Friday, March 8, 2019 Edition

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Guber: Again, EFCC, police warn against vote buying, violence

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PDP yet to explain 16 years of squandered wealth -Buhari page 5

R-L: Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed A. Adamu, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and Representative of the National Security Adviser, Sanusi Imam Galadima, during the INEC Meeting with Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), at the INEC Headquarters, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Mahmud Isa

ASUU rules out strike, Nigeria loses $6.1bn South South APC lobbies Buhari for annually to violence against says agreement with FG stands Senate president children -FG, UNICEF pAGE 15

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

News News 2-10,14 Editorial 11

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ome eligible voters in Lagos State say they may shun the March 9, governorship and state House of Assembly elections due to fear of attack by thugs, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

A cross section of traders at the popular Lagos market, Alaba International, told NAN on Thursday that following the attack on some of their members during the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections, they were not likely to participate in Saturday’s elections.

Chima Achike, spokesperson of F line in the market, said though majority of them were eligible voters, they would not, however, want to risk their lives for any election.

Op.Ed 12-13 Politics 15-17 Business 19-20 21

World News

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Africa News

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World News

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Zamfara State Coordinator of NYSC, Mr Dahunsi Muhammad (2nd R); and members of his team, during their sensitization tour to NYSC Zonal Offices ahead of the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, yesterday in Gusau

Avoiding past pitfalls at guber polls Page 6

Health

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Feature 26 Sports 29-31 Back Page

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Fear of voter apathy heightens in Lagos ahead guber polls

CONTENTS

Metro

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

Violence against children: Nigeria loses $6.1bn annually, says FG, UNICEF

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

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report jointly launched yesterday by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Federal Government, under the leadership of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has revealed that the economic impact of the violence against children in Nigeria is estimated to be about USD$6.1 billion, which is equivalent to about 1.07 percent of the country’s GDP. UNICEF in a statement issued yesterday by Oluwatosin Akingbulu, its Communication Officer, said the report added that the financial loss is from the cumulative loss of earnings due to loss of productivity, stemming

from suffering associated with different degrees of violence, over time.

“The cost of inaction is high, when it comes to violence against children,” said Mrs. Ifeoma Anagbogu, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.

“Violence affects children’s health, education, and productivity. It is clear that we need to eliminate any form of violence against children – both from a moral perspective and an economic perspective.”

The report further revealed that about half of the Nigerian children surveyed experienced physical violence by parents, adult relatives, direct or indirect caregivers or community members, before they reached 18.

“The findings of this study

point to the strong need for increased funding of interventions by government to reduce violence against children in Nigeria,” said Mr Olajide S. Odewale, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.

It was noted that the study may actually underestimate the economic burden of violence against children, as several serious consequences of such violence were not included, due to a current lack of data.

The evidence presented in the report indicates an urgent need to provide child protection services in Nigeria and prioritize the elimination of violence against children, which can ensure the country’s human capital has the mental, physical, and emotional stability needed to boost its social

and economic development.

“This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Convention of the Rights of the Child, giving us an opportunity to join our collective efforts to protecting children from violence, abuse and neglect. This includes a re-commitment to increase investment in child protection services,” said Mohamed Malick Fall, UNICEF’s Country Representative in Nigeria.

The statement said that the research on violence against children was led by the Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with UNICEF, and with funding from the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), through USAID, the EU and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Rivers guber: Court never barred Accord, says party chair

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

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ccord yesterday said that there is no High Court judgement barring the party from participating in the governorship and State Assembly elections scheduled to hold on Saturday, 9th of March, in Rivers state, urging voters across the state to come out and vote massively for the party.

The national chairman of the party, Muhammad Lawal Nalado, who stated this in Abuja while briefing journalists, lamented that political opponents are peddling propaganda in Rivers State that Accord will not

participate in the election.

He therefore debunked the rumour, saying it is a total falsehood, even as he assured the party supporters that the Accord is still strongly in the contest, haven mobilised voters across the state to vote for the candidates of the party in the election.

Nalado who described the rumour as the machination of those who are afraid of loosing power to Accord, emphasized that the candidate of the party stands tall above every other contestant in the governorship election.

According to the party chairman, though the High

Court in Rivers state has passed a judgement that the party’s governorship candidate in the state for the Saturday governorship race, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, is not the rightful candidate, the party has appealed the judgement already.

He said that Accord submitted the credentials of Dumo LuluBriggs to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its candidate for the Rivers governorship election, following the voluntary stepping down of the original winner of the party primaries.

Nalado further punted out that the party is still with Dumo

Lulu-Briggs as its candidate, just as he insisted that the party’s former chairman in Rivers state, Precious Baridoo, did not at any point indicate interest to the party that he intends to contest the governorship election.

He emphasized that Accord is still very much in the race for the Rivers governorship, asking the voters to come out and vote for the party and its candidates in the elections. He said it is the time for Rivers state to move forward, noting that no other candidate can move the state forward socially and economically other than Dumo Lulu-Briggs.

“Our people were attacked in the last election for expressing their rights to vote for a candidate of their choice by political thugs who perceived that they were voting against their own choice candidates and party.

“Instead of going out to vote on Saturday, our members that I spoke with have expressed indifference about it, citing the February 23 incident as reason,’’ he said.

The traders’ spokesperson, who condemned election violence, however, said that there was no general circular from the market leaders and associations for people to stay away, but response and opinion of traders were tending towards political apathy.

Augustine Chiduele, an electrical equipment merchant, said that one of his relations escaped being lynched by the whiskers during the first polls.

“It was strenuous for me to cast my vote during the February 23 election, now that violence has been added to the whole thing, it is no longer fun to vote,’’ Mr Chiduele said.

NAN reports that the commissioner of police in Lagos State, Zubairu Muazu, had assured all ethnic and law abiding social and economic groups in the state of their safety.

Mr Muazu, however, warned those he described as initiators and distributors of fake news to stop causing unnecessary tension.

He said that the command had provided adequate security for all persons in Lagos State.

“Let me re-emphasise that Lagos State is peaceful and Lagosians are peace-loving people.

“There is no tribe or community under threat in any part of the state.

Our patrol and surveillance are intensified.

“We have reviewed and redoubled our strategies to ensure a peaceful conduct of Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections come March 9.

“I call on Lagosians to support the police to serve them better by being vigilant and report any suspicious movement or persons to the police,”

President Muhammadu Buhari in a handshake with NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, 2nd Deputy President NLC, Augustine Etafor, Najeem Usman Yasin, Musa Lawal, Chinedu Okoronko, Nasiru Idris F.O Johnson. With the President are Chief of Staff, Mallam Abba Kyari, Minister of Interior, Lt General Abdulrahman Dambazzau Rtd, Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige and others during a congratulatory visit by Labour Leadership for the 2nd term re-election of the President held at the Council Chambers, State House, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: State House

SUBEB gives 224 school supervisors free motorcycles in Jigawa From Mika’il Tsoho, Dutse

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o fewer than 224 school supervisors have received new brand of boxer motorcycles from the Jigawa State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

The Executive Chairman of the Board, Alhaji Salisu Zakar dropped

the hint shortly after launching of the distribution held yesterday in SUBEB headquarters Dutse.

He explained that the 224 boxer motorcycles and instruction materials was disbursed to ensure effective schools teaching for a qualitative teaching and learning activities in the state.

According to him, the beneficiaries are the local government education area’s staffs known as school support officers (SSOs) whose primary role is monitoring of teachers and head teachers across the state.

He identified the list of school instruction materials as 21,000

school white chalk, 14,000 attendance primary schools registers, 28,000 school dusters, 377 science kits among others.

The executive chairman then, congratulate the beneficiaries and urged them to avoid misuses of the motorcycles could led to the compulsory refund to the board.

ASUU rules out strike, says agreement with FG stands

T

he Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) says it will abide by the contents of the 2019 Memorandum of Action (MoA) agreed upon by the union and the Federal Government.

ASUU President, Biodun Ogunyemi, gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.

He was reacting to a statement circulating on the social media regarding ASUU’s plan to embark on another strike.

NAN reports that ASUU and the government reached an agreement on February 7 and the union suspended its three months strike on February 8, after resolving eight areas of disagreement.

Mr Ogunyemi, however, said if the government failed to fulfill its

part of the agreement as reflected in the 2019 MoA, ASUU would resume its suspended strike as the union deemed fit.

According to him, as far as our members are concerned, we are activating our Memorandum of Action by engaging the Federal Government to keep to their promises.

“Some of the agreements are already coming up, but some are still pending with respect to our Memorandum of Action and we will continue to do that and there is no continuation of any strike action for now.

“We are concerned about the plight of our students and we have gone back to intensify efforts to cover lost grounds.

“Our members have sacrificed

their annual leave and those who are supposed to go on sabbatical, many of them have put on hold their sabbatical leave.

“This is to show our students and their parents and indeed all Nigerians that we are not out to destroy the system.

“Once we make a demand from government and government responds positively, we will not go any extra mile to put down the system, our interest is to build the system and we have always done that,” he said.

He called on Nigerians to ignore the rumour of ASUU embarking on another industrial action.

“Someone or some people have created a twitter handle that they use to misinform Nigerians and we have responded to say we have nothing

to do with that twitter handle, that anything on that twitter handle should be disregarded.

“We do not have an official twitter handle, we have just protested to twitter now, that the handle should be blocked because the twitter handle does not belong to us and they have been using it to make statements in the name of ASUU. “We do not have anything to do with that handle and we have every reason to suspect that the person or those who created that twitter handle are fraudsters.

“Nigerians should be wary of them and they should not take seriously any information coming from that twitter handle because we do have not one and we have not directed any anybody to release information on our behalf, ‘’he said. (NAN)

Mr Muazu said.

NAN also reports that a leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has expressed concern over the low turn-out of voters recorded in the state during the February 23 elections, going by the number of registered voters in the state.

While appealing to people to come out enmass to cast their votes on March 9, Mr Tinubu, cautioned against election violence.(NAN)

Group kicks against military involvement in elections

By Albert Akota

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he coalition of civil society groups and election observers has said that democracy becomes a sham if elections are carried out with fear, intimidation as a result of military presence around polling centres.

The coordinator of the group, Comrade Okpanachi Jacob who stated this in Abuja, said the presence of military is an attempt being orchestrated mainly to intimidate, harass and build unnecessary tension around an election process, which ordinarily should be a civil exercise.

According to him, the Nigerian Police Force has played crucial roles in ensuring a peaceful conduct of elections because military has no statutory obligation, during elections.

He added that, the conduct of military during t an election and deployments of troops to Delta, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers states has raised serious question in governorship, state House of assembly and local government elections holding tomorrow.

“We must not allow desperate politicians and their collaborators within the security agencies, to truncate this democracy, we must reject in totality, the military must not be used in Delta, Akwa Ibom and other states in the Niger Delta elections because it is not within the constitutional powers of the military to superintend elections.

“The military should immediately restrict itself to the mandate of providing support for the Nigerian police, as required by the relevant laws and guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

“The sacrifices made by people towards advancing democracy cannot be allowed to be desecrated by the desperation presently being witnessed, “he said.

Speaking earlier, Secretary of the Group, Olufemi Johnson implored Nigerians to remain peaceful as they prepare to exercise their constitutional franchise tomorrow by remain steadfast and not be intimidated by anybody particularly the security agents.

He urged Nigerians to desist from any form of electoral violence, and support the Nigerian police in ensuring the sanctity of elections tomorrow.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

By Lawrence Olaoye

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resident Muhammadu Buhari has said that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) still owes Nigerians explanation on how it expended the humongous resources that accrued to the country from oil sales between 1999 and 2014.

While receiving the leadership of organized labour which came to felicitate with him on his electoral victory at State House yesterday, the President said the current administration met a country with dilapidated infrastructure all round in 2015; and it calls to serious question what the party that was in power for 16 years did with the country’s earnings from oil, which reached a peak during the period.

“PDP has not successfully explained to the country what they did with the money,” Buhari said.

“There were no roads, no rail, no power. They said they spent $16 billion on power, but where is the power? The irresponsible expenditure of that period has not been explained, and Nigerians deserve an answer on that terrible mismanagement of the country.”

The President thanked organized labour “for the support and patriotism you have shown during the presidential election, especially after the unexpected postponement. You and your members stepped in to support willing Nigerians to exercise their civic and patriotic rights to vote. You intervened as patriots, and not for political, religious or tribal purposes.

You simply did the right thing during a difficult period for many of us.”

On what Nigerians can look forward to in the next lap of the journey, the President said he would continue pushing the Change Agenda, “and remain focused on our core pillars of security, economy, and fight against corruption.”

He urged organized labour to partner with the government to make the country peaceful,

News

PDP yet to explain 16 years of squandered wealth - Buhari prosperous, and corruption free.

In his remarks, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, lauded the President for being worker-friendly, as exemplified in the granting of bailout funds to state governments to pay backlog of salaries and pensions.

Ayuba said, “We all remember the special bailout and budget support you introduced to support state governments during the recession. Your directive during this intervention

was that state governments must offset accumulated arrears of salaries and pension liabilities.

I remember you publicly asked state governors, ‘how do you manage to sleep at night when the salaries of workers in your state are not paid?’

“For us, that was one of the finest moments we have had with any President in this country...I can stand here today and say your intervention was the difference between life and death for many workers.”

The labour leader appealed to the National Assembly to earnestly pass the National Minimum Wage Act, while also asking the President to thereafter sign it into law within the shortest possible time.

Organized labour pledged to remain “veritable partner in progress with government,” counseling the President to continue to “make the Nigerian people, especially the poor, the centre-piece of your policy initiatives and actions.”

Billionaire oil magnet, Arthur Eze, who was part of the delegation, described the President as a man different from other Nigerians who relish in accumulation of wealth.

He said he was amazed to see the President living in a small bungalow in Daura when men who have never attained anything close to his feat in life are living in opulence.

Eze urged Nigerians to keep supporting the President as he leads the country into prosperity.

Director General, National Centre for Women Development, NCWD, Barr. Mary Ekpere-Eta (2nd L); representative of President, National Centre for Women Society, Mrs. Oluwayemisi Nathaniel (R); Programme Coordinator, Centre for Gender Security Studies and Youth Development, University of Abuja, Dr. Rafatu Abdulhamid (L); Director, Special Duties, NCWD, Princess Jumai Idonije (2nd R) and others, during a press briefing on the 2019 International Women’s Day, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Guber, assembly polls: EFCC, Police warn against vote buying, violence From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna and Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

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head of the tomorrows gubernatorial and state House of Assembly elections, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned against vote buying during.

The new Head of Kaduna Zonal Office of the Commission, Mailafia Yakubu gave the warning in Kaduna on Thursday when he paid a courtesy call on the Kaduna State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

This was even as Acting Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu sounded a strong note of warning to those who may be attempting to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the Saturday governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

The acting IG of Police gave the warning at the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting held at the Independent National Electoral

Commission (INEC) in Abuja on Thursday.

The EFCC Kaduna Zonal Office Head, Mailafia Yakubu Yakubu, while calling on journalists to help in the fight against corruption, said vote buying is a big crime that attracts 12 years imprisonment or an option of a fine of N500,000.00.

He said the commission has a way of tracking down vote sellers and buyers, but will not disclose such strategy for security reasons.

“The election is here; and we will like to tell members of the public that vote buying is a big crime. We all owe the State and the country a duty to expose culprits.

“Offender of vote buying, if eventually found guilty, he or she will spend 12 years in prison or an option of N500, 000.00 fine.

He commended the journalists for making EFCC a success story in the state, adding, “I am a friend to all in order to make my work a success.

“We are ever ready to partner journalists and NUJ in general in

the fight against corruption, as well as the fight against vote buying in this election period”, the EFCC head said.

Earlier, the NUJ Kaduna State chairman, Comrade Adamu Yusuf, thanked the EFCC boss for the visit, assuring him that the State Council is always prepared to partner with the commission for the benefit of the larger society.

On his part, the Acting Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu warned political thugs that security agencies were fully ready for the Saturday elections.

He encouraged every Nigerian to come out and cast his or her vote on the election day, while also assuring domestic and international observers and journalists of adequate security during the elections.

Speaking at the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting, held at INEC headquarters in Abuja yesterday, the Acting IGP said, “For those that disrupted the process

in some of the states during the presidential election, this time is going to be tough for you. You will never get opportunity to disrupt the process again.

“If you attempt to do that, there will be consequences. It is better for you not to come out because we have seen what you ‘ve done before; we have seen your mode of operandi and we are ready for it.

“The INEC staff and ad hoc staff are also encouraged to carry out their process without fear or any molestation,” he declared.

The acting IG, who described the Feb. 23 national election as largely peaceful, said it was achieved as a result of effective collaboration among security agencies and INEC. He said that the collaboration would be improved on for the success of the Saturday state elections.

In his words, “The security arrangement we provided for presidential and NASS elections are still in place. We have reviewed what we did and we have seen areas that

needed improvement. We have sat down with other security agencies and we have agreed and already put in place adequate security for the next election,’’ he said.

Also speaking at the meeting, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Monguno, rtd, commended the INEC Chairman and members of the commission for the successful conduct of the just concluded national elections.

Monguno, who was represented by Sanusi Galadima, also commended security personnel for their conduct in the last elections, while expressing optimism that Saturday’s election would also be peaceful.

Monguno disclosed that a room for the election situated in his office would open from Friday to Wednesday, with representative from all security agencies in attendance.

All security agencies, including military and paramilitary agencies were represented at the meeting.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

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e-mail: lawrenceolaoye8@gmail.com Text: 08036236703 (SMS only)

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu

diminished the integrity of the polls and such results are open to contestations.

Returning Officers and in fact all electoral officers must be protected by the state this time around.

It is hoped that massive deployment of policemen by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Muhammed Adamu, will prevent the ugly situation where voters will be disenfranchised in certain areas basically because they are suspected to have sympathy with the opposition.

Any election won on the basis of voters and votes suppression cannot be said to be a mandate freely conferred by the people.

Security agencies have to redouble their efforts in Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa and other volatile areas as tomorrow’s election promises to be more contentious than that preceding it. Perhaps this is the time for the security agencies to carry out the Presidential order on those in the trade of disrupting polls.

The electoral umpire, especially the collation officers, must get their arithmetic right this time around. An election with glaring discrepacies between accredited and actual votes can not be said to be credible. Opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and eagle-eyed observers have pointed out that there were gaps in some of the votes declared by the INEC in

CRIME News

with Lawrence Olaoye

Avoiding past pitfalls at guber polls I n about twenty-four hours, Nigerians will once again file out to cast their ballots. This time for the Governorship and State Assemblies election which are presumed to be closer to the grassroots than the last Presidential and National Assembly polls held last February 23.

There are speculations that this election may suffer voters’ apathy because those who participated in the last polls and discovered that their votes did not count may refuse to vote participate in this exercise.

This disillusionment among the people may be justified even though local and international observers adjudged the Presidential and National Assembly elections as being free, fair and credible.

There are however indications that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may have learnt some lessons in the mistakes of the past when it faced logistic challenges resulting in the shift of the polls by a week apiece. It is hoped that sensitive and nonsensitive materials have been dispatched across the country ahead of the polls. All the logistic lapses experienced in the past are not expected to recur this time.

Before the last polls, Nigerians are only familiar with ballot boxes snatching, votes buying and illegal votes stuffing but another interesting genre of electoral malpractices surfaced with the introduction of Card Reader device.

In Lagos and some states in the Niger Delta, areas suspected to be largely dominated by opposition PDP’s members were suppressed as hoodlums invaded their polling booths to unleash mayhem in order to scare off prospective voters.

There were reports that some ballot papers and boxes were burnt while some unfortunate voters suffered various degrees of injuries.

Incidences of voters suppression, despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s order to the security agencies to deal ruthlessly with anyone found disrupting the polls in a city like Lagos, only goes to show the laxity in security provided at the polls.

There were also reports that some Returning Officers were made to declare results under duress during the last election. This practise

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

some states. This eggregious lacuna forms the basis of the challenge of the Presidential results by the opposition party.

Incidences of ballot stuffing and under-age voting reported during the last polls must be avoided this time.

“

There were also reports of malfunctioning Card Readers which eventually disenfranchised some people in the country.

Democracy entails mass participation; where people speak with their votes. Any situation that disenfranchises voters rubbishes the beauty of democracy

Now that the election is local, there are fears that incidences of ballot stuffing and underage voting may spark off violence of uncontrollable proportion if not checked.

Since the election is local, people are mostly aware of the political strength of the candidates and any attempt for the officials to manipulate the outcome of the polls is likely to be met with steely resistance.

There were also reports of malfunctioning Card Readers which eventually disenfranchised some people in the country. Democracy entails mass participation; where people speak with their votes. Any situation that disenfranchises voters rubbishes the beauty of democracy.

It is hoped that Card Readers to be deployed

by INEC this time will not malfunction so much so that much people will not be disenfranchised.

The last polls was alleged to have been militarized in some areas. Some even alleged that the military aided some politicians to perpetrate illegalities. This has sparked off arguments on whether the military actually have constitutional roles during elections in the country.

Following the outcome of Ekiti polls that brought former governor Ayodele Fayose back to power with the massive deployment of soldiers in the state, political watchers

have come to hold their roles in the electoral process with suspicion. Some argue that deployment of soldiers for civil function like election is an anathema.

However, considering the volatility of election in some parts of the country, it has become absolutely inevitable to draw out the military to provide security during polls.

The military echelons should be made to play their role of providing security for the people impartially and not be involved in politics.

As the soldiers and other security agencies file out tomorrow, they should allow the politicians to do their things while they stick to their roles of providing security cover alone.

Lastly, the number of voided votes in this last election is enormous. The INEC is expected to have used the last two weeks to embark on voters’ education to reduce the margin.

As Nigerians look forward to exercising their constitutional rights to vote and be voted for tomorrow, the President has urged them to shun violence and other deviant behavioural traits.

This charge has become even more germane because only the living enjoy the dividends of democracy. Those who lost their lives in the last polls don’t have the privilege of participating this time. They are probably in the morgue or six feet below. So, shun violence; vote, don’t fight.

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

J

ustice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday, granted bail to the tune of N100million with one surety in like sum to a former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the defunct Skye Bank, Tunde Ayeni and its former Managing Director, Timothy Ajani Oguntayo.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) is prosecuting the defendant along two companies, Control Dredging and Royaltex Paramount Ventures Ltd, on a 10 count charge bothering on an alleged money laundering.

