Tuesday, May 21, 2019 Edition

Tuesday, May 21, 2019/ Ramadan 16, 1440 AH

1856 Days after

Vol. 31 No. 071 N150

@pmlonline

peoplesdailyng

. . . putting the people first

The nation awaits rescue of the remaining abducted Chibok schoolgirls

4 Nigerians arrested for drug trafficking in India

Senate leadership: Court rejects suit to stop Saraki, Ekweremadu’s sack

pAGE 10

pAGE 3

FG confirms May 29, June 12 as public holidays pAGE 2

Army acquires new weapons to finish terror war, others page 5

L-R: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Defence, Brig. Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd); Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu and Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Alhaji Bawa Bwari at the Press Conference to unveil the May, 29, 2019 Presidential Inauguration activities and June 12 Democracy Day Celebration, yesterday in Abuja

AGF drags 2 INEC officials to court over electoral fraud

>>>page 14

Non release of N195bn export expansion grant crippling businesses -Exporters >>>page 19

2019 elections: INEC withdraws 25 certificates of return >>>page 5

PAGE 2

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

News CONTENTS News 2-14 Op.Ed

12-13

Politics 15-17 Stock Watch Business Metro

18 19-20 21

World Analysis 22 Africa News

23

World News

24

FG confirms May 29, June 12 as public holidays

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

T

he Federal Government has confirmed that May 29 and June 12 of every year would remain as public holidays in the country.

This is even as the government gave reasons why world leaders were only invited for the maiden celebration of the democracy day on June 12, and not for May 29 inauguration ceremony.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed disclosed these in Abuja at a world press conference where he gave details of the May 29th presidential inauguration and the first observance of June 12th as the nation’s Democracy Day. The Information Minister, who addressed journalists alongside four other MinistersManir Dan Alli, Defence, Geoffrey Onyema, Foreign Affairs, Alhaji Adamu Adamu, Education and Hon. Bawa Bwari, Solid Mineral Resources-pointed out that Nigeria can ill-afford two major celebrations within a two-week interval.

When asked if the leaders opposition in the country were invited for the inauguration, Alhaji Mohammed, who is the

Chairman of the Media and Publicity sub-committee of the presidential inauguration committee, said that everybody, who ought to be invited, have been duly invited.

The Minister of Information and Culture said, “ I said, at my earlier press conference, that since the first observance of June 12 as Democracy Day falls in an election year, and as a measure to sustain June 12 as Democracy Day, the celebration of the inauguration and the advancement of democracy in the country will now take place on June 12.

“I also said, of course, that the country can ill-afford two major celebrations within a two-week interval.

“On the invitation of world leaders to the presidential inauguration, I said the leaders would be invited instead to the ceremonies marking the observance of the Democracy Day on June 12, and that invitations have since been sent out to them.

“I said, at a press conference at the State House on Monday, May 13th 2019, that the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term on May 29th 2019, will be a low-key affair.

“I also said a number of the

events slated for the inauguration will now be held during the first observance of June 12 as Democracy Day. “Activities leading to the inauguration of Mr. President officially kicks off today (yesterday), May 20th, with this press conference.

“This will be followed of Tuesday, May 21st, by the commencement of a three-day National Youth Entrepreneurship Empowerment Summit at the International Conference Centre (ICC) here in Abuja.

“The Federal Executive Council Valedictory Session will be held at the Council Chambers, State House, Abuja, on Wednesday, May 22nd; a Special Jumat Lecture and prayer will be held on Friday May 24th at the National Mosque; the First Lady’s interaction with women is slated for the Old Chamber at the State House on Saturday May 25th while a special Interdenominational Church Service is slated for Sunday May 26th at the National Christian Centre.

“On Monday, May 27th, Mr. President will give a Children;s Day broadcast, to be followed later in the day by a Children’s Variety Party.

R-L: President Muhammadu Buhari receives Sheikh Saleh Abdullah Bin Humaid, Imam of the Masjid Al-Haram (the Grand Mosque) on Sunday in Makkah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Photo: State House

Police warn Kaduna residents against mob action Page 7

Digest

“The swearing in of the President and the Vice President is slated for Wednesday, May 29th at the Eagle Square, to be followed by a State Banquet at the State House in the evening of the same day 2019 Democracy Day Celebration (7-12th June 2019) “The events celebrating June 12 as Democracy Day will kick off on Friday, June 7th with a Historical Exhibition in Arts, Pictures and Immersive Environment and run through June 12th.

“The event is slated to hold at the ICC. It will be followed on Sunday, June 9th by a Youth Concert, Creative Industry and Entertainment Night also at the ICC. “On Monday, June 10th, there will be a Secondary Schools Exhibition/Panel Discussion at the ICC, and Tuesday, June 11th will feature three events: the PMB Oratorical Contest at the ICC, an Anti-corruption Summit at the Transcorp Hilton and and a First Lady’s Commissioning Programme in Yola, Adamawa.

“Wednesday, June 12th will start off with a parade at the Eagle Square, and the Democracy Day programme will wrap up with a Dinner and Gala Night at the State House Conference Centre”, he stated.

25

Feature 26

Back Page

32

We want to hear from you The Peoples Daily wants to hear from you with any news and pictures you think we should publish.

You can send your news and pictures to: adverts@peoplesdailyng.com pictures@peoplesdailyng.com contact@peoplesdailyng.com

Phones for News: 08142929046 08024432099

News

Court dissolves ex-NBA spokesman 24-year-old marriage

By Osaigbovo Benin

E

Iguobaro,

do State High Court sitting at Abudu, headquarters of Orhionmwon Local Government Area of the State has dissolved the marriage between a Benin based legal practitioner, Samuel Abaslim Esq and his wife, Mrs. Florence Chinwe Abaslim.

The presiding judge, Justice Vestee Eboreime dissolved the marriage on grounds that

the marriage between Samuel Abaslim Esq who was a former Spokesman of NBA, Benin branch and his wife, Mrs. Florence Chinwe Abaslim, a Staff of West African Examination Council (WAEC) in Asaba, has broken down irretrievably.

The marriage was conjugated at the Saint James Anglican Church, Benin on October 7,1995.

The petitioner , Samuel Abaslim had filed the divorce

petition praying the court to dissolve the marriage, alleging that the respondent, Mrs Florence Chinwe Abaslim had behaved in such a way that the petitioner cannot reasonably be expected to continue to live with her.

Justice Eboreime in her judgement stated that the unchanged evidence of the petitioner has proved that the marriage between the petitioner and the respondent has indeed broken down

irretrievably under section 15, (2)(c) of the matrimonial causes Act. In the circumstances, the court ordered the dissolution of the marriage between them.

Our correspondent reports that Samuel Abaslim Esq, cut his teeth in journalism in the famous Daily Times Newspaper Limited.

He left the tabloid to study law and was called to the Bar over 15 years ago a Supreme Court solicitor and advocate.

News Editor, Ese Awhotu

Senate leadership: Court rejects suit to stop Saraki, Ekweremadu’s sack

By Vivian Okejeme Abuja

J

ustice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday, struck out a suit seeking to stop the removal of Dr Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu as Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively.

The court held that the plaintiff, the Incorporated Trustee of the Civil Society Observatory for Constitutional and Legal Compliance (CSOCLC) failed to prove the case with credible evidence before the court in any way to grant the reliefs it sought.

The plaintiff, had in a suit dated and filed on 21st August, 2018, prayed the court to determine whether Saraki and Ekweremadu could be removed from office without a resolution of the Senate and supported by votes of twothirds or 73 members of the Senate.

The suit that was supported by 11paragraph affidavit deposed to by ThankGod Chiemela, was premised on the strength of section 50(2) (c) of the 1999 constitution as amended.

CSOCLC, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/936/2018 had urged the court to declare that lawmakers cannot be removed from office as President of the Senate and Deputy President of the Senate unless pursuant to a resolution supported by the votes of not less than 73 members of the Senate.

The plaintiff, earlier in the trial tendered as evidence, a newspaper reports alleging threats of removing Saraki and Ekweremadu from the office of Senate President and Deputy Senate President respectively.

In his judgement, Justice Tsoho held that although both Saraki and Ekweremadu cannot be

validly removed from office without a resolution of the Senate and supported by a vote of 73 senators, he however dismissed the suit on the grounds that the newspaper reports alleging threats of removing the lawmakers from office, are not admissible in law.

The judge ruled, “There is no evidential value in the newspaper publications tendered by the plaintiff”, because the report of the newspaper are not statement made by the maker of the document.

“I hold that the plaintiff has failed to adduce credible and cogent evidence in support of its originating summons.

“Accordingly, all the reliefs sought by the plaintiff cannot be granted due to lack of credible evidence. The suit, as filed by the plaintiff is hereby struck out.’’

FEC approves N4bn for infrastructure in FCT

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a total of N4.03 billion for the provision of infrastructural projects across Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Council chaired by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday also okayed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) intervention funds for the electricity Generation Companies (GENCOs) in the country.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT)’s Minister, Mohammed Bello, who briefed newsmen after the meeting said he presented nine memos to the Council.

He said the first memo was for the award of contract for the rehabilitation of failed walkways within the Wuse District of the Federal Capital City and that contract was awarded at the cost of N1.9 billion with a completion period of

twelve months.

The second was for the preparation of the electricity master plan for Phase IV of the Federal Capital City at the cost of N189 million with a completion of ten months. “As you already know, phases I and II have their own master plan,” he said.

Bello noted that council also approved contract for the design of infrastructure for institution and research district which is in phase III of the Federal Capital City at the cost of N197 million.

Other contracts approved for the FCTA are the engineering design of infrastructure for sector G and H in Phase III of the Federal Capital City awarded at the cost of N118.575 million with a completion period of six months.

According to the minister, council also approved for the design of intersceptic sewage line for the federal capital city in the total sum of N125

million.

The next one was the contract for the construction of the School of Science at the permanent site of the FCT College of Education Zuba at the cost of N701 million with a co pelt ion period of 42 weeks.

The other contract was the final engineering design of infrastructure and production of tender documents for Dawaki District in the sum of N259 million with a six moth completion period.

Also briefing, the Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed, told newsmen that the Council approved CBN intervention funds for GENCOs. The CBN had earlier stepped into the liquidity and funding challenges facing the electricity sector and disbursed a total of N120.2bn to different electricity distribution companies (DISCOs), power generating companies (GENCOs), service providers and gas companies.

Teenager drowns in Kano

A

Sports 30-31

Page 3

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

teenager, Umar Murtala, on Sunday evening drowned in a pond at Gwazaye, opposite the Abacha Youth Centre in Gwale LGA of Kano State.

The spokesperson for the Kano State Fire Service, Saidu Mohammed, told the News Agency Of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano that Murtala, 18, drowned at 5:00 pm.

“We received a distress call from one Abubakar Aliyu at 5:00p.m, that Murtala’s body was found floating in a pond.

“On receiving the information, we sent our rescue team to the scene at 5:15 pm.

“The cause of the incident is still under investigation.

“Murtala was found dead and his corpse was later handed over to his father, Alhaji Murtala Salisu,’’ the spokesperson said.

In another development, the fire service spokesperson said that Mohammed Shaharali, 20, drowned when he fell into an open pool of water on Sunday morning at Ladanai in Nasarawa LGA of Kano State.

The spokesperson said that the service received a call from Ishaiaku Yaro, at 9:22 am who said a body was found floating on the water.

“Upon receiving the information,

we quickly dispatched our rescue team to the scene at 9:30 am.” he said.

According to him, the deceased was rescued unconscious but later confirmed dead.

The spokesperson said his remains were handed to the Head of Hotoron Arewa Central Ward, Murtala Mohammed.

He advised the general public to be careful while bathing in pools, ponds and other sources of water.

NAN reports that there has been increased cases of drowning since the commencement of the heat season in Kano about a month ago.(NAN)

LPPC shortlists 80 lawyers for SAN

By Vivian Okejeme Abuja

A

Lagos-based activist and lawyer, Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, and 13 professors, made the list of the 80 lawyers considering for conferment of award of Senior Advocate of Nigeria of 2019.

Secretary and Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Hadizatu Mustapha, said the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges

Committee has released the names of 80 lawyers.

According to Hadizatu Mustapha, the 80 shortlisted lawyers had scaled through the “first and second advocates’ filtration, academic prequalification exercise and the appeal process, preparatory to the award of SAN for the year.

Some of the lawyers shortlisted are Lagos-based activist lawyer, Mr Ebun-

Olu Adegboruwa, and 13 professors, who are being considered for the award under the academic category.

The 13 professors are Joseph Abugu, Damilola Olawuyi, Olaide Gbadamosi, Mamman Lawan, Uchefula Chukwumaeze, Oludayo Amokaye, Alphonsus Alubo, Rasheed Ijaodola, Sampson Erugo, Edward Oyewo, Oghenemaro Emiri, Bankole Akintoyesodipo and Afeisimi Badaiki.

