu Omiela, now wish to be known and addressed as Ezetu Omielaemi Clarkson.All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Samuel Sixtus Nnaemaka, now wish to be known and addressed as Egwumba Samuel Sixtus Onyekachi.All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

addressed

as

Augustine Onyagada, now wish to be known and addressed as Austin Benjamin. All former documents remain valid. General

addressed as Deborah Kefas, now wish to be known and addressed as Deborah Kabud.All former

documents

remain valid. General public please take note.

40—Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

ABIODUN

CHANGE OF NAME ODUSHU BULOIMBILE

UMEJIAKU

NKEM

This is to confirm that the names Erokwu David Nkem and Erokwu Charles Dumebi refer to one and the same person. I now wish to be known and addressed as Erokwu David Nkem.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UVWIESA

I, formerly known and addressed as Abiodun Oliemen Jennifer, now wish to be known and addressed as Ikuli Oliemen.All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Agbowe Buloimbile Newyear, now wish to be known and addressed as Agbowe Happy Buloimbile. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Odushu Emomotimi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. O m o a r e b u n Emomotimi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

This is to confirm that the names Umejiaku Ifeanyi Philip and Lawrence Umejiaku refer to one and the same person. I now wish to be known and addressed as Umejiaku Ifeanyi Philip. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MUEMUFOH

EDAFEWHARA

EGBOBAWAYE

EJUKORLEM

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Muemufoh Ogheneovo Mercy, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mercy Ogheneovo Oahimire.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Edafewhara Eunice Tega, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Tega Kiyaye.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Susan Egbobawaye, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Susan Ochiemoya. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Hannah Ejukorlem, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Hannah Ekagha. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OGBATUE

OGBEWHO

EKWERIGBE

ENAOHWO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogbewho Maria now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Maria Orieno. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Blessing Oghale Ekwerigbe now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Blessing Oghale Ukpe. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Enaohwo Ejiro Sophia now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Osuighwu Ejiro Sophia. All form documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ONYEDIKACHUKWU I, formerly known and addressed as Mr. Onyedikachukwu Ilechukwu now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Onyedika Ibey Stanly.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKPALA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss.

Judith Origbo now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Judith Douglas . All former documents remain.

General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okolie Bibian now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Iwobi Bibian Njideka.

All former documents remain valid.

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and general public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Lucy Nwamaka Okpala, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Lucy Nwamaka Nwankwo.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UDEOBASI

AHIAKWO

OWHONDA

IWUALA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Owhonda Oyinye Precious, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oyinye Precious Okerenwogba. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Iwuala Ebere Judith, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Uzoechi Ebere Judith.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Odunukwe Irene Adaeze, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Omeili Irene Adaeze. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Charity Oby Ogbatue, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Charity Oby Ezeanochie. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ORIGBO

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Udeobasi Chinasa Felicia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oputa Chinasa Felicia. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKOLIE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss N k e m a k o l a m Ahiakwo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nkem Ajua. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Elohor Uvwiesa, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Elohor Opuegen. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UDEH I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Udeh Chinyeaka Loveth now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Onyejelem Chinyeaka Loveth. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ANYADIKE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adaobi Anasthesia Anyadike, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adaobi Anasthesia Akalusi Obi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ODUNUKWE

IR OAB UCHI IRO ABUCHI

VENANTIUS

OBEHI

ONYEWUENYI

HASSAN

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Remita Okwuchi Iroabuchi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Remita Okwuchi Nkenchor. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

This is to confirm that I, Duru Venantius Anusionwu is one and the same person as Duru Venantus Chinedu but now wish to be known and addressed as Duru Venantius Anusionwu.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Rita Ebere Onyewuenyi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Rita Ebere Ogbonnaya. All former documents remain valid. National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the general public please take note.

I, formerly known and

OJEYEMI

AWODI

This is to confirm that Ojeyemi Jones is one and the same person as Ojeyemi Jones A d e j u m o Olugbadega.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Lough Abraham Awodi, now wish to be known and addressed as Awodi Ajume. All former documents remain valid. UBA Plc and the general public please take note.

addressed as Obehi Mary, now wish to be known and addressed as Ojo Mary Obehi.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AKPOBOME This is to confirm that the names Akpobome Oke Kelvin and Akpobome OkeOghene Kelvin refer to one and the same person but now wish to be known and addressed as Akpobome Oke Kelvin.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AGOHA

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Anita Chiamaka Agoha now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Anita Chiamaka Anujuru.

All documents bearing former names remain valid. The general public should please take note.

WAPA treats 234 cases of domestic violence

A

S part of effort to ensure peaceful family coexistence and reduce the menace of domestic violence in the society, the Lagos State Government, through the Ministry for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA, has treated 234 cases of domestic violence and empowered several women within the last one year.

