Tuesday, January 5, 2019 Edition

Tuesday, February 5, 2019/ Jumada Ula 29, 1439 AH

Vol. 30 No. 94 N150

1751 Days after

NDLEA busts 35 drug joints, hotspots in Kano pAGE 7

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peoplesdailyng

. . . putting the people first

The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

Army assures of adequate security during elections

Gunmen kill former Prisons DIG in Kogi

pAGE 8

pAGE 3

FG: Opposition in Washington, Brussels, London to discredit polls page 5

Says INEC, Police targeted for attack It's lies from pit of hell - PDP

L-R; Director-General, Debt Management Office, Ms Patience Oniha; Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr Oscar Onyema; Executive Vice Chairman, Famfa Oil Limited, Mrs Folorunsho Alakija; author of a book titled: ‘Riding the Eagle’, Mrs Toyin Sanni; and Acting Director-General, SEC, Ms Mary Uduk, during a book launch , yesterday in Lagos .

Photo: NAN

Appeal Court okays Rivers APC to contest elections

>>>page 15

CCT insists Onnoghen must appear Feb. 13 •As Senate withdraws Supreme Court suit

>>>page 5

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PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

News

CONTENTS Buhari inaugurates ICPC board, harps on anti-corruption News 2-14 Op.Ed

12-13

Politics 15-17 Stock Watch Business Metro

18 19-20 21

World Analysis 22 Africa News

23

World News

24

By Lawrence Olaoye

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday inaugurated the board of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

The President in his remarks took his time to explain what constitutes corruption and corrupt practices especially to those who he said were pretending not to know.

He also charged the anti-graft body to beam its searchlight on those government agencies prone to corruption but have yet to comply with the Treasury Single Account (TSA) by not remitting revenues.

He stressed that the menace of corruption must be dealt with for the country to move forward.

According to him, fight against corruption was pivotal to his administration’s three point agenda.

He said “It is a cardinal programme in the three point agenda that I promised to pursue and will continue to pursue as I seek the mandate of Nigerians for

a second term.

“The fight against corruption is very crucial in our national development. This is why I have often said – if we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.

“We are all witnesses to the damage that unbridled corruption has inflicted on our development aspirations. Apart from deliberate and wanton looting of our national wealth and common patrimony, corruption has eroded our values and ethical foundation as a nation.

“Corruption has negatively affected our political, economic and social life. Those opposed to our fight against corruption berate us for our focus, determination and single mindedness. They pretend that they do not know what corruption is. But Nigerians know what corruption is.

Ordinary people know what corruption is and they support our effort and determination to fight it.

“The abuse of public office for private gain represents corruption in its worst form. The circumvention of public policies

and processes for competitive advantage and profit is another form of corruption.

“The abuse of public office for personal benefit even if no bribery occurs is also corruption. The diversion of State revenue or missapplication of budgeted funds falls into the same category.

“I am particularly delighted that the ICPC law under which you will operate is robust enough to assist government to sanitize the public sector of in service delivery, public procurement, diversion of public revenue, deliberate misuse of public funds, and so on.

“As I have noted in recent times, despite our anti-corruption drive, some agencies of government still divert or refuse to fully account for revenue generated. Rather than obey constitutional provisions and extant rules and regulations, such agencies continue as if nothing has changed.

“We are determined to ensure that every agency of government account for public revenue generated or expended. I am looking forward to ICPC’s support both for enforcement of anti-

corruption laws and submission of policy measures and directives to prevent revenue leakage and diversion.

“In this regard, I urge you to collaborate with other government agencies such as the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation towards mitigating wrong-doing in public expenditure. Furthermore, I look forward to receiving anticorruption recommendations linked to e-Government standards and principles.”

The ICPC Board Chairman, Professor Bolaji Owasanoye, in his acceptance speech said Buhari leadership’s unquestionable, unequivocal and unshakable resolve to deal with corruption was very well known.

While acknowledging Buhari’s political will to fight corruption, Owasanoye pledged that the Commission and it’s board will never disappoint.

Other members of the board are: Dr Grace Chinda, Okolo Titus, Obiora Igwedebia, Mrs Olubukola Balogun, Justice Adams Bello, Hannatu Muhammed, Abdullahi Saidu, and Yahaya Dauda.

Buhari greets veteran journalist, Muhammed, at 70

Gunmen kill former Prisons DCG, orderly in Kogi

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

U

nidentified gunmen have killed a retired Deputy Controller General of Prisons, Dr. Adewale Gboyega Oloyede near Osara town in Kogi state.

The Prisons headquarters in a statement issued yesterday by its PRO, Francis Enobore said the retired DIG was killed alongside his orderly, SIP Dauda Yusuf Michael.

“The retired officer was traveling to Lagos in his private car when they were attacked at about 1500hrs on Friday 1st February, 2019.”

The statement said as a medical doctor by profession, the late officer headed the Directorate of Health and Social Welfare for several years before retiring in 2007.

Until his unfortunate demise, late Dr. Oloyede was a member of the National Stakeholders Committee on Prisons Reform and Decongestion under the chairmanship of the Federal Capital Territory Chief Judge, his lordship, Hon. Justice Ishaq Bello.

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

T

25

Sports 30-31 32

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Looters must face justice, Buhari insists

By Lawrence Olaoye

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has insisted that anyone found guilty of looting the nation's treasury would be made to face justice regardless of his status in the society.

According to a statement made available to news men yesterday by his spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, the President reiterated the determination of his

administration to rid the country of injustice and corruption while speaking at an audience with South-West Imams and Islamic scholars last Sunday at the State House, Abuja.

“Any person who cheated or looted the nation will be brought to justice, irrespective of status of the person in society,” he said.

The President urged religious leaders in the country to spread the message among their

followers of the government’s total determination to promote social justice across the entire society.

He said the nation’s diverse religions and cultures teach justice by all and for all, adding the “unless there is justice for everyone, the country cannot progress.”

The leader of the delegation, Sheik Abdulrasheed Hadiyatullah described politics as the proper administration of public affairs and rebuilding what was destroyed.

He commended the President for doing just that, and assured him of support in reforming the country.

“We have never seen a purposeful government as this one. We have great respect for you. We will continue to support your war against corruption and the programmes aimed at making life better for the generality of Nigerians,” Sheik Hadiyatullah declared.

President Muhammadu Buhari (middle), APC, National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (3rd right), Leader of the Delegation, Gen. Buba Marwa (3rd left), SGF, Boss Mustapha (2nd right) and Minister of Interior,Lt-Gen Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau during the visit of retired Military officers and Former Military Governors and Administrators to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: State House

Feature 26

Back Page

News

Police decorate new DIGs Let's give our best to the country, Buhari

Page 4

Digest

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PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Adamu Mohammed (left), with Former inspector General of Police, Mr. Musiliu Smith (right), decorating the DIG Ali, during the decoration of newly promoted senior officers, at the Force Headquarters, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

Cancer killed 41,000 people in Nigeria in 2018 - WHO

T

he World Health Organisation (WHO) announced on Monday that 41,000 people lost their lives to cancer out of 166, 000 cases recorded in Nigeria last year.

Clement Peter, the WHO Nigeria Health Emergency Team Lead made the announcement while addressing reporters as part of activities to commemorate the World Cancer Day at the WHO Headquarters in Abuja.

Mr Peter said that Nigeria might continue to experience a rise in the scourge if stringent measures were not taken by individuals, communities and the Federal Government towards addressing the key

drivers of the disease.

He listed some of the key drivers as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diets.

The WHO chief said that the disease could be prevented and the burden reduced, if individuals, families and communities were willing and ready to make the necessary changes to their ways of life.

Mr Peter urged individuals, families and communities to therefore, engage in and adopt healthy lifestyle habits such as eating proper and healthy diets, engaging in appropriate exercises and ensuring routine medical check at all times.

He also urged the populace to ensure proper vaccination against cancer.

“In 2018, we recorded an estimated 166,000 cases of cancer burden in Nigeria and 41,000 deaths.

“The most prevalent types of cancer in the country are breast cancer, cervical cancer and prostate cancer.

“This disease is preventable if we as individuals, families and communities make the conscious decision to make healthy lifestyle choices.

“The driving forces of cancer are tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy eating habit and a lack of exercise.

“Alcohol consumption should be reduced. Most of us are busy therefore, we tend to eat fast foods, gain weight and fail to exercise, thereby increasing our chances of developing the disease.

“If we are able to address these issues in our own individual way, the burden of cancer is going to be reduced because the cost of diagnosis and treatment is expensive.”

He quoted the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, in her message to commemorate the World Cancer Day as saying: “A Future without Cancer is within our Individual and Collective Grasp”.(NAN)

he newly promoted Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIGs) were yesterday in a colourful ceremony at the Force Headquarters, Abuja formally decorated with their new ranks.

The police in a statement issued yesterday by Force PRO Frank Mba said the DIGs, Seven (7) in all, were immediately inducted into the Force Management Team (FMT) during the maiden meeting of the FMT held at the office of Inspector General of Police.

It said the new DIGs have been posted to their new departments and directorates as follows; DIG Usman Tilli Abubakar, - Department of Finance and Administration; DIG Abdulmajid Ali – Department of Operations; DIG Frederick Taiwo Lakanu – Department of Logistics and Supply.

Others are; DIG Anthony Ogbizi Michael – Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (Force CIID); DIG Yakubu Jubrin – Department of Training and Development; DIG Aminchi S. Baraya – Department of Research and Planning; DIG Godwin C. Nwobodo – Department of Information and Communication Technology.

charges rtd army officers

By Lawrence Olaoye

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has charged retired military officers to give their best to the development of the country.

Buhari gave the charge while receiving retired army generals, admirals, marshals and former military governors/ administrators led by Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), in a courtesy call at State House, yesterday.

The President, according to a statement made available to newsmen by Femi Adesina, his spokesman, said "God has made this country great. We have human and material resources, and may God continue to give us the right leaders. My objective is very clear, and I will continue to do my best."

Recalling what he said in his days as military head of state that; "We have no other country but Nigeria. We will stay here and salvage it together," Buhari noted that even if one was blessed enough to send children for training abroad, "after such

training, they will still have to come back here. We must, therefore, give our best for our country. The patriotism imbued in us by the military will ever remain relevant. Let's do our best for this country."

Describing Nigeria as "a fabulous country," the President said if it were not so, "the country could not have survived the damage done to it materially and morally in the past," glorifying God that after 30 months civil war, with over two million lives lost, "we are still one country."

He prayed that Nigeria would not lack people who can exploit its human and material resources, adding: "The higher you go in Nigeria, the hotter it becomes, and not the other way round. But I can't complain.

I tried so hard to be here three times, ending up at the Supreme Court. So, I can't complain over anything I am going through now."

He described the military as an institution that gives amazing opportunities to know the country, its different peoples and

cultures, "and I am very grateful that you have claimed me back as one of your own. I was governor of North-east, which is now six states, Minister of Petroleum for over three years, head of state; I was arrested and detained, but did not lose my rank, because nothing was found against me."

Leader of the delegation, Marwa, who was military governor in Borno, and later military administrator of Lagos State, said the retired top officers thought it right to visit the President, "to say that you have represented your constituency very well. You announced a simple three-point agenda upon assumption of office namely security; fighting corruption, and the economy. You have kept your words as an officer and a gentleman."

Marwa added: "We the retired armed forces officers, representing 99.9% of our colleagues say that we are proud of you; proud to be associated with your administration; and proud to witness this era of Nigeria rising

again under your able leadership.

We support you fully and totally in the presidential elections next week and will do whatever we can within the law to contribute to your emergence as the victor in the election in order to take Nigeria to the next level."

The most senior of the retired officers, Vice Admiral Jubrila Ayinla, a former Chief of Naval Staff, who said future generations would acquit President Buhari "most creditably," added: "On behalf of the Generals here today, I congratulate you on the tremendous work done by this administration, and wish to state unequivocally that we are proud of you and fully behind you in the presidential elections next week.

We pledge our full support and continued loyalty."

The delegation was made of one Vice Admiral, two LtGenerals, 15 Major Generals, two Rear Admirals, eight Air Vice-Marshals, 12 BrigadierGenerals, three Commodores, nine Air Commodores, and 17 former military governors/ administrators, among others.

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PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

News Plane crash: Gov. Ortom thanks God for sparing Osinbajo’s life From Uche Makurdi

Nnorom,

B

enue State Governor, Samuel Ortom yesterday joined other Nigerians in thanking God for sparing the life of Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo when the chopper carrying him and others crash-landed at the weekend in Kabba, Kogi State.

Governor Ortom said only God deserves praise for ensuring that the Vice President and those travelling with him came out of the aircraft unhurt.

He prayed God to continue to have mercy on Nigeria, especially as the country goes into the general election this month.

Appeal Court to Police: Obey court orders on Peace Corps

By Vivian Okejeme Abuja

T

he Court of Appeal, Abuja, yesterday, said that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), should respect court orders mandating Police to unseal the corporate head of office of the Peace Corps of Nigeria in Abuja, sealed up about two years.

The siege laid in Peace Corps office since February 28, 2017, by the Police has continued unabated, defiling the order of two courts of the lower court.

While Justice John Tsoho declined to give further audience to Police in respect of Peace Corps until his order is obeyed, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, in his judgment imposed a fine of N12.5 million on Police for acting in bad faith in respect of matters of the Peace Corps of Nigeria.

The three-man panel of the appellate court led by Justice Stephen Adah, said that it is in the best interest of Nigerians that Police, as a law enforcement agency us obeying lawful orders of court.

When the matter was called up, counsel to the Peace Corps of Nigeria Dr. Joshua Musa, complaint to the court that Police have not obeyed two others of the federal high court that the headquaters of the Corps be unsealed since 2017.

He posited that the action of Police on the Peace Corps was worrisome because the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice had written Police twice directing them to comply with the high court orders and vacate the Peace Corps office for the owners to occupy.

The appellant, therefore, appealed to the Appeal Court to issue an order to compel Police to obey the orders of the high court and unseal the Peace Corps office before giving Police audience.

Delivering the ruling, the appeal court said that it is in the interest of peace and to avoid anarchy that Police should obey court orders.

However, the appeal by Police could not be headed because of multiple motions filed

by Police and the Peace Corps over the issue.

In one of the motions, the Police is praying the Court of Appeal to stay the execution of judgment of Justice Gabriel Kolawole which declared the siege on Peace Corps as illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional and imposed a fine of N12.5million for an alleged unlawful act.

In another motion, the Peace Corps is urging the appellate court not to grant audience to Police until they have complied with the earlier order, directing them to unseal the office.

Justice Adah who said that the Appeal Court does not stay execution of judgments adjourned the appeal by the Police till May 28 for hearing.

The federal high court had, in two different judgements delivered by Justices Gabriel Kolawole and John Tsoho had, in 2018, ordered Police to vacate the corporate office of the Peace Corps of Nigeria on the grounds that the sealing up of the office was unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional.

President Muhammadu Buhari Congratulating the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Prof Bolaji Owasanoy, after his swearing-in and other members, at State House, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: State House

Kebbi: NGO purchases 500 JAMB forms for less privilege students From Ahmed Idris Kebbi

T

Birnin

he Chairman Sardauna Gwandu Education Foundation, Alhaji Yusuf Haruna Rushid has purchased 500 JAMB forms worth over 1million naira for students of the less privilege across the State.

Addressing newsmen yesterday at the Junju Government Day Secondary Birnin Kebbi, he said that the gesture is to complement the parents and government effort in promoting child education.

Rashid who is the Special Assistant political to the Kebbi State Governor said that last year he gave 5,000 naira each to the graduate of the secondary school who wants to be engaged in petty trade.

The Foundation which aims to assist the less privileges has trained youth and girl on different skills, urged them to utilize the money judiciously.

Rashid called on the all stakeholders in the State to complement government effort and promote the education system in the state.

Responding, one of the female students, Aisha Ibrahim thanked the Foundation for assisting her parents, assuring him of using the money for the purpose it was met for.

Buhari greets veteran journalist, Muhammed, at 70

By Lawrence Olaoye

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has sent warm greetings to former editor, and later member, Board of Directors and Executive Director (Administration) of the Daily Times of Nigeria, Farouk Umar Muhammed who turned 70, yesterday.

According to a statement made available to news men by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, the President joined the media industry and communication strategists in celebrating the former spokesman of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, his family and friends, while commending his dedication to a profession

that has consistently shaped the history of Nigeria, even before independence.

The President congratulated Muhammed’s doggedness as a journalist, penchant for strong and insightful analyses as an editor and consultant for many years, and willingness to serve his state, Kano, as an adviser on many committees, before moving

to the national and international levels.

Buhari believed Muhammed has left his footprints indelibly on the sands of time, and commends his diligence and forthrightness to younger generation of media professionals.

The president prayed for longer life, good health and more wisdom for the veteran.

Igbo town unions endorse Atiku for president

T

he Association of SouthEast Town Unions (ASETU) has endorsed the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Peter Obi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 presidential poll.

The endorsement was contained in a communiqué issued on Sunday in Enugu at the end of an extraordinary expanded meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC).

The meeting held at ASETU secretariat in Enugu on January 27 produced a three-page document signed by eight NEC

executives of the association.

The group agreed that in line with the association’s natural disposition for self-survival, it would continue to support those who mean well for the South-east and Nigeria at large.

“That the wide acceptance of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi combination, a detribalised team, committed to the unity, peace and progress of the country by the people of South-East at home and abroad for the Feb ruary16 election is hereby endorsed by the town unions.

“This is in alignment with the earlier position of Ohaneze Ndigbo and in completeness of the Igbo man’s grassroots oriented and egalitarian nature.

“That our position is predicated on our conviction by the consistent promise of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to `restructure’ the country for the good of all Nigerians “We are further motivated by the meritorious choice of an illustrious and credible Igbo son, Mr Peter Obi as the Vice Presidential Candidate, a position that has been denied the Igbo

Nation for over 40 years.

“That as custodians of the grassroots, the town unions shall rise up in defence of the wishes of the majority of our people and stoutly resist any attempt by a few discredited individuals and political merchants who are attempting to trade off the SouthEast for their personal pecuniary interests,” it disclosed.

It urged Igbo to take their destinies in their hands by trooping out to vote for the Atiku/ Obi ticket in all their places of residence across the country.

(NAN)

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PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

News

Opposition in Washington, Brussels, London to discredit polls -FG

By Ese Awhotu and Lateef Ibrahim

W

ith just 11 days to the 2019 election, the Federal Government has raised an alarm that the opposition parties are plotting to discredit the elections.

Government said it has fresh intelligence on the evil machinations of the opposition and everything it is doing, including instigating’widespread violence as well as relentless attacks on key institutions,’to discredit the forthcoming election.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed who raised the alarm at a press conference yesterday in Abuja, said government identified the two institutions marked for attack by the opposition as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Police.

He accused the opposition elements of working hard to discredit the forthcoming election before, during and after the polls.

The Minister said that the opposition parties are, specifically,.sending a delegation to some Western capitals, including London, Brussels and Washington, DC, to push the concocted line that the Buhari Administration has perfected the plan to rig the polls.

He alleged they (the opposition) are pushing for a rejection of the results if the President wins re-election.

“To further their plan, the opposition is dispatching a 10-member delegation to some Western capitals, including London, Brussels and Washington, DC, to sell the idea

• Says INEC, Police targeted for attack • It’s lies from pit of hell- PDP that the Buhari Administration has perfected the plan to rig the election. They have no empirical basis for the idea they are pushing, beyond relying on exploiting the nation’s ‘fault lines’ of religion, ethnicity and regionalism.

“They know they will lose the election, but they want victory by subterfuge,” he said.

The minister said , “ the opposition is approaching the election with an incredible level of desperation. In this regard, they have activated their own version of the infamous Association for Better Nigeria (ABN), under the guise of CUPP, to engage in unrestrained rabble-rousing and frivolous court cases. Of course, the activities of CUPP in recent times are there for all to see, even though the coalition seems to be a very poor imitation of the original ABN.” He said the opposition was not campaigning to win the election – because they know they can’t win a free, fair and peaceful election - but are busy planning how to scuttle or discredit it Recall that on Monday, January 21st 2019, the Federal Government alerted the nation, also via a press conference, to the plot by some opposition elements to scuttle the 2019 general elections by instigating widespread violence across the country.

Lai Muhammed said, “we didn’t just make this up. It was based on credible intelligence.We revealed that the plan to scuttle the polls is part of moves to push the nation into a constitutional

crisis, with the plotters hoping they can leverage on that to push for an interim government.

When we raised the alarm, the opposition dismissed it. Of course they were shocked to have been found out, so we understand their panic reaction. “ To underscore the seriousness of our alert, a week after our press conference, the National Security Adviser (NSA) met with state governors to also inform them of this same plan to scuttle the polls via widespread violence. As I said at my last press conference, the alarm we raised is

based on credible intelligence. “ Today, still based on credible intelligence, we can reveal that the opposition is moving a step further. They are working hard to discredit the forthcoming election before, during and after the polls.”

However, he said the Buhari administration is committed to free, fair, credible and peaceful polls.

“We are glad that local and international observers are already fully mobilised to monitor the election,” he added.

He called on all Nigerians to be vigilant as we begin the final

countdown to the election.

In a swift reaction to the government claims, the leading opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, dismissed the allegations, describing them as lies from pit of hell.

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan said that the Minister of Information was fond of accusing the opposition of planning to do what the ruling All Progressives Party, APC, is planning to do. He urged Nigerians not to believe anything the Minister says any more.

R-L: Minister of Information, Alh. Lai Mohammed, Special Assistant to the President Media , Segun Adeyemi and Mr. William Adeleye, during the minister’s media briefing on acrtivitues of opposition party, yesterday in Abuja. Photo; Justin Imo-owo

CCT insists Onnoghen must appear Feb. 13

By Vivian Okejeme, Ikechukwu Okaforadi and Musa Adamu

T

he Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has adjourned trial of Justice.Walter Onnoghen over non assets declaration to 13th February.

The adjournment is informed, to enable the National judicial Council (NJC) to take a decision on the petition forwarded to the defendant.

The Chairman of the Tribunal, Danladi Umar, also, ordered that Onnoghen must appear before the tribunal, insisting that he must take his plea before the defense raise any objection on its competence.

This is just as the Senate has ordered the discontinuation of the case it filed at the Supreme Court on the unilateral suspension of Justice Onnoghen by President Muhammadu Buhari, without its approval.

At the resumption of Onnoghen’s trial, the prosecution counsel, Aliyu Umar SAN, informed the court that the matter was adjourned to today

•As Senate withdraws Supreme Court suit for arraignment and hearing of two motions, on preliminary objection to jurisdiction of the tribunal and one filed by the prosecution asking for an order for the CJN to step aside.

Responding, counsel to the defense, Awomolo Adegboyega SAN, drew the attention of the tribunal to the petitions handed to the defendant for responds.

According to Adegboyega SAN, the petition the Attorney General of Federation (AGF) Abubaka Malami, forwarded to the NJC, has also been forwarded to Onnoghen.

He submitted that the body, has sent the same petitions to the defendant to reply it within 7 days, which will lapse on Wednesday 6th Feb. He added that the body will consider the reply of the defendant to the petition upon its reconvention on 11th Feb. He, prayed the tribunal to

adjourn pending the decision of the NJC. ‘’We apply that the matter will be adjourned for NJC to take a decision before further proceedings on the matter, so that the defendant will not suffer double jeopardy. ‘’The integrity of the CCT will be enhanced if this application is granted,’’ he posited.

Reacting, the prosecution says it is not opposing the application for adjournment, not because the NJC is now involved.

He added that the matter of petition raise by the defence counsel is unnecessary and adjournment should be subject to the convenient of the court.

He drew the attention of the court to the defendant’s continuous absence in court, stating that, he would be force to exercise his powers, to apply for a bench warrant. ‘’In view to the fact that justice

has to be done, I agree with the defence for adjournment,’’ he said.

At this point, Chairman of the Tribunal, Mr. Umar, insisted on proceeding with the trial by allowing the parties to argue the preliminary objection the suspended CJN filed to challenge jurisdiction of the tribunal to try him.

Umar further accused Onnoghen’s lawyer of deliberately employing delay tactics in a bid to frustrate the trial.

He held that the court must hear the motions, irrespective of the fact that the prosecution counsel did not object.

The prosecution counsel prayed the tribunal for a 30 minutes standdown to douse the tension and enable the parties deliberate.

Meanwhile, the panel reconvened and adjourned the case till next week Wednesday, 13th February, 2019. ‘’I proceed to adjourn the matter

at the instance of the parties. ‘’The presence of the defendant is needed at the tribunal. ‘’Plea must be taken before the defence make any objection on the competence and jurisdiction of the court’’ he held.

In a related development, the Senate in a statement signed by Yusuph Olaniyonu, Special Adviser to the Senate President on Media and Publicity, said it has withdrawn its suit from the Supreme Court following the intervention of the National Judicial Council (NJC) on the issue.

The statement said the Senate has decided to give the NJC intervention a chance.

“The Senate has therefore decided to discontinue the case it filed at the Supreme Court. It should be noted that the case has been slated for hearing tomorrow. This decision also affirm the confidence of the Senate in the ability of the NJC to successfully and creditably resolve the issues”, the statement said.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

PAGE 6

News

Oil prices slide after hitting 2019 highs on tighter supply outlook

O

il hit a two-month high near $64 a barrel as OPEC-led supply cuts and U.S. sanctions against Venezuela’s oil exports brightened the supply outlook, but prices fell back on uncertainty about prospects for the global economy.

OPEC and its allies began a new round of supply cuts in January. These curbs, led

by Saudi Arabia, have been compounded by involuntary losses that the Venezuelan sanctions could deepen.

“Oil prices have lacked direction in today’s trading session because of mixed market cues,” said Abhishek Kumar, senior energy analyst at Interfax Energy in London.