He pleaded not guilty to all the charges when read out to him.

Sequel to not guilty plea, Counsel to both the first and second defendants, Dele Adesina SAN and E.O Akoni SAN respectively applied for bail.

Code of conduct: 95 percent of public officers liable for prosecution -Aigbokhan By Osaigbovo Benin

Alleged N4.5bn fraud: Ex-Skye Bank chair, Ayeni, others arraigned, get N500m bail In their separate submissions, the counsel argued among others that the defendants had earlier been admitted to bail by another judge on a similar charge.

They added that the said bail conditions had since been perfected and that the defendants had not jump bail.

The counsel equally added that the defendants came from their respective homes to for their arraignment.

However, the prosecution counsel, Abba Mohammed, opposed the bail application, stating that two personal staff of the first defendant were part of those listed as witnesses.

He further argued that the agency had to visit the house of the second defendant and that on an occasion, the second defendant did not respond to its call.

He stressed that the first defendant might influence the said witnesses, he therefore, requested for a date for trial.

Delivering the ruling, Justice Ojukwu, held that the prosecution has no sufficient reason to oppose the bail application.

Admitting the defendants to bail, the court ordered that they should produce a surety each who must show evidence of tax payment from 2016 to 2018.

The bail condition also included that the surety must have a landed property in Abuja and submitted the documents of such land to the court for verification, as well as submit two passports .

The court however gave the defendants seven days to perfect their bail condition, adding that their counsel will be held responsible should the defendants

jump bail.

Consequently, the court admitted them to bail and adjourned till May 27 and 28 for trial.

The prosecution agency has in the charge, claimed that the defendants in 2014 while being Chairman and MD of Skye bank respectively conspired to commit money laundering by transferring N3 billion from Skye bank suspense account to the account of Control Dredges domiciled with FCMB, stating that the offence was contray to Section 18(a) and punishable under Section 15(2) (b) of the Money Laundering Act as amended.

The defendants were also alleged to have in 2015 while being Chairman and MD of Skye bank conspired to commit an offence to transfer N1.15 billion

from the suspense account of the bank to the account of Royaltex Paramount Ventures domiciled with Skye bank.

It was also alleged that Ayeni between June 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014 did accept cash of N17.4b from a staff of Skye bank , an offence which the prosecution said was contrary to S 1(b), 16(1)(d) and punishable under S 16 (2)(b) of the Money Laundering Act. Further in the charge sheet, the prosecution alleged that the defendant between January 1 and December 31, 2014 in Abuja, did accept the sun N3.75b from a staff of Skye bank, the amount being taking from the suspense account and thereby committed an contrary to S 1(b), 16(1)(d) and punishable under S 16 (2)(b) of the Money Laundering Act.

Iguobaro,

F

reedom of information (FOI) Act Counsel, Mr. President Aigbokhan has said 95 percent of public officers in Nigeria are liable for prosecution.

He said poor understanding of the letters of 19 commitments to the code, accounts for the reason why most public office holders commit infractions ignorantly.

Aigbokhan said this at a training workshop for management staff of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Edo State.

According to him, “95 percent of public officers in Nigeria are in breach of code of conduct”.

He decried the breakdown of ethical values, conflict in both private and public interests, undue exercise of discretions of courts in matters relating to abuse of office and code of conduct of public officers.

Aigbokhan who spoke on the topic: “Code of conduct for public officers”, said: “There is a serious victimization on code of conduct and asset declaration in Nigeria”.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Vice-Chancellor of Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Prof. Ignatius Onimawo, charged the participants to explore the benefits offered during the training for optimal productivity.

The two-day workshop is expected to enhance the proficiency skills and replenish knowledge of academia as well as ward-off emerging threats.

The workshop which was at the instance of the Vice-Chancellor of AAU, Prof. Ignatius Onimawo in order to gain a range of advanced managerial skills.

Members of Adamawa State Council of the NUJ, during a peace walk to advocate for hitch-free Governorship and Houses of Assembly elections, organized by NUJ in collaboration with an America-based International Non-Governmental Oorganisation, yesterday in Yola

Suleja Police Area Commander honoured

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he Area Commander in charge of Suleja Area Command in Niger State, ACP Isah Musa Rambo, has been conferred with two media awards of distinguished “Visionary of workaholic” and “Visionary Detective” by the

management of the Orator Communications Limited, the publishers of the Orator weekly newspaper based in Niger state and FCT. Presenting the two media awards to the Area Commander on Thursday in Suleja Area command hall, the Managing Editor of the

weekly newspaper, Mr. Nasir Oseni, said the two media awards were bestowed on the Area Commander based on his outstanding contributions towards the security outfit in the area.

He charged the Area Commander and his men to continue to fight criminals in Suleja and its environs

for the betterment of the residents.

Responding, the awardee of the day, ACP Rambo thanked the management of the Orator Communications Limited for the two media awards conferred on him, and dedicated the awards to the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force.

Police arrest 2 cultists who allegedly chopped-off man’s wrist

T

he Enugu State Police Command has in an overnight operation arrested two suspected cultists in Emene community, an Enugu suburb.

The command’s spokesperson, Ebere Amaraizu, in a statement on Thursday said the suspects were arrested at 8 p.m. on Wednesday.

Mr Amaraizu said the command’s operatives also recovered a chopped-off wrist, two axes and a black cap from the suspects.

He said that their victim, whose left hand wrist was chopped off, was identified as one Chijioke Chiaha.

“It was, however, gathered that some groups of suspected cultists, on March 5 in the night at Eke Obinagu junction axis of Emene, had allegedly engaged themselves in a fight over a yet to be established issue which resulted to some injuries.

The spokesperson said two of the suspected cult members belonging to Junior Aiyes

confraternity had been arrested.

He said that one of the suspects told the police that he got a call from someone (names withheld), believed to be a cult leader in charge of Eke Emene Branch for a certain peace talk with other cult members at Eke Obinagu Emene Junction.

“On his way to the place, he was nabbed by the security operatives of the command who had intervened promptly based on distress call received.

“The victim, who confessed

he used to be a member of a cult group, said he waited to board a tricycle to his house when suddenly three persons on a motorcycle approached him from behind and chop of his hand and drove away,’’ he alleged.

Mr Amaraizu said that the suspect in question identified his caller as one of those behind the chopping-off of his wrist.

The command’s spokesman said that full scale investigation had commenced into the incident.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

PAGE 8

NEWS

Shun cultism, indiscipline, Police commandant warns cadets From Edwin Olofu, Kano

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he new Commandant of the Nigeria Police Academy Wudil, Kano state, Assistant Inspector General (AIG), Zanna Mohammed Ibrahim has warned cadets of the Academy to desist from getting involved in cult activities in the institution.

Zanna who gave the warning

yesterday, while speaking to over two thousand cadets of the institution, said his administration would not condone any act that will undermine discipline of the Police Force.

He emphasized on the need for cadets to shun all unruly act as they undergo training to become police officers.

Zanna who was a pioneer cadet

of the Academy, lamented the lack of discipline among cadets, vowing to instill discipline in the institution.

He said that discipline must be rooted in the institution.

“I will not tolerate anything that constitute indiscipline. You must have self-esteem as police officers, most of our officers are timid. I encourage you to have confidence, that is what is lacking in Nigeria

Police today.”

On welfare, he assured the cadets of the Inspector General of Police readiness to improve their welfare, stating that IGP has promised to transform the institution.

Zanna promised to work assiduously to position the Academy to meet the standard of the 21st century police institution.

L-R: Commissioner of Police, Rivers Command, Usman Belel; Comptroller of pensions, Mr Tinuoye Olumide; and Controller of Immigration, Rivers Command, Mr Isah Panshekara, during a news conference after an Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on the forth coming Governorship and House of Assembly elections meeting, yesterday in Port Harcourt. Photo: NAN

Okowa commissions multiple road projects in Sapele, Oghara, others From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba,

D

elta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa on Wednesday commissioned multiple road projects in Sapele and Oghara, and Ethiope West local government areas of Delta State respectively.

Speaking at the ceremonies which were attended by former Governor James Ibori, traditional rulers and their subjects, Governor Okowa expressed joy that his administration was able to do so

much within four years because Deltans of all walks of life are contributing to his success stories in diverse ways.

Some of the roads he commissioned includes: Edegbrode/Eleme, and Amukpe/Sapele roads in Sapele local government area and the commissioning of Okwele/ Ugbenu road in Oghara, Ethiope West local government area of Delta State.

“It is very important that our

people are involved in governance, they offer advise and when necessary, criticize constructively,” the governor said, adding, “as a government, we can largely attribute our success stories to Deltans for giving us peaceful environment to carry out construction works; during the townhall meetings we had in different local government Councils of our state, our people made specific requests on their needs, and most of these roads are as a result of those requests

because, we have promised our people that we will execute projects that we have agreed to execute,” he said.

While commending the Delta State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (DESOPADEC) for constructing the Okwele/Ugbenu road, the governor urged the people to vote for all the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in this Saturday’s governorship and state assembly elections.

Igbo chief tasks Nigerians on unity, patriotism

By Paul Efiong, Abuja

A

n Igbo Community Assembly leader and philanthropist, Chief Hyginus Umeh has called on Nigerians to embrace peace and love one another irrespective of their political and religious leaning.

He added that without peace, the nation cannot develop and attain its full potentials.

Speaking while receiving an award in Jabi, Abuja Municipal Area Council, for his philanthropic gestures and service to humanity within and outside FCT, Abuja, by a Non-Governmental Organization, NGO, known as Stay Alert Human

Right Association, the Igbo leader called on citizens of this country to put the interest of the country first at all times.

While presenting the award, the Managing Director of the NGO, Hon. Larry Onah disclosed that Chief Umeh’s qualification was highly screened by his team of experts who finally agreed that due to his contribution to humanity not just within Jabi Community but beyond the entire length and bread of the FCT. Chief Umeh popularly addressed as Anya Igbo while receiving the award thanked God for his life stressing that the award and recognition will spur him on to

continue to do more for humanity and all genuine persons that may come his way for one assistance or the other.

Umeh who is an Abuja based business man further said ”I did not know that people were watching me all these years, but we thank God because am fully determine to do more good things for people specially those who are sincerely in need of my philanthropic gesture and services”.

While thanking the NGO for deeming him feet for the award, thank God for his life and that of his family as well as those whom he had impacted positively to become what they are today.

In the award Ceremony, different youths groups especially those within Jabi community were seen singing, dancing as well as expressing their joy for the recognition done to one of their benefactors in the area.

Among various things he did to merit the award, chief Umeh said “ I don’t see money as anything but a means to assist other people specially those around you and your immediate community, to God grace ,I have assisted different many people because I was made to represent them and stand for them not just here in Jabi community but anywhere I find myself but we give God the glory in everything.”

Nasarawa guber: Karu traders endorse A. A. Sule

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

I

bo Traders in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa state yesterday endorsed Engr. Abdullahi A. Sule of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the governorship position in the state ahead of the Saturday, 9th March 2019 elections.

The traders, under the leadership of Chief Hillary Chukwuemeka Nnaji, who endorsed Sule as governor of Nasarawa state, said that their endorsement “is coming as a result of their resolve to reciprocate the good gesture of the outgoing Governor Umaru Tanko Almakura led administration.

He said Almakura has done tremediously well in areas of infrastructure across the state and the friendly business policies, which he facilitated for the growth and economic development of the individual businesses in the Karu area.

Speaking at the occasion, the Honourable Commissioner of Water Resources of the State, Victor Terra, thanked the traders for their vision.

He further assured them of the safety of their businesses and property in the State.

Addressing the traders also, The State Publicity Secretary of APC and facilitator of the endorsement, Chief Douglas Otaru, urged the traders to reciprocate the gesture of the state governor, Alh. Tanko Almakura by voting Engr. Sule, who is the governor’s candidate.

Chief Otaru said: “It is important you honour and reciprocate the governor’s gesture by supporting the governor’s candidate in the person of A.A.Sule of the APC.” In separate goodwill messages, Mohammed Abdullahi, (Secretary to State Government), Chief Philip Dada, (former SSG who doubles as the state Deputy Director General of the state campaign council) and Hon Samuel Akala (Karu Local Government Chairman) all commended the conduct of the Traders as reason why the State Governor had given one of them an appointment in his government.

They reassured them of a conducive business environment.

The traders have decided to use their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the coming Saturday governorship election to express their appreciation and to contribute their quota for the development of Nasarawa state.

Kebbi gov’s younger brother, Faruku dies at 56

From Ahmed Idris Birnin Kebbi

T

he death has occurred of Alhaji Faruku Bagudu, the immediate younger brother to the Kebbi State Governor, Atiku Abubakar Bagudu.

He died this morning in his residence Birnin Kebbi, at the age of 56. Before his demise, he was the Managing Director Ja’ab Communication Limited.

He was said to have died as a result of a brief illness. He left behind one wife with four children.

Faruku has been buried according to the Islamic rites.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

PAGE 9

NEWS

Mass defection rocks PDP, SDP in Plateau From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

T

housands of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as well as KOWA Party, supporters have followed their candidates in the last national assembly elections and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the Northern Senatorial District of Plateau State.

The defectors and other members of the APC, said they are getting set to deliverer 350,000 votes to Governpr Simon Lalong, on Saturday, through their doorto- door campaign strategies.

The defectors made their position known at the flagging off, of door - door campaign rally, of APC for Simon Lalong and all APC candidates in Jos North Local Government Area yesterday.

The former Plateau North Senatotial candidate of KOWA party, Arch. Salis Muhammad Salis, said he has led more than 10,000 of his supporters across the six local government areas to join the APC, “because we have seen many good works and intention of Governor Simon Lalong and the APC, in the State,” he added.

He called on all the people of the State to vote for Lalong and

all other candidates of the APC. Similarly, the former Bassa/Jos North House of Representatives candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Mr. Vitalis Lashema, led thousands of his party members and to join the APC. Also the member of the PDP Campaign Council , Alhaji Abdullahi Bello, led hundreds to join the APC, saying it is the only party that cares about the poor man.

The door- to-door campaign chairman, Hon. Hassan Isa Maimadara, said the campaign strategy is an option to reach out to the door steps of the electorates,

ahead of the Governorship and States Assembly elections in the State.

On his part, Commissioner of Transport, Hon. Nazif Ahmad, said, “In Jos North Local Government Area, we have more than 440,000 voters and we want to deliver at least 350,000 votes to our Governor, Simon Bako Lalong.”

Similarly, the former minister of information and communications Hon. Dasuki Nakande, their evaluation of the presidential and national Assembly elections prompted them to embark on the intensive door to door last minutes

campaing.

“Having said so I want appeal to our youths to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner during the election,” he urged, adding that; “We should Also shun away from decisive politics, because what we are seeing, is the resurgence of religious politics in Plateau State.”

He stressed that, “Plateau State have maintained relative peace in the last four years, I hope that we will continue to maintain it in the next four years and forever and ever.”

The event featured rally across the length and wild of the Local Government Area of Jos North.

FG closes land borders ahead elections

By Ese Awhotu

T

he Federal Government has ordered the closure of all land borders with immediate effect from 12:00 noon on Friday, March 8, to 12: 00 noon of Sunday, March 10, 2019.

This is ahead of the governorship and state assembly elections slated to hold on Saturday.

The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau (RtD), who announced the land border closure yesterday said the development will help restrict movements across the borders during the elections.

In a statement by the Comptroller General (CG), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, the minister urged the public to take note and ensure compliance.

T

he death toll from the Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria has increased to 93, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has disclosed.

NCDC, in its weekly situation update, stated that 1,374 suspected cases and 93 deaths were reported across 21 states including FCT as of March 3.

In the reporting week 09 (February 25 to March 3), 39 new confirmed cases were reported from six states with eight new deaths: in Edo 5, Ondo 2 and Kogi 1.

There has been a spike in the number of new confirmed cases in this reporting week as compared to the last four consecutive weeks.

The reported spike is coming a week after the Director-General, NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, said there has been a steady decline compared to the 2018 outbreak.

Mr Ihekweazu had said in the last four weeks there has been a consistent pattern with the number of confirmed cases and deaths reported across the country.

However, this week has one of the highest confirmed cases, he said.

L-R: Administrative Secretary, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State, Mr Adelani Asade; Lagos State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Sam Olumekun; and Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Lagos State Chapter, Dr Qasim Olalere-Akinreti, during a news briefing by INEC on the forthcoming Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections at NUJ Office, yesterday in Ikeja, Lagos.

Nigeria’s Lassa fever death toll hits 93 From January 1 to March 3, 1,374 suspected cases have been reported from states that have recorded at least one confirmed case.

Of these, 420 were confirmed positive, 15 probable and 939 negatives (not a case).

Overall, 33 states including FCT have reported 1447 suspected cases.

Since the onset of the 2019 outbreak, there have been 93 deaths in confirmed cases. This makes the case fatality ratio in confirmed cases to 22.1 per cent.

The 21 states which have recorded at least one confirmed case across 66 local government areas are: Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Plateau, Taraba, FCT, Adamawa, Gombe, Kaduna, Kwara, Benue, Rivers, Kogi, Enugu, Imo, Delta, Oyo, Kebbi and Cross River.

‘No new infected health worker’ There is, however, no new case of infected health worker in the reporting week.

Since the onset of the outbreak,

15 healthcare workers have been infected in seven states- Edo (7), Ondo (3), Ebonyi (1), Enugu (1), Rivers (1), Bauchi (1) and Benue (1) with one death in Enugu.

The World Health Organisation has also pledged to intensify its response activities to the ongoing outbreak.

WHO said notwithstanding the overall decrease, available records indicate that several states have reported more cases in 2019 than in previous outbreaks.

As at February24, Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba have notably reported more cases (31, 26 and 03 cases respectively) than in 2018 during the worst Lassa fever outbreak to date.

Speaking on the reduction in new cases, Clement Peter, the WHO Officer-in-Charge (OiC) for Nigeria welcomed the recent “evolution of the outbreak and the decrease in the number of new cases reported.”.

He said WHO continues to help affected states by strengthening their capacity to conduct disease surveillance, treat patients,

implement infection prevention and control measures, laboratory diagnostics and engaging with communities?

“WHO has mobilised US$ 400,000 to support response activities and deployed experts to Nigeria and affected states to assist with coordination, active surveillance, case management, laboratory investigation, provision of supplies and research,” he said.

Backstory Nigeria has been combating an outbreak of Lassa fever since the beginning of the year. This has become a yearly occurrence with hundreds of people infected and dozens of deaths recorded.

At present, there is no known vaccine for the prevention of the disease.

The disease is often transmitted through rodent and human to human transmission.

In curtailing the spread of the disease, contact tracing has become very crucial.

About 4902 contacts have been identified from 19 states.

Of these, 1926 are currently being followed up, 2923 have completed the 21-day follow up, while four were lost to follow up. Eighty symptomatic contacts have been identified, of which 49 have tested positive Currently, 69 patients are being managed at various treatment centres across the country: Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) treatment centre -34; Federal Medical Centre Owo – 16; Federal Teaching Hospital Abakiliki – 2; Bauchi -2; Plateau 5; Taraba 7; Gombe 1, Kaduna 1 and Kebbi 1.

According to NCDC, the multisectoral one health national rapid response teams (from the NCDC, NFELTP, Federal Ministry of Agricultural and Federal Ministry of Environment) have been deployed to Ondo, Edo, Ebonyi and Taraba Also, the National Lassa Fever Multi-Partner, Multi-Sectoral Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) continues to coordinate the response activities at all levels(By Premium Times)

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

PAGE 10

News

4 to hang for armed robbery in Kwara From Oluseyi Dasilva Ilorin

A

n Ilorin High Court has sentenced a notorious criminal, Olatunji Ibrahim Ariyo and four others to death by hanging.

Ariyo who is also known in the state capital for his nafarious activities was sentenced alongside, Ganiyu Sulyman Yaro, Timothy Oyebanji, Lukman Olateju Sanda and Akeem Olayinka (deceased).

Delivering her judgement,

Justice Adenike Akinpelu, stated that the convicts were tried on a six count charge for the offences of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, causing mischief by fire and theft contrary to section 6 (b) and 1 (2) of the Robbery and Firearms Act, Laws of Federation of Nigeria 2004 and sections 337 and 286 of the Penal code.

The court held that on 25th April, 2015, the convict committed the said offences at Agbarere area, in Ilorin.

“Each of the convict is sentenced to imprisonment for a term of two years and the sum of N25,000 is imposed as fine on each of them on count 5 for causing mischief by fire.

“Each of the convict is sentenced to death to be executed pursuant to Robbery and Firearms Act on count 1, 2, 3 and 4 for the offences of criminal conspiracy to commit armed robbery and armed robbery respectively.

Making appearance for the prosecution are the state Director

of Public Prosecution, Barr.

Abdulmumini Adebimpe Jimoh, Senior State Counsels, Kayode Adekeye and B. O Banigbe.

Barr.

Toyin Muhammed Onanolapo appeared for the first accused while Barr. Ayodeji Azeez represented the second accused in the matter.

According to the proof of evidence, Ariyo with his gang invaded home of no fewer than eight families in Ilorin metropolis to carry out robbery attacks.

L-R: Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Alh. Bello Kirfi & Bauchi State PDP Gubernatorial Candidate, Sen. Bala Mohammed, during the Women Empowerment Skills, organized by Bello Kirfi foundation, yesterday in Bauchi.

Elections: FCT Police restrict vehicular movement

T

he Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has imposed a restriction of vehicular movement in the territory from 6 a.m to 6 p.m on Saturday.

The spokesman of the command, Anjuguri Manzah, made this known in a statement on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the restriction of movement is aimed at ensuring a peaceful and credible area council election in the FCT. Mr Manzah said that ambulances, Fire Service trucks and other vehicles on essential duties would be exempted from the restriction.

He expressed the command’s regrets for the inconveniences the restriction might cause residents.

“The Command wants to assure residents that proactive security measures have been put in place to facilitate the peaceful conduct of the election,” he said.

The spokesman urged residents to call the Joint Operations Centre

on the following numbers in case of distress: 09052397880, 08024130926, 09051488448, and 07014951751.

He said that members of the public could also call the Command’s Control Room on the following numbers: 08032003913, 08061581938, 07057337653, and 08028940839.(NAN)

Plateau guber: Church denies having anointed candidate From Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

T

he President of Church of Christ in Nation, Dacholdom Datiri, has disclosed that the Church has no anointed candidate In the upcoming governorship election in Plateau State.