Ramadan Timing For Abuja And Other Cities RAMADAN 16 TOWNS FAJIR ABAKALIKI 4.55 ABEOKUTA 5.14 ABUJA/SULEJA 4.49 AKWANGA/KEFFI/NASARAWA 4.51 ANKPA/AYANGBA 5.00 AZARE/JAMA’ARE 4.36 BAMA 4.22 BAUCHI/NINGI 4.41 BENIN 5.06 BICHI 4.42 BIDA 4.58 B/GWARI 4.53 B/KEBBI/GWANDU/JEGA 4.57 BIU 4.30 DAMATURU 4.29 DAURA/DAMBATTA 4.40 DUTSE 4.40 DUTSIN MA/JIBIYA 4.45 ENUGU 4.58 FUNTUA/CHAFE 4.48 GOMBE 4.35 GUMI 4.55 GUSAU/KAURA NAMODA 4.48 GWADABAWA 4.52 HADEJIA/GUMEL 4.36 IBADAN/IFE 5.09 ILORIN/KAIAMA 5.06 JALINGO/LAU/GASHAKA 4.37 JERE 4.52 JOS/SAMINAKA 4.45 KABBA 5.01 KADUNA 4.50 KAFANCHAN/KACHIA 4.44 KAFIN MAIYAKI 4.43 KANO 4.44 KATSINA 4.44 KONTAGORA/ZURU 4.58 LAFIA 4.51 LAGOS 5.24 LOKOJA//IDAH 4.58 MAIDUGURI/MUBI/GWOZA 4.22 MAKURDI 4.51 MINNA 4.56 MISAU 4.35 MOKWA/NEW BUSSA 5.03 MONGUNO 4.20 NGURU/GASHUA 4.31 OKENE 5.08 ONITSHA 5.02 OYO 5.19 P/HARCOURT/OWERRI 5.13 POTISKUM 4.32 SHAGAMU 5.12 SOKOTO 4.53 TAKUM/WUKARI 4.46 WARRI 5.07 LANGTANG/WASE/SHENDAM 4.44 WURNO 4.51 YOLA/NUMAN 4.33 ZARIA 4.48

SUNRISE 6.06 6.25 6.13 6.02 6.06 5.48 5.33 5.52 6.17 5.56 6.10 6.04 6.08 5.41 5.40 5.51 5.51 5.46 6.09 6.00 5.46 6.06 6.00 6.03 5.47 6.20 6.15 5.48 6.03 5.48 6.12 6.01 6.00 5.54 5.56 6.00 6.09 6.02 6.26 6.09 5.32 6.02 6.07 5.48 6.14 5.31 4.42 6.16 6.17 6.24 6.18 4.47 6.26 6.08 6.02 6.22 5.55 6.06 5.48 6.03

MAGRIB 6.42 7.03 6.49 6.55 6.46 6.43 6.29 6.43 6.53 6.53 6.55 6.55 7.07 6.34 6.37 6.53 6.48 6.58 6.45 6.55 6.37 7.04 6.59 7.06 6.47 7.00 7.01 6.33 6.50 6.45 6.53 6.52 6.47 6.52 6.53 6.57 7.00 6.46 7.02 6.50 6.31 6.43 6.54 6.41 7.01 6.31 6.44 6.52 6.50 7.01 6.45 6.39 7.01 7.06 6.37 6.51 6.40 7.05 6.40 6.52

SOURCE: Society for Propagation of Islam, Kaduna.

PAGE 4

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

2019 PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION PLANNING COMMITTEE (PIPC) CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES 20TH – 29TH MAY, 2019 S/N 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

9.

DATE TIME ACTIVITY Monday 20th May 11.00am • World Press Conference Tuesday 21st May 10.00am • National Youth Entrepreneurship Empowerment Summit(21st -23rd) Wednesday 22nd 10.00am • FEC Valedictory Session May Friday 24th May 09.00am • Special Jumma’at Lecture and Prayer Saturday 25th 16.00pm • First Lady’s Interaction with Women Sunday 26th May 15.00pm • Special Interdenominational Church Service Monday 27th May 07.00am • Children’s Day Broadcast by Mr. President 13.00pm • Children’s Variety Party Wednesday 29th 08.00am • Swearing In Ceremony May 19.00pm • State Banquet

VENUE • Nat. Press Centre • ICC

ATTENDANCE Media Open and by Invitation

• Council Chambers State House • National Mosque

Strictly by Invitation Open and by Invitation • Old Chamber State Open and by Invitation House • National Christian Open and BY invitation Centre Open and BY • State House invitation • State House Strictly by • Eagle Square • State House Conf. Invitation Centre

*ICC – International Conference Centre

2019 DEMOCRACY DAY CELEBRATION CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES 7TH – 12TH JUNE, 2019 1.

7th – 12th June

2. Sunday 9th June 3. Monday 10th June 4. Tuesday 11th June

5.

Wednesday 12th June

09.00am

16.00pm 09.00am 09.00am 10.00am 11.00am 09.00am 18.00pm

• Historical Exhibition in Arts, Pictures and Immersive Environment (Week Long) • Youth Concert, Creative Industry & Entertainment Night • Secondary Schools Exhibition/ Panel Discussion • PMB – Oratorical Contest • Anticorruption Summit • First Lady’s Commissioning Program Adamawa • Democracy Day Parade • Dinner & Gala Night

• ICC

• ICC • • • • • •

Open and BY invitation

Open and BY invitation Open and BY ICC invitation Open and BY ICC Transcorp Hilton invitation Yola, Adamawa Strictly by Invitation Strictly by Eagle Square Invitation State House Conf. Centre

*ICC – International Conference Centre Announcer: Alhaji Lai Mohammed Minister of Information and Culture & Chairman Publicity Sub-Committee

Page 5

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

By Ese Awhotu

T

he Nigeria Army said it has taken delivery of some consignment of arms and ammunition to boost its weapon inventory in the fight against the insurgents.

The army said the weapons were conveyed through a chartered cargo plane, which landed at 3:00 p.m. at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The arms and ammunition the Army received include light, medium and heavy weapons.

Gen. Robert Aiyenigba, Head, Nigeria Army Monitoring Operation Team told newsmen that the consignmentwere aimed to boost the counterinsurgency and banditry operations in the country.

He said, “This is the first in the series of aircraft to come.

“This is part of efforts aimed at countering insurgency, kidnapping and banditry across the country,” Aiyenigba added Recall that, President Muhammadu Buhari had vowed to end the Boko Haram insurgency by procuring modern weapons, improve welfare of soldiers, and enhance military operations in the North East, an area worse hit by the insurgency.

“As President and by the powers conferred on me, I assure you that government will procure modern fighting equipment to end the madness of Boko Haram and other acts of our enemies. ‘’I want to also assure you that government is doing everything to increase the welfare of Nigerian Army,” Buhari said in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, while speaking at the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Annual Conference in November last year.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Tukur Yusuf Buratai had also month given reasons why Boko Haram insurgency, terrorism, banditry and kidnapping can be brought to an end.

This is even as he urged the media not to glorify bandits and other criminals.

According to Buratai, a joint holistic approach by the countries was the most assuring way Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) can be defeated.

News

Army acquires new weapons to finish terror war, others He spoke at the Nigerian Military Cantonment in Jaji, Kaduna State, where he opened the 2019 First Quarter Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Conference and Combat Arms Training Week.

He advised that the media and other stakeholders should stop celebrating criminals so as assist the military and other security agencies to win the war against kidnapping, robbery and banditry in Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna and Sokoto states.

According to him, religious and traditional leaders, security analysts and the media, tend to paint armed robbers, kidnappers and ethnic militia groups as powerful than the military and other security agencies.

Buratai said: “The criminals and bandits are only as strong as the society paints or view them and further propagated by the media.

“There is no doubt that we are engaged in asymmetric operations against terrorist side by side with the resurgence of kidnapping and armed banditry in the North West and the North Central.

“The strategy we used in the past to address such ugly trends in the South East and the South South must, therefore, be rejuvenated with new ‘out of the box’ ideas to address the current security challenges.”

He added that, “Undue publicity and praise singing of the bandits and other criminal

elements would only motivate them to commit more criminal acts at the detriment of the society.

Therefore, the press, the general public, security analysts and public commentators are advised to show more maturity and due diligence in this collective effort of ridding the country of criminals and criminalities.”

“That is why Operation Yancin Tafki was launched to effectively ensure the total destruction of the insurgents hibernating and operating from the ‘tumbuns’ with a view to crippling their ability and capability to wage any form of war.

“The operational successes recorded in this first quarter 2019 in this fight have further underscored the Nigerian Army’s

resolve to defend the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

“It is gratifying to note that the army within the first quarter 2019 has performed creditably well starting with the seizing of initiatives and turning the battle momentum against the Boko Haram terrorists in the Northeast and rounding off with the professional manner with which the army supported the civil authorities, as part of our constitutional role, to ensure the successful conduct of the 2019 general elections.

“I must also acknowledge the resilience and doggedness of our troops in reversing the ugly trends that almost marred our concerted efforts in the North East.”

L-R: Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State, Yobe Governor-Elect Mai Mala Buni, Governor Aminu Bello of Katsina State and Senate Leader Senator Ahmad Lawan when Gaidam, Buni and Lawan visited him, yesterday in Katsina.

2019 elections: INEC withdraws 25 certificates of return

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it has withdrawn 25 Certificates-of-Return issued to some candidates that won during the 2019 general elections. The decisions to withdraw the certificates were based on court orders.

The Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Festus Okoye, said this at a `Forum on Media Coverage of 2019 General Elections’ held in Enugu on Monday.

Mr Okoye said that 20 of the 25 certificates-of-return were withdrawn from All Progressive Congress (APC) members to other APC members; while two from People Democratic Party (PDP)

members were withdrawn and issued to other PDP members.

He said that the other three were withdrawn from APC and PDP and given to other political parties.

“Before we left INEC national headquarters on Friday; the commission has withdrawn 25 certificates-of-return from the first owners to their new owners following court orders to do that,’’ he said.

Mr Okoye, however, lauded the media for its openness and robust engagement with the commission before, during and after the election.

He said the media had become critical stakeholders for the success of future elections.

He noted that the media had

become the first line of reach of the masses as well as the platform for the explanation of INEC political and electoral decisions.

Mr Okoye, therefore, called on the media and its practitioners to dig deep into the Electoral Act to ensure that the import of the recently amended sections is made known to the public.

“The media should also centre on the aspect of using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to resolve electoral issues especially at the party levels instead of going to the court,’’ he advised.

Speaking, President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isigozu, said that the media and its practitioners enjoyed

a vast and robust relationship with INEC before, during and after the elections.

Mr Isigozu said that INEC performed creditably well given the resources and length of co-operation from other stakeholders involved in the electoral processes.

“However, we are here to evaluate the entire process and see where we can strengthen our engagement and better the electoral system.

“We would be open and say it as it; so that the electoral and democratic processes can be better even as we go into off season elections,’’ he said.

In a welcome address, Enugu State Resident Electoral

Commissioner (REC), Emeka Ononamadu, noted that evaluation of processes of the elections would help better the electoral processes as well as strengthen institutions and stakeholders involved in the entire processes.

“INEC wants to hear from the media, security agencies, civil society organisations, Non-Governmental Organisations etc on how the election fared. Whether there are avenues to improve on what we have.

“So, INEC is open to receive your objective deliberations and its outcome and we definitely take a critical look at your outcomes in order to better the electoral processes,’’ Mr Ononamadu assured.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

PAGE 6

News

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he Association of Nigerian Scholars in Diaspora has commended President Muhammadu Buhari over the reappointment of Godwin Emefiele as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for another fiveyear term.

The Association, which is an umbrella organization of Nigerian scholars in the Diaspora, noted that reappointment of Godwin Emefiele as the apex bank governor’s boss was a welcome development that depicts a strong

Nigerian Diaspora scholars warn Buhari against replacing security chiefs political will by the government of Nigeria towards repositioning Nigeria to take its pride of place in the comity of nations.

The scholars as a prelude delegated its committee on Economic Development that consists scholars versed in Economic Development to

assess the tenure of Godwin Emefeile as the CBN governor in Nigeria and discovered that the Nigeria economy indeed gained substantial traction in the last four years and also commended the dexterity with which the governor of the CBN handled our economic crisis.

President of the group, Prof Bitrus Gwamna, in a statement averred that it would have been counter-productive if President Buhari had effected a change in the leadership of the CBN, especially in this critical stage of our existence because the country just exited recession.

The group, however, cautioned the presidency against replacing the current security chiefs the country.

It therefore reiterated it’s position that the Service Chiefs should be retained so that can consolidate in the gains made in the security sector in Nigeria.

Gowon honours widow of Nigeria civil war veteran, Olara Ogbemudia By Osaigbovo Benin

A

Iguobaro,

former Nigeria Head of States, General Yakubu Gown (Rted) has paid tribute to widow of civil war veteran, Mrs. Clara Ogbemudia for keeping faith in the Nigerian project.

He spoke at the 46th Founders’ Day of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) launching/Endowment fund in Benin City, Edo State.

Gowon, conveyed his greeting to the widow of Brig-General Samuel Ogbemudia (Rted), former governor of the defunct Mid-west and Bendel State.

Recalling with nostalgia how Ogbemudia as a military governor of the defunct Mid-West region liberated the defunct Bendel State from BIAFRA during the Nigerian Civil war which began 1967 when he was Head of States.

The emotional ladened Gowon in a remark, said, “Samuel Ogbemudia (Junior) looks very much like your father. I am happy to see you today. Please convey my greetings to your mother.

Our Correspondent reports that Ogbemudia was a committed Nigerian army officer and military Governor (1967–1975) of the Mid-West State, later renamed Bendel State, part of which in turn became Edo and Delta States.

Ogbemudia passed in March 2017 at the age of 84, leaving behind his widow and Children including his eldest son, Mr. Samuel Ogbemudia (Junior) who was among the dignitaries present at the Ceremony.

In a brief remark on the occasion, Samuel Ogbemudia (Junior), urged Nigerians to keep his father’s legacy.

He charged Nigerian leaders not to be power drunk, but see their elevation as a call to service, adding that leaders should be loyal to their benefactors irrespective of their social status or of affluence in society.

The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire whose goodwill message was read on the occasion by Mr. Belgore Shaibu, promised that the federal will continue to prioritise adequate funding of health facilities.

He eulogised the former Head of States, General Yakubu Gowon (retd) under whose purview the foundation stone of UBTH which had been upgraded since it was

established 46 years ago.

He described endowment fund in health institutions, was a “master stroke that is required for efficient and effective service delivery in Nigeria.

He said UBTH under the watch of Prof. Darlington Obaseki, has made a remarkable progress as a referral center and sued for its sustenance.

He called for “better optimization of resources and asset, quality and promptness of service and above all, a promise of a more compassionate and respectful attitude towards patients and to each other”.

On his part, the ViceChancellor of University of Benin, Prof. Faraday Orumwense whose address was delivered by the

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Ekehuan Campus, Prof. J. O. Abolagba, said UBTH has lived up to his mandate over the years.

He, however, challenged its management to soar higher in service delivery and urged philanthropic individuals and organizations to donate generously towards the endowment fund of UBTH.

A former governor of Edo State and National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, lauded UBTH for its customer friendly policy.

He promised to liaise with concern authorities to enable the hospital bridge deficit in infrastructure of over $6 million dollars.