The Commissioner, Mrs. Lola Akande, who disclosed this yesterday in Lagos, during a briefing in commemoration of the first year in office of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, added that the Ministry received 382 mails on domestic violence and 553 distress calls of which 234 cases were successfully treated.

She said: “Domestic violence has both immediate and long term effects and manifest as physical and emotional pains, harm, injury, humiliation and degradation, permanent and partial disability, separation, divorce, suicide and needless loss of precious lives.

“In a bid to create awareness and reduce domestic violence, we have continued to organise various enlightenment and advocacy programmes, prosecution, rehabilitation and integration of survivors as well as training various women through the state e m p o w e r m e n t programmes.”

Transition

addressed as Miss Hassan Anna Inuwa, now wish to be known and addressed as Miss Hassan Jummai Anna.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OGBE

This is to confirm that the names Pajiah Esther Ogbe and Pajiah Ogbe refer to one and the same person but now wish to be known and addressed as Pajiah Esther Ogbe. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

P

A Emmanuel Ukegbaeworon is dead. He died on March 25, aged 87.

Funeral service will hold today at First Baptist Church, Macpherson by Palmer Road, at 10a.m.

Interment follows at his land on Mission Road, Ogun-Aja, both in Sapele.

Entertainment of guest is at Okotie-Eboh Secondary School Macpherson by Reclamation Road, while Sunday, May 1, is outing and thanksgiving service at First Baptist Church MacPherson.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016—41

2016 BUDGET CONTROVERSY:

Padding went without challenge in past budgets — OJUDU Adviser President •SPECIAL Says APC ‘lltoovercoming teething problems soon Muhammadu Buhari on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, was elected senator for Ekiti Central Senatorial District in 2011 on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN and later became one of the All Progressives Congress, APC Senators in the National Assembly after the merger before the 2015 polls.

In this interview, he spoke on national issues including the padding of the 2016 budget and the attendant controversy.

By Bashir Adefaka

O

N opposition and criticisms of government’s policies and style In a democracy, there must be opposition. You cannot but do without opposition in a democracy. In fact, in a way it is very positive for people to point out what you are not doing right to keep you on your toes.

Meaning that all the criticisms are justified?

The time they had we don’t have. There is no alternative to planning except you have to do a fire brigade approach. You must sit down, gather your cabinet and all your aides and look at what the problems confronting the society are. We want to solve problems not only for the immediate but also for the future.

We may not have gone out for the opposition because the government has been busy planning time and again.

It is close to one year the administration came to power.

When will the planning be over?

You can’t imagine the kind of problem the government met on the ground. What was met on the ground is 10 times what we thought was wrong.

Tiding up the budget Now, all the planning has been wrapped up and if you look at the budget as it is, how to solve the problems, not only for today but for tomorrow, has been encapsulated in the budget.

We should just wait for it to be tidied up and then we run according to the budget.

As political adviser to the President, how would you react to a recent threat by PDP to make governance difficult for President Buhari, if Senator Bukola Saraki is removed as Senate President?

If the only programme they have for Nigerians is to make governance difficult for a

•Ojudu: What was met on the ground is 10 times what we thought was wrong President, who wants to bring us out of poverty, who wants to bring us out of squalor, who wants to make the poor to have better life, then, good luck to them.

Nigerians are conscious. They know who their friends are. They know who their enemies are.

Those who are critical of Buhari are not saying that he has stolen money. They are not saying he doesn’t mean well. They are only saying he is not going fast enough.

On the NLC and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN’s lamentation that President Buhari’s delay in signing the budget is hurting the economy.

I don’t agree with that. How I

Those who are critical of Buhari are not saying that he has stolen money. They are not saying he doesn’t mean well. They are only saying he is not going fast enough

wish they NLC and MAN know what I know. And I keep telling my friends that the fact that there is a controversy around the budget also is indicative of the fact that there is change in Nigeria. Under previous governments the budget would go through the ministries and the budget office padded, then to the National Assembly and the

National Assembly would also add its own padding. They would give the highlights of the budget to the president and he signed. As he was signing they were adding more to it and there were billions of naira free out there for people to share.

But this President is saying, “No way. Whatever leaves my ministry and passed to the budget office must be the one that gets to the National Assembly and must be the one that comes to me fully without any padding before I sign.” That is change for you.

It is going to be tough for you to have said there is no way any longer for people who have made a career of padding budgets, taking money out of the system and putting it into their pockets building all kinds of mansions, transferring abroad to all sorts of things. But this man said, “This is not going to happen.’’

I will give you an instance, in one of the key ministries, a businessman came with a bogus bill owed by that ministry and went to the minister and said, “look, they are owing me two billion naira. I want you to help me make provision for it in the budget so that I can collect my money.” The minister said, “I do not know about this debt. We want to do things for people with this budget.” And the man left, went to some elements in the budget office and got them to agree to pad the budget with that two billion naira.

