Monday, March 18, 2019 Edition

Monday, March 18, 2019/ Jimada Ula 10, 1440 AH

Vol. 31 No. 025 N150

1791 Days after

81 parties should be scrapped, Falana advises INEC

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peoplesdailyng

. . . putting the people first

The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

Again,10 killed in renewed attack in Kaduna

>>>page 5

As Miyetti Allah, community bicker over 113 cows killed in Jos.

Fresh shakeup in Army, top generals redeployed >>page 15

>>>page 5

Some beneficiaries of the Anchor Borrower Program for 2019 Dry Season Farming during the distribution of items to famers by Rice Farmers Association (RIFAN) , yesterday in Gombe State Photo: NAN

Why hundreds of 78 years old soldier Elections: Buhari didn’t Nigerians die annually to trek 200km for shun Govs Abubakar, from snake bites -Report Buhari’s victory Bindow -Bauchi govt pAGE 4

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

News

CONTENTS News 2-14 Editorial Op.Ed

11 12-13

Politics 15-17 Feature Business Metro

18 19-20 21

World Analysis 22 Africa News

23

World News

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KEDCO restates commitment to managing customers’ expectations in 2019

By Usman Shauibu

D

r Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna (Sardaunan Gombe), the Managing Director, Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), has restated the company’s commitment to managing the expectations of their customers in 2019 with a view to improving upon customer relations statistics of previous years.

Dr Gwamna who disclosed this in a media chat with newsmen, said the company was poised towards correcting any negative experiences with customers while improving on the positive ones to guarantee better KEDCO-customer

relations in 2019.

He said that the best way to achieve cordial relations was to listen to the demands of their customers, noting that customers determine a lot of operational adjustments that KEDCO makes.

According to him, “When customers expect something, but you didn’t deliver, such expectations will remain the key reasons for them to fail in their responsibilities in paying up their bills for the sustainability of your company.

However, anytime we meet the expectation of our customers, the company improves and we will have the courage also to demand that the customers pay their bills.’’

The managing director added: “Overtime, we have developed a mechanism to find out what the customers want and expects from KEDCO in as comprehensively a manner as possible by engaging them in interactive sessions and giving them ample opportunities to ask open-ended questions of their choice during deliberation.

“We are the friendliest DisCo that I know and can vouch for as a result of our investments in managing our customers’ expectations over the years and now we are poised to taking that to the next level for maximum customer satisfaction.

“We will also improve on our means of communication, so we can interact often with

our customers as we have been doing. Relationships only get strained when one partner does not know what’s going on with the other. So we won’t allow any communication gap between the company and our customers.

The Kano DisCo boss stated that every operational and marketing adjustment would be done to get things right with customers by providing great experiences and customer satisfaction that would better previous years.

He however appealed to customers to take the payments of bills seriously with the kind of seriousness that KEDCO accords to issues relating to their expectations.

News

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

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he Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II has called on politicians in Nigeria to shift their focus from next election towards building the future of the next generation.

The emir made the call at a book presentation on the biography of late business mogul, Alhaji Muhammad Adamu Dankabo, written by Professor Balarabe Maikaba, held at Bayero University Kano, yesterday.

According to Sanusi, it is high time for politicians, especially in northern Nigeria to think beyond four-year term and build the

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Digest

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Feature

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Sports 30-31 Back Page

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L-R: CCECC Project Manager, Mr Leo lijun ; managing Director, Nigeria Railway Corporations, Mr Fidet Okhiria; Executive Secretary, Nigerian shippers Council (NSC) Mr Hassan Bello, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amechi and Dr Yemi Ogunbiyi during the Inspection of Lagos- Ibadan ongoing construction works Railway line at the weekend in Lagos.. Photo: NAN

FG apologises to Nigerians over suspension of free train ride By Albert Akota Suleiman Idris

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and

he federal government has apologised to Nigerians following the suspension of the three-months free train ride on the LagosAbeokuta rail line by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation(CCECC) due to safety reasons during the 2019 elections.

The Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi who disclosed this during the routine inspection tour of the Lagos-Ibadan railway project in lbadan over the weekend, said that the free train

ride will resume soon.

According to the transport boss, “The Lagos-Abeokuta free train ride was suspended by the Chinese when they left during the 2019 elections and the excuse they gave was that they cannot allow it run because of safety since they have not completed the second line.

“They said because of the elections most of them left the country and they are just returning and they will increase the speed as they have resumed.

It is company procedure for them to leave.

“You have seen that they have nearly completed the second line from Iju to Abeokuta and after

that I will insist that they resume because we promised Nigerians.

“I want to apologize to Nigerians that they had to stop when they left the country because of elections. I didn’t envisage that and now, I think they should go back”, he remarked.

While giving an update on the Lagos-Ibadan railway project, he stated that the government is pushing for the civil works to be completed before the rains, adding that the CCECC has promised to increase the pace of work.

“We are pushing now that they must complete civil works before the rains and they have promised that by the time we come on the

28th of March, they would have gone far with these civil works.

“Some areas they will complete to what they call MC1 level before they lay the tracks.

They’ve promised that by March 28, they should be able to get to Kilometre 95 in track laying. We are pushing so that by the first to second week in April, they should be very close to Ibadan with track laying”, he noted.

Amaechi, however disclosed, that unforeseen challenges which have been encountered in the course of the construction has changed the initial figures for the project, adding that they will go back to cabinet to seek for approval.

News Editor, Ese Awhotu

Think of next generation instead of next election, Emir Sanusi tells politicians future of millions of out-of-school children in the area of education and economy.

“Election is now over. So, our politicians should stop thinking of next election. You rather think of next generation. How do you imagine the future of these millions out-of-school children would be if they are not given proper education?

“After your generation, how would these out-of-school children and our teeming youth that engage in thuggery and drug abuse become professors and doctors and tackle

“Therefore, as you have collected your certificates of return, focus on how to build alright future for our children and youth, otherwise, northern Nigeria will continually to be backward,” Sanusi said The monarch also called on the politicians to emulate the generous lifestyle of late Dankabo, who according to him, was known for helping the poor and downtrodden.

According to Sanusi, politicians

had ironically indulged in the habit of stashing money in bank without using it to help the needy, noting that late Dankabo did not stuck money for himself alone.

“Late Dankabo never stashed money in his bank accounts without spending it in providing succour to the society. His generosity is second to none. He was very generous that he always wants to give out what he has to people. I call on the politicians to follow suit,” he said The monarch also called on the politicians, especially public office

holders to be up and doing to build future of the north in order to avoid inevitable decline of the region.

In his goodwill message, Professor Maikaba expressed delight for achieving in publishing the book, which was produced in 237 pages and 11 chapters.

According to Maikaba, the book, titled ‘An Epitome of Generosity, Jarman Kano ‘, A biography of late Alhaji (Dr) Muhammad Adamu Dankabo, would educate the young ones on the lifestyle of the business mogul which is worthy of emulation.

examination and no candidate should be kept waiting if he or she cannot be verified but should be directed to contact JAMB. SEE ALSO: Work hard to win rerun, as Buhari won’t urge INEC to rig for APC —Presidency “There is no other attendance register apart from the biometric verification. It will also serve as the attendance register

including security agents, are to ensure compliance with all guidelines, rules and regulations on the examination as strict adherence to the guide on compulsory biometric verification of every candidate is required,” the board said.

It also listed prohibited items into the examination halls as watches, pen or Biro, mobile phones or similar

microphones among others, while adding also that spy reading glasses must be scrutinised.

NAN recalls that the board had recently scheduled to commence the 2019 exercise starting with its mock examination on April 1 and the main examination on April 11, across its Computer Based Test centres, nationwide. (NAN)

the problems of the north if you don’t build their future now?

Man treks from Zonkwa to JAMB: Only candidates who undergo biometric verification will take UTME Kaduna to woo he Joint Admissions and saying that examination officials must during the examination, as photo electronic device, books, calculators, albums will only carry pictures with smart eye lenses, ear pieces, recorders Matriculation Board says there adhere strictly to the rules. support for El“Exemption mode is not allowed no marking points for either present and jewelry. is no exemption on biometric Others are key holders, ATM verification for all candidates of for any candidate. Therefore, or absent. rufai “All examination officials, cards, erasers, Bluetooth devices, the Unified Tertiary Matriculation no biometric verification, no

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From: Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

A

Why hundreds of Nigerians die annually from snakebite

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

twenty eight years old Kazah Bakut from Zango Kataf local government area of Kaduna State commenced over 200-kilometre trek from Zonkwa to Kaduna to celebrate the victory of Governor Nasir El Rufai at the just concluded governorship election.

Bakut said he embarked on the trek to show his support and happiness over El-rufai’s victory.

He said the walk is to spur the governor elect into striving to reposition the state amongst the leading economy in the country.

According to him, “Governor El-rufai had started well and there is the need for Kaduna residents to encourage him to do more than he did in his first tenure.”

Bakut explained that the walk is also to correct some impressions that nobody loves El-rufai in Southern Kaduna. “This is a sign of unity and love between the people of Kaduna state. “ I trekked to celebrate the victory because in the last three years, Kaduna state has witnessed massive development under El-rufai’s leadership”, he said.

Bakut therefore called on the people of the State to be more patient and join hands with the governor in his quest to move the state forward.

Examination.

The board made this known in its Vol. 1, No 11 weekly Bulletin of the Office of the Registrar and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja.

According to the board, biometric verification will be the only mode of admittance of candidates into its examination centres nationwide,

L-R: Co - Convener Symbolic Presentation of Ball with inscription of the PMB adminstration achievements, Comrade Abdullahi Abdulmajeed ; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Convener, Barrister Aliyu Yusuf during the PMB/PYO Volunteers Appreciation Dinner at the State House Banquet in Abuja on Thursday Night. Photo: Photo: State House

Funerals for Ethiopia crash victims but little to bury

E

thiopians were holding funerals Sunday for friends and relatives who perished in last week’s Ethiopian Airlines crash, which killed all onboard and saw the worldwide grounding of the Boeing aircraft involved.

Families in 35 nations were left bereaved when the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft plummeted from the sky just minutes into its flight to Nairobi last Sunday, killing all 157 passengers and crew on board.

One week after the crash, relatives of the 17 Ethiopian victims gathered with hundreds of others at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa, sobbing and holding portraits of their loved ones as an Ethiopian Orthodox priest said the last rites.

“What I can’t forget is that she left an eight-month-old child and didn’t come back,” said Meselech Petros, whose sister Amma

Tesfamariam was a flight attendant on the doomed aircraft.

Her 28-year-old sister wasn’t supposed to work that day, but had gone in to cover for a colleague.

Caskets draped in the Ethiopian flag were brought to the cathedral in a convoy of black hearses accompanied by hundreds of mourners.

But it was not clear what the coffins contained. Witnesses said the plane nosedived into a field southeast of the capital, with the force of the impact leaving few bodies intact.

On Thursday, as grieving families and friends visited the area where the plane went down, an AFP correspondent saw them being handed plastic water bottles filled with earth from the site.

Ethiopia’s government has said it may take

up to six months to identify the remains.

“What makes us very sad is we didn’t find any of her remains,” said Teshome Legesse, whose 24-year-old niece Ayantu Girma was a flight attendant on the plane.

Ethiopians Airlines is Africa’s largest carrier and in many ways the international face of the nation.

The deaths have shocked Africa’s secondmost populous country, and the funeral attracted a wide range of mourners.

“We all are children of Adam and Eve, even though our skin colours are different,” said Seyoum Kidanu, a retired police officer wearing full dress uniform and a sash in the colours of the Ethiopian flag.

“When one person dies in this world, the grief belongs to everybody.”

The black boxes from the plane are currently being examined by France’s BEA air

safety agency, which is working with American and Ethiopian investigators to determine what brought it down.

Although Ethiopia has warned the investigation would take “considerable time,” there were swift moves in the wake of the crash to ensure the worldwide grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX 8.

The move came after similarities were identified with the October crash of an Indonesian Lion Air jet that killed all 189 passengers and crew.

As the world awaited answers, there were few answers for those trying to cope with the loss of a loved one.

“She’s a very good person. I don’t how to describe her,” said 26-year-old Selamsew Mathias, brother of the flight attendant Amma.

“We are broken and hurting very much.

It’s very difficult.”AFP.

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

Page 4 Report

Why hundreds of Nigerians die annually from snakebite

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assive deaths from snakebites have become a recurrent decimal in Nigeria.

The casualty figures usually get more staggering during the heat when these coldblooded reptiles are forced out of their hiding places in search of fresh air.

That period, usually between January and April, is incidentally the time farmers go to the fields to clear their farms, preparatory to the farming season.

It is also the time herdsmen in the north move into thicker forests in their search for greener fields in view of the harsh realities of the dry season.

Records from various snakebite treatment centres across the country have also indicated that the figures go up during the harvest season, especially for crops like rice and yam.

According to a medic at the Zamko Comprehensive Medical Centre, Langtang, a snakebite treatment point in Plateau, rats go to yam farms to eat yam, snakes go to the farm to wait for the rats. When farmers reach their farms for the harvest, they get bitten.

During one of such peak snakebite periods last year, 250 victims died within three weeks in Plateau and Gombe states.

The figure represented the number of confirmed deaths in two snake treatment centres – General Hospital, Kaltungo, Gombe State, and Zamko Comprehensive Medical Centre. More victims were confirmed to have died at herbal treatment centres within the period.

States worst hit by the menace include Gombe, Bauchi, Taraba, Adamawa, Plateau, Borno, Nasarawa and Benue.

Nandul Durfa, Managing Director, Echitab Study Ltd Guarantee, the outfit handling the collection and distribution of Echitab Anti-Snake Venom (ASV), from their production centres in United Kingdom and Costa Rica, says that the situation has been particularly bad this year because of a paucity of the ASV. “As at January, we had less than 200 vials left for the whole country.

The report we get from the snakebite treatment centres is mind blogging, but there isn’t much we can do,’’ a hapless Mr Durfa told journalists in Jos recently.

He said that his outfit was expecting the next supply of 2,000 vials from Micropharm Ltd in Wales, UK, and another consignment from ICP University in Costa Rica, on April 22.

“Clearly, the nation is in trouble at this peak period of snakebite.

The quantity in the store has proved too little to meet the demand.

The situation is frightening.

“Already, the snakebite treatment centre at the General Hospital, Kaltungo, receives an average of 16 cases a day. That centre received more than 3,086 cases last year. The situation is even worse at the Zamko medical centre,’’ he said.

He regretted that not much attention was being paid to victims of snakebites, and blamed that on a claim that the victims of snakebite were mostly the poor people.

But, with more Nigerians dying as a result of snakebite, analysts have continued to wonder why the shortage of the ASV has persisted over the years. They particularly wonder why Nigeria had yet to start producing the facility locally so as to make it readily available and affordable.

Mr Durfa says that the ASV is always in short supply because of the process involved in producing and ferrying it to Nigeria.

According to him, ASV comes in two

After 250 snakebite deaths, Nigerian govt claims no anti-snake venom scarcity forms – EchiTAB Plus ICP polyvalent, produced at the Instituto Clodomiro Picado, University of Costa Rica, which treats bites from all venomous snakes in Nigeria, and EchiTAB G, produced by Micropharm Ltd, United Kingdom, solely for carpet vipers, the commonest snakes in Nigeria.

Mr Durfa says that tedious processes, lasting more than three months, are involved in producing and importing the ASV. The drugs are produced there and brought to Nigeria.

Mr Durfa explained that local production of ASV would be “very easy” in Nigeria because the consultants had expressed their readiness to transfer the technology to the country.

Mr Durfa further explained that EchiTAB ASV, whose name is sourced from Echis ocellatus – the biological name for carpet viper – with TAB referring to Therapeutic Anti-Bodies, had three variants including EchiTAB G for carpet vipers responsible for 97 per cent cases of snake bites in Nigeria, and EchiTAB Plus for carpet viper, Puff Adder and Black Cobra venom.

He traced the ASV’s production to 1991, when Prof. Ransome Kuti, then health minister, sought the assistance of two UK Professors – David Warrel of Oxford University and David Theakston of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

He advised the government to pay special attention to local production of the drug because snake bites affect mostly the productive group, and regretted that many

had continued to die from a menace that could be effectively tackled.

Abubakar Bala, the Snakebite Treatment Officer at the Kaltungo General Hospital, Gombe, equally presented a gory picture of the helpless situation and urged the federal government to take urgent measures to begin the local production of the ASV. “The persistent shortage of ASV has reached a crisis level. Very often, we have had to watch helplessly, while patients gasp for breath. We cannot continue like this.

“It is a critical situation but we are helpless. We want the government to treat the issue as an emergency and a necessity.

Government should equate the necessity of ASV with having an army, customs, police and other security agencies.

“The drug should be treated as a security issue. Every developing country should have its anti-snake venom manufacturing company.

“The other option is to have a reliable supply channel, with government subsidising the cost to avoid a major crisis like the types we suffer very often in Nigeria; in truth, we find it difficult and embarrassing to explain such situations to our patients.”

He advised the government to look for a long term solution to the scarcity by collaborating with private producers to manufacture the drug locally, via a technology transfer arrangement with Echitab producers in Costa Rica and the United Kingdom.

Titus Dajel, Medical Superintendent,

“

The other option is to have a reliable supply channel, with government subsidising the cost to avoid a major crisis like the types we suffer very often in Nigeria; in truth, we find it difficult and embarrassing to explain such situations to our patients

Zamko Comprehensive Medical Centre, spoke in the same vein.

“There are many victims of snakebites, but the ASV is always in short supply.

“Government must act fast because traditional healers have taken advantage of the situation to extort monies from victims, with a promise to heal them.

“What the herbalists are doing is trial and error. Most victims bleed in the brain because the venom is vicious. Traditional healers cannot tackle that because they concentrate on healing the wound,” he explained.

Mr Dajel urged the federal government to treat snake bite as a national emergency and take urgent steps to make the anti-snake venom available.

Tim Golu, whose Pankshin/Kanam/ Kanke constituency in Plateau, is heavily hit by the snakebite menace, says he is “very uncomfortable’’ with the constant paucity of the ASV, adding that the situation had cost many lives “in the past few weeks’’.

“We have lost many people in the past few weeks. Right now, we have several cases in Kanke, my village,’’ he said.

Golu regretted that fake drugs were being sold to desperate victims, causing more deaths and deformities, and appealed to the federal, states and local governments to intervene by committing funds for the purchase of ASV. But Adamu Atiku, a specialist in human medicine, says that the first step to establishing a factory for the local production of ASV must start with the federal government declaring snakebites as a national emergency in view of its prevalence.

“When government does that, it will give special attention to the menace and adopt measures to curb it. One of such measures will naturally include the local production of ASV. They particularly note that the victims of the reptiles are active members of the society on the fields to actualise that goal, and urge government to urgently begin the local production of ASV to reduce its cost and ensure steady supply, so as to end the vicious cycle of snakebite deaths that had become a daily routine in the country.

(Source: NAN)

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

By Ese Awhotu

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he Nigerian Army has again carried out a shakeup in its rank and file.

This comes after two similar exercises that saw over 103 senior officers, including top generals in the Boko Haram war being redeployed.

While the Nigerian Army announced yesterday that it has redeployed some senior officers, it, however, did not give reasons for the redeployment.

Recall that the Army had announced similar postings and redeployment twice between February and March 2019.

On February 2, it had among other postings and redeployments announced a new commandant for the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership Peacekeeping Centre and Headquarters, and a new Corps Commander for the Nigerian Army Signals.

Barely over a month later, on March 7, had it announced another set of redeployments and postings; including the appointment of a new Chief of Defence Standard and Evaluation at the Defence Headquarters and a new Director for the Veteran Affairs Division in the Defence Headquarters.

In the latest shakeup, Maj.Gen. H.O. Otiki has been moved to 8 Division in Sokoto, as General Officer Commanding (GOC).

Spokesman to the Army, Sagir Musa, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, said Major General S.O. Olabanji, GOC 8 Division, had been moved to Infantry Corps Centre as Commander under the new posting.

Brig.-Gen. H.I. Bature was moved from 34 Brigade to Headquarters Training and Doctrine Command as Director Examinations and Brig.-Gen. T.O. Olowomeye from Headquarters 33 Brigade to Army Headquarters Department of Civil-Military Affairs as Director Civil Military Affairs.

Similarly, Brig.-Gen. B.A. Mohammed was moved from 23 Brigade to Martin Luther Agwai International Peace Keeping Centre, as Deputy Commandant and Brig.-Gen. U.M. Bello from Headquarters, Training and Doctrine Command to 63 Brigade as Commander.

Brig.-Gen. M.T. Durowaiye moved from Directorate of Army Transformation and Innovation moves to 33 Brigade as Commander.

Others are: Brig.-Gen. S.B. Kumapayi from Army Headquarters Department of Civil-Military Affairs to Headquarters 14 Brigade, as Commander; and Brig.-Gen. N.M. Jega from Headquarters 2 Brigade to 9 Brigade as Commander.

Also moved was Brig.-Gen. K.O. Aligbe, Commander, 16 Brigade, who now goes to the Defence Headquarters as Acting Director, Liaison National Assembly.

Brig.-Gen. A.K. Ibrahim was moved from 14 Brigade to Army Headquarters, Department of Administration as Deputy Director, Veteran Affairs

News

Fresh shakeup in Army, top generals redeployed Department Retired Officers’ Cell; and Brig.-Gen. G.T.O. Ajetunmobi moved from Headquarters Command, Army Records to 31 Brigade as Commander.

Brig.-Gen. O.G. Onubogu was also moved from Army

Headquarters, Department of Army Policy and Plans to Headquarters 16 Brigade, as Commander; while Brig.-Gen. O.M. Bello was moved from Nigerian Army Resource Center to Headquarters 6 Division as Chief

of Staff.

Brig.-Gen. Z.L. Abubakar was moved from National Defence College to 32 Brigade, as Commander; Brig.-Gen. A.A. Orukotan from Nigerian Army Resource Center moved to

Headquarters, Command Army Records, as Chief of Staff.

Army spokesperson Sani Usman, a brigadier-general, did not also immediately cite reasons for this new redeployment of at least 15 generals and one colonel.

Former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Alhaji Sani Zangon Daura (left), Nasarawa State Governor, Umaru Tanko AlMakura (right) and others after Friday Prayer at the State House, on Friday in Abuja. Photo: State House

Again, 10 killed in renewed attack in Kaduna From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna and Ado Abubakar Musa, Jos

•As Miyetti Allah, community bicker over 113 cows killed in Jos

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“My condolences to the families of the victims and the people of Sanga Local Government Area.”

He appealed to the communities to remain calm and not to contemplate any reprisal.

“Meanwhile, I am appealing to the security agencies in our State to reinforce their presence in Sanga, especially in the affected community, with the aim of stopping further attack and fishing out the perpetrators of this heinous crime.

“I am also appealing to Sanga local government council and the state government for immediate make provision of relief materials to the displaced victims.

“The renewed and ferocious attacks on communities in Southern Kaduna call for the urgent attention of the Nation and the International community.

“Our communities are helpless and are pleading that all persons of conscience should speak out,” he added.

Meanwhile, Kaduna State Police Command has called on the affected communities not to take the law in their hands, as all efforts are being put in place to fish out those behind the sad incidents.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, DSP Yakubu Sabo, stated this in a statement.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 113 cows

o fewer than 10 people have been killed, and about 30 houses set ablaze by unknown gunmen in Nandu Gbok community in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The latest attack in Southern Kaduna came while the people were mourning and trying to deal with the devastating attack on the Adara people in Kajuru Local Government Area.

Shehu Nicholas Garba, member representing Kema’a/Sanga Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, in a statement said, “We woke up this morning to the sad news of an attack by gunmen on Nandu Gbok, a community in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

“At the time of this statement, about 10 bodies have been recovered and about 30 houses confirmed burnt down.

“The latest attack is coming while we are mourning and trying to deal with the devastating massacre brought on the Adara people, has once again, brought to the fore the plight of the indigenous people of Southern Kaduna.

“The chairman of the local government council and other stakeholders are assessing and trying to deal with the unfortunate situation.

were attacked and killed while grazing around College of Accountancy in Kwall, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and the Jonde Jam Fulani Youth Association alleged that the attack was launched by “Irigwe” who were said to have attacked the cows with sophisticated weapons.

The National President of Irigwe Youth, Ayuba Chinge, denied the allegation, saying his group was not in support of any criminality or violence.

He condemned the act and called on the security agencies to arrest the perpetrators of the attack. “ I am in Kano at the moment.

I was called by the Commander of Sector 6 of OPSH that some cows were killed. We, as a people, condemned any form of criminality and will never support killing of people, cows or illegal grazing.

“We called on the security to investigate the matter and bring the perpetrators to book,” Chige said.

Nura Abdullahi, Plateau State MACBAN Chairman who confirmed the incident to journalists in Jos, said both Operation Safe Haven and State Commissioner of Police, Isaac Akinmoyede were aware of the incident.

The chairman said the state government was yet to say anything

about the attack.

“Soon after the attack, we reported the incident to the OPSH sector 6 and I personally reported to the Commissioner of Police and directed that I take the matter to the DPO for documentation, which has been done.

The area commander and the DPO have visited the scene and seen the evidence for themselves,” he said.

Abdullahi said the Police had called a peace meeting between the Irigwe community and the Fulani to prevent further occurrence of such incident. wThe National President of Jonde Jam Fulani Youth Association of Nigeria, Saeedu Maikano, while lamenting on the incident said some of the cows had been deliberately machete and killed by the attackers, adding that government had failed to protect them and their properties.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the State Police Command, Tyopev Terna, didn’t respond to a text sent to him by our correspondent, but Operation Safe Haven Media and Information Officer, Major Adam Umar confirmed the killing of the cows.