R-L: Director General NITDA, Dr. Isa Pantami, Minister of communications, Dr. Abdur-Rageem Adebayo Shittu, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications, Mr. MF Istifanus and the Managing Director, Galaxy BackBone, Mr. Yusuf Kazzaure, during the Minster of Communications, Valedictory press briefing, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Justin Imo-owo

Ortom reappoints SSG, COS amidst criticism From Uche Nnorom Makurdi

G

overnor Samuel Ortom yesterday announced the reappointment of Secretary to Benue State Government, Professor Anthony Ijohor, SAN, and his Chief of Staff, Hon. Terwase Orbunde amidst criticism from party members.

The Governor made the announcement at an expanded Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,

caucus meeting held at the New Banquet Hall of the Benue Peoples House in Makurdi.

Members of the party who pleaded anonymity expressed displeasure at the reappointment of the Chief of Staff to the Governor, accusing him of breaching an agreement reached during the election that the position was to the same area where the governor hails from.

It was gathered that certain

names like Dr. Cletus Tyokyaa who was supposed to be the party returning officer for Governorship election before he was picked up by the EFCC, Pharm.John Enger and Dr. Tivlumun Nyitse had been tipped to take over from Orbunde until the reappointment.

They accused the Governor of flouting the agreement for his selfish political interest because he wants the Chief of Staff to succeed him in 2023.

During the meeting, Ortom also disclosed that council polls in the state would hold before the end of 2019.

He said the Benue State Independent National Electoral Commission, BESIEC, would soon commence processes for the polls.

The Governor stated that caretaker committees shall be constituted to fill the vacuum that will be created at the expiration of the elected councils.

Naira Marley arraigned, remanded in prison

A

Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Monday remanded embattled hip hop artist, Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, over cybercrime and credit card fraud allegations.

Naira Marley arrived at the court premises around 9.46 am, looking sober in his white T-shirt and black trousers.

Justice Nicholas Oweibo did not accept the singer’s plea but

ordered that he be remanded in Ikoyi prison till May 30 when arguments on his bail application will be heard.

Naira Marley’s bail application was put forward by his counsel, Taiwo Ore-agba.

The prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, then asked the court for a trial date. He also prayed for accelerated hearing of the case and urged the court to remand the

defendant in prison custody.

Counsel to the defendant, Mr Ore-Agba, asked the court for a date to hear the bail application on behalf his client.

When the counts were read to him, Naira Marley pleaded not guilty.

Justice Oweibo also ordered the police to return the case file following the singer’s arraignment before the court on 11 counts of

alleged credit card fraud.

Fans and relatives of the popular upcoming pop artiste flooded the court premises. His mother broke down in tears uncontrollably after he was remanded in prison by the judge.

The defendant was arrested on May 10, 2019, following intelligence report received by the Commission about his alleged involvement in internet fraud.

PAGE 7

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

CRIME News

Police warn Kaduna residents against mob action

From; Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

T

he Kaduna State Police Command hase vowed to deal decisively with any citizen that take the law into his or her hands.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo, gave the warning while

Driver allegedly hangs self after killing eight passengers

A

bus driver has been found hanging on a tree after the bus he drove overturned and killed eight people in Welkom in Free State, South Africa, on Monday.

Free State police said the bus was travelling to Upington from Durban when the accident occurred on Alma road. Seven people were declared dead on the scene of the accident and one died later in hospital.

Provincial Spokesman, Brig.

Motantsi Makhele said three children and four females were among those who died in the crash.

“People injured have been transported to various hospitals.

The information we gathered from the scene is that the bus might have lost control and overturned on a circle,” he said.

The driver was discovered hanging on a tree 300 meters from the accident scene with a safety belt from the bus.

Makhele said that an inquest into the 32-year-old driver’s death would be conducted.

“He was found hanging, but we can’t conclude that he killed himself. A culpable homicide case and an inquest would tell us how he died,” he said.

Details coming from the Health Department in the province indicate that when paramedics arrived at the scene, the driver spoke with them.

(Xinhua/NAN)

reacting to mob actions that led to the death of two people in Kaduna yesterday.

According to him, the mobs reacted to false alarm raised by one Alhaji Musa then descended on the suspected Kidnappers without any evidence.

He explained that, Aljaji Musa who deals in oil business has a problem with one of his business partner in and was reported to the Lagos State Police command, he was invited and later detained.

“From information available

to us, his friend went to secure his bail and he was released to them and they became his Sureties, after appearing to the Police on two occasions he disappeared.

“The sureties were later invited and asked to produce him, it was then that they informed the Police that they knows his resident in Kaduna, and they promised to take the Police there.

“When they arrived Kaduna, they went straight to his house, while the Police wait at a distance.

When he sighted them, he

sensed their mission and quickly jumped into his car and speed off.

“The Sureties followed him in their own car and blocked him before Kawo flyover bridge, he jumped out of his car and raised false alarm that people running after him are Kidnappers.

“You know that Kawo flyover is a flash point, before you know the Mobs descended on the Sureties believing that they are Kidnappers, that is when we got the distressed call and we moved straight to the spot, we were able to rescue three

sureties but the driver was burnt alongside with the vehicle.

“In the process the Suspect Alhaj Musa escaped, and we are doing everything now to track him down,” he said DSP Yakubu added that, three people were killed in the unfortunate incident ,but the situation in Kawo is calm and under control while the three Sureties are under Police protection.

He vowed that the Police will track down the fleeing Alhaji Musa.

Lawyer docked for allegedly calling police prosecutor, judge ‘criminals’ From Yakubu Minna.

A

Mustapha,

Niger State based practicing lawyer, Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Igwe, was brought before a Magistrates’ Court sitting in Minna for allegedly calling a police prosecutor and a judge criminals.

Igwe was on Monday docked on three- count charges of criminal intimidation, refusing to answer public servant authorized to question and intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace.

The Police Prosecutor, Sergent Emmanuel Ogiri told the court that the matter was earlier on

14th January, 2019 referred from the Commissioner of police for investigation, noted that the accused person was invited by the police but blatantly refused to honor the invitation.

Ogiri added that one Insp.

John Edache alleged that the accused person, who works with ascended law chamber, Minna threatened his life and that of his family through a text message at about 5:30pm on Dec. 25, 2018.

According to him, the accused person then went to Gwada magistrate court, where the police inspector works as a prosecutor with the aim to fight but met his absence.

He said the accused person was said to have insulted the presiding magistrate Gimba Isah, saying that he and the inspector were criminals.

He said the offences were contrary to sections 397 sub section B’, 142 and 399 of the penal code law respectively.

When the charges were read to the accused person, he pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor thereafter prayed the court for adjournment to enable the police call it’s witnesses.

He, however, objected to bail for the accused person on the grounds that it was a case

bordering on threat to life.

Counsel for the accused person, A.A Mbachu prayed the court to grant his client bail in line with sections 35 and 36 of the 1999 constitution as amended.

Mbachu said his client would not jump bail but will appear in court at every adjourned date and provide a reasonable surety.

In his ruling, Magistrate Paul Adama, granted the accused person bail in the sum of N1m and a surety who must be a civil servant with the state government, not below grade level 15.

Adama, however, adjourned the matter until June 11 for next hearing.

Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Barrister Abdullahi Mukhtar (right), presenting signed document on 2019 Airlift Agreement with the three carriers, at the NAHCON Headquarters, yesterday in Abuja.

NDLEA decries incessant violent attacks on officers

M

uhammad Abdallah, the Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has decried incessant violent attacks on its personnel during their lawful assignments.

Mr Abdallah, a retired colonel, made this known in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday by Jonah Achema, NDLEA’s Head of Public Affairs.

The NDLEA chief promised to deal ruthlessly with those who engaged in the evil act.

He described the situation as “unfortunate,” saying that the agency has

lost no fewer than 200 of its personnel in the line of duty since inception.

He recalled that an attack was instigated against NDLEA staff in Ondo State leading to loss of lives of four of the officers in February, barely a year after a similar incident in Okene, Kogi State happened where three of its staff were killed by some unknown gunmen.

“Another incident of violent attack took place in Jigawa State where an officer sustained severe machete cuts on the head following a mob attack on the staff in the course of an operation.

“Personnel of the Kazaure Area

Command of the agency, Jigawa, went to raid and dismantle a notorious drug joint at Braga Dan Amar in Kazaure.

“The crowd at the joint turned themselves into a murderous squad and attacked the NDLEA team with intent to kill them but for the intervention of the community, the mob vandalised the Area Command’s office.

“In March, Edo State Command of the agency was similarly attacked during an operation to burst Cannabis storage in Okpuje Forest, Owan West Local Government Area.

“The mob insisted on seizing the

suspects and exhibits and began to shoot, hailing stones and brandish cudgels, injuring officers and damaging operational vehicles,’’ Mr Abdallah said.

The chairman noted that investigations into the incidents are ongoing while expressing confidence that the culprits would be brought to justice.

He, however, urged all stakeholders in drug control chain to foster a more responsive synergy and maintain a stronger foothold in the country’s onslaught against the nefarious drug merchants whom he said, “were becoming increasingly violent.’’(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

PAGE 8

News

Sharia law enforcement agency confiscates 111 beer bottles, arrests 21 in Jigawa

H

isbah, the Sharia Law enforcement agency in Jigawa State, on Monday arrested 21 suspects allegedly committing immoral acts, while they also confiscated 111 bottles of beer from them.

The Hisbah Commander in the state, Ibrahim Dahiru, who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria in Dutse, said the suspects were arrested in Kazaure Local Government Area of the state.

Dahiru said that operatives of the command carried out the raid in the early hours of Monday at the popular Gadar Kazaure joint.

He explained that during the raid, 14 suspected commercial sex workers and seven men were arrested.

The commander alleged that the suspects were arrested for engaging in immoral acts.

According to him, the suspects have already been charged to Shari’a Court in Kazaure.

Dahiru further advised residents of the state to desist from engaging in immoral acts and other vices capable of destroying the society.

“The Hisbah will continue to fight against immoral acts, including consumption of alcohol.

“People are also reminded that consumption of beer remains prohibited in all parts of the state,” he warned.(NAN)

Tinubu, Sultan meet Buhari in S/Arabia

By Lawrence Olaoye

T

he National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has met with President Muhammadu Buhari in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, ahead of the President’s inauguration for second term next week.

Tinubu at the meeting appealed to elderly Nigerians to avoid inflammatory statements that could undermine peaceful co-existence among the nation’s diverse communities.

According to a statement made available to newsmen by the Senior Special Assistant to the President

on media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, yesterday, the APC strongman gave the warning yesterday after an Iftar dinner meeting with President Buhari, along with Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar and Emir of Kazaure, Dr. Najib Hussaini Adamu.

The former Lagos State governor said all citizens should consider the enormity of challenges facing the nation and support the President.

He urged Nigerians to rally round Buhari to solve the problems and stabilize the polity.

“The President worked hard

and will continue to do so to ensure peace and stability in the country, which are important for the economy to make progress. These are the key pegs of his agenda. Let us all come together to support him,” he said.

Tinubu said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is reputed for “saucy and distractive statements’’, urging Nigerians not to be angry with the opposition party, but assist them to overcome their “colossal defeat” in the February 2019 elections.

“Don’t blame them. They are handicapped by the traumatic feelings of the colossal loss of the election. You should help them to

manage the trauma,” he added.

The APC National Leader commended the President for the recognition of June 12th as the nation’s Democracy Day. In his remarks, Sultan Abubakar pledged his support to the success of the President’s administration.

The Sultan led prayers for President Buhari’s second term in office, and for the nation to overcome current challenges.

Other guests at the Iftar dinner were: Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Justice Isa Dodo, Malam Mamman Daura, Isma’ila Isa, Mr Wale Tinubu and Mr Hakeem P. Fahm, the Commissioner of Science and Technology, Lagos State.

Kuje: Council head of administration assures chairman of Cooperation

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he Head of Administration of Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Daniel Ayuba, has assured the newly swore in chairman of the Area Council, Hon. Abdullahi Sabo that the staff of the Area Council would give him maximum cooperation throughout his tenure in

the area.

He also said the staff of the Council would join hands with the Chairman pursue policies and programmes aimed at moving the Area Council to the next level.

Daniel, who gave the assurance on the occasion of the handing over notes/inauguration of the newly elected in Kuje, further pointed out that the staffers were ready to share

the vision that the Chairman has for the Area Council.

“Honourable chairman, we will stand with you to provide the dividends of democracy for the people of Kuje Area Council”, Daniel said.

In an interview, the Council chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Sabo said his administration would carry everybody along in the affairs of

things.

“By the grace of God, the Kuje people will not regret by giving us their mandate”, the chairman said.

While responding to the handing over notes, he said the handing over notes would be studied carefully.

Sabo, however, warned the staff against lateness to the office as well as absenteeism saying that hard working staff would be rewarded.

L-R: the national president ex Boy association,Engr Femi Ikupoyini, the commandant Nigerian military school,Brig Gen muktar Bumza, boy rsm,Abdulazeez, Governor of Niger state, Alh Dr Abubakar sani Bello , Boys pm Sakibo Emanuel, and the commandant NA depot Maj Gen sani Mohammed in a photo shoot during the Nigerian military school 65th foundation day, yesterday in Zaria.

Enugu govt designates 12 courts for juvenile cases

T

he Enugu State Government has designated 12 courts, three in each senatorial zone, for the hearing of juvenile cases in the state.

Peace Nnaji, the state’s commissioner for gender affairs and social welfare, made the disclosure in Enugu on Monday when the Enugu State Assembly Committee on Gender visited the ministry as part of its oversight function.

Mrs Nnaji said after the committee’s last visit, the ministry swung into action to ensure that their suggestions were considered by the state executive council.

The commissioner said that the state’s chief judge, Ngozi Emehelu, had promised to deploy

some high court judges and magistrates to be handling cases of juveniles in the state.

She said cases concerning children should not be treated in open court as stated in the Child Right Act so that they would be free to express their view without fear of anybody or the press.

The commissioner said the state government would equally train social workers that would help judges and magistrates to prepare such children before they appeared in the juvenile court for prosecution.

According to her, the good news is that if any one of them has any problem with their parents or guardian and cannot go back to the home, the child could be taken to a home specially made

for such people.

Mrs Nnaji said the governor visited the rehabilitation centre and promised to give it a facelift.

She added that he had equally given approval of N44 million to rehabilitate the centre.

The commissioner said the three ministries handling the job were ministries of works, interministerial and gender.