So, when the minister now appeared before the relevant committee in the Senate and found out that two billion naira had been brought into his budget, he said, “look, I am not going to take this. This is not my budget.

We are going to withdraw this and I will come and show you what we sent to the budget office

and what was sent to the National Assembly.”

In the past, it would have been allowed. So, the man who went to where they padded the thing would have promised to let go with some millions of naira.

Was this also experienced in the 7th Assembly when you served and what did you do, if yes?

Yes. When I was in the Senate I kept shouting, pointing out some of these paddings but nobody listened to me then. They were even faking so much that they would go and revive some of the dead agencies of government and they would allocate billions of naira to those agencies. One way or the other, money would be taken out based on that.

Ministry of works In my state in 2013, they budgeted for the construction of five roads in Ekiti State and I picked up the budget, looked at the details. How could you say you are building a road in Kebbi, a town in Nasarawa State and you put it in Ekiti State?

Apparently some groups were playing games in the ministry of works. And I shouted and cried out to the minister that, “This is wrong! This is theft!”

They called me in and tried to pacify me but I said, “No. What you should do is, if there are roads to be constructed in Ekiti, construct them in Ekiti. If there are no roads to be constructed in Ekiti, remove these items from the budget.”

Severally things like that happen, at all levels of the preparation, presentation and approval of the budget. So, the President is saying this is not going to happen. People involved are not yet used to this new way.

They are still fighting. They are still kicking and they have their plans. May be you want to tell somebody with building in Dubai that he wants to complete based on what he is going to make from this budget. Everybody who is involved is angry. That is why you are seeing these. If they absorb this new system of doing things this year, seamlessly, the budget will be passed next year without any controversy because they would have been used to this new system.

So, the fact that this controversy itself is coming out is to show that there is a change in place.

On the unending fuel scarcity in the country What is happening is the issue of profiteering but the government is doing something to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.

On continuing poor power situation Talking about power, when our economy was buoyant we needed to have solved this problem all the years.

This government came in, stabilised things as soon as it got in. But the government started to fight corruption and tried to say, “Look, there are things that will not be acceptable to us,” people again started sabotaging the power plants and facilities; the gas pipes powering the plants, people started sabotaging them.

Protecting the infrastructure Escravos, a big structure that supplies gas to most of the power plants in Nigeria, they went and sabotaged it. It is under repairs now. They did several other things to make the government look bad to the world.

Government is not only repairing that now, it is ensuring and looking for a means to protect all of these infrastructures so that we will not be thrown into darkness.

It is also working assiduously to look at alternatives: solar power, wind power, and even to see the possibility of powering satellite power plants by coal.

Rather than move gas, you move coal to these plants so that even if they sabotage the gas plants, the coal plants will be on and firing.

What is your take on comments that part of the challenges the government is facing is that leaders of the ruling party are not on the same page with the government on many issues?

It is not correct. What people are saying is normal. These party that is in power is an amalgamation of different parties, different view points and different ideas. Those people from PDP have their own idea of doing things. People came from ANPP, CPC, ACN, a number of others came as individuals to join the coalition that formed this government.

42—VANGUARD, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

Cattle grazing bill 'll cause more trouble if passed — REP ABONTA HON Uzoma Nkem-Abonta, a lawyer, chairman House Committee on Public Petitions, represents Ukwa East/West of Abia State in the House of Representatives on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in this chat spoke extensively on the implications of allowing herdsmen have grazing reserves in Nigeria among other issues.

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

W

HAT is your take on the spate of clashes between farmers herdsmen recently in Nigeria?

One’s wealth should not be used in destroying another person’s wealth. The Fulani are nomads in nature and we are talking about increasing animal husbandry and production.

Therefore, we must find a balance on how that should be done.

In the House, there are three bills that have been consolidated and the bills talk about having a grazing route and as well as having increasing reserves where herdsmen can do their business.

But I want to point out clearly that government has got no business doing business. We must also begin to look at issues the way it is done worldwide and have the best practices.

That bill has generated a lot

of controversies and may not go down well if it is allowed. The bill said that a grazing route should be mapped out perhaps from Sokoto to Port Harcourt and from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri and up north for herdsmen to do their nomadic grazing.

As good as it may sound, that will also increase the problem between the Fulanis and the owners of those routes they will pass by. I think we should do our business in a manner that will not hinder or disturb other people. Cattle rearing is done by private persons and they are all private businesses.

So why would government now think of seizing or acquiring lands for that venture? We are saying that the Land Use Act is not that good any more and has outlived its usefulness and you are now trying to also do more than the Land Use Act by saying that you will acquire land through the federal government

•Abonta: forcefully from the farmers and give to the Fulani herdsmen so that they will have a route to do their grazing.