Rev. Datiri was shown in a video,

at foundation laying for Laboratory of COCIN University in Vom area of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, as saying the church will not support a particular candidate in the election.

The video was was confirmed by the spokesperson of COCIN in the state, Ahmad Justine, on Thursday.

The Church made this known in response to the hullabaloo that it has specifically directed all its members in the state to vote People’s Democratic Party governorship candidate PDP, Jeremiah Useni.

Governor Simon Lalong, APC guberrnatorial candidate is Catholic while Jeremiah Useni is

COCIN. COCIN church has the highest number of members in the state.

The issue of which candidate to be supported by COCIN between Lalong and Useni has generated heated debate in politics of the state in recent time especially among Christian denominations.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

PAGE 11

Letter to the Editor

EDITORIAL

Ado residents in Nasarawa express joy over road inauguration

By Paul Efiong, Abuja

R

esidents of Ado village of Karu Local Government Area in Nasarawa State have expressed delight over the inauguration of 1km Ado-Kugbaru road in the area, which before now has been in deplorable condition.

Samuel Akala, Chairman, Karu Local Government, at the inauguration, said that the 1km road project was one of the promises he made to the people of the area during his campaign tour in 2015.

Akala said that although the road was Federal Government’s responsibility, he could not stand seeing the people of the area suffer untold hardship due to the deplorable state of the road.

According to him, the AdoKugbaru road is at a very strategic position because of its capacity to link up with many surrounding communities from Nasarawa to Kaduna State.

“The 1km road being flagged off today is the first phase of the project and is in line with the promises of this administration in improving infrastructure across the council area.

“Therefore, as a responsible administration, I am passionate about leaving Karu LGA better than I met it.

“To this end, my administration has marshaled out plans for the commencement of other people’s oriented projects,” he said.

He said his administration would ensure that most major roads within the Karu metropolis were put in good shape with standard drainage system before the expiration of his administration.

Gov. Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State commended the chairman for his numerous projects in the council.

Al-Makura, who was represented

by Victor Terah, Commissioner for Water Resources in the State, said his government was ready to collaborate with the council’s administration to tackle challenges facing the residents within the area.

Pastor Ayuba Futu, a resident and the Secretary, Ado Traders Association, expressed pleasure over the development brought by the chairman.

“The chairman deserves more commendation for fulfilling his campaign promise he made to us during 2015 election,’’ Futu said.

The cleric, however, solicited for more infrastructures such as health center, government schools, public water supply and transformer to boost electricity.

Adeyi Dickson, another resident said that the road when completed would bring a big relief from the effect of dust and damage to vehicles plying the road Dickson appealed to the construction company to ensure that it completed the work before the rainy season fully sets in.

Responding, Tony Khadra, the Managing Director, Bauhaus Global Investment, the contractor handling the construction of the road promised to deliver the project on time before the rainy season

Time for world attention on Lake Chad

A

large chunk of world economy Buhari observed that about 40 million depends largely on natural than deprived people in the region will man-made resources which pose adverse migration and security defines survival of many microchallenges to the world. communities like those contiguous to Making the clarion call through the High the Lake Chad Basin.

Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Incidentally, the post-World war Philip Baker, at the Presidential Villa partition of Africa by the world recently, he noted that the tragedy powers surrounded this great lake associated with the shrinking Lake with sub-saharan countries of Chad would continue to fuel more Nigeria, Chad, Cameroun and Niger illegal migrations, banditry and Republic. These nations underlined provide willing hands for terrorism the economic importance of this since majority of the people have lost natural water resource by forming their means of livelihood. the Lake Chad Basin Commission for “In the 1920’s, an academic rightly smooth synergy. predicted that except there’s a There was humongous socio-political and redirection of water to Lake Chad, economic benefits in terms it will dry up… I will of human interactions, always draw the world’s enhanced diplomatic attention to the adverse relations between member effect of climate change countries and boisterous on the lake, and the In the 1920’s, an fishing, crop farming and resulting negative academic rightly effects”, Buhari said cattle rearing before and predicted that after the independence of and urged the Canadian these African countries. except there’s a government to support Surprisingly, the lake has redirection of water the ongoing efforts to shrunken too rapidly in the divert water from the to Lake Chad, it last two and half decades will dry up… I will Congo River to the lake. owing to climate change “The lake is now less than always draw the 10 per cent of its normal linked largely to human world’s attention size. activity, scientists say.

A redirection to the adverse Consequently, human and will help our people effect of climate from getting into the cattle population massively exited from the zone while change on the lake, Mediterranean Sea,’’ he the youths, still bubbling and the resulting stressed. with abundant energy, negative effects”, Though President have taken to crime in Buhari’s voice is Buhari said and the absence of immediate undoubtedly strong on urged the Canadian options. the African continent government to We hasten to say that the and indeed the world, the current insecurity threat support the ongoing member-nations of Chad, efforts to divert in the affected areas may Cameroun and Niger water from the not be totally disconnected Republic should also from this economic and Congo River to the wield their influences in social menace ravaging the the international arena to lake land. From the observation attract world leaders, the of social scientists, the United Nations, regional deprived has the tendency to grab and sub-regional organisations to the any string that ensures his survival effort to save the Lake Chad from total including extreme ideology that perdition and the attendant crisis stabilizes the psyche whether real or thereof. imagined.

The Canadian Governor General, Julie And if millions of people living in this Payette, who presented a picture region are allowed to resort to self help taken from space of the vanishing as characterized by the Boko Haram lake to President Buhari when she insurgency, the rest of mankind visited recently, should also help in should be prepared for the worst. spreading her finding to the world Therefore, President Muhammadu before it’s too late. Urgent actions are Buhari’s plea for more commitment needed to return our people back to towards redirecting water to the Lake their traditional agriculture so that we Chad, is a step in the right direction can replace deadly arms once again, and calls for urgent world attention. with plowshares.

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PDP’s delusionary moments in Niger

By Mahmud Abubakar

T

hey are apparently in a trance.

Governor Abubakar Sank Bello and all All Progressives Congress (APC) has become anathema to them.

Lolo and his strategists are always three steps ahead of them in the ongoing political chess game. Every where they turned, they get bloody nose, yet they continue in their delusion.

But are they to be blame? The lure of office is like been regressed under a hypnosis. They may need a stirring to the reality of the moment that the hurly burly’s done; the battle is already won.

However, the daydream, the desperation is understandable. Never over until its over, is always the inspiration. So they grope in search of a ray at the end of the tunnel. Thier last outing was at the Federal High Court in Minna, but it was a dismal outing. The outcome is even predictable from the very beginning; the signs were crystal, yet they are blind enough not to see.

In their usual characteristics, they originated a phantom charges of certificate forgery against the personality of the incumbent and his deputy, Ahmed Muhammad Ketso. Isn’t it funny that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is just discovering the anomaly in a certificate after the incumbent is almost closing in his first four years term and on the eve of another elections?

But for every action, there must be a trigger, and the trigger this time has to do with a lost hope to realise a vaunting ambition after all efforts failed. They want to “change the change” through the precinct of the courts when it became obvious that they wouldn’t have the chance to do so with the electorate who threw them out in 2015.

But the change no doubt has come to stay; the courts where they seek refuge throw them out with a punishment in form of fine to be paid to the person whose character they tried desperately to malign. So Justice is served, they went to equity with soiled hands and have to pay the ultimate price for such treachery.

Having hit a brick wall therefore, they are now left with the unpalatable option of facing the electorate again.

It was a dreadful option they fought desperately to avoid and judging from the outing penultimate Saturday during the Presidential and National Assembly elections, that’s hardly an alternative to brook. The outcome of that exercise left a lasting scare on their subconscious. The rejection was overwhelming. The results were incontestable.

Tanko Beji, PDP’s chairman, a lawyer himself, understands the futility of contesting the outcome in courts. Although he didn’t say so in a plain language during a media inquiry on what the party’s line of action on the outcome of the said elections would be.

The chairman talked about focusing

on the governorship election instead.

“We are focused on the governorship election; we are restrategising for the next stage of the election,” he had declared.

Really? There is nothing wrong with refocusing and restrategising but can such be impactful enough to turn table against Lolo and APC especially going by the love and enthusiasm accorded the ruling party penultimate Saturday cross the state. In that contest, Beji, the main opposition chairman lost his local government and likewise PDP’s standard bearer in the state, Umar Nasko. The party lost the presidency, all the three senatorial tickets and the 10 House of Representatives positions in the race which analysts described as a walkover for the APC, yet Beji’s PDP is restratgising and refocusing for a come back. But come back from where? And there lies the power of illusion; the daydream.

Many, like Beji, are wont to attribute the PDP’s defeat in the last polls to the cult-like influence of President Muhammadu Buhari in the state. While its right to acknowledge the fact that Niger is one of the President’s support base, its also instructive to point out that Governor Bello has also been able to endeared himself to the minds of many across ethnic and religious lines in the state by his development strides and also entrenched political structures that would stand the test of times.

The APC administration which he superintends has been able to eclipse the PDP supposed strides in 16 years.

Lolo stepped forward at a time the state groped in tick darkness fostered on it by the PDP. He it was who bearer the torch that illuminate our paths when all hopes fizzled. He was and still the ante boy, that star that twinkle during those dark, terrifying nights.

And he did kept the faith with the people by initiating development projects which have direct bearing on the lives. And such disposition may be responsible for the many defections of key bigwigs within the main opposition PDP to ruling party’s fold in the run up to the general elections.

At the last count, four governorship aspirants in the last primaries of the PDP, former ministers, former party chairmen, former senators and members of the House of Representatives; commissioners and others have joined the wining team, depleting the fortunes of the main opposition party.

Also, few days to the governorship and state assemblies elections many political parties, 21 of them, in the race have adopted the incumbent as their candidate for the March 9 polls. This is no mean feat brought about by a man whose doggedness and commitment to his people and state has become some sort of religion.

Mahmud wrote in from Suleja, Niger state

PAGE 12

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

Agricultural Revolution: Time to make a bold move

By Adekunle Smart

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enowned physicist and Nobel laureate, Albert Einstein, once quipped, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” A careful consideration of Nigeria’s current economic meltdown reveals the truth behind this aphorism and why serious attention must be paid towards diversifying the economy. In recent times, the country’s forex reserves have dropped below $30 billion as of January, 2016 and the currency has continued to lose value as the gulf between the parallel market and official rates of the naira to the dollar widens further.

Crude oil accounts for over 90 per cent of Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings, 35 per cent of GDP, 75 per cent of government revenue and has become the sun around which everything revolves. With the fall in oil prices, and with no commensurate cut in production, Nigeria now finds itself in an economic bind. How did we get here? The reasons include: overdependence on oil and non-diversification of the economy. But this was not always the case; agriculture used to be the nation’s principal foreign exchange earner in the early sixties.

The current state of agriculture in Nigeria is only a shadow of what it used to be but it can be said that there are encouraging signs of improvement. It is common knowledge that about 80 per cent of Nigerian land is arable and has produced major crops, including beans, sesame, cashew nuts, cassava, cocoa beans, groundnuts, kolanut, maize (corn), melon, rice, millet, palm kernels, palm oil, plantains and rubber, among others.

For many decades, the sector has been underfunded and not received the attention it deserves. As such, small holder farming forms a large percentage of the sector within Nigeria. Poor farming methodologies, lack of access to finance, post-harvest losses due to lack of storage facilities, unreliable power supply, poor transport infrastructure

and unattractiveness of farming in terms of returns for many young people are some of the reasons why agriculture has remained on the back burner of our national life.

However, we believe that with its status as the largest employer of labour in the country, its huge potential to become a major foreign exchange earner and help boost the nation’s revenue base, now is the time for everyone, government, citizens and corporates to take a serious look at the sector, even as the nation moves away from over-dependence on oil.

It is heartwarming to see that corporate bodies such as the Dangote Group, Guinness Nigeria Plc, British American Tobacco Foundation, have picked up the gauntlet in the drive to give agriculture the oxygen it needs to thrive. During the company’s pre-annual general meeting briefing in Lagos, Peter Ndegwa, Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria had said that the company has a target of sourcing over 80 per cent of its raw materials locally in the coming years. He said that this was a fundamental part of the company’s social and economic contribution to the Nigerian market and this commitment is reflected

not only at local but also at regional level as the Diageo Group has a target to reach the 80 per cent mark on Local Raw Materials for Africa by 2018.Ndegwa noted further that the multiplier effect of this strategic move of the company on society and the economy will far outweigh the challenges that may be initially faced.

Apart from driving down costs for the manufacturers and ease the pressure on the nation’s dwindling foreign reserves, local raw materials sourcing willalso play an important role in creating employment opportunities, boost income levels and empower farmers along the agriculture value chain as well as small and medium enterprises who serve as suppliers to big businesses thereby resulting in such benefits as application of modern technologies, improved quality control, higher output, product marketing and self-sufficiency.

Interestingly, Diageo’s brands have always been closely connected with agriculture. In the 1800s, Arthur Guinness, the son of the brewery’s founder, served in the Farming Society of Ireland. Currently, maize and sorghum constitute 80 per cent of the Guinness Nigeria’s agricultural raw

“

Job creation and economic empowerment, Ndegwa acknowledged, remain major challenges in Nigeria, but the local content initiative will substantially address these challenges by targeting the poorest areas and channeling investments into job-creating segments in the agriculture value chain

The tragedy of humanity’s nonchalance

By Samuel Orekoya

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ll around the world, there have been renewed calls for parleys, for rendezvous and tete-a-têtes. To bring together people of varying opinions, shedding their individual personalities and preferences to adopt a collective goal and reach a pre-determined conclusion. This is the righteous diplomacy of the 21st century.

The exact nature of this diplomacy is not known; deals are known to have taken places in churches, mosques, restaurants and offices, officially and unofficially.

This righteous diplomacy of the 21st century is a diplomacy which will attempt to mask the primordial instincts of man.

The instincts which say fight or flight. This diplomacy of the 21st century tries to find the grey between the black and white, the neutrality between the victor and the loser, the neutrality of war.

The diplomacy of this modern man intends to break down our primal instincts; the very nature of our existence, that which all culture, behaviour and action has been built on. Indeed, is it not these instincts that have birthed religion? Wars, culture and power? Far be it that I would be called an anti-moderate. For I delight in the steady progress man makes! There now exists, a collective effort, to deconstruct the basic pieces of the primal instinct, to reform and rebuild, in a manner best suited to the builder.

These builders, who must not be named, then say to us, that we are at a juncture, one auspicious for the progress and further

construct of man, a moment which would allow for the natural evolution of man, one in which our subsequent actions, desires and characteristics will be determined not by 2 instincts long encoded in our DNA millions of years ago, but by those, formed from habits, interactions, consultations and projections formed in our enlightened mind.

They say we will no longer war or run, but will begin to take actions for reasons which are just, upright and morally uplifting; for posterity, for our children, for the future of our race and the future of our planet.

This 21st century diplomacy, so noble and considerate, makes a fatal error in its quest. It forgets about the nature of man.

It trivialises humanity’s greed and sense of self importance. It forgets about the nonchalance of man. The nonchalance in Darfur, The cries of the children in Syria, The weeping of the girls in Nigeria, The stench of the 2000 dead in Baga, and the horror of the 7 dead in France.

The 21st century man walks in solidarity; 100 world leaders, linked arm to arm, 100 metres they walk, to show that we are one, to show that ‘I am Charlie’. The carpenter in Baga, walks slowly, as he gazes upon the destruction, the bodies of friend and foe, strewn far and near. He walks without registration or contemplation, as only one thought occupies him. His wife and kids are gone and his existence now seems nought. He hears the news on the radio, the world leaders are marching, to say that we are one, to say that ‘I am Charlie’. He

shakes his head in regret as he walks off in contemplation.

The nonchalance of man, more powerful a foe than thought, must be fought with all resolve. Our basic thoughts and conducts must therefore be rethought. The 21st century man has said that we are one, but I see that one is not for all. One has been redefined, to select and elect, those that possess mutual interests and resources.

One will give and take, court and flirt, before it takes you into its fold.

The little boy in Syria, sat in the ambulance, staring eerily into the distance, replaying events past. ‘Mother was serving lunch, brother was talking to me, and father read the papers. My fork quavered in my hand, as i listened to my brother’s tales. He had seen the ‘no more’ planes.

Why where they called ‘no more’ planes I asked? ‘Because once you see them, you see ‘no more’ my brother replied. My brother spoke about the coalition planes. The help which was to redeem us, now was fearful to my nation. The bogey man wouldn’t get you, the ‘no more’ planes would.

I shivered and looked at my mother, in the solemn expectation that she would rebuke my brother, for scaring me silly.

And then I felt a boom, and a sense of impending doom. All went black, I didn’t see, i didn’t know and i didn’t feel. As I felt myself fade away, one thought resounded, the ‘no more’ planes have got us. Alas, it was not my turn to fade, and I heard voices and I felt hands. I was raised from the rubble and i saw flashes. Cameras were clicking, people were shouting, the floor

material input. Therefore, building strategic partnerships with banks, agricultural NGOs, donor agencies and research organisations and leveraging these partnerships to mitigate some of the challenges that currently affect the sorghum value chain will take the industry to the next level.

Job creation and economic empowerment, Ndegwa acknowledged, remain major challenges in Nigeria, but the local content initiative will substantially address these challenges by targeting the poorest areas and channeling investments into job-creating segments in the agriculture value chain. Similar initiatives by other private sector entities will decidedly trigger a huge impetus towards diversifying Nigeria’s economy and reclaiming its primacy as a leading agricultural economy.

Some of the strategic quick wins which all stakeholders must participate in include, building the capacity of farmers, as skills development has been recognised as a critical factor to help farmers increase yields and boost productivity. Also enhancing the value of farmers via closer collaboration and association to facilitate the uptake of new technologies, such as warehousing and transport, and identify better market intelligence solutions. Lastly, easy access to finance is an important fulcrum for the agricultural revolution we desire. As such, the legal and institutional framework which these farmers need as leverage to obtain finance must be firmly entrenched.

“Agriculture is the future of Nigeria.

And agriculture that is modernised, that is productive, that is competitive. We must be a global player,” said former Minister of Agriculture and the current President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina. This is a lofty ambition that requires the full co-operation of all stakeholders. Now is the time to make the bold move.

Smart, a policy analyst resides in Lagos.

beneath was moving.

A man picked me up, and said that he was Red Cross and all will be well, he sat me in the ambulance and said that he would be back. My head hurt badly, and I touched it to soothe it, but I felt a strange wetness, my head was covered in blood. The kind man came back, and told me my brother was no more, but that all will still be well, help was on the way.

I sat and i stared. Will the help bring back my brother? Will the help save my people? I stared for my brother and i stared for my people.

The nonchalance of man, will break instead of make, the dreams of all people.

The nonchalance of man, will make all come to naught. Humanity must think as one, live as one and be united. Humanity must not, and cannot be extinguished. We must care, and void ourselves of partiality when we help and become greater united.

Humanity must acquire knowledge, from the past and present, as we have endured unnecessary and tumultuous hardships from generation immemorial. We must learn from within and then without, and use our knowledge to form a shield of protection and a sword of advancement to take us to previously unimagined levels and to renew our zeal and give the whole of humanity, a renewed sense of purpose and commitment, to know what we live for.

Samuel Orekoya Affairs Analyst.

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PAGE 13

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

Comment

Youth, leadership and the future of democracy

By Muhammad Muntasir Adamu

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n today’s world, everywhere you look these days, from books to seminars, conferences, magazine stories, someone is trying to peddle his version of tomorrow.

Historians, economist, demographers, businessmen etc embark upon long range planning by looking at dates, detecting trends and estimating from the facts already known so as to tell in advance what is expected to happen. In fact in some part of the world, the year 2000 is practically over for the futurist, they now have their minds on the year 3000 and beyond.

In the history of the world, change often starts with the young. Young people look at the world with fresh eyes. They see the world as it is and ask “why?” and imagine a different world and ask “why not?” George Bernard Shaw and Robert Kennedy asked these questions long ago, but young people today are asking them again.

As it is today there exist a certain degree of tension between what the youth of this nation has already achieved and what it should become. As far as we can see the people are unanimous in their conviction that economic and socio-political performance of this nation is far below its

potential and expectations.

As one of my political mentors Late Sen.G.N.S Pwajok opined, Nigeria is a compelling paradox. On the other hand, a nation endowed with vast natural and human resources. But, on the other hand, a nation that has consistently, yielded to the curious paralysis of the will when it comes to judiciously harnessing the resources for her good. The Nigerian condition suggests a history of raised hopes and unrealized expectations; of want in the midst of plenty; of poverty in the midst of affluence and ‘doom’ in the midst of ‘boom’. There is today in Nigeria a conflict between the past and the present as well as between the present and the future.

As a nation, we have experienced years of civilian government and military rule through coups and periods of intense political strife. When there was increasing in oil earning, we witnessed influx of the petro-naira. However, the huge inflow of financial resources has not come close to solving the basic problem of mass—poverty.

But unfortunately as we speak now, we don’t have such petro-naira anymore due to the fall of crude oil in the global market. In the present Nigeria, most States can’t even afford to pay salaries talk less of embarking

on infrastructural projects.

Professor Chinua Achebe in his book “The Problem with Nigeria” has insisted that “the problem of Nigeria is simply and squarely the failure of leadership”. Thus beyond the past and present leadership, Achebe’s x-ray also posed fundamental questions about the potentials of the so called “new breed” or younger politicians to transform Nigeria into an economic prosperous country.

Young people have a major role to play in all of these by ensuring that democratic politics is not played along undemocratic lines so that the hope of political freedom and economic betterment does not continue to elude the people. In addition to their intellectual contribution and their ability to mobilize support, young people must maintain unique perspectives on issues bordering on the survival of Nigeria. This is more so in a situation where the capacity of democratic institutions has continued be whittled and citizens are turning their backs on politics. It is only a matter of time before the little advances recorded become consumed in the waters of unfolding contradictions if the youth are not oriented on the importance of peaceful coexistence, social growth and development. How our

communities progress is determined to a large extent, on how much the youth are involved in building and designing the future. As Senator Pwajok observed, as we prepare for the future to avoid failure we need to take consideration of the following: We must realize the future is rushing on us as breakneck speed A leader’s concentration must not be on the past nor on the present but on the future Vision is an effective leader’s chief preoccupation This country can be reinvented with new generations of dreamers.