She disclosed that the governor also gave approval to the Ministry of Health to construct a home for the children loitering on the streets as part of the implementation of the Child Rights Act. “So that when the children are caught they would take them to the building, invite their family for some questioning.

“The project was done by the state ministry of health and will be commissioned by the governor’s wife on May 23.

“The national level has passed the social protection policy framework bill and Enugu State is going to pass its own through the effort of the state assembly as the governor has given approval to forward the information to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

“UNICEF will invite the members of the state assembly to brainstorm with a view to study the bill and pass it. The bill will be domiciled in the ministry of gender,” she said.

In her remark, Nkechi OmejeOgbu, the Chairman Enugu Assembly House Committee

on Gender Affairs and Social Matters, said the committee was on the visit to know the general overview of the activities and achievements of the ministry.

Mrs Omeja-Ogbu commended the governor for approving juvenile courts in the three senatorial zones of the state adding that this was the first of its kind.

The committee chairman commended the ministry for its efforts in protecting the rights of children especially less privileged ones in the state.

She praised the governor for being gender sensitive in all his activities in the state and also encouraged him to remember women in the scheme of things.

(NAN)

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

By Usman Shuaibu

T

he Federal government will soon commission Agricultural Machinery and Development Institute (AMEDI) in Mbotu, in Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo state.

Speaking when he visited the Institute at the weekend, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. ogbonnaya Onu disclosed that the Institute, will design and produce agricultural machineries for farming, planting, processing and harvesting of agricultural produce.

Dr. Onu further said the Institute was established in order to ensure food security in the country. His visit to the Institute he added, is to enable him assess the level of work in preparation for the commissioning.

Page 9

News Nigeria to produce agricultural machineries soon -FG

According to Dr. Onu , the Institute is not for actual production “our interest is for them to do the design and do necessary research so that the commercialization will be done by the organized private Sector”.

Speaking further, the Minister said that “if we involve our business men and women all over the world, the level of commercialization will be much higher. We would not only be in position to produce this machine to be used locally in Nigeria but also for our export”.

He described the past situation

in which Nigeria was the highest importer of rice as unacceptable, adding that “today we are doing very well, we are importing very little and producing rice in abundance though we still need to produce more”.

Dr. Onu stressed need to mechanize our agriculture and introduce lot technology and innovation that will make agricultural processes to be very stress-free and competitive.

“We need to train our people, boost agricultural capacity if we have enough people who have this

capability to design of machines, we would be in a positions to start exporting some of these machines”. he added.

Dr, Onu further disclosed that the workshop of the institute is 80% completed while the administrative block is at advance stage, adding that the equipment is available in Mbutu and will be installed as the building is nearing completion.

Earlier, the Director-General of the National Agency for Engineering Infrastructure, NASENI Professor Muhammed

UN road safety: Club empowers students on safety campaign

By Paul Efiong

T

he Automobile and Touring Club of Nigeria (ATCN) has created awareness programme for secondary schools students in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria, held on 9th – 10thMay, 2019 as part of line-up of activities to mark 5th UN Global Road Safety Week observed between 6th – 12th May, 2019.

In line with this year’s theme of the UN Global Road Safety Week titled “Save Lives, Speak Up”, ATCN engaged students with

Road Campaign (Walk) to create awareness on road safety among the participating students.

On the first day of the programme, 55-60 students participated in road walk from Zone 3 Neighbourhood Centre through Herbert Macaulay Road to Wuse Market where students engaged drivers and other road users on safety rules on the road so as to avoid crashes.

The schools that took part in the first day were Junior Secondary School, Wuse Zone 2 and Zone 3, and Government Secondary School, Wuse Zone 2, all in Abuja.

Addressing participants during the event, the president of ATCN, Mr. Isiaku Bamayi, encouraged the students to ensure that they paid keen attention to the information regarding road safety rules and regulations.

According to him, “The UN Global Road Safety Week is a period set aside to raise awareness on the need for safety use of roads by ensuring that all road users know the rules and regulations of road safety thereby reducing road crashes and tragic occurencers”, he said.

Also, Mr. Morris Okoye, Deputy Corps Commander, Federal

Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Coordinator, Nigerian Road Safety Partnership), who spoke to the students at the event, enlightened them on road safety rules and the need to follow them as they cross roads, drive in their parents or guardians’ vehicles to and fro schools.

Our reporter gathered that students that participated in the programme expressed satisfaction with the awareness campaign and called on organizers to expand the programme to more schools as their student colleagues would benefit from it.

R-L: Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbanjo, SGF, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff, Malam Abba Kyari and Head of Service, Mrs. Winifred Ita, during the Federal Executive Council Meeting, at the Presidential Villa, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: V.P’s Office.

Chief Coach of Lobi Stars, Solomon Ogbeide is dead From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

U

nconfirmed report on Monday, has it that, the chief coach of the Nigeria Professional Football League side, Lobi Stars Football Club of Makurdi, Coach Solomon Ogbeide is dead.

Our correspondent gathered from a reliable source close to the late coach ,that he slumped in the morning and died as a result of low blood pressure he had complained about before his death.

Late coach Ogbeide joined Lobi Stars in 2017 and helped the club to secure CAF ticket after lifting the nation's league cup in 2017/2018 league season.

He took Lobi Stars to the continental derby but the team was knocked out in the group stage of the CAF Champions League.

Late Ogbeide until his demise, had consistently put the team in good form and they are currently second in Group A in the Nigerian Professional League table with 34 points and only one match left.

Despite his demise, Lobi Stars went on to host Wikki Tourist of Bauchi in their final home match of the season winning 2-1 to contest for super-six ticket from their group.

When contacted to confirm the incident, the vice chairman of the club,Mike Idoko said that he cannot confirm the death of the coach until he established contact with the family and get permission to speak on the matter.

"Once I get confirmation from the family, I will officially issue a

statement and make it available to the press but for now, I can't speak further, Idoko said".

However, after the match and the news of the demise of late coach Ogbeide filtered into the stadium, players, fans and entire Aper Aku stadium was thrown into a mourning mood.

No player or officials of the club was ready to speak with the press but cross sections of fans were seen gathered discussing why the coach was not on the sideline during the game.

Haruna who was represented by a Director in the Agency Mrs Nonye Onyiyechi said that institute was established to boost agricultural production through mechanization. she expressed hope that with visit of the Minister, the project will be concluded before the end of the year.

Gov. Bello commends NMS for sustaining standards

From Yakubu Minna

T

Mustapha

he Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello has commended the management of the Nigeria Military School, Zaria for maintaining and sustaining the high standard set by the founding fathers of the institution.

The governor who gave the commendation at the institution's 65th Founder's Day celebration in Zaria, acknowledged their commitment and determination at ensuring the proper training of students in the institution.

Governor Bello, an ex-boy of the school, attested to level of discipline inculcated into the students by the school. He proudly said, "as a product of this great institution, I can testify to the standard of training given in the school and from my findings, the management and staff have sustained the standard".

He singled out the Commandant of the school, Major General Muktar Mohammed Bunza, for ensuring the maintenance of the school facility and for putting in place new ones in order to provide for a conducive learning environment for the students.

The Governor called on management to ensure they continue to put in their best in ensuring proper training of the student and charged the ex-boys to ensure they contribute their quota to the development and growth of the institution as part efforts of showing their gratitude to the school.

The Commandant of the school, Major General Muktar Mohammed Bunza attributed the success recorded to the support the school had been attracting from the military high command, ex-boys and the Parent Teachers Association of the school and other stakeholders.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

PAGE 10

News

Sustain the yellow fever fight

Members of Nasrul-lahil-Fathi Society Nasfat, during the 2019 Annual Ramadan Lecture on Sunday in Kaduna.

Photo: NAN

From Oluseyi Dasilva Ilorin

T

PAGE 11

EDITORIAL

Pensioners deserve better treatment, don advises Kwara govelect he need to prioritize the welfare of pensioners and other government retirees at all levels has been stressed as a University Don, Dr Abdulsalam Babatunde Ambali of the Department of Arabic, University of Ilorin adminoshes in coming Governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.

The don specifically tasked the incoming Governor on the need to consider the plight of pensioners and treat them as his own fathers.

Delivering a paper on the theme: “Democracy and Good Governance: Islamic Perspective” at the 3rd annual Ramadan Lecture of Kwara State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) held in Ilorin at the weekend, the Unilorin Don said the next administration must prioritise the welfare of the retirees if it intends to succeed.

He lamented the manner in which the pensioners had been treated in the state over the years and called for a new approach on issues that concern them.

Ambali, who described pensioners as senior citizens that rendered selfless services to their fatherland, said treating them uncharitably could dampen the morale of those currently in active service.

“As a matter of fact, it is very important that we advise those coming into power in the next few days in our dear state. For our Governor-elect, it is no longer news that the expectations of the people are very high.

“But he needs to take as a priority the welfare of pensioners in the state. He should put the pensioners in his father shoes and treat them well if he wants to be successful.

“Looking at the way our pensioners had been treated in the last few years, it was not good enough, and that is the more reason why the incoming administration must not tread on that same path.

The retirees want to be seen as being treated well, because these are people who rendered selfless and meritorious services to their fatherland”, the Don said.

He urged the Governor-elect to put an end to the prevalent thuggery and hooliganism among the youth in the state, stressing the need to engage them in veritable ventures with a view to equipping them for future purposes.

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, may 21, 2019

4 Nigerians arrested for drug trafficking in India

By Ese Awhotu with agency report

T

he India Police has arrested four Nigerians for being in possession of illicit drugs.

The arrested Nigerians reside in India and the illicit drugs were allegedly found on them in Mumbai Suburban district.

The Times of India reported yesterday that, the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai police arrested the Nigerians with cocaine worth Rs 2.4 lakh (about N1.3 Million).

The state police said in a statement that the Nigerians

were arrested on Sunday by the ANC patrolling unit near the old check-post on Aarey Road, a suburb of the city of Mumbai.

According to the statement, “Police teams spotted a taxi carrying four Nigerian nationals and brought it to a halt, on the basis of suspicion, after tailing it for some distance.

“The four persons were searched and we recovered 40 grams of cocaine worth about 2.4 lakh in the illicit market.”

The official identified the four Nigerians as Paul Osinakachi (31), Okichiku Matince (35), Godswil Chitachi (27), and

Reuben Godwin (26).

The police said the suspects have been charged under the India Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. .The fresh arrest of Nigerians over drugs in India is coming just as Zainab Aliyu, the Nigerian student who was detained in Saudi Arabia for alleged drug trafficking, arrived in Nigeria on May 13.

Aliyu arrived Nigeria through the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano .

She was released to the Nigerian mission in Saudi Arabia after President Buhari directed

Abubakar Malami, the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation and Minister of Justice, to immediately intervene in her case as she was wrongly accused.

Aliyu, a 22-year-old student of the Maitama Sule University in Kano, had travelled to Saudi Arabia for lesser hajj alongside her mother and sister.

She was arrested at the Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Medina, Saudi Arabia, in December 2018 after tramadol, a banned drug was found in her bag. But it later emerged that the drug was not hers.

Police arrest kidnap gang in Aba

T

he Police Command in Abia State on Monday said it had arrested some members of a kidnap gang terrorising Aba and its environs.

The State Commissioner of Police, Mr Eneh Okon, told the News Agency of Nigeria in a phone interview that the suspects

were in police custody in Aba. Okon said the gang had been terrorising residents of Aba and environs in the past few weeks and were on police wanted list for their criminal activities.

He said that men of the Ndiegoro Police Division arrested them at Ebemma

Street, Off Ogbor Hill, Aba North Local Government Area at the weekend, following intelligence report.

The police boss said that the suspects have been giving useful information since their arrest, stressing that investigation into the matter was still ongoing.

A police source said that the leader of the gang, popularly known as Capo (AlCapone), was arrested with four other members at the weekend.

The source said that the police had launched a manhunt for other members, who were said to be at large.(NAN)

Tension in Delta community over alleged fresh attacks on residents

From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

T

hree days after allegedly shooting and maiming an Ubulu-Uku indigene in Delta State, suspected herdsmen have murdered one chief Chikwe Ojinji In his farm land.

The tragic news of the gruesome murder of Chief Chikwe Ojinji of udo quarters in UbuluUku community by suspected herdsmen, had sent its residents into mourning.

Confirming the incident, in a telephone conversation, Chief Jamico Adoh, the Ubulu-Uku vigilante leader,said the remains

of Chief Chikwe was discovered on monday morning in his farm land, adding that it has been deposited at the central hospital mortuary in the area.

One of the victims, Jude Akeh who spoke to Journalists said” hersdmen have taken over our community,they were shooting for three days before they shot dead Chief Chikwe, it’s unfortunate I was a victim but sustain injuries, we don’t know where to go again, the herdsmen activities in Ubulu Uku Community are frightening, we want security agencies to come to our aid, we sleep at present with one eye open”

But the Police Public Relations officer in the state, DSP Onome Onovuwakpoyeya who confirmed the incident to Journalists, said the police were investigating the matter, adding that two persons have been arrested in connection with the alleged murder, while full mobilization of the police to the community was immediately approved by the police commissioner in the state, Adeleke Abiodun In a related development, Suspected herdsmen have shot and maimed an Ubulu-Uku youth along Ubulu-Uku/Issele-Uku road.

The incident which took place on May 15, 2019 happened along Ubulu-Uku/Issele-Uku road where the herders have allegedly made a new abode and abattoirs.

The young man is said to be receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital in the area.

It was not clear if it was a failed kidnap or assassination attempt but the man escaped with his car and his wound.

With the new wave of cult violence and herders attack, Ubulu-Uku more than ever needs her leader to send a strong message that matches words with action in order to curb the security threats.

N

igeria, Saturday, Nov. 24, region.” To ensure this phase of 2018 began the second the vaccination campaign runs phase of a grandiose smoothly, the Federal Ministry of programme to fight yellow fever. Health has trained and deployed This phase seeks to vaccinate 26.2 Management Support Teams million people in five states and (MST).The CEO of Gavi, the the feral Capital Territory, Abuja. Vaccine Alliance, Dr Seth Berkley, The states are Plateau, Sokoto, said, “Nigeria is on the front line Kebbi, Niger and Borno. The in the global battle against yellow federal government is executing fever.