I think that what should be obtainable is have ranches where people must as a matter of fact put their cows and train their cows. Empirical thinking shows that cattle that are kept in ranches produce more meat and milk than the ones that are wandering.

So is it the best practices now to keep wandering with cows? Is it not the best practices to acquire modern techniques and technologies? So must Nigeria not embrace what is modern and what is normal? I think that

those bills should be discouraged and not be allowed to see the light of the day.

F r o m developments so far, it is not very feasible to create a route any more. I could recall there existed routes in the 50’s and 60’s.

F o r example, the route that passed to Abuja, how did you come about it? The route must have passed through Garki. So are we going to maintain that or shift to where?

The way the government is being catered now, it is difficult to have a route and these routes will pass through farms and you cannot constrain these herdsmen to remain in a particular route, you are only telling the man to transverse the length and breadth of farms.

Are we saying that farming should be discouraged? So you cannot allow one man’s business to spoil another person’s business. More so if you even thought of starting a grazing reserve in some areas or in all

the states that means you will forcefully seize lands from the states maintained by the federal government.

How to end farmers’ and herdsmen’s clashes The only way to reduce the fight between farmers and herdsmen is to take the cattle out of farm lands. Can traders or merchants take their goods to somebody’s compound because it is the best place to trade? No. You rent your shop, you build your plazas, why can’t they build their ranches? And if there must be grazing reserves, every state at its convenience should create it to be run by states and local governments. It should not be run by the federal government.

If we allow the Federal government, that means we are done and the federal government would be at ease to take your land whenever they want and pay you peanuts.

If we must grow this economy I want to advice President Muhammadu Buhari to look at the modern best practices in doing this and applying them.

I am in agreement that the Fulani should be provided a better way, better means, better encouragement to rear their cattle. And if the people down South say no, we don’t want cattle there, don’t take it there.

They can always transport themselves to where the cattle is to buy and if you must rear there, they are the ones to give you the place to rear your cattle.

Delta PDP Chairmanship race: Odds in Majemite’s favour

By Obaro Unuafe & Fred Akpewe

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S the race for the Delta State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP chairmanship begins to gather momentum, it is becoming crystal clear that it would inevitably zero in on an Urhobo man with a political clout. The choice of an Urhobo man for this high office makes good political sense as the Urhobo are not only the largest ethnic group in Delta State but also the fifth largest ethnic group in Nigeria.

With Delta North senatorial district having produced the Governor in the 2015 Governorship election and Delta South bagging the Deputy Governor, it makes for political equity for Delta Central to produce the next PDP state chairman.

One man whose name continues to resonate in the search for a credible and result oriented candidate for this plum job is Olorogun Fred Majemite.

He is a lawyer, consummate grassroots politician, tactician, administrator and a consistent and loyal member of his party, the PDP. Majemite has never defected from his party nor has he been seen to co-habit with those who once defected. This

trait has enabled him to remain seamlessly committed to his superiors, political associates and national leaders of the PDP at the National Assembly and at the PDP national secretariat.

At this critical stage of the political history of Delta State, the PDP needs a vibrant, energetic and dependable political leader as chairman of the party to pilot its affairs to victory in 2019.

Olorogun Fred Majemite possesses the energy, drive, intellect and political sagacity to carry out this onerous assignment.

political and ethnic backgrounds.

It is very clear that these are no ordinary times for PDP in Delta State. For the first time in 16 years, Delta State PDP is finding itself in the opposition as the APC is in control at the national level.

It is therefore necessary to put a strong character at the helm of affairs to navigate the party through the storms. Delta State PDP needs a man who will convert her opposition status into gain and not loss.

Working synergy

Persuasive acumen and charisma

•Majemite:

Majemite has the persuasive acumen and charisma to bring back all aggrieved party members, including those that jumped ship for various reasons.

As a founding member of the PDP, he has been loyal to the party, versed in party traditions and ethos and has effectively paid his dues.

Twice he had indicated his interest to represent the Urhobo at the Senate and twice he had been controversially asked to step down for interest of peace. He had always obeyed and borne it with equanimity in the interest of the party supremacy. Unlike

some political leaders who live remotely from their constituents, Majemite lives with his people, feels their pulse and knows their needs. He is not loquacious and prefers to talk less and act more.

These positive attributes have endeared him to many as he has at various times called to serve as Special Adviser, Commissioner and Political Adviser to the Governor of Delta State. In all these positions he had held, he had remained focused, uncontroversial and has been a bridge builder between the old and young politicians as well as Deltans from diverse

The party needs a detribalized Deltan who is generally available and accepted in all the tribes of Delta State. PDP needs a man today to pilot its affairs, who believes in party discipline, a true democrat and a seasoned administrator who will not enthrone mediocrity but will install accountability, reliability and efficiency.

These are virtues that one would readily find in Fred Majemite. For Majemite too, his robust relationship with the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa is an added advantage as it would inexorably translate to a strong working synergy between the party and the Executive.