It was Malcom X that said “…they got to be a changed. People in power have misused it. A better world has to build and for it to be built, it has to be with extreme measures. I for one will join with anyone.

I don’t care who you are, what colour who are or where you are from, as long as you are ready to change the miserable condition we found ourselves on this planet”. This is a call on my fellow Nigeria youth for us decide the kind future we want to see ourselves and generations to come. The future is now and it is far becoming yesterday.

Muhammad Muntasir Adamu is a Public Affairs Analyst.

Deconstructing Nigeria’s fiscal and currency crises

By Sa’ad Jijji

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igeria’s current economic difficulties are a combination of two related but separate crises. Our fiscal crisis, fueled by our dependence on crude oil prices, which has led to a reduction in federally shared revenues from a high of N1.5 trillion in July, 2011 to a low of N306 billion in April, 2016. This massive contraction in revenues has resulted in the non-payment of salaries and reduction in government spending, leading to slower economic activities and eventual recession. On the other hand, our currency crisis was partly created by the monetary policy choices we made starting from 2011. In a bid to attract and retain Foreign Portfolio Investments (PFIs), our monetary authorities committed a taboo in international finance through the Impossible Trinity. Our attempt at juggling independent monetary policy, free movement of capital and fixed exchange rate (together called the Trilemma) has been postulated by economic theories and proven by practical experience from the Asian financial crisis of the 1990s to inevitably lead to a currency crisis. And this is exactly what we got. I will make the argument here that a fall in oil prices need not lead to both fiscal and currency crises. It is not inevitable that both occur at the same time, as it did not happen in Nigeria in 2008/2009. I do not set out to apportion blames, as there are enough of that going round already. My aim is to draw the attention of our fiscal and monetary authorities to the lessons we can learn and how to avoid such errors in the future.

In Nigeria, we operate a system where every month proceeds from our sales of crude oil, gas, royalties and taxes received in dollars are converted into naira by CBN on behalf of the Accountant General of the Federation and shared, together with VAT collections from FIRS, to all the three tiers of government in a mid-month ritual we call FAAC Allocation. These dollars, after their conversion by CBN, essentially become CBN assets and cannot be claimed by any tier of government. CBN in turn sells these dollars to importers to get the naira to use for the next monthly ritual. When CBN sells fewer dollars to importers than it bought from the government, its reserves grow.

Recently, another major source of dollar inflow into the Nigerian financial system is from foreign investors who bring in dollars that are exchanged for naira at the FX interbank market. These investors get issued a Certificate of Capital Importation (CCI) which gives them the ability to buy back their dollars when leaving the country.

While our governments are responsible for the management of the excess crude account and federal reserves, CBN is responsible for managing the much bigger reserve that bears its name.

To appreciate why our monetary policy choices have contributed to our current currency crisis, you have to go back to October 2011. At an emergency meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of CBN on October 10, 2011, a decision was taken to raise the benchmark Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 275 basis points from 9.25 percent to 12 percent. This was in response to the massive injection of liquidity primarily caused by the activities of AMCON (on one Friday AMCON injected close to N700 billion in fresh money to acquire the then troubled nationalised bridge banks, Afribank, Spring and Bank PHB). This substantial increase in interest rates at a time of high oil prices attracted many foreign portfolio managers to Nigeria’s sovereign fixed income instruments. By 2012, a report by the consulting firm, Ernst & Young, had Nigeria as the biggest recipient of foreign investment in Africa. In a report issued for the second quarter of 2014, the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that 84.7 percent of these foreign funds were invested in shares, bonds and treasury bills that could be easily sold. CBN got caught in the excitement of this inflow that it relaxed time restrictions on capital flow to Nigeria, which was set up to mitigate the adverse effects of such flows (before 2011, foreign investors were not allowed to invest in Treasury Bills with less than a one year tenure). CBN even toyed with the idea of selling forward contracts to these investors. We took further steps to meet the requirements for joining the JP Morgan Bond Index all in a bid to attract and retain portfolio flows.

In international finance, the Mundell– Fleming Trilemma (Impossible Trinity) posits that a country should not try to

maintain a fixed exchange rate (as CBN was doing at N150/$), have an independent monetary policy (as was done with the MPR) and still allow free movement of capital (as CBN vigorously encouraged). A country that attempts to do all three at the same time makes its currency susceptible to a major crisis at the slightest trigger. This was amply demonstrated by the Mexican Peso crisis of 1994 and the financial turmoil in Thailand during Asian financial crisis of 1997. Nigeria’s exceptionalism was on test. By 2013, the clouds were gathering in Nigeria.

To understand how pervasive this inflow of portfolio investment was in Nigeria, you have to consider a CBN report issued in January 2015 titled, “Determination of the Optimal Foreign Exchange Reserves for Nigeria.” After reviewing the various recommendations on how to determine the optimal level of reserves for a country, including but not limited to 20 percent to 30 percent of Broad Money supply (M2) to four to seven months of import cover, the report recommended that the optimal reserves that Nigeria should hold is a minimum of $32 billion in ‘core reserves’ to enable the country withstand external shock of the kind we are currently experiencing. At the time of writing that report, the ‘external reserves’ of Nigeria was $39 billion. However, the report went further to make its most important point: “Given that the current level of external reserves is about US$39 billion; out of which US$20 billion constitute foreign portfolio investments, it is imperative to build core reserves from the current level of US$19 billion to the derived minimum level of US$32 billion…” In layman terms, the CBN study was saying 51 percent of our external reserves did not actually belong to us. This acknowledgement by CBN that the bulk of our external reserves was essentially a deposit we were holding in trust for foreign investors should have sent red flags to the relevant authorities. To make matters worse, CBN generously used these same reserves to ‘defend the naira’ through massive interventions in the FX market and the now defunct practice of BDC FX allocations to more than 3,000 BDC operators.

How disruptive are portfolio investments to the economies of developing countries? A June 2016 IMF study titled, “Neoliberalism

– Oversold?” published on the organisation’s website reviewed this question and concluded that, “Some capital inflows, such as foreign direct investment—which may include a transfer of technology or human capital— do seem to boost long-term growth. But the impact of other flows—such as portfolio investment and banking and especially hot, or speculative, debt inflows—seem neither to boost growth nor allow the country to better share risks with its trading partners.. although growth benefits are uncertain, costs in terms of increased economic volatility and crisis frequency seem more evident. Since 1980, there have been about 150 episodes of surges in capital inflows in more than 50 emerging market economies, about 20 percent of the time, these episodes end in a financial crisis…”, the report concluded.

Economists are more renowned for predicting the past. However, both our fiscal and monetary authorities should have seen that the rise in crude oil prices from 2009, after the financial crisis, was essentially driven by the Quantitative Easing (QE) programme of the Federal Reserve Bank of America. The Fed’s programme essentially flooded the global economy with cheap dollars which expectedly inflated both equity and commodity prices. The gradual winding down of the QE programme (Tapering as finance people call it) announced in 2013 and the prospect of the Fed raising interest rates should have sent alarm bells to Nigeria’s fiscal and monetary authorities of a forthcoming correction in crude oil prices. The time-tested inverse relationship between the strength of the dollar and price of crude oil was about to play out. We should have seen that over 50 percent of our reserves was at risk of leaving the system. Even by CBN numbers, over 40 percent of our current FX demand in Nigeria is accounted for by ‘Financial Services’ which is mainly a euphemism for investors taking back their dollars. The panic reaction of CBN at such massive outflows must have convinced the remaining portfolio investors to also try and get back their dollars. This rush to exit by portfolio investors, more than anything else, is the major reason for the crisis that the naira is facing.

Sa’ad Jijji is a Public Policy Analyst.

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

PAGE 14

News Truck crushes three persons to death in Ogun

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hree persons were on Wednesday evening killed in an accident involving a truck loaded with granite, around Talabi village, inbound Abeokuta on the Abeokuta/Sagamu Expressway.

Babatunde Akinbiyi, the spokesperson for Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abeokuta on Thursday.

Mr Akinbiyi said the accident, which occurred in the evening, involved a Honda car marked NPK 186 PM, Toyota Corolla marked FST 04 ER, and a truck with registration number KJA 931 XH. “The Honda car, inbound Sagamu, had tyre burst, lost control and veered to the other side of the road, hitting the oncoming Toyota Corolla inbound Abeokuta.

“However, the truck that was behind the Toyota car in an attempt to avoid hitting other vehicles from behind veered into the bush and in the process hit three onlookers who were standing by the roadside, killing them on the spot.

“Six people were involved in the accident, three male adults and three female adults. Three persons were killed while three others were injured,’’ he said.

Mr Akinbiyi noted that the accident vehicles were taken to Ibara Divisional Police Office, while the driver of the truck had been arrested.

He said that the injured were taken to Federal Medical Centre (FMC), while the corpses of the deceased had been deposited at the General Hospital, Ijaye in Abeokuta.

Reacting to the accident, Clement Oladele, the state Sector Commander, urged motorists to obey advice given to them by its rescue team in order to avoid unnecessary loss of lives.

Mr Oladele told NAN in Ota, Ogun that the truck driver had earlier been flagged down by the rescue operation’s team.

The sector commander said that the advice became necessary for the motoring public because such an accident scene could be dangerous and sometime could lead to other accidents if necessary prevention was not taken.(NAN)

Elections: Pro- Buhari group backs army on stiff action against thuggery

By Umar Muhammad Puma

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he Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) has expressed support for the strong resolve of the Army authorities to be tough on political thugs and armed militias during Saturday’s gubernatorial and states’ Houses of Assembly elections.

BMO said in a statement signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke that because of the need to ensure a violence-free process across the country, the Army should not back down on its determination to deal with potential riggers and their sponsors, in spite of subtle blackmail from the Peoples

Democratic Party (PDP).

“We are aware of the subterfuge of opposition elements who even before the elections were bent on tarnishing the image of every national institution that has any role to play in the electoral process, no matter how remote.

“After months of muck-raking and pot-shots at the Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the run up to the elections, PDP leaders have now shifted attention to the military over perceived bias.

“But this is the same Army that was not reported to have encroached on polling centres during the Presidential election and was highly praised by international election observers.

“And now that it has vowed to be tougher on potential trouble makers, we join millions of Nigerians to express support for the Army in its determination to stem the tide of violence witnessed in some states on February 23”, it said.

The group also commended plans by the Air Force authorities to provide air cover for security operations on Election Day. It said this is necessary in view of revelations by of the Army of plans by some politicians to unleash armed militia men as well as use the farmers-herders crisis to disrupt elections in some parts of the country.

BMO said: “Nigerians cannot afford to ignore an intelligence

report publicly announced by the Chief of Army staff, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, so it is gratifying that his counterpart in the Air Force, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar has put some air assets on standby for deployment in flash point states.

“We also hope that there would be strong inter-security cooperation between patrolling members of the armed forces and the Police which is backed by law to be at polling centres especially in states prone to electoral violence”.

BMO expressed optimism that the military under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari would continue to be professional in the discharge of its electoral duties.

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South-South APC lobbies Buhari for Senate presidency

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eaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Southsouth have demanded the position of the Senate President.

They made the demand in a congratulatory message to President Muhammadu Buhari on his victory in the February 23 presidential election.

Although the president cannot singlehandedly determine who emerges as the Senate President, he can, however, influence his party which usually zones such plum positions. The party currently has over 60 senators-elect, a clear

majority.

In a statement on Wednesday, the APC Vice-Chairman SouthSouth, Ntufam Etta, said the zone deserved the position.

He said the leadership of the party in the zone “has done extreme hard work towards stabilising the polity to ensure that business thrives in the region, and also informing the youth that development can only thrive in an atmosphere of peace”.

Mr Etta also said the youth in the region have reciprocated “the good gesture of Mr Buhari” by

embracing peace as a panacea.

“Gone are the days when youth restiveness will impede development.

“We recall that when our son, Senator Joseph Wayas, held sway as Senate President, he did our zone and the country very proud. During his tenure, we saw a harmonious working relationship between the executive, legislature and the judiciary; and the benefit at this was for all Nigerians.

“Therefore, a Senate President from the South-South zone will

stabilise the polity, focus on its statutory role of making laws.

Furthermore, a Senate President from the region will avoid unnecessary clashes with the executive as has been witnessed in the recent past,” part of the statement read.

He pledged that the zone will continue to play pivotal roles in order to help the country achieve and realise all its potential.

The current Senate President, Bukola Saraki, lost his bid for a second term in the office in the just concluded presidential and

National Assembly elections.

Mr Saraki of the Peoples Democratic Party lost to his major challenger, Ibrahim Oloriegbe of the ruling party by a wide margin.

He has since conceded defeat and congratulated the winners of the elections in his state.

Although, it is not clear how the next occupant of the position will be selected, the South-south caucus of the APC stands a chance of fielding the number three citizen seeing that the president is from the North and his vice, Yemi Osinbajo, is from the South-west. (PREMIUM TIMES)

Bauchi female governorship candidate steps down for Gov Abubakar From Ahmad Mohammed, Bauchi

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he only female Governorship candidate in Bauchi State, Hajiya Baheejah Mahmud, of Advanced Congress of Democracy (ACD) has jettisoned her ambition and expressed support to the incumbent governor, Mohammed Abubakar of the All Progressive Congress (APC), ahead of Saturday governorship election, Addressing newsmen today in Bauchi, the governorship candidate explained that the decision to step down for Abubakar was in consideration of his administration’s achievements and the need for the state citizens to give him another chance to take

the state to the promised land.

She said among her 31 other contenders, only Abubakar expressed willingness to carry women along in his government hence her decision to discard her aspiration to support him.

Baheejah who asked all her supporters to vote for APC governorship candidate however said her party’s state assembly candidates would participate in the election.

“I joined the governorship race in order to empower women and youth so that they would not only be self reliant but also contribute their quota to development of the society. But after wide consultation, I decided to withdraw from the race to support Governor M. A Abubakar.”

Chairman of All progressive congress (APC), Enugu State, Dr Ben Nwoye (M), with members of the party, during a protest at Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Enugu State Office, demanding that INEC either include the name of their candidate in the Enugu State Governorship election or postpone the elections, yesterday in Enugu.

Photo: NAN

PDP accuses Buratai of pitching military against its members

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

T Some women from Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area protesting alleged arrest of their youths and men by unknown ‘Military men’, in their community at Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, yesterday in Rivers. Photo: NAN

Cleric arraigned for allegedly raping three minors 14 year- old victim of rape on Thursday told an FCT High Court Maitama District that a pastor, Emmanuel Matthew of the Winners Chapel, raped her when she was sevenyears-old in 2012.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the defendant is also the Proprietor of Emmabeth Academy, Mpape, Abuja where the victim attended in 2012.

The girl, who said this while testifying as the fifth prosecution witness, further explained that Mr Mathew forcibly inserted his finger in her private part and also had carnal knowledge of her schoolmate who was also a minor.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

She also alleged that the defendant sexually assaulted her elder sister who was nine years old then.

The police in 2012 charged Mr Matthew to court with six counts bordering on inducement and rape, which ran contrary to sections 283 and 285 of the Penal Code.

Ejike Orji, the Prosecuting Counsel averred that the victim had attended Emmabeth Academy, Mpape, ran by the defendant.

Mr Orji alleged that Mr Mathew took advantage of his closeness with the victim, her lost sister and a school mate who were all minors to have sex with them.

“Sometimes in March 20, 2012 at Emmabeth Academy, Mpape, Abuja Matthew induced and raped the victim who was seven year, her elder sister and another pupil of the school’’, he said.

In her evidence in chief, the victim recalled the name of the school to be “Emmabeth Academy Nursery/ Primary School, Mpape Abuja’’.

She said: “I was in school and Pastor Emmanuel took me inside his office and put his fingers into my private part severally.

“He did that to me and my senior sister and the other girl.

He later gave my sister N10.”

When interrogated further

by the prosecutor, she said the defendant went ahead to remove his trousers and inserted his penis into the private part of the other girl.

She said she narrated the incident to her mother who immediately reported the matter her pastor.

According to her, the mother and her pastor only warned the defendant of the repercussion of his actions.

The victim further explained that the defendant invited policemen three days after the incident to arrest the mother and her pastor, adding that the police became abreast of the matter through her mother’s statement.

She said the police immediately took over the matter by taking the three of them (children) to the hospital for examinations.

When asked to state the colour of the underwear the defendant wore during the alleged incident, the victim said she could not remember because the incident happened seven years ago.

The witness also said she could not remembered the name of the hospital they were taken to for examination, adding that she remembered that a doctor examined them.

Justice Hussein Baba- Yusuf then adjourned until May 30 for continuation.(NAN)

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, over the deployment of soldiers for elections, saying such is already triggering an uncontrolled crime against humanity in our nation.

The leading opposition party gave the warning in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan.

The PDP noted with sadness that the usurpation of the responsibility of the police and involvement of soldiers in the February 23 Presidential and

National Assembly elections, led to the gruesome killing of over 30 innocent Nigerians in the Niger Delta as well as arbitrary arrest and detention of opposition figures, resulting in escalated insecurity in the region.

According to the statement by party, “The deployment of soldiers for the 2019 general elections, despite the extant ruling of the Supreme Court against such, is part of the grand plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to use the military to suppress opposition, instill fear in the citizenry and forcefully rig the elections.

Gen. Buratai’s outburst on Wednesday, that the Army will

be ‘tough’ in its unconstitutional involvement in the conduct of elections, particularly in the Niger Delta, the South East and the North Central, appears to be a license to trigger-happy security agents to re-enact or even scale up their February 23 aggression against PDP figures in the March 9 governorship and State Assembly elections.

“The PDP invites Nigerians to note that following Gen. Buratai’s statement on Wednesday, soldiers last night commenced a targeted manhandling and mass arrest of PDP leaders in Delta, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom and Bayelsa states.

“In Rivers state, PDP

leaders are being tracked down, arrested and taken to unknown destinations. The State Commissioner of Education, Dr. Tam Gogo Jaja, who was picked up by soldiers attached to the Director General of the Buhari Campaign Organization and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, is still being held in an unknown facility.

“Furthermore, compromised security agents have been hounding, arresting and detaining PDP figures in the North Central states of Kogi, Benue, Kwara and Plateau states ahead of the March 9 elections.

“The PDP laments that the APC is pitching the military

against Nigerians not minding the collateral damage that usually occurs whenever soldiers clash with civilians.

“This is particularly given the fact that Nigerians in all PDP strongholds, spread across our country, are resolute in their resistance of any force that seeks to subvert their will at the March 9 elections”, it said.

The PDP therefore urged Nigerians to call on Gen. Buratai to redirect his officers and men from participating in the March 9 election so as to avert any breakdown of law and order in any part of our country before, during and after the March 9 elections.

Buhari Support C’ttee denies giving ultimatum to APC on Okorocha

By Our Correspondent

T

he Presidential Support Committee on President Buhari campaign had yesterday disassociated itself from an ultimatum given to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to lift the suspension slammed on Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha by the party.

A press statement signed by the Committee’s Director, Media

and Publicity, Engineer Kailani Muhammad, yesterday disowned the said ultimatum, alerting public that “ Our attention has been drawn to a malicious and misleading publication credited to Mr. Ejikeme Ugwa, Mr Robert Ngwu and Comrade Maxwell Okoye who claimed to have written on behalf of The Presidential Support Committee giving a 48 hour ultimatum to the All Progressive Congress (APC)

to lift the suspension the party slammed on Governor Rochas Okorocha.

“For the benefit of all, the said persons have not been assigned by the presidential support committee; neither were they authorized by anyone to issue the order.”

“While we disclaimed them in totality as impersonator, who have no authority to act or speak on behalf of PSC, we warn the

general public to disregard them and avoid working or relating with them in any capacity on behalf of PSC. “We equally wish to formally inform the general public that PSC has a well-structured leadership under Senator Godswill Akpabio and its Facilitator, Rt. Hon. Gideon N. Sammani, the Senior Special Assistant to the President Political (SSAP Political). Hence any formal position from PSC

is communicated through its Director, Media and Publicity, Dr. Kailani Muhammad.”

PSC noted that it was “not in anyway having conflict with the party, its leadership or decisions” because it was set up primarily to “compliment the effort of the party to ensure the re-election of the President Muhammadu Buhari and all other candidates contesting on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

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POLITICS Elections: Adamawa NUJ joins search for common ground on civilized politics From – Umar Dankano, Yola

M

edia Peace Day took place at Yola the Adamawa State capital Thursday with a lecture at the State Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) which was followed by a walk from the gates of Government House back to the N.U.J. The Peace day took place in conjunction with a nongovernmental organization ‘Search for Common Ground’.

It had the theme, Nigeria Media Peace Day (Think election, think peace).

Shortly after the walk, Acting Chairman of the N.U.J Alhaji Umar Dankano who read the message of the NGO Search for Common Ground called on stakeholders throughout the State and beyond to allow peace to permeate the exercise before, during an after the elections” Says Dankano, “we declare that we stand for peace and will work to ensure that there is no bloodletting before, during and after the exercise” The N.U.J Chairman called on political parties, politicians, the electorate (particularly the youth) security operatives and the Independent National Electoral Commission to allow peace be their watchword during the exercise and beyond.

He stressed on behalf of the NGO, “we must put Adamawa and Nigeria first in all we do so that we can entrench sustainable peace in our state” The media in Adamawa also enjoined political parties in Adamawa also enjoined political parties and politicians who were successful at the Presidential and National Assembly elections to be magnanimous in victory while those who feel aggrieved about the election outcome should head to the courts and not promote violence.

According to the acting N.U.J Chairman the NGO “Search for Common Ground is expressing apprehension about the proliferation of small arms thuggerey, late speech, fake news and called for caution on the part of media practitioners and political actors.

“We in the media are also using this medium to express apprehension about the fate of persons wit disabilities and other vulnerable groups taking part in the electioneering process and urge election management bodies to address the issue with the seriousness it deserves,” says the N.U.J Chairman.

Properties destroyed as APC, PDP supporters clash in Kaduna M any cars were destroyed when rival party supporters clashed in Kurmin Gwari in Kaduna South Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Wednesday.

The clash between loyalists of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) left a yet to be ascertained number injured, residents said.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that calm had returned to the area when its reporters visited the area Thursday morning, although some shops were still shut.