Routine immunization the programme with help from coverage remains dangerously low, the World Health Organization as shown by the latest outbreak, (WHO), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance which is why this campaign is so and UNICEF. Yellow important to protect fever is caused by a the vulnerable. virus spread through “While this campaign mosquito bites. A patient will save lives, we may present serious need to focus our Nigeria is one symptoms, including high efforts on the best of 50 nations fever and yellowing of the covered by the long-term solution skin and eyes. However, – improving routine “Eliminate Yellow i m m u n i z a t i o n the disease can easily be prevented by a vaccine Fever Epidemics coverage so every (EYE), steered that boosts the immune child is protected,

by WHO, Gavi system. preventing outbreaks Nigeria is one of and UNESCO. It from happening in 50 nations covered by aims to protect at the first place.” the “Eliminate Yellow risk population, We commend Fever Epidemics (EYE), the government prevent steered by WHO, Gavi for undertaking international and UNESCO. It aims to this seemingly spread and protect at risk population, overly ambitious prevent international contain outbreaks p r o g r a m m e . spread and contain However, with help rapidly outbreaks rapidly. from WHO and The first phase of the Nigerian other partners having the right programme took place in January expertise and experience in the and February, 2018 and succeeded field, it should be able to achieve in immunizing over 8 million its aims. We were impressed by adults and children in the 44 and the sensitization programme that 9 months age bracket in Kwara, preceded the take-off. The success Kogi, Zamfara states and parts of of the first phase provided a Borno. The second phase of the momentum going into this phase. immunization came in November We want to echo the appeal of last year in the wake of the death the Director of Special Duties at of the two persons from suspected National Primary Health Care cases of yellow fever in Edo state.

Development Agency (NPHCDA), A statement by WHO, quoted its Dr. Joseph Oteri, for “Nigerians Regional Director, Dr Matshidiso and their children to avail Moeti, as saying: “Immunizing themselves” of this opportunity more than 26 million people to be immnunized. Acceptability is a massive undertaking. This is the key to the success of the achievement will represent a huge programme. We easily reminded step towards protecting people of the sad trajectory of our fight from the potentially deadly viral against polio, and hope the yellow haemorrhagic disease, not only fever immunization will not suffer in Nigeria but in the African the same setbacks.

“

OUR MISSION

OUR PEOPLE

Chairman “To be the market Malam Wada Maida, place of ideas and Oon, Fnge the leading player in the industry by putting the people first, upholding the Chief Operating Officer Editor, Daily truth, maintaining the Hameed M. Bello, PhD highest professional and ethical standards while Manager, administration delivering value to Hassan Hammanyaji our stakeholders”

OUR VISION

“To be a reputable, profitable, innovative and technologically reliant media company offering world class services and products”

Letter to the Editor

The myth of “debt trap” in China-Africa Cooperation

By Charles Onunaiju

F

ormer U.S Secretary of State, Mr. Rex Tillerson sacked mid-air, by his principal, U.S President Donald Trump while returning from a visit to Africa last year orchestrated the hype, on a visit to the Africa Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia that “Chinese investment does have the potential to address Africa’s infrastructure gap,” but added a spurious claim of “an approach that has led to mounting debt and, a few, if any job in most countries.”

Last December, Mr. John Bolton, US National Security Adviser made more outlandish claims that “China uses bribes, opaque agreements and the strategic of use of debt to hold states in Africa captive to Beijing’s wishes and demands.” To drive home the scare at the alleged China’s debt trap, Mr. Bolton claimed “the nation of Zambia for example, is currently in debt to China to the tune of $6 to 10 billion U.S dollars. China is now poised to take over Zambia’s national power and utility company in order to collect on Zambia’s financial obligation.” A few days later, the Zambia government announced that the claim of the U.S national security adviser was false and that, of its total sovereign debt of about 9 billion USD, China’s share is only about 3 billion U.S dollars and none of its national assets is under any form of threat of seizure.

China’s broad cooperation with Africa which have provided huge support for the continent to overcome the existential bottlenecks of funding shortage, infrastructure deficit and inadequate manpower and which has currently restored a critical takeoff of sustainable and inclusive economic growth is the object of vicious attack, from quarters that were unwilling to touch Africa with a long spoon in regards to investments, trade, loans and other such activities that could boast the aggregate growth of the economies in the region.

China herself is not a stranger to the use of concessional loans as a funding mechanism for her own economic modernization.

At the outset of her modernization program, in March, 1978 China announced an ambitious ten-year plan that focused on 120 key modernization projects, including 30 electric power stations, six trunk railroads, eight coal mines, ten new steel plans, five habours, nine non-ferrous metal complexes and ten new oil and gas fields. According to the account of Professor Deborah Brautigan, a sober and keen China watcher, “by the end of 1978, Chinese officials have signed 74 contracts with Japan to finance turn-key projects that would form the backbone of China’s modernization. All would be repaid in oil and coal.”

China herself was a recipient of Japan’s generous loans though, Beijing viewed it as a mandatory reparations that Tokyo must make for its atrocious war crime against the Chinese, in the same manner, that post-war Germany was obligated to make reparations to the state of Israel on account of the Nazi violence that targeted the Jews.

With the signing of the treaty of friendship between China and Japan in 1978, Japan agreed to provide large five-year loan packages to China.

The first yen loan package (1978-1983) totaled 330 billion yen. The second tranche of the yen loan package between 1984 and 1989 amounted to 470 billion yen, with the third loan package between 1990 to 1995 totaling 800 billion yen. Yet for all Japan’s loan assistance, the Chinese leadership maintained unassailable prerogative on its major policy decisions both domestic, foreign and even defense policies.

For example in 1995, long after China has ended the nuclear monopoly of the former Soviet Union and Americans by blasting its first nuclear test in 1964, Beijing went ahead with its 42nd nuclear test, despite evident misgivings by the Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Marayama Tomichi, who during a visit to Beijing have asked Premier Li Peng for a moratorium on nuclear test.

Beijing has, however, during her first blast of the nuclear bomb made a commitment never to be first to use a nuclear bomb but would maintain

the facility for deterrence.

Apart from loans, trade and investments also between Beijing and Tokyo flourished in the period which coincided with the time of China’s intense modernization drive that has borne the fruits of country’s contemporary national aggregates and global preeminence.

Infact despite tension over domestic politics, security policy and history, economic interdependence between China and Japan remained a powerful force. Total trade between the two countries grew from 18.2 billion US dollars in 1990 to 66.2 billion US dollars in 1999 while Japanese foreign direct investment into China rose from 438 million U.S dollars in 1989 to 4.5 billion U.S dollars in 1995.

Against the foregoing, the hype about Chinese loans, investments and trade morphing to debt trap or surrender of sovereignty of African countries is a hogwash concocted and designed by its peddlers to starve countries in the continent, the veritable and indispensable financial oxygen that is necessary to generate sustainable economic growth and the wider socio-economic development and even political stability.

What the leadership of the various countries in Africa needs to do, is to harness loan and investment flows to critical and strategic national priority, build integrated national economic structures and work it up to the global value chains. The strategy of scare-mongering African countries with the hype of “Chinese debt trap” is essentially to prevent the rise of Africa, as such efforts, though, of different type was desperately deployed to prevent the rise of China. From the earlier insinuations from the same quarter that China is a “hollow” power that has nothing tangible to offer to Africa except rhetoric, the tune has changed that China wants to compromise the sovereignty of Africa countries through debt trap.

But if China was not entrapped by Tokyo despite generous loans, investments and trade, how is Africa destined to become a vassal of Beijing because of loans, investment and trade, except only on the assumptions that Africa, her people and leadership are incapable of securing her own interests. This, in itself, reflects the unreformed bigotry of how Africa is viewed from the West.

In many instances, the reference of the Hambantota port in Sri Lanka leased to Chinese company, China merchants Port Holdings for 99 years have been cited as typical of the “debt trap” and compromise of national sovereignty allegedly embedded in Beijing’s strategy. But a Sri Lankan senior official explained to the media few months ago that “due to poor management, the Port did not generate sufficient income to pay the loan back. To make it a viable business to generate income instead of asking the public taxpayers to pay it back, the Sri Lankan government made the decision to set joint company with a Chinese company to operate the port together.” Continuing the official said that “on behalf of the government of Sri Lanka, the Ports Authority owns 30% and China Merchants Port Holdings owns 70% of the joint venture to manage the port for 99 years,” and added “if Sri Lanka wants to buy out China’s share, we can negotiate with China merchants port holding.”

Despite the sustained hoopla about Chinese loans and the alleged debt trap, the London based Economist magazine said that these “Investments funded by Chinese are not in China” and that the best Beijing can do in respect of government defaults on its loans is to reduce the amount of money that debtors have to pay, adding that “countries with longer records of lending to poor countries often do the same,” citing the example of the “Paris Club of creditors formed in 1956 to devise ways of reducing defaulters debt loans.”

If the media high priest of western liberal order has the above to say about the “myth of China’s debt trap” there is little to add except for Africa “to shine her eyes,” as it is used in local parlance to commend someone to a sober reflection.

Onunaiju is the director, Center for China Studies, (CCS) Abuja.

PAGE 12

Opinion

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

PAGE 13

Comment

Child Labour: Bridging the gap between tomorrows’ leader

It’s possible to make it in Nigeria without travelling abroad

By Kareem Itunu Azeez

By Oye Arikanki

B

y the end of 2018, the number of Nigerians living in abject poverty, had risen to swaggering number of 90.8 million, even though the country boast a minimal economic growth rate, Some kind of better rate since the year 2015, an impressive quarter 4, ratio.

Unfortunately, the margins of poverty level had delve into sizzling issues, which has led to various multiple tragedies of which one of its expected survival mode is child labour.

If you currently survive on less than a dollar a day, you definitely would be among the 90.8 million Nigerians out there struggling to survive, if you are a single mother, or father, this automatically means catering for your child is extremely demanding, otherwise impossible, there are few options to survive therefore in an angry environment. You likely will beg, and if pride engulf your method of reasoning, your child might be at the receiving end.

He or she will engage in petty trade to survive under harsh conditions.

That is the level where forced labour is enshrined in the lifestyle of your children out of their will.

When I trudge through the streets of Lagos, particularly under the bridges what I see made me question the sustainable development goals as envisioned by the United Nations, Nigeria particularly might never get to such fit, even if it is eleven years from now, as per the United Nations. With whimpering education system, poverty at a geometrical rise,

bad governance and greedy politicians, the future seems bleak, and the expected tomorrow leaders are but an illusion to the theories we have been made to drink from since the early 1960.

43% of Nigerian children engaged in child labour, even as at this may 2019, a country that boast to be the giant of africa, even worst still, is how we are to tackle this menace, since there is no policy that goes against such in our country, legislation upon legislation, bills upon bills, non has even been raised to look into this shattering act which the future of the country rest upon. When children between the ages of 5-17 engages in forced labour, especially when their population is even larger than the lucky few, there is bound to be trouble, in the not too far future, automatically more of the ills of today will multiply, there hopefully will be more kidnapping, more violent, more disrespect, more downward turn of moral support, we can only expect some form of magic like building castles in the air, preventing this forseeable future. -A future with dead hope.

We need to understand the meaning of child labour in this context, and also blend it with the phrase, “Tomorrows’ Leaders ” what thereforeis child labour?

The dictionary euphemistically tells us, it’s the work or job done by a minor which is usually prohibited. It fails to lay emphasis on the fact that such works are often against the will of the child.

Let us remember the millions of children sent out by their parents, or temporary guardians to fend for themselves under

unavoidable circumstances will see things differently, their minds are supposed to be in homes where they are psychologically trained in a positive dimension, but a child used to see abuse of the sexes at a tender age will likely not value human decency, a young boy who has witnessed deaths through daggers would understand easily that the dagger is the only source of protection, a child who has witness tender girls mercilessly raped under bridges, and while the culprits are not punished will feel security only in the arms of such people, children who are taught the acts of pickpocketing becomes the legends of thieves tomorrow . Under the bridges is where their lives are formed, the dark society is only dominant in places such as this and when they see the world, they view it as a jungle and other creatures are but prey to them. Where then is the tomorrow leaders we are clamouring for.

Bridging the gap between tomorrows leader, can therefore be possible only if this issues are treated with iron hands, but a reminder is that, around the world, away from Nigeria, reports has it that, over 152 million children are engaged in child labour, and almost half of them are already in its worst form, as per the report from the “UNICEF/ILO 2012 – 2016 Global Estimates, entitled: “Child labour: Results and Trends”,this but also hamper the potential target of the development goals globally how much more Nigeria, a place where truth and justice is known but often neglected.

Nevertheless, Nigeria as a sovereign state, blessed beyond rubies but still

Wallows in destitution, still can break this bondage, but through measures borne out of determination, this determination has never rise due to the society we found ourselves. But if we must save the future, today then I start by challenging the youths, the larger bulk of the problem is in the elected leaders of the country, and judging by the game politics today, they are simply corruptly fixed there. This implies the most important battle is how to decamp the current crop of leaders we have.

Today’s parents are hugely to blame, apart from poyverty, some parents purposely expose their wards to the dangers of the world, unconsciously, instead of registering your children to school, some mothers walk round the streets with their child hawking, and making them listen to foul languages, on the roads of despair, this children grow up to emulate their parents, they refuse to go to school, simply because they believe there’s a shorter cut to make money.

Nigeria today is nearing breakdown, and it will be more efficient we tackle this before the country gets down on its kneel, let various government bodies do the needful, already it’s getting more severe to a point of no return. While the government is planning to pay a bumper package of 4.68, million naira to returning legislators the true legislators are out there on the streets reeling in trouble waters. There’s danger looming.

Kareem Itunu Azeez can be reached at Ikareemazeez@yahoo.com

Senate Presidency: Ndume, history beckons

By Abdul Jelil Adebayo

T

he race for the senate presidency is getting hotter by the day and the chicken will soon come home to roost. June 11th, 2019 is not too far away as many wont to think, but the gladiators are also not getting tired as to clinch the coveted crown of the nation’s number three man. As economists do say, barring any unforeseen circumstances, it is certain where the pendulum will shift to. Indeed everywhere you go and the issue of the senate presidency race is mentioned, Ndume is always top on the lips of everyone that is following the conversation with keen interest.