The need to elect one of the best hands for the job becomes even more germane as the Delta Central senatorial district now has a Senator that is not from the PDP. It is necessary to note here that diverse complex interest arising from lack of unity within the Urhobo family fold led to the wresting of the Senatorial seat from one of its own, Chief Ighoyota Amori (even after he had won and started work) to another candidate of the labour party.

This awkward situation puts the PDP family in Delta Central and indeed in Delta State under extreme pressure.

If the PDP must bring the Delta Central senatorial district under the firm control of the party, it must reclaim the Delta Central senatorial seat in 2019.

Olorogun Majemite has the exposure, pedigree, experience and political persuasion needed to carry out this all important assignment. The mistakes of 2011 and 2015 must not be repeated by the Urhobos.

Delta PDP is one strong, indivisible family and should not allow stranger elements on its bed or allow political infidels to splash mud on its giant umbrella.

• Prince Obaro Unuafe & Elder Fred Akpewe, wrote from Delta

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016—43

Tiwa Savage husband’s outburst: Beyond the rants, infidelity accusation and many more

By Benjamin Njoku & Tofarati Ige

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AVIN Records first lady and celebrated singer, Tiwa Savage, can no longer pretend that all is well with her three-year old marriage following yesterday’s outburst of her hubby, Tunji Balogun, a.k.a Tee Billz, who opened more cans of worms about their marriage.

Teebillz, former Tiwa’s manager, took to his Instagram page yesterday to upload a couple of acerbic posts, attacking his wife, his mother-in-law, and some of Tiwa’s colleagues.

Different occasions He called his mother in-law a witch, and accused his wife of sleeping around with her label colleagues.

Though Tiwa Savage has not reacted to the allegations leveled against her, there are indications that, she may still be in shock.

According to Teebillz, despite the fact that Tiwa had thrown his clothes out of their house on five different occasions, he has stayed back to make their marriage work because of the love he has for her and for the sake of their son, Jamal.

Still ranting, embittered Teebillz accused his mother-in-law of being behind his woes as she had planted something in their home which ensured that everything he laid his hands on C M Y K

didn’t succeed. He also poured venom on his father whom he said has been married four times, revealing that he spent all his life trying not to be like his father.

Soon, he began posting suicide quotes, asking God to ‘accept his soul in peace.’

Though the post had gone viral

*Tiwa Savage and Tee Billz before it was deleted, Teebillz, however, poured out his heart revealing a tortured soul that wants to get out of the relationship that he claimed Tiwa had betrayed. Later, the estranged husband purportedly opened another Twitter account, claiming that his previous account was hacked, as

he was not behind the earlier posts.

But reacting to his posts, many fans dismissed Teebillz’s claim that his account was hacked. In fact, some of them believed that there has been a deep crack in his marriage, while others said that it was just a publicity stunt by the couple to promote Tiwa’s

forthcoming single.

Recall that their marriage has been having problems since last year when 36 year-old singer Tiwa sacked her husband as her manager. Since then, there had been whispers of things falling apart.

Celebrities react to Tee Billz rants

By Kehinde Ajose

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HE worrisome rants from TeeBillz, his father and other individuals in the early hours of Thursday, have attracted several stakeholders in the Nigerian entertainment circle. Top entertainers, including Banky W, Sauce Kid,

*Tiwa Savage and Don Jazzy

Kate Henshaw, Seyi Law among others, have continued to react following Tee Billz’s outburst on the social media.

First to react on the posts was Banky W who was Tee Billz’s best-man at his wedding three years ago to Tiwa Savage. He disclosed that he has been trying to reach Tee Billz on the phone

but he hasn’t been responding to his calls. “TJ, please call me back right now, please!” Banky W wrote.

Popular comedian, Seyi Law also wrote: “My brother, Tee Billz, I have been calling your line but you are not picking your calls. Please I beg you to call me back if you can, I have sent messages.”

Sauce Kid, who was manage

by TeeBillz 323 Entertainment reacted this way: “It saddens me to see someone I love going through this and keeping my mouth shut. I don’t do this social media thing. I mind my own business. So many things happen behind closed doors, so many secrets will come out to the open, so many disappointments will happen even with the ones you truly love. I must admit it saddens me to see him in such state. This is the only time I will use social media to express myself on this issue. None of these rants come as news to me.

A lot of people will try to put dirt on your name and make you look bad at this tough time, do not break. All I have to say is whatever demons you are fighting my friend, come out on top. Wish you the best” he said Waje simply decided to see the issue from a spiritual point of view. She puts it this way in her Tweet: “I pray that God removes frustration from the men around us, teach them to be bold .Guide their every move .Fill their hearts with joy “Unless you are the holy spirit you can never truly know what goes on between two people in a relationship. Let the love of God have its way,” Kate Henshaw declares in her Tweet.