Residents who spoke with

the online newspaper said the clash was between supporters or the state House of Assembly candidate of the APC and that of the PDP. “I was indoors. It was a party clash, not a community clash,” Israel Ademola, a resident said.

“They said PDP was attacked in Barnawa before yesterday, so, the PDP did their retaliation yesterday. I heard some people were injured but nobody died in the attack.”

His account was the same with other residents most of who claimed to have stayed indoors while the clash lasted.

Police spokesperson in Kaduna, Yakubu Sabo, said there was no casualty as normalcy was restored as soon as the police were hinted.

He added that the police were on the trail of the perpetrators.

“It was a clash between political thugs where a candidate of the state assembly was holding a rally. They passed by an area that is dominated by opposition party so the thugs of the two parties had a clash.

“Initially there were policemen giving covering to the place but you know with the multitude reinforcement had to

come. So we were able to restore normalcy in time without allowing it to escalate to loss of life.

“There was no loss of life, the only thing is that while they were pelting stones at each other, it affected some vehicles parked on the road. It was contained immediately. We are making serious efforts to see that we arrest the perpetrators,” he told PREMIUM TIMES via telephone Thursday morning.

Elections for the governorship and State House of Assembly seats will hold on Saturday, March 9.

L-R: Senior Progamme Officer, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), Agianpe Ashang; Chairman, Situation Room, Mr. Clement Nwankwo and Programme Officer PLAC, Mr. Akwu Ogbadu, during the situation briefing on upcoming State election held, at the Transcorp Hilton, yesterday in Abuja.

BMO urges more support for Buhari

By Umar Muhammad Puma

N

igerians have been urged to continue to support the Buhari administration as it continues it people oriented programmes towards taking Nigeria and Nigerians to the Next Level.

The Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) made this appeal as it joined other Nigerians to congratulate President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi

Osinbajo on their re-election as President and Vice President at the just concluded elections.

In a statement issued in Abuja and signed by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, the group expressed joy that Nigerians recognised the numerous achievements of the Buhari administration, hence the massive support they gave him at the presidential election.

The administration’s achievements in the three core

areas of fight against corruption, revival of the economy and provision of security across the country have endeared the President to the Nigerian people, said BMO. “As a group we are witnesses to the various efforts the Buhari administration has been making towards restoring Nigeria to the path of economic growth, infrastructural development and food security.

“We are also gratified to note that presently Nigeria has

emerged as a major rice producer globally based on the deliberate agricultural policies embarked upon by the administration since coming to power on May 29th 2015. This approach has also guaranteed food security for Nigerians as well as reduced poverty in the country.

“We implore the president not to be distracted by the antics of the opposition, but to remain focussed at delivering on his campaign promises to all Nigerians.”

Kano Guber: I will only accept defeat if election is free, fair - Abacha

From Edwin Olofu, Kano

T

he Kano gubernatorial candidate of Advance Peoples Democratic Alliance, (APDA), Muhammad Abacha has said that he poised to win the kano governorship

election on Saturday, if the contest is free, fair and credible.

Abacha said going by current political activities in the state, he is hopeful of winning the coning Saturday gubernatorial elections.

He added that his ambition is not

a do-or-die affair and would ensure his supporters behave peacefully in Exercising their civic duty.

Abacha who was speaking to newsmen on Thursday, said that his kind of politics is not based on winning by all means.

“I’m fully ready to accept defeat but in a free, fair and credible, for this reasons I urge all my supporters to in the name of God to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner while voting “.

Abacha then called on the security

agents and other stakeholders to ensure a peaceful outing before, during and after the coming Saturday Gubernatorial election.

He called on them not to intimidate or harass voters and avoid being partisan.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

POLITICS

Newly elected Senators, Reps to get certificate of returns Tuesday

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has disclosed that the nation’s Senators-elect and House of Representatives’ memberselect will be presented with their certificates of returns next week Tuesday.

The Certificates of Return, according to the Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu shall be presented at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, on Thursday 14thMarch 2019.

While the Senators-elect will be presented with the certificates by 10am, House of Representatives members-elect with get theirs by 2pm same day.

Yakubu made the disclosure in his address at the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting held at the Independent National

Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Abuja.

According yo him, “The Certificates of Return shall be presented at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, on the basis of the following schedule: Date: Thursday 14thMarch 2019-Senators Elect. 10.00am Members of the House of Representatives-electTime: 2.00pm.

“Certificates of Return for Governors and Deputy-Governorselect, Members of State Houses of Assembly-elect and Chairmen and Councillors for the FCT shall be presented in each State of the Federation by the Supervising National Commissioners and the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on a date to be announced next week”, he said.

The Chairman added, “As Nigerians go to the polls this weekend, the Commission

expresses its appreciation to the security agencies for securing the environment without which the largely peaceful conduct of the exercise would not have been possible.

“In the course of securing the elections, the security agencies, electoral officials and innocent Nigerians have suffered needless attacks resulting in casualties including deaths and the loss of personal and official properties.

“On behalf of the Commission, I extend our deepest condolence to the families of those who lost their lives, including personnel of the security agencies.

“We are glad that the Police has made several arrests and investigation is ongoing. I wish to assure Nigerians that the Commission will work closely with the Police to ensure the diligent prosecution of all violators of our electoral laws.

“Citizens are asking for effective but non-intrusive protection before, during and immediately after the elections in which their rights are respected and their choices safeguarded.

“While we look forward to the same cooperation with the security agencies, I am confident that lessons learnt from the Presidential and National Assembly elections will help us to more effectively secure the environment for the elections this weekend”, he said.

The Commission, Yakubu said, is concerned that many of our materials, including ballot boxes, voting cubicles, voters’ registers and Smart Card Readers were lost to acts of hooliganism and thuggery in the elections held two weeks ago.

“Most worrisome is the attack on electoral officials.

“Some of our staff were

INEC distributes materials in Benue, assures of improved election From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission INEC yesterday successfully distributed, all sensitive and nonsensitive materials to the twenty three local govt areas of Benue state.

The National Electoral Commissioner in charge of Benue,Nasarawa and Anambra state, Mr. Festus Okoye, disclosed this at a press conference in Makurdi.

He assured that the late arrivals of materials witnessed in some polling centers in the state during the presidential and national assembly election would no longer repeat itself on Saturday.

Mr. Okoye who is also, commissioner in charge of Voters Education, said all local government electoral officers have been given the marching order to ensure all adhoc staff for the Saturday election are trained before the end of tomorrow (Friday).

According to him, all polling units would be opened by 8am on Saturday while all adhoc staff would be around at the various polling units on or before 8am.

“Let me assure you that INEC has put everything in place to ensure that all logistic issues encountered during the presidential and national assembly elections would not repeat itself. Smart card readers that was a major challenge have been reconfigured for better performance and technical staff have been fully trained to guard against malfunctioning of the gadget”.

“The use of smart card reader for the Saturday election is mandatory.

INEC has mandated all electoral and collation officers to ensure that any polling units where political thugs or anybody prevent them from using card reader would be given a zero vote in such polling unit”.

“I want to appeal to politicians and political parties to refrain from intimidation of adhoc staff of INEC who have been employed to serve the nation in conducting a free,fair and credible elections in the state”, Okoye stated.

He announced that the electoral officer for Guma local government area have been moved to Obi local government while the electoral officer for Obi local government was moved to INEC headquarters in Makurdi.

Commenting on the February 23rd national assembly elections for the OJu/Obi federal constituency, Mr. Okoye disclosed that a winner has been announced and declared already in the person of Agada David, a candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), as such , there would be no any other supplementary election at federal Constituency, while the supplementary election for Vandeikya/Konshisha federal constituency seat and that of APA/Agatu federal constituency supplementary elections would be held this Saturday respectively.

Earlier in his address, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of Benue, Nentawe Yilwatda, disclosed that a total of 32 candidates of various political parties are standing for the governorship election.

He further disclosed that about 432 candidates from different political parties are contesting for the state Assembly election.

Nentawe however, assured the people of Benue state of a free,fair and credible elections where every vote would count, adding that the commission would not compromise its stand in the interest of any politician.

abducted and/taken hostage in an attempt to disrupt elections or influence the outcome.

“In fact, some of the supplementary elections I referred to earlier were caused by such acts of thugg.

“I am confident that working together with the security agencies, we will consolidate on the largely peaceful conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections while also taking decisive steps to deal with the minority of violators intent on disrupting the conduct of peaceful elections.

“However, the Commission will not tolerate the act of holding our officials hostage and forcing them to declare winners under duress.

“Where such occurs, the Commission will not reward bad behaviour by issuing them Certificates of Return,” he said.

L-R: Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Aisha Abubakar; Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed; Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Georgina Ehuriah; and Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mommamed, during the Federal Executive Council Meeting at the Presidential Villa, recently in Abuja

Kebbi PDP Deputy Gov candidate defects to APC From Ahmed Idris, Birnin Kebbi

T

he former Running mate to General Bello Sarkin Yaki of the People’s Democratic Party PDP in the 2015 Gubernatorial Election, Alhaji Umar Abubakar Tafida has defected to All Progressives Congress APC. He defected today in Kamba Dandi Local Government during campaign advocacy which also took him to Argungu, Augie, Arewa and Bunza Local Government Areas, in preparation of the Saturday’s governorship polls.

The Governor formally received the Chairman of PDP Dandi Local Government, Alhaji Isah Dantireda who defected to APC along with nine PDP ward chairmen and their supporters.

Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu affirmed readiness to work collectively with them to consolidate the political unity of the state to facilitate its progress.

He expressed appreciation to the

electorates for voting for President Muhammadu Buhari, incumbent Senators and eight members of House of Representative, urging them to turn out en masse during the gubernatorial and state assembly election.

Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu was glad about the massive turnout of women and youth in the last polls, pledging to sustain material and financial support to them.

He remarked that defection to the ruling APC in Gwandu, Augie, Arewa, Dandi, Bunza by PDP stalwarts indicated the attainment of his target objective on political togetherness as basis for positive transformation.

Presenting the decampees to the Governor at Kamba, the Zonal ViceChairman of APC North Alhaji Sahabi Lolo and the State Chairman of the Party Arc. Bala Sani Kangiwa told them to feel at home and enjoy all rights and privileges like other APC members.

The former chairman of the PDP Dandi Local Government, Alhaji Isah Dantireda Kamba said he decided to join APC in recognition of the recent achievement by President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu.

He said nine ward chairmen and their supporters decided to give Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu massive support to enable him continue with his good works.

In a related development former PDP Chairman and Elder of the party Alhaji Aliyu Muhammadu Jarman Bargu has decamped to APC this Tuesday along with his supporters.

Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu in company of stalwarts including former Deputy Governor Bello Muhammadu Dantani Argungu welcomed Aliyu Bagudo into the APC, praying Allah to give him good health and wisdom to continue to serve the state.

Adamawa: PDP guber candidate gives INEC pass mark on preparations

From Umar Dankano, Yola

G

overnorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State, Rt. Honourable Umaru Ahmadu Fintiri has expressed satisfaction with the preparations for the Saturday Governorship and Assembly elections.

In an interview with some

Journalists at his home on Thursday, Fintiri said he was giving the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) a pass mark for their performance in the State.

“Really, I want to tell you that so far, I am impressed with the performance of the INEC so far; and I am sure this elections cannot be an exception,” he said.

According to the PDP flag bearer, he has not heard of intimidation on any of his officials nor was he aware of one.

Asked to say how prepared he was for the election, Fintiri disclosed that he was prepared for it and will not relent.

He reiterates his readiness saying, “I have prepared adequately well; and so far, so

good.”

He urged his supporters to remain calm as they should expect victory and expecting noting but victory.

He then commended the performance of the security agencies during the last presidential elections hoping they will perform well this Saturday.

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

Digest

The Most Comforting Chicken Ever, Thanks to a Genius Trick

E

gyptian-British cookbook author Claudia Roden’s recipe for classic Çerkez Tavuğu, aka Circassian Chicken, is a Genius Recipe in every way. It’s one of the creamiest, most comforting chicken dishes you’ll ever taste, and its construction is quite simple too. Most importantly, it relies on a very unassuming trick to thicken the sauce—nuts.

Nuts are rich in fat and, once ground and subjected to a bit of heat, start to create a rich and creamy texture. Walnuts, cashews, and almonds are the best to use here because of their neutral flavour profile. I cook the sauce until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. If you don’t have enough starch to bind the water, then it will separate from the nuts, so I prefer to cook it a little more to get rid of that. Bread crumbs are an extra bit of insurance as a binder, just in case the water starts to separate from the chicken and nut mixture.

If I’m strapped for time, I’ll sometimes skip preparing Homemade roasted chicken with spices, thyme and lemon, the chicken altogether and go for a store-bought rotisserie tahdig, with its gorgeous saffron-coloured chicken, which I debone, shred, and fold into crust of toasted rice, was similar to the biryanis the ground nut mixture. Served either cold or I’d had; the flatbreads were similar in texture warm, this comforting chicken dish is great as to naan, and Turkish cacik, a semblance of a main course or as a starter to a meal. cucumber raita, I grew to love.

This recipe was my foray into a whole Armed with a desire to cook these dishes, new cuisine. Much of what I knew of Middle but also to understand their history, I hunted Eastern cooking came from the food I’d eaten the cookbook shelves of my local bookstores to at our Muslim neighbours’ houses or at the grab any that might put me on the right path. restaurants I’d frequented in India. The most exciting bits were the succulent pieces of juicy I didn’t have much luck. mutton cooked in saffron-scented basmati Then, one cold and rainy Saturday in the rice; the large, toasted flatbreads to go with; fall, I stopped by a used bookstore in Capitol and the exquisite use of rose water in sweets Hill. The walls and floors were so stacked with like seviyan (a type of rice pudding made with books, you had to pay careful attention to vermicelli), served at weddings or religious how you manoeuvred yourself, lest you knock celebrations like Eid. I knew that most of these something over. But that’s what made this dishes had originated with the Mogul Empire, place quirky and charming—that, and the smell which ruled India for more than 300 years. of old paper.

But beyond this, I’ll admit that I didn’t know The cookbook collection wasn’t extensive, much about the roots of biryani and naan and but I browsed through the titles until I came Circassian chicken. across A Book of Middle Eastern Food by Several years later, when I moved to Claudia Roden. It had a worn-out jacket that Washington D.C., I was still working as a was lightly tattered at the ends. Other than the medical researcher and had not yet taken the jacket, the book itself was in pristine condition. leap into the world of food writing. But I’d eaten But what drew me to it the most were the bits of at the many Persian and Turkish restaurants in information at the top of each recipe explaining the city as often as I could. Many of the dishes the history behind the dish. I’d reminded me of the food in India: Persian finally found the book I’d been searching for so long—and the chicken recipe I make on repeat to this day.

Homemade roasted chicken with spices, thyme and lemon, top view top view When it comes to the world of Middle Eastern food, Roden is perhaps one of the most wellknown writers

Grilled chicken breast with garnish and asparagus

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

CBN, EFCC strengthen partnership to curb economic crimes

By Etuka Sunday

O

fficials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and their counterparts in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) met with the aim of strengthening the country’s fight against economic crimes.

A statement by the apex

bank said, the meeting, which took place at the Head Office of the CBN in Abuja, provided an opportunity for the two entities to share experiences and peculiar challenges in the fight against economic related crimes.

The two agencies adopted strategies aimed at curtailing the unwholesome activities of

economic saboteurs which include smuggling of commodities like rice, textile materials, fertilizer, wheat and other items on the prohibition list for accessing foreign exchange through official window, as well as tracking illicit financial flows.

Other areas which the two agencies are collaborating include

anti-money laundry and the monitoring of politically exposed persons in the country.

The inter-agency meeting, chaired by the Director, Governors’ Department of the CBN, Mr. Jeremiah Abue, also agreed to improve the level of informationsharing and surveillance of the financial sector.

Caverton Helicopters flight simulation training sets for takeoff From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

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who devoted her life to studying and writing about food from this large and vast region. She grew up in Cairo, Egypt and eventually moved to London and has since written several books on the Middle East, including the tattered one I found at a used bookstore on a cold, rainy day.

This book has been a constant companion to me for more than 10 years. I’ve cooked from it often, and even as my collection of Middle Eastern cookbooks continues to grow, this is still the book I turn to the most.

Claudia Roden’s Circassian Chicken (Çerkez Tavuğu)

By Genius Recipes 1 large roasting chicken (about 4 pounds) 2 large onions, quartered 2 stalks celery Salt and black pepper 1 cup shelled nuts (walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts, or a mixture) 2 tablespoons oil 1 teaspoon paprika 3 cups long-grain rice 2 1/2 tablespoons butter

Grilled chicken breast with garnish and asparagus

igerian leading rotary wing operating company, Caverton Helicopters is set to commence it much expected flight simulation training services following the acquisition of a Reality H fullflight simulator (FFS) from Thales of France.

The Thales Reality H fullflight simulator (FFS) will contribute to improving the overall safety of helicopter flights in the Nigerian and regional aviation sector, the company said in a statement.

The installation will be the first helicopter FFS EASA Level D to be installed in Africa.

Caverton, a key aviation and marine logistics player for the Nigerian oil and gas industry sector, said it aims to deliver AW139 Simulator training to pilots.

The move is a key step forward in Caverton’s strategic move into flight simulation training services just as they have chosen to rely on Thales’s AW139-configured Reality H Full-Flight Simulator to accomplish this ambition, the French company reiterated.

According to the document, the simulator will be installed at Caverton’s new training centre, designed to meet the increased demand for helicopter pilot training and, in particular, to eliminate the challenges experienced by many pilots aiming to obtain initial and recurrent training.

The centre is being set up on the same site as Caverton’s brand new purpose-built Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

The Thales Reality H Full Flight Simulator is the world’s most advanced commercial helicopter simulator, and will be used to provide realistic scenario-based flight and mission training to AW139 helicopter operators in the region as well as Caverton’s own pilots and crews.

The simulator will support a large range of training needs, including Type Rating, Recurrent Training and Proficiency Checks for both Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), including offshore

missions and VIP operations to unprepared landing sites.

It will be qualified to meet EASA Level D standard, the highest level of qualification for a simulator.

Also, the simulator being delivered to Caverton will enable pilots that fly AW139 twin-engine helicopters – one of the most popular helicopter platforms in Nigeria and the region– to be fully immersed in a realistic virtual environment representing Nigerian operational areas, and learn to handle a multitude of system failures and overcome very complex malfunctions should they arise in the real world.

It also means Pilots can train safely in high-risk mission scenarios in a range of weather conditions.

Speaking of the acquisition, Chairman of Caverton Offshore Support Group, Mr. Aderemi Makanjuola said “We are delighted to add Thales to our growing list of partners and we are confident in providing the best helicopter training with this Full Flight Level D Simulator.

Safety is our priority at Caverton and we are committed to improving flight safety across our industry and the region through simulator-based training. The new training center being the first of its kind in Africa and will advance safety for the dedicated men and women who fly every day.” He affirmed.

Also speaking, Vice President, Thales Training & Simulation, Mr. Benoît Plantier said “Thales is very excited to be part of this initiative with Caverton in Nigeria. We believe that Caverton is the best partner to develop helicopter flight training services, and we are confident that pilots will be keen to train with Caverton on the Thales AW139 Reality H simulator.”

He said “This will strengthen Caverton’s position as a leading provider of aviation logistics and training services in the region, enabling them to expand their service offer, while improving the security of helicopter flights in the region. This contract is also a key milestone for Thales as this will be the first helicopter level D Full-Flight Simulator to be installed in Africa.”

It would be recalled that the CBN under the auspices of the Bankers’ Committee had said that any individual or corporate body found to complicit in economic crime or attempts to circumvent economic laws and regulations of the country may be barred from operating a bank account in any bank in Nigeria.

L-R: Chairman, Capital Market Master Plan Implementation Council, Mr Olutola Mobolurin; Acting Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Mary Uduk; and Minister of Finance, Hajiya Zainab Ahmed, during a meeting between SEC Management and Minister of Finance, yesterday in Abuja.

Seplat records $746m revenue in 2018 …as Operating Profit stood at $310m

By Etuka Sunday

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eplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, a leading Nigerian indigenous oil and gas company, listed on both the Nigerian Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange, today announces its full year 2018 financial results and provides an operational update.

Seplat said, full year working interest production of 49,867 boepd (comprising 25,669 bopd liquids and 145 MMscfd gas) within guidance range of 48,000 – 55,000 boepd; Uptime on the Trans Forcados System during 2018 was 85% (in line with budget), while average reconciliation losses stood at 8%.

It said, License renewal for OMLs 4, 38 and 41 obtained with a new expiry date of 21 October 2038.

US$25.9 million renewal bonus paid ensuring all conditions have been met (renewal bonus included in 2018 capex).

The company said, 2019 production guidance set at 49,000 boepd to 55,000 boepd (liquids production range of 24,000 bopd to 27,000 bopd and gas production range of 146 MMscfd to 164 MMscfd) Strong profitability, cash flow generation and dividend reinstated It said, full year revenue US$746 million; operating profit US$310 million, profit before deferred tax US$238 million; after adjusting for deferred tax of US$91 million, net profit after tax stood at US$147 million.

It said, cash flow from operations US$502 million significantly

ahead of capital expenditures of US$88 million • The board has recommended a final dividend of US$0.05 per share.

According to the company, 2018 gas revenue at a record level of US$156 million and accounts for 21% of total revenue in the year Refinanced balance sheet, continued to deleverage and preserve significant headroom in the capital structure It successfully concluded debt refinancing in Q1 2018, including debut US$350 million bond which diversifies the long-term capital base and new four year US$300 million RCF It said that “cash at bank US$585 million and gross debt US$450 million resulting in a net cash position of US$135 million at end 2018.

“Deleveraged further post period end by paying down US$100 million to bring the RCF to zero while retaining the undrawn headroom in the capital structure to support growth; as a result, current gross debt is solely the bond at US$350 million Project updates – FID sanctioned at the large scale ANOH project “Final investment decision sanctioned by Seplat’s board for the ANOH project post period end; Phase I to comprise a 300 MMscfd gas processing plant with accommodation space for future expansion “Amukpe to Escravos alternate export pipeline nearing completion; anticipated to be fully commissioned and operational in Q2 2019, ramping up to initial permitted capacity of 40 kbpd during Q3 2019;

access to three separate export routes at our western assets and two at our eastern assets providing adequate redundant capacity will significantly de-risk distribution of oil production to market,” the company said.