He said the incident had occurred around the College of Accountancy in Kwall while the cows were grazing.

Mr. Umar said efforts were being made by security personnel to arrest the perpetrators of the act.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

PAGE 6

News PDP condoles with victims of Lagos building collapse

By Lateef Ibrahim

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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commiserated with the people of Lagos state, particularly the victims of the devastating building collapse in Lagos, which led to the unfortunate death of compatriots, including little school children.

The party in a statement yesterday said it has been griefstricken over this tragedy, which has traumatized not only the families of the victims, but also the entire nation with bereavement, pain and anguish.

The party therefore joined all well-meaning citizens and people of faith across the country in supplicating for the peaceful repose of the souls of the deceased, the fortitude for their families to bear the loss of their loved ones as well as speedy recovery for the injured.

The PDP also commended Nigerians for their show of love and solidarity in the search and rescue effort, which saved the lives of many of the victims of the tragedy. Such solidarity reinforces our unity and resilience as a people.

The party called on the authorities to look into the issue of building collapse in the country and take strong steps to forestall such ugly incidents in the future.

It also urged all publicspirited groups and individuals to continue to reach out to the victims at this moment of grief.

78 years old retired soldier to trek 200km for Buhari’s victory A From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna.

78 years old retired Nigerian soldier, Muhammadu Sokoto (63NA/6327) has completed plans to trek for over 200 kilometres from Minna to Kontagora in expression of his joy for the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Abubakar Sani Bello for another four years.

The aged soldier who was enrolled into the Nigerian Army

in August 1967 and voluntarily retired in October 10, 1977 have one time served as orderly to President Muhammadu Buhari when he was the military governor of North Eastern State during his visit to Yola.

Speaking to our reporter in Minna at the weekend, Sokoto however emphasized his continued believe and trust in Buhari’s leadership also renewed his courage that the current All Progressive Congress APC led

administration in Nigeria will surely impact positively on the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

He congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari and the Niger state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello for their victory during the polls saying it is an indication of demonstration of their past achievements in the last four years hence the need for another opportunity.

The retired army, a resident of Barkin- Salle in Minna was a truck

driver for over 50 years.

However, he is yet to receive his army entitlements as promised

by President Muhammadu Buhari during his first tenure, noting that he will be received in Kontagora by Col. Sani Bello retired on arrival.

Muhammadu Sokoto who is a Fulani extradition served at 5 Battalion 33 Brigade Yola with army number 63NA/6327.

He said he has healed bullet wounds on his forehead, two legs and left hand.

T

he Otunba (Yoruba leader) of Yoruba community in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chief (Dr.) Wasiu Tunwase, has urged the chairman-elect of Gwagwalada Area Council, Mr. Adamu Mustapha Danze to provide transformers for the people of Zuba to boost electricity supply there, expressing joy over the re-election of chairman, for the second term in office.

Tunwase, who stated this in an interview with Peoples Daily correspondent after the announcement of the Saturday Area Council chairmanship

P

Iguobaro,

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he Police in Benin have confirmed the arrest of eight suspects in connection with last Tuesday night attack by gunmen on the divisional police station at Afuze, Owan East Local Government Area.

The Divisional Police Officer with a pregnant police woman and two other security personnel died in the line of duty during which the police station and police van at the premises of INEC were burnt down by the armed men.

The gunmen were said have detonated explosives and fired sporadic gunshots, which killed the quartet before releasing their colleagues who were in police custody at Afuze police station.

A police source said, those

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L-R; Member, Lagos Polo Club (LPC), Mr Osana Debs; Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu; President, LPC, Mr Ade Laoye, during the 2019 Lagos Polo Yellow Week, on Saturday in Lagos.

Photo: NAN

election conducted by INEC in the area, describing the conduct of the election as a free and fair.

He said the chairman-elect won nine wards out of ten wards in Gwagwalada to beat other contestants, noting that this was the first time the incumbent chairman won nine wards among other candidates.

His words: “I know that the chairman-elect of Gwagwalada will win the election, because he is a man of his words and action”.

He then appealed to the politicians who lost the election to join hands with the chairman-elect to move Gwagwalada to the next level, and urged the chairman-

elect to carry the Yoruba people along in the scheme of things as being promised by him.

He commended the re-elected chairman for the infrastructural development already put in place in Gwagwalada.

Otunba, who is one of the leaders of APC South-west in the FCT, however, urged the president Muhammadu Buhari to provide job for the people of Nigeria if he takes the oath of office for the second term, and pleaded with Nigerians to always pray for their leaders.

Speaking in the same vein, the Ezeigbo of Zuba, Igwe (Dr.) Raymond Ugwuagbo, urged the

Gwagwalada chairman-elect to deem it necessary to repair the dilapidated roads in Zuba for the benefit of the people who voted him into power.

He advised the losers of the election to accept the outcomes of the results in good faith and prepared for the next election.

He, therefore, charged the residents of Zuba to continue to be peaceful before, during and after the election, saying that politics is not a do-or-die affair.

Ugwuagbo expressed with dismay the low turned out of the voters during the Saturday Area Council chairmanship poll in Zuba.

Aisha Buhari visits victims of It-Faji building collapse

resident Muhammadu Buhari’s wife, Aisha, on Saturday visited victims of the Ita-Faji building collapse at the Lagos Island General Hospital to sympathise with them.

Ms Buhari offered her condolences to the victims of the incident, which claimed the

By Osaigbovo Benin

News

Edo: 8 suspects held over killing of DPO, pregnant officer, others arrested include a middle-aged man who reportedly pulled the trigger which killed the pregnant police woman Sergeant.

Spokesman of Edo State Police Command, DSP Chidi Nwanbuzor who confirmed the arrest in a telephone interview with our correspondent, said investigation was ongoing to track other fleeing criminals.

He revealed that after carrying out the heinous crime, the State Police Commissioner Danmallam Mohamed has put in place a tactical team to arrest other

suspects.

He said the suspects have confessed to the crime and their level of involvement.

The Police source also said all the suspects arrested so far are from Edo State.

But, two others are still at large.

Trouble started when the police in Afuze arrested one of the gang members and detained him in the police custody for a related crime.

The suspect was said to have contacted the leader of the gang shortly after his detention.

The leader of the 10-man gang was said to have offered undisclosed amount of money for bail.

But the DPO turned it down and requested for the case to be transferred to the State Criminal Investigative Department (CID) in Benin for further investigation, thereby compounding anger.

Infuriated over the alleged refusal, the leader of the gang directed his men who were outside to unleash mayhem on the police station, resulting in the killings of the policemen.

The State Governor, Godwin Obaseki during an on-the-spot assessment on the attack, the following morning, vowed to tackle the wrongs, rebuild trust and bring the alleged perpetrators of the attack to book through the instrument of law.

The Governor also ordered immediate clearing of the debris and construction of the police station destroyed by the hoodlums who also burnt police Hilux van at Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office at Afuze.

Police vow to apprehend killers of sergeant

FCT: Yoruba leader urges council chairman to provide transformers

By Usman Shuaibu

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

lives of no fewer than 20 people, including school children.

Mrs Buhari, who visited women and children wards of the hospital, prayed God to grant the families that lost loved ones the fortitude to bear the loss.

She also wished those still on admission speedy recovery.

One of the victims and teacher in the school located in the collapsed building, Easter Samuel, expressed her shock over the incident.

The 19-year-old teacher, who was receiving treatment in the hospital, prayed to God not to experience such unfortunate

incident again.

The Chief Medical Director of the Hospital, Gani Kale, said 10 children were admitted in the hospital after the incident.

According to him, three out of the patients have been discharged, having certified their medical fitness.

On his part, the Oba of Yimi community in Zuba, Oba Opeifa Tunji Segun who doubled as the legal Adviser of APC Southwest in Gwagwalada, urged the chairman-elect not to forget Yoruba people for the second term of his administration.

He thanked the chairmanelect for the completion of the abandoned projects in Yimi community, urging him to focus more on the developmental projects.

Segun noted that there was no political violence in Zuba and Ikwa wards and its environs during the election, and said the election was peaceful.

Mr Kale said there was no case of referral to another hospital.

The wife of the president was accompanied to the hospital by former military administrator of Lagos State, Buba Marwa, and former Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Pauline Tallen, among others. (NAN)

he police in Bayelsa said on Saturday that they were on the trail of those who killed a police sergeant and wounded another policeman on Friday night in Yenagoa.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that unknown gunmen on Friday night attacked the two policemen who were on guard duty at Udeme Hotels in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa capital.

The spokesman of the police command, Asinim Butswat, said efforts have been intensified to arrest the gunmen.

He said that the gunmen,operating in a Toyota Camry car, opened fire on the policemen at about 9 p.m. without any provocation.

“The policemen fired back at the armed robbers and in the ensuing gun battle, one sergeant was fatally wounded, he was rushed to the Federal Medical Center, Yenagoa, where he was later confirmed dead.

“The other policeman is responding to treatment. The unknown gunmen escaped with bullets wounds.

“Based on a tipoff, a notorious criminal hideout was raided, where their cohorts were arrested and they have volunteered useful information.

“Efforts have been intensified to arrest the gunmen,” Mr

Butswat said.

An eyewitness had told journalists on condition of anonymity, that the gunmen drove into the hotel in a Toyota

Camry, while pretending to be customers.

“They turned at the car park and drove towards the gate where they opened fire on the

policemen,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that few days to the February 23 presidential and National Assembly polls,

gunmen attacked a check point under Julius Berger flyover in Yenagoa, killing a policeman and carting away two riffles.

(NAN)

South South Zonal Coordinator, National Commission for Refugees Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Mr Akintunde Oyasanya (M), with 52 Cameroonian Refugees trained by the commission on phone repairs and cosmetology, during their certification, yesterday in Calabar, Cross River State. Photo: NAN

Troops kill suspected robber, arrest three cultists in Benue

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roops of the 72 Special Forces Battalion killed one of the suspected armed robbers dressed in military camouflage, robbing motorists on Yelwata-Kadarko road on the Nasarawa and Benue border.

The troops also arrested three suspected cultists said to have been terrorising the NorthBank general area in Makurdi.

Samson Zhakom, the Assistant Director Army Public Relations in charge

of the battalion said this in a statement.

Mr Zhakom listed items recovered from the robbers as one locally made rifle, three rounds of 7.62MM special ammunition and one empty case

of7.62MM Special ammunition.

He said one locally made revolver pistol, one round of 9mm and a poly bag containing weeds suspected to be Indian hemp were recovered from the suspected cultists. (NAN)

24 inmates to write 2019 UTME at Ikoyi prisons school

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he Controller of Prisons, Lagos Command, Tunde Ladipo, says that 24 inmates of the Ikoyi Prisons will participate in the forthcoming 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

Ladipo disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Lagos.

NAN reports that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board had fixed April 1 for its mock examination, which is optional for candidates.

It had scheduled April 11 for the commencement of the UTME proper across the

country.

The Board had also said that no fewer than 1.8 million candidates had registered for the all Computer Based Test under the UTME. According to Ladipo, preparations have been concluded by the Board to ensure a hitch-free examination for the inmates in its facility .

He noted that the inmates who had been undergoing intensive coaching at the facility’s school had demonstrated a great zeal and a high level of commitment in readiness for the examination The prisons’ boss added that with

the current state of facilities in the prisons’ school, he was expecting nothing but excellent performance from the inmates.

“I want to say that we are very prepared and ready for this examination. A lot of work has already been done as part of our efforts to ensure that these inmates are well tutored and exposed to the use of ICT for the coming examination.

“We have prepared them on how to use the computer during the examination as it is on this mode that all the candidates will be tested.

“Thankfully, the organisers of this UTME

have assisted the facility with 60 computers and other accessories.

“Ever since this supply was made, we have been using them to train these inmates at the prisons’ school and their responses have been amazing.

“We expect that they will all come out in flying colours, as, apart from the computers, we can also boast of a well-stocked library, coupled with teachers who have been coming to take them on various subjects,” Ladipo told NAN. (NAN)

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

News

Elections: Buhari didn’t shun Govs Abubakar, Bindow -Bauchi govt

By Ese Awhotu

T

he Bauchi State Government has debunked insinuations that President Muhammadu Buhari shunned the duo of Governors M.A Abubakar of Buachi State and Jibrilla Bindow of Adamawa State when they sought audience with him at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

A statement signed by Special Advider to the Bauchi State governor, on Media and Strategy, Ali M Ali and made available to the Peoples Daily in Abuja yesterday, said President Buhari didn’t shun Gov Abubakar because here was no meeting between them.

It said the governor was at the Villa to meet with the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.

It therefore described as perplexing that such a report will be made.

The statement reads in part, “Our attention has been drawn to a misleading story making the rounds that President Muhammadu Buhari has shunned the duo of governor MA Abubakar and Jibrilla Bindow of Bauchi and Adamawa States respectively when they allegedly sought to meet with him a few days ago.

“According to this very fantastic story, the president shunned them on account of the political

developments in their respective states.

“Ordinarily, we wouldn’t have responded to this bare faced lie and misrepresentation. Happily, this kind of journalism is restricted only to partisan interests.

“We are compelled however, to respond because these are lies repeatedly told and may become the truth if Goebbelean philosophy is anything to go by.

“We put the records straight.

Nonetheless we are mystified how that amounts to president Buhari “shunning” Gov Abubakar.

“We have noticed the fury of half-truths and outright falsehood being pushed as gospel truth by a slimy desperate megalomanic circle since INEC declared the Bauchi state gubernatorial election inconclusive.

“This cabal has unleashed a blistering and sustained propaganda

against the person and government of MA Abubakar.Every day,a generous dose of fiction is served to an unwary citizenry via shadowy and equally crooked cyber media.”

The Bauchi State Government urged all citizens to disregard this brand of yellow journalism and their paymasters.

It advised that, “We should keep our eyes on the ball. We should be distracted by the antics of serial losers.”

Nephrologists at the University of Abuja teaching hospital during a road show to mark 2019 world kidney day at Gwagwalada, recently in Abuja .

Photo: NAN

PDP stalwart bemoans attacks on Kaduna communities

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News

How I was tortured to implicate Saraki, by Offa robbery suspect From Oluseyi Dasilva Ilorin

A

s the trial within trial into the Offa bank robbery of April 2018 continued on Friday at the State High Court sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara State caital, heartbreaking revelations have emerged from testimonies of the five suspects involved in the matter.

Standing before Justice Halimah Salman, the suspects told the court that the confessional statements said to have been made by them were obtained under duress by the police.

The first suspect, Ayoade Akinnibosun, in his testimony, told the trial judge that he gave his statement under duress and not voluntarily.

“I had my hands tied to my back. I was hung between two tables, beaten mercilessly and late given a blank paper and asked to

copy what was written in another paper. When I was reluctant to write, I was shot in my legs, first the right, later, the left leg. Mr Abakyari instructed me to say that the Senate President gave us guns with which we robbed at the bank.”

“He promised to give me money and also assist in my release if I cooperate with him.

When I was not cooperating, he asked that I be returned tomy cell and the torture process started all over.

“An officer, called OC Sars came in, pointed gun at me and said ‘we want to use you. Right in my presence, some men were killed, this scared me and so I decided to cooperate with them and I wrote the statement.”

He explained that he was tortured and shot in two legs, alleging that the police asked him to implicate the Senate President,

Bukola Saraki, and he succumbed afterwards because he doesn’t want to die.

Akinnibosun claimed that five men were shot dead in his presence and that of other suspects, in order to force them to do the bidding of the police.

He alleged that he was forced to sleep on the corpes of the men that were killed, adding that his hands and legs were tied for days.

The suspect also told the trial judge that six hefty stones were placed on his back and denied food for nearly one week while he was being tortured.

He said they were kept inside the generator room at Police Headquarters Abuja while a dismissed police officer, identified as Michael Adiukwu, was brought to identify them if they were part of the robbery gang.

According to Akinnibosun, the

man denied knowing them and was shot dead on the spot.

Afterwards, he said he was shown an already written statement which he was asked to sign and agreed to do so for fear of being killed.

The suspect insisted that whatever he said during the parade to the press conference was written for him to memorise and read at the press briefing.

He claimed that the police warned him not to implicate them that the statement was made under duress.

Akinnibosun told the trial judge that he was given a fourpage statement to sign but he could not because his fingers were not functioning due to torture.

He said one of his fingers was placed on the documents for thumb printing and his request to read and go through the statement was turned down.

After giving his testimony, the suspect was cross-examined by the prosecution counsel.

Meanwhile, the defence counsel, Mathias Emeribe, asked for further medical checkup to determine if the wounds Akinnibosun sustained were truly from gunshots.

Justice Salman, however, turned down the request until proper trial.

The second accused, Ibikunle Ogunleye, was thereafter called to the dock and he corroborated the first accused, Akinnibosun’s testimony of how he was tortured and how Michael Adiukwu was killed.

In his testimony, the third accused person Abraham Adeola also repeated the same process of how they were tortured both at the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) office in Ilorin and Abuja.

Buhari condemns fresh Kaduna killings

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From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna he Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, deputy gubenatorial candidate in the just concluded governorship election in Kaduna State, Hon. Sunday Marshall Katung has said the attacks and crisis in Kaduna communities are becoming one too many to bear.

He stated this in a statement made available to the media in Kaduna yesterday.

According to the statement, Hon. Katung said his attention has once again been drawn to an ongoing ethnocentric crisis in communities of Kajuru local government area and the gunmen attacks on Nandu Gbok, a community in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State, saying these attacks/crisis are becoming too many.

He added that he is greatly disturbed at the scale and magnitude of destruction of lives and property that has been going on unabated with very little action by the government.

“When the crises broke out about in Kajuru about three weeks ago, we expressed sadness at the comments of our State Government, warning that it could trigger a circle of violence.

“For as long as government does not treat it’s citizens with justice, equity and fairness, this unfortunate situation will continue.

“While I sympathize with all grieving families, friends and relations, let me use this opportunity to call on all citizens to eschew violence and embrace peace.

May God grant strength and fortitude to those that have lost loved ones,” he said.

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

Ethiopian Airline crash: Unilorin mourns alumnus, Adesanmi From Oluseyi Dasilva Ilorin

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he management of the University of Ilorin has described the death of Prof. Pius Adesanmi as a colossal loss to the country and humanity in general.

Prof. Adesanmi taught at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, before his death in a plane crash on Sunday, March 10, 2019, at a relatively young age of 47 years.

In a moving tribute, the ViceChancellor, Prof. Sulyman Age Abdulkareem, described the late Professor of Literature and African Studies, who graduated from the University of Ilorin in 1992 with a

First Class honours degree in French, as “a true nationalist, a rare patriot, a humanist and indeed an embodiment of all the ideals that Unilorin represents” The Vice-Chancellor, in a press statement signed on his behalf by the University’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Kunle Akogun, lamented that Prof. Adesanmi’s death at a time when the nation needs his robust intellectual and incisive contribution to her development most.

He said that the country had benefitted immensely from the late Professor’s dispassionate interventions through well-researched social commentaries on national

issues at critical points of its sociopolitical and economic development.

“Being a committed nationalist, the late Prof. Adesanmi was never happy at the state of rot in critical sectors of the nation, and he never kept quiet nor indulged in complacency, as many of his colleagues who had found comfortable solace abroad are wont to”, Prof.

Abdulkareem said, noting that even less than 24 hours before his sad demise, the patriotic zeal in the late social critic was evident on his Twitter Handle where he was still discussing the then ongoing governorship and States House of Assembly elections in the country.

While commiserating with the entire nation and especially the immediate family the late don left behind, the Vice-Chancellor urged Nigerians not to allow Prof. Adesanmi die in vain but emulate his patriotic zeal towards taking the country to greater heights.

Prof. Abdulkareem then prayed Almighty God to grant his soul eternal rest, comfort the family he left behind and grant them the fortitude to bear the sudden loss of their breadwinner.

Meanwhile, the Faculty of Arts, University of Ilorin, is organising a candlelight procession in honour of its distinguished alumnus this Tuesday, March 19, 2019.

Sen. Gaya trains 100 science teachers on ICT From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna

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he senator representing Kano South Senatorial District, Senator Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya has begun the training of one hundred science teachers from his constituency to meet up with the current global Science and Technology knowledge.

The training commenced at the weekend in Scientific Equipment Development Institute (SEDI) Minna consisting of 60 science

teachers for the second face after 40 first beneficiaries from the institute bringing the total to 100 teachers from about 16 local governments in the constituency that is almost like a state in some regions in Nigeria considering its volumes.

Managing Director/ CEO of SEDI, Professor Mohammed B. Ndaliman at the inauguration of the second set of science teachers said that the trainees are to transfer their knowledge gained to be impacted on to the students

in their various secondary schools which he described as a wise investment by the senator that is not visible.

Prof. Ndaliman applauded the efforts of the Lawmaker by fulfilling his promised while assuring that on the part of the institute would also delivered as required the science kits consisting of science apparatus at the end of the training.

According to him, this gesture will go a long way to ease teaching and learning by science students

and teachers because the thinking is exermined and practically tested, while he advocated for the proper Technology in the country as a whole, noted that certificate will be issued to the participants at the end of the training.

In his remarks, SEDI Director of Administration, Dr Geoge Ebele urged the participants to pay serious attention to everything they are touched by the trainers so ad to go home full of knowledge acquired.

resident Muhammadu Buhari has urged the actors in the communal and persistent violence in Kaduna State to come to terms with the fact that mutual violence has no winners, but losers on both sides of the conflict.

At least 10 people were killed in Sanga local government area of the state on Saturday, according to a local official.

The News Agency said residents suspected the attack was a reprisal by herdsmen who suffered some attack before the recent elections.

The incident comes as Kaduna State struggles to contain rampaging attacks in several local government areas in the southern region that have claimed dozens of lives.

Reacting to the endless carnage in Kaduna State on Saturday, President Buhari said, “I am deeply troubled by the fact that sanctify of life is now treated with such reckless disregard that people derive joy in shedding the blood of others or perceived enemies.”

According to Mr Buhari, “inhumanity has replaced compassion in the hearts and minds of the perpetrators of these atrocities.”

“No responsible leader would go to bed happy to see his citizens savagely killing one another on account of ethnic and religious bigotry,” he further noted sadly.

According to President Buhari, “Violence cannot be the solution to these persistent conflicts as long as people resort to deliberate provocations, revenge and counter revenge.”

He said that, “While the government remains committed to protecting its citizens, the communities involved must also put their shoulder to the wheel in order to find a lasting solution.”

President Buhari noted that “lack of cooperation by those involved might frustrate government’s efforts towards finding a lasting solution, especially if those efforts are politicised.”

According to him, “If the people resist government’s efforts to hold the perpetrators and their sponsors accountable, it would be very difficult to bring the violence to a permanent end.”

Students of Government Girls Secondary School Doma, Gombe State undergoing training on waste to wealth organized by Jewel Environmental Initiative (an NGO) on Saturday in Gombe.

Photo: NAN

Ekiti: Polytechnic promotes 145 staffers

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he Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, has promoted 145 staff across cadres in the institution.

This was contained in a statement by Ade Adejolu, the Deputy Registrar, Information and Protocol, of the institution in Ado Ekiti on Sunday.

He said that the promotion, which was approved by the Governing Council of the Institution involved 56 academic staff and 89 non-teaching staff.

Mr Adejolu said that the academic staff involved included 13 new Chief Lecturers, 10

Principal Lecturers, nine Senior Lecturers, 12 Lecturer (I), one Chief Instructor and a Chief Technologist amongst others.

Those promoted in the nonteaching cadre included one Principal Assistant Registrar, one Chief Internal Auditor, two Chief Accountants, one Chief Laboratory Scientist and one Assistant Chief Accountant.

Others are three Assistant Chief Executive Officers, one Assistant Chief Coach, three Senior Assistant Registrars, two Senior Accountants and six Assistant Registrars amongst

others.

NAN reports that among the new chief lecturers is the immediate past Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) in the Institution, T.O. Owoeye, who is also the current Head of Department, Office Technology and Management.

Also affected is S.O. Awoyemi, Head of Department, Business Administration and Management.

Other Heads of Department affected are Mr Peter Anthony of the Architectural Technology

department and Mr F.O. Oladipo of Quantity Surveying department.

Other new Chief Lecturers included Mr J.A. Otalu of the Department of General Studies; and Mr T.A. Ayelegun of the Department of Agric. & BioEnvironmental Engineering and Deputy Director, Centre for Entrepreneurship Development and Vocational Studies.

Adejolu said that the promotion exercise cuts across various schools and departments in the institution.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

PAGE 10

news

RTEAN urges smooth relationship among govs, senatorselect

Nigeria Prisons Service interview for job seekers begin March 18 T he Nigeria Prison Service (NPS) is set to conduct interviews for shortlisted candidates who applied for recruitment into the service from March 18 to March 23.

A statement in Port Harcourt

by Juliet Ofoni, the NPS Public Relations Officer, Rivers

Command, disclosed that the six days exercise would begin at the State Prisons Headquarters, Ikwerre Road.

Mr Ofoni said that the interview would start with Superintendent and Senior Inspector Cadre from March 18 to March 19.

She said that those on Inspector Cadre would take their turn from March 20 to March 21 at the same venue.

Similarly, candidates for the Assistant Cadre would be interviewed from March 22 to March 23.

Ms Ofoni advised candidates

to bring their mode of identification; printed reference slip; originals of submitted certificates; plain white t-shirt; shorts; socks; a pair of canvass; and a 2B pencil for the interview.

She, however, did not indicate the number of candidates involved in the exercise.(NAN)

By Albert Akota

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he Executive National President of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Comrade Osakpamwan Eriyo has congratulated all governors elect regardless of the platform on the just concluded governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections held on the 9th of March, 2019.