9ice’s estranged wife, Toni Payne also took to Twitter to express herself on the issue. “It just makes you wonder why we ignore or pretend men don’t have emotions or problems too.We expect them to “Man up” and that’s not okay.”

44 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

POWER CRISIS: We lack gas to generate 7,000MW — Osinbajo Anayo Daniel Nigerians have not seen anything yet. Nigeria government is only waiting for water level to rise so that hydro power plants will be in their full potentials and they will lay claim on that as their latest achievement. Very sad.

Trappe Another needless distraction. The same old story. No idea yet on a way out . We need fuel, electricity, water and controlled inflation.

Hypolite Chijioke Obasi For Nigeria to move forward, square pegs should not be put in round holes.

Bloodbath in Enugu as Fulani herdsmen kill 40 Bitter Truth What is the Enugu and other Igbo governors doing? Can’t they enact laws immediately empowering Igbo communities to establish “armed” vigilante and out-law rearing of cattle?

Where is Ohanaeze and other Igbo leaders? It is time the “leaders” if any, approach the UN and international bodies to demand independence . This is state-sponsored killing. The herdsmen are the Hezbollah of Nigeria. The Fulani herdsmen have police and army protection. The moment the communities begin to handle them, security men will reappear and fight on their side. I will rather die defending myself/family than stand to

watch and die cowardly. Death is death. We are already witnessing the latest ethnic cleansing.

WetinNaija The South-East and SouthSouth youths must come together with the support of wealthy individuals and form multiple militant groups to defend the area. Since we cannot trust the Nigerian police, DSS and the Nigerian army to defend innocent armless people, then we must defend our women and children from the cow brain fools. Enough is enough to the terror of Fulani Herdsmen. If the Igbos cannot defend themselves from Fulani

Marcel Ani Federal Government telling their citizens that they lack Gas to generate power is very embarrassing, and as such they should step down with immediate effect.

Herdsmen, then they should all die. Multiple strong militant groups must be formed to fight and protect the people from these blood sucking Fulani Herdsmen. No more peace talk because the Fulani cannot be trusted. Is it possible for Igbo, Yoruba, Ijaw, Edo or any Southern region group to invade any community in the North?

FelixOti Stop wailing and lamenting.

Elections are over. Defend yourselves. If you want government to step in and stop the killings, retaliate. Form and arm vigilante groups like Bakassi Boys and defend your community.

Collapse 36 states into 6 zones — Ekweremadu the law makers were on the business of amending the CCT law.

Herdsmen, farmers’ clashes, threat to Nigeria’s existence – Reps Agbo Ndubui Paul The only time Nigeria’s existence will be threatened is when the people of Nigeria move to Aso Rock and make their voices heard . That is the only time Nigeria’s existence will be threatened. Did you ever hear that any member of the family of the Senators or Governor ever died from the herdsmen attacks?

Ejikeme Douglas Please it is high time we call it a quit to this one Nigeria before this fire by the Fulani herdsmen consume us all.

Nigeria should let Biafra be.

The Fulani’s should relocate all their Cattles in Igbo land back to their region and graze or do whatever they want to do with cows.

Ed The House of Representatives should publish the names of the 12 states that agreed to grazing and the 9 states that donated land for grazing. That way, we can deal with the devil among C M Y

us.

Fulani’s herdsmen are free to carry AK 47to kill and rape with impunity.

Yinka 2010 Its worrisome what the Fulani Herdsmen are turning into. It is barbaric and inhuman. I do not also like the deafening silence from Aso Rock. It is high time the leaders of government and the ruling party condemn in strongest terms this heinous act. Its important that they do this to stem the tidal wave, the evil these herdsmen are now. I like a united Nigeria. I however like being alive better! Nigeria only matters when one is alive!

Chinweike Anugwolu I hate to say this but this is the end of peace in Nigeria. .

How can a responsible government not react to these killings all over Nigeria. I will never see any reason with this government . I had hoped and prayed for them before because government doing well doing

well means that everybody is doing well. But they have abused our tolerance and hope. Where is the scientific DSS:? And what about Enugu state government that got wind of this attack and did nothing . I do not want to mention Police because these are things they can handle.

They disappear when you need them and appear when they are of no help. I am so disappointed with this country

Thought My dear Senator, we cannot move the hand of the clock back.

That is why you and your fellow law makers have to wake up and enact laws that will transform development of the country. A couple of days ago,

Henry Uzozie Wonderful thought my able Senator. The most important component drivers for growth is competition and is part of the resolution of the last conference based on six regional structure . Let the government implement the resolutions with sincerity than this herdsmen and importation of grass agenda.

Eromo Alufohai Absolutely yes,. The idea of 36 states structure wasn’t too bad. If the states had looked inwards to tenaciously generate revenue, that situation could have been perfect, but the scenario where states line up monthly to collect their allocations cannot take this country any where.