Commenting on the results Austin Avuru, Seplat’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Seplat has delivered an excellent operational and financial performance resulting in robust profitability and cash flow generation providing us with an extremely solid foundation for growth in the coming years.

“At our core assets in the West, OMLs 4, 38 and 41, the extension of the license to 2038 means that we can confidently plan and invest long into the future to realise the full potential of those blocks. As we continue to enhance production and revenue diversification with new wells scheduled at OML 53 in the East, the board took the Final Investment Decision to invest in the large scale ANOH gas and condensate development which will form the next phase of transformational growth for our gas business.

“Disciplined capital allocation continues to remain at the core of our activities evidenced by our continual deleveraging of our debt levels to the current balance of US$350m. In 2018, we reinstated the dividend, increased capital investments and with the resources and headroom in our capital structure, we are equipped to capitalise on organic and inorganic growth opportunities as they may arise.”

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Health

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

PEOPLES DAILY, friday, March 8, 2019

Managing cardiovascular disorders with acupuncture therapy Healthy living With C ardiovascular disorders are disorders of the heart and blood vessels. Cardio stands for the heart while vascular is vessels (Blood vessels) It is more convenient to divide this topic into 2 viz: (a) Cardiac Disorders (b) Vascular Disorders It is very important for me to make two statements before we proceed with this topic.

1. This session is aimed at creating awareness on the availability and use of acupuncture therapy and its ancillary techniques for managing cardio vascular disorders.

2. As a primary procedure, we ensure that the cardiac status of the patient is assessed from time to time, by electrocardiographic and other investigations. Consequently, a cardiologist’s opinion should certainly be sought to follow the progress of such cases.

Cardiac Disorders For cardiac disorders, the following symptoms can be handled satisfactorily with acupuncture therapy. They include among others: (1) Pain (2) Arrhythmias/palpitation (3) Nausea, vomiting, hiccough, abdominal distension (4) Insomnia, restlessness, apprehension (5) Edema of feet and ankles (6) Ascites (7) Bradycardia Vascular Disorders The vascular disorders for which acupuncture therapy is very effective include the following: (a) Hypotension (low blood pressure) – Even though within 20 – 30 minutes of needling the symptoms instantly vanish

sinoatrial node), which lies in the wall of the right atrium (RA), Dr. Nanchak Nimzing controls the Pone No: 08036787758, 09052597025 rate and rhythm of the whole Email:ncnimzing@yahoo.com heart under Website:http://www.meridianspecialists.com the influence of the autonomic and the patient feels normal! For long term nervous system. It generates electrical satisfactory solution, the treatment must be impulses that spread to the atria and ventricles carried out for many acupuncture courses and cause them to contract normally. especially bearing the cause of hypotension Arrhythmias result from a disturbance in mind while treating the case. Apart from of the generation or the conduction of specific symptoms that may vary from patient these impulses and may be intermittent or to patient, only four basic needling points of acupuncture corrects hypotension and the patient returns to normalcy. (b) Hypertension (High blood pressure) – This is treated in a similar manner to Hypotension, but the needling points are different except one regulatory point for maintenance of homeostasis.

continuous. They include: (i) Ectopic beats (extrasystoles) – some where outside the SA node (supraventricular or ventricular). (ii) Ectopic tarchycardias (supraventricular and ventricular tarchycardias) (iii) Fibrillation (iiii) Heart Block (which is always associated with slow heart rates).

Symptoms of arrhythmias include palpitations, breathlessness and chest pain.

In more serious arrhythmias, the StrokesAdams syndrome or cardiac arrest may occur.

Arrhythmias may result from most heart diseases but they also occur without apparent cause.

It is important to note that acupuncture is also useful in the management of many symptoms of hypertension such as (i) Headache (ii) Dizziness (vertigo) (iii) Tinnitus (iiii) Pain and fullness in the chest (v) Numbness of the extremities (vi) Facial paralysis following hypertension etc. (c) PERIPHERAL VASCULAR DISORDERS – This include mainly numbness and coldness of hands and feet.

ARRHYTHMIAS Arrhythmia is any deviation from the normal rhythm (sinus rhythm) of the heart.

The natural pace maker of the heart (the

Fever can boost immune mechanism — study

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esearchers from the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology of Chinese Academy of Sciences on Tuesday suggested patients with a fever higher than 38.5 degrees Celsius should take fever-reducing medicines after sustaining for about six hours.

A fever is a higher-than-normal body temperature and is a part of our body’s natural response to infection.

The average normal body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, when the body’s temperature rises a few degrees above normal, it is a sign that the body is fighting infection and is generally not cause for concern.

However, a fever that goes above 102 degrees Fahrenheit is a cause for concern, and treatment should be initiated.

The researchers explained that the fever

could promote the protection mechanism of the human body in fighting against pathogen infection.

“The protein Hsp90 contained in the immune cells can be motivated when the body’s temperature goes up to 38.5 degrees Celsius.

“The protein will then be bonded on the cell membrane.

“It will now work with integrins alpha4

to accelerate the trafficking of the immune cells to the infection site in order to get rid of the pathogen,’’ the study published in the journal Immunity said.

Working with mice with fevers induced by salmonella infections, the researchers found the artificial destruction of the combination of Hsp90 and alpha4 will greatly increase the death rate during bacterial infection.

Lagos state to enforce standards on sales of fruits, Vegetables

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he Lagos State Government says it will enforce standards in the sales and consumption of fruits and vegetables to guarantee the health and safety of consumers in the state.

Mr Divine Dunkwu, the Head, Public Affairs, State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA), made the assertion on Saturday in Lagos.

Dunkwu said the agency had initiated a project to ensure that handling, packaging and display of vegetables and fruits were done in accordance with the acceptable standards.

He said that LASCOPA was

collaborating with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Lagos State Market Board and the Ministry of Wealth Creation, to drive the project to success.

The agency’s spokesman said that the team was charged with the mandate to address the current unhygienic environment.

According to him, LASCOPA will look into the packaging, handling, ripening of fruits with unhealthy substances, lack of proper storage facilities and unhygienic environments for sales and display of the products.

Also, Mrs Kemi Olugbode, the General Manager of LASCOPA, said that the team would evolve strategies in managing the prevalent issues in the handling and marketing of fruits and vegetables.

Olugbode said this was to ensure that only healthy products were sold to consumers.

“A total of 24 fruits markets have been identified as the major location for the distribution of various fruits and vegetables across the state.

“The committee will work in consonant with the executive members of the various Fruits and Vegetables Market

Associations in the state to ensure proper sensitisation and training of traders to adhere to standards,” she said.

Olugbode urged the committee members to effectively address the challenges of the sale of unwholesome fruits and vegetables in order to eliminate the danger they posed to human lives and health.

Mrs Mosunmola Samuel, a representative of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), said that consumption of fruits and vegetables were important aspect of consumer’s day to day lives. (NAN)

Council harps on inclusive programme for women

By Stanley Onyekwere

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he National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), has called on the Federal Government to ensure an all inclusive policies and stronger collaboration on programmes that would create spaces for women to be properly represented in politics and business.

The President of the council, Dr. (Mrs) Gloria Laraba Shoda, said this as Nigeria join the world to mark the 2019 International Women’s Day (IWD) which is marked every March 8, by the United Nations and many other organisations across the world.

Shoda said that as much as there are efforts to expand the frontiers for women to participate in economic, politics and social institutions in the society, there is even a more urgent need to focus on those in rural areas.

She noted that those in the rural areas needed inclusive policies, financial support and social structures to facilitate their contributions to development.

According to the NCWS boss, it is imperative to press for progress across different markers of development, especially for women, and ensure that spaces are created for them to achieve their potentials.

“As the world celebrates the International Women’s Day, it is important to stress the contribution of women to national development.

“But at the same time, it is an opportunity to call for inclusive policies and open space to address issues of gender parity.

“This will make it easier for women to not only reach their full potentials in politics and business, but also expand the space for representation in societal integration and growth.” she said.

Shoda noted that the council over the years had empowered million of women and created opportunities for them to expand in business but there is still an urgent need for inclusive policy that would better the lives of women especially in governance.

She said this year’s theme for International Women’s Day 2019, “Think equal, build smart, and innovate for change”, would focus on innovative ways to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women.

She said the theme called on government to pay particular attention to areas of social protection systems, access to public services and sustainable infrastructure.

METRO

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IWD: Helpline Foundation advocates gender parity

By Stanley Onyekwere

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s the world celebrates International Women’s Day (IWD), an Abuja based non governmental organization, Helpline Foundation for the Needy, has called on women to be economically viable, aimed at forging a more gender-balanced world.

The group, also revealed that the 2019 edition of International Women’s Day, will be used to examine women’s achievements and challenges with a view to creating gender parity.

Addressing a world press conference in Abuja to mark the occasion, President of Helpline Foundation for the Needy, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu called for collective efforts and shared

ownership for driving gender equality “As we speak, every March 8 is a great and important time in history to do everything possible to help forge a more genderbalanced world. Women have come a long way, yet there’s still more to be achieved. The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single person or gender nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights,” Ahmadu stressed.

Speaking on this year theme; “Balance for Better”, she described the theme as a call to action for driving gender balance across the world, while calling on women not to see themselves as weaker vessels.

While fielding questions from journalists on the achievements recorded by women, Ahmadu noted that much has been achieved globally and locally, adding that the world has witnessed a significant change and attitudinal shift in women’s equality and emancipation.

According to her, “today, we have more women in the boardroom, greater increase in legislative rights, and an increased critical mass of women’s visibility as role models in every aspect of life, is a demonstration of the fact that women have gained impressive equality.

“In today’s world, we do have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls gaining admission into university,

women can work and have a family, women have real choices.

And more significantly, each year the world inspires women and celebrates their achievements.

“However, the unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women’s education, health and the violence against them is worse than that of men.”

Ahmadu therefore called on government at all levels and corporate organisations to do their bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding by initiating policies and programmes that will truly make a positive difference for women.

Health officer, Mrs Deborah Idonije attending to a blood donor, during the Manal Hassan Foundation, free blood donation awareness campaign to encourage Nigeria’s to donate blood and save lives, yesterday in Abuja

AMAC: Igbo monarchs endorse Candido for 2nd term

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he Igbo traditional rulers council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has endorsed Hon. Abdullahi Adamu Candido for second term in office as Chariman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), in order to sustain the pace of development in the Council.

This is coming on the heels of the 2019 FCT Area Council elections this weekend, in which Candido is seeking for re-election.

Our correspondent reports that Candido, who is running for the AMAC chairmanship position on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) received the endorsement for his re-election bid at an epoch making event in Abuja, on Wednesday.

The chairman of the FCT Igbo Traditional Council, Ezeudo Dr. Uche Egenti said the endorsement was based on developmental peculiarities of the Candido-led Council in the last three years of his reign.

The Monarch stressed Candido’s success at polls would best suit the interest on the Igbo man in the Council.

Responding, AMAC Chairman said the endorsement has further boosted his confidence of wining the area council election on Saturday.

According to him: “I am not concerned about the result of the presidential election. I am an optimist, so I’m going to win my election.”

He said his government is an inclusive one that incorporated

people from several ethnic groups from the country adding that he would focus on unifying everyone in the council should he get the mandate of the people for a second time.

“Rome was not built in a day there is no Gbaygi community that do not have one or two things I can showcase it.

“Except for the fact that you can’t get it exactly the way you want it. It is one thing after the other but everyone will surely one thing or the other,” he said.

Also speaking, AMAC Vice Chariman, vice, Lawrence Onuchukwu commended the traditional rulers for the endorsement describing as an act of love for him.

“Every politics is local. What

touches them most is the area council that is why you see them here to support our party APC and our candidature.

“Today all Igbos in AMAC has come together to endorse our candidature hoping that my Saturday they will also vote for us en masse,” he said.

In a related development, Former Presidential Candidate of Young Democratic Party (YDP), Habib Mohammed Gajo yesterday led the Vice Charimanship candidate of the party for AMAC on a solidarity movement for Candido.

Gajo, who was accompanied by some YDP chieftains, said its candidate decided to step down from contesting, in the interest of continuity of rapid development of the Council.

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world news

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

N international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Brussels Jewish Museum murders: Mehdi Nemmouche guilty

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French-born jihadist who spent a year fighting in Syria for the Islamic State group has been found guilty of the murder of four people in an anti-Semitic attack in Brussels in May 2014.

Mehdi Nemmouche, 33, opened fire with a Kalashnikov assault rifle and a handgun at the city’s Jewish Museum.

Three people died at the scene and one died later in hospital.

A man who helped plan the attack and provided the weapons, Nacer Bendrer, was also found guilty of murder.

Sentencing will be announced at a later date.

The two-month-long trial involved apparent witness intimidation and testimony from former prisoners of the Islamic State group in Syria.

Two Israeli tourists, a volunteer worker and a receptionist were killed in the attack on the museum.

During the trial, French journalists held hostage by IS in Aleppo said they recognised Nemmouche as a sadistic prison guard who had tortured them when they were prisoners.

Nemmouche’s lawyers tried to suggest that he’d been framed in an elaborate conspiracy which blamed the murders on foreign intelligence agencies, but produced no evidence to support the claim.

Who is Mehdi Nemmouche?

He is believed by Belgian prosecutors to be the first European jihadist to return from the battlefields of Syria to carry out terror attacks in Europe.

He was born into a family of Algerian origin in the northern French town of Roubaix.

He was previously known to French authorities, having served five years in prison for robbery. He is said to have met Bendrer while in prison.

Both have been described as “radicalised” prisoners.

He travelled to Syria in 2013 and stayed for one year, during which time he is believed to have fought for a jihadist group in the country’s civil war.

Investigators say that while there, he met Najim Laachraoui, who was a suicide bomber in the Brussels airport attack of March 2016, which

killed 32 people.

Four French people held hostage in Syria allege they were guarded by both Laachraoui and Mr Nemmouche during their captivity.

Nemmouche was extradited to Belgium to face charges connected to the museum shooting, but may also face trial in France over the allegations he was involved in the French prisoner’s captivity.

What happened during the trial?

The trial was dramatic from the outset.

Security was put in place to match that of the trial of jailed jihadist Salah Abdeslam, the sole surviving member of the 2015 Paris attackers.

Days after it began, a lawyer representing a witness reported his laptop and some paperwork on the case had been stolen from his office.

A baseball bat and replica gun were left in their place – something prosecutors viewed as a threat.

In the dock the next day, Nemmouche denounced the attempt at intimidation - and the witness, 81-year-old Chilean artist Clara Billeke Villalobos, went on to testify anyway.

Next came the orphaned daughters of Miriam and Emmanuel Riva, tourists from Israel who were killed in the attack. The couple had

been celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary.

Ayalet, 19, and Shira, 21, described a mother “devoted to her family” and an unassuming father who “loved to travel”.

Three weeks into proceedings, jurors were shown video of Nemmouche in custody after his arrest.

Belgian newspaper Le Soir described it as showing an “arrogant” Nemmouche in front of police with a “disdainful smile”, arms folded.

He repeats his right to remain silent again and again.

Testimony from prisoners Four French journalists were kidnapped in June 2013 and held hostage by the IS group in the northern city of Aleppo until April 2014.

Two of them appeared in court - pointing out Nemmouche as their captor.

Nicolas Henin told the court Memmouche was “sadistic, playful and narcissistic”, while Didier Francois said Nemmouche had beaten him dozens of times with a truncheon.

Their kidnapping is the subject of separate proceedings in France.

‘Ultra-radicalised’ By the end of February, prosecutor Bernard Michel was ready to sum up his case and demand

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

a guilty verdict.

He told the court Nemmouche was “not simply radicalised but ultra-radicalised”.

“If attacking a museum with a combat weapon is not violent and savage then nothing will ever be violent and savage,” he said. “We are looking at one of the most serious possible crimes.”

“For the killer, for Mehdi Nemmouche, the identity of the victims mattered little,” he added.

“The aim was simply that there should be victims. Everything was premeditated.”

‘Lebanese-Iranian-Israeli plot’ The closing argument from the defence was described by some as “mind-boggling”, as it wove a web of conspiracy involving foreign intelligence agencies and assassination.

Sebastien Courtoy, Nemmouche’s lawyer, suggested that his client was recruited in Lebanon in January 2013 by Iranian or Lebanese intelligence to join the ranks of IS. But this claim went unsubstantiated.

According to Mr Courtoy, the murder was not an IS attack, but a “targeted execution of Mossad agents” - a reference to the Israeli intelligence agency, which he claimed the Israeli couple belonged to. The killing was carried out by an unknown person, he said.

Yet judges investigating the museum attack last month told the court there was no evidence to support any link to Mossad.

Mr Courtoy claimed that it was in this supposed double-agent capacity that Nemmouche was the jailer of the French journalists, though he claimed they were never mistreated.

He said Nemmouche “went off the radar towards the end of 2013” after British jihadists suspected him of “engaging in double- dealing”.

Upon his return to Europe, he supposedly tried to quit the spy group, “which was simply trying to use him”.

At one pointed the defence even argued that Nemmouche could not be considered antiSemitic because he wore Calvin Klein shoes - an apparent reference to Mr Klein’s Jewish heritage.

A lawyer representing a committee of Jewish organisations called that observation “hallucinatory and incoherent”.

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Tanzania teacher to hang for killing pupil

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teacher in Tanzania has been sentenced to death for beating a pupil so badly that he died of his injuries.

Judge Lameck Mlacha said Respicius Mtazangira, 51, had acted maliciously when he repeatedly hit the child with a blunt object last August.

The teacher had accused 14-yearold Sperius Eradius of stealing a female teacher’s handbag.

Corporal punishment can only be carried out in Tanzanian schools within certain guidelines.

A maximum of four strokes can be given and the head teacher must be present. The punishment can only be administered by the head teacher or somebody they have authorised.

The BBC’s Aboubakar Famau in Dar es Salaam says this is a rare, highprofile judgement aimed at protecting schoolchildren in the country.

News of the boy’s death last year at Kibeta Primary school in Bukoba town sparked national outrage and demands for justice. The family of Eradius refused to bury his body until the culprit was arrested.

Although death sentences can be handed down by law, Tanzania has not carried out an execution since 1994.

Mtazangira has the right to appeal.

His co-accused Heriet Gerald - the female teacher whose handbag the child was accused of stealing - was not found guilty of committing an offence.

Tanzania judge frees opposition leaders

Brexit: Deadline looms as ministers push for changes to deal

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he UK’s attorney general says Brexit negotiations will continue as EU officials call for “acceptable” ideas by Friday to break the impasse.

Geoffrey Cox said plans to solve the deadlock over the Irish backstop were “as clear as day”, with just days until MPs vote on the Brexit deal.

Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom confirmed the vote will be held on 12 March.

Chancellor Philip Hammond has warned Brexiteers to vote for the deal or face delay to the UK’s exit from the EU. The backstop is an insurance policy designed to prevent physical checks on the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Mr Cox, who was in Brussels on Tuesday to push for further changes to the Brexit deal, said talks will “almost certainly” continue through the weekend.

He said there had been “careful discussions” with the EU and stressed it was government policy to seek the legal changes to the backstop.

“We are discussing text with the European Union,” he said.

“I am surprised to hear the comments that have emerged over the last 48 hours that the proposals are not clear; they are as clear as day, and we are continuing to discuss them.”.

Chancellor urges vote for deal Earlier Mr Hammond refused to be drawn on how he would vote if Mrs May’s deal is defeated.

“If the prime minister’s deal does not get approved on Tuesday then it is likely that the House of Commons will vote to extend the Article 50 procedure, to not leave the European Union

without a deal, and where we go thereafter is highly uncertain,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“For those people who are passionate about ensuring that we leave the European Union on time it surely must be something that they need to think very, very carefully about now because they run the risk of us moving away from their preferred course of action if we don’t get this deal through.”

In the Commons, Mr Cox also noted that his proposals to change the backstop had been referred to in some quarters as “Cox’s codpiece” - using a term to describe a pouch attached to a man’s breeches worn in the 15th and 16th Century.

“What I am concerned to ensure is that what’s inside the codpiece is in full working order,” he quipped.

But Brexiteer Mark Francois, who is a member of the Eurosceptic group of Conservative MPs, the ERG, said Mr Cox had taken charge of the negotiations and would “effectively be examining his own codpiece in the Commons”.

He questioned how Mr Cox could provide objective advice when he was “in effect marking his own homework”.

Mr Cox replied that “the law is the law”, and that he will judge documents relating to the backstop “entirely and impartially”.

The chancellor’s explicit warning to Brexiteers What we heard from the chancellor this morning was that he was clear about the uncertainties ahead - and rather unclear (cagey, in fact) about how he might vote when it came to decision-time about a no-deal.

There was an explicit warning to Brexiteers:

vote for the prime minister’s deal because otherwise, it’s delay and a soft Brexit.

As one minister expressed to me yesterday, they believe the vote does have a chance of getting through because Brexiteers will realise - just in time - that it’s either the PM’s deal next week, or what this minister described as “soft, softer, then meltdown”.

But across government, the mood is not optimistic about what’s going to happen next week and most ministers are expecting a defeat.

French Europe minister Nathalie Loiseau reiterated the EU’s position that the withdrawal agreement cannot be reopened and said the deal was the “best possible solution” with the controversial Irish backstop a “last resort solution”.

She said: “We don’t like the backstop, we don’t want to have to implement it, and if we have to, we don’t want to stay in the backstop.

“We all agree that it should be temporary.”

Meanwhile, former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown has told the BBC he is calling for the Article 50 process, under which the UK is due to leave the European Union on 29 March, to be extended - he suggested by a year - to allow for further consultation with the British people.

He suggested citizens’ assemblies could be used - as they were in Ireland ahead of a referendum on abortion - to consult people further on the issues in the absence of any clear majority for a way forward.

“Parliament has proved itself incapable of solving this problem,” he said.

“I respect the job that legislators try to do but the country is fed up that Parliament hasn’t found an answer. I think the only way that we can get unity in this country is by involving the people in trying to

find the solution.”

In the Commons, Andrea Leadsom said in the “deeply regrettable case” that the deal is rejected, she will make another statement on Tuesday, to allocate time for the promised votes on leaving without a deal or deferring the UK’s exit from the EU beyond the scheduled date of 29 March.