“Insufficient progress made in the USChina trade talks is weighing on prices, although losses are limited by implementation

of the OPEC+ deal and concerns surrounding Venezuela’s oil supplies.”

Brent crude oil, the global benchmark, hit $63.63 a barrel, the highest since Dec. 7, before turning negative. Brent slipped 73 cents, or 1.2 percent, to $62.02 around 9:40 a.m. ET (1440 GMT).

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures hit a 2019 high of $55.75, its best intraday price since Nov. 21. WTI was last down $1.11, or 2 percent, at $54.15.

“You have the sanctions on Venezuela, on top of the reduced supply from Saudi Arabia,” said Olivier Jakob, oil analyst at Petromatrix.

“There’s no sign of overhang in the crude oil markets.” OPEC supply fell in January by the largest amount in two years, a Reuters

survey last week found. That offset limited compliance with the output-cutting deal so far by non-OPEC Russia.

The U.S. sanctions on Venezuela will limit oil transactions between Venezuela and other countries and are similar to those imposed on Iran last year, some analysts said after examining details announced by the government.

Underlining the lack of excess supply, Jakob cited a rapidly clearing West African crude market and the structure of Brent crude futures, in which the first-month contract is trading near the price of the second month.

While OPEC and its allies are cutting output, the United States is expanding supply. Nonetheless, figures on Friday showed a drop in the number of U.S. oil

rigs to their lowest in eight months, lending prices some support.

“This points to a less pronounced rise in U.S. oil production,” said Carsten Fritsch, analyst at Commerzbank. “The oil market is more or less balanced,” he added, citing the drop in OPEC output to a level close to forecast demand for the group’s crude.

The main drag on prices has been concern about a possible slowdown in demand this year due to a weaker outlook for economic growth and developments such as the U.S.China trade dispute.

U.S. President Donald Trump last week said he would meet his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in the coming weeks to try to settle the dispute, and there are hopes that the two sides will come to an agreement.(By CNBC)

Army begins 2019 “Lieutenant to Captain” promotion exam From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

T

he Nigerian Army has commenced the 2019” Lieutenant to Captain” promotion examination for qualified officers drawn from various army units across the country.

Two hundred and fifty six candidates from different courses to participate in the exercise, the army has said.

Major General Ademo Salihu, the Promotion Examination President while addressing both Directing Officers and candidates during the opening ceremony of the exercise held at 3 Division, Nigerian Army, Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, gave the essence for the exercise.

He said, ”The objective of the exercise is to prepare candidates for selection to attend the junior staff course, ascertain candidates’ level of improvement, knowledge and standard in the military profession and assist Nigerian Army in their career planning. “ He warned the Directing Officers who would conduct the exercise, against being sentiment in their assessment and judgement, urging them to strictly

observer the rules of the game.

Mr Salihu said if any candidate was cut indulging in examination malpractice or disobeying the rules and regulations of the exercise, they would be disqualified and returned to their unites. “ While conducting the exercise, I call on the directing officers to put sentiment aside

and do what is right. I urge you not to compromise in the process.

Anyone cuts compromising, will be barred from participating in conducting promotion examination and will be delt accordingly,” Mr Salihu said.

Salihu also warned candidates to conduct themselves accordingly.

“ You are to avoid act capable of tarnishing your image or terminating your carrier prematurely. If you are found in examination malpractice, you will be disqualified, “ he said.

In his speech at the opening ceremony, the Commanding Officer 3 Division, Major General Nuhu Angbazo, asked the

examination team to be fair to everyone to ensure success of the exercise.

The candidates are expected to write exams in tactics and law intensity conflict, driving and maintenance, administration in the field, French map reading, communication and skill at arms proliferation test.

Members of Joint Health Sector Unions, during the Johesu National Protest Rally against discrimination in the Health Sector at the Federal Secretariat, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Mahmud Isa

200 stakeholders to attend APSON retreat in Edo By Osaigbovo Benin

Iguobaro,

N

o fewer than 200 Stakeholders in the education sector are billed to attend the first inaugural national executive Council (NEC) meeting and retreat of the association of private school

owners (APSON) in Benin City, Edo State Capital.

A statement by the national President of the association, Bishop Godly Opukeme, said Prof. Dosu Malomo, the acting Dean of students, federal University, Oye-Ekiti in Ekiti State, will deliver a lecture on Wednesday.

The theme of the lecture is: “Sustaining the vision and mission of private School education in contemporary Nigeria”, according to the statement which was made available to newsmen in Benin.

Edo and Delta States are to co-host the 3-Day programme which would feature induction

of officers and attract parents, delegates from the business, academia, and politics including the Civil society organizations (CSO) and the Media.

Opukeme revealed that “those to attend the programme is not limited to Board of trustee members, national executive Council members, State

Chairmen and Secretaries as well as elders forum.

Others are Edo State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Emmanuel Agbale and members of national and State houses of Assembly.

A communiqué is expected at the end of the retreat which begins on Tuesday.

IPAC chair commends Kaduna Peace Commission over stakeholders training From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

T

he Chairman of the Inter Party Advisory Council IPAC. Kaduna State Chapter Alh. Ibrahim A Suleiman has commended Kaduna Peace Commission for taking the bold step to identify with the stakeholders as critical

stakeholders in determining a peaceful and successful forthcoming general elections.

He stated this while reacting to the Commission’s success in organising a high level dialogue on peaceful elections hosted by the United Nations Development Programme and the National Peace Committee.

Alh. Ibrahim A Suleiman also said the Training of media practitioners in partnership with center for Humanitarian Dialogue and Nigeria Union of Journalists is Laudable because the media play a critical role in electioneering.

Suleiman added that training of youth on peaceful election is a

welcome development because they are the instruments use by politicians to cause chaos in the country.

He explained that some persons might want to argue that the peaceful outcome of elections depend on how politicians play their roles , yes this is true . However , in a

situation where stakeholders are saddled with the responsibility of shaping how citizen interpret and observe political information ,such as election coverage and other political events , the efforts of the Commission cannot be underestimated in shaping the society for the better.

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

CRIME News

NDLEA busts 35 drug joints, hotspots in Kano

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he National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has dislodged 35 drug joints and hotspots in Kano

State.

The state Commander of the agency, Ibrahim Abdul, said this on Monday while briefing newsmen on the activities of the command in the last one month.

According to him, the success is recorded due to the efforts of its officers during their special operations to keep the state free from drug use as the 2019 general elections approach.

“During the period under review, 35 joints and hotspots were dislodged at the following areas: Plaza, Sanya Olu, Kabuga, Rimin Kebe and Danzaki village.

“Others are Sauna, Wurare, Aisami, Sabon Titi, Dorayi, Hauren Gadagi, Kwanar Dan-

marke Motor park, Chalawa, Madobi, Ring Road, Farawa village, Mariri Motor park and Kofar Ruwa, among others,” he said.

Mr Abdul sais the operation would be sustained to ensure that those drug users did not continue to patronise the joints and the hotspots.

“However, during the raid operation, a 42-year-old suspect named Okechukwu Echefu was arrested with nine cartons of fake Coartem tablets, seven cartons of fake Augmenting tablets.

“Other exhibits found with the suspect included two cartons of Laclox tablets and two cartons containing brand package and label of the fake drugs.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the drugs were imported and also investigation is ongoing which at the end the suspect will be

transferred to relevant authority,” he said.

According to him, the command had arrested 176 suspects, out of which eight are female, during the period in review.

He added that a grand total of 736,165 kilograms of exhibits were intercepted by operatives of the command.

Mr Abdul explained that among the drugs intercepted, an exhibit similar to Cannabis called ‘Khat’, imported from South Africa was intercepted.

The commander added that 136 drug users were referred for brief intervention ‘counseling’, while five regular clients were counselled and rehabilitated.

“We were also able to secure the conviction of three suspects, and presently 81 cases are pending. From the statistics and considering the previous record, the supply chain has

reduced significantly.

“This I believe was recorded as a result of the new approaches we adopted in combating the menace which has yielded a positive result,” Abdul said.

He commended the Kano Emirate Council and the state government for their relentless efforts towards reducing drug abuse and trafficking in the state.

He called on religious, traditional rulers and community leaders to redouble their efforts in supporting the command in carrying out its responsibilities.

“I also wish to call on property owners to desist from allowing their premises to be used for hoarding drugs or any form of such dealing, as the law has made a provision that will earn such an individual or corporate body a jail term conviction,’’ he warned. (NAN)

2 dead, several injured at APC campaign rally in Oyo

N

o fewer than two people died in a bloody clash between suspected political hoodlums at an All Progressives’ Congress (APC) campaign rally in Igboora area of Oyo State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident occurred immediately after the rally held at the old motor park in Igboora on Saturday evening.

NAN reports that the campaign train, led by Governor Abiola Ajimobi, had commenced with a road show from Lanlate through Igboora, Idere, Ayete, Tapa and Igangan before the rallies at Igboora, Eruwa and Omi-Adio.

It was a peaceful rally which saw the governor and the party’s governorship candidate, Adebayo Adelabu, acknowledging cheers from supporters who had thronged the streets to show solidarity for the party.

Trouble, however, started immediately after the rally in Igboora as suspected political hoodlums engaged in a bloody clash which left one dead.

NAN reports that another innocent resident, identified to be a younger brother to an APC leader in the community, was hit by a stray bullet and eventually died.

Eyewitnesses told NAN that some suspected hoodlums had accosted the APC governorship candidate to demand money but were blocked by another group of hoodlums.

This, witnesses said, resulted in heated arguments which later led to the free for all.

The incident had since resulted in counter allegations and reactions from political parties and residents.

Some opposition party members, who spoke to NAN, described the incident as very pathetic, saying the APC should investigate themselves on the mayhem.

They said that several other opposition parties in the state had visited the community to campaign without violence or bloodshed.

Also, some residents of the community frowned at the

sorrowful incident, describing it as a return of thuggery and

brigandage to the state.

The spokesman for Oyo State

Police Command, Adekunle Ajisebutu, did not respond to NAN

calls and text messages at the time of filing this report. (NAN) L-R: Wife of Kebbi State Governor, Hajiya Zainab Bagudu; Chairman, Central Working Committee, APC Women and Youths Presidential Campaign Team, Gen Buba Marwa; wife the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari; wife of Nasarawa State Governor, Hajiya Mairo Almakura and APC Women Leader, Hajiya Salamatu Baiwa during a meeting of the Wife of the President with the APC Women and Youths Presidential Campaign Team at the Presidential Villa on Sunday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

Property seizure: Court strikes out Evans’ N1bn suit against police, others

A

Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday struck out a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by alleged kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwamadike (a.k.a Evans), against the police over the seizure of his property.

Mojisola Olatoregun, the justice, held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the case.

She said that the suit ought to have been filed before a Lagos State High Court where the applicant was facing charges of kidnapping.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Evans, through his counsel, Olukoya Ogungbeje, filed the suit in June 2018 and joined as respondents, the Inspector-General of Police

(I-G), the Nigeria Police and I-G’s Intelligence Response Team.

The applicant prayed the court to declare that alleged forceful seizure of his property by the respondents without any court order, was illegal and unconstitutional.

He listed some of the property as N500 million, another N500 million, two residential houses located at Magodo, Lagos State, a Brigade wristwatch worth 20,000 dollars, necklaces worth 25,000 dollars and five pieces of diamond rings.

Also listed are one Lexus 470, a Grand Cherokee, a Toyota Highlander, 85 Samsung television sets, 45KVA generator, 22KVA generator, 20KVA inverter worth N10 million and five sets of freezers.

The applicant had sought an order compelling the respondents to unconditionally release the properties.

Evans had also asked the court for an order compelling the respondents to unconditionally unseal and vacate without delay, the two residential houses located at Magodo.

The judge noted that the respondents did not file any defence, in spite of being served hearing notices.

She held that when confronted with a claim under the fundamental rights enforcement procedure, it would be important for the court to critically look at the reliefs sought.

According to her, the main issue to be decided is whether the plaintiff’s claim constitutes

a violation of his rights under the Fundamental Human Rights (Enforcement Procedure), adding that the right to own property cannot be denied except for the due process of the law.

She held that the applicant failed to show that, within the circumstances of his arrest, the property were forcefully seized.

NAN reports that other prayers sought by Evans include an order compelling the respondents to apologise to him and pay him N1 billion as damages for the alleged forceful seizure of his properties.

He had also sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from taking any action against him or any of his property in relation to this case.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

PAGE 8

News

Army assures of adequate security during elections From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

E

leven days to the presidential election, the Nigerian Army has said that, it is ready to provide a conducive security atmosphere for the conduct of the 2019 general elections.

It however ,said that it has warned its officers and men to remain apolitical throughout the elections period.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division Nigerian Army, Major-General Mohammed Mohammed disclosed this at the weekend while serving as the Guest of Honour in Kontagora

during the Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery (NACA), Nigerian Army Training Centre (NATRAC) and 311 Artillery Regiment combined West African Social Activities (WASA).

General Muhammad said, “Bearing in mind that we have less than 14 days to the presidential election our mandate ad the Nigerian Army is to ensure peaceful conduct of the elections wherever our troops are.

“We are going to be providing support role to the civil security agencies, to ensure that they discharge their responsibility in an environment that is conducive for every Nigerian to come out

and perform his or her civic responsibility,” he said.

He reminded the troops of the Chief of Army Staff’s directive that all Nigerian Army personnel must remain apolitical during the polls, warning that, army personnel found wanting will be appropriately sanctioned.

Speaking on WASA, the GOC said, “All works and no play makes Jack a dull boy, goes the popular saying. However, it is not only Jack that can become dull by working without playing, even our personnel will become dull if only subjected to ‘work work work’ without necessary recreation to relax their minds and

bodies. This is the whole essence of this gathering.

“It is pleasing that despite the huge involvement of the two formations and unit spanning from training to operations, to enhancing peace and security in Kontagora and its environs in particular and Nigeria in general, the year 2018 edition of WASA could still be held,” he said.

General Mohammed while commending the officers and soldiers’ wives for keeping the home front while their husbands fight in defence of Nigeria, also prayed for the officers and soldiers who died in the battle against

ACF commends FG over oil, gas operations in Gongola Basin

L-R: Senior Technical Officer WHO, Prof. Olalayinla Adebola; Officer in Charge of the Organisation in Nigeria, Dr Clement Lugala and Technical Officer Mobilization, WHO, Mr George Ndahendekire, during a news conference to commemorate World Cancer Day, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

A

rewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has commended the federal government on the success so far recorded in oil and gas drilling operations in the Spud-In of Kolmani River-11 well in the Gongola Basin in Bauchi State, flagged-off by President Muhammad Buhari The National Publicity Secretary of the Forum, Muhammad Ibrahim Biu, disclosed this in a statement made available to the media in Kaduna yesterday.

The statement added that the project flagged-off by President Muhammad Buhari last week is a welcome development in the sense that it will open new prospects for the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.

ACF also stressed that the political will mustered by the Federal Government (FG) to aggressively pursue the oil exploration in the Northern part of the country clearly dovetails with the regime’s economic recovery and growth plan (ERGP) which can boost economic benefits, particularly in the North and Nigeria in general.

“ACF appeals to the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) to courageously and fully ensure that the Presidential directive on the oil exploration campaigns in Chad Basin, Gongola, Anambra, Sokoto, Bida Basins and Benue Trough are carried out to the letter and spirit.

“ACF also appeals to the FG to also create and provide an enabling environment that will encourage other oil companies to invest and participate in the oil and gas exploration in the North.

“This is because the oil and gas exploration will in no small measure add value to the nation’s economy,” the statement reads.

insurgents.

Similarly, the Commander NACA, Major-General Abubakar Tarfa who traced the history of WASA to colonial era said, during the Second World War, the forbearers of the soldiers under the West African Frontier Forces (WAFF) distinguished themselves in many battles owing to their diverse cultural inclinations. “the colonial authorities thereafter introduced WASA and made it an annual event to permit the African soldiers to observe any local cultural rituals.”

General Tarfa said, enormous security challenges confronting the nation notwithstanding, 2018 was quite busy and eventful for the Nigerian Army, as it strived to live up to expectations.

He however, assured that, the Nigerian Army will remain consistent in its collaboration with other security agencies to ensure security of lives and property and peaceful co-existence of all in the country and particularly their host communities.

CSOs storm US, UK embassies, demand release of Adeyanju

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

A

coalition of Civil Society Organization, under the aegis of Concerned Civil Society Groups has demanded the unconditional release of Human Right Activists, Deji Adeyanju who has been under incarceration since 52 days in Kano.

The group, led by Ariyo-Dare Atoye, Coordinator of Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Raphael Adebayo Co-Convener, Free Nigeria Movement, stormed the United States, United Kingdom and Canadian embassies on Monday in Abuja with placards of various inscriptions including “Tyranny thrives when majority are cowed”, “Democracy under Threat”.

They called on the International community to prevail on the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian government to respect the laws and release Comrade Deji Adeyanju who was earlier discharged and acquitted

for the same offence.

Addressing the group, Atoye said that Nigerians youths played key role in the enthronement of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and are committed to bring the government down following the new wave of tyranny, disregard for democratic institutions and the use of executive fiat to engage in illegalities without regard to the rule of law.

He said, “Our fellow Comrade has been unlawfully detained in Central Kano Prison for the past 52 days with limited access to family and associates. And all efforts to recall the regime of the day from this blatant assault on human rights and free speech has proved abortive.

“The Family and Associates of our fellow comrade fear that a plot may be in the offing to eliminate him as we have seen in recent times in Nigeria - of cases and instances where suspects died mysteriously in police custody without any autopsy

or forensic investigation carried out on their behalf,” he said.

He also accused the Director of Corporate Communications, Buhari Campaign Organization, Festus Keyamo (SAN) of being behind the persecution of Adeyanju as he was the lead counsel that defended Adeyanju in Kano.

He alleged that Keyamo and the All Progressives Congress (APC) plans to keep Adeyanju out of circulation as the general election approaches.

They further said that, Deji Adeyanju is the only YorùbáChristian among the four people involved in the case that the Buhari government is reviewing, while the rest are Hausa-Fulani Muslims.

This troubling development has also raised the fear that the divisive regime is also pursuing an ethnocentric persecution of our friend. The Buhari government has through its clannish and provincial policies and actions widened Nigeria’s fault lines,

thereby unsettling the country along ethno-religious lines” Also addressing the group, former Minister of Aviation and Spokesperson of PDP Presidential Campaign Organization, Osita Chidoka said that the country is facing another regime that has refused to take the path of honour and respect for the rule of law. He recalled that if not for the voice of Deji Adeyanju, Buhari could not have been a President.

He called on the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to ensure justice is served to all Nigerians and not just on the party he represents. He asked President Buhari to release Deji Adeyanju and other political detainees, saying Deji cannot be tried on the same matter twice.

Meanwhile officials of United States, British and American Embassies while receiving the protest letter retrained from speaking to the press.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

Page 9

News

Fire razes Bauchi newspaper distributor’s house From Ahmad Bauchi

Mohammed,

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fire inferno has burnt the house of Bauchi state newspapers distributor, Alhaji Mai Kudi Ahmed at Tudun Salmanu quarters, Fadaman Mada area of the state capital and burnt the entire rooms in the house, cloths and other valuables.

Mai kudi is a major distributor

of all Nigerian newspapers and magazines in the state and has been in the business for over 20 years.

In his account of the incident, Maikudi told reporters yesterday in Bauchi that the incident occurred last Sunday around 12 midnight as a result of electric fault.

He said he and his family members were asleep when the fire outbreak started and his attention was drawn to it by his youngest

daughter who came out of her room to ease herself.

“When she came out, she discovered that there was fire at my car garrage. She screamed and we all came out to see what was happening.

We realized that it was an inferno, I went back quickly to my room and picked my phone with which I informed fire service personnel”.

“I also went to the garage to

remove my car but immediately I drove out with the car, the inferno permeated the entire house and burnt everything including our nine rooms, cloth, books and other valuables,” he cried out.

The newspaper distributor said his two wives and children are currently taking refuge at neighbours’ houses and he squats somewhere outside the area to sleep at night.

He appealed to the state government to come to their aid revealing that he and his family have to get cloth from neighbours as nothing was evacuated from the residence during the inferno.

“Before the arrival of fire service personnel and neighbors to extinguish the fire, everything was already burnt to ashes. So far, I reported the incident to director of press Government House Bauchi.”

NLC 12th Congress: Aremu salutes Nigerian workers

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

T

he National Executive Council (NEC) member of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and Labour Party gubernatorial candidate for Kwara State, Comrade Issa Aremu has congratulated the members and leadership of the Nigeria NLC on the historic occasion of 12th National Delegates Conference in Abuja.

He stated this in a statement

made available to the media in Kaduna yesterday.

The NLC’s 12th National Quadrennial Delegates Conference which started yesterday in Abuja with the preConference Central Working Committee (CWC) and National Executive Council (NEC) meetings is expected to be declare today at the International Conference Centre (ICC) Abuja.

The statement added that

the theme of the Congress is: Towards a Decade of Activism for the Promotion of Labour Unity, National Re-birth and Development.

Comrade Issa Aremu said with as many as 12 delegates’ conferences in the past 40 years, which had produced as many as 12 labour’s democratically elected Administrative Councils, “it was self-evident that Nigeria labour Congress(NLC) has come of age in democratic processes and

experiences.” According to him given the record of achievements of NLC “Nigeria Republic has a lot to learn from the labour movement in holding elections and serving the people in poverty eradication”.

Aremu who is also the Vice President of IndustriALL Global Union based in Geneva, observed that the 12th Delegates’ conference takes place after the 40th anniversary of the NLC and affiliate industrial unions last year

adding that it was also remarkable because NLC had recorded great achievements such as the new minimum wage of N30,000.

The labour leader also hailed the emergence of Comrade Ayuba Wabba as the first African unionist to lead adding the “Union truly makes Nigerian workers Strong”.

“This historic conference gives all delegates the opportunity to face up to the challenges of the Congress’s growth and unity,” he said.

Atiku pledges to revive Bakolori Dam From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

A

Presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has promised to revive the crawling Bakolori dam with a view to restore farming activities.

Atiku, who stated this yesterday during his Presidential campaign visit to Gusau, the Zamfara state capital said, he will pay needed attention to two important issues in the state comprised of total revival of Bakolori dam and the security.

“No farming activities could be observed without conquering security challenges bedeviling Zamfara and other parts of the country, for this, my administration will embark on empowering security agencies to the extent that criminal activities are defeated.

“Unless we have adequate number of security operatives and sophisticated weapons capable of smoking out criminals,

destruction of their camps, arrest for prosecution as well, so that, our farm lands could be used in achieving food security”, Atiku has challenged.

He symphathised with the people in the state especially major farmers who found it necessary to abandoned unharvested crops even in commercial quantity fear

for merciless attacks launched by dreaded groups of armed bandits.

The candidate further promised construction of standard Airport in Gusau the capital of Zamfara state,

as that will facilitate rapid growth of the state economy as it would establish a formidable link with the other commercial enterprising part of the nation and the world at large.

Deplorable state of Aina Obembe Road, Baruwa at Ipaja Ayobo Area, yesterday in Lagos State.

Photo: NAN

Polls: NYSC DG, Police meet over corps members’ safety

From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

D

irector General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Major General Suleiman Kazaure, on Monday met with authority of the Kaduna State Police Command, over corps members’ security and welfare before, during and after the forthcoming elections in Kaduna State.

Kaduna is one of the States in Nigeria known for electoral violence, hence, the need for the number one corps member, to synergise with

stakeholders as thousands of the members of NYSC are getting ready to serve as ad-hoc staff in the state and the need to guarantee their safety wherever they may be posted.

Briefing the Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Abdulrahaman in his office in Kaduna, NYSC boss said, as national assets, corps members deserve maximum protection at any point in time where Police have a critical role to play as custodian of internal security.

He said, “we are here, as we all aware that the 2019 elections

are around the corner and corps members are going to be involved.

“We are here to secure your support in the protection of the corps members. You know, they are national assets and they need protection before, during and after the elections.”

Responding, Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Abdulrahaman, asured the scheme of his Command’s readiness to go extra mile to protect the corps members participating in the elections.

“This Command is very glad to

recieve the personality of the DG of NYSC. Since my six years of staying at the command, having served in different capacity within and outside the command, we have not receive this August visitor even though we share responsibility in national service.

“As the DG rightly pointed out with regard to commands’ support, I want to add that corps members are not just national assets, but the future of the country. We need to protect them because tomorrow, they will be in position of President, IGP,

DG, CP and all that and in order to get there, they need our support now.

“I promised you that, we are going to give them close marking in terms of protection during these elections.

“We are very close to the office of the scheme in the state. Apart from the official attachment, there is also personal relationship with NYSC. “So, I want to assure the synergy has been great. And with your coming, we are going to give them more coverage this time, God helping us”, he assured.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

PAGE 10

News

Buhari commends Sweden’s assistance to victims of insurgency

By Lawrence Olaoye

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resident Muhammadu Buhari has commended Sweden for its humanitarian assistance to victims of insurgency in the country.

According to a statement made available to newsmen yesterday

by his spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, Buhari gave the commendation while speaking during a farewell visit to the State House by the outgoing Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mrs Inger Ultvedt.

The President said Nigeria could today speak of the well-

known humanitarian spirit of the Swedes, helping the poor and assisting displaced Nigerian communities to return to their normal lives.

“You are well-known for helping the poor. You should extend our gratitude to your country for standing shoulder-

to-shoulder with us in helping the victims of insurgency in their moment of suffering,” he said.

He wished Ambassador Ultvedt, who is leaving Nigeria ahead of the scheduled end of her tour due to health reasons, quick recovery.