EdoboyinUS Senator Ekweremandu is making a very good point. We don’t need all these states and many of local governments. I believe Nigeria is about the size of Texas, I can’t imagine having thirty six states created out of Texas. We need to find a way to develop our nation while saving costs.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016—45

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016—47

GOtv Boxing Night 7: Boxers talk tough

Simeone praises Atletico after Bayern triumph D

IEGO Simeone felt he watched “close to the best version” of his Atletico Madrid side after they claimed a 1-0 advantage against Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final first leg.

Atletico tore into their Bundesliga opponents from kick-off amid a cacophony of noise at the Vicente Calderon that ramped up a few more notches when Saul Niguez netted a sensational 11th-minute solo goal.

Simeone’s men were at ease showing their famously dogged defensive qualities after the break, although

Antoine Griezmann and Fernando Torres sprung forward on the break for the latter to hit the post 15 minutes from time.

Atletico reached the 2013-14 final, losing to rivals Real Madrid in the season they won La Liga.

A repeat could be on the cards as they lie level on points with leaders Barcelona in Spain’s top flight, while Real are deadlocked at 0-0 with Manchester City after the opening leg of the other Champions League semi-final at the Etihad Stadium.

“That was possibly close to the best version of the team,” Simeone said.''

Neuer: We have to be awake in Munich

B

AYERN Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said the side must show more concentration in the return leg of their Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid.

The defending Bundesliga champions crashed to a 1-0 defeat in the first leg at the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday courtesy of a solo effort from Saul Niguez.

The Spain Under-21 international glided past several Bayern played before curling a perfect

A

shot past Neuer in the first half.

However, Neuer was pleased with Bayern’s response after the break and believes they can still make next month’s final in Milan.

“We believe we can make the final, we will give it our all in front of our own supporters,” the Germany international said.

“We put in a good performance but in the first half we lacked a bit of courage and aggressiveness. In the second we were much better.''

CELEBRATION . . . Atletico Madrid’s midfielder Saul Niguez (R) celebrates with teammates during their UEFA Champions League semifinal first leg match against Bayern Munich at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid.

Photo: AFP

Madrid clash ´career-defining´— Kompany

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ANCHESTER City captain Vincent Kompany told his team their return leg against Real Madrid in the Champions League would define their careers.

Manuel Pellegrini’s men managed to hold the La Liga giants to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of the semi-final at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.

“Any medal, even if it is a world championship medal, is not picked, you plan for it.

“We have failed to plan to win, we want to win and then plan and it is not possible.

“When other nations are planning to win, we are praying.

“God hears our prayers but you have to help yourselves too.

“That is why I said, I am nervous that we may not be able to come back with a medal again and it will be very disheartening and devastating to the C M Y K

country.

“Nigeria as a nation will be very disappointed, the athletes themselves will equally be disappointed because they were hoping that after 2012 plans would have changed.

“New structures of plans would have been put in place to change what was done wrong in 2012 so that we can get a medal but I did not see it.

“I preach it, I talk about it and I gave seminar but here we are, not ready for the Olympics.”

Onyali said she was

“Then again, I still back my team to score over 180 minutes. I would not expect us not to be able to score one goal.”

Despite how much is at stake, Kompany believes all the pressure is on Zinedine Zidane’s side.

The 30-year-old Belgium international said playing away from home in the second leg could suit City.

Leicester

Onyali Continues from BP

Looking to reach their maiden Champions League final, Kompany knows how much is on the line at the Santiago Bernabeu.

“It’s a career-defining game. There’s so much still at stake,” the defender said.

“If you’re going to have a draw at home, which is not a bad thing against Real Madrid, then 0-0 is the best result.

Continues from BP working on a youth talent identification programme that would help the country to address its failures.

She said herself with 10 other exinternationals on various sports had come together to put up this programme to save Nigeria from the dearth of athletes.

Onyali said that she and her group could produce a minimum of 10 gold medals by 2020 Olympics if the project would be properly implemented.

The Rio 2016 Olympics is slated for August 5 to 21

with Everton at the King Power Stadium on Saturday May 7.

And both home and away supporters are cashing in on the demand of Foxes fans to see this historic moment by selling their tickets on resale websites such as Ticketbis.

An assortment of tickets were available on the website on Thursday ranging from £321 for a seat in the away section to £8,594.53 for a premium seat on the halfway line.

The face value of the tickets for the Everton game when officially on sale through the club

was between £30 and £50 for adults.

In addition, a space in one of the executive boxes was being offered for £13,220.22.

Another website Livefootballtickets - was offering seats in the Everton section for between £299.25 and £617.50.

Ticketbis was also acting as a reseller for fans offering up seats in the away end at Old Trafford for a pricey £1,850 each.