There are many factors that are giving Ndume the edge, he is not relenting whether the godfather is supporting him or not, he has gone through that part before, less than 100days to the 2011 elections, the godfather of Borno politics and the incumbent governor then, Ali Modu Sherriff told Ndume that his (Sheriff) sandal would beat him in the contest for the senatorial seat in Borno south senatorial district. Ndume had no option but to cross over to the then ruling party, PDP and less than three months to the election he won convincingly putting the godfather to permanent shame. The same God that gave him that victory is still on the throne and He will do what He knows best. Putting those who think without them no one can survive to political shame. You don’t fight who God favours, ask King Saul, Adonijah Absalom.

And in the national assembly, once you are elected, certainly for now on a political party platform, and you enter

either the green chamber or the red chamber as the two chambers are known, going by the colour of their seats, your locality is swallowed by the chamber and you become for instance, a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that is the practice worldwide and it won’t be different on June 11th. The interest of the country matters most.

And the election of principal officers before now has been through secret balloting and threats of those who will not stand with the cohesive language will have the freedom to elect their leaders without anyone looking over their shoulders. And even those the godfather is banking on are going to prove that it is not headmaster and pupils class. These are men that have paid their dues and are known and considered as egg heads that will make laws for the good of the country. And they are crying silently that they have the right just as those that voted for them had the choice to elect them, so they should not be coarse into submission. And they will certainly do what seemeth right going by their conscience.

Ndume has repeatedly told those who cared to listen that he is a son of nobody and God has made him somebody by His grace. Going spiritual to an extent, David was nobody but God made him somebody. Abraham had no godfather but harken to the instructions of God and today we all crave for Abrahamic blessing. In the same vein, Methuselah was the oldest recorded man in the world and only a verse was attributed to him, while Solomon was 20 years old when God made him a king and we have so many chapters telling us about him and

his wisdom. It is not how long you have been in the political arena, or even in the national assembly, but how well. Let all the contestants present their scorecard and let the senators judge and see who has performed better. Performance is not hearsay but factual for everyone to see. And anyone who could do well with the little given can certainly do better and great when much is accorded him.

Ndume has proved this to the letter.

It is not arrogance but the truth is that every senator in this 9th senate is qualified to be the president, but all cannot be on the driver seat and going by the present permutation that the north east geo political zone should present the candidate, the elders and the stakeholders including the masses from the zone have thrown their weight behind Ndume.

Series of press conferences and support groups are clamouring for Ndume and he has said that it wasn’t a do or die affair, but he is in the race to serve the people of Nigeria and not any godfather.

He has gone through thick and thin of political tutelage with scars and wounds to show for his battles with the hawks and lions in the wilderness of politics.

And has remained untainted and always coming out victorious and this will also go through. He is not prodded by anyone, but his conviction to give back to the society for always staying behind him when the odds do not favour him.

He wants to genuinely serve the nation and his people especially the internally displaced people of the north east.

When party loyalists are mentioned, Ndume has proved to all that he is shoulder high, as his defence for party policies and ideas had been defended

H

ave you considered the risk of travelling to Europe through the desert? Or travelling to the United States of America to do menial job even when you hold a good degree that can make you start work on management level in Nigeria?

The truth is that any young man can make it in Nigeria without going abroad.

Any serious-minded young Nigerian can make good money, build lovely houses and live comfortably in Nigeria without enduring the excruciating pains of passing through the desert to go to Europe.

It is not news that many Nigerians, given the opportunity, will jump on the next available flight out of the country because of low standard of living, falling education standard, police brutality, erratic electricity supply, bad roads and disorderliness etc.

The truth is that it’s not easy even in Germany, Asia, United Kingdom and the United States where people want to run to. For example, let’s consider the case of those who want to travel to Europe through Libya. Many Nigerians have been repatriated from Libya this year alone while many others died. Some are in jail while others got drowned in Canary Island.

The US embassy in Nigeria has stopped the drop box whereby those for visa renewal could just fill application

your passion and do something in that regard. The opportunities are limitless.

You can start to do business in Korea, Germany, United States, Sweden, China without leaving Nigeria. You can export products to Europe, Asia and the Americas.

It is true that times are hard in Nigeria but it is also during difficult times that you can innovate and make money. This is the best time for those who can use their brains. You must be able to squeeze water out of stone and sell ice to the Eskimos.

The sky is for those who can fly higher than others. While others are scheming to run away, stay back and make money in Nigeria. Find something of little value and make it valuable and take advantage of Nigeria’s huge population and make your products available to many people.

If you are a young man or woman, you can also acquire huge portions of land in a remote area to cultivate maize, cassava, palm fruit, Castrol oil, vegetables and nurture them. During harvesting, while others are complaining, you will be laughing all the way to the bank. Don’t wait for government to offer you job, do what you can do with your hands.

There are also foundations that can give you seed grants to assist your dreams. Look for them online instead of using your data to browse inanities.

Finally, Nigeria can bridge the gap of development with the developed world by massive investment in Information and Communications Technology. As

a nation, technology and not crude oil, remains a life saver. Technology will solve the time bomb of massive unemployment staring us in the face.

I know that Nigerians, particularly boys and girls, are imbued with mindblowing ICT ideas. Look at Rwanda who in May 2016 officially opened its fatlab where IT ideas can be incubated. Nigeria has no such thing. I think it is high time Nigeria established a Silicon Valley.

My heart cries for the development of this nation. How much have we made from solid minerals? How much money has the ministry of science and technology generated for the country?

With a truly Nigerian Silicon Valley, we will use technology to tackle epileptic power supply, oil exploration, efficient health delivery and reform the nation’s dysfunctional educational system.

As it is today, Nigeria is nowhere to be found as far as ICT investment in the world is concerned. For example, money spent on ICT worldwide is estimated at $4trn and will double in the next 12 years.

The United States of America budgeted over $80bn annually on ICT. Let us engage our youths by providing incentives and enabling environment. As we develop ICT and get our young people into farming even those who’d stayed abroad for many years will start their journey back home.

Arikanki is a developmental expert.

Suicide and depression: The Nigerian context

By Uzoma Chukwuocha

with all his might that consumed him in the process costing him his exalted position of a senate leader. Today he can raise his shoulder and say without stammering that he has paid the price.

His opponent was there when two party members were sent parking for six months each on suspension. He did as if he was not the leader of the party in the senate.

Ndume has promised that it will be all inclusive administration where every senator will have equal access to the funds of the senate. Before now it was the prerogative of the first among equals to determine who goes on foreign trips, but Ndume has promised that a committee will be in charge. He has promised to include former senators as consultants to gain from their experiences while in the red chamber. This is a noble desire and should be supported by well meaning senators.

In summary Ndume wants to be first among equal because he has all the necessary qualities of a senate president.

He is a faithful and loyal party man, an accommodating, philanthropist, humane, loved by most he comes in contact with. He is bold and does not shy from speaking the truth. His shoulders are big enough to bear the burdens of the less priviledge, because he has passed through that road before. Those who have passed though his path have memorable stories to give. He is for this moment, the best option for the 9th senate presidency.

Ndume, by the grace of God is the next senate president, to God be the glory.

Abdul is an Abuja based journalist, can be reached via abduljelil2001@ gmail.com, 08023263243

online without having to appear at the embassy. Now everybody has to appear before a visa officer. Even for a fresh application it is a herculean task to gather documents and appear at the window.

Many people rely on visa contractors while some sell their houses and borrow to apply for visa to travel abroad.

As for the America Diversity visa lottery, people born in Nigeria are no longer eligible to participate. Nigerians are not eligible because they sent over 50,000 immigrants to the US in the past five years. Therefore, the road to travel to the United States is gradually closing against most Nigerians.

How do you then make it in Nigeria without going abroad? In Nigeria, there are many legitimate opportunities to make good money. It should be clear to Nigerians, especially the youth, that they should stay in the country and use their natural talents and energy to do something significant instead of going through the valley of the shadow of death to go abroad.

You can start a fried/jollof rice mobile restaurant; engage in commercial snail farming, cassava, plantain and maize farming. Do computer graphics, assemble and repair phones and computers. You can start your ice cream, fruit and yogurt business. Nothing should hold you from making soap, and doing chairs and table rentals. You can also become an author and a motivational speaker. You can start to think about fresh ideas which tally with

T

his topic does not rank in anyone’s top ten favorite topics for pleasant discussion with friends or family. It’s not an easy lift. It gets even heavier when you are personally or even remotely affected. The best we can do at all times is to have a good dose of empathy when discussing this topic. Always keep in mind that it’s not about you, but about the afflicted and affected amongst us. Having established that premise, let’s try and see if we can begin to understand this malady and perhaps down the line we may start to find a way to reduce and control the scourge.

Out of respect to the families and friends of the recent victims of suicide in our society, I’ll not be rehashing those cases on this page.

More so I cannot claim to know them, their stories, or what led them to that point of definition. We would rather do what I believe they would hope we do with their misfortune; use it to shine the light and educate ourselves on these issues.

Depression and suicide are related the way nausea and vomiting are related. One often leads to the other. In the same vein, early recognition of one may lead to its control and eventual prevention of the later sequel.

That said, I’ll be the first to admit that this analogy over-simplifies the problem-solution correlation. A patient stepwise approach would give us a better grip and a more foundational understanding of depression and suicide.

Depression as a communicative expression of an emotion is completely different from Depression as a medical condition. Sadness, grief, self-pity, all fall into that same category as the earlier. They are emotional reactions to events. They are expected, they last only so long, and they often eventually slowly fade away. Each person reacts and responds differently to these emotions. The stoic

and strong amongst us may not even show these emotions or show only a glimpse of it.

They bounce right back and keep on moving without faltering in their stride. The not so stoic and strong may suffer a bit more, show a bit more, cry a bit longer, then heal slowly.

It’s a spectrum, we all fall in somewhere one and all.

Depression on the other hand is a medical condition just like diabetes and hypertension.

You can control it, but you can’t just will it away. It is as real and as present as the morning sun. Sufferers deserve our empathy.

I know a lot of them.

You can be too full after a heavy starchy meal, your blood sugar would be high as a result, but that is not the same thing as being diabetic. The diabetic patients have a biochemical problem that affects their ability to control their blood sugar levels, they need help with that. It is not enough for them to take a walk to get their blood sugar down, like after a heavy meal in a non-diabetic person.

Depression is a Neuro-biochemical imbalance in the brain. It involves a deficiency in some neurotransmitters that have to do with our moods and sense of wellbeing. This imbalance makes the affected person more prone to low mood, poor sleep, unable to fully enjoy recreational activities, even in the face of seemingly successful life outlook. Many prominent figures in history were known to have struggled with Depression, Bipolar disorder and other mood disorders at some points in their lives. The list includes Douglas Adams, Isaac Newton, Vincent Van Gogh.

In 1621, Robert Burton wrote Anatomy Of Melancholy solely based on his own experience with depression and his observation of other similarly afflicted individuals. His work formed the foundation for further studies of mood disorders.

According to the Society Of Family

Practitioners Of Nigeria (SOFPON) only one out of every five patients with clinical depression get any treatment at all, and only one in fifty get the right kind of treatment that they need. World Health Organization says 3.9% of the Nigerian population (that is seven million) suffer from clinical depression. The socioeconomic plight of the average Nigerian, fueled by corruption, definitely has something to do with this depressing statistics.

People with clinical depression are more prone to the effects and bad outcomes of life misfortunes like bereavement, job loss, rejection, failure et al. Nonetheless, they do not necessarily need these triggers to go off the deep end. They just make it easier.

Depressed patients are more prone to suicide than the average person. However, not all depressed patients commit suicide, and not all suicide victims are depressed. But like in a Venn diagram, a good chunk of these two circles overlap. We all know what suicide is (one takes his/her own life) and we have explored how it relates to depression and otherwise. World over, about eight hundred thousand people commit suicide every year, translating to one suicide every 40 seconds (WHO). Of the 183 countries with high suicide rate, Nigeria ranks 30th in the world and 10th in Africa. Only in 2017, Nigeria recorded 332 cases of reported suicide. Rivers State alone accounted for 103 of these cases, that is 31% (Nigeria Bureau Of Statistics).

These numbers possibly only scratch the surface. A good number of suicides in Nigeria go unreported for obvious reasons. Chief among the reasons is shame and stigma. Many ethnicities in Nigeria believe that suicide brings a curse to the family, hence a ritual is done to appease the gods, and any further discussions of the issue are very limited.

To make a bad case worse; Nigeria has a law against suicide or attempted suicide

(section 327 of the Criminal Code Act), that carries a sentence of one year jail term if convicted. Noteworthy that we do not have a law (Suicide Act) that outlines the role of government in helping to prevent suicide or manage survivors. This embarrassing law is a vestige of colonial rule, but the British have gone on to enact a well detailed Suicide Act since 1961. Guess we forgot to copy and paste that after Independence. A rare silver lining in this grey cloud is the Lagos State government that decriminalized suicide in 2015, and mandated that they (survivors) be treated instead. At the national level, it is still business as usual.

Religion has also played a hand in the stigma associated with suicide. There is a strong belief amongst Christians that suicide is a judgement and condemnation to eternal damnation all by itself. Suicide victims are believed to be going straight to hell for eternity. This belief puts believers in a peculiar place where empathy is hard to come by and judgement is in full supply.

When you consider that the average Christian is running a lifelong race to haven, you start to understand why it’s hard for him/her to feel sorry for someone whom they think willingly chooses to go to hell. You hear Christians say things like ‘I reject it’ and ‘it’s not my portion’ based on this line of belief. Based on their beliefs, they have their point. We are not here to judge. We are only asking for just a little love and empathy. There’s a victim here.

There’s a grieving trail of family and friends left behind. They are dealing with a barrage of conflicting and painful emotions; guilt, loss, anger, denial, doubt. Judging them or the victim only deepens their pain. If God is Love, then let love lead the way. Not judgement.

Uzoma Chukwuocha is a Nigerian trained MD, practicing in the US.

PAGE 14

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

NEWS

PAGE 15

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

AGF drags 2 INEC officials to court over electoral fraud

By Vivian Okejeme Abuja

T

he Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has dragged two officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The two are charged with a five count charge of electoral malpractices in the 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections held in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo state.