The RTEAN boss, said he hopes that both the re-elected and the new ones on all political platforms should jettison party politics and join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari in his new policies and slogan of taking Nigeria to the next level.

In a press statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ben Ogbemudia, Comrade Osakpamwan Eriyo said the re-elected governors and the new ones were based on the trust by their people hence the will of their people should always be a priority in dispensing the dividends of democracy.

He also advised the National Assembly elect members to build a strong and good working relationship with the Presidency in order to fast track the country economy.

“Let the principles of the party and governance take supreme over personal interest.

He said as federal legislators, party politics should be put aside in performing their legislative duties and bearing in mind that Nigeria is bigger than anybody.

Comrade Eriyo therefore urged the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, politicians and especially the youths to be calm ahead of the rescheduled elections in some states for 23rd of March, 2019 as Nigeria remains only home for us all.

Acting Sailing Keeper (SK), De Norsemen Kclub International (DNKI), Abuja Chapter, Mr Kolawole Otedola (4th,R), with some members of the association during their condolence visit to the family of late SK of the association, Mr Okechukwu Kalu, yesterday in Abuja .

Photo: NAN

Mass Movement for New Nigeria congratulates El-rufai on reelection From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

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he Mass Movement for New Nigeria (MM4NN) has joined millions of citizens of Kaduna state in felicitating with Governor ElRufai on his reelection.

The Movement said ElRufai’s victory was Welldeserved.

Kaduna State Coordinator and Secretary MM4NN, Alhaji Sulaiman Arugungu and Amb.

Abubakar Funtua stated this in a statement made available to the media in Kaduna yesterday.

The statement said that as keen observers of the style of administration of Governor Nasir El Rufai for almost four years in the state, they are convinced that the people appreciate his commitment to run a people oriented government that touches the entire twenty-three local government areas.

“It is therefore our sincere

believe that the renewal of your tenure for another four years is a testimony of the people acceptance of your leadership.

“Since your re-election for the second tenure shows the implicit confidence the people of Kaduna repose on you, it is also an eloquent endorsement of the good works you have been doing and many more you are about to do.

“The movement believes that the victor belongs to the whole

people of Kaduna state, not to the All Progressive Congress (APC) members alone because the entire state acted as one to enable you win the election convincingly.

“We therefore call on the opposition party to embrace the call by Governor Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai for everyone to join hands with the government in order to continue his good work in the service of the people,” the statement said.

Deputy Senate president: Benue Ndigbo woos APC support for Senator Gaya

By Ese Awhotu

T

he Ibos in Benue state have called on the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) to support Senator Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya (APC Kano South) for Deputy Senate President.

It was learnt that the call to support Senator Gaya became necessary because of the committeemen of Senator Gaya, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Works to tackle the erosion menace in the South-east.

A very influential business Ibo man, Chief Ikenna Obi said that the Igbos are pleased with Senator Gaya’s humanness as a federal lawmaker, adding that an autonomous community in Enugu state realising this fact, honoured the senator last year with a chieftaincy title because of his contributions to the South-east.

He said that it is the belief of Igbos that if Senator Gaya becomes the deputy Senate President, the aspiration of Igbos in the ruling party will become a hope comes true.

They appealed to the ruling party that any other candidate for the Deputy Senate Presidency could be a slight on the Igbo nation.

On the issue, an Ibo leader in Benue who does not want his name in print said that he has not met with the senator oneon- one in life, but believe that the former Kano governor is a man to be trusted any day and time.

He joined his voice with those who have called on the ruling APC to avoid the mistake of 2015 and elect all APC members

as principal officers of the both houses at the National Assembly for speedy development and the “Change” agenda that brought the party to power in 2015.

He said that if the APC fails to deliver in their second term, there will be no excuses.

He therefore called on the APC to see the senator’s loyalty to the party, his belief on President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision for Nigeria, the record and experience qualify him as the next Deputy Senate President to take Nigeria to the next level of development.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

PAGE 11

Letter to the Editor

EDITORIAL

I

Implement the new minimum wage

t is no longer news that the President, a strike by workers under the aegis of Muhammadu Buhari, has endorsed N30, NLC and TUC. It was called off after two 000 as the new minimum wage. It is a days when the talks were resumed. A benchmark requiring employers not to N30, 000 benchmarked proposed by pay a wage less than that. The current the federal government was opposed by benchmark is N18, 000, enacted in 2011. state governors. Workers strike action The President, in his comments after was averted only after the committee was receiving a report submitted to him by the hastily recalled to send a recommendation Chairman of the Tripartite Committee on to President Buhari.

National Minimum Wage, Ama Pepple, “I am not surprised that the committee has assured that his government would worked for close to one year. I am also find a way to implement the new wage not surprised that on a few occasions, the bill regardless of the nation’s economic debates got heated and sometimes, these challenges. According to him, the differences came out. welfare of the workers is of “paramount Buhari, recalling the difficulties that importance”. He assured that a new surrounded the talks, said “What is truly Minimum Wage Bill would be forwarded inspiring is that, in almost all instances of to the National Assembly for passage into disagreements, the committee members law. always came back to the negotiating table Recall that On 27th November 2017, Buhari with a common goal of improving the inaugurated the National welfare of Nigerian workers.

Minimum Wage Committee On behalf of all Nigerians with a mandate to recommend today, I want to thank you a new minimum wage. “This for your commitment and exercise became necessary sacrifice in getting us to for many reasons”, he said. where we are today. In the “The last review took place in past few days, I have been I am not 2011. We all know since then, receiving regular updates the prices of key consumables on your deliberations. And surprised that have increased and the most today, I am pleased that vulnerable of our workers the committee you have completed your are struggling to make ends work in a peaceful and nonmeet. Since 2011, many has worked for confrontational manner. changes have taken place.

The entire nation is grateful Nigeria rebased its GDP to you all. close to one to become the largest economy “The Committee Chairman in Africa. We reported very year. I am also highlighted some of the strong GDP growth rates and challenges encountered exceptional performance of during your deliberations, not surprised our capital markets. However, especially as it relates these reported successes did to having a consensus that on a few not flow into the pockets position acceptable by and homes of majority of occasions, the all parties. I understand, Nigerians. on the government side, “In the last three years, we focused the concerns raised were debates got on correcting this deficiency. around affordability – that We are working to create today many states struggle heated and a diversified and inclusive to meet their existing salary economy. We are pushing to requirements. On the side sometimes, clear pension arrears owed to of labour, the points raised our retired workers with the focused on the need for any these limited resources available increase to be meaningful. to us. We supported State “In a way, both arguments differences Governments to pay workers are valid. I want to assure you salary. And of course, we set all that we will immediately came out. up a committee in order to put in place the necessary review the minimum wage of machinery that will close workers. out these open areas. Our plan is to “In constituting this committee, we took into transmit the Executive Bill to the National account the need for all stakeholders Assembly for passage within the shortest to be adequately represented – the possible time. I am fully committed to government, the private sector and most having a new National Minimum Wage importantly the workers. Our goal was Act in the very near future. Let me use this to get an outcome that was consensual. opportunity to recognise the leadership of From the onset, we knew the committee the organized labour and private sector had a difficult task ahead of it. But at the as well as representatives of State and same time, we were also confident that the Federal Governments for all your hard patriotic and professional background of work. The fact that we are here today, is a its members would produce realistic, fair notable achievement.” and implementable recommendations that An achievement, indeed. It is the result of will be considered by both the executive courage, persistence and sometimes and legislative arms of government.” even threat. However, a final hurdle has In truth, the discussions were without to be scaled. The National Assembly has rancor. Once, the minister of labour and to turn the proposed new NMW into a productivity stopped the talks without piece of legislation. This, we urge it to do offering any explanation. That led to expeditiously.

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This carnage on our roads

By Oliver Ejike Uja

T

he Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in a release on February 20, 2018 stated that 2,489 people lost their lives in the 4th quarters of 2017 in road mishap across Nigeria.

One hundred and eight of the victims are children. Similarly, there were 3,404 victims in 826 road accidents in which 456 died according to the Federal Road safety Corps (FRSC) report released on April 12 2018 and the agency also revealed that 215 people were killed on Lagos – Ogun road corridor alone between January and June 2018. Scores of people were burnt to death and 20 vehicles burnt when a fuel tanker burst into flame at the Otedola Bridge in Lagos on June 27, 2018. Any road user knows the dangers inherent in travelling in Nigeria roads. And the evidence is there along the roads in the number of vehicle wreckage. It is Sad. This is not just about number but about life cut in their prime, children orphaned, lives wrecked, pain and manpower lost.

Nigerians are very religious people and they hand over their problems to God, sit back and wait for miracles.

They attribute any problem or unpleasant events to the devil hence at the commencement of a journey or opening for the days business devil must be ‘fired, bound and cast’ to ensure smooth business. However, one need to observe carefully what happens in many of our bus terminals or motor parks to understand the true nature of our religiosity. In most motor parks hawkers, shops and adjourning street are known to be outlets for sale and consumption of alcohol and psychotropic substances.

When the vehicle is set to depart for the journey, some of the drivers emerge from the joints direct into the driver’s seat.

A mobile preacher or pastor hanging around steps up to pray for smooth journey and to render devil and all ‘principalities and powers’ likely to cause misfortunes and accident powerless.

The passengers choruses amen to every prayer point, some yelling and shaking in convulsing seizures. To them the age worn cliché “heaven help those who help themselves” makes no sense at all.

Whenever there is a serious road mishap, the man in the street is quick to blame bad road and the government but in reality human error is responsible for 70% of the carnage in our roads. Many drivers in Nigeria are like undertakers arranging and taking commuters to their final resting place where the commuters will rest in peace. The FRSC report indicates that human error is to blame for most ghastly accidents. It lists speed violation, tyre burst, dangerous driving, and wrongful overtaking as responsible for most accidents and bad road which is commonly and erroneously held responsible came in distant 9th on the list. Most accidents involve commercial vehicles contrary to the widely held believe that private vehicles and drivers are more prone to accident.

Accidents occur more in good roads and this can be attributed to some factors. When the underage or teenage drivers who can hardly read or write, does not know traffic signs and rules; when many especially commercial

vehicle drivers are so fetish and strongly believe that charms and amulets by a native witch doctor makes drivers invincible and come out unhurt in the event of an accident; when lots of drivers feel that they drive better when under the influence of psychotropic substances; when the transporters motivation for profit subsumes safety considerations; we then have a recipe for the mayhem we often see on our roads. I was in one of the private transport companies’ bus terminal when a detachment of FRSC men came for a sensitisation campaign.

It was a short powerful presentation by the team’s leader. However, I think more effort should be put on monitoring and enforcement because some of these corporately dressed drivers turn a different breed once they hit the highways.

The team also told passengers that they have the right and power to challenge the driver where the passengers have safety concerns. The highly organised transport companies present fewer problems than the loosely organised transporters and vehicle owners which controls the larger chunk of the transport business.

In all sincerity, which passenger in Mile 2, Ojuelegba, Jabi, Nyanya, or Upper Iweka walks to the driver or his men in their sleepy smoke beaten eyes where some are enjoying their morning ritual of monkey tail, ogogoro, shepe or awopa to challenge them about safety issues in their vehicles? For all the major agencies saddled with the responsibility of ensuring safety, it is a daunting task and they have been doing their best but a change of tactic and strategy is required.

In addition to other existing traffic law in this regard, it is important to give commuters the legal right, power and backing to take up any transporter and their union when they present vehicle that is likely to endanger lives. This will save a lot of life and limbs because so empowered, road users will take their destiny in their hands. This makes the job of enforcement easier for the agencies.

More enlightenment and education should be taken to the stakeholders.

Some actions suggest that some union in the sector are over – protective of their airing members by shielding, aiding and abetting them in breach of traffic rules and other criminality. We have witnessed some drivers taking the laws into their hands by blocking high ways and causing untold hardship to road users because of some of their members who are at the wrong side of the law. Union members have unleashed violence on towns just because of the association’s internal matters. Some of them act with impunity on the road. Articulated lorry and truck drivers are the worst offenders. And for sanity on our roads, the law must always stand supreme.

Enforcement of relevant traffic rules and safety standard need to be stepped up because one need not be an auto engineer or vehicle safety expert to see that many vehicles on our road falls short of the required standard. But for now, road users will continue praying and going to thanksgiving whenever they reach their destinations safely.

Uja is a research officer and lives in Abuja

PAGE 12

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

Things I couldn’t say at Pius Adesanmi’s candlelight By ‘Tope Fasua

I

t was a fairly easy decision for me to take when I was asked by organizers of Pius Adesanmi’s candlelight vigil at Abuja, to allow Senator Bukola Saraki who just arrived, speak ahead of me. It was perhaps the quickest and easiest ‘NO!’ I ever said. I then quipped that Pius would never have agreed – for some political genuflecting at such an event. I wish I had had time to tell them more but things moved on swiftly. There is always a risk of such events being hijacked and devalued by ‘men of power’, who stood diametrically against the beliefs of the person being honored in absentia, and then use such opportunities basically to say sweet nothings to gain cheap popularity.

I still got to chip in a few words, despite being constantly heckled by one of the organizers who may have been piqued by my refusal to step down for a moment for the outgoing Senate President. I just didn’t feel any need to revere anyone else at the death of an icon. Or is Pius dead? I don’t think so. And I said as much. Pius chose not to die. This friend of mine chose the path of global fame and immortality. Of the 157 people who went with that unfortunate crash, I could argue that he has been mourned the world over more than anyone – though everyone is equally very important (even the children). I told the crowd that Pius stood for humanity, and as a thinking man, he understands clearly that his people, Nigerians, should not be where they are today on the scale of development and in the global food chain.

You see, many people read things and just do not get the message. Pius Adebola Adesanmi in my view, expressed serious indignance at Nigeria’s deliberate, decisive and unpardonable underachievement even if he wrote with uncommon humor. God forbid that anyone sees Pius as just a humorist, or a great satirist.

He was a revolutionary; a Che Guevara with a pen or a laptop. Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1839) said the pen was mightier than a sword. So he was probably ahead of Che. I will return to this, for Pius confirmed that himself.

Adesanmi’s reach was global and contemporary.

He rallied young and old behind him. He was perhaps the most compelling fisher of men who graced this patch of earth called Nigeria in recent times. He sought to draw something profound out of his readers.

He wanted us to THINK. Unfortunately, we seem not

to be wired for that. I am not sad. I only have fleeting moments of profound despair at the probability that Nigeria’s mediocrity saw the back of this great young man – and that he may have been sad that he didn’t achieve his heart’s desires for Nigeria in his lifetime.

But the bell tolls for me too. I only still have panic attacks that Pius may have been scared to realize that he had attained such global importance and such pivotal centrality to the emancipation of his people in Nigeria, that fate decided it was all over for him at 47.

Even Jesus Christ, the Son of God, had a moment of despair as he was tortured and crucified, to the extent he shouted “Eli, Eli, lama sabachatani!?” (My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?!).

But something tells me that Pius would have found another uniquely humorous and profoundly reflective moment in the final seconds as the Boeing plane lost control and headed for the earth. At that last moment on this sinful earth, I know that Pius would have found the courage to still be a philosopher, just as he was in the car accident which saw him being the sole survivor just a few months back. He would have composed a poem in his head, even as the ill-fated plane made contact with mother earth. Still, why did the heavens need Pius so badly?

Tise, his daughter has only been thrust onto the path of greatness at such a tender age. She could never be a mediocre daughter of a great man. Ditto Mrs Pius Adesanmi can no longer be the quiet wife of departed warrior. She has a lot of lectures to now give.

The world will want to know her insights into a man so great, so affective, so global in impact; a man who was ready to sacrifice more and more for humanity to the extent that he sacrificed his very life. Pius’ mum in Isanlu, I don’t know how she will cope with this. I just don’t. It will be tough to make this rapid transition, but again the path that my brother Pius chose, is the path of greatness, and immortality. And that path chose him, and dragged everyone truly close to Pius along that same narrow trail. With the influence he wielded, and the impact he had on so many lives, he died a hero, and if he had lived in old Grecian times, or just a few centuries back in this same Nigeria, they would have had nighttime stories about him, as a legend, as a ranking god, to be remembered, revered, worshipped, even carved out in effigies. That was the path he chose; a path of international recognition and unforgettability.

At the candlelight vigil, even my mic stopped working. My thoughts were constantly interrupted. I could have taken umbrage but I won’t. Pius sought me out. He mentioned me in his column even before I took profound notice of his writings. It was his speech at the Afenifere Renewal Group meeting in 2011, which he titled “Ti Oluwa Ni Ile”. He mentioned my name more than twice as he described ‘Omoluabi-hood’.

He probably saw something in poor, humble me. It was through Pius I first heard of Bamidele AdemolaOlateju, who will later bring us into direct contact at her 50th birthday anniversary. On that day it felt like I was with a long-lost brother as we chatted away. Pius was always happy. He cracked me up constantly. We couldn’t find enough time that day. Pius promised to stay in touch and he did. He asked that I visit him in Canada but that is not to be.

Did Pius have a premonition of his passing?

He had his birthday about two weeks before this incidence. Even after the birthday, he found cause to still celebrate. He took beautiful pictures and shared on Facebook. I recall wondering then why he was doing that, for a fleeting moment. Then on the D-Day he shared that Bible verse – an unusual action as he couldn’t be described as overly religious. The article that was published in his column in Tribune on that day spoke of his frustrations when he said he wrote and strove to get Nigeria to work though it seemed everything was futile. He concluded that he hoped in hundreds of years from now archaeologists will discover some of his writings and admit that at least one person thought profoundly of the liberation of Nigeria; that we did not all go to sleep with our brains in one direction. Did he have premonitions?

I am glad to have known such a warrior up close; one of the greatest Generals, not in the Nigerian military service, but in the Nigerian emancipation revolutionary force, with purview for all black people, all minorities, all vulnerable people, and all humanity at large. Pius himself knew who he truly was; he knew his spiritual lineage. I believe he conversed at night with some higher deities who drew him to their ranks.

Hear him in the same speech which he titled ‘Ti Oluwa Ni Ile”: I am sure you all know the story of Atunda in Yoruba mythology: the servant of the Orisa Nla who rebelled against slavery and servitude, rolled a boulder over his slave master, and broke him to

pieces. The shattered god became multiple gods and deities in a cosmological process of renewal.

By opening his eyes and looking within, Atunda answered Bob Marley’s question: are you satisfied with the life you are living? Atunda was not satisfied with the life he was living, he was not satisfied with his situation, hence his foundational rebellion. This explains why Wole Soyinka and Funso Aiyejina have argued that in Atunda the Yoruba gave the world the first revolutionary, the first iconoclast, the first progressive agitator, the first subject in history who resisted and rejected oppression, the first agent of change and rebirth. Aiyejina even considers Atunda the predecessor of Che Guevara, Martin Luther King, Marcus Garvey, Frantz Fanon, Amilcar Cabral, and Eduardo Mondlane. Atunda snatched order from the jaws of primordial chaos.

File up Pius, as you must have already done, behind and in the middle of these all-time greats.

For you rebelled against slavery and servitude, you answered Bob Marley’s question for your people and resisted the dehumanization on our behalf even when you were clearly comfortable. Yes you are a revolutionary, an iconoclast, a progressive agitator, an agent of change and rebirth. Your struggle is about how we can snatch order from the jaws of primordial chaos especially in Nigeria.

Pius does not need our tears. He does not need mere flowery words. As we are wont, we shall soon forget him if we take that route. His rampant interventions and manner of departure says only one thing; NEVER FORGET ME. First Pius needs a monument all over Nigeria – in as many communities as are ready to accept him. We can come together and fund this. Then we must understand that his manner of departure suggests strongly that this should be a point of turnaround for Nigeria. What are we doing to ensure his ideas for Nigeria come to reality? What are we doing to ensure we carry the torch and that Pius’ country of birth stops being the global example of everything bad – poverty, inequality, filth, chaos, tribal warfare, religious bigotry, hunger, waste, irresponsible governments, intellectual mediocrity?

This is the serious question. If we do nothing, then we would have let Pius down, and he will haunt us.

Coming back to earth, Pius’ type of personality is known in human resources as a Resource Investigator.

Election 2019: Reminiscence of voided votes and inconclusive State polls

By Rafiq Raji

T

urnout was abysmally low in the March 9 governorship elections. The militarisation of the process and voter disillusionment on the back of the February 23 presidential election have been blamed for this. That is apart from the typical disinterest associated with state elections, owing to the overbearing influence of so-called political godfathers on the process.

It is somewhat bizarre how the states in which governorship elections were declared inconclusive, namely Kano, Sokoto, Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, and Plateau, either had the main opposition Peoples Democractic Party (PDP) candidate in the lead, or the PDP candidate had a fighting chance at winning, or the states were strongholds of the PDP. And almost consistently, the gubernatorial candidates who expressed satisfaction with now upcoming re-runs, were mostly from the All Progressives Congress (APC), while those who were displeased were mostly from the PDP. In Adamawa, the PDP’s Ahmadu Fintiri got 367,471 votes, while the APC’s Jibrila Bindow, the incumbent, got 334,995 votes. As the margin of 32,476 votes was less than the cancelled votes of 40,988, the Adamawa election was declared inconclusive.

In Bauchi, the APC’s Mohammed Abubakar, the incumbent, garnered 465,453 votes, while the PDP’s Bala Mohammed received 469,512 votes.

The poll was also declared inconclusive, as the 4,059 votes margin is lower than the number of cancelled votes.

In Sokoto, the PDP’s Aminu Tambuwal, the incumbent, got 489,558 votes, while the APC’s Ahmed Aliyu garnered 486,145 votes. With the margin of 3,413 votes between the pair, less than the cancelled votes of 75,403 votes, the Sokoto poll was also declared inconclusive.

In Benue, incumbent Samuel Ortom of the PDP secured 410,576 votes, while the APC’s Emmanuel Jime got 329,022 votes. Similarly, as the margin of 81,554 votes between the pair was lower than the 121,019 cancelled votes, the poll was declared inconclusive.

In Plateau, incumbent Simon Lalong of the

APC received 583,255 votes against 538,326 votes for the PDP’s Jeremiah Useni. With cancelled votes of 49,377 more than the margin between the two of 44,929 votes, the poll was equally declared inconclusive.

While the final collation at the state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in each of the states followed the Commission’s guidelines in ruling as such, it is also noteworthy that the key variable in coming to these decisions is the number of cancelled votes; which is rules-based but discretionary, and typically done at the respective collation centres.

And since the basis for cancellations is well-known, political actors could quite easily engineer events to make them happen.

Of course, a rebuttal by those who favour the ‘inconclusive’ decisions is that if the aggrieved parties were really that popular, they would have had unassailable leads that voided votes would hardly be able to change. As re-runs tend to favour incumbents, however, those who argue that some state interference was involved can hardly be blamed as well.

So while the opposition PDP has made a determination to protest the bizarre trend, it might be more important for it to put in greater resources and efforts towards winning the soon-tobe scheduled re-runs, which must take place within the statutory 21 days from March 9. In any case, if it has evidence of wrongdoing, the courts are also at the disposal of its candidates.

What is abundantly clear is that the quality of the 2019 elections would have been greatly enhanced had the amended electoral law been assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Now that he has won re-election, Mr. Buhari should do the great service of, first, signing the amended electoral bill that was forwarded to him ahead of the 2019 polls, before the end of the current legislative term.

Second, the insights garnered from the likely numerous election petition tribunals across the country should be incorporated into a second amendment to the signed amended electoral law, which should be assented to by the president during the upcoming legislative term but before

the end of 2019.

In other words, political stakeholders should not now wait again until the 2023 elections are about, before making amendments to what is clearly a flawed electoral process.

The service required of the PDP is to go to the tribunal for all the elections it considers to be below par, with the primary intent of ensuring that the process becomes fairer; and thus only seeing potential wins of mandates for its aggrieved candidates as additional gains.

Jagaban Redeems Himself In Lagos In Lagos, the ruling APC pulled its weight this second time around, with its gubernatorial candidate, Babajide Sanwo-Olu getting 739,445 votes, and beating the main opposition PDP candidate, Jimi Agbaje, who garnered 206,141 votes.

In the presidential election, the APC secured 580,825 votes in Lagos, while the PDP received 448,015 votes. Clearly, the APC upped its game in the second vote. More importantly, Mr. Agbaje was quick to congratulate Mr. Sanwo-Olu on his victory; a good end to a good fight.

Also note how the sum of votes for the APC and PDP in Lagos for the two elections was virtually the same. In the presidential election, both parties’ sum of votes was 1,028,840, while in the governorship, it was 945,586; about 1 million in each case.

So clearly, some of the votes that went to the PDP in the presidential election moved to the APC in the governorship poll.

APC’s poor showing in the presidential poll in Lagos was clearly a wake-up call for the leaders of the party, who were perhaps getting a little complacent. A video recording of one of the postmortem meetings of the party after the poll which I watched, showed party leader, Bola Tinubu (‘Jagaban’) calling out the leaders of each of the key sections of the state, publicly applauding those who came through for the party in their areas of responsibility and deriding those who did not.

Thus, you did not have to be clairvoyant to know it was almost a do-or-die affair for the laggards in the Lagos APC to prove their worth.

Thankfully, they did so in a non-violent manner.

Because unlike the many reports of wanton violence across the country, there was relatively no violence in Lagos.

And the spirit of sportsmanship was clearly displayed by the main opposition PDP candidate, Jimi Agbaje, who called the victor, as soon as it became clear he had lost; that is, even before the official results were announced.

Quietude Wins In Ogun Ogun went to APC in the end. And quite easily too. Proof that turnount at rallies is not a reliable indicator of popularity. The APC candidate, Dapo Abiodun received 241,670 votes, while Adekunle Akinlade of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) got 222,153 votes.