Supporters who bought tickets for the title-decider through official channels paid between £46 and £55 for an adult ticket.

HEAD of GOtv Boxing Night 7, holding on 1 May at the National Stadium, Lagos, boxers scheduled to fight have been indulging in boasts and counter-boasts.

National lightweight champion, Nurudeen “Prince” Fatai, who is defending his title against Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph, has vowed that his opponent will not last the distance.

“This fight will be different. Joe Boy is a small boy who is not fit to be a champion. I will knock him out and he will go and stay on the queue,” bragged Fatai.

Responding, Joe Boy, who defeated Fatai via a fifth round knockout at GOtv Boxing Night 4, said he will repeat the trick.

“I beat him before and I will beat him again even if he has acquired four hands in addition to the two he already has.

Hoopers vs Customs: It’s pay back time — Odaudu

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IVERS Hoopers head coach, Ogoh Odaudu is confident his team will triumph over Nigeria Customs today and tomorrow in their DSTV Basketball League meeting in Port Harcourt.

The two -time League champions have won four out of eight games played this season losing Game 2 of each of their last three fixtures(Kwara Falcons, Oluyole Warriors, Delta Force) and bouncing back from the opening day loss to take Game 2 against Nigeria Customs in Lagos.

Balogun Continues from BP Frankfurt’s Carlos Zambrano in the 89th minute of Sunday ’s Bundesliga match.

The 27-year-old has been suspended from all club activities until the three-match ban has been served.

Mainz and Balogun have 24 hours to apply for an appeal hearing.

Match referee Felix Zwayer did not see the infringement but it was caught by the television cameras.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2016

Rio Olympics: Onyali fears repeat of 2012 F

ORMER African Queen of the tracks, Mary Onyali, has raised fears over Nigeria’s medal prospects at the forth-coming Rio Olympics, lamenting that lack of planning was responsible for Nigeria’s sports woes.

•Onyali

Tickets for Leicester vs Everton clash go for N2.6m each

T

•Ranieri

ICKETS for Leicester City ’s potential Premier League title party against Everton next weekend are being offered online for a staggering £8,600 (about N2.6m).

If Leicester win at Manchester United this Sunday, they would be presented with the Premier League trophy following their match

Continues on Page 47

Onyali told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja that Nigeria was praying to win instead of planning for the Games.

She said: “I am gripped with the fear and the anxiety that what happened in 2012 may happen again.

“I am hoping and praying to God, I am not wishing any of my athletes to fail, but I’m hoping and praying that we can win a medal.

“I will join them in hoping and praying that we will get something out of Rio 2016.

“It is going to be a very tough battle because you don’t pick a medal.

Continues on Page 47

NOT AGAIN! Blessing Okagbare at the London 2012 Olympics. Nigeria didn’t win a medal at the games.

Balogun gets 3-match ban M

AINZ and Nigeria defender Leon Balogun has been suspended for three

matches for violent conduct.

The German Football Association disciplinary

committee ruled that Balogun deliberately kneed Eintracht Continues on Page 47

•Balogun

QUICK CROSSWORD

T OD AY'S PUZZLE ODA

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Waterway (5) 5 Method (6) 8 Dry up (5) 10 Selection (6) 11 Greedy (4) 14 Spite (6) 15 Attained (7) 18 Weight (3) 19 Lair (3) 21 Tore (4) 23 Flat (5) 24 Family (4) 27 Obscure (3) 29 Rotter (3) 31 Merciful (7) 32 Reviser (6) 34 Sand-hill (4) 35 Stupidity (6) 38 Fire-raising (5) 39 Disclose (6) 40 Birds (5)

DOWN 2 Tree (3) 3 Each (6) 4 Resin (3) 5 Bogus (4) 6 Seaman (6) 7 Demure (6) 9 Ebbed (7) 12 Tank (3) 13 Eat (4) 16 Wicked (4) 17 Satan (5) 20 Retribution (7) 22 Mid-day (4) 24 Talented (6) 25 Tart (4) 26 Character (6) 28 God-like (6) 30 Fellow (3) 33 Genuine (4) 36 Cur (3) 37 Lettuce (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS CROSS: 1, Desert 5, Obey 8, Augur 9, Lea 10, Disc 11, Till 12, Score 13, Lawned 16, Mere 18, Gasp 20, Arc 22, Sad 23, Elk 24, Alto 25, Item 28, Defend 30, Scrap 32, Glee 33, Boat 34, Ace 35, Adult 36, Gate 37, Recent.

DOWN: 1 Delude 2, Stalwart 3, Redeer 4, Succeeded 5, Outrage 6, Brie 7, Yell 8, Ass 14, Desirable 15, Ask 17, Rat 19, Alienate 20, Ale 21, Concede 26, Mettle 27, Advent 29, Agog 30, Seat 31, Pot.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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