The Nigerian leader expressed

Edo: Police deny murdered sergeant linked to cult

By Osaigbovo Benin

P

olice authorities in Edo State have denied claims that the murdered Sergeant, Mr. Monday Ehigie was linked to a cult group.

The late policeman was reportedly shot dead when gunmen wreaked havoc in Nomayo Street, Upper Sokponba Community, IkpobaOkha Local Government Area of the State last week.

The State Police Commissioner, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, had spontaneously told journalists in the state after the bizarre incident that the deceased was a cultist, unleashing furious reaction by the Ehigie’s family.

Addressing newsmen on the investigations so far at Edo State Police Command, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odusu, confirmed the arrest of three suspects in connection to the alleged murder.

He paid tribute to the brave policeman who was orderly to Mr. Eric Osayande, for killing two of the members of his assailants before he (Monday Ehigie) gave up the ghost.

Odumosu revealed that he was highly disturbed to read disparaging comments against him that he had tagged the late Monday Ehigie a cultist in order to deny his family his entitlements.

He said the police would be involved in the burial of the late sergeant, adding that he had personally visited the bereaved immediate family.

“The police has no right to call anybody a cultist. Only the court that can do that. We do not have the powers to do that.

“Whether he was in uniform as at the incident happened or not, a policeman is on duty at any time”, he said.

the hope that given her active duty tour and knowledge of Nigeria, Ambassador Ultvedt would upon full recovery, come back one way or the other to help in deepening bilateral relations.

The outgoing Ambassador, who said she found her two-anda-half-year stay in Nigeria very interesting and rewarding, listed the highlights of her achievements to include, assistance to Internally Displaced Persons in 10 camps in the North-east paid for by Swedish taxpayers, as well as other forms of humanitarian and technical support all over Nigeria.

Foundation lambasts Atiku over alleged failed promises From Kano

Mustapha

Adamu,

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Charity Foundation, M. Gwanja Foundation (MGF) has disowned former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar for failing to fund the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO).

National President of the MGF, Musa Isah Gwanja, revealed that, Abubakar, who is presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) promised to support the Foundation in order to expand its activities beyond Kano.

Gwanja, made the revelation during distribution of food items and instructional materials to

residents and pupils of Gama area of Nassarawa Local Government area of the state, held at Kaura Goje Primary School yesterday.

According to him, the acronym of the foundation contained the initial of Atiku’s name, adding that they had no option than to remove it because he failed to fulfil his promise.

“Our name was initially M. A. Gwanja foundation because Atiku Abubakar made a promise to support this foundation. But in the long run Zee realised that he is not willing to fulfill the promise, that is why we decided to remove his name.

“We run this foundation in order to support the less privileged,

orphans and downtrodden.

This is my hobby and passion. To assist the needy is my passion.

Whenever I realise that I have about N500, 000 in my account, I will not rest on my ores until I spend it all in helping the needy.

“We use this foundation to foster unity and harmony among the populace, to help government in education development and by extension, the society as a whole,” Gwanja said.

Gwanja, who is a Kannywood musician, however stated that he runs the charity foundation not for political gain, stressing that the organization was just founded for service to humanity.

Our correspondent reports that the foundation had

distributed exercise books to 100 pupils of the primary school and 20 cartons of spaghetti to some members of the community.

He also revealed that the foundation had so far provided boreholes to some communities, and donated 26,000 books to some schools, and wed two women last year.

He added that MGF also sponsored the education of 134 orphans, adding that his activities has Dianne’s to neighboring states.

He also called on wealthy people to support the foundation or emulate him in order to ease the economic plight among the masses.

Troops foil attack, kill four insurgents in Borno

T

he Nigerian Army on Sunday said its troops had successfully foiled attack and killed four Boko Haram insurgents at Malumfatori community in Abadam Local Government Atrea of Borno State.

Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation LAFIYA DOLE, made the disclosure in a statement in Maiduguri.

Nwachukwu disclosed that gallant troops of the 118 and 119 Battalions engaged the insurgents

when they attempted to attack the border community on Saturday night.

He said that the troops killed four insurgents and recovered high caliber ammunition while several others fled with gunshot wounds.

“On Saturday February 2, 2019; a group of Boko Haram terrorists attempted to attack the town taking advantage of darkness but met their Waterloo in an encounter with gallant troops of 118 and 119 Task Force

Battalions.

“The vigilant troops engaged the terrorists with heavy fire power, killed four of the attackers while some of them escaped with gunshot wounds.

“The fleeing terrorists abandoned some of their weapons and equipment which were recovered by the troops”.

Nwachukwu listed the recovered items to include one Light Machine Gun; one Rocket Propelled Grenade

PAGE 11

EDITORIAL

L-R: Director, Human Resources Management, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) Ado Yahuza, Director Performing Arts, Mr. Sam Agbi, Director General NCAC, Otumba Olusegun Runsewe and Director, spexial duties, Dr. Gerald Adewole, when the DG conduct journalist on the ongoing renovation work at the National Arts and Craft village, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo; Justin Imo-owo

Iguobaro,

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, february 5, 2019

tubes, three RPG bombs, three RPG chargers, a belt of 200 rounds of 7.62 mm NATO ammunition, five rounds of 12.7mm ammunition and four Hand Grenades.

He noted that the gallant troops were unrelenting and in hot pursuit of the fleeing insurgents.

According to him, three soldiers sustained injuries during the encounter, adding that they were in stable condition and receiving medical attention.

(NAN)

Let the elections be peaceful Campaigning for the 2019 elections INEC to rig this election. If they has been so lackluster that one rig this election, they are looking cannot but be nostalgic about the for war. If they want peace, they robustness, dynamism and clarity should not rig this election.” He of the campaigns in the first, second gave a similar warning to security and probably third republics. In agencies “not to collude with” contrast, the current campaigns, the electoral umpire to rig the launched on Nov. 18 2018, lack election to prevent unrest in the pomp, perhaps reflecting today’s country. “We know there are good financial crunch. But the lack of people there, protecting life and punch is manifestly a mark of the property. We believe that they candidates’ ideological deficiency. would obey the Constitution, not Without any solid ideas to bring break it like Mr. President (who) into the campaign, they resort is breaking our laws. If they break to mud-slinging, name calling, it, what are they looking for? religious and ethnic bigotry. This War”. stratagem has left voters more We at Peoples Daily abhor this confused than they were when negative campaigning by a politicians went on the hustings party that describes itself as the Nov. 18. “biggest in Africa”, one Today, only 12 days to the that hopes to return to presidential election, power after losing it in the campaign has 2015 – the first time We know there assumed the fearsome since 1999. Firstly, it tone of a war drumbeat. are good people is a slur on Nigeria Now people are not just there, protecting because PDP does not confused, they are also life and property. believe the country is being made to vote with We believe that capable of conducting their feet. Many are they would obey a credible poll. already leaving their Secondly, it is selfthe Constitution, current bases for their indicting. If in the 16 not break it like states of origin where years it was in power Mr. President they feel they will be the party did not safer. Changing base (who) is breaking bequeath a credible our laws ahead of an election electoral process, who is not new in Nigeria. is to blame but itself?

However, the drum Thirdly, the war threat of war that Mr. Uche Secondus, is capable of disadvantaging national chairman of the the party by disenfranchising opposition Peoples Democratic many of its supporters who may Party (PDP), beat Thursday Jan. have abandoned base for fear of 31 during a rally in Delta state violence. must frighten even the most Elections should not be a do-or-die optimistic among us. matter. Offering oneself to serve Addressing the party faithful, the fatherland should not be an Secondus warned that rigging of excuse to incite violence. We the 2019 elections would be “an have seen what this win or kill invitation to war”. He asked the mentality did to the country in the Independent National Electoral recent past. We must not return to Commission (INEC) to resist that ugly past. Everything must be being used by the ruling All done within the ambit of legality Progressives Congress (APC) and constitutionalism. If you to rig the poll. “Today, we warn don’t have faith in the election INEC and we believe there are body, the law offers an ample good people in INEC. We know opportunity to seek redress. Let that government is pressurizing nobody resort to self- help.

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Letter to the Editor

Nuances of Osinbajo’s whistle stops

By Sufuyan Ojeifo

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he nuance of Professor Yemi Osinbajo’s electrifying whistle-stop tours of the South-West geo-political zone and pockets of towns in some of the other zones, since the commencement of electioneering for the February 16 presidential poll, has raised the stakes in the battle for massive votes, especially in Yoruba land.

The vice president had already covered so much ground and was extending his tentacles to the Yoruba-speaking area of Kogi State last Saturday, when the helicopter carrying him and his ten-man team crash-landed in Kabba. But gratefully to God, none of them was hurt in the accident.

Osinbajo’s grassroots campaigns in the South-West with about 16 million registered voters, which is next to North-West with the highest registered voter population of about 18 million, have been very effective. The strategic electioneering had been designed to lock-in the maximum possible votes in the zone for the APC presidential ticket.

The calculation is that once done and the party’s presidential candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, who is from the North-West, is able to reenact his traditional mojo in the zone that had, in the past, culminated in vote hauls, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, will have to work hard in the remaining four zones to cancel out the possible wide margins of lead in the SouthWest and North-West zones.

It is, however, instructive that both zones (South-West and North-West) account for about 34 million of the estimated 82 million registered voter population, leaving the remaining four geopolitical zones with a total of 48 million registered voters. While Atiku’s North-East has about 11 million registered voter population, there are about 10 million registered voters in the SouthEast, the home base of his running mate, Mr. Peter Obi. These scenarios leave open for intense battle the North-Central and South-South geo-political zones with 13 million and 12 million registered voters respectively. The cumulative voter figure of 34 million in both South-West and North-West is quite huge when compared to 21 million that is cumulatively in the kitties of Atiku’s North-East and Obi’s South-East.

North-Central and South-South zones cumulatively custody 26 million registered voters which, to simplistically put it, can be deployed in making up and doing the much-needed balancing by the Atiku/Obi presidential ticket, assuming that the ticket is firmly in control of the zones. But from all indications, the presidential poll will be down to the wire.

Reports by different pollsters indicate that Buhari and Atiku will run neck-and-neck to the finish line by the time all the returns are made.

However, a winner is expected, by the prevailing permutations and projections, to emerge by a margin that is possibly not significant. The point is that whoever is going to win the presidential election cannot afford to lose by very wide margins in both the South-West and North-West zones.

This is the reason pressure is on the two frontline candidates to either widen the margin of victory or constrict it. Buhari and Osinbajo are working round the clock to ensure that the margin is widened in the South-West and North-West zones while Atiku/Obi are strategising towards constricting the margin, knowing fully that the votes in their respective zones cannot mitigate the damage that South-West and North-West votes for Buhari/Osibanjo ticket would cause assuming the ticket gets the bloc votes of the two zones.

The endorsement of the Atiku presidential candidature by leaders of Ohaneze Ndigbo, the Middle Belt Forum, Pan Niger Delta Forum, a section of Afenifere and Northern Leaders’ Forum, in Abuja, last Sunday, barely twenty four hours after the ill-fated crash landing of Osinbajo’s chopper in Kabba, is thus expected to conduce to swinging more countrywide votes for the Atiku/Obi ticket. Developments such as this and others will combine to alter political calculations, permutations and reasonable expectations ahead

of and during the presidential election.

Although bookmakers favour the Buhari/ Osinbajo ticket to win the majority votes in both zones, if it cannot run away with 75 percent to 25 percent, it could as well kiss victory in the poll goodbye because Atiku/Obi ticket is poised to lock in the majority of the votes in southeast and south-south zones by as wide a margin as 80 percent to 20 percent. Both tickets are expected to run neck-and-neck in the northeast and north central zones.

In 2015, Buhari won in all the North-West states by very wide margins while in the SouthWest states, he won in the five states of Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo and Osun with slim margins, losing only in Ekiti to Jonathan where he scored about 120,000 votes to about 179,000 votes recorded by Jonathan. By the time votes from other zones canceled out one another and the dusts finally settled, Buhari had won by scoring about 15 million votes to about 12 million votes scored by Jonathan.

So, if anyone did not quite understand Osinbajo’s strategic grassroots tour of the SouthWest states, the fluid shapes, forms and textures of the forthcoming presidential election, to be sure, provide a context for explication: this is not a battle between APC’s Buhari and a southern candidate on the PDP platform. It is different from the 2015 scenario. Both frontline presidential candidates are northerners, Muslims and Fulani.

The APC cannot afford to take things for granted, especially in the South-West zone. But while Buhari is understandably counting on his cult-like following in the North-West to deliver the zone emphatically to the APC, the vice president is doing everything possible not only to deliver South-West zone to the APC presidential ticket but also to garner massive votes that will make its win emphatic.

Osinbajo’s exertions in the final homestretch to the presidential election must be appreciated for what they are: occasions to touch base with the people who voted for the APC presidential ticket in 2015; opportunities to deepen the conversations and engagements with the people, many of whose lives have been somewhat positively impacted with tradermoni, marketmoniprogrammes, which Osinbajo drives on behalf of the administration; the N-Power and the rice farmers’ anchor borrower scheme of the administration, et al; and, chances to appeal to their sensibilities in the quest of the administration for mandate renewal.

Just like the superintending APC Presidential Campaign Organisation that has been electrifying in its campaigns – which have, of course, been laced with and contoured by dramatic incidents – the Osinbajo campaigns that are reinforcing the main presidential campaigns have been smooth and luminous until the crash land on Saturday, February 2, in Kabba by the chopper in which he arrived the North-Central Yoruba-speaking town in continuation of his next level engagements with and mobilisation of the people.

It is remarkable that Osinbajo is putting in everything into the campaigns for the re-election of the APC presidential ticket. He must necessarily commit himself to the power-retention process to justify a sense of entitlement to the vice presidential position on his personal merit, performance, reputation and delivery and not on the back or recommendations of some godfathers who position themselves in self-acclaimed superintendence over the vortex of presidential power calculus.

This time round, Osinbajo is working in concert with, over, within and around the power caucus or caucuses to determine and justify his continuing choice as vice presidential candidate in his own right. If he plays his cards well, it may just be that he is actually working for his unanimous endorsement by the North as a natural successor to Buhari in 2023, if the ticket wins in 2019.

The other nuance of chopper accident in the overall picture of the electioneering, though a blight on otherwise smooth whistle stops, may count for something in his consideration as the “Khalifa” to President Buhari in 2023.

Ojeifo sent this piece viaojwonderngr@ yahoo.com

PAGE 12

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

Agriculture, buying Nigerian goods panacea to poverty

By Salim Umar Ibrahim

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n a country that is suffering from mass failure of economy and infrastructure, almost decaying government system in this day and, at the same time striving to get its way out of this difficult situation, this country can be defined as a less enviable locale in the contemporary world. From the depth of its mission to fighting terrorism, poverty and rebuilding of the nation is a hard task not every leader representing such country in the world can adjust to easily.

But, for all these to be effective, one needs to draw up some strategies and policies, opt into determining success in this bid. The government alone cannot keep this task smoothly running down the lane except when its inhabitants lend a helping hand, and then a very productive result could be yielded.

Many developed countries around not so far have tested and enjoyed it, but as we

always knew, the path for a better change and development doesn’t always come easy. If we take a look at countries like Malaysia, Dubai, China and the likes, all these countries are nothing compared to Nigeria in the last two decades in terms of infrastructure and economic growth – from the depth of natural resources and everything one could think of; but where are they at present?

Today, china stands as the world’s largest exporter of goods in the world on a per capita income basis ranked 72nd by nominal GDP and 84th by GDP (PPP) in 2015, according to the international monetary fund (IMF); Dubai, represents an enviable destination being a favorite tourist destinations in the UAE and even the world at large. Dubai’s economy was initially built on revenues from the oil industry but, about 95% of its gross domestic product is not oil-based. So far oil has accounted for less than 1% of its GDP and tourism to produce 20%

of the GDP. All t while in this, it has seen a tremendous change in its economy for the past 50years or so.

Talking about Malaysia, this country has nothing compared to Nigeria but at one time, was the largest producer of tin, rubber and palm oil in the world manufacturing a large influence in the country’s economy accounting for over 40% of its GDP. It is disgusting news and an insult upon Nigerians for the EU to call for the Nigerian government to increase the export of agricultural produces like rubber, cocoa and palm oil to the EU countries citing that there were potential exports which Nigeria could develop in commercial quantities. What are we thinking of that one has to remind or give us a wakeup call on this?

For over 40 years or so, Nigeria majorly, and other African countries have been exporting primary commodities to Europe, feeding

their factories and in return having beck the processed products at higher rates. Why can’t we see beyond and learn from them instead?

To an intensive regretting situation, it is with anxiety to know that we Nigerians prefer to export business opportunities, labor and employment to other countries than to keep it at home and benefit our own brothers and sisters.

Exporting to a country that never sees us in every aspect as responsible except for what they benefit from us. To countries that never helped us when we are in chores. These are the people we joined hands blindly to keep our economy and well being down just because all we care is what comes into our pockets that which we can never spend in our entire lifetime. Wake up Nigerians. We have a huge potential lying just beneath our foots!

Salim Umar Ibrahim is a freelance writer and can be reached on 0703 296 5551

National minimum wage, revenue allocation, and the palava within

By Joseph Olaoluwa

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asked with the mandate of an upward review of salaries, the Nigerian Labour Congress has opened a can of worms, one that would now result into a slippery slope of all sorts. The crux of the matter is an increment of the minimum wage from a meagre N19,800 to a paltry N30,000. Even though N65,000 would have been a better upward review, the labour unions have chosen to settle for N30,000 which is agreeable for a start.

Seeing the minimum wage as an avenue to reopen a closed case, the Nigerian Governors through their forum (NGF) have responded that the proposed minimum wage will be a huge cost to bear on their finances that is now rock bottom.

In their defence, the Governors opted for an upward review of the revenue allocation formula, hinging the payment of the N30,000 minimum wage on increased allocation.

Following the claims put forward by members of the Senate to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMFAC), the current revenue formula is described as illegal. Adamu Aliero, APC-Kebbi, submitted that the current formula is “unconstitutional” as it has no law backing it and does not reflect the country’s present realities. Howbeit, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMFAC) have fired back, saying the revenue sharing formula is backed by law as they chose to blame the Legislature for their failure to successively turn the tables around in former administrations.

Ibrahim Mohammed, the RMFAC Commission Spokesperson, who reacted to this reminded the Senate that the first Revenue Allocation Formula was passed by the National Assembly in 1982, during the Second Republic of former President Shehu Shagari.

Mohammed said: “After the military takeover, the act was amended by Decree No 106 of 1992 which continued to operate up to 1999.

It is instructive to note that with the return of democratic rule in 1999 all laws were considered as existing laws as provided for by Section 313 of the 1999 Constitution and therefore, Acts of National Assembly which apply to the extent that they conform to the provisions of the constitution.”

Mohammed who reacted to this in a lengthy publication ‘Current Revenue Sharing Formula is Legal’ by The Eagle Online dated March 5th, 2018, argued that the RMFAC is in the right.

In fact, he blamed the National Assembly for their continued failure to conclude deliberations on the matter which kept on since 1982 till the current administration.

The reality of the revenue formula currently is 52.68% for the Federal Government, 26.72% for states and 20.60% for the 774 local governments.

Experts have frowned at this arrangement;

reasons being that the Federal Government are identified to be the biggest beneficiaries of the revenue sharing formula with almost double the allocation 36 states are meant to be sharing. For a government practising fiscal federalism, 52.68% revenue allocation for the Federal amounts to wastage. While some experts believe at most, the Federal Government should collect no more than 35%, the means of allocating revenue to the states is a cause for concern.

According to the allocation of revenue act, funds are meant to be shared as follows: 56% revenue to be owned by the Federal Government, 24% for the State Government and 20% for the Local Government. Out of the 56% of monies allocated to the Federal Government; 48.50% goes to the Federal Government, 2% goes to General Ecological problems fund; 1% goes to Federal Capital territories; while 3% is dedicated to Development of Natural Resources.

The hues and cries for the review of the revenue allocation formula is characterised by the derivation principle used to allocate 26.72% to all 36 states where Nigeria as a country, has failed to move past its dependency on oil. This is because the derivation principle is a reward based system that directs a special 13% of the revenue back to the affected areas where it came from. In other words, all this drama is due to the methodology of sharing oil revenue.

The struggle for the control of wealth has led to an unfortunate shift from revenue oriented principle to expenditure oriented principle.

Beyond the special 13% reserved for oil producing areas, revenue allocation to most states is very hard to come by since it is based on the level of land mass; terrain (water sides, plains, highlands); amount of rainfall; education; health and access to water. In the lieu of this, a couple of states get favoured over the other because not all states possess the all-round gifts of land mass or terrain some areas undisputedly possess. But the states still don’t get to enjoy much revenue. In the end, 10% of their total revenue is finally remitted into the State Joint Local Government Account every quarter. Little wonder states have continued to owe workers long lists of unforgivable fringe benefits, assets, salaries and allowances.

In a comment attributed to Minister of Labour, Senator Chris Ngige, he said payment of the proposed minimum wage increase is not borne out of the need to safeguard workers welfare. But the big question- if the states can actually afford the pay it. Nevertheless, both Federal Government and the states have refused to pay N30,000 all along. Until Tuesday last week where they chose to pay N27,000 and now N30,000, for the State Government and Federal Government respectively, should the labour unions agree.

There is no better time for the minimum wage to be reviewed than now. Nigeria has been

listed as one of the numerous African countries alongside Uganda, Morocco, Malawi, Namibia and Rwanda to have the lowest minimum wage of N19,800, which is at best 54 US dollars.

If we are to juxtapose that figure against the poverty level of $1.90 per day, we would arrive at approximately N688.29. If we go further to multiply that amount – N688.29 x 30 days will equal N20,648.70. If we go further to minus this figure – N20,648.70 from N19,800, we will arrive at a N848.70 deficit. Little wonder, Nigeria is described as the poverty capital of the world.

CEO of Global Analytics Consulting Limited, Tope Fasua, agrees to this claim. “Labour has a right to demand for higher wages at the time, given spiralling inflationary rate in the country, which has compounded since the last review in 2011,” Fasua says. Going further, Mr Fasua, who is also the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP) presidential candidate, said the value of N18,000 in 2011 has diminished to less than N8,000 today.

To compute a minimum wage, consideration must be given to the prevailing cost of living index, inflationary trend and capacity of employers to pay a living wage. Living wage is based on the belief a worker should earn enough income from his or her work to afford the basic living costs of his or her family.

According to wageindicator.org, living wage is an approximate income a worker needs to meet his or her family’s basic needs for food, housing, transport, health, education, tax deductions and other necessities. In other words, living wage should take care of the worker’s food costs, housing costs, transport costs, tax/ contribution costs and other costs, including medical and children education. Therefore, in approving minimum wage, consideration must be given to all the essential needs of workers and their families. But, Mr Fasua said Nigerian government at all levels do not always bear in mind these factors when paying their workers.

For Ayo Teriba, economist and chief executive officer of Economic Associates, the real issue in the minimum wage debate is no more whether the demand is necessary, but whether N18,000 take home pay will “take the workers home and allow them live reasonably.”

“Divide N18,000 by 30 days, that comes to N600 a day. What can anybody do with N600 per day?” Mr Teriba asked in an interview with Leadership newspaper.

At N56,000 (the initial figure labour proposed), he said this would translate to a paltry N1,866, an amount he says is not even up to what some less endowed countries pay their citizens as unemployment allowance. This is according to an analysis by Bassey Udo, Premium Times Business and Economy Editor.

Experts have continued to argue on the importance of increasing the minimum wage and what it will mean for the economy. The common

scare the masses will entertain if the minimum wage is increased is inflation and the ripple effects on the economy because the moment the average rice seller, or okada rider hears salaries has increased, prices of things will naturally go up and inflation will abound. Many experts have disagreed against this, citing economic upheaval as a multiplier effect of the salary increase, not forgetting to emphasize that it will do good in lifting the worker out of the poverty level. The gross implications of a pay raise just like the Governors suggested to President Muhammadu Buhari, if forced to pay this increase is mass retrenchment of staff, a very pivotal thing that several experts have said would happen since monies used to increase turnover will now be directed into salaries and worker’s welfare; some people may have to be laid off.

“The CBO’s report was not all positive, however. While raising the minimum wage has some upside, there are also potential downfalls.

The main potential negative impact of raising the minimum wage is the loss of close to 500,000 jobs, which comes out to around 0.3% decrease in employment. The job losses could occur as a result of higher wages placing a greater strain on companies, which could lead to cutting jobs, reducing employee hours, and other methods to save the company money. The CBO reported that this number is not a definite, and that 500,000 may be an overestimate or could be a low ball and job losses could get as high as 1 million.” (The Pros and Cons of Raising the Minimum Wage, Tiffany Patterson, Smart Assets) The Huffington Post gives the overbearing implications with a rather positive approach which though tailored to their perspective, is a modest review of the minimum wage to an acceptable and reasonable figure: “Many critics think that raising the minimum wage will hurt precisely those workers that this policy is designed to help because firms will lay off workers to save on labour costs. Raising the minimum wage, critics argue, will create more unemployment and more reliance on public assistance. But there is no evidence to support this claim: states with a minimum wage higher than the Federal minimum have experienced faster rates of job growth than other states. How is this possible?

“When the minimum wage rises, it is usually phased in over time, giving firms time to adjust.

As wages rise, firms become more productive and efficient because higher wages reduce turnover, absenteeism, and hiring and training costs.

Each time a worker quits a fast-food job, where turnover rates are exceptionally high, it costs the employer $4,700 to replace them. Using the low estimate of a living wage, raising the minimum wage to $15 would save firms a total of $2.1 billion, allowing them to avoid layoffs and afford the higher costs.”