The outgoing governor, Ibikunle Amosun of the APC, who is now a senator-elect, backed the APM candidate. Of course, the APC would be wise to keep Mr. Amosun within the fold. Because since the APM has already announced it would be going to the tribunal to contest the results, the APC could ask Mr. Amosun to stop the court challenge in exchange for the APC lifting his suspension from the party.

Demystification of Okorocha In Imo The main opposition PDP candidate, former deputy speaker of the federal House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, won the day in Imo State, garnering 273,404 votes.

From the look of things, Mr. Okorocha’s popularity was probably a little exaggerated. The candidate he backed, his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu of the Action Alliance (AA) got 190,364 votes. Hope Uzodinma, the candidate of the ruling APC, which is officially Mr. Okorocha’s political party, got 96,458 votes.

But for the divisions in the APC in Imo State, all 286,822 votes, the sum of the votes garnered by Nwosu and Uzodinma, would have given the ruling APC party a clear win in the state.

And not only did hoodlums burn an INEC office in Imo State, it is alleged that Mr. Okorocha forced an INEC returning officer to declare him

PAGE 13

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

Comment

The media, white supremacism, and the bias in defining terrorism

By Kolade Malik Ademola

T

errorism is always unprecedented, it is allotted with motives of killing, maiming, or the use of intentionally indiscriminate violence pursuit as a means to instil terror among masses of people; or fear to achieve a political or religious aim. Though, terrorism may not have a widely accepted definition because perspectives of conception about the word differ, but in a more broadcast sense and with plethora of understandings employed, terrorism is simply an act that is “morally wrong,” but justifiable with mundane reason(s) as a good and worthy course by the perpetrators.

Terrorism, at the beginning of time as a positive connotation, has always been backed by individual reasons and motivation and a notion with political concept and power.

Bruce Hoffman, on terrorism, said ‘it is the pursuit of power, the acquisition of power and the use of power to achieve a political gain and change.’ Terrorism, with word deluge, has been affiliated with the communities of the world since the inception of time, from the Palestine Jews called Sicari ending the despot Roman leadership to the Hashshashin in Syria, Holocaust; genocide of six million Jews perpetrated by Nazi Germany and the Jacobians in France revolution who used terror to eliminate all the counter-revolutionaries who they saw as the enemy of the people. The Klux Khuu Klan (KKK) was not left out to be labeled a terrorist when they posed resistance to the Republican Party’s reconstruction-era policies aimed at establishing political and economic equality for the blacks.

As regards the Media, in retrospect to the

recent terrorist attack in New Zealand, many Media platforms chose carefully the words they took in addressing the perpetrator. Some like Al-Jazeera, BBC, CNN, rather employed shooter, gunman, attacker, in the place of blunt address of “terrorist” and the mouthpiece of the White supremacist, Fox News, initially had nothing on the “shooting.” And thereafter when they had to take the news, they rather chose the headline “‘Terrorist’ Shooting” as if there is that necessity to quote ‘terrorist,’ as if ‘terrorist’ is a strange word to address a white “shooter” who has done something morally wrong.

Also, the constraints that come with the publication of the identity, motivation, history, beliefs of the perpetrators should be rebuked and pulled down. Minutes after the video of the shooting was uploaded online, it was taken down, and only a remnant of it remains – the ones that comes with broadcast motion picture (in a blurry view) by News Agencies, while the raw undeterred video of the 9/11 World Trade Center Bombing still lurks on the internet. In a broadcast sense, why pull down the video?

To hide the heinous act? An exception to the answer is only if the hiding is a means to slap justice and humaneness in the face; only if the hiding is because it is perpetrated by a white supremacist.

The scourge of white supremacism isn’t the focus of discourse, but the condemnation of an absurd act – terrorism that is being buried in the ground. To expatiate on the white supremacism is the Australian Senator Fraser Anning’s tweet which appraised and shifted the blame of attack on Muslim immigration rather than condemning the atrocious act of extremism and terrorism. In his tweet, he said

“the real cause of bloodshed on New Zealand streets today is the immigration program which allowed Muslim fanatics to migrate to New Zealand in the first place.” A remark that may/will fan the flame of violence and extremism in the New Zealand or the world in general.

In Mohamad Elmasry’s “New Zealand mosque attacks and the scourge of white supremacy” he emphasized the failure of the western government to adequately address the growing and constant threat of white supremacy. Furthermore, to buttress his conception of white supremacism, Elmasry said in the article “today’s New Zealand mosque shootings, which killed at least 49 people and were allegedly carried out by white supremacists, are only the latest on a long list of recent acts of white supremacist terrorism. Other abbreviated list of recent acts of white supremacist terrorism includes Robert Gregory Bowers’ killing of 12 Jewish worshippers at a Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2018; Alexandre Bissonnette’s massacre of six Muslims in the Quebec City mosque in 2017; Dylan Roof’s murdering of nine black Christian parishioners in a Charleston, South Carolina church in 2015; and Anders Behring Breivik’s slaughter of 77 people in Norway in 2011.”

Yesterday, the supremacy attack was ethnic cleansing in Rohingya, Burma; Holocaust – killings of Jews by Nazi, today the attack is about religion on Muslim worshippers of Christchurch in New Zealand, and tomorrow, after the Christchurch terrorism act has been buried, the attack may shift, as it has been before, to Black racism where this time race, and not religion is a primary requisite to

exhibiting white supremacy.

In conclusion, White supremacism and the Media bias have always been careful with the choice of words used to qualify terrorist attacks. Various words – massacre, manslaughter, genocide, et al – have been employed to replace the word “TERROR” and words like “gunman, shooter, extremist, attacker, mentally retarded person,” have surrogated for the word “TERRORIST” when astutely the act they have perpetrated is purely the unforgivable act of terrorism. Why have these substitutes come in place for the word Terror? Why has the Media chosen to politely define their act with a perceived fragrance of humaneness or justifiable course? Why has the supremacy been so intent that the victims are hauled with blames of the attacks rather than condolences and consolation? Why can’t we call a spade a spade – call an act of terrorism an act of terrorism, in the stead of hiding the bluntness; choosing a pejorative prejudicial words to define the inhumaneness? Why? Is it because of White supremacism? Or inferiority complex? And the Media, has the bias come because your audience are predominantly the oppressors, and influencers? But if we forget that religion, race, colour, are sheer words employed to create differences, make a distinction of superiority and inferiority, a distinction of predominance; if we have failed to take that forgetfulness into consideration, have we forgotten that there’s a thin strand of tissue – humanity – that connects us all?

These are the throbbing questions that left the vocal cords of the victims, but are left hanging in the air with no response attached.

Kolade Malik Ademola is a Public Policy Analyst.

Ethiopian Airline crash: When stars went down at sunrise

By Owei Lakemfa

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igerian intellectual star, Pius Adesanmi, shone brightly across the globe. The author of Naija No Dey Carry Last, a collection of essays and winner of the Penguin Prize for African Non-Fiction Writing in 2010, was in high demand. He was director of the Institute of African Studies, Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, when on Sunday, March 10, in Addis Ababa, he boarded the Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 302, a new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft for Nairobi.

Our mother continent had sought his expertise at the conference of the African Union’s Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) in Nairobi. The fifteenyear old body is one of the AU’s attempts to transform itself from a union of heads of state, to a union of the African people.

ECOSOCC is structured to mainstream civil societies and labour unions into the AU system. The body is charged with transforming the AU’s principles and policies into concrete programmes. It is also charged with contributing to the promotion of human rights, the rule of law, good governance, democratic principles, gender equality and child rights in the continent.

Which other tribe of people will the AU seek, but committed people of intellect like our dear Professor Adesanmi. But tragically, he never made it to Nairobi.

The aircraft conveying him and 156 earthly souls, took off at 8:38 a.m. faltered, and in six minutes returned to land, a bowl of fire.

Initially, we did not realise that Nigeria had lost one of its brightest because Canada, in realising his huge intellectual capacity and potentials, had made Adesanmi its citizen; so he was flying on a Canadian passport. His death is as devastating as that of another very brilliant Nigerian intellectual, Tajudeen

Abdul-Raheem, who in 2009, was based in Nairobi as deputy director, Africa Office of the UN Millennium Campaign. He was to catch an early morning flight at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport when we lost him in a road accident on the Mombasa Highway, Nairobi.

In this air crash, we also did not realise that we lost our bright Ambassador Abiodun Oluremi Bashua, a 1976 Foreign Service intake who had served in our embassies around the world, including Vienna, Abidjan and Tehran. He also served as secretary to the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change. The UN had realised his potentials and retained him. So he was flying on a UN passport.

The UN lost some two score persons in this crash, not just because the dependable Ethiopian Airlines is one of the best and is known as the “UN Shuttle” on that route, but also for the fact that its environment arm, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was holding a conference in Nairobi the next day.

The aircraft lifted an assemblage that looked like the UN itself as it had on board passengers of more than 35 nationalities.

They included 32 Kenyans, 18 Canadians, nine Ethiopians and nine Britons. Italy, United States and China had eight citizens each and France, seven. As it turned out, Nigeria had two.

Adesanmi was not the only bright African headed for the AU ECOSOCC Conference.

Karim Saafi, 38, a French-Tunisian civil society activist and co-chair of the African Diaspora Youth Forum, was also headed for the conference. He was traveling on a French passport.

So how do we mourn so many? People with bright futures whose expertise the world needed? How do we console their loved ones…except in some cases, some of

those loved ones were with them when the aircraft went down.

Six members of the Canadian DixitVaidya family were on a family holiday to Kenya, where one of them, Kosha Vaidya, 37, was born. She was travelling with her husband, Prerit Dixit, 45; two daughters, Ashka, 14 and Anushka, 13; and parents Pannagesh Vaidya, 71, and Hansini Vaidya, 63. They all died in the crash.

Anton Hrnko, a Slovakian law maker is left to mourn his wife, Blanka; daughter, Michala; and son, Martin. Sahra Hassan Said and her son, Nasrudin Abdulkadir, both dual Somali-British nationals went down with the plane as did a Russian couple, Yekaterina Polyakova and her husband, Alexander Polyakov. Another couple, Jared Mwazo Babu, who founded a Nairobi-based marketing agency, and his wife, Mercy Ndivo, left behind a 15-month-old daughter.

The group president of the Italian based humanitarian organisation, Africa Tremila, Carlo Spini and his wife, Gabriella Viggiani, and its Treasurer, Matteo Ravasio, also died.

Tamirat Mulu Demessie, who served as child protection in emergencies technical adviser of the Save the Children was on board. So also was Sam Pegram, 25, a British aid worker and intern with the Norwegian Refugee Council, based in Geneva.

Hussein Swaleh, a former secretary general of the Football Kenya Federation was the match commissioner in the African Champions League game between Ismaili and TP Mazembe Englebert, in Egypt on Friday. He never made it back to Nairobi.

Anthony Ngare, 49, a journalist, was deputy director of Communications at United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural organisation (UNESCO) in Nairobi. He was returning from a UN conference in Paris. He died, as did Sebastiano Tusa, 66, an Italian underwater archaeologist who was flying to Kenya to work on a project with UNESCO.

Kenyan law student at Georgetown University, Washington DC., Cedric Asiavugwa, who had worked with groups helping refugees in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania was on his way to Nairobi after the death of his fiancee’s mother. He became one more person to mourn.

Joanna Toole, a British 36-year-old environmental campaigner working for the fisheries and aquaculture department of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) was travelling to attend the UN Environment Assembly. Also travelling for the same conference, was Danielle Moore, 24, a member of the clean ocean advocacy group, Ocean Wise. Both did not make it to the conference.

Joseph Waithaka, 55, a Kenyan and British who had relocated to Kenya, on Saturday, went to see his son, Ben Kuria in Croydon, South London, before heading to Addis Ababa for his connecting flight to Nairobi. Of course, he never saw Kenya again. Kuria recalled: “I gave him a hug and shook his hand, because in my culture it’s more about the handshake than it is about the hug.”

Sara Gebre Michael, the lead cabin attendant left for work, leaving behind her husband and three children who are left to mourn her. Senior Captain Yared Mulugeta Gatechew, the main pilot had joined the Ethiopian Airline in November 2007. This turned out to be his last flight.

This tragedy is global and the issue now is not who to blame, but to understand why and how the crash occurred and how to get past what at first glance, seems a failed wrestle between man and computer.

Owei Lakemfa, a former secretary general of African workers, is a human rights activist, journalist and author.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

PAGE 14

news

Yola: We’re investigating threats to Abubakar Zira’s life -Police From Umar Dankano, Yola

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he Adamawa state Police Command has confirmed the receipt of a complaint of alleged threat to life of former General Manager of Adamawa Investment and Property Limited, Mallam Abubakar Zira by yet to be identified men.

Image maker of the Command, SP Othman Abubakar said the Command was investigating the matter with a view to unmasking those behind it for proper prosecution if found wanting.

Abubakar said the matter was being investigated by the Command CID. Speaking on the matter to newsmen

in Yola, Zira said the suspects had on two occasion trailed him in what looked like and attempt to kidnap and kill him.

Zira said the first attempt on him by the unidentified persons was made on December 16 last year on his way to Mosque at the Federal Housing Estate in Yola for morning prayer around 4.30 am, while the second attempt was on February 24 this year while he was returning from his home town Michika to Yola after traveling home to vote in the Presidential and National Assembly election.

He said that he was trailed by some men in a vehicle but was able to escape.

“I have reported the incident to the

Police, DSS, NSCDC and Army.

“I don’t have problem with anybody except the attempt by some unknown persons I believed to be land racketeers in Abuja who cloned or forged the tittle document of my property in Abuja which they attempted to sale.

“The property consist of a 2 storey building of 21 flats at Karu village extension, plot MF 20 covered by Right of Occupancy No. MZIP/LK//99/DD.506.

“I had petitioned the Minister of FCT, Inspector General of Police, DSS and EFCC on the matter.

“I had also through my lawyer written to the Director, Land of Abuja Geographic

Information Systems (AGIS) on the need to place caveat on the property to stop those who forged the tittle documents from using it to defraud innocent and unsuspecting person or persons,” Zira said.

He, however, lamented that the authorities concerned particularly in Abuja seems to be handling the issue with lukewarm attitude.

Zira said that he was highly suspicious that some staff of land office were conspiring with land speculators to dupe people.

He urged the federal government to do something about the development as a matter of urgency.

Elections: NATFORCE urges FG to mop up arms, ammunitions used by thugs

By Paul Efiong, Abuja

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he Director General, National Taskforce on the Prohibition of Illegal Importation of Small Arms, Ammunitions and Light Weapons, NATFORCE, Chief Osita Okereke, has raised the alarm over the huge number of illegal arms and ammunitions as well as fake army and Police uniforms displayed by thugs in the just concluded 2019 general elections.

Okereke warned that unless concerted efforts are made by the government to retrieve the weapons, it is capable of endangering the nation’s security of lives and property.

Speaking during a World Press briefing at the weekend in Abuja, Chief Okereke alleged that kidnapping started in 1999 when politicians bought arms and ammunitions for thugs but later failed to retrieve the weapons from them and advocated for a special court to try those in possession of illegal weapons.

“We have already identified the hideout of these criminals and where these dangerous weapons are hidden and we implore the Chief of Army Staff and the Inspector

General of Police to collaborate with NATFORCE by providing us with their men to fish out these illegal arms and ammunition before it is too late.

“Again as INEC prepares to conduct in some states, we want to plead with the Commission to

carry us along in the conduct of the elections for the purpose of ensuring that that the ugly incident that marred the initial efforts in parts of the country is not repeated again.

He appealed to the National Assembly to expedite action on the passage of the Bill for an Act to

establish the National Commission for the Prohibition of o Illegal Importation of Small Arms and Light Weapons and other related matters.

According to NATFORCE boss, different countries that made up ECOWAS Countries have already passed the Bill into law leaving only

Nigeria and Gambia, maintaining that proliferation of arms portends bad omens for Nigeria and her future.

Reacting to how the menace of illegal arms and ammunition could be moped of in the Country challenged lawmakers in the current two chambers of the National Assembly to expedite action through which his Bill now before them could be passed and subsequently be ascended to by the presidency, then illegal importation of fire arms would be history.

Metropolitan Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan (middle),flanked by Chaplain, St. Luke Chaplaincy, Uniabuja Teaching Hospital Rev. Fr. Justin Nnaji (right), and Rev.Fr. Daniel Ihunnaya of missionary society of saint Paul, Gwagwalada, during the sacrament of confirmation of the seventy Catholic faithful by the Cardinal, recently at St. Luke Chaplaincy, Uniabuja Teaching Gwagwalada Abuja, Photo: NAN

I was never arrested in connection with Sugar’s killing —Oyo Assembly Chief Whip

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he Chief Whip of Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr. Olafisoye Akinmoyede, has said that he was never arrested by the Police in connection with the killing of a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Temitope Olatoye.

Akinmoyede also exonerated himself from the killing, saying he knew nothing about the incident.

Olatoye, popularly known as ‘Sugar’, was killed by unknown gunmen during the March 9 Governorship and House of Assembly elections at Lalupon Area of Lagelu Local Government area of the state.

Akinmoyede contested for the Lagelu State Constituency seat for the second time under the platform of the All

Progressives Congress, but lost to the Peoples Democratic Party candidate.

SEE ALSO: I’m a living witness to his kindness and love for others —Pius Adesanmi’s wife, ’Muyiwa The lawmaker, who has been in detention at the State Criminal Investigations Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan, in connection with the incident, said that he knew nothing about it.

The lawmaker, in a statement issued on Sunday by his media assistant, Mr. Segun Olawale, said that he was not in any way connected with Olatoye’s death.

“Although both of us are from rival political parties, Sugar was my friend, brother and long-time political ally.

“We were together in APC for a very long time before he defected to the

African Democratic Party under whose platform he contested the Oyo South Senatorial election.

“I am a man of peace and this can be attested to by my political associates, my colleagues in the House of Assembly and, indeed, the people of my constituency.

“The fact that Sugar and I are not from the same political party does not mean that we should be at each other’s throats.

“Incidentally, we were not contesting for the same political office.

While he contested for the Oyo South Senatorial seat, I contested for the Lagelu State Constituency for the second term,” he said.

Akinmoyede further explained that he did not hesitate to honour the invitation of the State Police Command at Eleyele,

Ibadan, in connection with Sugar’s death.

He said that he voluntarily walked into the Police Command since he knew that he was innocent as far as the incident was concerned.

He also said it was worthy of note that the unfortunate killing of Olatoye did not happen at his polling unit, Ward 7, Isale Osun, where he had earlier cast his vote.

The Chief Whip said that there was no crisis whatsoever while the voting lasted until the arrival of the late lawmaker in Lalupon town from his Alape village with his ‘boys.’

Akinmoyede, a former Chairman of Lagelu Local Government, called on the Police to intensify their efforts and do thorough investigation with a view to finding Olatoye’s killers.(NAN)

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

81 parties should be scrapped, Falana advises INEC

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senior advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana has reminded the Independent National Electoral Commission that it has wide powers to de-register political parties that failed to scale some minimum electoral tests.

In a statement today, Falana, a leading human rights advocate, said the application of the rules will see the number of political parties cut from 91 to fewer than 10.

Contrary to the widespread belief that INEC has no such power, the human rights lawyer said the power was restored to the agency following the 2017 constitutional amendment.

The learned lawyer recalled how some political parties successfully challenged INEC’s power after the amendment of the Electoral Act in 2010. He said the National Assembly bolstered the commission via the constitutional amendment.

“Disturbed by the mockery of multi party democracy in the country through the unprincipled proliferation of political parties the National

Assembly amended the Electoral Act 2010 to empower INEC to de-register political parties that failed to win any election. Since political parties were registered pursuant to section 222 of the Constitution the suits filed by the affected political parties succeeded as the Federal High Court declared the amendment unconstitutional and set it aside.

Among the grounds are that a party can be de-registered if it breaches any of the requirements for registration and fails to win at least twenty-five percent of votes cast in one State of the Federation in a Presidential election; or one Local Government of the State in a Governorship election.

“However, the National Assembly took advantage of the 2017 constitutional review to reduce the number of registered political parties in the country. Thus, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Fourth Alteration, No 9) Act, 2017 enacted on May 4, 2017 has amended section 225 of

the 1999 Constitution to empower the Independent National Electoral Commission to de-register political parties,” Falana wrote.

Among the grounds are that a party can be de-registered if it breaches any of the requirements for registration and fails to win at least twenty-five percent of votes cast in one State of the Federation in a Presidential election; or one Local Government of the State in a Governorship election.

A party can also be de-registered if it fails to win at least one ward in the Chairmanship election; one seat in the National or State House of Assembly election; or one seat in the Councillorship election.

“From the foregoing, it is indubitably clear that INEC has been conferred with enormous powers to de-register political parties that fail to meet the fresh constitutional prerequisites.

“Going by the results of the 2019 general elections the 91 registered political parties may have been

reduced to less than 10 that may have scaled the constitutional hurdle.

“Not a few people would hail the constitutional amendment in view of the prostitution of the political system by political parties are ill-equipped to promote participatory democracy, economic freedom, human rights and rule of law.

“But it ought to be pointed out that the planned de-registration of political parties that fail to win elections is likely to limit the political space to the so called mainstream political parties that are not committed to any political philosophy or ideology”, Falana said.

Falana, who deplored the opportunism of some political parties, as demonstrated in the last general election, urged INEC to sanitise the democratic space by applying the rules and enforcing relevant provisions of the constitution and the electoral act.

“INEC is called upon to formulate new guidelines for the registration political parties within the ambit of

the Constitution.

“This should be done in view of the fact that not less than 100 political associations are said to have submitted applications for the registration of new political parties.

With respect to registered political parties INEC must fully comply with section 225(2) of the Constitution by sanctioning them if they fail to submit a detailed annual statement and analysis of their sources of funds and assets.

“This will go a long way to check the monetisation and brazen manipulation of the democratic process by political godfathers.

“More importantly, INEC should henceforth exercise its powers under Section 224 of the Constitution by ensuring that the programmes as well as the aims and objects of every political party conform with the provisions of the fundamental objectives and directive principles of State Policy enshrined in Chapter II of the Constitution”, Falana said.

(NAN)

Nigerians will not regret re-electing Buhari – APC UK

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he United Kingdom Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has assured Nigerians that they will not regret re-electing President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term.

Mr Ade Omole, the leader of the chapter, gave the assurance in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.

He thanked Nigerians for voting for President Buhari and all APC candidates in the just concluded elections, saying they made it happen in spite of the antics of opposition political parties.

He, however, said that President Buhari would need the support of well-meaning Nigerians to succeed in his second term in office Omole said it only required the support of Nigerians to guarantee the needed peace to enthrone good governance that would bring about the desired development.

He said that peace was critical to take the country to the next level of economic and infrastructure development and make her the envy of other nations.

Omole said that now that the elections were over, politicians should join hands with the President Buhari-led APC administration, irrespective of party affiliations, to move the country forward in the interest of all.

He said that Nigerians in the Diaspora felt that whatever pains and suffering the people might be going through at the moment would be for the moment.

“Whatever it is we are passing through at the moment, is just a phase which would soon be over with President Buhari on the saddle of leadership.

“All that is required is a bit more sacrifice and support, we are going through refining and like raw gold and we will come out better and shinning,” Omole said. (NAN)

L-R: National Chairman, Action Democratic Party (ADP), Alhaji Yabagi Sani; National Organizing Secretary of ADP, Dr Lynn Olisa; ADP Lagos State Chairman, Mr Adewale Bolaji; and ADP Governorship Candidate in Rivers State, Mr Victor Fingesi, at a news conference on death of late Olatoye Temitope Sugar of ADP, a member representing Lagelu/Akinyele Federal Constituency in Oyo State during the 9th March Governorship and State House of Assembly Elections, at the party Secretariat, yesterday in Abuja . Photo: NAN

Bauchi guber: INEC plotting evil against us – APC

By Umar Muhammad Puma

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eputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Yekini Nabena, said the position taken by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding the governorship election in Bauchi State, is an evil plot against the ruling party.

The electoral body had earlier declare the governorship election inconclusive and set a date for re-run but suddenly changed the decision based on reports

submitted to it by a committee headed

by Barrister Festus Okoye to investigate the issue.

Speaking with newsmen on Sunday in Abuja, APC’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, said his party has rejected the decision taken by the INEC on the governorship election results from Tafawa Balewa local government area.

Nabena said the position taken by INEC contravened the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.

“Considering the letters and spirit of

the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999 as amended), and the INEC Guidelines for 2019 General Elections, INEC is not empowered to reverse any decision taken at the Collation Center by the Returning Officer appointed for that purpose.

“Such decisions can only be reversed by a Court of law, especially when INEC cannot approbate and reprobate,”the party stated.

The party also accused the Festus Okoye-led committee of denying it fair hearing as its agent were not invited

during the hearing to ascertain the circumstances leading to the cancellation of the Tafawa Balewa local government election result.

“The composition of the committee is also questionable as the Committee chairman, Festus Okoye Esq, is a close ally of and ex-personal Solicitor of Hon. Yakubu Dogara of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“No justice can be done by the committee chairman who is interested in the whole issues and the instant circumstances,” he said.

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

POLITICS

Benue rerun election academic exercise, waste of resources Civil Society Group

From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

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civil society group, Centre for Transparency and Social Justice, CTSJ, has alleged that Benue rerun election scheduled to hold on Saturday 23rd March, 2019 would be an academic exercise and a waste of time by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Executive Secretary of CTSJ, Patriot Hundu Bunde who spoke yesterday in Makurdi wondered why the electoral body is deliberately creating dumps to obstruct the free flow of the electoral process in the country.