Mrs May is pinning her hopes on getting changes to the backstop that will prevent the UK from being tied to EU customs rules if no permanent trade deal is agreed after Brexit.

Critics say that - if the backstop were used - it would keep the UK tied to the EU indefinitely.

Conservative backbencher Theresa Villiers, a Brexiteer who voted against the withdrawal deal in January, told BBC Radio 4’s World at One: “As things look at the moment, I don’t see that there is a new revised deal coming back from the European Union which implements significant enough changes to the draft withdrawal agreement to change the result [of the Commons vote on the deal].”

Negotiations between British ministers and the EU officials over the past 24 hours have been described as “difficult”, with the EU insisting there has been no breakthrough.

Diplomats from the 28 member states were told on Wednesday that Mrs May could meet European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker on Monday if progress was made.

But the BBC’s Europe reporter Adam Fleming said talk of a deadline for new proposals and a weekend of negotiations was “a notional timetable” and that more flexibility could be possible.

Source: BBC

Esther Matiko (L) and Freeman Mbowe (R) have spent more than three months in jail

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anzania’s High Court has released on bail two senior opposition politicians who were charged last year with sedition, incitement to violence and holding an illegal rally.

Freeman Mbowe, the chairperson of the main opposition party Chadema, and Esther Matiko, the women’s wing treasurer, had been in custody since November when their bail was cancelled for failing to show up for two hearings.

They had been arrested earlier in the year in connection with a protest march in which a student was killed by a stray bullet fired by the police.

Mr Mbowe defended himself, saying he had missed both hearings as he had been ill.

Ms Matiko said she had missed one because she was on an official mission to Burundi.

The judge, Sam Rumanyika, ruled that their rights had been violated and ordered their immediate release.

Opposition politicians and rights groups have been calling for their release, saying they were “political prisoners”.

President John Magufuli has been criticised for limiting political freedoms since coming to power in 2015, and has banned political rallies.

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Algeria’s Bouteflika warns of ‘chaos’ ahead of protests against him

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lgerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has warned of a risk of “chaos” amid mass protests against his plans for re-election.

In a letter published by Algeria’s official APS news agency, 82-year-old Mr Bouteflika praised demonstrators for “peacefully expressing their opinions”.

But he also urged “vigilance” against possible infiltration of the protests by “domestic and foreign” forces.

Mr Bouteflika announced last month that he would seek a fifth term.

He has ruled Algeria for 20 years but has rarely been seen in public since he had a stroke in 2013.

He announced last month that he would stand again for president, prompting large protests in towns and cities across the country, with students, lawyers and journalists taking part. Further large demonstrations are planned for Friday.

Mr Bouteflika later said in another letter that he would step down early if reelected, but the protests have continued.

The president was transferred to a hospital in Switzerland on 24 February, for what his campaign described as “routine” medical tests. His campaign manager told

Lawyers took to the streets of the capital Algiers on Thursday Algeria’s El Khabar newspaper on Thursday that his health raised “no concerns”.

A spokesman for the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG), where Mr Bouteflika is staying, said it had received 1,500 phone calls on Tuesday about the president after his location was revealed by French

television programme Quotidien, according to French-language media reports.

While most of the calls have reportedly been enquiring about the president’s health, a number of videos posted to social media show prank calls from Algerians.

Saudi Arabia rebuked over detention of women activists at UN forum

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hirty-six states at the UN Human Rights Council have criticised Saudi Arabia for detaining women’s rights activists, and demanded their release.

The joint statement was the first collective rebuke of the Gulf kingdom since the council was set up in 2006.

It reflects international concern at the detention of a number of activists in the past year and also at the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

A Saudi diplomat denounced the use of such statements “for political causes”.

“Interference in domestic affairs under the guise of defending human rights is in fact an attack on our sovereignty,” said Abdul Aziz Alwasil, the kingdom’s permanent representative in Geneva.

The BBC’s Imogen Foulkes in Geneva says that for years the Human Rights Council has shied away from public criticism of Saudi Arabia.

Many European countries view Riyadh as an ally in a troubled part of the world, restricting their concerns over human rights to private informal chats, our correspondent adds.

On Thursday that changed. All 28 members of the European Union and eight other states - Australia, Canada, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand and Norway - “expressed significant concerns about reports of continuing arrests” of human rights defenders, including women’s rights activists.

“We are particularly concerned about the use of the counter-terrorism law and other national security provisions against individuals peacefully exercising their rights and freedoms,” said the joint statement, which was read out by Iceland’s permanent representative, Harald Aspelund.

“Human rights defenders and civil society groups can and should play a vital role in the process of reform which the kingdom is pursuing.”

Nassima al-Sadah (L), Aziza al-Yousef (C) and Samar Badawi (R) are among those being held The countries called on the Saudi authorities to release all the activists, including the nine women and one man whose names Mr Aspelund read out.

Saudi Arabia began detaining the activists in May, just weeks ahead of the lifting of the ban on women driving for which many of them had campaigned.

In November, human rights groups reported that at least four of the women were alleging that interrogators had tortured them, including with electric shocks and whippings, and had sexually harassed and assaulted them. The Saudi deputy public prosecutor has said the allegations are “false”.

On Friday, the public prosecutor’s office announced it was referring to court the cases of a group of people, who human rights groups said included several of the activists.

It did not specify the charges, but said they were suspected of undertaking “co-ordinated and organized activities… that aim to undermine the kingdom’s security, stability, and national unity”.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has insisted that the women’s rights

activists are being held on national security grounds rather than as part of a wider crackdown on dissent.

The joint statement by the 36 states also condemned the killing of Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October, and told the kingdom that those responsible had to be held to account.

“We call upon Saudi Arabia to disclose all information available and to fully co-operate with all investigations into the killing, including the human rights inquiry by the special rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions,” it said.

The special rapporteur, Agnes Callamard, said last month that the evidence showed that Khashoggi was “the victim of a brutal and premeditated killing, planned and perpetrated by officials of the state of Saudi Arabia”.

Saudi prosecutors have claimed that Khashoggi was killed by a “rogue” team of agents not acting the government’s orders, and have put 11 people on trial for his murder.

Source: BBC

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Afzal Kohistani: ‘Honour killing’ whistleblower shot dead

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he man at the centre of a campaign to expose one of Pakistan’s most notorious “honour killings” cases has been shot dead nearly seven years after he brought it to national attention.

M Ilyas Khan reports from Islamabad.

A video showing two men dancing as four women sing a wedding song to the beat of clapping would pass as normal anywhere in the world.

But this scene, filmed in 2011 in rural Pakistan, led to chilling consequences.

The women in the video, and a young female member of the family who was also at the scene, are believed to have been killed by male relatives for “breaching their honour”.

Afzal Kohistani, a brother of the men in the video, has now been killed too.

His death comes amid a blood feud that has also seen three of his other brothers killed.

Mr Kohistani was shot dead in a busy commercial area of the north-western city of Abbottabad on Wednesday night, police said, quoting witnesses to the killing. He suffered multiple injuries and died on the spot, they said.

In 2012, Mr Kohistani entered the public eye as one of the first Pakistanis to violate a local custom in remote northern Kohistan district whereby matters of family honour are settled in blood. Those perceived to have violated the code are killed with the mutual consent of families involved.

About 1,000 “honour-killings” of women by relatives are recorded each year in Pakistan, say human rights campaigners. The real number is likely to be much higher. A much smaller number of men are murdered in such cases.

According to the custom, the male family members of a woman suspected of an out-of-wedlock liaison should first kill the woman, and then go after the man.

The family of the man would not oppose

this action.

Disregarding this local code, Mr Kohistani brought the wedding video case to national attention in June 2012, when he claimed that the women in the video had been killed by their family a month earlier, and that the lives of his younger brothers, two of whom were seen dancing in the footage, were in danger.

The pair were sent into hiding. At this point human rights groups had taken notice of the case and began lobbying the courts - prompting the Supreme Court to order an inquiry.

But the investigators found no conclusive evidence of the so-called honour killings of the women, which are illegal under Pakistani law. They were presented with three women who family members said were proof that those who appeared in the video were alive.

Farzana Bari, an activist and academic who took part in the inquiry, said she had suspicions that at least two of the women were “imposters”, but the Supreme Court

closed the case.

Afzal Kohistani’s decision to break the traditional codes - Kohistan is one of the most conservative and inaccessible parts of Pakistan - sparked a feud between his family and that of the women.

Three of his older brothers were killed in 2013 - six men from the women’s family were convicted in connection with the murders in what was seen as a landmark case in Kohistan. However they were acquitted by the high court in 2017.

Amid the feud, Mr Kohistani’s house was firebombed and destroyed but he did not relent. He moved home and continued to talk about what had happened to the women - lobbying police officers and courts and drawing attention from the media.

“He was a fearless voice in Pakistan,” said Ms Bari. “This is a man who has been struggling for the last seven years to get justice, and not justice only for him - for himself and his family - but he wanted justice for women not only in Kohistan

but in the rest of the country.”

Finally, in July 2018, the Supreme Court ordered a fresh police investigation, which led to five further arrests of men from the women’s family.

According to the police, the men admitted during interrogation that three of the four women seen in the video had been killed, but retracted their statement when they appeared before a magistrate.

The case remains open but the killing of Afzal Kohistani deepens the tragedy - which started with a video of dancing and singing and has since spiralled into a bloody tale of Shakespearean proportions, with at least nine lives claimed.

He had for years warned that his life was in danger, telling BBC Urdu in a recent interview that his family was living under constant threat.

“Justice will only be done when killers of the women and of my brothers will be sentenced. Only then can we expect an end to honour and reprisal killings in Kohistan.”

Hours before his death, Afzal Kohistani told local journalists in Abbottabad that justice was closing in on those responsible for the murders and that he had been warned of an imminent threat to his life.

What is an ‘honour killing’?

It is the killing of a member of a family who is perceived to have brought dishonour upon relatives.

Pressure group Human Rights Watch says the most common reasons are that the victim: ⦁ refused to enter into an arranged marriage ⦁ was the victim of a sexual assault or rape ⦁ had sexual relations outside marriage, even if only alleged But killings can be carried out for more trivial reasons, like dressing in a way deemed inappropriate or displaying behaviour seen as disobedient.

Huawei sues US government over product ban

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uawei has filed a lawsuit against the US government over a ban that restricts federal agencies from using its products.

It said the US failed to provide evidence to support the ban, and the firm also rejected claims it had links to the Chinese government.

The US has restricted the use of Huawei products over national security concerns.

It has also been lobbying allies to shun the Chinese telecoms firm.

Huawei is one of the world’s largest telecommunications equipment and services providers.

The lawsuit is part of a wider push by the company in recent months to challenge claims its products pose security risks.

“The US Congress has repeatedly failed to produce any evidence to support its restrictions on Huawei products. We are compelled to take this legal action as a proper and last resort,” Huawei Rotating Chairman Guo Ping said in a statement.

“This ban not only is unlawful, but also restricts Huawei from engaging in fair competition, ultimately harming US consumers.”

Speaking at a press conference in Shenzhen, Mr Ping also accused the US government of misleading the public about Huawei and of hacking its servers.

Huawei’s cyber security chief John Suffolk said it was “the most open [and] transparent company in the world”.

But the company was later criticised for cutting the live feed of its conference before journalists could begin asking questions.

What does the lawsuit say?

Huawei is challenging the constitutionality of Section 889 of the National Defense

Authorisation Act. The complaint has been filed in a US federal court in Texas.

Huawei also rejected claims it had any links to the state, saying in a statement the firm was “not owned, controlled, or influenced” by the Chinese government.

Several governments around the world, including Australia and New Zealand, have blocked telecoms companies from using Huawei gear in next-generation 5G mobile networks, citing security concerns.

Huawei strikes back Huawei is beginning its fight back. It is not just the company’s reputation that is at stake, but perhaps the future of the global internet too.

The US argues that the political realities

in China mean all companies are beholden to the will of the Chinese Communist Party which could use Huawei to spy on, or to disrupt, critical next generation mobile networks.

Huawei’s case is that there is no evidence that it has ever done anything to harm the interests of its consumers.

In the end, it may come down to how much latitude the courts decide the US Congress has in defining national security interests. The case, if it proceeds, could pass through a series of appeals and take many months.

As China continues to push out into the world, the big question is to what extent the unreformed system of Leninist control back

home should be a concern.

What are the other points of contention?

In addition to restricting the purchase of Huawei products, the US is also pursuing criminal charges against the firm and its chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou.

Ms Meng, who is the daughter of Huawei’s founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested in Canada in December, at the request of the US. She was detained on suspicion of fraud and breaching US sanctions on Iran, and faces extradition to the US. Last week, Ms Meng filed a civil claim against Canada’s government, border agency and police for “serious breaches” of her civil rights.

Mr Ren recently told the BBC that his daughter’s arrest was politically-motivated.

That possibility was also raised by Ms Meng’s lawyer in her scheduled court appearance in Vancouver on Wednesday.

US President Donald Trump said in December he could intervene in Ms Meng’s case if it helped to avoid a further decline in US relations with China.

How has Huawei reacted?

The lawsuit is part of a broader, more aggressive strategy by the Chinese tech giant to counter what it sees as an American “smear” campaign.

It has taken out ads in the foreign press and invited foreign journalists to visit its campuses as part of new public relations push.

In perhaps its most striking move, it appealed to the American public in a fullpage ad in the Wall Street Journal, telling them not to “believe everything you hear.”

Source: BBC

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

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Feature

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

How refrigeration revolutionised global trade “Crazier than a half dozen opiumsmoking frogs.” That’s how one observer described Guatemala’s former President Gen Jorge Ubico.

The general liked to dress up as Napoleon Bonaparte, and may even have believed himself to be Bonaparte, reincarnate.

Like many 20th-Century Latin American dictators, Gen Ubico had a cosy relationship with the United Fruit Company, which became known as “el pulpo”, the octopus, because its tentacles reached everywhere.

Ubico passed a law requiring indigenous Guatemalans to work for landowners which is to say the United Fruit Company, which owned most of Guatemala’s arable land.

And most was left lying fallow, in case of future need. The company claimed the land was worth next to nothing, so it shouldn’t have to pay much tax on it. Ubico agreed.

But then Ubico was overthrown in 1944.

An idealistic young soldier, Jacobo Arbenz, rose to power, and he called el pulpo’s bluff. If the land was worth so little, the state would buy it and let peasants farm it.

As Stephen Schlesinger describes in Bitter Fruit: The Story of the American Coup of Guatemala, the United Fruit Company didn’t like this idea.

It lobbied the US government, employing what he calls “a corps of influential lobbyists and talented publicists” to portray Arbenz as a dangerous communist. The CIA got involved.

In 1954, Arbenz was ousted in a coup and bundled on to a flight to peripatetic exile where he drank himself into oblivion.

What does this have to do with refrigeration? Bananas.

50 Things That Made the Modern Economy highlights the inventions, ideas and innovations that helped create the economic world.

It is broadcast on the BBC World Service.

You can find more information about the programme’s sources and listen online or subscribe to the programme podcast.

One of the co-founders of the United Fruit Company was a man called Lorenzo Dow Baker, who started off as a sailor.

In 1870, he had just ferried some gold prospectors up the Orinoco river, and his boat sprang a leak on the way home to New England, so he docked in Jamaica for repairs.

Risky business He had money in his pocket, and he liked to gamble - so he bought bananas, backing himself to get them home before they spoiled.

He managed it, just, sold them for a healthy profit, and went back for more.

Bananas became a delicacy in port cities such as Boston and New York.

But they were a risky business. Their shelf-life was right on the cusp of the sailing time. When they arrived, they were too ripe to survive onward journey inland. If only you could keep them cool en route, they’d ripen more slowly, and reach a bigger market.

Bananas weren’t the only foodstuff prompting interest in refrigerating ships.

Two years before Baker’s first journey from Jamaica, Argentina’s government offered a prize to anyone who could keep its beef cold enough for long enough to export it overseas.

Packing ships with ice had led to costly failures.

The rise of the ‘reefers’ For a century, scientists had known that you could make it artificially colder by compressing some gases into liquids,

Former President Jorge Ubico passed a law requiring indigenous Guatemalans to work for landowners then letting the liquid absorb heat as it evaporated again.

But commercially successful applications remained elusive.

In 1876, the French engineer Charles Tellier fitted up a ship - Le Frigorifique packed it with meat, and sailed it to Buenos Aries as proof of concept. After 105 days at sea, the meat arrived still fit to eat.

La Liberte, an Argentine newspaper, rejoiced: “Hurray, a thousand times, for the revolutions of science and capital!”

Argentine beef exports could begin. By 1902, there were 460 refrigerated ships - or “reefers” - plying the world’s seas, carrying a million tonnes of Argentina’s beef, el pulpo’s bananas, and much else besides.

Meanwhile, in Cincinnati, a young black boy was facing up to life as an orphan.

Completing the ‘cold chain’ He dropped out of school at age 12, got a job sweeping the floor at a garage, and learned how to mend cars.

Frederick McKinley Jones would become a prolific inventor.

By 1938 he was working as a sound systems engineer, when his boss’s friend who ran a trucking business - complained about the difficulties of transporting perishable goods by land.

Reefers’ refrigeration units couldn’t cope with the vibration of road travel, so you still had to pack your lorries with ice, and hope you’d complete the journey before the ice melted. That didn’t always happen.

Could the brilliant, self-taught Jones invent a solution?

He could.

The result was a new company, Thermo

King, and the last link in the “cold chain” the global supply chain that keeps perishable goods at controlled temperatures.

The refrigeration revolution The cold chain revolutionised healthcare. During World War Two, Jones’s portable refrigeration units preserved drugs

“

The cold chain revolutionised healthcare.

During World War Two, Jones’s portable refrigeration units preserved drugs and blood for injured soldiers.

Today, the cold chain stops vaccines going bad, at least until they reach remote parts of poor countries with unreliable power supplies - and there are new inventions on the horizon to solve that problem.

Above all, the cold chain revolutionised food.

PAGE 27

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

and blood for injured soldiers.

Today, the cold chain stops vaccines going bad, at least until they reach remote parts of poor countries with unreliable power supplies - and there are new inventions on the horizon to solve that problem.

Above all, the cold chain revolutionised food.

On a warm summer’s day - let’s say 25C fish and meat will last only a few hours, fruit will be mouldy in a few days and carrots might survive for three weeks if you’re lucky.

In the cold chain, fish will keep for a week, fruit for months, and root vegetables for up to a year. Freeze the food, and it lasts for longer still.

Refrigeration widened our choice of food: tropical fruits such as bananas could now reach anywhere. It improved our nutrition, and it enabled the rise of the supermarket.

If your home has no way to keep food cold, you have to make frequent trips to the market. With a fridge-freezer at home, you can do a big shop every week or two.

And that, in turn, transformed the labour market.

Less need for frequent shopping freed up women to work. As low-income countries get wealthier, fridges are among the first things people buy.

In China, it took just a decade to get from a quarter of households having fridges to nearly nine in 10.

Economic logic Finally, the cold chain extended to perishable food the economic logic of specialisation and trade.

Yes, you can grow French beans in France - but perhaps you should fly them in from Uganda. Different growing conditions mean this kind of thing can make environmental sense, as well as economic.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption One study claims it emits less carbon to raise a lamb in New Zealand and ship it to England than to raise the lamb in England One study found it was more ecofriendly to grow tomatoes in Spain and transport them to Sweden than to grow them in Sweden.

Another claimed that it emits less carbon to raise a lamb in New Zealand and ship it to England, than to raise a lamb in England.

Economic logic tells us that specialisation and trade will increase the value of production in the world.

Sadly, it doesn’t guarantee that value will be shared fairly.

Consider Guatemala today. It still exports bananas - hundreds of millions of dollars worth. It grows lots of other stuff, too, such as sheep, sugarcane, coffee, corn and cardamom.

But it has the world’s fourth-highest rate of chronic malnutrition. Half its children are stunted because they don’t get enough to eat.

Economists still don’t fully understand why some countries grow rich while others stay poor, but most agree on the importance of institutions that can tackle corruption and support political stability and the rule of law.

According to one recent ranking of countries’ institutions, Guatemala came a lowly 110th out of 138. There’s a name for poor countries with crazy dictators propped up by cynical foreign money: banana republics.

Evidently, recovering from a Gen Ubico can take a very long time indeed. \ Source: BBC

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THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. FRANK EMENIKE OKAMIGBO 2. GOLD NJIDE OKAMIGBO 3. DUPE EFUA KRAKUE 4. ABDULLAHI UWEMEDIMO ESQ. 5. OMOLARA UWEMEDIMO 6. JUDE EZEOBI ESQ. THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.TO MAKE SOCIETY A BETTER PLACE FOR THE BENEFIT OF SUCCESSIVE GENERATIONS. 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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Saidea 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. Itimi Andrew 2. Ofongo Rita Vivian 3. Itimi Stephanie Ejiroghene 4. Itimi Francisca Ese THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To empower women and youths with digital skills 2. To establish platforms and programs to support underprivileged children and youths 3. To foster gender equality, women/children’s rights 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

LEADER JOE 1808 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.

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 OKEREAFOR BRIGHT NNAJI- PRESIDENT (2) PASTOR MRS OKEREAFOR MARY JANE NNAJI (3) LONGINUS OKEREKE (4) MORADEYO EBUNOLUWA CHRISTIANA- SECRETARY (5) NZURUMIKE ERNEST ODIRACH

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.ONUS JOSEPH DANIEL LEADER. 2.ONUS CHARLES. 3.GIRISH TIRUPILLAPPA. 4.CHUKU WINIFRED NYEGUSIRIM.SECRETARY. 5.THECK ALHAMDU MAKERI. 6.AKPOYOVWARE ODAFE NICOLA.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1.To propagate the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2.To preach the goodness of the salvation in Christ Jesus 3.To encourage Christians to serve God. 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 : BARR. GEORGE IHEJIRIKA 08037035205

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1.To empower,conduct in training throug Entrepreneurship Skills acquisition for Disable person.

2.To Support Disabled person or persons living with Disabilities by providing Aids and Business Support.

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.

CLASSIFIED LEGAL NOTICE

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE PROBATE DIVISION BIRNIN KEBBI, KEBBI STATE

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE PROBATE DIVISION BIRNIN KEBBI, KEBBI STATE

Whereas the person whose name is set out in the first column here under died date and place stated in the said column.