Joseph Olaoluwa is a Public Affairs Analyst.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

PAGE 13

Comment

Jungle Justice and case for sustaining Nigeria’s institutions

By Mike Imafidor

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have followed with nostalgia, the recent and ugly trend resurfacing in Nigeria; where people deliver judgements, and execute same on the streets without any sort of trials. Death penalties are now being dished and served hot like “akamu” on a hot afternoon in Sokoto.

Only recently, young boy was beaten and burnt to death in Lagos. On the morning of Friday, 2nd of December 2016, two persons, alleged to be armed robbers were also lynched and burnt in Anambra. Numerous cases abound such that time, space, and memory will fail me if I begin to mention.

Just pause and take a moment to reflect; if you find yourself in a position of being robbed, and you could overcome the robber and apprehend him, what will you do? Let’s go further by assuming this was your third experience with robbers and in the earlier experiences they had succeeded. I can’t assume what you will do, but one thing I know, if you hand over this robber to the appropriate authority – which is the best thing to do-, you will feel unsatisfied, because you do not trust the system to deal appropriately with the issue.

The big question that then bugs my mind is “whose responsibility is it, to develop the required trust for the system”. When you see well known burglars and thieves parading your street on a Sunday morning, only after being arrested the Thursday before, having been caught in the act. How would this influence your trust for the system to deal with deviant behaviours that are against the social contract we all signed for? Can this lead us to the natural state of mankind as described by Thomas Hobbes in Leviathan, where life was “poor, nasty, brutish, and short”.

My sense is that our institutions have

failed in checkmating societal ills and thus stimulating a return to a “banana republic”.

Much of Nigeria’s history is replete with falling living standards, armed conflicts, political disorder, health challenges, and poor state of human development. This provides a prima facie case, and an indictment on poor institutions of governance to adequately deal with, and manage societal ills.

As early as 1989, the World Bank had in its long-term perspective study argued that of Nigeria’s development problems are underlined by a crisis of weak institutions; and more specifically, a governance challenge. Past and even present development performance indicators reveal that the country lags greatly behind most developing countries within Africa and even beyond.

This is despite implementing series of economic reform agendas in which their direct impacts were to stimulate development in the country. The World Bank Global Development Report (2016), puts Nigeria as one of the top ten (10) countries in the world with the highest number of poor. With a poverty rate of 46 percent, Nigeria is put only ahead of three countries -Madagascar, Mozambique and Congo Democratic Republic.

In Nigeria, economic rents, which perpetuate on the cover of ethnicity and religious bigotry take precedence over productivity. The unbridled taste to promote corruption and the redistribution of wealth in favour of certain ethnic and political groups is a pure manifestation of the inability of institutions in Nigeria to play its expected role.

In the Nigeria context, it is very common to hear such phrase as the “Nigerian factor”.

This factor simply implies that standards have been reduced or compromised by the basic institutions in service delivery. This factor has also succeeded in making nonsense of

accountability in the country.

This factor has worsened and weakened institutions, such as the legislative, executive and the judicial institutions where rule of law and the devotion to formal rules are not strictly observed; where political patronage is typical practice, where the independence and professionalism of the public sector has been weather-beaten and where civil society lacks the means, or the will to bring public pressure to bear.

According to the Fund for Peace – which is an independent, nonpartisan, non-profit research and educational organization-, a failed nation is characterized by social, political, and/or economic failure. In their 2016 rankings, Nigeria is the 13th most fragile state in from 17th in 2014 out of 178 countries listed.

Nigeria scores 103.5, out of a maximum score 120 (being a totally failed state) and falls in the same group of “high alert” countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Haiti, Zimbabwe, Burundi, Pakistan, and Guinea. Although the credibility of the FFP’s methodology has been called into questions, the results present a real cause for concern, given the recent happenings and trends in the country.

When institutions, which are supposed to be at the apogee of nationhood, are now being slaughtered on the altar of corruption, weak governance, ethnicity, and religious bigotry, what you get is the lynching and burning to death of a seven year old boy in Lagos on the 16th of November 2016, of two alleged armed robbers in Anambra on the 2nd of December 2016, in Aluu community on the 5thof October in 2012, the Zaria Massacre on the 12th of December 2015, and a whole lot of similar occurrences that are happening daily. In the words of Chinua Achebe, things are indeed “falling apart”, and the centre is losing its grip

unconsciously.

The role of institutions in the peaceful progress of a state and stemming this ugly tide cannot be over emphasised. They are the very foundations of our democracy and are at the core of any reform or policy. Some studies have even shown that nations with strong institutions are two times as efficient and grow three times as fast, in per capita terms, as countries with weak institutional endowments.

Daron and Acemoglu in their award winning book “Why Nations Fail”, also pointed out the key role institutions play in the survival and growth of a state. They noted that the quality of institutions overrides geography and integration (i.e., international trade) in explaining cross-country income levels.

Going forward while few economist have argued that governance reforms in strengthening institutions should not be the priorities of African countries such as Nigeria, since according to them, to trigger economic growth and development in Africa, a ‘big push’ is needed, and that it requires massive investment in support of infrastructure and health care. While this argument might seem tenable in Nigeria where massive infrastructural investment is required to grow businesses, weak and extractive institutions cannot provide the platform for investment to incubate to the desired value.

For this nation to move forward, and not just in circles as its currently being observed, it is imperative that we reawaken our institutions; by this I mean not just the governmental institutions of the legislature, executive, and the judiciary, but also the very fundamental institutions -values, norms and cultures- of our families and local communities.

Mike is a Research and Policy Analyst with Adams and Moore Nigeria.

The relationship issue in Nigeria’s public governance

By Rees Chikwendu

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elationship is one of the basic sources of challenge that confronts people everywhere. This can either be relationship with God, employees, bosses, family, friends, citizens, etc. And to understand the dimensions of this source of challenge to people can be a way forward to improve public governance in troubled states such as Nigeria. This is because relationship and the value orientation people place on it determine their responses when faced with moral dilemma.

With the view to corporate culture, Trompernaars & Hampden-Turner (2015), identified five dimensions of relationship in doing business and management, and these include: rules versus relationship, individual versus the group, the degree of expressing feelings, the degree of involvement, and how status is accorded. Although, these were applied to business management, in this essay, I have decided to discursively stretch it to public governance, with Nigeria as an example.

The kind of judgment one brings into a relationship is crucial to its health and survival. How do you judge the other party with whom you are in a relationship? Have you agreed to particular rules or standards to live in the relationship? For example: Do not lie? Do not cheat? Trust each other?

Love her the same way you love yourself?

Have deep respect for him? These become obligations if both parties agreed to these rules and standards. But, what if one party encounters a particular obligation or circumstance where s/he decides to break the agreed rules?

Well, it is possible that the woman may encounter a former ex – still hot and with six packs – and decides to bend or

break the rule, maybe just for once. “I still feel something for him” or “we were once in love,” she excused herself, cognitively.

The man, too, can encounter a particular obligation where he decides to break the rule. “If I don’t do this it will show I am not a real man and not in charge in this relationship,” he beats his chest. By the time these trends start to multiply, the rule is shifting (or has shifted) from that which was agreed upon to something else. There is no longer equality. No longer trust. The rules no longer apply. And the more you continue to make exceptions for these ‘illegal conducts,’ the relationship collapses. This is also true in public governance – that is, the system will collapse when the rules are broken.

In business management, of course, there might not be fixed rules. Cultures could determine the rules. Sometimes, corporate organizations may want to push for standard policy across cultures, but they must always be aware of when to jettison universal (generally agreed) obligations for particular (exceptional) obligations.

However, public governance is not exactly like corporate governance, but there is something that can be learned from this aspect of business culture and management, in order to improve relationships within nation-states – especially in multicultural and multi-ethnic state like Nigeria. I am of the opinion that generally public governance in plural societies should be tilted towards universal rules system.

This is opposite to corporate governance where culture and circumstance is used to determine obligations. This does not mean that a universal rule cannot be jettisoned sometimes for particular obligations in some public governance situations. In a situation where it does, it should be applied with humane and moral judgments.

However, Nigeria’s public governance system is still fundamentally lacking in what should be called agreed or universal rules.

That is to say, the relationship has not even (yet) been defined in the relational sense of one ethnic group to another. What is still obtained in Nigeria’s public governance is a primarily particularist obligations and judgments based on the ethnic group of who the president of the country is. If we take the current Nigerian regime as an example, the question of what is good for all citizens rarely comes into national decision-making of the president. It is a nepotism-ridden government, with skewed appointments favoring those from the president’s Hausa/ Fulani ethnicity in Nigeria. The question of who is an indigene and who is not is always asked in national decision-making, which has marred public policies. Therefore, Nigeria’s public governance becomes a matter of who should have my love versus who should have my hate. The lives of people (including cows) from the northern part of the country are protected while the lives of those from the southern part are discounted. This happens mainly because there are no agreed rules, therefore there is no question like, what does the rule say?

Pointing to the constitution as agreed rules here does not make sense to me.

Obviously Nigeria’s constitution is a sham.

It is a constitution produced in the same way the British colonialists decided the fate of Nigeria in far away Buckingham Palace without involving those that live in that territory. The current Nigerian constitution was a military dictator’s work, in the same manner of the British divide-and-rule strategy, favoring northern dominance.

There is nothing democratic about it. No Nigerian ethnic nationality was consulted before it was drafted. Under this situation,

citizens from the various ethnic nations in Nigeria do not trust one another. They look at one another with suspicion. And effective public governance cannot be achieved in such environment of mistrusts.

Consider this: Where there are agreed rules by the various ethnic nationalities, when a citizen is oppressed, everyone will disapprove the action. It will be easier to point to the rules we created for ourselves and say, “this is immoral and it is against our constitution.” Then a Nigerian will be proud to call the constitution “our.” You see the point? Because it was jointly agreed upon, and in the conscience of every group that produced that rule (in this case, the constitution), oppression will be stamped as evil. Oppression for one will be perceived as oppression for all. Therefore, if you don’t speak up when Okeke is oppressed, next victim might be Tunde. This is why agreed universal rules are important in public governance.

Sometimes, though, universal rules may not envisage certain situations, and for this reason they are subject to continuous review and improvement. But, first, to establish healthy relationship in Nigeria’s public governance, the rules must be collectively defined and agreed upon by all ethnic nationalities that comprised the country.

It would enhance its implementation across its cultures, giving every party the sense of belonging and protection. As long as this is not done, Nigeria will continue in the reggae dance it started since its independence. Its mistrusts will continue to tear its ethnic groups apart to the country’s eventual collapse. To redefine Nigeria, the relationship must be collectively defined and acceptable by all.

Rees Chikwendu is a Public Policy Analyst.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

PAGE 14

News

Ndigbo, AMAC chair partner on development

By Abba-Eku Onyeka

T

he Igbo Community in Idu-Koro, Abuja and the executive chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon Abdulahi Adamu Candido recently met in the ancient city of Idu-Koro and discussed on how to partner with each other toward achieving a common goal.

The discussion took place during a recent familiarity visit of the chairman to the ethnic group in the village.

In a remark, Emeka Chilaka, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Jiwa ward where IduKoro falls into told the chairman that other geopolitical zones in the ward have benefitted from jobs, appointments, among others in the area council, with the exception of south east geopolitical zone.

This he asked the chairman to address in order to continue to enjoy the support of the ethnic group.

Similarly, another prominent member if the party in the ward, Chuka Ezekwugo told the chairman to ensure that he did a serious consultation before giving appointment to any Igbo person in the area council.

He said akkwges that all his appointees from the ethnic group were not carrying their people along.

In a response, the executive chairman urged the community to give their support and vote to the APC in order to continue what he described as good work the party in power has been doing in the area council.

He however, blamed the issue of marginalisation of the ethnic group to their appointees from the area.

Earlier in his welcome address, the chairman of Ndigbo in the area, Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka commended him for performance and urged him to keep the pace in order to continue to enjoy the support of his people.

Publish list of Ad-hoc staff, others within 48hrs, PDP urges INEC

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the list of all officials and ad-hoc staff who have roles to play in the forthcoming elections at all levels for verification by stakeholders within the next 48 hours.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan made the call while addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday.

The leading opposition party accused the electoral commission

of bias in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the polls.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary alleged that INEC has been taking directives from the Buhari Presidency and the APC on how to manipulate electoral process at various levels.

He added that the electoral commission has collected a list of people that will serve as electoral officials, including ad-hoc staff and returning officers at the polling units, from APC state governors and candidates, across the federation, on the directives of the Buhari Presidency.

Ologbondiyan further accused

the INEC Chairman, Prof.

Yakubu Mahmood, of violating section 29 (1) of the Electoral Act (as amended) by following the directive of the APC in such dubious rigging scheme, alleging that he is in clear deficit of the required political will to conduct a credible, free and fair election.

His words, “In the light of the foregoing, the PDP demands that INEC, within the next 48 hours, publish the list of all officials and ad-hoc staff that will play any form of role in the election at all levels for verification by stakeholders.

“Any delay or refusal by INEC to publish the list with 48 hours would be a clear acceptance that

it has been compromised by the APC and this could lead to a very serious crisis with very dire consequences as the PDP will never allow anybody to rig it out in this election”, he said.

The PDP added that some agents of the Buhari Presidency and the APC are boasting to give the INEC Chairman what they describe as the “Onnoghen treatment”, and frame him, if he fails to comply with their rigging plans.

Continuing, he said, “The PDP wants Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to note that the fate of our nation lies in his hands. It is left to him to decide whether he would end as a national hero or as a villain.”

R-L; The Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Prof Bolaji Owasanoye with other members, after their swearing-in at the Council Chambers, State House, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: State House

Policeman, two robbers, kidnapper killed in Edo

By Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Benin

A

Police Officer along with two armed robbers and kidnapper have been killed in Edo State.

The quartet died in a gun battle between security operations and the hoodlums during separate operations across the State, according to police authorities.

Briefing newsmen on the situation at police headquarters in Benin City, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odunmosu identified the slain policeman as Mr Augustine Amadi.

The late Corporal, according

to him, was attached to the State safer high way patrol before he was killed by suspected arm robbers and kidnappers.

He said another hoodlum identified as Usman Mohammed was gunned down in the gun battle.

Odumosu explained that the late policeman and another inspector, Monday Omokaro, were both attacked by the hoodlums while on their way to Oluku on Benin/Lagos Expressway on January 23rd 2019.

He said the two policemen were in a long range smoke gunner top belonging to the police inspector, Omokaro who got a

close show with death when the incident occurred.

He revealed that Ekiadolor Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and men thereafter moved to the scene and the criminal elements on sighting them took to their heels.

The Commissioner said one Ak 47 rifle with breach number 19678TE8266, ammunition, and identity card belonging to one of the suspects have been recovered along with other items by the police at the scene of crime.

He however said one Yahaya Mohammed was on January 24, 2019 arrested by police operatives in connection with the incident.

He said the 40 year old suspect who has made statement and helping the police in the investigation, was arrested during a hi-tech investigation by security operatives in connection with the death of the Corporal.

In a related development, operatives of Ugbekun Police Division have smashed an armed robber car snatcher identified as Efosa Osawe, also known as Dogo.

The State Police Commissioner, said the security personnel were on a township patrol on January 28, 2019 when they intercepted the arm robber who was found in the robbed Toyota Camry car marked Edo BEN-62-KJ.

Gov. Ortom mourns Senator Waku From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

S

enator Joseph Kennedy Nyikwagh Waku has passed on at the age of 73 years at the National Hospital Abuja.

Undisclosed family sources said the late senator died after a brief illness at about 8 pm on Sunday.

“We are extremely shocked at the death.

He looked hale and hearty.

He had gone to the hospital himself only

for us to hear that he passed on Sunday. We will greatly miss him. At the moment, some elders of family have gone to Abuja to make arrangements to bring back the corpse and subsequently, his internment”, they said.

When our correspondent visited the residence of late Senator. Waku who until his death was the Pro-chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Akure, Ondo State, several relatives including his elder sister were weeping profusely.

Senator Waku served as senator representing Benue North West Constituency between 1999-2003. He was known to be out-spoken on crucial national issues.

Meanwhile, Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has described the death of Senator Joseph Kennedy Nyikwagh Waku as a monumental loss to the state and the country at large.

In a condolence message signed by

his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, Governor Ortom said Senator Waku was his mentor and uncle who was defender of the common man and was also known for forthrightness, courage and love for fellow human beings.

He also, said that Senator Waku was one of his ardent supporters who encouraged him to face the task of governance at very difficult moments.

PAGE 15

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

Appeal court okays Rivers APC to contest elections

By Vivian Onejeme with agency report

T

he Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt on Monday granted a stay of execution of the Federal High Court judgement nullifying all primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State.

Apart from nullifying the primaries, Justice Kolawole Omotosho of the Federal High Court had also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from fielding the party’s candidates in the forthcoming general elections in the state.

But Justice Ali Gumel, who presided on an appeal filed by a faction of the APC in Rivers, granted a stay of execution on the judgement delivered by Justice Omotosho on January 7.

However, the counsels to the Magnus Abe-led faction of the APC argued that a stay of execution cannot be granted on a matter that was already done.

They added that no order was granted by the court to the electoral umpire.

Justice Gumel granted the stay of execution four days after the appeal court reserved its ruling on the matter till today.

The ruling also comes less than two weeks to the general elections.

In his judgment delivered in January, Justice Omotosho had nullified the direct and indirect primaries conducted by the two factions of the APC in Rivers on the grounds that they were not conducted according to the law.

The judged had restrained INEC from recognising the two APC governorship candidates that emerged from the primaries – Tonye Cole and Magnus Abe. Senator Abe was declared the winner of a direct primary conducted by an APC faction after polling 144, 929 votes.

However, Cole was declared the winner with 3,329 votes in an indirect primary held by another faction of the party in the state.

INEC, on its part, went ahead to publish the names of candidates for the elections in Rivers without including those on the APC platform, in line with the ruling of the Federal High Court.

NULGE endorses Buhari’s re-election

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has backed the reelection bid of President Muhammadu Buhari, come February 16. 2019.

NULGE also said that the nation’s quest for stability at all levels cannot be achieved without the strengthening of local governments as a critical tier of government.

National President of the union, Ibrahim Khaleel, who led its members to a meeting with members of the Buhari Women and Youth Campaign Council, stated that President Buhari’s re-election would be in the best interest of the country.

Khaleel who was accompanied by dozens of NULGE’s officials from across the federation expressed optimism that the quest for local government autonomy would be actualised with the continuous stay in power by President Buhari.

Khaleel who also doubles as the national treasurer of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said but for the machinations of the 36 states governors of the federation, President Buhari would have lived up to his promise on the 29th May 2015 on ensuring local government autonomy in the country.

“NULGE has always been with President Buhari right from 2003 when he joined politics and in subsequent elections, we were him.

We had the privilege of meeting with him one on one especially during the 2011 elections and presented to him our problems as local government.

“We are happy that all of us belong to one Local Government or the other. If we are to ask our selves whether our local government are meeting the expectations of citizens like us? The answer is no. Why is our local government malfunctioning? It is because of interest of the governors.

We know that the constitution of

Nigeria favour local government by recognizing them as full fledge teir of government and getting up to 20 percent of the revenue. This represent distributable wealth to address poverty and hunger.

“Unfortunately, the Local Hovernment system has been hijacked. We have no reason whatsoever not to associate with President Buhari because in all his public addresses that has bearing with local government, his position has been very clear that local government must be strengthened.

“For us to have an inclusive arrangement, an arrangement that will have inclusiveness to participate in our governance and democracy, local government must be strengthened. It was on this note and the inaugural speech of May 29, 2015 of President Muhammadu Buhari that as an Organisation, we met and held series of engagement and came up with a very rich memorandum that

in our own way, we will support his position.”

The chairman of the APC Women and Youth Campaign Council, Gen Buba Marwa (rtd), expressed gratitude to NULGE over the endorsement of the President, adding that Buhari would remain committed to the quest to uplift the wellbeing of workers in the country.

Marwa who is the chairman of the presidential advisory committee on the elimination of drugs abuse in the polity referred to the recently approved N30,000 national minimum wage, the release of bailout funds to states to settle salaries arrears and the payment of N24 billion Nigeria Airways pensioners claim to buttress his assertions.

Decrying the spate of drugs abuse in the polity, he canvases thee support of NULGE ahead of the launch of the War against abuse (WADA) sanctioned by President Buhari in a bid to rid the country of the menace.

R-L: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, APC Governorship candidate in Ogun, Prince Dapo Abiodun (M); and Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Sen. Babafemi Ojodu, during the Vice President’s Next Level Campaign at Ado Odo on Sunday in Ogun

Group pledges support for Buhari, Masari re-election

From: Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

K

atsina Network has pledged to work for the success of both President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Aminu Bello Masari in the forthcoming February and March general elections.

Alhaji Abubakar Buba Mashi, the founder of Katsina Network led the foundation officials and other members to a solidarity rally on Governor Aminu Bello Masari.

Governor Masari, while

addressing the group in katsina, said within the last three and half years, the APC has shown that what is lacking is quality leadership.

Masari said President Muhammadu Buhari has judiciously applied the nation’s resources and added value to people’s wellbeing in different ways.

He added that, in Katsina, his administration never waived in moving the priority areas of education, health, water supply, agriculture, roads and security within available resources.

The Governor therefore stressed the need for the electorate to ensure that all APC candidates are elected during the forthcoming general elections.

He however expressed gratitude to the Katsina Network for their show of solidarity and resolve to work for APC success during the elections.

Alhaji Abubakar Buba Legas, the Director General of the foundation, earlier assured that Governor Aminu Bello Masari’s magnanimity since assuming office has convinced them to team up and ensure his return to

power.

Buba Legas pointed out that both President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Aminu Bello Masari deserve re-election to enable them consolidate on their good policies and programmes for the betterment of the larger society.

Alhaji Mannir Talba, a former commissioner of Health and Alhaji Adamu SK Danja in their separate remarks, applauded the APC administration on a number of sectors which had improved significantly on people’s wellbeing.

Taraba Gov stockpiling arms, plans to use state marshall to rig election -APC From: Ayodele Samuel, Lagos

T

he Taraba state All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the state government of stockpiling arms worth over three hundred million naira and planning to use the state marshal to disrupt the forthcoming general election.

The Director General of the state governorship campaign and President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Bobboi Kaigama, made the allegations on Monday while briefing journalists in Jalingo.

Kaigama said that “the party has gathered reliably that the state government has acquired arms and ammunitions worth over three hundred million Naira and has distributed same to youths at various flashpoints across the state and is mobilising the youths and the state Marshal to disrupt the forthcoming elections.

“Of course the governor is aware that he has failed the people of the state woefully and would lose at the election and so he has resorted to the use of violence. The people of the state

are fully mobilised and galvanized and would resist any attempt by the state government or any other persons to temper with the mandate of the people.”

Corroborating the allegations, the Nigerian envoy to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago Alh Hassan Ardo Jika said that “the attack on the governorship campaign train of the party last week gives an insight into what the PDP government in the state intends to do during the election.”

Jika said that the relevant security agencies have been alerted

on the various schemes of the state government and are urged to be on top of their game to nib these in the buds to avoid a total breakdown of law and order in the state as “the people would resist any attempt to scuttle the election with determined vehemence.”

In a swift reaction however, the Senior Special Assistant on media to gov Darius Ishaku Mr Bala Dan Abu described the allegations are frivolous and challenged the APC “to show the exact locations where the alleged arms are stockpiled so that they can

be recovered.”

Abu said that the “Taraba state government believes in peace and has worked hard to restore peace in the state in the last four years, bringing a paradigm shift from the situation where the state was in perpetual anarchy. For anyone to claim that the state government is stockpiling arms is ridiculous. Gov Ishaku has overwhelming acceptance and has no need for violence to win elections. On the contrary, it is the APC that is bent on stirring violence to disrupt the election.”

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PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

POLITICS

Those endorsing Atiku are political jobbers -BMO

By Umar Muhammad Puma

T

he Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has dismissed the groups that recently ‘endorsed’ the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, as a gathering of ‘shameless exponents of political adventurism.’

The group said that a quick look at the leadership of these “endorsers would show that they are political jobbers, freelance activist and free-wheeling influence peddlers.

It is therefore not surprising that members of the socio-cultural groups the individuals claimed to be representing have already disowned the purported endorsement.”

In a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke BMO said: these are men who in spite of their advanced age are known to be political middlemen who have been out of job in the last three and a half years of the President Buhari administration.

“That virtually all of them have been disowned by the core membership of the socio-cultural group they are supposed to be representing say a lot about their credibility.

“One of them Pogo Bitrus, who claimed to be the President of the Middle Belt Forum is from Borno State but is presenting himself as the leader of the umbrella body of the people of North Central Nigeria, as

the name suggests.

“It is even on record that Bitrus was the leader of the Chibok community in Abuja but was removed because of his romance with the Jonathan administration at the height of the clamour for the return of the abducted Chibok girls in 2014.

“As for the Afenifere, it is clear that the duo of Pa Ayo Adebanjo and Yinka Odumakin are using the name as influence-vending franchise on behalf of a group of people they have no mandate to represent”.

BMO stated that the arrowheads of the endorsement are PDP members and sympathisers who were also in the forefront of support for the failed re-election bid of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“This purported endorsement, which Atiku Abubakar is already celebrating, is nothing more than a case of party members backing their Presidential candidates by subterfuge, as is usual with the PDP. “Only recently we saw the PDP faction of Ohaneze led by John Nwodo endorse Atiku Abubakar, but, few days later, the Anambra State Government and Ohaneze Youth Council led the deluge of dissenting voices which insisted that the people of South East should be allowed to vote in line with their conscience.

“As for Ango Abdullahi, the leadership of the Arewa Consultative Forum(ACF) has questioned his right to speak for and on behalf of the Northern Region.

“So these so-called Nigerian leaders and elders, led by a known PDP Chieftain, Edwin Clark that claimed they opted for their party’s Presidential candidate because he is ‘capable’, are clearly not representing anybody aside from themselves.