“The parameter INEC used in declaring the last governorship election in Benue inconclusive has defiled all logic. How can INEC declare an election inconclusive on the grounds that the figure of registered voters in Polling Units, PUs, and Wards where elections were cancelled was 121,019.

“INEC is completely aware and is in possession of the records which clearly indicates that the number of Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs in the 179 Polling Units affected by the cancellations is just over 60,000 while the margin of lead is 81,554.

“We are still in shock over what INEC did in Benue state and other parts of the country where rerun have been scheduled because the parameter used in declaring the election inconclusive was skewed from the beginning which casts doubts on the sincerity of INEC as an unbiased umpire.

“PVCs collected in the affected PUs should be the emphasis and not the number of registered voters since majority of the voters do not have PVCs and it was easy for the INEC to know from its records rather than embarking on an academic exercise, waste of time and resources in Benue state in the name of rerun.

“It is obvious that the PDP governorship candidate won the election with 81,554 and the APC will find it difficult to upturn it. It is unfortunate that INEC because of its ineptitude wants to drag the entire state through another tortuous electioneering process given the level of bitterness that sometimes go with these elections”, Bunde said.

INEC provides more details of Adamawa governorship supplementary election

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he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says the governorship supplementary election scheduled on March 23, would be conducted in 14 local government areas of the state.

Kasim Gaidam, the state’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Yola.

Mr Gaidam said the election would be conducted in 29 Wards

(Registration Areas) and 44 Polling Units where over 40,000 votes were earlier cancelled in the recent governorship selection.

“The Commission had prepared for the Supplementary Governorship election in the state. The election is going to be conducted in 14 LGAs, 29 Wards and 44 Polling Units spread across the state,” Mr Gaidam said.

He listed the local areas to include Yola South, Fufore, Ganye,

Girei, Guyuk and Hong.

Other are Lamurde, Numan, Madagali, Michika, Mubi North, Shelleng, Song and Toungo local government areas.

Mr Gaidam, however, explained that the election was declared inconclusive as provided by law based only on official registered voters, not Permanent Voters Cards collected or accredited voters.

He said: “Other figures being circulated should be disregarded as

only report released by the Returning Officer should be considered.”

It could be recalled that the results of the governorship election announced by INEC Returning Officer, Andrew Haruna, shows that the PDP candidate, Ahmadu Fintiri, scored 367,472 votes, while a total of 334,995 votes was scored by incumbent governor, Muhammad Bindow, the APC candidate.

The margin between them was 32,476 votes. (NAN)

First Bank to face Reps C’ttee over alleged N630m loan forged document

By Christiana Ekpa

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he First Bank top echelon staff are expected to face House of Representatives Committee on Public Petition, on Thursday, over alleged N630million document forgery involving WhitePlains British School, in Abuja.

In a petition dated November 26, 2018 and signed by the school’s Administrator, Dr. Francis Nwufoh, the petitioner disclosed that the bank used forged documents to seal the school over a loan yet to expire.

Recall that the investigative hearing was stalled last week Tuesday to honour Hon Temitope Olatoye who passed on the previous Saturday.

In the petition, it was alleged that the bank unileterally sealed off the school over a N630m loan scheduled to expire on June 12, 2019.

The petitioners asked the committee to address “Why did First Bank of Nigeria file a suit just to claim and take over the School without establishing any monetary debt claim it has against the School? ii) Why did First Bank of Nigeria, an acclaimed Judgment Creditor throw the judgment of our Court to a dustbin and on its own seal up the

School on a Sunday? iii) Why did First Bank of Nigeria allow nefarious persons to deny our future leaders their own “cradle of civilization” School?

The answer is simple. It is the intoxication of unbridled greed and forgery against an unsuspecting Whiteplains British School that

wholeheartedly believed that it was relating with an epitome of noble financial body; a bank.

It was further stated among others that: “Very disturbing in the Bank’s above loan contract with Whiteplains British School is the curious perplexing strange document, a said Tripartite Legal Mortgage suddenly

brought in as if it was part and parcel of the Bank loan arrangements with Whiteplains British School, “The snakey Tripartite Legal Mortgage is said to have been entered into by 1. First Bank Nigeria Plc. 2. Whiteplains British School Ltd. 3. France Lee Nigeria Ltd, styled a Guarantor.

L-R: Zamfara State Governor, Abdul-aziz Yari Abubakar, Senator Ali Ndume Father, Ali Ndume and Former Senate Leader Muhammed Ali Ndume at the weekend , State House Abuja Photo: State House

Benue: Jime accuses PDP of rigging guber polls From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

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overnorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue state, Mr. Emmanuel Jime has alleged that the inconclusive guber and state Assembly elections in the state were rigged in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He particularly accused some top members of the PDP, including the incumbent Governor of Benue State Samuel Ortom, the former Governor Gabriel Suswam, of perpetrating “unprecedented electoral heist ever seen in the history of the state.”

Jime’s allegations were contained in a press statement signed by the Deputy Director of his Campaign Organization, Mr. Kula Tersoo.

According to the statement, Suswam is alleged to have, prior to the polls, activated his link with a section of the militia from his area recruited by the wanted chief terror in the state, Terwase Akwaza aka Gana for the electoral fraud.

•You are just a bad loser - Ortom replies “These militia helped him to intimidate and sack voters from polling centres to pave way for massive multiple thumb printing and general rigging in the five wards of Gaambe Tiev area of Logo Local Government. Eventually, a cooked figure of over 30,000 votes were awarded to Ortom and the PDP while about 2,000 miserable votes donated to Jime and the APC. “Same Suswam, we gathered on good authority connived with the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Benue state and got only his blood relations and kinsmen of Shitile appointed as returning officers in the Benue Northeast senatorial district.

We have the names of these returning officers, their relationship with him and will at the appropriate time, make the list public.

“This also explained why with glaring manipulation of votes,

gubernatorial and House of Assembly results from the Northeast part of the state and particularly, Sankera axis were not cancelled.

“All petitions written against these elections by our collation agents were ignored. The returning officers would always make sure they detach all petitions from form EC40(G) before submitting at the INEC office in Makurdi”, the statement said.

The campaign director alleged that Governor Ortom hijacked electoral materials meant for the three(3) council wards of Nongov; namely, Nzorov, Saghev and Kaambe in Guma Local Government where he manufactured over 28,000 votes for his party and allocated a laughable less than 200 votes for APC. “Heavily armed Livestock Guards were on hand to intimidate voters to sell their PVC. The team raised for that purpose would then use the PVCs

for accreditation and subsequent thumb printing for the PDP. Those who ventured groaned were heavily beaten and threatened to keep their mouth shut.

“Presiding Officers were bribed and coerce to submission. Those who did it for fear of their lives came back and gave us these facts. They also assured that need be, they will not hesitate to testify in court”, the statement noted.

Responding to the allegation against his boss, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Samuel Ortom Terver Akase urged Jime to tender proof of his rigging claims against the Governor and PDP. Akase said Jime knows that he has lost the governorship election and so is resorting to raising unfounded allegation against PDP. “With 81,554 result margin facing him, he knows he is at his wits end.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

Polls: Pressure mounts on Edo PDP chairman to resign By Osaigbovo Benin

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Iguobaro,

oncerned members of Peoples Democratic (PDP), has mounted pressure on Chief Dan Orbih to resign as Edo State Chairman of the party over what it termed “non-winning election syndrome”.

The call was contained in a Communiqué from an emergency meeting in Benin at the Weekend in City, the State Capital.

The Communique by Davison Osas Davison, the Legal Adviser, on behalf of Edo PDP Parliament for Positive Change, recalled the abysmal performance of the party at the March 9, 2019 Governorship and State houses of Assembly elections in the State in which the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared winner of all the contested seats State house of Assembly seats by the Independent electoral Commission.

“It is obvious that the interest of the party is not paramount to Dan Orbih as he has rather continuously benefited from the failure of PDP to win elections.

“We therefore call on Chief Dan Orbih to immediately resign or will be sacked in no distant time”, he said.

He said the door of the concern members is widely open to women and men who are passionate about the Party’s and reverse the 2019 electoral misfortunes.

He promised to build a vibrant, inclusive and transparent Party which would translate to victory in future polls in Edo State.

Part of the Communique reads: “We can no longer fold our hands and allow a group of political merchants to destroy the Party we labored to form and nurtured before the so-called leaders came in from their former political Parties to reap where they did not sow.

“Edo PDP Parliament for Positive Change is irrevocably committed to return the Party to the People from the present hold of the few Cabal.

“Sometimes, when money come to the party, Dan Orbih and few of his cabal pockets good percentage of it such that, in the end, the party hardly have funds to meet its logistics operations and electioneering activities.

They also accused the Chairman of running the party like a Sole Administrator from his own personal house and uses the Secretariat only when there is need for Press Briefing.

He further said the alleged refusal of the PDP Chairman to hold State executive Council meeting since he assumed office, confirmed their suspicion.

“As we speak, the leadership deficiency ranging from non reaching out to very key members of the party as well as those known to playing important roles during electioneering process whenever,

they are in crisis is no more news under the Edo PDP led by Chief Dan Orbih”.

“We are not unaware of the fact that, the Party State Chairman’s second term of four years will elapsed in March 2020”, signalling a total drawback for the Edo PDP in the days ahead.

Recall that the PDP defeated the APC in the State at the 2019 Presidential and National elections in Edo State in addition to the majority of the National Assembly seats in Edo State which were also declared in favour of PDP.

PAGE 17

POLITICS

Okorocha to Ihedioha: Get sworn-in before issuing directives

G

overnor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has cautioned the state governor–elect, Emeka Ihedioha, to desist from giving directives to financial institutions in the state over their dealings with the state government.

Mr Okorocha issued the caution in a release signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, and made available to journalists in Owerri on Friday.

He described the directive

by Mr Ihedioha in Owerri on Thursday as “unfortunate and a

sign of ugly things to come.”

He advised the governorelect to be patient and wait until he was sworn in before issuing directives to financial institutions.

The governor said that “there is a government in place and until May 29, 2019, that government should continue to work in the interest of the state and her people and also continue to carry out programmes and policies for the same purpose.

“To begin to harass or give directives to financial institutions in the state is an act of hostility.

Financial Institutions in the state should disregard such directive and continue to do the right thing and take the right action.

“The best that the governorelect can do is to confront the outgoing government when he takes over on any financial transaction he has reservations at.”

Mr Ihedioha had urged financial institutions in the state not to engage in new transactions with the government and warned that anyone who engaged in such transactions did so at their own risk. (NAN)

INEC announces date for Ekiti Assembly supplementary poll

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday said that it had fixed the only constituency poll for the Ekiti State House of Assembly that was not concluded on March 9 to March 23.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the election in Ekiti East Constituency 1 had been declared inconclusive by the INEC, following reported cases of violence and other factors.

INEC’s Administrative Secretary in the state, Muslim Omoleke, who also doubles as the Commission’s Acting Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state

announced the new date in Ado Ekiti.

He asked political parties that would be participating in the supplementary election to get ready.

He assured the parties that the commission would not deviate from the tradition of neutrality and fairness in the forthcoming supplementary election.

He said that the election would hold in five polling units in the constituency area, in line with the directive from the Chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu.

NAN reports that the election of Ekiti East Constituency 1 was suspended by INEC on March 9,

when the house of assembly and governorship elections were being held across the country.

The INEC official had declared the results in the other 25 constituencies which were in favour of the ruling APC. Mr Omoleke said that INEC would meet with the security agencies during the week and brief them on the need to be well prepared for the conduct of the supplementary election.

He explained that the commission decided to suspend elections in the polling units, thereby making the outcome inconclusive, in line with its promise to be neutral and be fair to all

contenders in any election.

“We are prepared for the election and we will not deviate from the practice of fairness and neutrality to all political parties.

“We will meet the security agencies this week and brief them on how the conduct will look like, so they can plan their own strategies on how to deliver a free, fair and credible election.

“We have already received materials from the headquarters and they are being kept in the Central Bank of Nigeria, the materials are under safe custody.

(NAN)

L-R: Deputy Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Rivers State,Mr Charles Awotu; Chairman, Rivers State PDP, Mr Felix Obuah and the Secretary, Mr Samuel Okpoko during a News conference on the 2019 Rivers State Governorship Election, on Saturday in Port Harcourt . Photo: NAN

Group accepts results of Kaduna gubernatorial election, faults CUPP position

From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

A

group under the auspices of Political Party Chairmen Forum (PPCF) Kaduna state chapter has said that as a forum they have upheld the gubernatorial election in Kaduna state as announced by the returning Officer Professor Muhammad Bello Yahuza.

The PPCF equally urged the general public to also uphold the election results in the state and ignore the press statement

by Coalition of United Political

Parties (CUPP) which called for the cancellation of the election over an alleged irregularities.

Addressing a Press conference yesterday, the PPCF which comprised of 25 political parties said that they find it hard to believe CUPP because of issues bothering on double standard and falsehood.

The PPCF said as a forum, they recognized Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai as duly elected and declared winner of the elections by majority votes.

The PPCF noted that the CUPP in

their recent press statement said that an umbrella of 41 political parties and 18 governorship Candidate joined together to reject results as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

PPCF said that the CUPP are economical with the truth and queried “they claimed that over 650 polling units were cancelled but failed to support their claim with any data that can validate the authenticity of their claims”.

The PPCF claimed that it was

only 19 polling units that were cancelled across the state, adding that “From the claim of CUPP, it is very clear that they are neither at any of the local government where they alleged Smart Card Readers (SCR) were not used.

“Though it is a fact that some polling units were cancelled for refusal to use the card readers, and where some elements forced themselves into a polling unit where they are not registered and threatened INEC staff on duty at Sabo Tasha in Chikun local government Area”.

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

Page 19

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

Stock Watch: Friday, March 15, 2019 Low

OPEN Volume Close High

5.80 6.15 0 3.94 3.94 0 0.27 0.27 0 0.64 0.64 0 8.60 8.60 0 67.00 68.30 0 3.79 4.21 0 9.65 10.05 0 31.50 34.00 0 1.90 1.92 0 18.45 18.45 0 1.72 1.84 0 23.25 23.25 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.20 0.20 0 6.10 6.10 0 1.75 1.75 0 186.00 186.00 0 6.00 6.65 0 14.60 14.55 0 1.80 2.00 0 3.37 3.37 0 4.30 4.70 0 14.00 14.00 0 7.35 7.80 0 1.62 1.65 0 1.91 1.96 0 4.95 4.95 99 0.33 0.33 0 21.85 21.85 0 29.60 30.70 0 0.20 0.20 0 12.20 13.05 0 32.60 32.95 0 72.00 72.00 0 1.18 1.18 0 1.53 1.53 0 31.50 31.50 0 0.51 0.54 0 0.20 0.20 0 23.25 23.25 0 0.44 0.44 0 0.30 0.30 0 1.36 1.36 0 0.72 0.72 0 0.52 0.49 0 1.83 1.83 0 2.45 2.45 0

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5.80 6.00 ACCESS -0.35 3.94 3.94 AFRIPRUD 0.00 0.27 0.27 AGLEVENT 0.00 0.64 0.64 AIICO 0.00 8.60 8.60 BERGER 0.00 67.00 67.00 BETAGLAS -1.30 3.79 3.79 BOCGAS -0.42 9.65 10.05 CADBURY -0.40 31.50 31.50 CAP -2.50 1.90 1.90 CAVERTON -0.02 18.45 18.45 CCNN 0.00 1.72 1.72 CHAMPION -0.12 23.25 23.25 CONOIL 0.00 0.20 0.20 CORNERST 0.00 0.20 0.20 COURTVILLE 0.00 6.10 6.10 CUSTODIAN 0.00 1.75 1.75 CUTIX 0.00 186.00 186.00 DANGCEM 0.00 6.00 6.25 DANGFLOUR -0.65 14.60 14.60 DANGSUGAR 0.05 1.80 2.00 DIAMONDBNK -0.20 3.37 3.37 EKOCORP 0.00 4.30 4.30 ETERNA -0.40 14.00 14.00 ETI 0.00 7.45 7.60 FBNH -0.35 1.62 1.67 FCMB -0.03 1.92 1.98 FIDELITYBK -0.04 4.95 4.95 FIDSON 0.00 0.33 0.33 FIRSTALUM 0.00 21.85 21.85 FLOURMILL 0.00 29.60 29.60 FO -1.10 0.20 0.20 FTNCOCOA 0.00 12.20 12.20 GLAXOSMITH -0.85 33.50 33.50 GUARANTY 0.55 72.00 72.00 GUINNESS 0.00 1.18 1.18 HONYFLOUR 0.00 1.53 1.53 IKEJAHOTEL 0.00 31.50 31.50 INTBREW 0.00 0.53 0.53 JAIZBANK -0.01 0.20 0.21 JAPAULOIL 0.00 23.25 23.25 JBERGER 0.00 0.44 0.44 JOHNHOLT 0.00 0.30 0.30 LASACO 0.00 1.36 1.36 LEARNAFRCA 0.00 0.72 0.72 LINKASSURE 0.00 0.52 0.52 LIVESTOCK 0.03 1.83 1.83 MANSARD 0.00 2.45 2.45 MAYBAKER 0.00

Stock Close Gain UPL 2.14 0.17 LIVESTOCK 0.52 0.03 SOVRENINS 0.21 0.01 OKOMUOIL 80.00 3.80 GUARANTY 33.50 0.55

Low 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

OPEN Volume Close High

Symbol CHANGE

Trades

0.21 0.21 0 0.21 0.21 MBENEFIT 0.00 0 0.43 0.43 0 0.43 0.43 MCNICHOLS 0.00 0 2.05 2.05 261 2.05 2.05 MEDVIEWAIR 0.00 0 184.80 184.80 0 184.80 184.80 MOBIL 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 970 0.20 0.20 MULTIVERSE 0.00 0 3.50 3.50 0 3.50 3.50 NAHCO 0.00 0 18.00 18.00 0 18.00 18.00 NASCON 0.00 0 78.50 78.70 0 79.50 79.50 NB 0.80 0 0.78 0.78 0 0.78 0.78 NEIMETH 0.00 0 2.60 2.60 0 2.60 2.60 NEM 0.00 0 552.20 552.20 150 552.20 552.20 NESF 0.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 0 1,475.00 1,475.00 NESTLE 0.00 0 1.60 1.65 0 1.60 1.60 NPFMCRFBK -0.05 0 4.60 4.80 0 4.60 4.75 OANDO -0.20 0 80.00 76.20 0 80.00 80.00 OKOMUOIL 3.80 0 64.00 64.00 0 64.00 64.00 PRESCO 0.00 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 PRESTIGE 0.00 0 12.30 12.30 0 12.30 12.30 PZ 0.00 0 4.20 4.20 0 4.20 4.20 REDSTAREX 0.00 0 0.20 0.21 0 0.20 0.21 REGALINS -0.01 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 RESORTSAL 0.00 0 0.21 0.23 0 0.21 0.22 ROYALEX -0.02 0 640.00 640.00 405 640.00 640.00 SEPLAT 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.21 0.21 SOVRENINS 0.01 0 46.50 46.00 0 46.50 46.50 STANBIC 0.50 0 102.00 102.00 122 102.00 102.00 STANBICETF30 0.00 0 1.97 1.96 0 1.97 1.97 STERLNBANK 0.01 0 203.00 203.00 0 203.00 203.00 TOTAL 0.00 0 6.10 6.10 632 6.10 6.10 TRANSCOHOT 0.00 0 1.15 1.21 0 1.16 1.18 TRANSCORP -0.05 0 9.60 9.60 0 9.60 9.60 UACN 0.00 0 1.74 1.92 0 1.74 1.74 UAC-PROP -0.18 0 7.60 7.80 0 7.90 7.95 UBA 0.10 0 6.00 6.05 0 6.00 6.05 UBN -0.05 0 2.89 2.94 0 2.89 2.91 UCAP -0.05 0 36.30 37.00 0 36.30 36.30 UNILEVER -0.70 0 0.27 0.27 0 0.27 0.27 UNIONDAC 0.00 0 1.00 0.99 0 1.00 1.00 UNITYBNK 0.01 0 2.04 1.97 0 2.14 2.14 UPL 0.17 0 0.23 0.23 0 0.23 0.23 VERITASKAP 0.00 0 4.50 4.99 0 4.50 4.50 VITAFOAM -0.49 0 11.30 11.50 0 11.30 11.65 WAPCO -0.20 0 0.40 0.40 0 0.40 0.40 WAPIC 0.00 0 0.59 0.61 0 0.59 0.61 WEMABANK -0.02 0 21.20 22.70 0 21.70 22.50 ZENITHBANK -1.00 0 Copyright © 2019 NgTradeOnline

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Stock Close Loss DIAMONDBNK 1.80 -0.20 BOCGAS 3.79 -0.42 VITAFOAM 4.50 -0.49 DANGFLOUR 6.00 -0.65 UAC-PROP 1.74 -0.18

41bn Barrels of Crude Oil remain untapped -Baru

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, has stated that 41billion barrels of crude oil and 319trillion cubic feet of gas are yet to be discovered in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The NNPC GMD stated that from available information, the African global crude oil and gas outlook remained positive and on the upward trajectory, saying the West Africa as the Sub-Region held the ace in terms of offshore Deep Water exploration hotspots.

Dr. Baru was quoted in a statement issued by Ndu Ughamadu in Abuja to have made the disclosure during a special session on Africa, entitled: “Foundations for New Investment”, at the ongoing 19th CERAWeek Conference taking place in Houston, United States.

He stated that a prolific 1.0Billion barrels of crude oil find was recently made at the Owowo field, offshore Nigeria.

He called on foreign investors to explore the Nigerian UltraDeep terrain which he described as largely untested.

Dr. Baru told his audience that in Nigeria NNPC was currently drilling Kolmani River-II Well in the Benue Trough - one of Nigeria’s several frontier inland Basins with about 400 Bcf of gas expected to be encountered.

The occasion also provided an opportunity for the NNPC GMD to make a case for the domestication of oil and gas technologies within the African continent.

He said: “It is my belief that domesticating these cutting-edge technologies will develop the capacity of our people, improve our economies and emplace our national oil and gas companies

on the path of sustainable growth and development.”

According to the GMD, African countries must react positively to the new reality by deploying new policies and stabilize their business environment to attract meaningful investments.

He said critical to achieving that for Nigeria was the passage of the four components of the

Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) which is expected to usher in a new legislation that will not only enhance the investment climate in the country, but also change the fortunes of the nation’s oil and gas business for the better.

Baru informed delegates at the conference that the NNPC was opening up its business environment to ensure

transparency and accountability in its dealing with all stakeholders.

He also lauded the Federal Government for its peace initiatives in the Niger Delta communities which he said had seen the country hitting very high oil and gas production figures in recent years.

Ministers and high level energy executives from Mali,

Somalia, Namibia and Uganda were among panelists at the Special Session.

Organised by IHS Markit, CERAWeek is a global platform on energy trends and public policy where over 4,000 oil and gas experts convene annually to debate the future of oil, natural gas, renewable energy, power and new technologies.

L-R: DimejiOsingunwa, Commercial Director, Mouka Limited; Dr. Rufai Ahmad, National President, Nigeria Society of Physiotherapy; ToluOlanipekun, Senior Manager Marketing, Mouka Limited; and Raymond Murphy, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mouka Limited at the company’s commemoration of World Sleep Day, recently in Lagos

Dangote, Chevron Nigeria sign pact on Gas Supply

D

angote Fertilizer Limited has entered into a longterm agreement with Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) for the delivery of Natural Gas from Chevron’s supply portfolio to the fertilizer plant, which is poised to start operations soon.

The contract, under the Gas Sale and Aggregation Agreement (GSAA) is part of International Oil Company (IOC)’s gas obligation to the domestic market through the Gas Aggregation Company Limited (GACN).

The signing ceremony, held at the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) office in Lagos, was executed on behalf of the parties by Group Executive Director, Strategy, Capital

Projects & Portfolio Development, Dangote Industries Limited, Devakumar Edwin; Chairman/ Managing Director, Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), Jeffrey Ewing; Head, Gas Monitoring & Regulation Division, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Sanya Bajomo; and Managing Director/CEO, Gas Aggregation Company Nigeria Limited (GACN), Engr. Morgan Okwoche.

Dangote Fertilizer Limited, which is ready to be commissioned before the end of this year, will produce 3.0 million metric tonnes per annum (mmtpa) of Urea.

The fertilizer plant consists of twin train, with each single train having a capacity of 1.5 million tonnes per annum of Urea and

Ammonia, which makes each of them the largest train available in the world. Hence the total capacity of the plant is 3 million tonnes per annum, and it sits on an area of 500 hectares.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Group Executive Director, Strategy, Capital Projects & Portfolio Development, DIL, Devakumar Edwin, commended the Managing Director of GACN for his role in the new business relationship between Dangote Fertilizer Limited and Chevron Nigeria Limited.

He said the company is looking forward to having a longterm relationship with Chevron Nigeria Limited as well as synergies in other upstream and

wider areas of operations in the oil and gas sector.

Chairman/Managing Director, CNL, Jeffrey Ewing commended GACN, DPR for helping with the signing of the gas supply agreement. He said: “We are looking forward to working with Dangote Fertilizer and maintaining a good relationship with the company.

This agreement is very important for the country and Chevron is committed to Nigeria’s economic development.”

The Managing Director/ CEO, GACN, Morgan Okwoche, expressed delight to be part of the domestic gas agreement.

“This is the beginning of fruitful relationship between Dangote

Fertilizer Limited, Chevron Nigeria Limited and other parties.

I am excited that this is happening during my term in office. You cannot imagine my satisfaction in having this contract signed at this time,” he said.

Head, Gas Monitoring & Regulation Division, DPR, Sanya Bajomo, said: “I am glad that GACN, Chevron and Dangote have signed this gas supply agreement. I want to say that this gas supply agreement is an issue of national interest and what happened today is going to be transmitted to the presidency.