The FG claimed that the duo were accused to have falsified results in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate against the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate.

They were said to have committed the offence in their capacity as electoral officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission on and around the 23rd day of February, 2019 during the Presidential and National Assembly polls in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of the state which is within the jurisdiction of the honourable court.

The suit, according to the federal government, was premised on Sections 104 and 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

This is contained in a press statement signed by Salihu Othman Isah, Special Adviser to the AGF, yesterday evening.

The statement revealed the names of the culprits as Sulaiman Ikhuoriah, male, 36 years old of No.13 Aisosa Street, Off Okhoro Road, Benin City.

Ikhouriah served as Collation Officer for Ward 6 in Saint Maria Gorreti Secondary School.

Also, Olugbenga Omotiloye, male, 50 years old of Plot 1, Longe Street, Okoh Central, Benin City, Edo State.

The charge was filed by Magaji Labaran, a Principal State Counsel in the Department of Public Prosecution of the Federal Ministry of Justice, on behalf of Malami They were alleged to have conspired among themselves and with others now at large and upon receipt of an offer to procure the return of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the House of Representatives elections for Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency in Edo State thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 123 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

Ikhuoriah was also alleged to without lawful excuse acted

in breach of his official duty by placing a call to Honourable Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma and requested him through a telephone conversation for gratification for the purpose of delivering his ward to his party, the PDP during the elections.

This he did erroneously thinking he was discussing with the PDP chairman, not knowing he was talking to Hon. Agbonyinma of APC. By doing this, he has committed an offence punishable under Section 124 (b) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

The Collation Officer is also accused to have received the sum of a hundred thousand naira as bribe for delivering the ward for his supposed paymaster, the PDP candidate; which is an offence punishable under Section 124 (b) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

On his part, and as count four, the Electoral Officer, Olugbenga Omotiloye while serving in his capacity as INEC electoral officer on the 2nd day of March, 2019 at Bishop Kelly, beside St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Airport Road,

Benin City held a meeting with Honourable Ise-Edehen and collected the sum of one hundred thousand naira as gratification.

The sum collected is said to be in appreciation of his effort in ensuring that PDP won the election during the February 23rd National Assembly polls for Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area.

Isah equally detailed that count five, Omotiloye on the 25th February, 2019 was directed by Senator Matthew Urhoghide not to take the Senatorial election’s result to Eghosa Grammer School which he complied in clear breach of his lawful duty thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 123 (3) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

To quote Count Three on the charge sheet, “That you Sulaiman Ikhuoriah, male, 36 years old, of No. 13 Aisosa Street, off Okhoro Road, Benin City, Edo State, on 26th February, 2019 at Mr. Biggs, opposite the NNPC Mega Filling Station, Sapele Road Benin City, received the sum of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira)

only as bribe for delivering your Ward, thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 124 (b) of Electoral Act 2010 (as Amended).”

While Count Five details, “That you, Olugbenga Omotilayo, male, 50 years old, of Plot 1, Longe Street, Oko Central, Benin City, Edo State, on the 25th February, 2019 was directed by Senator Matthew Urhoghide not to take the Senatorial election’s result to Eghosa Grammer School which you complied in clear breach of your lawful duty, you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 123 (3) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as Amended).

A case summary deposed to

by Magaji Labaran, stated thus; “My Lord, the summary of this case is electoral malpractices, perpetrated by the defendants who were the INEC Collation Officer and INEC Electoral Officer (E.O) respectively during the 23rd February, 2019 Presidential and National Assembly elections in Ikpoba-Okha LGA, Edo State. The defendants have acted in breach of their official duties by been

involved in electoral malpractices including bribery and conspiracy.

“The defendants were invited for interview on the 27th day of February, 2019 and 5th day of March, 2019 following a petition by the member representing Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, E.J. Agbonayinma (Hon.), where his Techno Ponvair (Model LA7) with GSM No. 0803-4285260 was exploited. Thus, some incriminating text messages between him and one Matthew Urhoghide (Senator), with GSM No. 0803-3385-5557, Adaeze Onubagu with GSM No. 0703528-5622 were found on the device.

“The suspects made voluntary statements under caution, and admitted collecting the sum of N100, 000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) only from IseIdehen (Hon.), as appreciation.

My Lord, during the trial, the prosecution shall lead evidence to prove the guilt of the defendant based on credible and undisputed facts.

CBN Gov: Group warns distractors to stop smearing Emefiele From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna

T

he Arewa Pragmatic Leadership Advocates has warned those engaging on what they described as a smear campaign against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele to desist from such henceforth.

The group expressed this in a statement jointly signed by its President, Mohammad Kabir, Secretary. Barr Joy Maisamari and PRO, Comrade Isa. Baba, and made available to media in Kaduna.

‘We wish to join other wellmeaning Nigerians to condemn the ongoing smear campaign

against the person of the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, through doctored and disjointed audio recordings.

“Many of you are aware of an audio material which is currently being circulated. The said audio is being used to create negative impressions against

some well-meaning individuals who have spent a greater part of their productive lives serving this country,” the group said.

The group noted that these detractors, who are bent on sabotaging the government of President Muhammadu Buhari by any means possible, are deploying all sorts of tactics.

A coalition of members of Women Arise for Change Initiative (WACI); National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS); and National Council of Nigerian Youth (NCNY), protesting against the bad-condition of Lagos-Badagry Road, yesterday in Lagos.

Photo: NAN

A

By Vivian Okejeme Abuja

S

enator Osita Izunaso has petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court over the conduct of Justice Okon Abang.

Justice Aban is presiding over the case between IMO state governor, Rocha’s Okorocha and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over his certificate of return.

In the said petition titled, “Re: Suit No:. FHC/ABJ/CS/296/2019Rocha’s Okorocha vs Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and others, petition against Hon Justice O. E Abang”.

Izunoso, who is the third respondent in the said suit seeks the intervention of the NJ, Acting CJN and the Chief Justice of the Federal High Court to intervene against the conduct of the case by the said Justice Abang.

Specifically, the petitioner, Izunoso premised his petition on the ground that Justice Abang the counsel if his choice and foisted another counsel, whom he did not brief on him and that his refusal to recognise his motion to stay of proceedings filed at the Court of Appeal According to the petitioner, “Other prejudicial act to frustrate the proceedings in this case, the detail facts in respect of the above complaints are contained in my affidavit attached to this petition and I rely on the affidavit as a ground for this petition”.

The court ordered an Abuja based lawyer, Prince Orji Nwafor-Orizu to produce a medical report from a recognized government psychiatric hospital confirming that he is mentally stable to appear before the court.

It would recalled that, at the last adjourned date, Justice Abang ordered counsel to Izunoso, Prince Orji Nwafor-Orizu, to undergo a medical evaluation at a government approved psychiatric hospital to ascertain his mental stability.

In addition, the court also held that Orizu must equally enter an undertaken to be of good conduct throughout the hearing and conclusion of the matter, not just before the Federal High Court in Abuja, but before any other superior court of record.

Abang had ruled at the said proceedings that, “As at 3pm when this matter was called, I asked the

plaintiff counsel to conclude his argument. The plaintiff counsel was about to commence the concluding part of his argument when I noticed that Mr. Orji Nwafor-Orizu who had appeared for the 3rd Defendant at the last adjourned date, has entered the court room.

“Without announcing his appearance, he started disturbing the proceedings. He made so much noise

and raises his voice and shouted on top of his voice that the case cannot ho on because he has an order from the court of appeal stopping the proceedings.

“He disturbed the proceeding of the court and I kept quiet and waited to see if he will behave like a normal person.

“When he failed to conduct himself and behave like a normal

person, I stood the matter down for five minutes and told him that if I come back and his still behaved unruly in the face of the court, I will take action that will make him to know that I did not put myself here.

“I am not sure if Mr. NwaforOrizu is mentally stable. I will watch him in the course of the proceeding to see if he will continue with the conduct.

Presidential election petition tribunal: group frowns at pdp’s call for resignation of Justice Bulkachuwa From Uche Nnorom, Makurdi

A

group known as Tiv Youth Council, TYC has frowned at calls from the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP asking Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa to resign as Chairman of the Presidential Election Tribunal became her husband Sen. Bulkachuwa is a member of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Leader of the group Mike Msuaan at the press conference yesterday in Makurdi, described the call as ‘unfortunate’ and senseless, wondering why politicians always paint colours on issues inappropriately in order to change the beauty of an item because they want to be favoured by all means not minding the strength of an evidence.

“We have observed with great

sense of displeasure, the way and manner our highly respected politicians always take, Winning an election, a do or die affair. More worrisome is the way and manner they bring all sort of ideas and controversial plans to discredit an legitimate process, provided their interest is not realizable not minding the security implications it has to the overall interest of Nigerians, who at

any incisive moments sometimes take advantage to ferment trouble. Their political interest seem to be more than the lives of our citizens. This is rather unfortunate of our Leaders.

“The claim that Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa will not do Justice to the Petitions filled by aggrieved Presidential Candidates who lost at the just concluded Presidential Elections is false, the group said.

L-R: Zonal Director, National Broadcasting Commission, Enugu State, Ms Susan Obi; Public Relations Officer of INEC, Enugu State, Sir Pius Eneh; Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in Enugu, Dr Emeka Ononamadu and representative of the Chairman of INEC, Mr Festus Okoye, during a forum on media coverage of 2019 General Elections, yesterday in Enugu State. Photo: NAN

We are still strong as an opposition party in the state -says PDP From Ahmed Idris Birnin Kebbi

Dog sniffs out day-old baby buried alive by its 15-year-old mother three-legged dog has accidentally led residents of a farming community to an infant that was buried and left to die by its 15-year-old mother.

The incident happened in

Certificate-of-Return: Sen Izunaso petitions NJC, CJN others on Justice Abang’s conduct

Korat’s Tha Talat community in Thailand last Wednesday, and was reported by major local media.

Eyewitnesses said the newborn had been buried in a

cassava field, but nobody was aware.

However, farmers noticed the dog sniffing around one spot, and they went ahead to dig out what was there and were surprised to

dig out a living infant.

Police soon apprehended a 15-year-old girl who has since been charged with attempted murder.

She had reportedly confessed

to burying her own newborn baby.

Police said the teenager told them she was afraid that her father would beat her for getting pregnant.

K

ebbi North People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Zonal vice chairman, Alhaji Muhammadu RK Ruwa Dakingari has said that they are still strong as an opposition party and also set to reposition the party before coming 2023 general election.

He stated this on Monday in Birnin Kebbi while fielding questions from newsmen adding that the party will soon bounce back and made a progress.

“We are doing well and we are working towards united, while in my capacity as a stakeholders in the party I did not aware that any member from the PDP in the state collected bribe or monetary induced compromise from anybody, before, during or after the last general election” he said.

Our correspondents gathered that their was a rumour spread across the state that some party officials might have compromised, following alleged financial inducement during the general elections.

PDP in Kebbi had loss balance at the dying and most crucial moment during the gubernatorial election, a situation that resulted to a death knell and was allegedly attributed to financial inadequacy.

“You see after the elections, some of the stakeholders in the party meet and they discussed but their is nothing like that, To me I cannot say somebody took bribe, because we are yet to find out. Immediately after the elections, there had been exodus of prominent members of the PDP decamped to APC and

because of that, there has been saying that there is no more PDP in Kebbi state. There was an instance in Bagudo Local government where we wanted to collect some of the material belonging to PDP from the former PDP chairman who joined the APC, but they said we had no rights because there is no PDP in Bagudo local government.” “ So if there are people who think there is no PDP in Kebbi state, we the people in PDP should make sure that the PDP is existing in Kebbi state.

We want to reposition the PDP to

make sure that the PDP is vibrant, to make sure the PDP is alive in Kebbi state, and we are up to the task.

There wasn’t serious election, as I mentioned earlier, many prominent PDP stakeholders decided to join APC, if that has happened that is very terrible, I for once, I did not even know why we failed the election, I have been wondering why, with all the popularity of the PDP candidate (Senator Isah Galaudu) and with all the popularity of the PDP in Kebbi state, it ended like that,…. I’m still surprised” he added.

PAGE 16

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

POLITICS

UPP reconstitutes Anambra EXCO

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

T

he National Working Committee (NWC) of United Progressive Party (UPP) said that it has reconstituted the executive council of the party in Ananbra state.

In a statement issued by the

chairman of the party, Chekwas Okorie, UPP said it acted on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, and has resolved to commence the implementation of the party policy of repositioning the State Chapters of the Party for improved political activities at the

State level.

It also said the promotion of the Party Manifesto and the Objective Principles of its Constitution as well as the growth of the Party and its membership remains part of the motives to reposition the party.

"This exercise shall be on

State by State basis to ensure effectiveness and better coordination. Consequently, the National Working Committee has approved the reconstitution of the State Working Committee of the Anambra State Chapter of the United Progressive Party.

"The 28-member State

Working Committee is contained in the list attached with Chief Patrick Udealor as State Chairman and Hon. Mmuo Cletus as State Secretary", the statement said.

Meanwhile, it said the new State Working Committee shall be formally inaugurated in due course.

9th Assembly: NASS begins crackdown on journalists

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi, Musa Adamu, Christiana Ekpa and Musa Adamu

W

ith just twenty two days to the inauguration of 9th Assembly, Clerk of the National Assembly, Sani Omolori, has activated a perfect crackdown on journalist covering the parliament by rolling out stringent measures aimed at denying reporters access to the chambers.

In a twenty point circular released to the public which contains the new guideline for media accreditation, which was signed by the National Assembly’s Director of Information, Agada Rawlings Emmanuel, the Clerk said the new guideline takes effect from June 11th when the new session will be inaugurated.

Prominent in the list of the twenty new guidelines and conditions which every media house and journalist must fulfill to cover the parliament are: the Media house certificate of incorporation and income tax payment to government.

The circular reads “New guidelines for accreditation of media organizations, Journalists/Correspondents covering the National Assembly.

“I write to bring to your attention National Assembly’s Management approval of new guidelines for accreditation of media organization, journalists/ correspondents covering the National Assembly effective June 11, 2019.

“With this new guidelines in place, all previous accreditation granted to journalists covering the National Assembly-will lapse with the dissolution of the 8th Assembly.