“And just like in 2015, the fake endorsement is dead on arrival because the people who matter and who heartily received President Buhari at campaign rallies across the country are ready to make their votes count on February 16 by giving him a resounding victory”.

BMO said it is convinced that the gathering was a last ditched effort to shore up PDP’s flagging Presidential campaign.

Adamawa: PDP vows to resist APC rigging

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa state has said it has put mechanism on ground ahead of coming elections to resist any attempt of rigging by the incumbent government.

PDP stressed that it will settle at nothing that free and fair acceptable elections by all.

Speaking at a critical stakeholders meeting in Yola on Monday, Hon Ahmed Fintiri, the PDP gubernatorial candidate raised the alarm that the ruling APC is planning to rig the election at all cost.

“We know their intrigue, let them be assured that we are prepared for this election nobody can rig us out and we will never allow it”, he said.

Fintir said the meeting was summoned to access their level of reach-out after the ward to ward campaign that the party has just concluded so that they can finetune that of the local government to local government before 2019 election commences.

He also urged the party’s stakeholders and supporters to be patient and tolerant in ensuring that all work for the victory of the party.

In the meeting, the party alleged that Governor Jibrilla

Bindow is manipulating the state owned media to his administration favor to the detriment of other political parties.

They said the media outlets

belong to everyone not only the state government challenging the Governor to stop the manipulation immediately.

Commenting at the meeting,

Former Governorship Aspirant of the party, Adamu Modibbo enjoined the party supporters to work assiduously for the party during the general elections.

The party resolved that its party agents to be use at the general elections would be train on election processes soon.

Members of Free Nigeria Movement with Coalition of Civil Society Groups (CSO) protesting against an alleged prosecution, illegal arrests and continuous detention of Deji Adeyanju, a human right activist, at the Embassies Road in Abuja,. Photo: NAN

Atiku wife urges Nigerians not to mortgage their future with APC From: Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

T

he Wife of the former Vice President, Hajia Titi Abubakar said Atiku has urged Nigerians not to mortgage their future but vote rightly during the next week’s presidential election.

She gave this advice yesterday in Makurdi, Benue State capital during the Peoples ‘ Democratic Party, PDP Women Presidential Campaign rally.

According to her, Atiku remains the only presidential candidate that has the capacity to turn things around for the good of the country.

She said that as a former vice president, he had a full grasp of the challenges of the country and solutions to them.

‘’He is a job creator, an Economist, an Educationist and a philanthropist who has a lot of compassion for the country. He wants Nigeria to start working again that explains why he is vying for the position. ‘’I urge you to vote out the All Progressives Congress, APC and vote in the PDP. Do not allow members of the APC to deceive you.

Do not mortgage your votes. ‘’If you mortgage your votes, you are automatically mortgaging your future and that of your children and your unborn generations. A vote for PDP is a vote for development at all levels,’’ she said.

Former Speaker, Benue Assembly, Mrs Margaret Icheen, said that Governor Samuel

Ortom and his wife have worked assiduously for the victory of the party in the state at all levels.

Icheen said that all the PDP candidates from the president to the house of assembly would be victorious during the polls.

The wife of the former Senate President, Mrs Helen Mark, said that with the support given PDP so far, Atiku and other PDP candidates could go to sleep but victory would smile at them during the polls.

She further said that Atiku would run an inclusive government where all and sundry would be given a sense of belonging. ‘’He would ensure that the dividends of democracy trickled down to all Nigerians irrespective of party and religious affiliations,’’ she

said.

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue corroborated Mrs. Abubakar that Atiku is the only presidential candidate with the capacity to liberate the country from ignorance, disease and the like. ‘’He had been tested and trusted.

As a result of this and other sundry reasons, Benue people are prepared to vote him en masse. Benue remains for him and other PDP candidates,’’ he said.

The governor further said that insecurity is the topmost challenge the country and State is bedeviled with in recent times.

He, however, expressed confidence in the ability of Atiku to fix the challenge when he becomes the president.

He noted that development cannot take place in a chaotic environment hence the need to nip insecurity in the state in the bud to pave way for development.

He said that nobody would be given the chance to rig election in the state no matter the circumstances, stressing that every vote must count.

Also, Arc. Yemisi Suswam, wife to the former governor of the state, urged the people to ensure that they vote for all PDP candidates during the general elections, adding that they should also guard their votes against manipulations.

The Wife of the Benue Governor, Mrs Eunice Ortom, informed Mrs. Abubakar that the Benue women were full of hope having seen the blue print of her husband, Atiku.

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PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

Ndigbo, Candido rob minds over AMAC election

By Abba-Eku Onyeka, Abuja

T

he Igbo Community in IduKoro, a sub urban area in Abuja and the chairman, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon Abdulahi Adamu Candido, has met and discussed on how to partner with each other toward achieving a common goal.

The discussion took place during a recent familiarity visit of the chairman to the ethnic group resident in the village.

In a remark, Emeka Chilaka, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Jiwa ward where Idu-Koro falls, told the chairman that other geopolitical zones in the ward have benefitted from jobs, appointments, among others in the area council, with the exception of south east geopolitical zone.

This, he asked the chairman to address in order to continue to enjoy the support of the ethnic group.

Similarly, another prominent member of the party in the ward, Chuka Ezekwugo, told the chairman to ensure that he did a serious consultation before giving appointment to any Igbo person in the area council.

He said that all his appointees from the ethnic group were not carrying their people along.

He spoke at length how the appointees from the ethnic group in AMAC has been promoting marginalization of the ethnic group in Abuja due to selfishness.

In a response, the executive chairman urged the community to give their support and vote to the APC in order to continue what he described as good work the party in power has been doing in the area council.

Still speaking on the need for the party to be reelected into office, he informed that it would be difficult for the APC-led government to repair 16 years of damage done in the country by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) within its three years in office.

He however blamed the issue of marginalisation of the ethnic group to their appointees from the area.

He said the vice chairman, supervisory councilor for special duties, among others, were from the south east and wondered why they should not carry their brothers and sisters along. He therefore promised to do something about the complaint.

Earlier in his welcome address, the chairman of Ndigbo in the area, Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka commended him for performance and urged him to keep the pace in order to continue to enjoy the support of his people.

POLITICS

APC guber candidate pledges to end political thuggery in Nasarawa From Gambo Ahmed, Lafia

A

ll Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate in Nasarawa State, Engineer Suler Abdullahi Audu has assured Nasarawa youths that if elected his administration would embark on job creation in order to end political thuggery and other related social vices in the state.

Sule stated this in Agidi Development Area of Nasarawa

Eggon Local Government Council yesterday while addressing APC supporters in continuation of his zonal campaign.

He added that his administration will dwell primarily in addressing infrastructural deficit in Eggon land and the state at large if given the mandate. “I will build more schools, health centres, road network, water and electricity shall be my focus”, Sule maintained.

Sule further urged politicians

in the state to engage on campaign that would promote unity among the diverse ethnic groups in the state rather than embarking on campaign of blackmail and hatred as according to him “we need to dwell on issues that are targeted toward the development of our dear state”.

The APC candidate in his address also encouraged electorates in Nasarawa State to vote President Muhammadu

Buhari and all APC candidates vying for various political positions in the state, just as he said “APC is the only reliable, transparent and honest party that can transform the nation in all spheres of development”.

He however called on politicians in the state to eschew politics of violence in order to pave way for government to provide the dividends of democracy to the people.

The Ona of Abaji and chairman of the council of traditional rulers in the FCT, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunus received the Representing the wife of the President and Senior Special Assistant on Administration, Dr. Hajo Sani and other APC Women and Youths Presidential Campaign during a door to door campaign in Abaji FCT at the weekend in Abuja.

Photo: State House

Sustain thrust in PDP, Nwaoboshi tells Ndokwa youths From: Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

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he senator representing Delta North Senatorial District at the upper chambers, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi has tasked the people of Ndokwa East Local Government Area to sustain their thrust, confidence and commitments to the ideals and programmes of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) so as to

engender more robust dividends of democracy after February and March 2019 general elections.

While calling on opposition party members to play politics according to the rules, Nwaoboshi who spoke to newsmen in Asaba on Sunday, asserted that no other political party exists in Delta State and in Ndokwa East in particular, pointing out that the people of the area were known for massive votes for PDP, and

encouraged them to redouble their preparation for the victory of all candidates of the political party.

Senator Nwaoboshi, candidate for the 2019 election, listed some of his achievements since he was voted for as a Senator representing Delta North to include; Ashaka Internal By Pass Roads, amongst others, and promised to link up the road with the Hospital/Ushie road.

He disclosed that action was on motion for the construction of Ebrede-Iyede Ame OnogbokorAkarai-Aboh road by NDDC and many others.

While lauding PDP leaders in Ndokwa East for their massive mobilization for the party, Senator Nwaoboshi paid glowing tribute to Chief Godwin Obielum whom he described as a dependable partner in the struggle for a Delta North Governor of the state.

“Buhari healthier than most candidates”

By Umar Muhammad Puma

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gainst the spate of criticisms and ‘concerns’ about the President’s health, the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO), says that President Muhammadu Buhari is more healthier than most of the candidates vying for presidential tickets, saying it is most regrettable, uncalled for and reprehensible and aimed at embarrassing and distracting the President.

The group made this assertion in response to insinuations in the media, and a law suit, challenging the health status of the President.

BMO made particular reference to a press statement signed by Ugochinyere Ikenga, spokesperson

of Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) in which the organisation stated that the President is not healthy enough to lead the nation for another four years, and that the courts should order President Buhari to make public his health status.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, BMO asked Nigerians to dismiss “the moronic claim from Ikenga. He is the kind of person that is giving the Nigerian Bar Association a bad name, bringing all sorts of malicious lawsuits and invectives against the person of the President, He should be reminded that under the National Health Law any adult has

the right to disclose or withhold his or her health Status.

“Aside from that, what could be more telling of the President’s fitness when he has visited 21 states in the last two weeks, 18 states twice and three states once.

“President Buhari has shown that at his age, he is a hard worker, going by things he has put in place in three and a half years: the roads, the rail system, power supply etc. These are unprecedented achievements.

No head of government has done half that in Nigeria’s history.

“In any case, President Buhari is not a Robo cop, he is a mortal like any one of us and can fall ill at any time- again, just like any of us. We at BMO are proud to be

associated with him for the things he has done, which are unmatched and unmatchable especially by the ruinous People’s Democratic Party (PDP) elements.”

BMO said despite Buhari’s hectic campaign tours, to more than half of the States, “he has not abandoned his normal duties. Also, in all the states where he has campaigned, he has commissioned several Federal Government projects.

“Of course, we understand why PDP, in its blurred vision, cannot see any of this. We strongly recommend that PDP leadership should see the nearest Psychiatrist for evaluation and cure for their multiple neuroses. Perhaps then they will see what others are seeing.

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

Page 19

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

Stock Watch: Monday, February 4, 2018 Low

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0.25 0.25 0 0.25 0.25 ABCTRANS 0.00 0 7.45 7.45 0 7.45 7.50 ACCESS 0.00 0 3.51 3.45 0 3.51 3.76 AFRIPRUD 0.06 0 0.69 0.69 0 0.69 0.69 AIICO 0.00 0 6.90 6.90 475 6.90 6.90 AIRSERVICE 0.00 0 7.15 6.50 0 7.15 7.15 BERGER 0.65 0 68.30 68.30 0 68.30 68.30 BETAGLAS 0.00 0 10.00 10.00 0 10.00 10.00 CADBURY 0.00 0 37.25 37.25 0 37.25 37.25 CAP 0.00 0 1.84 1.84 0 1.84 1.84 CAVERTON 0.00 0 15.70 15.70 0 15.70 15.70 CCNN 0.00 0 1.59 1.59 0 1.59 1.59 CHAMPION 0.00 0 20.25 20.25 0 20.25 20.25 CONOIL 0.00 0 1.75 1.76 0 1.85 1.85 CONTINSURE 0.09 0 0.20 0.20 500 0.20 0.20 CORNERST 0.00 0 5.10 5.10 0 5.10 5.10 CUSTODIAN 0.00 0 1.78 1.78 0 1.78 1.78 CUTIX 0.00 0 185.00 186.00 0 185.00 185.00 DANGCEM -1.00 0 6.30 6.30 0 6.55 6.55 DANGFLOUR 0.25 0 13.30 13.30 0 13.30 13.30 DANGSUGAR 0.00 0 0.92 0.87 0 0.95 0.95 DIAMONDBNK 0.08 0 3.37 3.37 0 3.37 3.37 EKOCORP 0.00 0 4.65 4.85 0 4.65 4.65 ETERNA -0.20 0 15.00 15.00 0 15.00 15.00 ETI 0.00 0 7.25 7.20 0 7.45 7.45 FBNH 0.25 0 1.55 1.54 0 1.63 1.63 FCMB 0.09 0 953.90 953.69 14 953.90 953.90 FGS2019S1 0.21 0 931.40 999.24 42 931.40 999.27 FGS2019S2 -67.84 0 1,022.50 820.04 30 1,022.50 1,022.50 FGS202011 202.46 0 1,000.00 1,000.00 140 1,000.00 1,015.03 FGS2020S5 0.00 0 1,019.26 1,000.00 35 1,019.26 1,019.26 FGS2020S9 19.26 0 1.90 1.97 0 1.97 1.97 FIDELITYBK 0.00 0 4.60 4.90 0 4.60 4.60 FIDSON -0.30 0 0.28 0.30 0 0.33 0.33 FIRSTALUM 0.03 0 20.55 21.00 0 20.55 20.55 FLOURMILL -0.45 0 24.10 24.10 0 24.10 24.10 FO 0.00 0 14.50 14.50 0 14.50 14.50 GLAXOSMITH 0.00 0 34.90 35.00 0 35.00 35.00 GUARANTY 0.00 0 73.00 73.00 0 73.00 73.00 GUINNESS 0.00 0 1.11 1.14 0 1.11 1.14 HONYFLOUR -0.03 0 1.87 1.87 350 1.87 1.87 IKEJAHOTEL 0.00 0 0.67 0.61 0 0.67 0.67 INITSPLC 0.06 0 30.00 30.00 0 30.00 30.00 INTBREW 0.00 0 0.47 0.47 0 0.47 0.51 JAIZBANK 0.00 0 0.22 0.22 0 0.22 0.22 JAPAULOIL 0.00 0 21.00 21.00 0 21.00 21.00 JBERGER 0.00 0 0.48 0.44 0 0.48 0.48 JOHNHOLT 0.04 0 1.67 1.67 0 1.67 1.67 JULI 0.00 0 0.51 0.51 376 0.51 0.51 LAWUNION 0.00 0 1.26 1.26 0 1.26 1.26 LEARNAFRCA 0.00 0 0.60 0.60 0 0.60 0.60 LINKASSURE 0.00 0 0.47 0.47 0 0.47 0.47 LIVESTOCK 0.00 0

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Stock Close Gain FGS202011 1022.50 202.46 BERGER 7.15 0.65 FIRSTALUM 0.33 0.03 SEPLAT 594.00 54.00 INITSPLC 0.67 0.06

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1.98 1.98 0 1.98 1.98 MANSARD 0.00 0 2.45 2.45 0 2.45 2.45 MAYBAKER 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.21 0.21 MBENEFIT 0.01 0 156.60 156.60 0 156.60 156.60 MOBIL 0.00 0 25.70 25.70 0 25.70 25.70 MRS 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.20 0.20 MULTIVERSE 0.00 0 3.37 3.37 0 3.37 3.37 NAHCO 0.00 0 17.00 17.00 0 17.00 17.00 NASCON 0.00 0 76.50 76.00 0 79.50 79.50 NB 3.50 0 6.30 6.30 0 6.30 6.30 NCR 0.00 0 0.60 0.57 0 0.60 0.60 NEIMETH 0.03 0 2.30 2.35 0 2.30 2.30 NEM -0.05 0 1,450.00 1,480.00 0 1,450.00 1,450.00 NESTLE -30.00 0 0.22 0.21 0 0.22 0.22 NIGERINS 0.01 0 4.80 4.80 0 4.80 4.80 NNFM 0.00 0 4.80 4.90 0 4.95 4.95 OANDO 0.05 0 73.00 73.00 0 73.00 73.00 OKOMUOIL 0.00 0 62.15 62.15 0 62.15 62.15 PRESCO 0.00 0 0.47 0.47 0 0.47 0.47 PRESTIGE 0.00 0 10.35 11.50 0 10.35 10.35 PZ -1.15 0 4.40 4.40 500 4.40 4.40 REDSTAREX 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.20 0.20 ROYALEX 0.00 0 0.38 0.38 0 0.38 0.38 RTBRISCOE 0.00 0 2.93 2.93 560 2.93 2.93 SCOA 0.00 0 594.00 540.00 0 594.00 594.00 SEPLAT 54.00 0 0.20 0.20 500 0.20 0.20 SOVRENINS 0.00 0 45.55 45.55 0 45.55 45.55 STANBIC 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.20 0.20 STDINSURE 0.00 0 1.80 1.99 0 1.81 1.98 STERLNBANK -0.18 0 198.00 198.00 0 198.00 198.00 TOTAL 0.00 0 6.10 6.10 0 6.10 6.10 TRANSCOHOT 0.00 0 1.15 1.15 0 1.15 1.19 TRANSCORP 0.00 0 0.64 0.64 0 0.64 0.64 TRANSEXPR 0.00 0 0.77 0.77 0 0.77 0.77 TRIPPLEG 0.00 0 10.40 10.00 0 10.70 10.70 UACN 0.70 0 1.48 1.48 0 1.48 1.48 UAC-PROP 0.00 0 7.50 7.40 0 7.55 7.55 UBA 0.15 0 5.80 5.85 0 6.10 6.10 UBN 0.25 0 2.80 2.56 0 2.80 2.81 UCAP 0.24 0 38.90 38.90 0 38.90 38.90 UNILEVER 0.00 0 0.25 0.26 0 0.25 0.25 UNIONDAC -0.01 0 0.69 0.69 0 0.69 0.69 UNITYBNK 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.20 0.20 UNIVINSURE 0.00 0 8.10 8.10 0 8.10 8.10 UPDCREIT 0.00 0 2.12 2.12 0 2.12 2.12 UPL 0.00 0 0.21 0.23 0 0.25 0.25 VERITASKAP 0.02 0 3.44 3.44 0 3.44 3.44 VITAFOAM 0.00 0 12.40 12.45 0 12.45 12.45 WAPCO 0.00 0 0.40 0.40 0 0.40 0.40 WAPIC 0.00 0 0.59 0.59 0 0.59 0.59 WEMABANK 0.00 0 23.00 23.00 0 23.00 23.00 ZENITHBANK 0.00 0 Copyright © 2018 NgTradeOnline

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Nigeria develops five new standards for indigenous food

By Miriam Humbe

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ollowing the federal government’s quest to promote agriculture as the bedrock of the economic diversification agenda, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has coordinated the drafting of five new standards on indigenous foods.

The ongoing development of the Standards also promotes the application of research and technology to boost the production of foods for local consumption and export.

Disclosing this view at the first technical committee (TC) meeting on food technology standards in 2019 held in Lagos, SON Director General, Osita Aboloma stated that the development is to further the nation’s quest to be in the fore front of promoting indigenous production of food.

According to him, the technical committee meeting is to also reiterate Nigerian stakeholders’ relevance in food standardization.

Represented by Dr. Mrs. Omolara Okunlola, SON Group Head, Food Technology, he advised the TC members to bring their expertise and rich experience to bear on the drafting of the Standards in order to make them practical, and easily implementable by stakeholders after approval and publishing.

These according to him, will provide necessary guide to manufacturers, promote fair trade practices and assist statutory regulatory activities.

Aboloma enjoined the committee to critically consider issues bothering on food safety, food quality and fair trade practices so as not only to strengthen the economy but to enhance the productivity of the food sector.

Dr. Okunlola listed the five new standards as; Standard for packaged millet flour for pap, standard for corn pap powder, standard for packaged sorghum powder for pap, standard for fonio flour (Acha flour) and standard for Acha.

The TC Chairman, Prof Charles Ariahu of the Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Agriculture Markurdi promised that the committee will carry out its responsibilities diligently.

He enjoined members of the TC to ensure strict compliance with the standards development guidelines and endeavor to contribute their opinions and positions freely.

According to him, some of the products to be considered are indigenous, have been in existence over the years and are already being traded across borders thus necessitate approved specifications to serve as benchmarks.

Workers commute on commercial motorcycles on Lagos-Abekuta Expressway, recently in Lagos. Photo: NAN

Allegations on Forex Racket, baseless, untrue -CBN

By Etuka Sunday

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he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday described as baseless and untrue the report on BusinessDay Newspaper alleging that faceless agents in Nigeria are exploiting the country’s multiple exchange rates to devastating effects and allegedly with the backing of regulators.

CBN has therefore challenged BusinessDay to provide the names and also verifiable evidence of collusion between these faceless agents and officials of the CBN, who are working to perpetuate these so called Fx racket schemes.

“We would also urge the management of BusinessDay to contact the CBN prior to making such spurious allegations, as we were denied the benefit of responding to this article,” a statement by the Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, Isaac Okorafor has said.

The statement said, CBN has been alerted on the frontpage headline story in the BusinessDay newspaper on Monday, February 4, 2019 titled: “Exposed The Sleazy Face of N306/$, inside Nigeria’s racket where faceless agents pocket over N32bn annually”.

The management of the CBN wishes to react to the report wherein BusinessDay newspaper alleges that faceless agents in Nigeria are exploiting the country’s multiple exchange rates to devastating effects and allegedly with the backing of regulators.

“The CBN wishes to state unequivocally that this report is unfounded and untrue and challenges BusinessDay to provide the names and also verifiable evidence of collusion between these faceless agents and officials of the CBN, who are working to perpetuate these so called Fx racket schemes.

We would also urge the management

of BusinessDay to contact the CBN prior to making such spurious allegations, as we were denied the benefit of responding to this article.

“The CBN wishes to remind BusinessDay, as most financial observers have noted, that the Fx rates across various markets governed and regulated by the CBN, have been converging, leaving no room for arbitrage opportunities in Nigeria’s Fx market.

“For avoidance of doubt, the CBN will continue to act in the best interest of Nigeria and shall ensure it remains focused on its core mandate of sustaining the stability in the FX market,” the statement said.

Uduk urges Capital Market Stakeholders to attract, retain investments

By Etuka Sunday

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takeholders in the Capital Market have been urged to continue to take positive steps to attract and retain both local and foreign investments to stimulate economic growth and developed critical infrastructure necessary for the country’s development.

Ag. Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Ms. Mary Uduk stated this at the formal launch of the book ‘Riding the Eagle’ written by Mrs Toyin Sanni in Lagos, Monday Uduk stated that during the decision-making process, investors want to be sure of the rational basis of their investment decisions before transferring resources, and this is why quality information is needed.

She said “Providing information to investors will enhance transparency in the Nigerian markets and improve our global reputation in the investment community.

“Riding the Eagle meets this imperative by providing comprehensive and up-to-date information on investing in the Nigerian markets via a roadmap and guide for foreign, domestic, institutional and individual investors alike. It also examines the challenges faced by the Nigerian economy across sectors, past and recent success stories and solutions to some of the nation’s economic and development challenges.

She said the Book goes into details on the key sectors that drive the performance of the Nigerian economy and what investment

opportunities are available for interested investors and motivated entrepreneurs.

The SEC DG therefore commended the author, Mrs. Toyin F. Sanni, for putting at the disposal of the industry, the value of over one decade in the money market and another two decades in the capital market.

“The book serves investor interests through this comprehensive and authoritative work on investment opportunities in the Nigerian economy.

“It is imperative therefore that we all as stakeholders continue to take positive steps to attract and retain both local and foreign investments to stimulate economic growth and develop critical infrastructure necessary for our country’s

development” she added.

In her remarks, Vice Chairman FAMFA Oil Limited, Mrs Folorunsho Alakija described the book as truly a most appropriate and timely information guide for all stakeholders in the investment sector in africa’s most populous and resource rich country (Nigeria).

Author of the book, Mrs Sanni said the book is to help make Nigeria a sustainable preferred destination by providing detailed and concise information for investors.

She said the book discusses Nigeria’s current economic challenges and proffers solution to some of them. ‘Riding the Eagle is a guide for local and international investors seeking to exploit the unique opportunities in the Nigerian Economy’ she added.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

Page 20

ICT

With NCC, Telecom consumers are ‘’Kings’’

By Etuka Sunday

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he old saying that “Consumer is King” or “the Customer is always right” described how Central or vital the role of Consumer in the economic system of a Nation.

Without the consumer demand, producers would lack one of the key motivations to produce.

According to Wikipedia, “the customer is always right” is a slogan which exhorts service staff to give a high priority to customer satisfaction.

It was popularised by pioneering and successful retailers such as Harry Gordon Selfridge, John Wanamaker and Marshall Field.

They advocated that customer complaints should be treated seriously so that customer does not feel cheated or deceived.

A variation frequently used in Germany is “der Kunde ist Konig” (the customer is King).

Accordingly, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) recognizes the kingship role of consumers in the Telecom sector, therefore, has been persistently pushing to ensure the protection of their rights, privileges and interests, including the physically challenged groups through adequate information dissemination and empowerment programmes.

NCC recognizes that a consumer is a stakeholder in the telecommunication industry in Nigeria, thus, has the Right to be informed, Right to safety, Right to choose, Right to be heard, Right to privacy, Right to timely installation, restoration and repair service, Right to action on disputed charges, Right to accurate bill and quality service.

The NCC protects Consumers’ rights and provides information to consumers in various ways. This is carried out by the Consumer Affairs Bureau (CAB) of the Commission in collaboration with other Departments of the Commission.