I believe everybody is going to benefit from this agreement when the fertilizer plant starts operation.”

BUSINESS

Page 20

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

NNPC records N12.1bn Trading Surplus in December

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday announced that it recorded N12.13billion Trading Surplus in December, 2018, even as the corporation said, it recorded pipeline breaches across the Country by a whopping 34 percentage point.

NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, in a release in Abuja said the upward swing in the breaches was captured in the corporation’s Monthly Financial and Operations Report for December, 2018, explaining that within the period, 257 pipeline points were vandalized, out of which one pipeline point failed to be welded and six pipeline points were ruptured.

NNPC recorded 197 breaches on it pipelines in November last year.

Ibadan-Ilorin, Mosimi-Ibadan, and Atlas Cove-Mosimi network accounted for 90, 69 and 57

compromised points respectively or approximately 34 per cent, 26 per cent and 22 per cent of the vandalized points respectively.

Aba-Enugu pipeline link accounted for seven per cent, with other locations accounting for the remaining 11 per cent of the pipeline breaks.

Despite, the activities of the pipeline marauders, the NNPC report said the corporation continued to diligently monitor the daily stock of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol, to achieve smooth distribution of petroleum products and zero fuel queue across the Nation.

The release disclosed that 1.80billion litres of PMS, translating to 58.17m liters/day were supplied for the month.

Overall, during the month under review, 1.96billion litres of white products were distributed and sold

by NNPC Downstream subsidiary, Petroleum Products Marketing

Company (PPMC), compared with 1.09billion litres in the market in the November 2018.

This comprised 1.94billion litres of PMS, 0.0070billion litres of kerosene and 0.014billion litres of diesel. Total sale of white products for the period, December 2017 to December 2018, stood at 21.84billion litres and PMS accounted for 20.17billion litres or 92.36 per cent.

In terms of value, 241.46billion was made on the sale of white products by PPMC in December 2018, compared to 146.56billion sales in the November 2018.

Total revenues generated from the sales of white products for the period December 2017 to December 2018 stood at 2,778.32billion, with PMS contributing about 89.63 per cent of the total sales with a value of 2,490billion.

The NNPC said that despite the disturbing reports of breaches on its assets, the corporation on the whole

posted a positive outlook in December, 2019.

The Monthly Financial and Operations Report said NNPC posted trading surplus of 12.13billion in December last year, a leap from recent past performances.

The report attributed the positive swing to higher revenue numbers posted by the corporation’s Upstream subsidiary, the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

The 41st edition of the NNPC monthly report cited NPDC’s continuous revenue drive arising from recent average weekly production of 332,000bpd as the main driver of the positive outlook.

The NPDC targets 500,000bpd production in 2020.

In the gas sector, natural Gas production increased by 12.22 per cent at 240.64 billion cubic feet compared to output in November 2018; translating to an average daily production of 8,021.21mmscfd. The

daily average natural gas supply to gas power plants hiked by 5.36 per cent to 774mmscfd, equivalent to power generation of 3,131MW. Out of the 240.59bcf of gas supplied in December 2018, a total of 151.13bcf of gas was commercialized, consisting of 38.61bcf and 112.52bcf for the domestic and export market respectively.

This translates to a total supply of 1,245.48 mmscfd of gas to the domestic market and 3,748.47 mmscfd of gas supplied to the export market for the month, implying that 62.61 per cent of the average daily gas produced was commercialized while the balance of 37.39 per cent was reinjected, used as upstream fuel gas or flared.

Gas flare rate was 9.15 per cent for the month under review i.e. 729.55mmscfd compared with average Gas flare rate of 9.92 per cent i.e. 777.37mmscfd for the period December 2017 to December 2018.

Dana fête passengers with lower fare options on Abuja routes

From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

N

igeria domestic carrier, Dana Air has announced the introduction of more flights options on it Lagos to Abuja and Abuja to Lagos accompanied with low fares.

An electronic statement by the airline’s Media and Communications Manager, Kingsley Ezenwa, said, ‘’We are pleased to announce that we have introduced additional flights on our Lagos- Abuja –Lagos routes to provide more options, comfort and affordable fares for our teeming guests.

Ezenwa disclosed that beginning from March 18, (today) the airline will operate flights from Lagos to Abuja.

He explained that, “Having yielded to the demands of our guests for more flights to be introduced at specific time and the increasing loads on the sector, we advise our guests to also plan their trip, book early by visiting our website www.flydanaair.comto get best fares.

At the moment, we have two ongoing promos: the 100% bonus miles promo, and the reward promo in partnership with MMA2, which entails passengers to buy four tickets and get the 5th at N5000. Our guests are also advised to take advantage of these promos, use more of their miles and save more on tickets.”

Commuters boarding newly test run train, during the Inspection of Lagos- Ibadan ongoing construction works Railway project , by the Minister of Transportation at the weekend in Lagos..

Photo: NAN

SEC holds Q1 2019 CMC Meeting in Lagos

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced that the First Capital Market Committee (CMC) meeting in 2019 has been scheduled to hold from Thursday March 21, to Friday March 22, 2019 in Lagos State.

The Commission said, while the key stakeholders in the capital market will meet on March 21, members of the media would be briefed on March 22 on the outcome of the CMC meeting.

However, SEC has advised that admission into the venue would be upon presentation of the CMC Identity Card and strictly by invitation.

According to the SEC,

“Attendance to both events is strictly by invitation. Invited participants are expected to come with their identity cards to be admitted into the venue and all invited participants are expected to be seated by 9.45am,” The CMC was mainly established to serve as a medium for exchange of ideas among market stakeholders as well as for feedback to SEC on how to continuously improve the market activities and regulation.

It is an industry-wide committee comprising members of the commission, representatives of capital market operators and trade groups and other stakeholders. The CMC meets every quarter to deliberate on various issues affecting the

market and other policy matters.

During the meeting, issues bordering on implementation of the Ten Year Capital Market Master Plan as well as others relating to the capital market and the economy would be discussed and the outcome made known to the media.

The ten-year master plan for the Nigerian capital market which is expected to refocus the market and help double its size over time and grow the economy was unveiled November 2014.

Recall that the Commission has vigorously implemented some initiatives in the Master Plan with the aim of attracting more investors to the market.

Some of the initiatives, include direct cash settlement,

dematerialization and e-Dividend Registration, as they promote transparency, protect and enhance investors’ confidence in the capital market.

The SEC therefore enjoins all shareholders to take advantage of the initiatives introduced in the capital market aimed, primarily, at strengthening the market and accelerating economic development.

This, SEC said is in consonance with the present administration’s economic strategy focused on deepening the capital market as a vehicle for encouraging a private sector-led economy with enhanced productivity.

Those who have been invited to attend the expanded session are Chief Executive Officers (CEOs)

of all registered capital market firms (i.e Broker Dealer, Capital Market Solicitors, Custodians, Fund Managers, Issuing Houses, Rating Agencies, Registrars, Reporting Accountants, Trustees, and Consultants, etc.); Others are Chief Executive Officers of The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), The Financial Markets Dealers Quotations (FMDQ), Africa Exchange Holdings (AFEX), Nigeria Commodity Exchange (NCX), Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS), Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS); as well as representatives of relevant Financial Services’ Agencies, among others.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

METRO

Page 21

Vandalism: NSCDC nabs 22yr-old mechanic with ‘barricade metals’ at Wuye

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he FCT Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has paraded a 22-years old mechanic, Yakubu Adamu, for allegedly destroying and carting away metals used to barricade the road median on Namdi Azikiwe expressway, a major road linking Area 1 and Berger Bridge, in Abuja.

It was gathered that the suspect, a father of one son, was apprehended near a pedestrian bridge at Finance Junction, along Wuye District, at the wee hours of last Thursday.

Parading the suspect, Commandant of the FCT Command of the Corps, Solomon Iyamu, disclosed that Yakubu was caught in act around 2:15 am last Thursday, when NSCDC personnel were on road time patrol of the city.

Iyamu said the Corps was still investigating the alleged vandalism, and after which the suspect will be duly made to face the wrath of the law, to serve as deterrent to others.

He said: “We know that the crime is not committed by one person alone, there are syndicate, so after the completion of our investigation definitely we will then take him and others involved to court for appropriate prosecution.

“Our job is 24-hour, that’s why we’re always on a daily 24-hour duty surveillance over Federal, state and local government critical infrastructure.”

The NSCDC boss therefore advised FCT residents to ensure that anytime they see or notice movements around critical public infrastructure, they should alert and inform the NSCDC and other security agencies for timely response.

“We are always on ground to act on time. So people shouldn’t keep quiet, as the government is providing these public for their own benefit, and if they are now being destroyed or carted away by some miscreants, it’s dangerous.

“For instance this vandalised facility is supposed to help stop the people from endangering their lives while crossing the busy expressway, therefore forcing them to use the pedestrian bridge there.

“But without the barricade now, people will stray into moving traffic, and lives will be lost, which is not good for the society.”

However, the suspect while

answering questions from journalists, feigned ignorance of the criminal nature of the offence, as he was drugged by one Ezekiel, his alleged accomplice (now at large), who took him to the site.

According to him, he had worked as mechanic in a workshop in Gwarinpa, Abuja, when he was involved in an accident, which forced him to seek treatment in his village in

Kaduna, for about a year without working.

His words: “When I returned back to Abuja, I realized that the site where my workshop was located has been occupied, as there is a building under construction there, so I decided to move to Jabi mechanic village to find someone that I would attached myself to as jobman, where I’m sleeping inside a car.

“I met Ezekiel that helps me

with money, with which I bought bread to eat, thereafter he told me to assist him to remove the barricades, which were to sold for N3,000, and I would have my share.

“My job was to evaluate the removed barricade metal from the area to a hideout, from where we were to sell them.

“The securitymen (NSCDC personnel) accosted us, and my second ran away, and agents

sought to know where I was coming from at such a time, which I told them. That’s was how I got arrested and detained.

“I have told them the truth and how to get the guy that introduced me to the business.

“I don’t know what I was doing was a crime, but now that I’m caught I feel bad and ashamed. Honestly, it’s a shame to me and my family, because this is my habit.”

R- L President Catholic Bishop’s conference of Nigeria, Most Rev Augustine Akubeze, Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, FCT Perm Sec , Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, Apostolic Nuncio, Antonio Guido during the 2019 1st plenary meeting of Catholic Bishop’s conference of Nigeria, at the Catholic Secretariat Durumi, Abuja.

FCTA unveils health insurance scheme for retirees

By Usman Shuaibu

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he Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has launched a comprehensive Social Health Insurance Programme, to cater for the health needs of retirees in the Territory.

Making this disclosure, the mandate Secretary, FCT Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS), Mallam Adamu Bappah, said the programme would alleviate the sufferings of retirees in accessing quality healthcare.

Bappah who spoke during a stakeholders meeting on retirees social health insurance in Abuja, noted that the age of retirement, which is 60, comes with common health challenges such as diabetes, hypertension

and arthritis.

He however assured that the FCTA was committed to ensure that no retiree died as a result of lack of good medical care in the territory and the country at large.

He also assured of the Secretariat’s readiness to ensure that the programme was subsidised and made sustainable for individuals in the FCT. “This is a time when source of income for sustenance is grossly reduced. I am aware that a programme like this requires a lot of funds for its implementation.

“If this objective is achieved, it will be on record that FCTA has taken the lead and will be a pacesetter in the implementation of this programme for retirees in Nigeria.

“We will see how we can

leverage on the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHPF) to make the programme a success,’’ he explained.

Also speaking, the Programme Manager, FCT Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS), Dr. Ahmed Danfulani, opined that the initiative was being driven in line with the universal health coverage goal for all, irrespective of status.

Danfulani therefore enjoined all retirees to enrol themselves so as to reduce an out-of-pocket expenditure in the future of health challenges, adding that the larger the pool the merrier the programme would become.

He explained that all measures have been put in place to ensure that out-of-drug syndrome in FHIS hospitals were tackled and minimised.

He reiterated that the pensioners are expected to pay N18,000 yearly for FHIS, adding that each pensioner is going to benefit N500,000 healthcare services all through the year if calculated.

On his part Secretary, Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), FCT branch, Mr Mohammed Bida, thanked the FCTA for bringing such a laudable programme to the pensioners.

Bida however advised that the FHIS payment should be deducted monthly and directly from their pension’s account, so as to avoid the issue of debts.

He urged the FCTA to have special departments for the pensioners because of old age, as they would not be able to go on the queue with younger patients.

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

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world news

Xi Jinping (C, front) attends the opening meeting of the second session of the 13th National People's Congress at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 5, 2019. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) sacrificing the environment for growth," Xi said when deliberating with lawmakers from Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region last week. "The ecological red line cannot be crossed." "We must grit our teeth, climb over this slope and pass this ridge," he said regarding pollution control and prevention.

Jia Run'an, a coal chemical plant manager who deliberated with Xi at the panel, said he has come to realize that with pollution left unsolved, there would be no "moderately prosperous society." Combating poverty, pollution and defusing major risks are called the "three critical battles." The success of these battles is key to guaranteeing a moderately prosperous society can stand the test of time. Chinese authorities have sought to address all pressing issues that concern the people -- one-fifth of the world's population, from the environment to food and drug safety, law and order, quality healthcare, good education, and affordable housing. Over the past year, 13.61 million urban jobs were added, 14 million people got their dilapidated houses renovated, about 80 million people were eligible for personal income tax cuts, 17 cancer drugs were included in the medical insurance program and housing prices in key cities stabilized. The list even included things like toilets.

During the "two sessions," Xi asked a rural deputy in detail how the toilet upgrading has been going in the countryside. "Do you have flush toilets or still use pits?" Xi asked.

Deliberating with deputies from Henan Province, Xi heard village head Li Liancheng sum up the general expectations of the rural population: good schools, hospitals, jobs close to home, and a great environment. Xi enjoys being around the people. During each of his domestic inspection tours, he visited the homes or offices of ordinary working people. He would casually appear in a crowd, stopping to speak with the people. Visiting rural areas, he would often ask people about their needs and expectations. "Our fundamental purpose is to serve the people, focusing our efforts on meeting their aspirations to live a better life," Xi said. "The people are the foundation of the governance."

Leading the world's biggest developing country is no easy task. It is compounded by a sense of growing uncertainty in the global economy. China faces profound changes in the external environment -- setbacks in economic globalization and challenges to multilateralism -- and the growing pains of its economic transformation. With so much responsibility,

Xi is always working hard. His schedule has noticeably grown tighter in recent months.

Meeting after meeting, he gives orders on a wide spectrum of fields on the country's development.

"We are sailing through the midstream of a river where the waves are extremely rough," he said when assessing the current situation. "[We] have no choice but to power ahead."

China needs to maintain economic growth despite downward pressure while continuing its shift to high-quality development. At the same time, more needs to be done to boost people's welfare. The leadership's vision and stamina are important, and Xi has both in abundance.

Reform and opening-up is the key. Latest measures include relaxing restrictions on market access, creating an even more enabling business environment, strengthening intellectual property rights protection, and actively expanding imports. Reform and opening-up is the most distinctive feature of China and the engine for China's economic miracle. At the "two sessions," more reforms to power the country toward high-quality development were outlined.

A further 2-trillion-yuan tax cut for businesses is planned for 2019, with policies to boost the vitality of the 100-million-strong market entities, and achieve breakthroughs in core technologies for key fields, among other policy tools. China is stimulating the consumption of the world's largest middleincome group and boosting the service sector, including elderly care and infant care. A key issue discussed at the "two sessions" was how to boost the private sector, which supplies 80 percent of urban jobs. Last November, Xi addressed a symposium on private enterprises and reassured entrepreneurs of unwavering support, which has stabilized expectations and boosted business confidence. Reforms need to be guaranteed by the rule of law, something the leadership has repeatedly stressed. China aims to have the rule of law basically in place for the country, the government, and society by 2035.

Protection of intellectual property rights has been strengthened. Last year, Chinese courts concluded 41.8 percent more such cases than in 2017. Among those who have been supported are copyright owners of British animation "Peppa Pig."The foreign investment law, adopted at the annual session of the national legislature on March15, is hailed as a "landmark" legislation for China's openingup. It will help create a stable, transparent and predictable market environment for fair competition, making China even more attractive

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Algerian protests against President Bouteflika ‘biggest yet’

international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Leading the chase for the Chinese Dream A

t the "two sessions" -- a key annual event on China's political calendar, an even more detailed road-map for achieving the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation has emerged.

The almost concurrent sessions of the top legislature and political advisory body every March are a time to gauge the country's development and are closely followed, in a world seeking certainty in uncertain times. Last year, China's economy, the second largest in the world, expanded 6.6 percent to exceed 90 trillion yuan (13.4 trillion U.S. dollars). The growth target for 2019 was set at 6-6.5 percent, showing the economy's long-term upward trend has not changed. A country of nearly 1.4 billion people is on the fast track to socialist modernization. The accomplishment is attributed to the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core and the hard work and perseverance of the Chinese people. This is the consensus of about 5,000 lawmakers and political advisors.

President Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, has laid out his governance priorities and shown his strategic resolve. At the "two sessions," Xi attended plenary meetings, visited political advisors, and joined deliberations with fellow deputies to the National People's Congress. He spoke about and gave policy instructions on a wide range of topics: maintaining resolve in environmental protection, sparing no effort to fight poverty, revitalizing the countryside, stimulating innovation and business activities, and boosting cultural confidence, among others. These are issues crucial not only for China, but for other developing countries with the common desire to speed up modernization.

Jihaoyeqiu's house perches on a hill among mountains in southwest China's Sichuan Province. The region is regarded as one of the last pockets of deep poverty in the country.

China has pledged to eliminate extreme poverty by 2020. Last year, just before the Lunar Chinese New Year, Xi came to visit Jihaoyeqiu in his ramshackle home. That scene was captured in a photo now hanging in the living room of Jihaoyeqiu's new, 100-square-meter apartment. To his delight, Jihaoyeqiu heard his name mentioned by the president in a televised New Year Speech on the eve of 2019. "The whole family clapped and cheered," he said. The family had been relocated out of the mountains with 100 others in the village. Life improved. Jihaoyeqiu fills his storage room with snacks and beverages as he plans to set up a convenience shop. He has had his QR code ready on the door for customers to scan for mobile transactions.

Across China, more than 13.86 million poor people crossed the poverty line last year.

The country's poor population shrank from 98.99 million to 16.6 million in the past six years. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said China has contributed the most in world poverty alleviation in the past decade. Xi is the commander-in-chief for the anti-poverty fight. He has visited every single one of the 14 poorest regions. At this year's "two sessions," he made his goal clear again: "No turning back until a resounding victory." What China is aiming for is not just freedom from poverty for its people. Democracy, the rule of law, fairness, justice, and a good environment -- a moderately prosperous society must deliver all that the Chinese people yearn for. Clean air, safe water and uncontaminated soil are some of the most pressing matters. Xi has taken note. He demanded strong resolve in adhering to green development even amid economic difficulties. "Don't ever toy with the idea of

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

to foreign investors. The country has already climbed 32 spots on the World Bank's ranking of ease of business in its latest report. A recent survey by the British Chamber of Commerce in China showed that British businesses were "overwhelmingly optimistic" about the business prospects for their sector over the next two years. Two-thirds of the companies planned to expand investment in China. "China handles the economy 'exceptionally well' despite obstacles," said Stephen Perry, chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club.

Lin Yifu, a political adviser and former World Bank chief economist, said he would cast his "vote of confidence" for China's development. "If handled properly, challenges can be turned into good opportunities for national rejuvenation," Lin said.

China ushered in the 2019 lunar new year with home-made sci-fi blockbuster, "The Wandering Earth," which has emerged as China's second highest grossing film just a few weeks after its debut. The film portrays a group of Chinese who join a global collaboration to prevent Earth from crashing into Jupiter. "The film is not about conflicts among individuals or different groups or races. It presents human beings as a whole or a community with a shared future for humanity," said Hugo Award winner Liu Cixin, who is the film's executive producer.

The concept of a community with a shared future for humanity was put forward by Xi and has won broad global recognition. Chinese wisdom is being introduced to global governance, which maintains that the entire international community decides the rules -- It shouldn't work in a way that whoever has the bigger muscles has the [bigger] say. In 2018, Xi took four overseas trips, visiting 13 countries. Xi took the occasions to call for upholding the existing international order, building partnerships and promoting an open world economy. Last November, Xi opened the first China International Import Expo, an unprecedented event attended by 172 countries, regions and international organizations and over 3,600 companies. Intended deals worth 57.8 billion U.S. dollars were sealed. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), six years after its inception, has a growing appeal. Over 150 countries and international organizations have signed cooperation agreements with China.

Trade in goods between China and BRI partners reached 1.3 trillion U.S. dollars last year.

China has played positive roles in World Trade Organization reforms, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations and the implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change. By trade, hard work and learning from others, China has helped to transform the global economy, said International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde, adding that China has played a significant role in boosting productivity, innovation and living standards around the globe. Xi is leading China in its best time for development in modern times. The nation stands at a crucial juncture on the road to rejuvenation: the Chinese Dream. Observers have said that China has taken a fast lane as it only took decades to achieve a development whirlwind that Western countries took centuries to complete.

Martin Jacques, a professor at Cambridge University, has said that China offers the world "a new possibility." This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. China aims to realize socialist modernization by 2035 and a great modern socialist country by the middle of this century.

Xi has stressed that China is still in an important period of strategic opportunity for development.

"We are all running at full speed to chase our dreams," Xi said.

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housands have gathered in Algeria’s capital to demand the immediate resignation of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika despite him dropping his bid for a fifth term.

The BBC’s Mohamed Arezki Himeur in Algiers says it is the biggest protest in memory, with people of all ages packing out the capital’s boulevards.

Police have fired tear gas at protesters near the president’s office.

On Monday, the president postponed the planned 18 April presidential vote.

Protesters, however, accuse the 82-year-old leader of illegally extending his term.

Students have been leading the massive anti-Bouteflika protests, now in their fifth week. Our reporter says that the latest demonstrations included many families in what has generally been a peaceful and goodnatured atmosphere.

The ailing octogenarian rarely appears in public and has not given a public address since having a stroke in 2013. He returned to the country earlier this week after being admitted to hospital in Switzerland.

Half of Algeria’s population is under the age of 30. Youth unemployment has spurred anger against the government.

“I want a better future,” 10-yearold Mohamed Kemime, draped in Algeria’s national flag, told Reuters news agency, The appointment of new Prime Minister Noueddine Bedoui and plans to form an inclusive government have failed to assuage the protesters.

What do protesters want?

They have dismissed Mr Bedoui’s plan to form a technocratic government that would include young Algerians.

On Thursday he said, in his first press conference, that the new government would only be in charge for a short time, and he urged the opposition to engage in a positive dialogue.

But activists have said they are not ready to compromise or negotiate for

now.

“Those who think we are tired are wrong. Our protests will not stop,” Madjid Benzida, a doctor on Friday’s protests, told Reuters.

“We’re completely fed up,” Saïd Benselma, a retired theatre director, told the BBC. “Despite my age, I have to protest.”

“Bouteflika and his men must go as soon as possible,” said 23-year-old student Yazid Ammari.

President Bouteflika’s announcement on Monday, that he was dropping his plan to run in elections that would extend his 20year rule, was initially greeted by celebration.

However, activists now see it as a ploy for the National Liberation Front (FLN) to hold on to power.

Friday’s demonstrators have gathered at Algiers’ landmark Grand Poste square and have also been chanting against French President Emmanuel Macron, who has called for a reasonable transition.

“Macron, go away” they chanted, while hoisting banners with the same slogan.

What happens next?

Talks have been set up to negotiate Algeria’s political future, which will be led by veteran UN diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi, an Algerian national.

A conference, which does not yet have a set date, will aim to oversee the country’s political transition, draft a new constitution and set the date for elections.

Mr Brahimi, who was the United Nations and Arab League Special Envoy to Syria until 14 May 2014, met the president on Monday and said it was necessary to “turn this crisis into a constructive process”.

The Algerian military is expected to play an important role in the transition and is currently considering contenders for president, Reuters news agency reports.

Demonstrators and participants in Algeria’s 1954-1962 independence war will also be among the representatives at the conference.

Source: BBC

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Ethiopian Airlines crash: Ceremonies for Boeing 737 MAX 8 victims

There was a large crowd at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa

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n Nairobi, relatives of some of the 36 Kenyan victims, and diplomats from some of the more than 30 countries whose citizens died in the crash, gathered to pay their respects at an Ethiopian Orthodox church in the city.

The BBC’s Ferdinand Omondi, who was at the ceremony, says there was a sombre mood as candles were lit and prayers held.

Many worshippers were wearing white from head to toe.

Some relatives told our reporter that they would only get full closure when at least some body parts were handed over to them.

Families mourning the victims were offered a 1kg (2.2lbs) bag of charred soil to bury as part of Sunday’s service in the Ethiopian capital, AP news agency reports.

“The soil came as it became impossible to identify bodies

and hand over remains to family members,” one family member reportedly said, adding: “We will not rest until we are given the real body or body parts of our loved ones.”

Relatives of the passengers killed in the incident are being encouraged to provide DNA samples either in Addis Ababa or at any overseas offices of Ethiopian Airlines.

Death certificates are expected to be issued in two weeks.

‘Grief of the world’ Mourners at the Bole International Airport held white flowers, the traditional colour of mourning in Ethiopia.

“Our deep sorrow cannot bring them back,” an Orthodox priest wearing a black turban and robes told the crowd gathered outside an airport hangar.

“This is the grief of the world,” he said, as Ethiopian Airlines staff sobbed in each other’s arms,

Reuters reports.