Whereas the person whose address had claimed relationship with the said deceased is set in the second column here under has applied to the High Court of Justice for GRANT OF LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION of the personal property.

Notice is hereby given that the said LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION will be granted to such person unless a notice to prohibit the grant there of is filed in the Probate Registry High Court of Justice Birnin Kebbi, within TWENTY ONE DAYS from the date of publication of this notice.

Whereas the person whose name is set out in the first column here under died date and place stated in the said column. Whereas the person whose address had claimed relationship with the said deceased is set in the second column here under has applied to the High Court of Justice for GRANT OF LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION of the personal property.

Notice is hereby given that the said LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION will be granted to such person unless a notice to prohibit the grant there of is filed in the Probate Registry High Court of Justice Birnin Kebbi, within TWENTY ONE DAYS from the date of publication of this notice.

SCHEDULE Name and Address of Deceased Applicant Name and Address SGT. ISHAYA NAGODE RIKOTO NAGODE, NAOMI ISHAYA NIGERIA POLICE FORCE RIKOTO DISTRICT HOUSE SOKOTO COMMAND ZURU LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SOKOTO STATE KEBBI STATE Who died on the 09th JANUARY, 2018 Dated at Birnin Kebbi on 4TH day of MARCH, 2019 MOHAMMED ADAMU YELDU Probate Registrar

SCHEDULE Name and Address of Deceased Applicant Name and Address YUSUF DANBUGA LUKMAN YUSUF C/O DISTRICT HEAD OF KANGAKWAI C/O DISTRICT HEAD OF KANGAKWAI DANDI LOCAL GOVERNMENT DANDI LOCAL GOVERNMENT KEBBI STATE KEBBI STATE Who died on the 07th APRIL, 2015 Dated at Birnin Kebbi on 4TH day of MARCH, 2019 MOHAMMED ADAMU YELDU Probate Registrar

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PUBLIC NOTICE

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Community Strategy & Development Foundation

IJARE EDUCATIONAL ENDOWMENT FUND

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1).Professor Oluwole Abiodun Francis - chairman.

2).Professor Farai Idowu Peter - President.

3). Mr. Alabi Abiodun Oludare - SECRETARY. 4). Chief ( Engr) Alabi Isaac Oluwaropo - Member.

5). Mr Oluwole Akinsola Vester - Member.

6). Chief Oni Adekanle Joseph - Member.

7). Mrs Awosiyan Juliana Bolatito - Member 8). Mr Ibukun Lawrence Layiwola - Member 9). Chief Omosebi Joshua Ade - Member.

Aims and objectives 1) Raising and disbursement of funds for educational development.

Creating Scholarships, learning facilities, bursaries, facilitation of ICT and educational infrastructural development.

2. Training and Empowerment of students at all levels including adults to learn various trades , and also obtain self employment programme.

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 : Barr. Tiemi Oluwatoyin Juliet

WINDING UP

THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT. CAP C20, LFN 2004 COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES MEMBERS VOLUNTARY WINDING UP NOTICE OF A SPECIAL RESOLUTION FOR VOLUNTARY WINDING UP OF MERA AGRIC AND FOOD LIMITED (RC: 969663) (Pursuant to sections 457 & 458 of the companies and allied matters Act) At an extra ordinary meeting of MERA AGRIC AND FOOD LIMITED held on the 4th day of March, 2019 following the statutory declaration of solvency .it was duly resolved as follows: That MERA AGRIC AND FOOD LIMITED be and it is hereby voluntarily wound up due to volatile economic environment as a result of natural disaster which affected the optimal performance of the company and persistent operational loses and that Barrister Ahmed Giragi Esq. is of House 3, Block 4, Berger Quarry, Mpape, Abuja, FCT be and is hereby appointed the liquidator for the purpose of winding up.

Dated this 8th day of March, 2019

....................

Director

LYDIA I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS LYDIA ONYECHI ODUMEKE. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS LYDIA ODUMEKE EKERE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE. MARYAM I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS Maryam Umar Zambuk.

NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS Maryam Suleiman Mairiga. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE. Saudatu I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS Saudatu Ali Ahmad. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS Saudatu Ado Ahmad.

ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

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. UCHE LIZZY EBERI 2. OLAYINKA OLADIMEJI ISIAKA 3. EZIKEANYI SAMPSON IFEANYI THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : To formulate strategies and generate lasting social environmental and financial benefits for communities.

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 : Barr. Dyane Chioma Ezenwajiaku

AISHA I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS zainab mohammed ibrahim. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS aisha mohammed ibrahim. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE. PUBLIC NOTICE

HADIZA OZOZOMA CARE FOUNDATION

The General Public is hereby notified that the above named Foundation has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for Registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. MRS. HADIZA OZOZOMA SEAMAN - Chairman 2. MR. ERIC SEAMAN 3. MRS. COMFORT EMUEKPERE 4. MS. OBOMATE BENIBO - Secretary 5. MS. USAHYA KWABE

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE IS: 1) Creating awareness, reducing stigmatization and providing support care for women and children, orphans and or living with HIV/AIDS. Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, P.M.B. 198, Maitama, Abuja within Twenty-Eight (28) days from the date of this publication.

SIGNED: MS. OBOMATE BENIBO (Secretary)

LOSS of DOCUMENT

This is to inform the general public that demola ijabiyi is the owner of the plot no k91 of about 1,100sqm at k-series layout along FHA road phase 2 site 1 Kubwa with file no OD 44090, now wish to change the name on the land document to Philo omoarukhe ijabiyi. All authorities concerned, AGIS and general public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Nigeria Association of Online E-Commerce And Financial Technology Practitioners

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. Osita Ugochukwu Ogbonna(Chairman).

2. Dr Chijioke Nwandikom Eleazar(Secretary).

3. Ibrahim Muhammed Ochigbo.

4. Usman Mohammed Aminu 5. Stanley Ikechukwu Oranika.

6. Onochie Izukanne 7. Oladosu Babatunde Opeyemi AIM AND OBJECTIVE To pursue the advancement of information technology in E-commerce and Financial Technology in Nigeria.

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 : ICaroline Chukwueke, Esq.

Sports

PEOPLES DAILY

PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

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sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

How Eagle’s fans turned prostitution 2018 World Cup in Russian

PUBLIC NOTICE

BASHAR CHIEFDOM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

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 Zakari Muhammed Abdullahi - president 2 Aliyu Yunusa - secretary 3 Abdullahi Musa Nyalun - financial secretary Aims and objectives 1 To provide our members with the direction, confidence and capacity building needs to connect with their goals and objectives within Bashar chiefdom community.

2 To provide direct building support services by training and building among members in Bashar community chiefdom.

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

BALA I, formerly known as Aliyu Umaru now wish to be known and addressed as Bala Aliyu. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, ADEBAYO ADEOLU OGUNMEFUN WISH TO STATE THAT IN MY ACCOUNT OPENING PACKAGE, MY NAMES WAS WRITTEN AS ADEBAYO ADEOLU ADEBAYO, HENCE MY BANK VERIFICATION NUMBER (BVN) WAS GIVEN UNDER THIS NAME, THAT I WANT THIS NAME TO BE CHANGED FROM ADEBAYO ADEOLU ADEBAYO TO ADEBAYO ADEOLU OGUNMEFUN AND MY (BVN) BANK VERIFICATION NUMBER TO BE REFLECTED IN THIS NEW NAME. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Reconciliation of Name I, ALOYSIUS CHIBUIKE ANOSIKE IS ONE AND THE SAME PERSON AS ALOY CHIBUIKE ANOSIKE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED, ACCESS BANK AND GENERAL PUBLIC should PLEASE TAKE NOTE. CORRECTION of Name This is to notify the public that my name was erroneously spelt as Hassan Ubaila and Hassan Ubalia in two of my certificates. now i wish the name to be spelt as Hassan Ubaliya. All other documents remain valid.

University of Jos and general public should take note.

CORRECTION of Name I NGYARNDA YAJI HUMDIA, hereby give notice to the general public that I want to be addressed as NGYARNDA YAJI HUMDIA and not as PATIENCE YAJI HUMDIA, all certificates and documents remain valid and all relevant authorities should take note.

MARIYA I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS MARIYA ABDULLAHI. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS MARIYA ABDULLAHI JIBRIL. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Alleged Eagle’s fans turned prostitution

T

hey were under the strict supervision of a madam, also a Nigerian, who confiscated the passport of the victims and forced them to work to pay off certain debts. In Obuson’s case, she had to work to pay off a debt of $50,000.

“I cried really hard. But what choice did I have?” were the words on 19-year-old Blessing Obuson, a Nigerian ‘Super Eagles fan’, forced into prostitution in Russia.

Another 21-year-old woman said: “They don’t give you food for days, they slap you, they beat you, they spit in your face... It’s like a cage.”

In roughly three months, it’ll make it one full year thousands of fans flew across countries to cheer the Super Eagles as they participated in the World Cup which took

place in Russia in June 2018.

However, contrary to expectations, not only are thousands of supposed Super Eagles fans missing, it turned out some members of the Nigerian fan base were sold into prostitution.

One of such victims is 19-year-old Obuson, who went to Russia in the hope of finding a job.

Obuson had nursed dreams of working as a shop assistant to help with her twoyear-old daughter and younger sibling’s resident in Edo State, but she ended up locked up in an apartment in the outskirts of Moscow and forced into becoming a sex slave alongside 11 other Nigerian women.

They were under the strict supervision of a madam, also a Nigerian, who

D’Tigers to know foes on March 16 for FIBA World Cup

>>>PG30

confiscated the passport of the victims and forced them to work to pay off certain debts. In Obuson’s case, she had to work to pay off a debt of $50,000.

Reprieve, however, came the way od Obuson and other victims when she told her story to a client, who spoke English and involved anti-slavery activists, leading to a raid on the apartment.

According to the case, which is still under investigation, a police officer had posed as an interested client willing to buy off Obuson for 2million rubles (around $30,000), which led to the arrest of two Nigerians.

Eight other Nigerian women, between the ages of 16 and 22, also told Reuters how they were victims of violence and also

came into the country as Super Eagles’ fans. The fan identity cards grant them access to the country without necessarily needing visas.

According to the Police in Russia, 1,863 Nigerians had not left the country as of January 1, 2019 six months after they came into the country for the World Cup, and at the time the IDs expired.

In September 2018, 22-year-old Alifat Momoh was said to be the victim of murder by a man who refused to pay for sex.

Kenny Kehindo, an anti-slavery activist who works with nongovernmental organisations in Moscow, puts the figure of women who came into the country as fans at more than 2,000.

CCL: Lobi promises good outing against Sundowns in South Africa >>>PG32

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

S p

I can’t wait to play against Seychelles, Egypt -Uzoho

r

t

D’Tigers to know foes on March 16 for FIBA World Cup

By Albert Akota

F

Francis Uzoho

F

rancis Uzoho is looking forward to donning the Super Eagles colours in this month’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Seychelles and the friendly against Egypt billed for the Stephen Keshi Stadium Asaba.

Uzoho who missed the Super Eagles last games against South Africa and Uganda due to rib injury has been named in Nigeria’s 23-man squad for the games.

In his absence, Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Daniel Akpeyi featured in goal for Nigeria Uzoho joined Cypriot giants Anorthosis Famagusta on a six-

month loan from Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna on a six months loan deal after he lost his place in Elche.

The 20-year-old Nigeria international made his debut for the Super Eagles as a second-half substitute in an international friendly against Argentina in 2017 and made 12 appearances keeping five clean sheets.

Nigeria top Group E with ten points from five matches, a point ahead of second-placed South Africa.

The three-time African champions are already through to next year’s tournament to be hosted by Egypt in June.

Nadal urges players to show good values

Rafael Nadal

R

afael Nadal says he has immense respect for Nick Kyrgios’s talent, despite his criticism of the Australian last week in Acapulco.

But the Spaniard also said that players need to show “good values”.

Kyrgios survived three match points to beat Nadal in the

quarter-finals but afterwards Nadal claimed that Kyrgios “lacked respect”.

The 17-time Grand Slam winner added that his comments had nothing to do Kyrgios hitting an underarm serve during the match, which he said did not make him feel disrespected.

IBA World cup bound D’Tigers will know their opponents when the World Cup draw holds in Shenzhen, China on Saturday, March 16, 2019.

The team will be making their 3rd appearance after a 12 -year absence since 2006.

All eyes will be on the Alex Nwora tutored side ahead of the mundial holding between August 31st and September 15th after becoming the first country to qualify in the world for the World Cup on the back of a 9-match unbeaten streak.

Speaking ahead of the draws, Nwora said “Nothing good comes easy and I am waiting to see the teams that will be drawn against us. The 32 teams which have qualified for the World Cup have the potential to win the championship, so no country can be underrated.

“This is a historic moment for me as the head coach and as a Nigerian. Before the qualifiers started, nobody knew that we would have qualified with 4 games left to play and also as the best team in Africa. Nobody could have thought that we were

PUBLIC NOTICE

ESTHER’S HELPING HANDS 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 AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To help empower the youths, aged and the vulnerable in our 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 : ETTA & CLYDE LEGAL PRACTITIONERS .

D’Tigers have all been announced by the Federation of International Basketball Associations as top seeds.

At their last World Cup appearance Nigeria won 2 of their group games before narrowly losing to Germany by 77-78 points and exiting the race for their first World Cup silverware.

Despite the 2 losses against Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal during the last window in Abidjan, Nigeria will still be leading other African teams (Tunisia, Senegal, Angola and Cote d’Ivoire) to the World Cup.

Nwora matures for D’Tigers job -NBBF

By Albert Akota

T

he board of the Nigeria Basketball Federation has stated emphatically that the decision to appoint Alex Nwora as D’Tigers’ coach has paid off handsomely after qualifying the team for the FIBA Men’s basketball World cup in China.

Speaking through the international representative on the NBBF board, Col. Samuel Ahmedu (rtd), the decision which was greeted with scepticism by a section of the basketball family has now been justified with the results recorded since he took over.

According to Ahmedu who was part of the team’s delegation to the final qualification window in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, with Nigerians used to high profile and popular coaches, appointing Nwora was unexpected on the eve of the 2017 FIBA Afrobasket.

“Nigerians are used to high profile coaches, so when they heard of Alex Nwora, a lot of people were sceptical. I don’t blame them because apart from coaching Cape Verde and coming to Nigeria to do camps once in a while, he was relatively unknown in Nigeria.”

The NBBF said appointing

CLASSIFIED THE TRUSTEES ARE : (1)Mrs Dorothy Eno Bassey 2. Mrs ENYINNA TERESA EHISIANYA 3 . Mr OSIME EHIREME.

going to be the first team in the world to qualify, but here we are.”

The NBBF President, Engr Musa Ahmadu Kida said “No matter who we are drawn up against, we are going to the World cup with the belief that we can surprise the world. Our girls did it in 2018 in Spain when nobody gave them the chance. This is an exciting journey that we have started to re-position Nigerian basketball. Nigerians should wait and see where we are headed.”

D’Tigers will be hopeful for a favourable draw as host- China, USA, Spain, France, Serbia, Argentina, Lithuania and Greece

Alex Nwora Nwora was an easy decision as other coaches who were being considered and contacted did not turn up.

“Ime Udoka (Assistant Coach, San Antonio Spurs) and Dominic Okon (Assistant Coach, Wichita State University in the NCAA) were also invited (in various capacities) but they did not come. Alex was the one who came and took the opportunity.”

The FIBA Africa Zone 3 President said the initial believe that Nwora’s appointment was based on sentiments has now being dispelled with many embracing his style.

“As a member of the NBBF, I thank our President, Vice

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PEOPLES DAILY, FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

President and all other board members for giving him an opportunity because if he never had that opportunity, we would never have known what he can do.”

He said despite rooms for improvement as the World Cup beckons, Nigerians should appreciate the Anambra state born coach for what he has been able to achieve since taking over.

“He understands his team well and being the first coach to qualify for the world cup, being the coach whose team came first in our group and also in Africa ahead of Tunisia and Angola, I think we should appreciate what he has done.”

PUBLIC NOTICE

Egba Progressive Association Houston

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.Adekunle Adeniyi Olufela 2.Olufowoshe Akindele Sunday (Chairman) 3.Omotunwashe Sharaf Idowu 4.Yemitan Olufela Abiodun ...Secretary Aims 1.To promote family atmosphere and unity among members of the association.

2. To promote cultural and social values of Egba tradition.

3. To improve, uphold and protect the image of Egba People in Greater Houston Community.

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.

DAHIRU I, formerly known as DAHIRU TUKUR now wish to be known and addressed as DAHIRU ALHAJI TUKUR. All former documents remain valid.

Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note ASMA’U I, formerly known as ASMA’U LAWAN MADAKI now wish to be known and addressed as ASMA’U LAWAN HARBAU. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the general public should please take note HAFSAT I, formerly known as HAFSAT ABUBAKAR now wish to be known and addressed as HAFSAT ABUBAKAR FAVu. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned, nta and the general public should please take note

QUOTABLE QUOTE

. . . putting the people first

FRIDAY, March 8, 2019

SPORTS latest

CCL: Lobi promises good outing against Sundowns in South Africa

By Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

V

ice chairman of Lobi Stars Nigeria representative in CAF champions league Mr Mike Idoko has assured that the team will not disappoint the country in their encounter with Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa.

Idoko who gave the assurance in a chat with newsmen in Makurdi before his team departed for South Africa, noted that the encounter is a make or mar one.

He however, promised that Lobi will give it best shot to clinch a victory in South Africa.

“It is going to be a make or mar encounter and nothing short of victory is expected. If we can’t get that, then our best bet would be to get a draw and then come back home in our last match at home and win.

Mike intimated that management of the team have written a petition against Wydad Casablanca over the treatment meted to his team in Morocco, urged the Confederation of African Football to closely monitor the last two (2) group games involving his club and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa as well as Wydad Football Club of Morrocco and Asec Mimosa of Cote’ D’Ivoir.

According to him, the call became necessary following suspicious officiating by some referees involved in the competition.

Lobi Star who arrived Johannesburg yesterday are placed third on the log and play Sundowns on Saturday.

Advert: business: news: lagos:

“PDP has not successfully explained to the country what they did with the money,” Buhari said. There were no roads, no rail, no power. They said they spent $16 billion on power, but where is the power? The irresponsible expenditure of that period has not been explained, and Nigerians deserve an answer on that terrible mismanagement of the country.”

President Muhammadu Buhari, while receiving leadership of organized labour, yesterday

What next for Atiku?

T

he 2019 presidential election was Atiku’s best outing in his over 26-year quest to be president of Nigeria. Atiku fought the 2019 battle with everything at his disposal. From the onset, Atiku had been on the offensive knowing full well this would be his last shot at the presidency. In another eight years, he will be 80 years old.

Muhammadu Buhari defeated Atiku Abubakar with over four million votes, a result already outrightly rejected by Atiku. The People’s Democratic Party’s flag bearer is citing perceived electoral discrepancies. Atiku’s refusal to concede defeat is a wrong move.

The Waziri Adamawa ought to have conceded defeat and made ‘the famous phone call’ to congratulate Buhari.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s phone call to congratulate Buhari is a major fulcrum on which Goodluck still enjoys world recognition and respect till date.

Atiku could have seized the opportunity of that rare moment to retire himself from the politics of the presidency in style and with statesmanship. Instead, he chose the ignoble path of self-gratifying stalemate that will bring unending legal tussles. Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana said Atiku will face “insurmountable legal obstacles” at the Presidential Election Petition’s Tribunal. Apart from the legal obstacle, Atiku is already receiving knocks. The fiery ones are from his immediate constituency– the North. Most northern talakawas are not happy with Atiku.

Had Atiku accepted defeat in good faith and congratulated Muhammadu Buhari, he would have earned himself international recognition and a new role in the politics of northern Nigeria. Most of Buhari’s cult-like supporters would have developed admiration for him and given him special respect.

Atiku does not have a robust cult-like followership.

Many that supported him for the 2019 election did so based on three reasons- some because they opposed the Buhari government; some did it because they are members or sympathizers of the PDP; while others had no option than Atiku.

Nevertheless, Atiku’s decision to seek legal redress is a good one and very significant for Nigeria’s democracy; strengthening democracy goes beyond winning

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GUEST Column BY Zayyad I. Muhammad

Atiku Abubakar and losing an election. It also involves all forms of power play, which must be kept within the ambits of the rule of law. Politically aggrieved persons seeking legal redress are part of the processes of enshrining democratic tenets in a complex country like Nigeria.

Equally, Atiku has history of legal successes on political matters.

Those successes and array of lawyers at his disposal have definitely gingered him to go to court.

Losing the 2019 presidential election has probably closed

“

Atiku’s doors for contesting an elective office. However, as a former vice president of Nigerian, an astute politician, successful businessman and a high profile traditional title holder, Atiku cannot run away from national and local politics. Thus, Atiku’s has reached a new chapter in his political life; he has no option but to redefine his political participation.

In the local politics of his home state -Adamawa, Atiku is always in the equation- he is either pulling the strings or being a threat. The

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana said Atiku will face “insurmountable legal obstacles” at the Presidential Election Petition’s Tribunal. Apart from the legal obstacle, Atiku is already receiving knocks. The fiery ones are from his immediate constituency– the North. Most northern talakawas are not happy with Atiku.

current politicians in Adamawa state can be categorized into three- they are either in Atiku’s team, have left the team, or about to join the team.

In recent times, Atiku has relaxed his interest in Adamawa politics. The Atiku political team at home needs to be re-energized and young talents infused into it. Atiku’s biological sons are gradually becoming politically active, this is a development his team can build on to sustain the continued relevance of the Atiku political brand. His children’s involvement in local politics can serve as a training ground for national participation. This will be a new ground being broken by Atiku because most political elites in the north have been very weak in training their biological children in the art of politicking; this a major reason northern political dynasties crumble with the death or aging of their progenitors. Atiku should not make that mistake.

Atiku has witnessed moments of successes, failures and disappointments. 1999 and 2019 presidential elections were his best moments in his over 26-year quest to be president. In 1999 he became vice president while in 2019 he came close to being the president. But oftentimes, Atiku makes costly political blundershe failed to utilize a rare moment to get global recognition and local respect- concede defeat and congratulate Buhari for winning 2019 election was the moment.

Zayyad I. Muhammad writes from Jimeta, Adamawa state zaymohd@yahoo.com

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