The Nigerian Communications Act 2003 (NCA Act 2003) and Consumer Code of practice and Regulation 2007 (CCPR 2007) ensure that service Providers deal reasonably with the Consumers by providing them with information on their service that is complete, accurate, and up-to-date and in a simple and clear language.

The commission ensures that Service providers give advance warnings of anticipated services disruptions or planned outages, including details of the disruption or outage, the service and service areas affected and any applicable compensation or

Executive Vice-Chairman, NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta remedies.

The Commission has provided the consumers with Number Portability and Do-NotDisturb Activation if they are dissatisfied.

The Mobile Number Portability is a service that enables you to keep your mobile phone number when changing from one mobile service provider to another. So you have the option of porting to another number if you are dissatisfied with the present number you’re using.

Unsolicited SMS is any message, calls which is transmitted for commercial transaction in regards to goods or services a subscriber opts not to receive. Therefore, NCC has provided a code 2442 to stop such unsolicited SMS or Calls.

The consumers can Send ‘’STOP’’ to 2442 for full DND which does not allow subscribers to receive any unsolicited messages.

On the procedure for lodging consumer complaints, NCC said, Consumers who are dissatisfied with services rendered to them by any of the operators have a right to redress the situation through formal lodging of complaints to NCC. Consumers are advised to call their network providers call centre numbers and when not satisfied call the NCC toll free number “622”. Or report to the Commission through the 5 Zonal Offices (Kano, Lagos, PortHarcourt, Ibadan and Enugu) with the Headquarter located in Abuja.

The NCC in its consumer protection role established outreach programs aimed at providing avenues for consumers to meet with service providers to seek redress on any issues concerning service delivery.

These outreach programs are in three tiers namely; Telecom Consumer Parliament (TCP),

Consumer Outreach Program (COP) and Consumer Town Hall Meeting (CTM).

For instance, at the 38th Edition of the Consumer Town Hall Meeting (CTM), in Zaria last year, the Executive ViceChairman, NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta said, the Meeting was put together by the Commission in recognition of the role of Consumer as a King in the palace of market.

Represented by the Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, NCC, Alh. Ismail Adedigba, Prof. Danbatta said, the Consumer as a King must be accorded basic rights such as right to be heard, right to be educated, right to redress as well as right to safety.

He said, the main aim of the Consumer Town Hall Meeting was to enable tripartite meeting between regulators, operators and consumers to resolve pressing consumer’s issues as it relates to provision of telecom services.

He emphasized that “the focus of NCC on Consumer did not end with 2017 as Year of Telecom Consumer. In fact, it has just begun as the Commission is not in any way winding down

“

The Consumer as a King must be accorded basic rights such as right to be heard, right to be educated, right to redress as well as right to safety.

on our avowed commitment to serve the Consumers better in all fronts as the Consumer remains the King of the Industry”.

He therefore, urged the Consumers to take advantage of the numerous channels to reach NCC as and when required.

Just last week, NCC said as part of its consumer protection activities, it has received and satisfactorily resolved 92,757 service-related complaints escalated to it for resolution by aggrieved telecommunications consumers in the past two years.

Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau of NCC, Alh. Ismail Adedigba, disclosed this in a report detailing consumer protection activities of the Commission presented during a consumer awareness campaign held in Niger State.

“Between January 2017 and December 2018, the Commission received a total of 118,784 complaints from consumers, of which 92,757, representing 78 per cent of total complaints received during the two years period were successfully resolved to the satisfaction of telecom consumers,” he said.

Accordingly, Adedigba said that 5,010 appreciations were received from some consumers who felt satisfied after the Commission had successfully resolved their issues for them and therefore decided to formally write and call the Commission to express their gratitude for the Commission interventionist efforts.

He explained that the complaints and appreciations were received through the Commission’s various channels of lodging complaints and interactive engagement platforms.

These, he said, include the NCC toll-free Line - 622, which is the Commission’s Contact Centre, the NCC Consumer Portal, consumer complaint redress email, written complaints, Social Media as well as those received at the Commission’s various outreach programmes which include Consumer Town Hall Meeting (CTM), Consumer Outreach Programme (COP) and Telecom Consumer Parliament (TCP).

Through the three consumer outreach programmes usually held by the Commission across different states on a rotational basis, Adedigba said more than 31, 202 consumers have been engaged face-to-face and adequately educated on their rights and privileges with respect to provision of telecoms services within the last two years.

He said during such fora, consumer fact sheets developed

by the Commission on various service-related, topical issues are also distributed to educate consumers on various issues in the industry.

“The Commission places a lot of importance on consumerrelated issues.

For this reason, the Commission has embarked on various initiatives, aimed at enlightening and protecting the consumers to ensure they get quality services, that they are treated right by the service providers and that they get value for money spent on telecom services, be it voice or data.

“Also, we ensure that we embark on initiatives aimed at providing wider service options as well as putting more control in the hands of the consumers to determine what they receive, especially in terms of valueadded services (VAS) in line with our ‘PIE’ Mandate of Protecting, Informing and Educating the consumers. We understand the industry is big and we are doing our best to ensure consumer get quality service delivery,” he said.

Further to its determination to put more control in the hands of consumers to determine what they receive on their mobile lines, he noted that the NCC, in 2016, created the Do-NotDisturb (DND) 2442 Short Code.

Adedigba explained that the Short Code allows telecoms consumers to get more protection against unsolicited text messages received as VAS and nuisance calls as well as against Internetgenerated/distributed spam text messages that are fraudulently used to deduct consumer’s airtime credit.

“The DND code can be activated fully by sending “STOP” as a text message to 2442, thereby blocking all unsolicited text messages. It can also be activated partially by sending “HELP” as a text message to 2442 to choose from a list of categories of unsolicited messages which the consumer still wants to be receiving,” he said.

Adedigba further disclosed that, till date, more than 12 million telecom consumers have activated DND Code and as a Commission, we continue to create more awareness on DND in order for consumers to have control over the kind of unsolicited text messages they receive.

“We expect that this number will continue to grow as more consumers become aware of the DND Short Code through continuous awareness campaigns activities at our outreach events.

However, subscription to the service is optional,” he said.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

METRO

Page 21

Land encroachment: AMMC enforces stop-work order against Military

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) yesterday halted ongoing earthworks by laborers purportedly engaged

by Military on a land located at Kuje Junction, off Airport Road, belonging Nigerian Police.

AMMC officials, who stormed the site to enforce stop work order that was served on the site for almost two weeks, said it aimed at addressing a clear case of an encroachment by a security agency against a sister institution.

The Council explained that the was taken to ensure strict

compliance with the rules and regulations of property development in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Speaking during the exercise, AMMC Coordinator, Umar Shaibu said the Police had drew its attention to the alleged encroachment, which was looked and discovered that it is the military that is clearing land without statutory title document for their activities in the place.

Shaibu said : “We received a complain from the Nigerian Police that they have a title to the plot of land in which they noticed work going on.

“The police have the right

to inform us that somebody is developing their land.

It is our responsibility to make sure that whoever is encroaching on any land, we come in and try to resolve the matter, by running a thorough check on the land title document that whoever is making the development has.

“When we came, we discovered that it is the military that is clearing land, and we asked for their statutory land title document for their activities in the place.

“For the past one to two weeks that we served stop work notice, unfortunately it was not respected. So, we are here to enforce the stop work

order, because we have to work according to the rules and regulations of development in Abuja.”

According to him, the Nigerian Police have title to the land, so if it’s a matter double allocation, then is expected to receive any title from the military.

“We are not preventing them (the military) from developing there but that will be done within the ambit of the law.

“They (the military) must respect us, because we are the statutory institution for making sure law and order is respected in matters of land.

In Nigeria, we must respect

law and order, as nobody is above law.

“Nobody no matter how high has the right to trample on somebody’s right, and then we will allow it, we won’t be fair to all the citizens of the country most especially developers in Abuja.

“We will always come here to make sure that they will stop; we are here today, and we shall be here again until we stop them.

“When two security agencies are having conflict among themselves, it’s our responsibility to make sure we intervene and mediate on the issue.”

Chief Nursing Office Oncology National Hospital Mrs, Adekemi Awonugba received Natural Food Supplement on behalf Cancer patient from Executive Director Tai Aremu Cancer Awareness Campaign Organization (TACACAO) Mr Segun Aremu as part of TACACO social Corporate responsibility to mark 2019 World Cancer day, yesterday in Abuja.

STDD seeks stakeholders’ collaboration on waste evacuation

By Stanley Onyekwere

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he Satellite Towns D e v e l o p m e n t Department (STDD) has sought the collaboration of stakeholders on enforcement of a new system of evacuating garbages across designated dump sites at the outskirt towns of the FCT. The Department revealed that under the new scheme it would handover waste evacuation to a contractor, and will only play the role of monitoring the exercise which is expected to ensure

more prompt actions by those involved.

This was disclosed by STDD coordinator, Ishaku Tanko Yamawo at the weekend after monitoring waste evacuation in Jikwoyi phase I and phase II dump sites under Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

Yamawo, who was represented by the deputy director environment, Olusegun Olusa said the new arrangement was to address threat to residents’ health and promote their wellbeing.

Olusa explained that the

agency’s action followed a letter written by the communities’ neighbourhood to STDD concerning the worrisome state of the dump site.

He asserted that the present mop up of the areas was an emergency one aimed at paving way for the main exercise which would begin after the procurement processes in progress are completed.

“We have started with the mop up operation but as soon as the procurement processes in progress are completed the agency will have a contractor

that will be evacuating the waste regularly, at least three times in a week” he said.

The deputy director stated that evacuation of garbages was the statutory job of area councils but,he regretted that with the slow evacuation exercise being carried out by them compare to the generation, STDD had key into the process.

He sought for the community leaders and members support in areas of strict monitoring and putting in place sanitary guards that will make the compliance

more effective.

Olusa appealed to the area council chairmen to ensure that their residents heed to the sanitation guidelines.

One of the community leaders, David Iya who spoke on behalf of the residents pledged his readiness to ensuring that the new initiative stand the test of time.

He urged the government to evolve measures that will sustain the system, even as he appealed to the agency to make provision for a permanent site for dumping of garbages by the community members.

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Diplomatic row over South Africa corruption comment

Venezuela crisis: European states recognise Guaidó as president

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he UK, France, Germany, Spain and other European countries have officially recognised opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela.

It comes after President Nicolás Maduro defiantly rejected a deadline they set for Sunday to call fresh elections.

Russia - a backer of Mr Maduro accused EU countries of meddling in Venezuela’s affairs.

On Sunday Mr Maduro dismissed calls for a new presidential vote, saying he would not accept “ultimatums”. He has denounced Mr Guaidó’s move as a coup.

As head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Mr Guaidó says the constitution allows him to assume power temporarily when the president is deemed illegitimate.

What have the European countries said?

After Sunday’s deadline passed, a flurry of statements was issued

by France, the UK, Germany and Spain and the other countries that now recognise Mr Guaidó as interim president.

Many of them pressed Mr Maduro to call new elections.

Mr Guaidó’s mother was among the crowds at protests on Saturday French President Emmanuel Macron said Venezuelans had the right to “express themselves freely and democratically”, announcing his

Mr Guaidó declared himself interim leader last month and won US backing. support for an EU contact group.

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Venezuela “should be the author of its own destiny”.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s official spokesman said that “further steps” were being considered, including the use of sanctions, without outlining what form any possible sanctions might take.

While a majority of EU members back Mr Guaidó, others such as Greece and Ireland called for fresh elections but stopped short of recognising him.

Russia has attacked Monday’s statements, accusing EU countries of interfering in Venezuela’s affairs and attempting to “legitimise usurped

power”.

Why no unity from the EU?

By Gavin Lee, BBC Europe reporter The EU doesn’t typically make any decisions on whether or not to recognise a government.

What there has been is action from individual member states, a coordinated effort by the UK, France, Germany and Spain to persuade all EU countries to take the same position.

So far more than half of the 28 member states have declared recognition of Mr Guaidó as interim leader.

Other members are cautious,

concerned about setting a precedent of recognising a self-proclaimed leader.

Italy’s populist coalition government is split, and not likely to back any co-ordinated plan because the leaders of one half of the ruling coalition, the 5 Star Movement, have declared that it’s not “for the EU to tell another nation what to do”.

Has Mr Maduro responded?

The Venezuelan government said it would “fully review” its relations with the European governments who had recognised Mr Guaidó.

A foreign ministry statement said those governments were “officially submitting to the United States administration’s strategy to overthrow the legitimate government of President Nicolas Maduro”.

Media captionDesperate Venezuelan women are selling their hair at the border In an interview with Spanish television programme Salvados broadcast on Sunday, Mr Maduro was asked if the crisis in Venezuela could result in civil war.

“Everything depends on the level of madness and aggressiveness of the northern empire [the US] and its Western allies,” he said.

President Trump has told US broadcaster CBS that the use of military force remains “an option”.

Mr Maduro says he will start collecting signatures from

Venezuelans for an open letter to Mr Trump rejecting foreign military intervention.

Media captionWho is really in charge in Venezuela?

In another development, Mr Maduro has written to the Pope asking for help in renewing dialogue, Vatican officials said.

What is the situation in Venezuela?

Mr Maduro, who took office in 2013 after the death of Hugo Chavez, has been condemned for alleged human rights abuses and for his handling of the economy.

There are severe shortages of basic items such as medicine and food.

The annual inflation rate reached 1,300,000% in the 12 months to November 2018, according to a study by the National Assembly.

Who is Juan Guaidó?

Maduro: Dictator or defender of socialism?

By the end of 2018, prices were doubling every 19 days on average.

The price of a cup of coffee in the capital Caracas doubled to 400 bolivars ($0.62; £0.50) in the space of just a week last December, according to Bloomberg.

Many people have been voting with their feet and leaving Venezuela.

According to United Nations figures, three million Venezuelans have left the country since 2014 when the economic crisis started to bite.

21 Savage: Atlanta rapper really from UK, say US immigration

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tlanta rapper 21 Savage has been arrested

by US immigration officials who say he is actually from the UK. The rapper, Shayaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, came to the US in July 2005 aged 12 and failed to leave when his visa expired a year later, officials said.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spokesman said he was in the country illegally and a convicted felon.

In previous interviews, Abraham-Joseph has described a childhood in Atlanta.

In an interview with Fader magazine in 2016 he said he had first seen a gun at the age of eight - although the article did not specify where this incident had taken place.

The 26-year-old is also quoted as saying he was expelled from school in Atlanta aged about 12 or 13 for taking a gun to class.

The ICE spokesman said Abraham-Joseph was convicted of drugs charges in 2014 and arrested on Sunday in a “targeted operation”.

He clarified that when the rapper was first arrested, ICE was not aware of his immigration status.

The UK Foreign Office told BBC News: “Our staff are in contact with the lawyer of a British man following his detention in the USA.” Abraham-Joseph’s lawyer, Dina LaPolt said: “We are working diligently to get Mr AbrahamJoseph out of detention while we work with authorities to clear up any misunderstanding.”

She said he was a “role model” due to his work on financial literacy programs with underprivileged youth.

Confusion in Atlanta Having just released a hugely popular album that’s been praised for its introspection, storytelling, and maturity, 21 Savage is at the peak of his career.

Atlanta is arguably the centre of hip-hop in the US and, by extension, the world. He’s considered one of the city’s greatest - and Atlanta through and through.

The rapper is known in the city as a person who frequently donates to charitable causes. He launched his own campaign promoting financial literacy in children on the Ellen show.

21 Savage attended the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards His raps have mostly painted pictures of a violent upbringing in Atlanta surrounded by drugs and guns, something which up until now nobody had questioned.

But his arrest by ICE and links to the UK have definitely left people in the city confused.

A fan in Atlanta told the BBC he was treating the details of Savage 21’s case with scepticism: “I find that very hard to believe that he moved from England on his own to Atlanta.”

“He’s an icon for here,” said another fan in the state of Georgia’s capital. “He’s making great music. We’re losing someone big.”

How many people overstay visas in the US? There are 10.6 million undocumented immigrants in the US, according to the Center for Migration Studies. That represents 3.25% of the US population.

Although President Donald Trump has blamed the southern border for illegal immigration, most actually arises because people overstay their visas (tourist or other temporary permits).

More than 700,000 people who entered the

US legally overstayed their expected departure date in 2018, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

In the same year, some 396,000 people were held in immigration detention, and some 256,000 people were deported by authorities.

Controversy over lyrics In December the rapper released his second album, I am > I was, which went to the top of the Billboard 200 albums charts.

The same month he apologised for a lyric in one of his songs that mentioned “Jewish money”.

It followed a similar apology by NBA star LeBron James, who had shared 21 Savage’s lyric on his Instagram account, where critics drew attention to it.

LeBron James said he thought it had been a compliment.

21 Savage said he was “sorry if I offended everybody”.

The rapper, who has collaborated with the likes of Cardi B, Drake and Offset has enjoyed more success in the US than the UK, but is

probably best known for the song Rockstar, in which he features with Post Malone.

The song reached number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Top 40 and has been streamed on Spotify more than 1.4 billion times.

It is also currently nominated for record of the year and best rap/sung performance at the Grammy Awards.

His latest album peaked at 33 in the UK, whilst his only other UK Top 40 hit is with Cardi B, for the song Bartier Cardi.

What’s the reaction?

Fans expressed concerns over 21 Savage’s situation on social media, while others were quick to make memes and poke fun at the revelation.

But singer Demi Lovato was in hot water after she said in a now-deleted Tweet: “So far 21 savage memes have been my favourite part of the Super Bowl.”

Other rappers called out Lovato’s reaction as insensitive.

American rapper Wale asked how a person’s freedom could be funny, tweeting, “I don’t get the joke.” He added that when Lovato was going through a rough time, people were supportive of her, not mocking.

Offset, a member of the group Migos, also criticised the reaction, saying: “All the memes and [expletive] ain’t funny when somebody going through some.”

Lovato appeared to delete her Twitter account following the row, and in an Instagram story said people began attacking her over her own struggle with drug addiction.

“I wasn’t making fun on anything having to do with deportation or even anything against him,” she wrote. “Sorry if I offended anyone. But it’s no excuse to laugh at someone’s addiction.”

Conservative commentator Tomi Lahren also faced condemnation from 21 Savage fans after mocking his situation with a reference to his single Bank Account, saying she had “ICE agents ready to deport ya”.

Rapper Cardi B hit back at the Fox Nation host, tweeting: “Don’t make me get my leash.”

Source: BBC

The diplomatic row was over how the ambassadors contacted the president

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outh Africa’s foreign ministry has complained about a joint statement from five ambassadors from Western countries urging the country to clamp down on corruption.

In a statement released today, Foreign Minister Lindiwe Sisuslu said she had met with the ambassadors from five countries “to express South Africa’s displeasure” that they hadn’t followed “established diplomatic channels when communicating to the South African government”.

The US, UK, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands had sent a written memorandum to President Cyril Ramaphosa warning him that failure to act against those implicated in corruption placed foreign investment at risk.

The ambassadors and high commissioner regretted the misunderstanding about a discussion paper they had sent to President Cyril Rampahosa’s office to contribute to a dialogue on how the country can attract more foreign direct investment.

The South Africans agreed on the need to fight corruption but had objected to the way the message was delivered. So a diplomatic row has been resolved.

How African business can beat the stereotypes

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e’re all aware that stereotypes exist but too often their impact isn’t considered.

Trésor Chovu is an investor who works between Europe and Africa.

Here are his thoughts on how stereotypes about Africans affect his ability to do business around the world and what African entrepreneurs can do to challenge negative perceptions:

Egyptians seeks death penalty for plot to kill Sisi

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n Egyptian court is seeking the death penalty for eight defendants who allegedly plotted to kill President Abdul Fattah al-

Sisi.

The accused are said to have formed a terrorist cell that planned to strike in 2014.

They’re alleged to have intended to assassinate both Mr Sisi and the former Saudi Crown Prince, Nayef bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud, while the Egyptian leader was on a pilgrimage to Mecca.

The case has been referred to one of Egypt’s religious leaders, the Grand Mufti - a first step in the legal process required to confirm a death penalty verdict.

Ethiopian prime minister adopts child

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he Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed and his wife Zinash Tayachew have been given permission to adopt a child, Fana Broadcasting reports.

It adds that the child is named Million and is currently living in an orphanage in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa.

The couple already have three daughters.

A year ago Ethiopia banned the adoption of children by foreigners amid concerns they face abuse abroad.

However there was debate when the ban came in about what would happen to the children who were not going to be adopted abroad.

At the time Ethiopia was one of the biggest source countries for international adoptions by US citizens, accounting for about 20% of the total.

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DP World port manager killed in Somalia’s Puntland state A

Maltese port manager has been shot dead in Somalia’s northern semi-autonomous Puntland state, officials say.

Paul Anthony Formosa, who was the construction project manager for DP World, was killed near Bossasso port.

Islamist militant group al-Shabab has said it carried out the attack.

Puntland, an arid region of north-east Somalia, declared itself an autonomous state in 1998, in part to avoid the clan warfare in southern Somalia.

The state is a destination for many Somalis displaced by violence in the south.

Mr Formosa was manager for P&O Ports, a subsidiary of the Dubai-based DP World, one of the world’s largest port operators.

How was he killed?

He was waylaid by gunmen disguised as fishermen as he was heading to the port, news agency Reuters reports. “[He was killed] in the fish market as he was going to Bossasso port this morning. The men armed with pistols hit him [with] several bullets in the head,” Yusuf Mohamed, governor of Puntland’s Bari region, told Reuters.

One of the gunmen involved in Monday’s attack was caught alive and has been identified as a member of al-Shabab, Mr Mohamed said.

Two guards at the port were also injured in the attack, he said.

Al-Shabab said it carried out the attack, accusing DP World of looting Somalia’s resources.

It accused Mr Formosa of being in Somalia “illegally”.

“We are behind the operation... we had warned him but he turned [a] deaf ear. He was illegally in Somalia,” al-Shabab’s military operations spokesman, Abdiasis Abu Musab,

DP World has a 30-year deal to develop Bossasso port said. countries?

Why was the port deal controversial?

Somalia has been caught up in the ongoing DP World won a 30-year concession in 2017 diplomatic spat between Saudi Arabia and worth $336m (£260m) to develop and manage Qatar, its two allies and benefactors. the Bossasso port.

It has so far taken a neutral stance.

Many residents opposed the deal and staged Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates protests during which at least one person was (UAE), which includes Dubai, and Bahrain killed. They said that the deal would increase severed relations with Qatar on 5 June 2017. taxes at the port.

“Somalia has become a chessboard in the DP World has a similar agreement for power game between Qatar and Turkey on the Berbera port in the neighbouring region of one side and Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Somaliland, which has declared independence Emirates and their allies on the other,” Rashid from Somalia.

Abdi, director of the Horn of Africa project at the The federal Somali government declared International Crisis Group, told the BBC. the deals null and void, accusing the operator “There is no doubt that these rivalries are of violating the country’s sovereignty. spilling over into Africa. Somalia is especially Subsequently, the Somali parliament passed a vulnerable because of its proximity to the Gulf bill banning DP World from Somalia. and its long historical relationship with the What is Somalia’s relationship with the Gulf region,” he added.

Ghana president apologises over disability comments

T

he Ghanaian president has apologised to people with disabilities over his use of the words “blind” and “deaf” in a political speech on last week.

Nana Akufo-Addo was at the New Patriotic Party (NPP) rally on Thursday when he said his government had fulfilled 41 promises it made to Ghanaians and added that only the blind and deaf would ignore that the promises had been fulfilled.

The Ghana Federation of Disability Organization expressed their disappointment over the president’s use of the words deaf and blind. In a statement published at the weekend,

the organisation said: Quote Message: We know that is a political metaphor but there are so many words the President could have used.”

We know that is a political metaphor but there are so many words the President could have used.”

Mr Akufo-Addo apologised for “any unintended slight” on Sunday night on his official Facebook page, saying that: “If there has been any government that has been on the side of persons with disabilities, it is my Nana Akufo-Addo Was speaking at a political rally when he made the comment government.”

Israel ‘outraged’ by Cameroon minister’s Holocaust comment

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he Israeli Embassy in Cameroon has said it is outraged at comments made by Cameroon’s Deputy Justice Minister Jean de Dieu Momo in which he appeared to justify the Holocaust, in which some six million Jewish people were killed in Nazi Germany.

Asked on state television why he thought opposition leader Maurice Kamto had refused to accept defeat following the 7 October presidential election, Mr Momo used long established anti-Semitic stereotypes: Quote Message: “In Germany, there was a race of very rich people. They had enormous economic power. And they were so arrogant that the German people felt a little nervous. Then one day, a certain Hitler came to power and put these populations in gas chambers.”

“In Germany, there was a race of very rich people. They had enormous economic

power. And they were so arrogant that the German people felt a little nervous. Then one day, a certain Hitler came to power and put these populations in gas chambers.”

Mr Kamto, the leader of the MRC, comes from the Bamelike ethnic group who have a reputation for being successful businessmen.

Mr Momo, who is also an ethnic Bamelike, said it would be wrong for the group to seek political power alongside their economic influence, and suggested that trying to do so could be dangerous for the entire community.

“Educated people like Kamto should know where he is leading his people. When you are a leader, you lead your people away from danger, not towards it,” Mr Momo said.

The Israeli Embassy in Cameroon said in a statement that “the government official has justified the Holocaust perpetrated by

Nazi Germany”.

It went on to suggest the comments would have an impact on the two countries’ relationship: Quote Message: These anti-Semitic comments, coming barely one week after Cameroon and the world participated in the commemoration of the International Day for the Remembrance of the Holocaust constitutes a big disappointment for bilateral relations between Cameroon and Israel.”