Countries across the world grounded the 737 Max 8 and 9 aircraft after the 10 March crash.

Ethiopia’s transport minister said on Saturday it may take “considerable time” for investigators to find the cause of the crash involving the new aeroplane.

“An investigation of such magnitude requires a careful analysis and considerable time to come up with something concrete,” Dagmawit Moges told a news conference.

The Ethiopian investigation into the crash is being assisted by teams from around the world, including the US and France.

The aircraft’s flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR), or black boxes as they are often called, have been recovered and investigators are hoping they will shed light on the tragedy.

Cyclone Idai: Zimbabwe school hit by landslide

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wo boarding school pupils are among 31 people to have been killed in eastern Zimbabwe by Cyclone Idai.

They were asleep in their dormitory when rocks swept down a mountain and knocked over a wall, officials say.

A further three people are missing after a bus was washed away when the driver tried to cross a flooded river.

The tropical storm cut off power and communications in Manicaland province, along the border with Mozambique, where about 21 people have died.

The cyclone made landfall in Mozambique on Thursday, with winds of up to 177km/h (106 mph). It cut off more than 500,000 residents in the port city of Beira, one the country’s largest cities. Roads were flooded and the airport was shut down.

Rains and flooding ahead of the storm’s arrival had left about more than 120 people dead in Mozambique and Malawi.

Marooned on a mountain

In Zimbabwe, a state of emergency has been declared in affected areas after homes and bridges were washed away by the floodwaters.

A further 71 people are said to be missing and the death toll is expected to rise when the floodwaters subside.

The Charles Lwanga Secondary School in the mountainous district of Chimanimani has been closed and the army has been deployed to evacuate the 200 trapped pupils, according to the Department of Civil Protection.

More than 100 houses have been damaged in the town of Chimanimani, which was cut off on Saturday, according to Zimbabwe’s information ministry.

MP’s wife climbed a tree The police have urged drivers not to try to cross flooded rivers in the region.

Nine people who escaped from the bus which was swept away near the Skyline Area are said to be marooned on a nearby mountain.

Many others have also sought

shelter on mountainsides but high winds have made it difficult for helicopters to reach them.

The wife of Chipinge South MP Enock Porusingazi only survived by climbing a tree, he told the

Standard newspaper.

“I am going back to my constituency, my wife survived the cyclone after climbing a tree and my house was also damaged at our farm and this is where my wife

was at the time.”

The storm is moving further west and has ripped roofs off prison cells in the southern city of Masvingo, according to state broadcaster ZBC.

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North Korea may break off US talks and resume missile tests, official says

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orth Korean leader Kim Jong-un may break off denuclearisation talks with the US and resume missile and nuclear testing, a senior official says.

Vice Foreign Minister Choe Sunhui told foreign diplomats the US threw away “a golden opportunity” at a recent summit between President Trump and Mr Kim. North Korea had offered to dismantle its main Yongbyon nuclear complex.

But talks collapsed after Mr Trump refused to lift sanctions unless North Korea destroyed all its nuclear sites.

What has North Korea said?

Mr Kim is set to make an official announcement on his position regarding future talks with the US soon, Ms Choe said in Pyongyang.

“We have no intention to yield to the US demands in any form, nor are we willing to engage in negotiations of this kind,” she told reporters in North Korea, Russia’s state Tass news agency reported.

She accused the US of taking a “gangster-like” stance, according to the Associated Press, but added that “personal relations between the two supreme leaders are still good and the chemistry is mysteriously wonderful”.

Ms Choe said that North Korea’s demand during the recent summit was for five key economic sanctions to be lifted, not all sanctions, as Mr Trump said after talks broke down.

“What is clear is that the US has thrown away a golden opportunity this time,” she said. “I’m not sure why the US came out with this different description. We never asked for the removal of sanctions in their entirety.”

What was the US position?

Mr Trump and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo clearly stated after talks in February that North Korean officials had asked for full sanctions relief.

“It was all about the sanctions. They wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety and we couldn’t do that,” Mr Trump told reporters. “Sometimes you have to walk and this was one of those times,” he said.

In Washington this week, the US special representative for North Korea, Stephen Biegun, said that diplomacy was “still very much alive”, though he did not say if there had been any negotiations since the summit, or outline any plans for further talks.

The two leaders first met in Singapore last year, in an unprecedented summit between a US sitting president and a North Korean leader. Their second meeting was in Hanoi in February.

At a news conference after the Hanoi summit, Mr Trump said no plans had been made for a third summit, but he expressed optimism about a “good outcome” in the future.

It is worth noting Choe Sun-hui still praised the personal relationship between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump. So the door to diplomacy is still open. Instead she blamed Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton for hardening the US position.

North Korea also has hardliners of its own, who may perceive Kim Jongun’s 120-hour train trip to Hanoi and back as a failure. This announcement lets them know, along with the Trump administration, that Mr Kim is standing firm.

Source: BBC

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

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Israel strikes militant sites in Gaza after rockets fired at Tel Aviv

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srael has carried out dozens of air strikes on Palestinian militant sites in Gaza in retaliation for the firing of two rockets towards Tel Aviv.

The rocket fire, which did not cause damage or injuries, was the first to target the Israeli city since 2014.

Four people were wounded in the strikes on Gaza. Israel’s military said a headquarters of the militant group Hamas was among the targets.

Hamas, which dominates Gaza, insisted it was not behind the rocket fire.

Israeli media are citing an Israeli defence official as saying that the rockets may have been launched “by mistake” while maintenance work was being carried out.

Air raid sirens sounded across Tel Aviv metropolitan area on Thursday night for the first time since a 2014 war between Israel and militants in Gaza.

An explosion was heard in the city centre. At first it was believed to have been from a rocket being shot down, but the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said no rockets were intercepted and that it assumed they had landed in open areas.

Shortly after midnight, Israeli jets and helicopters attacked dozens of sites in Gaza belonging to Hamas and the Islamic Jihad group, Hamas sources said.

The IDF subsequently announced it had hit about 100 Hamas military targets. It said they included an office complex in Gaza City allegedly used by the group to orchestrate attacks

in the occupied West Bank, an underground facility that was the main manufacturing site of standard-grade rockets, and a military training site that served as a centre for unmanned aerial drones.

Gaza’s health ministry said four people were injured including a man and a woman whose house in the southern town of Rafah was hit.

Air raid sirens again rang out in Israeli towns close to Gaza overnight and on Friday morning. The IDF said nine more projectiles had been launched, six of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome air defence system.

IDF spokesman Brig-Gen Ronen Manelis said the initial rocket fire had come as a “surprise”, and that there had been no advance intelligence warnings.

But he stressed: “The Hamas organisation is the main organisation in the strip. It is responsible for what happens within the strip and what emanates from it.”

No militant groups have said they fired the rockets at Tel Aviv.

Hamas insisted on Twitter that its armed wing was “not responsible”, while the Hamasrun interior ministry in Gaza said the rocket fire went “against the national consensus” and vowed to take measures against the perpetrators.

Hamas added that the rockets had been launched during a meeting with Egyptian mediators attempting to broker a long-term truce between Israel and Hamas.

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he Federal Government has approved the reappointment of Dr. Abubakar Abdul Dzukogi as the Rector of Federal Polytechnic Bida in Niger State.

A statement from the Office of the Minister of Education,

Maryam Abeeb, Abuja Hamas sources said Israeli jets and helicopters attacked dozens of sites in Gaza

About 100 sites associated with Hamas were targeted, according to the Israeli military The organising committee of a months-long Palestinian protest campaign also announced that Friday’s weekly demonstrations along Gaza’s border with Israel had been called off “in keeping with the public interest”.

Later, a Hamas official told

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Soldiers pulled a five-month-old baby from the rubble

Maryam Abeeb, Abuja

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FG Reappoints Rector for Bida Polytechnic Adamu, Adamu, said the reappointment of Dr Abubakar

Abdul Dzukogi is with effect from the 21st of May, 2019.

The reappointment of Dr Abubakar Abdul Dzukogi is for

a second and last tenure of four years.

WAEC derecognises 13 schools , warns 56 others in Kogi

the Associated Press that an agreement to restore calm had been reached.

The flare-up comes just over three weeks before Israel holds a general election, and two months before Tel Aviv is due to host the Eurovision Song Contest.

Indonesia floods: Dozens dead in Papua province

The town of Sentani was one of the worst affected areas

education

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, march 18, 2019

t least 58 people have been killed in flash floods in the eastern Indonesian province of Papua.

Rescue workers are struggling to reach remote parts of the province, and there are fears the number of dead may rise.

Roads have been blocked by landslides and fallen trees, and floodwaters have damaged two bridges and more than 100 houses.

More than 4,000 people have been forced from their homes, and some are sheltering in government offices.

Local residents said torrential rain began on Saturday evening and continued into the night, triggering mudslides and flash floods.

“Our house was flooded with thick mud... we immediately grabbed our valuables and ran to a neighbour’s [two-storey] house to seek refuge,” said mother-oftwo Lili Puji Hastuti, quoted by Agence France-Presse.

“It’s hard to get out of the area because many roads are blocked...

I’m worried, sad and scared all at once.”

The search for victims

continues in the town of Sentani, one of the worst affected areas.

Fifty-one people were killed in the town, national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said, quoted by Reuters news agency.

The other seven confirmed deaths were in the nearby provincial capital Jayapura, Mr Nugroho added.

However, a five-month-old baby was rescued in the city after being trapped under the rubble for hours, according to the military.

Meanwhile a propeller aircraft was partly crushed on the runway of Jayapura airport.

Flooding is common in Indonesia, especially during the October-April rainy season.

In January, floods killed at least 70 people on the island of Sulawesi, and heavy rain in West Java earlier in March displaced hundreds.

Emergency officials say that in recent months they had warned the Papuan authorities of flood risks due to deforestation of mountains surrounding Jayapura.

Papua province borders the independent state of Papua New Guinea, to the east.

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he West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has derecognised 13 secondary schools and warned 56 others in Kogi for their involvement in examination malpractice during the 2018 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE).

Mr Ademu Amos, WAEC Desk Officer, Kogi Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, disclosed this at a meeting with the principals, vice principals and examination officers of the affected schools in Lokoja.

Amos said that 13 secondary schools were de-recognised while 56 others were seriously warned by the council due to examination malpractice.

He noted that the state government was not happy about the development, describing it as a serious issue that could dampen the hope of a nation, NAN reports.

According to Amos, the Examination Malpractices Act No. 33 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), offenders are liable to four years imprisonment anvd a fine of N100, 000 per student and N250, 000 per school.

Amos explained that the major offences committed ranged from the use of mobile

phones and sameness of work by copying one another in the examination.

Amos also urged the stakeholders to join hands with the council in stamping out the menace of examination malpractice in the nation’s education sector.

Dr Natty Bobai, WAEC Branch Controller in the state, said it had zero tolerance for examination malpractice and would do everything to curtail the menace.

He, however, commended the commissioner for tackling issues bordering on examination headlong and commended her resolve to stand with the council for what it stood for.

Mrs Rosemary Osikoya, the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, reiterated the commitment of the state government to reduce examination malpractice to its barest minimum in the state.

Osikoya stressed the need for stiffer penalties as prescribed by law and other stringent measures to curb the menace in the state.

She noted that 47 secondary schools were de-recognised and 108 warned in 2017, while 13 schools were de-recognised and 56 warned in 2018.

According to her, the state government had been able to reduce the trend to 27. 6 per cent for de-recognition, 50.9 per cent

warned, while 1.38 per cent were indicted.

She restated the commitment of the state government in restoring standard and quality education in schools across the state.

She, however, urged all the school operators, both private and public, to visit the ministry’s website and update their school profiles and records not later than March 31.

Her words,” All the derecognised schools will not be used as examinations centres in 2019, and their names will be sent to the police for prosecution according to the existing law. ”We have strengthened the policy structure in education in

the state and emphasised the importance of record keeping in schools,” Osikoya said.

The de-recognised schools include: Jama’atu Nasril Islam Sec. Sch, Ankpa, Christ the King College, Govt. Girls Sec. Sch, Okaba, Ikah Comm. Sec. Sch, Ikah, Iyale Comm. Sec. Sch, Iyale, and Aitam Science Academy, Anyigba.

Others are: Al-Ansar Sec. Sch, Lokoja, Bright Future Int. Sec. Sch, Obangede, Okehi, Comm. Sec. Sch, Uboro, Okehi, Paramako Sec. Sch, Ogbogbo, Omabo Comm. Sec. Sch, Omabo.

Also, First Grade Success Academy, Okenya, and National Sec. Sch, Agala-Ate road, Anyigba.

L-R: Deputy Executive Secretary, , Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr, Yakubu Gambo Executive Secretary, UBEC , Dr. Hammid Bobboyi and ,Special Assistant to the Executive Secretary, Baba Sali , during the UBEC Management press briefing on UBEC activities , recently in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-Owo

Rector assures of commitment to conducive environment Maryam Abeeb ,Abuja

R

ector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Dr. Dayo Hephzibah Oladebeye has assured of his administration’s commitment towards providing an enabling environment for staff to flourish at their optimum potential for the achievement of the goals of the Institution.

Dr. Oladebeye who gave the assurance at the Inauguration of the Reconstituted Advisory Management Committees of the Polytechnic stressed that staff would be supported to give their best towards making the Polytechnic a world-class Institution.

The Rector, who recalled with gratitude to Almighty God for handing over the mantle of leadership of the

Institution to him about a year ago, expressed his appreciation to the 10th Governing Council, Principal Officers, other members of Management, Staff and Students of the Institution for their unflinching and highly commendable cooperation to his administration since its inception.

While thanking the three Trade Union Executives i.e. ASUP, SSANIP and NASU as well as the Alumni and the Students’ Union for their support, the Rector also commended the uncommon display of understanding and maturity on the part of the leadership of the Unions in their fair dealings with the Polytechnic Management.

He appreciated them for their constructive criticism and their readiness to always tow the line of

dialogue as against confrontation opting to “jaw jaw” instead of “war war”.

The 42 Standing Advisory Management Committees with about 500 members of staff drawn from across Unions, Cadres and other strata of the Polytechnic serving as Chairmen, Members or Secretaries were inaugurated in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, 12th March, 2019 in commemoration of the Rector’s first year in office.

The Reconstitution of the various Committees marked a resolve to make the Oladebeye administration an allinclusive one and a bold attempt by the Rector to democratize the one year old administration of the Polytechnic.

The 42 reconstituted Advisory Committees and their Chairmen

includes the Management Committee, headed by the Rector himself as well as the Board of Olusegun Obasanjo Centre for Engineering Innovation.

Committees headed by the Deputy Rector (Academics) Dr. (Mrs.) J.O. Omoniyi are Academic Staff Publications Review Panel, Accreditation Committee as well as the Staff Training and Development Committee, while the Deputy Rector (Administration) Bldr. G.S. Olorunoje will also preside as Chairman over the Board of Survey; Ceremonies Committee; the Polytechnic Land Use Committee; Office Space Allocation Committee as well as Hostels Monitoring and Rehabilitation Committees.

Other Committees include the Senior Non-Teaching Staff Review

Committee, with the Registrar, Mrs. K.O. Ekanem as the Chairman, while the Junior Staff Review Committee and Housing Committee are both headed by the Polytechnic Librarian, Mr. E.O. Ayeni as the Chairman.

The Admissions Committee has Mr. A.A. Aliu a Chief Lecturer in Mathematics as Chairman, while Polytechnic Loans, Security and Sports Committees are headed respectively by Mr. O.D. Dada, Dr. M.O. Akinola and Dr. O.I. Ayeni.The list of Committees also includes Students Disciplinary; Staff School Management Board; Time Table; Publications; Transport; Energy Utilization; Internally Generated Revenue; Environmental; Endowment Fund and Polytechnic Exhibition Committee among others.

PEOPLES DAILY, MONDAY, march 18, 2019

26

Feature

Can you murder a robot?

B

ack in 2015, a hitchhiker was murdered on the streets of Philadelphia.

It was no ordinary crime. The hitchhiker in question was a little robot called Hitchbot.

The “death” raised an interesting question about human-robot relationship - not so much whether we can trust robots but whether the robots can trust us.

The answer, it seems, was no.

Hitchbot has now been rebuilt, at Ryerson University, in Toronto, where it was conceived.

Its story is perhaps the ultimate tale of robot destruction, made all the more poignant by the fact that it was designed to be childlike and entirely non-threatening.

With pool noodles for arms and legs, a transparent cake container for a head, a white bucket as a body, and resting on a child’s car seat to allow anyone picking it up to be able to transport it safely, it was cartoon-like. If a child designed a robot, it would probably look like Hitchbot.

The team deliberately made it on the cheap describing its look as “yard-sale chic”. They were aware that it may come to harm.

In order to qualify as a robot, it had to have some basic electronics - including a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver to track its journey, movements in its arms, and software to allow it to communicate when asked questions. It could also smile and wink.

And, of course, it could move its thumb into a hitch position.

“It was extremely important that people would trust it and want to help it out which is why we made it the size of a child,” said Dr Frauke Zeller, who led the team with her husband, Prof David Smith.

The adventure started well, with Hitchbot being picked up by an elderly couple and taken on a camping trip in Halifax, Nova Scotia, followed by a sightseeing tour with a group of young men. Next, it was a guest of honour at a First Nation powwow, where it was given a name that translates to “Iron Woman”, assigning it a gender.

The robot picked up thousands of fans along the way, many travelling miles to be the next person to give it a lift.

Sometimes, the robot’s GPS location had to be disabled so that those who took it home wouldn’t be mobbed outside their houses.

The robot certainly appealed and the team behind it were swamped with international press enquiries from the outset.

Hitchbot was given its own social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and became an instant hit, gaining thousands of followers.

“People began to decorate Hitchbot with bracelets and other jewellery. This little robot with its simple design triggered so much creativity in people. And that was one of the biggest takeaways of the experiment, that we should stop telling people what to do with technology,” Dr Zeller said.

But Hitchbot’s adventure was about to come to an abrupt end.

“One day we received images of Hitchbot lying in the street with its arms and legs ripped off and its head missing,” Dr Zeller said.

“It affected thousands of people worldwide.

Hitchbot had become an important symbol of trust. It was very sad and it hit us and the whole team more than I would have expected.”

Now, the team have rebuilt Hitchbot, even though its head was never found. They missed having it around and had been inundated with requests for Hitchbot 2.0, although they have no plans for another road trip.

BBC News joined Prof Smith and Dr Zeller to take Hitchbot 2.0 on one of its first outings, to the

safety of a cafe next to the university. The robot was instantly recognised by passers-by, many of whom stopped to chat and take a Hitchbot selfie.

All of them seemed overjoyed to see the robot back in one piece.

The Ryerson team is also working with Softbank’s Pepper, an archetypal big-eyed childlike robot, on another test of the trust relationship with humans. Pepper will be used to talk with patients about cancer care. The theory is that patients will communicate more openly with Pepper than they would to a human carer.

Beating up bots Hitchbot is not the first robot to meet a violent end.

Dr Kate Darling, of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), encouraged people to hit dinosaur robots with a mallet, in an workshop designed to test just how nasty we could be to a machine.

She also conducted an experiment with small bug-like robots.

Most people struggled to hurt the bots, found Dr Darling.

“There was a correlation between how empathetic people were and how long it took them to hit a robot,” she told BBC News, at her lab in Boston.

“What does it say about you as a person if you are willing to be cruel to a robot. Is it morally disturbing to beat up something that reacts in a very lifelike way?” she asked.

The reaction of most people was to protect and care for the robots.

“One woman was so distressed that she removed the robot’s batteries so that it couldn’t feel pain,” Dr Darling said.

Prof Rosalind Picard, who heads up the Affective Computing Lab, also based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, thinks it comes down to human nature.

“We are made for relationships, even us engineers, and that is such a powerful thing that we fit machines into that,” she said.

But while it is important that robots understand human emotions because it will be their job to serve us, it might not be a good idea to anthropomorphise the machines.

“We are at a pivotal point where we can choose as a society that we are not going to mislead people into thinking these machines are more human than they are,” Prof Picard told BBC News, at her lab.

“We know that these machines are nowhere near the capabilities of humans. They can fake it for the moment of an interview and they can look lifelike and say the right thing in particular situations.”

“A robot can be shown a picture of a face that is smiling but it doesn’t know what it feels like to be happy.

“It can be given examples of situations that make people smile but it doesn’t understand that it might be a smile of pain.”

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This is to notify the general public that Federal Ministry of Defence has authorized the following Auctioneers to handle the services of public auction sales of seized and forfeited Vessels to the Federal Government at the following locations:

The road can be a lonely place when you are a little robot

Hitchbot was given a First Nation name, which translates to Iron Woman, assigning it a gender for the first time But Prof Picard admitted it was hard not to develop feelings for the machines we surrounded ourselves with and confessed that even she had fallen into that trap, treating her first car “as if it had a personality”.

“I blinked back a tear when I sold it, which was ridiculous,” she said.

At her lab, engineers design robots that can help humans but do not necessarily look human.

One project is looking at robots that could work in hospitals as a companion to children when their parents or a nurse is not available.

And they are working on a robot that will be able to teach children but also show them how to cope with not knowing things.

We may have to limit our emotional response to robots but it is important that the robots understand ours, according to Prof Picard.

“If the robot does something that annoys you, then the machine should see that you are irritated and - like your dog - do the equivalent of putting down its tail, put its ears back and look like it made a mistake,” she said.

Killer robots Roboticist Prof Noel Sharkey also thinks that we need to get over our obsession with treating machines as if they were human.

“

One project is looking at robots that could work in hospitals as a companion to children when their parents or a nurse is not available. And they are working on a robot that will be able to teach children but also show them how to cope with not knowing things.

“People perceive robots as something between an animate and an inanimate object and it has to do with our in-built anthropomorphism,” he told BBC News.

“If objects move in a certain way, we think that they are thinking.

“What I try and do is stop people using these dumb analogies and human words for everything.

“It is about time we developed our own scientific language.”

To prove his point, at one conference he attended recently he picked up an extremely cute robotic seal, designed for elderly care, and started banging its head against a table.

“People were calling me a monster,” he said.

Actually, Prof Sharkey is much more of a pacifist - and leads the campaign to ban killer robots, something he thinks is a far more pressing ethical issue in modern-day robotics.

“These are not human-looking robots,” he said.

“I’m not talking about Terminators with a machine gun.

“These weapons look like conventional weapons but are designed so that the machine selects its own target, which to me is against human dignity.”

Prof Sharkey listed some of the current projects he thought were crossing the line into unethical territory: ⦁ Harpy - an Israeli weapons system designed to attack radar signals, with a highexplosive warhead. If the signal is not Israeli, then it dive-bombs ⦁ an autonomous super-tank, being developed by the Russian army ⦁ an autonomous gun designed by Kalashnikov And he has been working at the UN for the past five years to get a new international treaty signed that either bans the use of them or states that they can never be used without “meaningful human control” - 26 nations are currently signed up, including China.

Source: BBC

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PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

THE AUCTIONEERS ARE: 1. NHD Interbiz Projects Ltd: -- 08038791246 or 08038114782, Vessel: MT Troical at Sapele, Delta State 2. Aliyu A. Kiliya Auctioneering & Co.Nig. Ltd. - 08066354700, Vessel: MT Shekinah at Sapele, Delta State 3. Amijapp Nig. Ltd - 08138123927, 07057397776, Vessel: MT Hope at Sapele, Delta State 4. Al-Musafir Nig. Ltd -- 08065672546 Vessel: MT Akuada - Wari, Delta State 5. D-Dumes Shelter Ltd -- 08034209387 or 08033149954, Vessel: MV SOA at Wari, Delta State PLEASE NOTE: • The highest bidder will be the winner and will instantly pay 25% of the total sum of money after fall of the hammer, payment by a through certified cheque from a reputable Bank and the 75% balance payment within two weeks from the day of the auction.

Date of inspection: March 26th to 27th, 2019.

Date of Auction: March 28, 2019.

Time: 10 am prompt.

For further information please contact the Auctioneers.

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winding up

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SAFIA BEAUTY STORES AND SPA LTD 1046248 5, SOUTHERN VIEW ESTATE, TIPPER GARAGE, CHEVRON, LEKKI AJAH, LAGOS STATE

WORLD EVANGELISM INCORPORATION CAC/IT NO: 9762

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990 COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES SAFIA BEAUTY STORES AND SPA LTD (RC1046248) (IN VOLUNTARY WINDING UP) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that, pursuant to Section 468 (2) of the Companies And Allied Matters Act, 2004, the Final General Meeting of the above Company will be held at 5, Southern View Estate, Tipper Garage, Chevron, Lekki Ajah, Lagos State on the 12th day of April, 2019 at 10.00am for the purpose of laying before such meeting, the Final Accounts of the Company and giving any explanations thereof.

Dated this 11th day of March, 2019.

BY ORDER OF THE LIQUIDATOR ……………………………..

UGWUOKE MARTINS Liquidator

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR CERTIFIED TRUE COPY (CTC) OF LOSS OF CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES REMAIN THE SAME. THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAME. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS APPLICATION 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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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) Apostle Matthew Odenosaze ( President ) 2) Pastor Cordilia A. Odenosaze ( Secretary ) 3) Pastor Peter Aimuan ( Member ) 4) Mr. Ifeanyi Nwanfor ( Member ).

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) Asiwaju Solomon Kayode Onafowokan, OON 2) Abdul Babatunde Gbadegesin Allinson 3) Barr. Richard Kehinde Osinaike

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To maintain a happy and dedicated workforce committed towards poverty reduction and financial independence of the active poor.

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.