These anti-Semitic comments, coming barely one week after Cameroon and the world participated in the commemoration of the International Day for the Remembrance of the Holocaust constitutes a big disappointment for bilateral relations between Cameroon and Israel.”

The embassy has called for “an immediate apology,” from Cameroon’s government.

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Top cleric urges Middle East’s Muslims to ‘embrace’ Christians

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he head of Sunni Islam’s highest seat of learning has urged the Middle East’s Muslims to “embrace” local Christians.

Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, the grand imam of al-Azhar in Egypt, told an interfaith meeting in Abu Dhabi attended by Pope Francis that Christians were “our companions”.

He also called on Muslims in the West to integrate into their communities while maintaining their identities.

In his speech, Pope Francis called for a halt to wars in the Middle East.

The head of the Roman Catholic Church, who is on his first official visit to the Arabian peninsula, said the “fateful consequences” of violence could be seen in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Libya.

The United Arab Emirates is part of a Saudi-led coalition whose intervention in the conflict in Yemen has helped trigger the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

Sheikh Ahmed and Pope Francis addressed a gathering of religious representatives at the Abu Dhabi Founder’s Memorial on Monday night after signing a “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together”.

The document calls on leaders of the world to work together to “spread the culture of tolerance” and to “intervene at the earliest opportunity to stop the shedding of innocent blood and bring an end to wars, conflicts, environmental decay and the moral and cultural decline the world is presently experiencing”.

Pope Francis and Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb signed a “document on human fraternity” It also includes a strong condemnation of those using God’s name to justify violence.

“God, the Almighty, has no need to be defended by anyone and does not want His name to be used to terrorise people,” it states.

Christians - and members of other religious minorities - have been attacked repeatedly by Islamist extremists in countries across the Middle East in recent years. They have also faced restrictions on their ability to practice their religion, as well as legal and social discrimination.

In his speech, Sheikh Ahmed first

Iraq angered by Trump idea to watch Iran from US base

About 5,000 US troops are in Iraq to train, advise and assist Iraqi security forces

Donald Trump visited Al Asad Airbase on Boxing Day

raq’s President Barham Saleh has rebuked Donald Trump over his comments that he wanted to maintain a US military presence there to watch Iran.

Mr Trump told CBS on Sunday he intended to keep an “incredible” base being used by US troops to combat the jihadist group Islamic State “because I want to be looking a little bit at Iran”.

Mr Saleh said on Monday that the US had not asked Iraq’s permission to do so.

It should stick to fighting terrorism and not pursue other agendas, he added.

There are an 5,000 estimated US military personnel in Iraq authorised to train, advise and assist Iraqi security forces in their fight against IS, which has not fully controlled any territory in the country for more than a year.

In the CBS interview Mr Trump defended his recent decision to withdraw the 2,000 US troops deployed in neighbouring Syria to support a Kurdish-led militia alliance seeking to capture the last pocket of IS territory there.

He said the troops would soon be moving to the huge Al Asad Airbase in Iraq’s Anbar province and that their new tasks would include protecting Israel and keeping an eye on Iran, which his administration has accused of being the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism and of wanting to acquire nuclear weapons.

“We spent a fortune on building this incredible base. We might as well keep it,” he said. “And one of the reasons I want to keep it is because I want to be looking a little bit at Iran because Iran is a real problem.”

When asked if the troops stationed in Iraq could be used to strike Iran, Mr Trump

responded: “All I want to do is be able to watch.”

He added: “If there’s trouble, if somebody is looking to do nuclear weapons or other things, we’re going to know it before they do.”

However, the remarks caused a stir in Iraq, which is a close ally of Iran.

“Don’t overburden Iraq with your own issues,” President Saleh told a forum in Baghdad on Monday. “The US is a major power... but do not pursue your own policy priorities. We live here.”

Mr Saleh noted that under 2008 US-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement, Washington had agreed not to use Iraq “as a launching or transit point for attacks against other countries”.

He added: “Any action taken outside this framework is unacceptable.”

The BBC’s Paul Adams says this poses a problem for the government in Baghdad and could complicate delicate negotiations over US use of the Al Asad Airbase.

Those negotiations, he adds, have been based on the premise that Al Asad would be used to continue the fight against IS. It is something Mr Trump referred to when he visited the base in December.

But our correspondent says the US president’s latest references to Iran and the need to protect Israel point to a very different set of priorities, which is causing unease in Baghdad.

Iraqi politicians allied to Iran or the influential Shia cleric Moqtada Sadr, a longtime adversary of the US who also opposes Iranian influence in Iraq, have for weeks been calling on the government to remove of all foreign troops from the country.

I

addressed his fellow Muslims in the region.

“My message to you is: ‘Embrace your Christian brothers and sisters. They are companions in the state. They are close to us.

There are special bonds between us,’” he said.

He then turned to Middle Eastern Christians and said: “I’d rather you didn’t use the term ‘minority’.

“You’re not a minority. You are citizens in every sense. Let’s put aside that term. You are citizens with full rights. Our bond represents the rock against which all plots that try to divide us will break.”

Sheikh Ahmed and Pope Francis addressed a meeting at the Abu Dhabi Founder’s Memorial The imam also called on Muslims in the West to integrate themselves into their communities while maintaining their identities and respecting local laws.

“If you have any problems regarding your religion in the countries you find yourselves [in], you need to speak to your religious leaders and resolve them that way.”

On Tuesday morning, Pope Francis will celebrate an outdoor Mass for some 135,000 people at the Zayed Sports City stadium in Abu Dhabi.

Bahraini footballer pleads in court against deportation

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ahraini footballer Hakeem Al-Araibi has urged a court in Bangkok not to extradite him to his home country.

Al-Araibi, who had been playing in Australia after being granted asylum there, was arrested in Thailand when he arrived with his wife on honeymoon.

He is wanted in Bahrain, where he was sentenced in absentia to 10 years in jail for vandalising a police station.

Al-Araibi says he is innocent and that he was tortured in Bahrain for his political opposition.

The Bangkok court extended his detention by 60 days, during which he can file an objection against the extradition request.

The BBC’s Jonathan Head in Bangkok said Al-Araibi arrived at court in leg shackles, shouting: “Please don’t send me to Bahrain”.

He told the court he rejected the extradition request, saying he was detained and tortured for opposing the government, before he fled to

Australia more than four years ago.

Former Australian football captain Craig Foster and other campaigners were at the court to support the player.

“Your wife sends her love! Hakeem, Australia is with you, mate,” Mr Foster shouted.

The player was given refugee status by Australia in 2014, the same year he was sentenced in absentia by Bahrain to 10 years in prison for vandalising a police station.

Campaigners from the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) say he is at grave risk of torture if he is deported.

Appeals for his release have been made by the international football body FIFA and by the International Olympic Committee, as well as several governments, including Australia, where he plays for a Melbourne club.

Bahrain insists that his trial was fair and that he should return home if he wants to launch an appeal against the conviction.

Why ‘India’s FBI’ agents are clashing with police

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magine state policemen in the US detaining FBI agents investigating a case on state territory.

Then imagine the governor of the state starting a public protest against the FBI and the president for carrying out what she calls an act of vendetta against her government.

Now imagine federal forces being deployed to protect their offices in the state, fearing attacks by supporters of the governor.

This possibly sounds like a plot from a dystopian political novel. But it is what is happening in India.

A group of detectives belonging to India’s federal investigation agency, the CBI, arrived at the well-secured home of the commissioner of police of Kolkata (formerly known as Calcutta) in West Bengal state on Sunday evening. They said they wanted to question Rajeev Kumar in connection with a ponzi scandal. (The multimillion dollar scam, involving businessmen, politicians, journalists and film producers, defrauded a large number of small investors.)

But Mr Kumar refused to meet the detectives. Instead his forces detained the agents - who are recruited from the police forces themselves - and took them away to a police station. They were freed after a few hours, and returned without being able to question Mr Kumar.

Mr Kumar had led the early local investigation into the scandal, before the

case was taken over by the CBI under the supervision of the Supreme Court. The federal agency, say reports, unsuccessfully tried to question Mr Kumar half-a-dozen times in the past in connection with some evidence he had purportedly collected in the case. The agency believes that he is “hiding” something.

The ponzi scandal, involving at least two small investment companies, came to light in 2013 under the watch of the leader of West Bengal state. In India’s male-dominated politics, Mamata Banerjee is a rare firebrand woman leader who commands mass support.

She took power in 2011, ending 34 years of communist rule in the state. (The following year, she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.) The feisty Ms Banerjee has ruled West Bengal ever since.

Ms Banerjee has a testy relationship with the federal government, run by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

This is, in part, because Mr Modi’s party is trying to make inroads into Bengal, using its usual mix of development promises and sectarian rhetoric.

After a series of setbacks in state polls Mr Modi no longer looks invincible in general elections due this summer. And Ms Banerjee, an astute rival, is trying to position herself as a prime ministerial contender, in the event of an opposition win. Recently, she organised a wellattended meeting of 23 opposition parties who vowed to defeat Mr Modi.

Digest

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, february 5, 2019

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Yes, you really can beat heart disease: Dr Laura Corr shares 21 mouth-watering recipes that will help boost the cardiovascular system, curb obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol

By Dr Laura Corr For The Mail On Sunday

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unks of bread with bacon, sugar in coffee… cakes, puddings and potatoes served just about any which way. When I was younger, I ate them all without a thought.

Today, though, as a cardiologist with 25 years experience, I see things differently. I still love delicious cheese and salami, and I adore Christmas pudding and brandy butter.

In fact, I’m more passionate about food than ever. But I now know that diet has a direct impact on our heart health, both immediately and far into the future. And these are facts I can’t ignore.

As a doctor who specialises in the heart, I’ve performed hundreds of operations to insert stents into heart arteries, restoring circulation to reduce chest pain and stop heart attacks.

Where it’s needed, I prescribe medication to control cholesterol and blood pressure.

But I feel passionately that we shouldn’t be trying just to fix broken hearts, but to prevent the disease by investing in our arteries all our life. And so the conversation I have with patients that is probably the most life-changing is the one about food.

If they’re able to make the simple changes needed to build a heart-healthy diet, I know that they and their families will be transformed.

Some risk factors, like your genes, age and gender can’t be changed. Others, such as what goes into ready meals, or air pollution, need to be addressed by industry and politicians. But not smoking, daily exercise and eating right, are things we can choose to do, and will make a big difference to heart disease risk.

In fact, recent research from the Journal of the American Medical Association suggested that poor diet could be related to nearly half of all deaths from heart disease, stroke and

diabetes. And, thanks to mounting scientific evidence, clear healthy eating principles have emerged.

You will have heard it said before, but it’s a fact that following a Mediterranean-style diet has wide-ranging benefits for the cardiovascular system, helping to curb obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

The research that has proven this is convincing. It includes huge databases of people followed for many years, looking at the relationship between the Mediterranean diet and health, as well as smaller controlled studies asking people to include a few key ingredients – such as fish, nuts, or olive oil – into their everyday diets to see if they made a difference.

My message is about adopting a way of eating that prioritises vegetables, fruits, wholegrains – and yes, hunks of wholegrain bread can be included in this – fish, nuts and olive oils. Many patients are surprised to learn that full-fat dairy

“

The fact that so many people have high cholesterol readings straight after the Christmas holiday is very surprising.’ High cholesterol occurs when fatty deposits build up in the blood vessels, which make it difficult for blood to flow through the arteries

milk and yogurt are encouraged, and for most people eating eggs and shellfish too. Both foods, once considered ‘high cholesterol’ are in fact absolutely fine +8 My message is about adopting a way of eating that prioritises vegetables, fruits, wholegrains – and yes, hunks of wholegrain bread can be included in this – fish, nuts and olive oils. Many patients are surprised to learn that full-fat dairy milk and yogurt are encouraged, and for most people eating eggs and shellfish too. Both foods, once considered ‘high cholesterol’ are in fact absolutely fine In almost every major condition, from diabetes and bowel disease to breast cancer and especially heart health, this way of eating has been found to reap benefits.

I always start by asking patients: ‘What food do you like?’

You see, there is no one food or meal that needs to be demonised. If you want a slice of pizza or the occasional bacon roll, then fine.

Likewise, there are no ‘superfoods’ or magic bullets, that can negate an overall unbalanced diet. But I want patients, and you, to explore the other options.

My message is about adopting a way of eating that prioritises vegetables, fruits, wholegrains – and yes, hunks of wholegrain bread can be included in this – fish, nuts and olive oils. Many patients are surprised to learn that full-fat dairy milk and yogurt are encouraged, and for most people eating eggs and shellfish too. Both foods, once considered ‘high cholesterol’ are in fact absolutely fine.

But these days I avoid whole aisles in the supermarket: the sugary breakfast cereals and snacks.

So, just what does a heart-healthy diet look like? Well, I’ve put together an eight-point guide. It’s all practical and achievable, even if you don’t manage everything all at once or every day. And, with the help of a team of recipe experts, we’ve come up with 21 simple, yet irresistible recipes that I hope will inspire you.

Over the page, you’ll find delicious breakfasts, quick and easy lunches, and even family dinners that should make building a better diet not only easy, but a pleasure.

But first, read on to find out how you can start eating to beat heart disease today…

1) When it comes to veg, the more the better Fruit and vegetables provide fibre, vitamins and antioxidants that may benefit heart health directly. They also crowd out the space on your plate that might otherwise be taken up with sugary fatty food.

A 2017 review published in the International Journal Of Epidemiology, analysed 95 studies looking at the effects of fruit and vegetable intake, and found that at around ten servings a day, risk of cardiovascular disease was lowered by 28 per cent. Don’t be daunted if that sounds a bit unachievable. The good news is that any increase is worthwhile – an analysis in 2014 found that for every additional serving of fruit

To be cont.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, february 5, 2019

26

Issues

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

CCB: In the headlines for good reasons

By Bashir Ibrahim Hassan

for their contraventions.

T

he high profile case of the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN)Walter Samuel Onnoghen has brought the duo federal agencies, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), into the media limelight -- for good reasons, though, this time around.

The long arm of the law they superintended upon has caught up with an unlikely defendant.

Owing to the circumstances of its action, particular the speed with which the man’s prosecution is being conducted and considering that a number of other high profile cases are yet to be dispensed with, the Federal Government is accused, in some quarters of being bias; but is it? Also, because the suspended CJN was an unlikely defendant, tongues have been wagging—for and against the trial of the suspended CJN. Emotions, sentiments and political affiliation aside a dispassionate analyst is supposed to examine the charges against the Onnoghen and provisions of the law being applied. If we find any incongruity then we can make a case for prejudice.

What are the cases against Mr. Onnoghen?

President Buhari went into detail to state them, relying mostly on the petition against him by a Civil Society Organization first became public about a fortnight ago. The president said: “Although the allegations in the petition are grievous enough in themselves, the security agencies have since then traced other suspicious transactions running into millions of dollars to the CJN’s personal accounts, all undeclared or improperly declared as required by law.

“Perhaps more worrisome is the Chief Justice of Nigeria’s own written admission to the charges that he indeed failed to follow the spirit and letter of the law in declaring his assets, citing ’’mistake’’ and ’’forgetfulness’’ which are totally unknown to our laws as defences in the circumstances of his case.

“One expected that with his moral authority so wounded, by these serious charges of corruption, more so by his own written admission, Mr. Justice Walter Onnoghen would have acted swiftly to spare our Judicial Arm further disrepute by removing himself from superintending over it while his trial lasted.

“Unfortunately, he has not done so. Instead, the nation has been treated to the sordid spectacle of a judicial game of wits in which the Chief Justice of Nigeria and his legal team have made nonsense of the efforts of the Code of Conduct Tribunal to hear the allegation on merit and conclude the trial as quickly as possible considering the nature of the times in which we live.

“Whether deliberately or inadvertently, we have all seen the full weight of the Chief Justice of Nigeria descend on the tender head of one of the organs of justice under his control. There is simply no way the officers of that court, from the Chairman to the bailiffs, can pretend to be unaffected by the influence of the leader of the Judiciary. “ Political interests from the geo-political region of Mr Onnoghen have risen in stout defense of their son. The main opposition party has raised objection to the manner in which the government of the ruling party has handled the issue. Commentators have raised issues with the political implications of the action of government. Representatives of several countries and regional bodies have expressed concern about the timing of the action, vis-àvis the impending general elections. Sections of the civil society have threatened to take mass actions to protest government’s action.

In addition to the backing of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and other vociferous

Executive Chairman/CEO, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Prof. Mohammed Isah entities, the man himself has been fighting back, and it is clear that legal fireworks are in the offing before elections.

There are also a large number of people who feel that the man should have honourably resigned if, indeed, he admitted his failure to declare some of his foreign accounts due to forgetfulness, even as they concede government’s untidy handling of the matter. They feel that a government that has committed to fighting corruption cannot pass up the opportunity to deal decisively a high profile case.

However, unperturbed by the uproar, the duo agencies continue to carry on with their work as defined by the provisions of the constitution—the substratum of their mandate and powers. And that could be one of the reasons why all the efforts so far made in the courts, including, lately the Court of Appeal, to stop the CCT from going ahead with the trial of the suspended CJN have failed.

The charges preferred against the suspended CJN include the allegation that he has maintained a domiciliary accounts in foreign currency which he has failed to declare, in violation of the code of conduct for public officers as highlighted above. If we stop at this and examine the law establishing the CCB and CCT, the former CNJ is in clear violation of the extant laws. First, he made an incomplete declaration; secondly, he maintained domiciliary accounts in violation of the provisions of the law governing conduct of the public servants in Nigeria.

The Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Chapter 58 LFN 1990 outlines the mandate given to the Bureau, namely: “to establish and maintain a high standard of public morality

in the conduct of government business and to ensure that the actions and behaviour of public officers conform to the highest standards of public morality and accountability.”

To implement the above mandate, section 3, part of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended has provided an enabling legal environment for the bureau to do the following: • Receive declarations by public officers under paragraph 12 of part 1 of the fifth schedule to the constitution.

• Examine the declaration in accordance with the requirements of the code of conduct or any law.

Retain custody of such declaration and make them available for inspection by any citizen of Nigeria on such terms and conditions as the National Assembly may prescribe • Ensure compliance with and where appropriate, enforce the provisions of the code of conduct or any law relating thereto.

• Receive complaints about non-compliance with or breach of the provision of the code of conduct or any law in relation there to, investigate complaints and, where appropriate, refer such matters to the code of conduct tribunal.”

• Receiving documentations of declaration of public servants and following up on what has been declared to ascertain its veracity or not is a routine work at the CCT and public servants that were found to have made false declaration have been investigated, apprehended and arraigned before the court of competent jurisdiction the CCT to answer

“

Whether deliberately or inadvertently, we have all seen the full weight of the Chief Justice of Nigeria descend on the tender head of one of the organs of justice under his control

The Implications of non-compliance with the codes is clear and the penalties are severe.

They include: • Removal from office, vacation of official seat in any legislative house; imposition of fine; • Disqualification from membership of house and from holding any public office for a period not exceeding ten 910) years and seizure; and • Forfeiture to the state of any property (ies) acquired in abuse or corruption of office.

It is remarkable to note that the powers of the CCT were once contested up to Supreme Court and the verdict was “in matters pertaining to code of conduct the CCT is the highest court that matters”. Among the judges of the Supreme Court then was Onnoghen.

Interestingly, schedule V part (ii) of Nigerian constitution was explicit and lists public servants to include: Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justices of the Supreme Court, President and Justices of the Court of Appeal all other judicial officers and all staff of courts of law.

Thus, on the breach of the provisions of the code, the suspended CJN has questions to answer. On the argument put forward by some commentators that the CCT cannot try the CJN because the National Judicial Council is responsible for disciplining judicial officers, the constitution has settled that by defining a public servant and the judgment of the Supreme court at some point has affirmed the CCT as the court of competent jurisdiction .

The lesson I see in the unfolding saga of the trial of the suspended CJN is the manifestation of the efforts of the present administration to build institutions that are strong enough to implement the provisions of the laws no matter the official or social status of the person involved.

This shift, this non-interference in operations of our institutions right across the broad spectrum of officialdom, should continue.

And putting round peg in round holes will help realize this dream.

Leading the CCB today, at this watershed moment in the history of bureau, is Mohammad Isa, a legal luminary, a product of both Ahmadu Bello and Obafemi Awolowo universities. His knowledge of the Nigerian legal system is buttressed by his many years of teaching law at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, his alma mater, and Bayero University Kano in recent years.

The CCB has a long and checkered history.

Established in 1979, it did not get its legal mandate until a decade later. However, since then, the Code of Conduct provision has maintained a permanency of some sort, in the 5th schedule of all constitutions following thereafter -- the 1989, 1993, 1995,1999 and the current 1999 constitution (as amended), confirming the importance of the bureau in the efforts to establish and maintain a high standard of public morality in the conduct of government business.

The government should not lose sight of the need to adequately fund these institutions if they are to deliver on their mandates. The fight against corruption is not an easy one, especially in our country where sentiments easily becloud our sense of reasoning, justice and fairness as the case of Onnoghen shows. We clamour for the entrenchment of rule of law so long as it does not go against our vested interests. But Nigeria must entrench the rule of law to ensure justice, equity and fairness to all.

This is the only road to peaceful, egalitarian and prosperous society we all desire.

Hassan, a public commentator writes from Abuja

PAGE 27

CLASSIFIED

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

safia beauty stores and spa ltd

martins c. j. & associates

RC: 1046248 5, SOUTHERN VIEW ESTATE, TIPPER GARAGE, CHEVRON, LEKKI AJAH, LAGOS STATE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990 COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES SAFIA BEAUTY STORES AND SPA LTD SPECIAL RESOLUTION FOR WINDING UP AND APPOINTMENT OF LIQUIDATOR At the General Meeting of the Company duly convened and held at its Registered Address on the 4th of February, 2019, the following resolutions were duly proposed and passed as Special Resolutions: A. That SAFIA BEAUTY STORES AND SPA LTD be voluntarily wound up with immediate effect.

B. That UGWUOKE MARTINS of MARTINS C. J. & ASSOCIATES be and is hereby duly appointed as Liquidator in respect of the voluntary winding up of SAFIA BEAUTY STORES AND SPA LTD. Dated this 4th of February, 2019

SAFIA DODO USMAN DIRECTOR

ALHAJI ZEKERI USMAN DIRECTOR

PUBLIC NOTICE PRIME WOMEN HELPING AFRICAN WOMEN INITIATIVE

This is to inform the general public that the above named Organization has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, CAP C20, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The Trustees are : 1. DODO PATIENCE 2. ANITA CHUKWU 3. HAUWAKULU PANI AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1.TO FOSTER UNITY AMONGST SOUTHERN KADUNA WOMEN & STRENGTHEN THE SOCIOECONOMIC & CULTURAL TIES AMONGST THE WOMEN IN SOUTHERN KADUNA, THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY IN GENERAL. 2. TO EVOLVE PROGRAMMES AND STRATEGIES TOWARDS WOMEN EDUCATIONAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AND GENERALLY RAISING THE STANDARD OF LIVING OF WOMEN & CHILDREN IN SOUTHERN KADUNA AND THE STATE IN GENERAL 3. TO SET UP MACHINERY FOR REGULAR SENSITIZATION OF WOMEN ON CURRENT NATIONAL AND GLOBAL HAPPENINGS AND DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND RENDER ASSISTANCE FOR THE WOMEN TO ACCESS SUCH OPPORTUNITIES. 4. TO PROMOTE REGULAR DIALOGUE AMONGST THE SOUTHERN KADUNA WOMEN ON ISSUES OF COMMON INTERESTS IN ORDER TO EVOLVE COMMON SOLUTIONS FOR THE GREATER GOOD & DEVELOPMENT OF ALL WOMEN IN SOUTHERN KADUNA & THE STATE 5. TO COORDINATE BRIDGE BUILDING EFFORTS AND STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS AMONGST ALL WOMEN IN SOUTHERN KADUNA, THE STATE AND NIGERIA AS A WHOLE 6. TO ESTABLISH LINKAGES AND CONTACTS WITH OTHER WOMEN & OPINION LEADERS WITHIN & OUTSIDE THE STATE IN ORDER TO HARMONISE APPROACHES TOWARDS WOMEN EMPOWERMENT & CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT. Any Objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar - General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED : SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE CHRIST REVEALERS AND WORLD CHANGERS NATION MINISTRY THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. OBHOKHAN VICTOR- CHAIRMAN 2. OTABOR JANET 3. OVIAWE SARAH - SECRETARY THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

IYAYI EFIANAYI FOUNDATION

UGWUOKE MARTINS Liquidator to SAFIA BEAUTY STORES AND SPA LTD.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. DR. CAESAR OSAHENI IYAYI- CHAIRMAN 2. MR KINGSLEY EHIAMWENRE- MEMEBER 3. MR LARRY AIMUAMWOSA IYAYI- MEMBER 4. HON. EDOSA IYAYI- MEMBER 5. MR OSAROBO IYAYI - MEMBER 6. MR JULIUS EKHOVBIYE ONAGHISE- SECRETARY THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To care for the less privilege ones in the society 2. To create and promote healthy relationship between the people of Egba land and non- Egba people and beyond.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

Legal Practitioners & Corporate Consultants 103, HASSAN SANI STREET, CHOOS ESTATE, APO, ABUJA Tel: 08039228273

The Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja.

Dear Sir, NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT OF UGWUOKE MARTINS AS LIQUIDATOR IN RESPECT OF VOLUNTARY WINDING UP OF SAFIA BEAUTY STORES AND SPA LTD Kindly accept this letter as proper notice of my appointment as liquidator in the voluntary winding up of SAFIA BEAUTY STORES AND SPA LTD. Please find attached a copy of the resolution passed for my appointment for your records.

Thank you for your usual cooperation.

Yours faithfully,

IYAYI HOMESTEAD FOUNDATION

SET FREE CRUSADE NETWORK MINISTRY

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. DR. CAESAR OSAHENI IYAYI- CHAIRMAN 2. MR KINGSLEY EHIAMWENRE- MEMEBER 3. MR LARRY AIMUAMWOSA IYAYI- MEMBER 4. HON. EDOSA IYAYI- MEMBER 5. MR OSAROBO IYAYI - MEMBER 6. MR JULIUS EKHOVBIYE ONAGHISE- SECRETARY THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To promote unity and love among its members, host community and the society in general 2. To protect and preserve the integrity of its estate for all its generation.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.Igbinosa Laurie Osama 2.Ehigiamusoe Elizabeth Ngozi 3.Fadulu Temitope Oluwaseun 4. Mike-Omole Dolly Owamamwen 5.Dimmy Crownhouse.

SIGNED : SECRETARY

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : Mike-Omole Dolly Owamamwen.

PUBLIC NOTICE

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INFLUENCERS GLOBAL MINISTRY

LOLA CATER FOR THE NEEDY FOUNDATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. REV. ADESOLA O OGBMINIYI ADEBAWO – PRESIDENT 2. PST. BUKOLA FUNMILAYO SOLA-ADEBAWO – VICE PRESIDENT 3. DR. MORAKIKNYO DICKSON OLUMODIMU - SECRETARY THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To maintain the public worship of God; 2. To provide fellowship for and the building up of believers.

3. To engage in ministry as full-fledged disciples of Jesus Christ and servants of His church; 4. To carry out faith based charities and perform social development programs.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : ANNOUNCER - ISRAEL O. ADEBAYO

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.OGUNNUBI OLOLADE - Chairman - 0803 633 4600 2.OKE VICTOR - Secretary 3.ISHOLA OLABISI ADEBUNKOLA - member THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To cater for the less privileged in the society.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

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HIGH LIFE EMPOWERMENT COMMUNITY CENTRE

The Kingdom Chapel International Church

CAVEAT EMPTOR ! CAVEAT EMPTOR!!

CAVEAT EMPTOR !!!

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. PASTOR CARLTON WILLIAMS 2. ADEBOLA OLADEPO OMOBOYA 3. AIGBE EDOSA IGUNMA 4. CHIOMA NKECHI OKERE 5. MRS. JANE EGERTON-IDEHEN THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1. To provide an inviting and accessible and safe community facility as a focal point for all residents and groups to meet.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Orukpesheke Kelly Onojighofia [CHAIRMAN] 2. Oghogho-Oghene Anita 0nojighofia[ SECRETARY] 3. Fejiro Onojighofia[ MEMBER] THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY

( PROSPECTIVE BUYERS BEWARE ) . This notice is to inform the general public that the property situated at No. 101 Ginginyu Quarters, Off Ibrahim Kallah Street, Giginyu, Kano State is a family property and is not for sale. For further information, please contact Barrister Maurice Anakwe Phone No. 08178430483.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, february 5, 2019

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THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Dikko umaru 2. Abdullahi Aliyu Ahmed 3. Magaji kabir 4. Ahmed shamsudeen Aim and Objective 1. Humanitarian service 2. Support for less privileged 3. Education assistance to orphans 4. Skills acquisition and empowerment for widows. ETC ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY.

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tuesday, february 5, 2019

20th NSF: Ministry of Sports, Edo Govt. sign MoU

MUBARAK I, formerly known as MUBARAK JAMILU now wish to be known and addressed as MUBARAK JAMILU SAIDU. All former documents remain valid.

Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note.

USMAN I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS JUBRIL SANNI. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS USMAN MUSA AND MY CORRECT DATE OF BIRTH IS 01-01-1984. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Sports minister, Solomon Dalung and the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki signing the MoU yesterday in Abuja

By Amaechi Agbo

T

he Ministry of Youth and Sports Development yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Edo State Government for the hosting rights of 20th edition of the National Sports Festival.

The two parties to the pact were led by their leaders with the Ministry of Youth and Sports led by the Minister, Solomon Dalung while the Edo State government delegation was led by the governor, Godwin Obaseki.

In signing the MoU at the Media Centre of the National Stadium, Abuja, the minister reiterated the preparedness of the federal government through the ministry to ensure that the National Sports Festival did not suffer another hiatus and expressed confidence on the ability of the Edo State to reclaim its fading glory and pace setters in sports development in the country.

“It is with absolute gratitude to God and a sense of fulfilment that I speak to you today on this auspicious occasion of the signing of the Host State Agreement for the 20th National Sports Festival (NSF) scheduled to take place in March, 2020 in Edo State.

“It bears restating that Edo State were not just offered the hosting rights for the 20th edition of the Games but competed with Cross River and Delta states. It was indeed a

rigorously contested process and I thank the Governors and good people of Cross River and Delta States for making the process really competitive and accepting the decision of the Ministry on the award.

“I am elated that at the Closing Ceremony of the 19th NSF, we were able to secure a Host State for the 20th edition of the Games. This ceremony is therefore very significant as it not only confirms but also reassures Nigerians that the Host for the next National Sports Festival is ready and willing to undertake the responsibilities associated with hosting a festival of this magnitude. I am further encouraged with the venues and facilities I saw in Edo State during my recent visit to the State.

“As I stated during the brief interaction I had with members of the Press immediately after the inspection, Edo State has enough facilities to host the Festival with what is currently on ground,” the Minister said.

Explaining the advantages the state will gain in hosting the festival, the minister said “the benefits of hosting the Festival include, but are not limited to: increasing the profile of the Edo State as a major sports destination with its attendant micro and macro-economic benefits; long-term investment which comes from preparing for a major event. Edo State’s legacy of improved sporting venues, infrastructures and sports culture will be enhanced; jobs will be created as the various infrastructural projects

would ultimately generate job opportunities for residents of the State and its environs and tourism will be boosted with the natural upsurge in the number of visitors to the State.”

On his part, the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki thanked the ministry for given the state the hosting right. While stating that the state was ready for the festival, the governor further appealed the ministry on the need to hold Nations Commission on Sports meeting in order to harness need documents and plans ahead of the festival expected to hold in 13 months’ time.

“I want to first of all express my profound gratitude of all Edo citizens for the confidence the federal government and the ministry of youth and sports reposed in us to host the National Sports Festival. We clearly understand the implications and the enormous responsibility that come with the hosting rights.

“Edo State, then Bendel State, was part of the states that that put up the suggestion for and national sports festival after the civil war to build unity, patriotism and development of sporting talents for the country. NSF also serves as the recruitment base at the grassroots level.

“We have commenced rehabilitation and renovation work at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in readiness for the games. As a state, we are ready to host the games.

“We thank the honourable minister for reviving the sports festival. On our part, we are prepared to set new a standard and I can assure you that with the support of every stakeholder, we will establish standards upon which future NSF standards will be measured.

“I want to appeal to the minister that the National Commission on Sports, NCF be held on February 21 this year so we can begin work and harmonise our documents. It is obvious that based on the projected time of the festival holding in March next year that right now we do not have time.

“We have started working and that is why my deputy has been designated the chairman of the Local Organising Committee, LOC. Apart from that, we have also made budgetary allocation in the 2019 appropriation for the festival. Let me reassure you and the good people of Nigeria that the 20th edition of the National Sports Festival 2020 will be a landmark event in the history of sports in Nigeria,” the governor concluded.

Following the award of the hosting rights to Edo State in December 2018 at the end of the 19th edition of the festival held in Federal Capital Territory, it is required of the state and the Ministry to sign an agreement which will spell out the duties and obligations of both parties and advise on the composition of the Main and Local Organizing Committees.

32 pupils shortlisted for Sani Lulu’s football/education scholarship Why Chrisantus Macaulay has not actualised his potentials

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Why Chrisantus Macaulay has not actualised his potentials

By Amaechi Agbo

F

ormer agent of 2007 Nigeria Under 17 World Cup prodigy Macauley Chirsantus, Adams Mohammad, has provided insight on what led to the top scorer at the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Korea inability to actualise his potentials.

Adams who is the owner of Hearts of Abuja Football Club that discovered the then talented teenager, noted that while he made sure that all went well for Christantus, most times, the player personally decides how his career would go.

Speaking in an interview, Adams added that even though Chrisantus made history as the first Nigeria player to play in European club without playing in the

AYC: Flying Eagles battle South Africa for Poland ticket Macauley Chirsantus

Flying Eagles

By Amaechi Agbo

N

igeria’s Under 20 national male team, the Flying Eagles will today square up against South Africa at the ongoing Africa Youth Championship holding in Niger Republic for a place in the 2019 FIFA Under 20 World Cup The Flying Eagles of Nigeria began their quest for the 8th African crown with a 2-0 victory over Burundi on Saturday.

The 7 times champions showed their dominance by over running their Group A opponents at the Stade Général Seyni Kountché having a total of 9 shots on targets with 65% possession.

Although the team was wasteful in front of goals, but Yahaya Nazifi and Effiom Maxwell scored the needed goals that gave the team the top spot in their group The Paul Aigbogun-led team will play South Africa today and the host nation, Niger Republic on Friday in other Group A games of the eightnation tournament.

The tournament which started on Saturday will run till Sunday, February 11 across Niger cities of Maradi and Niamey.

The four semifinalists will automatically qualify for the Poland 2019 FIFA Under 20 World Cup Nigeria failed to qualify for the last edition of the championship hosted in South Korea. It was the first time the team failed to qualify for the World Championship since its made its debut in 1983 edition.

Nigeria has twice played in the final of the Under 20 World Cup in 1989 and 2005 but lost both matches.

national league, advised that players should always be careful the kind of people they surround themselves with.

“I cannot really say much about Chrisantus. He was in Finland with one of the top clubs there, with HJK Helsink, to be precise. I can’t really say exactly where he is now because I am no longer an agent; for many years I have not been managing players. I have been an administrator.

“But he has been in Europe and moving from club to club. Development of a player is a personal thing. At the end of the day you take your personal decision.

How you play, move and everything is personal. Nobody from the outside can come up to the pitch and play for you.

“So he is moving, though it might not have gone for him as expected but that is life. Sometimes success comes too early

and it is too big but you really need a good team around you to keep you focused for you to actualise your potentials,” he said.

Since collecting the highest goal scorer award in the FIFA U-17 World Cup 12 years ago, Chrisantus has not featured for any other national team including the Under 20 and the Dream Team. He has played for 10 clubs in 12 years of his career.

How NALCOMA defrauded NNL clubs N87.5 million

By Amaechi Agbo

F

acts have emerged on how the newly formed Nigeria National League Club Owners and Managers Association, NALCOMA officials colluded among themselves to defraud some clubs in the second tier of the Nigeria league a combined sum of N87.5 million.

The money, according to investigation, was realised from the sale of seven slots created by the NNL to bring the number of clubs playing in the two zones at par of 20 clubs each. A slot was sold at N12.5 million.

It was further gathered that the cabals in NALCOMA in order to ensure that the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the NNL, Lawrence Katkan was side-lined in the criminal act, forged the COO’s signature and used it to sign the receipt issued to the clubs that bought the slots.

The association also violated the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, status which stated that a total of 32 clubs will play in the NNL by creating additional seven slots bringing the total number of club that featured in the just ended 2018 NNL season to 39.

A source who is among the petitioners that took NALCOMA/NNL to EFCC added that the COO was released after interrogation few days ago due to the fact that he was not away of the fraud and denied signing the said receipts for the payment.

“First of all, the NNL was meant to be played by 32 clubs. According to NFF status, NNL is a league under the federation which must be played by 32 clubs. The status was not changed but the cabals in the league created 7 slots and

sold each for N12.5 million. A total of 39 clubs played the league last year. When you multiply N12.5 million by seven, that will give you the total sum of money that did not entre NNL account.

“Apart from that, EFCC is investigating them on the issue of forgery. The receipt Nigeria National League Club Owners and Managers, NALCOMA gave us was a forged receipt because the signature of NNL COO, Katkan was forged. The receipt Emmauel Ezeora and Olisah Onuchukwu issued to the clubs that paid for the slots was forged. They forged the signature of Lawrence Katken. It was on that basis that Lawrence was released after interrogation last week. He was not part of the fraudsters in the NNL, he knew nothing about it,” the source said.

But in a response to our enquiries, the Media Officer of the NNL, Amar Ignis said that NNL management of the league never created slots nor sold any to anybody adding that what happened in the last season was that the league was played by 38 clubs, 20 from Southern Conference and 18 in Northern Conference. This, he said, was due to the inability of the northern states to produce the remaining two clubs to makeup the conference.

Ignis added that NNL never collected money from any club in the name of selling slots but noted that all the clubs that played in league last season were duly registered.

The Nigeria National League Club Owners and Managers Association (NALCOMA) was formed in March 2016 with the with the purpose of fostering unity and ensuring smooth running of the league as well as “protect” their interests

Why Aguero is better than Ronaldo, Cantona and Bergkamp combined -tweets of the week

W

ith the transfer window officially slamming shut last Thursday (it always slams shut), fans were free to focus on the football at the weekend.

While the weather disrupted some of the action around the country, most games went ahead and the usual nonsense occurred.

Here’s what fans made of the weekend’s action on Twitter.

1) Score early, score often Sergio Aguero came bursting out of the blocks as he scored in the opening minute of both Man City’s Premier League clashes last week, leaving his own little mark on Premier League history in the process.

where needed.

In her inaugural sitting, the association unanimously elected Chairman of Kogi United FC, Abdul Sule as the chairman of a five-man board.

Other members of the five-man board include Emmanuel Ibah from Akwa Starlets as Vice Chairman, Emmanuel Zira (Adamawa United) as the Head of Media and Publicity, Kabiru Haliru Mazado (Shekarau Babes) as the Treasurer while Mr Layi Adesiyan (Crown FC) is the General Secretary of the association.

Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on 17 of January, 2019 invited NFF head of technical department, Ahmed Yusuf ‘Fresh’, Olisa Onuchukwu, Lawrence Katkan, Layi Adesiyan, Emmanuel Zira and Abdul Sule for questioning over missing money in the NNL coffers.

Duncan Alexander @oilysailor 1.4% of all opening minute goals in Premier League history have been scored by Sergio Aguero in the past six days The Argentine is arguably the greatest Premier League striker of the 21st century as he added two more against Arsenal to complete his 10th hattrick in the league for City.

OptaJoe @OptaJoe 10 - Sergio Aguero's hat-trick is his tenth in the Premier League for Manchester City; only Alan Shearer (11) has more in the competition's history. Magic.

In case you were wondering, that stacks up pretty well against some of the Premier League greats.

Duncan Alexander @oilysailor Sergio Aguero now has as many PL hat-tricks as Cristiano Ronaldo, Eric Cantona, Dennis Bergkamp, Daniel Sturridge, Jurgen Klinsmann, Gianluca Vialli, Louis Saha, Dirk Kuyt, Robert Pires & Samuel Eto'o combined Arsenal FC @Arsenal

With #ChineseNewYear approaching... ...we wanted to wish all our Chinese fans around the world a very special celebration 3) Like the brother I never had…

It’s an old cliche that a football team is like a family, but for some it’s even more important than that.

Take, for example, Crystal Palace striker Christian Benteke who tweeted his excitement at “brother” Michy Batshuayi joining the club. Eagle-eyed viewers noticed he appeared to be less excited when his real-life brother Jonathan’s arrived back in 2016.

Tom Victor @tomvictor Can't help but notice he didn't do this when his actual brother signed for the club 4) Penalty shoot out Rangers beat St Mirren in bizarre fashion on Saturday as they were awarded four penalties during their 4-0 win. Yes, you read that right.

Four penalties in 90 minutes of football.

Shutts @Shuttsapalooza Just the four penalties for me last night markocooper @markocooper Four penalties!?! Even the Nazis in Escape to Victory only gave themselves one.

Daniel Harris @DanielHarris Poor Steven.

Thankfully the Saints were able to see the funny side of it all when a few club legends took on the St Mirren Independent Supporters Association on Sunday.

St Mirren FC @saintmirrenfc Penalty Rangers! (Sorry force of habit). The Saints legends have a penalty!

5) Sunday league meets Premier League It’s comforting to know that even at the very highest level of football, teams still employ the “we should get my mate, he’s really good” method of adding new squad members.

If it’s good enough for your five-a-side team, it’s good enough for Fulham.

Thomas McIlroy @thomasmcilroy “Any of you got a mate who can play?”

6) Marouane Fellaini: Manchester United legend The Premier League lost one of its most recognisable faces last week as Marouane Fellaini left Man United for Chinese side Shandong Luneng at the close of the January transfer window.

He may not have always been the most popular player among some fans, but he stuck around longer than most people manage at Old Trafford.

Si Lloyd @SmnLlyd5 Marouane Fellaini was a Manchester United player longer than Eric Cantona was. Legend.

7) Man like Hector Social media was supposed to open up the lines of communication between footballers and fans like never before, giving us unprecedented access to what our favourite players are thinking.

But unfortunately, what fans often get instead is an endless stream of platitudes from the player’s PR team, never saying or doing anything remotely interesting for fear of actually giving us a real look at the person behind the footballer.

And then there is Hector Bellerin.

Whether you love him or hate him, there’s no denying he’s doing his own thing.

Héctor Bellerín @HectorBellerin Yes Doc? I can get out of hospital yeah? Saaaafe.

Road to recovery begins 8) Lionel the Messi-ah Lionel Messi is really good at football. Like, really

good. We assume this isn’t new information to you but it’s worth remembering just how exceptionally good he is.

Despite somehow finishing fifth in the Ballon d’Or voting this year, Messi has scored 29 goals from his 27 appearances for Barcelona this season.

He has scored or assisted at least one goal in all but three games this season - one of which he didn’t even start.

Or put another way: Andy West @andywest01 Since Lionel Messi last started a game of football without scoring or assisting...

Autumn, Halloween, Christmas and New Year have been and gone.

22 countries have new political leaders.

LA Rams have gone from 1-0 to the Superbowl.

Roughly 50 million people have been born.

9) Meanwhile, in Germany Much like Liverpool in the Premier League last week, Borussia Dortmund extended their lead at the top of the Bundesliga after drawing with Eintracht Frankfurt.

Despite dropping two points, they increased their advantage thanks to Bayer Leverkusen’s 3-1 win over Bayern Munich.

The defeat was the latest setback in a difficult season for the German giants, but perhaps the worst moment came when the official Leverkusen Twitter account dropped in with some soft trolling after the game.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen @bayer04_en Bayern, u want these points?

They are mine.#B04FCB | 3-1 10) Football’s for the fans At the end of the day, football is about the fans, and so kudos to the stewards at Shrewsbury Town.

Even with their team losing 3-0, they still made sure that all the visiting Luton Town supporters were able to get involved in the celebrations.

Source: BBC

QUOTABLE QUOTE

. . . putting the people first

TuesDAY, February 5, 2019

“The Judiciary must continue to take steps to ensure that it is not seen as being partisan but must always demonstrate manifest integrity in its adjudicatory processes.”

- The acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Muhammed Tanko, on

SPORTS Can Buhari break his electoral jinx in Nasarawa? latest

Sala plane tragedy: Body found in plane wreckage

Emiliano Sala David Ibbotson

and

pilot

O

ne body has been seen in the underwater wreckage of the plane that was carrying footballer Emiliano Sala and pilot David Ibbotson.

A search on Sunday found the Piper Malibu plane on the seabed off Guernsey, almost two weeks after it went missing.

The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) confirmed the sighting on Monday morning adding it was now considering the next steps.

The “substantial amount of wreckage” of the plane, which went missing on 21 January, was found on Sunday morning after a privately-funded search began.

The flight had been carrying Argentine striker Sala, 28, and pilot David Ibbotson, 59, from Nantes, north west France, to Cardiff after Sala completed his £15m move to Cardiff City.

In a statement, the AAIB said: “The remotely operated vehicle (ROV) carried out a further search of the area overnight, but did not identify any additional pieces of wreckage.

“Tragically, in video footage from the ROV, one occupant is visible amidst the wreckage. The AAIB is now considering the next steps, in consultation with the families of the pilot and passenger, and the police.”

Kaduna sports writers get car donation

M

r Ekene Abubakar Adams, the candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for Chikun/ Kajuru Federal Constituency, has donated a brand new Sharon Bus to the Kaduna State chapter of the Sports Writers Association (SWAN).

Adams announced the donation while flagging off free transport scheme for the constituency in Kaduna.

He said the gesture was as a result of support he has been receiving from SWAN members in the state.

Taye Taiwo and Oduamadi

Advert: business: news: lagos:

A

s the 2019 general elections inch closer and as President Muhammadu Buhari sets out to canvass for votes from Nasasarawa state citizens as part of the ruling party’s nationwide presidential campaign tour, the question on the lips of analysts is whether he can break his seeming electoral jinx in the state. Buhari has never won elections in Nasarawa state in all his four attempts to be president.

He lost the 2015 presidential election in Nasarawa state to PDP’s Goodluck Jonathan, although he won the nationwide popular votes against his rival thereby emerging president of the federal republic of Nigeria after four attempts for the presidential slot. In 2011 when he contested under the banner of his Congress for Progressives Change (CPC), the party’s governorship candidate (incumbent, Umar Tanko Almakura) emerged victorious in Nasarawa state (making him the CPC’s sole governor in all 36 states between 2011 to 2015) while Buhari himself lost in Nasarawa state.

Both the chairman of the APC in the state, Chief Phillip Tetari Shekwo and the state’s Information Commissioner, Alhaji Jamil Zakari insist that what happened in 2015 regarding outcome of the presidential election in the state would not repeat itself this year. In a telephone interview with this writer Chief Shekwo said that the results would be different this time around. He stated that President Buhari would get over 70 per cent of the presidential votes that would be cast on February 16, in Nasarawa State. Said he, “It does not mean that when you don’t have majority votes, you have not won election. There is a statutory 25 per cent that is required of each contestant. He

“

Tuesday Column

By VICTORIA NGOZI IKEANO vikeano@yahoo.co.uk 08033077519 has always had this in Nasarawa state. I can assure you that apart from this, Buhari is going to have the majority votes, over 70 per cent”.

Information, Culture and Tourism Commissioner, Alhaji Zakari reechoed Chief Shekwo’s optimism when this writer put same question to him, ‘Buhari has never been known to win in Nasarawa State, will it be different this time around?’

“Yes, definitely, you can count on that. I want to assure you that we have done all the groundwork to ensure that our people are properly mobilized; in fact they have themselves decided that they need to partner with the president this time around. The federal government’s presence is felt in Nasarawa State and the reward for such good works is for the people to ensure he succeeds at the polls”, Zakari remarked.

Giving reasons for Buhari’s past losses, the commissioner attributed it to manipulation, noting, “They just wrote results and ask you to go to court; but it is no excuse; we ought to have made sure we protected our votes. We did not lose in 2015, our votes were cancelled but we let it go for the sake of peace”. He continued, “I need to emphasize that 2019 will be totally different; people have been properly mobilized on the need to work together with the federal government. The case of the reelection of the president is settled in the sense that we have seen from opinions and polls,

It does not mean that when you don’t have majority votes, you have not won election. There is a statutory 25 per cent that is required of each contestant. He has always had this in Nasarawa state. I can assure you that apart from this, Buhari is going to have the majority votes, over 70 per cent”

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from the body language of the country, his opponents have not been able to make any inroads; we have seen that Buhari’s popularity has been widening; we have seen that there is a lot of enthusiasm among Nigerians to ensure that this election is peaceful and that the president wins comprehensively”.

According to the Nasarawa State APC chairman, Buhari’s campaign train to Nasarawa is important because it affords the president an opportunity to tell the people of the state what he had done in the last three and half years and what he intends to do in the next four years “that we will give him”.

“Again his coming and going round the country shows that Buhari is physically and mentally fit, irrespective of busybodies who have been going about making nasty comments about his health and some even taking him to court to say that the president is not physically fit and so should be disqualified.

What we know is that Nigerians have decided that it is either Buhari or nobody and we are prepared in Nasarawa state to also make that statement with the coming of the president”, Shekwo concluded A former chairman of the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board and now a chieftain of the Buhari Support Centre, Abuja, Alhaji Abdulkareem Abdullahi commenting on the president’s visit to his home state in another telephone chat, warned the president against ‘fake’ supporters. “It is a good omen that people are going to receive him in Nasarawa. We must learn that democracy is a voluntary choice, it can never grow otherwise, and integrity has been the major attribute that has made Buhari an enduring product; the people in the system do they have the same quality of integrity? We must revive integrity as the template

for leadership. Any other thing is camouflage; we must put an end to masquerade dancing and give the real people the opportunity they had fought for.

Are we addressing the needs of the needy? The youths who are the arrow head of this change, what is their place now, are they being served? Hypocrisy has always been the bane of our politics. We must call a spade a spade”.

Alhaji Abdulkareem who was a strong member of the CPC that later coalesced into the APC and who played a significant role in giving it direction in Nasarawa state, maintained, “All I am saying is that we must shine our eyes in that gathering. Yes, Buhari like you said never won in Nasarawa state. What are the prospects? After the victory of APC during the elections, the mantle of leadership that was secured was handed over on a platter of gold to the PDP moles.

The real masses who are the ones that made Buhari’s victory to be real have been ignored.

People who do not mean well for Buhari, people who are not pro-change, who are not for the masses have come up. All I am saying is, let Buhari try to know his true, genuine supporters…

So let us begin to do the right thing… Buhari himself has no problem as a person… it is the people surrounding him, who have hijacked the system. They ran away from PDP because they were defeated and could not realize their aspirations. Let us be careful, it is not the crowd that matters but people in the crowd. We know how we got the people that are still pro-Buhari”.

DAN GAYE

Adamawa: PDP vows to resist APC rigging -News

Do me I do you

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