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 : Moses John Ogbu (08059930221)

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TARE NURTURE FOUNDATION

GOODNEWS ZION RHEMA MINISTRY

The general public is hereby notified that the abovenamed organisation has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja, for a change of Trustees under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990 New Trustees: 1. Mrs Elvina obidi - chairman 2. Mrs Isimeme ojeah - Secretary 3. Mr Amagbe danzel kentebe Current Trustees: 1. Ms Oyintare Edith yeri 2 . Mrs Elvina obidi 3. Mr Amagbe danzel kentebe Aims and Objectives: TO PROMOTE ANY CHARITABLE PURPOSE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE YOUTH AND LESS PRIVILEDGE PERSONS IN NIGERIA. ETC Any objection to this change should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

Signed by: Anene Bernard Esq.

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.

QUEEN ADUNBI EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION

SIGNED : ORUBU JOSHUA

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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THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. KANYINSOLA OBAYAN - CHAIRMAN 2. ANJOLA COKER

- TREASURER 3. IBIKOKE OKE

- SECRETARY 4. JESSICA OBILOM - PUBLIC RELATIONS THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1) To inspire the pursuit of creativity and artistic expression in all aspects of life.

2) To create an inclusive community of diverse backgrounds and experiences.

3) To evoke a sense of cultural dignity and pride amongst contemporary Nigerian youth.

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL OF THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA-FCT WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION

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THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. ORUBU JOSHUA. 2. AKEVWEMURE CHARLES AKPEVWE. 3. EZIRE ELOHO. THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. PREACH THE WORD OF GOD AND HEAL THE SICK. 2. TO SET THE CAPTIVES FREE. 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.

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THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.HRM Oba Dele Solomon Owoniyi 2.Elder Aliu Gabriel Toba 3. Mrs Marie Ige Owoniyi.

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THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. NWAEKPE STELLA CHIZOBA - CHAIRMAN 2. AMINAT PATIENCE ADEBIMPE 3. OLANREWAJU OLAJIDE OYEWALE - SECRETARY 4. ELEGE MARIAN NNEKA 5. IKHARO, HANEEFAT EFUE THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1. TO PROMOTE WELFARE/INTEREST OF MEMBBERS AND GIVE BACK TO SOCIETY.

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THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1,EZEMA ANTHONY UDOKA 2,OJOBOR HENRY IKECHUKWU 3,EZE SUNDAY IKENNA 4,UGWU NONSO VICTOR 5,NNADOZIE CHUKWUDI CELESTINE 6,UGWU DONALD CHIEDOZIE 7,UGWU PAUL UWAKWE 8,EZE CHIDI SIMEON 9,UGWU PASCHAL CHIDIEBERE 10,AGBEDO ONYEDIKA ONYEKA 11,OKAGU FABIAN OGBONNA 12,NNADOZIE MICHAEL NNAMDI THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.TO PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE INTEREST OF MEMBERS. 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.

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THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. ADENUGA KALESANMI KEHINDE (Chairman).

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THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1*To propagate the gospel of Jesus Christ.

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REMOVED TRUSTEES: 1. BROTHER PATRICK EFFIONG ETIM

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The general public is hereby informed that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters Act 1990.

TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Azeez Kamorudeen Adesina 2. Adebisi Rasheed Aderemi 3. Adeboye Jimoh Alade 4. Omikunle Isaq Olawale 5. Popoola Rafiu Adekunle 7. Ibrahim Rasaq Bamidele.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PROMOTE SINCERE LOVE AND MUTUAL RESPECT AMONG ITS MEMBERS. 2. TO ENSURE UNITY AMONG ITS MEMBERS. 3. TO ASSIST MEMBERS IN DIFFICULT SITUATIONS. Any objection to this registration should be forwalded to the registral- general CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SINGNED: TRUSTEES.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA, FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

NAMES OF TRUSTEES 1)MUSA UMAR chairman 2)ALLI ABDULHAKEEM secretary 3)MA'AJI JOSHUA Treasurer 4)JIBRIL MOHAMMED CHIKO 5)MOHAMMED ABDULLAHI NDAGI(rtd) AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1)TO EMPOWER, SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE ALL MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION 2)INTENSIVE AQUA CULTURE PRACTICE AIMED AT MEETING FISH NEEDS OF THE STATE & THE COUNTRY AT LARGE..

ANY OBJECTION(S) TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR - GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA, WITHIN TWENTY - EIGHT (28) DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: Secretary

OGONU

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POWER OF PENTECOST PRAYER GROUND MINISTRY

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS OGONU FRANCIS OBIEBE. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS OGONU, ISAAC OBIEBE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

This is to notify the general public that the Right Occupancy originally allotted to Alhaji Pela Ali, of Local Govt. Service Board P.M.B 0101, BAUCHI, on the 10/11/1983, with File No. BA 322 now in the name of ARTHUR OKAFOR of Plot 2087, Aisha House, Herbert Macaulay Way, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, Certificate of Occupancy No. 15EAW139CZ-6729R-D732U-10, Plot 606, File No. IM 10450, Garki District 11, Cadastral Zone AO3 is missing. The facts stated herein have been deposed to in an affidavit sworn to at the High Court of Justice, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on the 15th March, 2019. All efforts made to search for the Original R of O, since 2018 have proven abortive. If found kindly contact the nearest police station.

The general public is hereby informed that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and Allied matters Act 1990.

TRUSTEES ARE: 1. PASTOR OGIDIOLU JACOB AKINTUNDE. 2. ELDER MOSES OJO. 3. PROF. ADEOSUN SAMSON OLUROPO. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST 2. TO PROMOTE THE WORD OF JESUS CHRIST AMONG CHRISTIANS 3. TO PREACH GODS WORD TO THE WORLD AND POSITIVELY AFFECTING SOUL THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 4. TO TEACH MEN AND WOMEN HOW TO BE COMMITTED TO GOD. Any objection to this registration should be forwalded to the registral- general CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SINGNED:: TRUSTEES.

Nnadi I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS Ezeorah Nkemdilim Blessing. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS Nnadi Nkemdilim Blessing. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS Temitayo Abisodun Modinat AHMED. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS Temitayo Abisodun Modinat IBIKUNLE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

FLORENCE

BASHARI

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS FLORENCE OFODUM. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS FLORENCE NGOZI CHIDUM. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS DAN-MUSA AISHA SANI. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS BASHARI DAN-MUSA AISHA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

MUHAMMED

loss of document

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS ADEJUWON MUHAMMAD SAHEED. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS MUHAMMED SAHEED TAJJUDEEN. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

This is to inform the general public of loss of ORIGINAL certificates OF OCCUPANCY (C of O) with file numbers BA/30672 dated 23/may/2007 bearing hon.alh. Jibrin aliyu Tafida And ba/6851 dated 13/october/1983 bearing Yaya gana Yerima which was assigned to hon.

Alhaji. Jibrin aliyu Tafida. All efforts made to trace the said documents proved abortive, if found kindly return to the nearest police station or Authorities concerned. General public should please take note.

Ability I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS Augustine Ogun Destiny Onyeisi Victory. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS Ability Destiny Victory Onyeisi. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

loss of document

Temitayo

This is to inform the general public that Alh. Umaru shagalinku of 872 capital Street, Area 11, Garki Abuja reported that on 11/07/2018 while on transit within Abuja he discover that his offer of statutory Right of Occupancy for plot No. 1994 with file MISC 10973 and new file No. OS 10312 at cadastral zone B07 of katampe bearing Garba international got missing.

All efforts made to traced the missing documents prove abortive. If found please returned to the nearest police station. All authority concerned and general public take note

BAUCHI STATE NOTICE

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE PROBATE DIVISION, BAUCHI, BAUCHI STATE WHEREAS the person/persons whose name is set out in the First Column hereunder died intestate on the date and at the place stated in the column and whereas the person/persons whose address and claimed relationship to the deceased person/persons is set out in the Second Column hereunder has Applied to “High Court of Justice, Bauchi for grant” LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION” of the property/ies of the said deceased NOTICE is hereby given that “LETTER OF ADMINISTRATION” will be granted to such person/persons unless NOTICE TO PROHIBIT the grant thereof is file in the probate registry High Court of Justice, Bauchi within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication of the notice.

SCHEDULE

S/N

1

NAME OF THE DECEASED PERSONS

ALHAJI AMINU SALEH OF NO 1 EMIRS DRIVE AZARE, KATAGUM LGA BAUCHI STATE WHO DIED ON 22nd JULY, 2015 AT FMC AZARE.

Probate Registrar High Court of Justice, Bauchi Bauchi State

NAME OF APPLICANTS

ABBATI AMINU SALEH AND ATTAH AMINU SALEH of No. 1 Emirs Drive, Azare, Katagum LGA, Bauchi State.

The sons of the deceased person.

Date at Bauchi this 18th day of March, 2019 Signed: Sa’adu Muhammad Sambowal Esq

Chief Registrar High Court of Justice, Bauchi

PROGRESSIVE BROTHERS FORUM, LAGOS

SHI CARES 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 : a. Barr. Halima Aminu Mohammed-President b. Barr Halima Ahmed Mohammed, c.Alhaji Idris Aji Ahmad d. Engr Mohammed mabai Bello, E. Barr Akpomiemie Monday Akpomiemie- secretar F. Dr Dalhat Idris.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1.To provide care to weak and vulnerable.

2. To provide access to Justice for the weak and vulnerable.

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

THE TRUSTEES ARE : a). OBIORA AUGUSTINE IKENNA. b). CHUKS OKORONKWO J. c). KALU EMMANUEL CADGON. d). OGECHI GODWIN IFEANYI. THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : a. To cater for the welfare of members. b. To promote peace and foster love, understanding, mutual trust, unity and cooperation among members and the society at large 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: Barrister Mohammed Attahiru

Uthman

INCORPORATED TRUSTEES OF ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL BAG MAKERS OF NIGERIA

I, formerly known and addressed as Afonja Taiwo Yetunde, now wish to be known and addressed as Uthman Taiwo Yetunde. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public 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.S.B. OLOMUN, CHAIRMAN 2.ALIYU.A. LUKMAN 3.AKANDE WASIU 4.AJANAKU .M.O DADA (MRS)SECRETARY 5.FUNMI AJAGBE (MRS) 6.OLAYINKA IDOWU 7.OLAIYA .A.WASIU 8.HON OLOHUNRINU.A. SULEMAN 9.AHMED ADEWALE 10.ABDULKAREEM ABDULRAHAMAN 11. BARRISTER FATAI OLAOKUN ALABI- legal Adviser THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1.TO PROMOTE THE INTEREST AND WELFARE OF MEMBERS 2.TO HELP AND GENERATE TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR SELF EMPLOYMENT OF THE YOUTH 3.TO ASSIST OUR IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT IN THE AREA OF JOB CREATION. 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.

PUBLIC NOTICE

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.

PUBLIC NOTICE

SIGNED : BY: BARR FATAI OLAOKUN ALABI

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

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PEOPLES DAILY

Sports

monday, march 18, 2019

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30

PAGE 31

PEOPLES DAILY, monday, march 18, 2019

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FIBA World Cup: D’Tigers to face Argentina, Russia, Korea

Rangers out of CAFCC after home defeat by CS Sfaxien

By Albert Akota

D

’Tigers has been drawn alongside Argentina, Russia and Korea in Group B of the 2019 FIBA World Cup for men in China between the August 31 -September 15, 2019.

Nigeria currently 33rd on the FIBA ranking will once again be facing familiar foes and world number 6, Argentina for the third time since their last 2 previous meetings at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

It will be the first ever meeting against world number 10, Russia who are making a return to the world stage after missing out in 2014.

World number 32, South Korea will hope to put the ghost of their 2014 World cup behind them where they finished 23rd out of the 24 participating nations when both sides meet in the sprawling city of Wuhan.

Speaking immediately after the draws, NBBF President, Engr Musa Kida described the group as fair but tricky pointing out that early preparation holds the key to a successful World Cup campaign.

“Now that we have known the teams that we will face, we need to start preparations in earnest if we are to make an impact in China.

By Albert Akota

E

nugu Rangers failed to earn a place in the quarter-final stage of the CAF Confederation Cup after they were handed a 1-0 defeat by Tunisia’s CS Sfaxien in their matchdaysix encounter at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu yesterday.

Nadir Korichi scored the only goal of the Group B clash 17 minutes from time.

Rangers dominated possession but wasted a number of goal scoring opportunities in the game.

The Flying Antelopes finished in third position in the group with five points from six games.

The Coal City club were looking to become the first Nigerian club to win

the competition, but their hopes were dashed by the North Africans who put up a disciplined performance in the game.

Gbenga Ogunbote’s men will now concentrate their attention on the Nigeria Professional Football League and the Aiteo Federation Cup. Sfaxien who had already booked a place in the quarter-finals before the game top the group with 12 points.

Their Tunisian rivals, Etoile du Sahel who also defeated Burkina Faso‘s Salitas finished in second position with 10 points. Salitas finished in last position with just four points from six games.

Another Nigeria’s representative in the CAF Champions League Lobi Stars

also crashed out of the competition on Saturday despite recording a 2-0 win against Ivorien club ASEC Mimosas.

The Pride of Benue as Lobi Stars are fondly referred to were already down and out even before the kickoff against the visiting Ivorian team, but they had stated in clear terms that they would be gunning for victory nonetheless in Saturday’s tie.

Lobi Stars got the opening goal in the third minute when Mathias Samuel with a cutback pass located an unmark Alimi in the ASEC box and the striker calmly poked in the ball from close range.

Alimi doubled Lobi’s lead in the 39th minute scoring in a similar fashion but this time getting the needed pass from Dare Ojo.

Before Saturday’s game, Lobi Stars had scored just two goals in five matches and the two goals were scored in the matchday 1 tie against Mamelodi Sundowns.

Regardless of Saturday’s win (the second in the group stage), Lobi Stars still ended their campaign as the bottom team in Group A with seven points, ASEC on their part finished third also with seven points after six games but with a better goals’ difference.

Wydad Casablanca who has a Nigerian Babatunde Michael in their team finished top in Group A while South African side finished as the runners-up in the group and they have both qualified for the quarter-final of the lucrative club competition.

Oshoala scores for Barcelona ladies in away win

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Oshoala scores for Barcelona ladies in away win

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sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

Rangers Crash Out by CS Sfaxien

r

“We are going to the World Cup as the number 1 team in Africa and the first country to qualify for the world cup globally on the back of a 9 -game unbeaten streak, so we have definitely drawn some attention”, he said.

The NBBF has already commenced preparations in earnest with the D’Tigers’ head coach, Alex Nwora in talks with some key players ahead of the world cup.

“In the coming days, we shall reel out our World Cup preparation plans which will also go side by side with the African Games. If we get our acts right and get the needed players we are targeting, we can achieve a result that all Nigerians will be proud of”.

Present at the event were FIBA President Horacio Muratore, new FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis and representatives of the 32 participating national teams.

Nigeria was represented by D’Tigers Team Manager Musa Adamu and Lawal Razaq Dayo (Nigerian high ranking embassy staff in China) The event which heralds the first basketball World Cup with 32 teams was held in front of 8,000 spectators at Shenzhen Bay Arena.

igeria forward Asisat Oshoala continued her impressive goal scoring form for Barcelona Ladie by netting one in their 2-0 away win against title rivals Atletico Madrid Ladies at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

It was Oshoala‘s fifth goal in five appearances for Barcelona Ladies in the Liga Iberdrola since her arrival on loan from Chinese club Dalian Quanjian in January.

Oshoala opened scoring for Barcelona Ladies in the 65th minute of the keenly contested encounter.

The former Arsenal and Liverpool Ladies starlet was however replaced by Toni Duggan 17 minutes from time.

Substitute Duggan made the three points safe for the Barcelona Ladies by netting the second goal 10 minutes from time.

Barcelona Ladies are now leveled on points at the top of the Liga Iberdrola table with Atletico Madrid.

The game was watched by 60, 739 fans, a new record for a women’s club match.

Asisat Oshoala dances Zanku to celebrate her goal for Barcelona

Spence beats Garcia to retain IBF world welterweight title

E

rrol Spence Jr retained his IBF world welterweight title for the third time after defeating fourweight world champion Mikey Garcia by a unanimous decision in Dallas at the weekend.

Spence Jr, who boxed for the US at the London 2012 Olympics, went the distance in his hometown - his first 12-round bout in his past 12 fights.

Judges scored the bout 120107 120-108 120-108 in the 29-year-old’s favour.

Previously undefeated Garcia, 31, suffered his first loss in 40 professional fights.

Garcia, who moved up two weight divisions for his

Errol Spence Jr successfully defended his IBF world welterweight title welterweight debut,missed out on the chance to join the likes of Floyd Mayweather, Tommy Hearns, Manny Pacquiao, Sugar

Ray Leonard and Oscar de la Hoya in winning world titles across five weight classes.

Nadal out of semi-final clash with Federer at Indian Wells R afael Nadal received treatment to his right knee during his victory over Karen Khachanov Roger Federer says he hopes he has not missed his last chance to play Rafael Nadal after the Spaniard withdrew from their Indian Wells semi-final with a right knee injury.

Second seed Nadal received treatment to the knee during his quarter-final win over Karen Khachanov on Friday.

The Spaniard had a brief practice session on Saturday

before withdrawing.

“It’s tough for me to accept all these things that I’m going through in my career,” Nadal said.

Swiss Federer received a walkover to Sunday’s final, where he will face Dominic Thiem after the Austrian beat Canada’s Milos Raonic 7-6 (7-3) 6-7 (3-7) 6-4.

“I am obviously excited to be in the finals, but not this way,” Federer, 37, said.

“We’ve had so many epic battles and I know now that every one we have could be our last.

Was this our last chance? I hope not.”

Nadal said: “My goal is to be healthy as many weeks as possible to keep playing and at the highest level possible.

“Sometimes I feel sad because I’m in a disadvantage to all my opponents.”

The 32-year-old also withdrew from next week’s Masters 1000 event in Miami with the injury.

Nadal and Federer, who have 37 Grand Slam titles between them, have not played each other since 2017.

Rafael Nadal receiving treatment

QUOTABLE QUOTE

. . . putting the people first

monday, march 18, 2019

“INEC has been conferred with enormous powers to de-register political parties that fail to meet the fresh constitutional prerequisites.

Going by the results of the 2019 general elections the 91 registered political parties may have been reduced to less than 10 that may have scaled the constitutional hurdle. But it ought to be pointed out that the planned de-registration of political parties that fail to win elections is likely to limit the political space to the so called mainstream political parties that are not committed to any political philosophy or ideology.”

—Femi Falana, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in a statement yesterday

SPORTS One with Governor in Nigeria makes the majority latest

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Juventus omit Ronaldo suffer defeat

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uventus Champions League hero Cristiano Ronaldo - fell to their first Serie A defeat of the season as they suffered a shock loss at Genoa.

Former Juve player Stefano Sturaro curled in the opener in the 72nd minute before Goran Pandev made sure of the win for the mid-table side with a powerful finish nine minutes from time.

Juve had last lost in the top flight on 22 April 2018 and this season had dropped points on only three occasions prior to Sunday’s game.

Ronaldo, who scored a hattrick in Juve’s 3-2 aggregate win over Atletico Madrid in midweek, was left out of the matchday squad.

Liverpool beats Fulham to returns to top

L

iverpool returned to the top of the Premier League but needed James Milner’s late penalty to avoid dropping points at Fulham.

Leading through Sadio Mane’s 11th goal in as many games in all competitions, the visitors failed to put a limited Fulham side away, allowing the hosts back into the game.

A dire defensive mix-up between defender Virgil van Dijk and goalkeeper Alisson gifted Ryan Babel an equaliser against his former club on 74 minutes.

But Fulham keeper Sergio Rico then made an equally poor blunder, dropping Mohammed Salah’s curling shot and fouling Mane as the Senegal Taye Taiwo and forward went for theOduamadi ball.

Advert: business: news: lagos:

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hen he made it as Governor of Imo State in 2011, I saw in Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha a glimmer of hope in gubernatorial governance in Nigeria.

His relatively youthful age, (born 22 September 1962) and the fact that he was a self-made businessman with philanthropic educational institutions that gave scholarship to the less privileged children in the Nigerian society spread across Nigeria - cast him in a different mold from the run of the mill Nigerian politician.

When in one of his first pronouncements as Governor, he declared that he was not going to have anything to do with ‘security vote’ – that huge honey pot where state governors enjoy billions of state funds without the inconvenience of accountability – I said to myself “a Daniel has finally come to judgment.”

Rochas Okorocha brought a breath of fresh air. Since democracy returned in 1999, the People’s Democratic Party PDP, the selfdeclared biggest party in Africa instituted a system of democracy that gave disproportionate power to state governors. Elections into Local Governments were a complete sham. State Governors hijacked the State Independent Electoral Commissions and dictated the names of those to be elected Councilors and Council Chairmen.

The State governors also had the power to appoint the members of the State Executive Council, known as Commissioners. For those of them in the ruling PDP, they also had the prerogative to nominate who would represent their states in the Federal Executive Council, which the 1999 Constitution makes it mandatory for each state to be represented.

Then the President also counted on them to nominate members of Federal Boards and Ambassadors.

From the Local, State and Federal levels therefore, one could see the chocking grip that the state governors, especially those of the PDP stock had in the running of the country. I remember pointing out this undemocratic anomaly to my big uncle, Professor Jibril Aminu, when he returned from the United States as Nigeria’s Ambassador there to contest and win a seat in the Nigerian Senate at one of our fire side, after dinner chats.

The genius gave me his Senatorial ear, listened to my complain attentively after which gave me the wise crack: “Emmanuel, in Nigeria one with Governor makes the majority”.

The emergence of a man of independent means and

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Emmanuel Yawe royawe@yahoo.com 08024565402

hopefully independent thinking like Okorocha, I thought would gradually show us an alternative route. But I was given a rude shock by my man in his second term when in 2017, he appointed his own sister, Mrs. Ogechi Ololo (nee Okorocha) the Imo State Commissioner for Happiness and Couples’ Fulfillment. If there was great need in Imo State for a portfolio with such an odd name, why must the governors own sister be the one to head it, I asked myself.

But my man Okorocha was not done with me yet. In a grand demonstration of amazing vanity, Okorocha held Imo state hostage for two weeks to mark his 55th birthday anniversary. School children, whose parents were still being owed salaries of up to three months, were lined in the streets of Owerri to salute the governor.

As for pensioners whose long arrears are being paid in dreadful bits, they watched Okorocha’s parade from the discomfort of their homes as their August/September cheques bounced again.

Twenty-seven pre-selected women, each representing a local government, brought cakes to the governor.

My man took his folly to a whole new level at the time when he invited South African President, Jacob Zuma, to crown the activities.

As Zuma was boarding the plane to Nigeria, the Supreme Court in his country ruled for the reinstatement of 783 charges of corruption and fraud against him. Zuma, whom Okorocha was celebrating in Imo was alleged to have taken bribes worth over $304,000 and was involved in racketeering, fraud and money laundering.

This was apart from charges that he used $23 million of state

“

money to refurbish his sprawling apartment in Nkandla – funds which the courts ruled that he must return. On top of all this, are charges that Zuma’s bosom business friends, the Guptas, had used their influence with him to capture the South African government.

As Zuma was landing in Owerri and Okorocha was unveiling his 30 feet statue, built at over N500 million, naming a road after him and awarding him a chieftancy title, protests were going on in South Africa, calling for Zuma to resign because his government has been overwhelmed by corruption.

Not embarrassed by the turn of events, Okorocha went ahead to build another statue in honour of President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia.

“I erect statue to immortalise people so that children yet unborn can know about them. History is dying in Africa, we must keep it alive,” he defended the senseless project.

But the grand finale of his acts of profound irresponsibility was still on its way. After eight years as Governor of Imo, Okorocha wanted to have a seat in the Nigerian Senate while the keys to the governor’s office should be handed over to the man who married his daughter, Uche Nwosu. He lost both.

In Ibadan, the capital of Oyo state a similar drama has just played out. I visited Ibadan during the first tenure of Governor Ajimobi and I was very impressed with the work he was doing in giving the ancient city a new look.

The people of Oyo state must have been impressed too for they gave him the rare hunour to break all jinxes, including the popular Ibadan one that no governor serves two terms in the state.

I erect statue to immortalise people so that children yet unborn can know about them.

History is dying in Africa, we must keep it alive,” he defended the senseless project

Maybe the initial success went into his head because the man is alleged to have turned himself into an “emperor” running the state with a lack of caution and decorum in terms of verbal and administrative engagement. His involvement in the demolition of Yinka Ayefele’s ‘Music House’ and Ibadan Obaship tussle were costly missteps. The people were angered and this was reflected in the election of 9th March where his party lost to the PDP. If the two fawning governors in Imo and Oyo were shown the way out by the electorate, the opposite appears to be the case in Benue.

Since the creation of that state in 1976, no governor has performed as woefully as Governor Samuel Ortom, the self-confessed ex motor park tout. There is no single project he has executed for four years.

With Federal allocations of over N400 billion, he has not only failed to execute any project but also to pay workers and pensioners. His greatest achievements is to shout about Fulani invasion of Benue when questioned about his record of service to the people who elected him.

Amazingly, he appears to be getting away with it as the poll results in Benue where a rerun is due next week show. When I asked a voter in Benue last week why they should allow the man to get away with blue murder, he simply gave me the answer in Tiv that “de un aya ayem”, meaning allow the man to eat and go.

If the current voting pattern in Benue is manipulated as suspected it is, then INEC has a big question to answer. If the figures are a true reflection of the real will of the people, then this is the most fatalistic side of democracy.

A people who treat corruption, fraud and incompetence with such casual indifference will soon have themselves to blame.

DAN GAYE

Okorocha to Ihedioha: Get sworn-in before issuing directives

-Na power de hungry am

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