“Accordingly, all journalists/ correspondents covering the National Assembly are by this press release advised to do the needful by getting a fresh letter of recertification from their media organizations in line with the requirement of the new guidelines to facilitate the earliest reaccreditation process before the commencement of the 9th Assembly.

“Number of journalists,

L-R: DirectorGeneral, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Dr Mansur Liman; Director General of Voice of Nigerian, Mr Osita Okechukwu and Director-General, Nigerian Television Authority, Mr Yakubu Muhammed, during a world news conference on the May 29thpresidential inauguration and the first observance of June 12 as National Democracy Day, yesterday in Abuja.

Photo: NAN

correspondents to be accredited for prints, electronic and online media for Senate and House of Representatives respectively are: Television – 1 Reporter and 1 Cameraman, Radio, 1 Reporter, Independent Producers, 1 Reporter and 1 Cameramen, Online Media 1 Reporter and 1 Photographer.

The memo which was silent about the accreditation of print media, classified the accreditation into Permanent, Temporary, Foreign/ lnternational Media Houses and Freelance.

On the requirements for the accreditation of journalists and Media houses must met before June 11, 2019, the circular said “everyone must present evidence of certificate of incorporation of the media organisation, evidence of membership of professional bodies for media organization, proof of membership of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) with registration number, code of certification from the National Library for the media organization.

“Functional Bureau in Abuja (Staff Strength not less than 5 Editorial staff and daily circulation of 40,000 copies for the print media with evidence to support the claimed circulation figure and that Media Houses

must be publishing daily and on weekend (Applicable to Online Media).

Others are: “Re-certification form must be signed and endorsed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Media organization Bureau Chief, City Editor as the case may be, the Media organization concerned must have experience of covering proceedings of the National Assembly for at least two (2) years before applying for permanent accreditation, “all media organization will submit a copy of its income tax return for the last two years, all online media must have at least 5000 viewership per day, the site must have been in operation for 5 years and provide satisfactory evidence to this effect with clippings of the news utilized (especially parliamentary news), “Only television stations with national coverage and specific independent producers with current running programme on the National Assembly will be allowed access into the Chambers on a permanent basis (All the production crew will be accredited as entity), “All correspondents must attach photocopy of letter of appointment of the media organization on whose behalf request has been received for grant of accreditation,”

“All freelance journalist seeking permanent accreditation must show evidence of not less than 5 years coverage of the National Assembly proceedings/full editorial focus and publication on parliamentary reportage,” “It is only Journalists and correspondence whose media organisations meet the above requirements for Permanent accreditation that will be entitled to carry National Assembly Identity Card/Membership of the respective Press Corp, “All other media organization who do not meet the above requirement will be captured under the Temporary accreditation status and they will not be entitled to carry National Assembly Identity Card/Membership of the Press Corp of the Senate and House of Representatives.”

“All Temporary accredited media houses, journalists/ correspondents shall be allowed permit into the National Assembly for specific coverage not exceeding one (1) week in the first instance and not more than twice in a month.”

“All foreign/international media houses seeking accreditation shall abide by all the Diplomatic Protocols established by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for foreign

media organizations, the Code of Ethics for Nigerian Journalists and security clearance before accreditation will be considered upon the recommendation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

“All permanently accredited journalists/correspondents shall subrhit recertification letter from the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of their media organization on a sessional basis failure to which accreditation shall be withdrawn forthwith.”

“All accredited media organization will be considered as a single entity in the issuance of passes irrespective of their membership of Senate and House of Representatives Press Corp. This new accreditation guidetines shall come into effect from June 11 2019,” the guidelines said.

Meanwhile, some of the journalists affected by the new guidelines not only described the new order as very stringent but cited Section 22 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended which states that, “The press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people.”

PAGE 17

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

POLITICS

9th Assembly: We'll not defect, PDP senator assures gov

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi with agency report

B

assey Albert, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senator from Akwa Ibom, has assured that senators and members of the House of Representatives from the state will not defect from the PDP. Mr Albert, who has just won re-election for a second term, represents Akwa Ibom North-east in the Senate.

“With three senators and 10 House of Representatives members intact, we will not defect,” the senator told the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, during a meeting of PDP members in Akwa Ibom.

“We will work together to protect the interest of Akwa Ibom State in the National Assembly.”

Mr Albert is the only senator who stayed back in the PDP to contest for re-election, among the three who represent the state.

Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom North-West) and Nelson Effiong (Akwa Ibom South) defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) where they contested for re-election.

Both Mr Akpabio and Mr Effiong failed to win a second term.

Apart from Mr Albert, the two other PDP senators who will be representing Akwa Ibom in the 9th Senate are Chris Ekpenyong (Akwa Ibom North-West) and Akon Eyakenyi (Akwa Ibom South).

The PDP also won all the 10 federal constituencies in Akwa Ibom.

The PDP meeting, held at Government House, Uyo, had Governor Emmanuel and his wife, Martha, in attendance, including the deputy governor, Moses Ekpo, and the chairman of PDP in the state, Paul Ekpo.

Mr Albert told Mr Emmanuel that his re-election has restored the “dignity” of Akwa Ibom people.

“You are Nigeria’s most successful governor.

“You were elected governor for a purpose, and that purpose will be achieved by God’s grace.

We assure you that, with the confidence reposed on us, we

will not disappoint the state,” the senator said to the governor.

Governor Emmanuel in his remarks said the general election was won because Akwa Ibom

people were united in their resolve.

“We fought as a people and we conquered as a people and we are all proud winners today.

“Today, by the grace of God, we can proudly say anywhere that we are Akwa Ibom persons and others will respect us,” the governor said.

IRI laments low women involvement in politics

T

he International Republican Institute (IRI) has lamented poor political involvement of women in policy formulation and governance in Bauchi State.

In a workshop tagged “Women Engagement on Strategic Advocacy” on Monday in Bauchi, the State Coordinator, Amina Aliyu, during her presentation “Review of Women’s Participation in 2019 Elections in Bauchi State” said women are not being carried along in the scheme of things, especially in policy formulation and appointment of women to

influential offices.

She explained that when women are left behind in governance, they will benefit the least because the policies and programmes of the government might not reflect their needs.

"In the just concluded 2019 elections, only 35 percent of women voted, down from 55 percent that was recorded in 2015. A lot of reasons were given for the low turnout of women, but nothing would suffice for why women should not participate fully in politics, because they are at the receiving end of non-

women-friendly policies.

"Right now, there are no women representatives in the state; from the office of the governor down to the office of a councillor. And, this is dangerous, because women’s needs might not be reflected in the policies and programmes of the government,” she lamented.

She appealed to the Governorelect to consider women when forming his cabinet while encouraging women to be more involved in politics.

“We are appealing to the Governor and party leaders to

appoint women into influential positions so that they can be stakeholders in matters that directly affect them.

Women should also increase their participation in politics because it’s only through their involvement that they can stand to be counted,” she added.

Objectives the Summit include; review of women’s participation in 2019 elections, identification of challenges and solutions for women’s political participation and development of charter of demand for women’s inclusion.

Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State (M); Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi (2nd, L), Aseyim of Iseyin, Oba Ganiyu Ologunebi(2nd, R) and other obas during a visit of traditional rulers to Gov Ajimobi, yesterday in Ibadan, Oyo State. Photo: NAN

High tuition: PDP guber aspirant appeals to Akeredolu

A

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, has urged Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to intervene in the high school fees being charged in the state’s higher institutions.

Okunomo, who is aspiring as governor in the state 2020 gubernatorial election, made this appeal in a statement on Monday in Okitipupa while reacting to the closure

of two of the state’s universities, following continued students’ protest against hike in tuition.

Akeredolu Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA) and the Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH), Okitipupa, have been shut due to protest by students against tuition hike.

The politician noted that students in those institutions now pay N300,000, N250,000 and N200,000 against N120,000, N100,000 and N75,000 that had obtained for various courses.

Okunomo, who is also the state PDP Publicity Secretary, lamented that if this trend was not reversed, the children of the downtrodden might be forced to drop out

of school, as they could not afford the high tuition.

"These students dropping out of schools will eventually take to social vices the moment they are at home staying idle.

“We appeal to the governor to consider the plights of these students and their parents and reduce their tuition accordingly for them to go back to classes”, he said.

PAGE 18

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

Page 19

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

Stock Watch: Monday, May 20, 2019 Low

OPEN Volume Close High

Symbol

CHANGE

Trades Low

0.54 0.54 0 0.54 0.54 ABCTRANS 0.00 5.50 5.95 0 5.80 5.85 ACCESS -0.15 3.76 4.05 0 3.80 3.80 AFRIPRUD -0.25 0.31 0.31 202 0.31 0.31 AGLEVENT 0.00 0.71 0.71 0 0.71 0.71 AIICO 0.00 8.20 8.20 500 8.20 8.20 ALEX 0.00 8.25 8.25 700 8.25 8.25 BERGER 0.00 79.00 79.00 0 79.00 79.00 BETAGLAS 0.00 3.79 3.79 0 3.79 3.79 BOCGAS 0.00 12.00 12.00 0 12.00 12.00 CADBURY 0.00 37.40 37.40 0 37.40 37.40 CAP 0.00 2.17 2.17 0 2.17 2.17 CAVERTON 0.00 19.00 19.00 0 19.00 19.00 CCNN 0.00 1.55 1.55 20 1.55 1.55 CHAMPION 0.00 0.20 0.20 0 0.20 0.20 CHAMS 0.00 0.29 0.29 0 0.29 0.29 CHIPLC 0.00 7.27 7.27 0 7.27 7.27 CILEASING 0.00 23.00 23.00 0 23.00 23.00 CONOIL 0.00 0.21 0.21 0 0.21 0.21 CORNERST 0.00 6.00 6.00 0 6.05 6.05 CUSTODIAN 0.05 2.25 2.25 0 2.25 2.25 CUTIX 0.00 190.00 190.00 0 190.00 191.50 DANGCEM 0.00 10.10 10.30 0 10.20 10.35 DANGFLOUR -0.10 13.95 13.95 0 13.95 13.95 DANGSUGAR 0.00 2.43 2.49 0 2.45 2.47 DIAMONDBNK -0.04 4.40 4.40 0 4.40 4.40 ETERNA 0.00 13.50 13.65 0 13.50 13.50 ETI -0.15 8.10 8.20 0 8.20 8.25 FBNH 0.00 1.85 1.96 0 1.85 1.96 FCMB -0.11 2.14 2.18 0 2.14 2.20 FIDELITYBK -0.04 0.28 0.29 0 0.28 0.28 FIRSTALUM -0.01 19.00 19.10 0 19.00 19.10 FLOURMILL -0.10 28.00 28.00 0 28.00 28.00 FO 0.00 11.55 11.55 0 11.55 11.55 GLAXOSMITH 0.00 0.89 0.89 2 0.89 0.89 GOLDBREW 0.00 35.15 35.40 0 35.40 35.40 GUARANTY 0.00 0.20 0.20 100 0.20 0.20 GUINEAINS 0.00 64.00 64.00 0 64.00 64.00 GUINNESS 0.00 1.22 1.22 0 1.22 1.22 HONYFLOUR 0.00 2.07 2.30 0 2.07 2.07 IKEJAHOTEL -0.23 24.05 24.05 0 24.05 24.05 INTBREW 0.00 0.54 0.51 0 0.54 0.54 JAIZBANK 0.03 0.20 0.20 0 0.20 0.20 JAPAULOIL 0.00 27.50 27.50 0 27.50 27.50 JBERGER 0.00 0.31 0.31 0 0.31 0.31 LASACO 0.00 0.51 0.51 0 0.51 0.51 LAWUNION 0.00 1.31 1.31 0 1.31 1.31 LEARNAFRCA 0.00 0.54 0.60 0 0.59 0.59 LINKASSURE -0.01 0.60 0.60 0 0.60 0.60 LIVESTOCK 0.00 2.20 2.20 670 2.20 2.20 MANSARD 0.00 2.33 2.33 0 2.33 2.33 MAYBAKER 0.00 0.24 0.25 0 0.24 0.24 MBENEFIT -0.01

Top Gainers

Stock Close Gain ROYALEX 0.35 0.03 JAIZBANK 0.54 0.03 NEIMETH 0.67 0.02 UBN 7.00 0.15 OANDO 5.85 0.10

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 0 0 0 0

OPEN Volume Close High

Symbol

CHANGE

Trades

0.57 0.57 0 0.57 0.57 MCNICHOLS 0.00 0 0.54 0.54 0 0.54 0.54 MEYER 0.00 0 166.00 165.00 0 166.00 166.00 MOBIL 1.00 0 0.55 0.55 0 0.55 0.55 MORISON 0.00 0 20.85 20.85 0 20.85 20.85 MRS 0.00 0 3.41 3.41 0 3.41 3.41 NAHCO 0.00 0 20.70 20.70 0 20.70 20.70 NASCON 0.00 0 75.00 75.00 0 75.00 75.00 NB 0.00 0 6.00 6.00 0 6.00 6.00 NCR 0.00 0 0.67 0.65 0 0.67 0.67 NEIMETH 0.02 0 2.50 2.50 0 2.50 2.50 NEM 0.00 0 1,530.00 1,545.00 0 1,545.00 1,545.00 NESTLE 0.00 0 0.22 0.22 0 0.22 0.22 NIGERINS 0.00 0 4.30 4.30 0 4.30 4.30 NNFM 0.00 0 1.50 1.50 0 1.50 1.50 NPFMCRFBK 0.00 0 5.80 5.75 0 5.85 5.85 OANDO 0.10 0 80.00 80.00 0 80.00 80.00 OKOMUOIL 0.00 0 1.50 1.50 0 1.50 1.50 PHARMDEKO 0.00 0 75.00 75.00 3 75.00 75.00 PRESCO 0.00 0 0.50 0.50 0 0.50 0.50 PRESTIGE 0.00 0 11.00 11.00 0 11.00 11.00 PZ 0.00 0 0.25 0.25 0 0.25 0.25 REGALINS 0.00 0 0.35 0.32 0 0.35 0.35 ROYALEX 0.03 0 0.35 0.35 2 0.35 0.35 RTBRISCOE 0.00 0 596.90 596.90 0 596.90 596.90 SEPLAT 0.00 0 0.25 0.25 0 0.25 0.25 SOVRENINS 0.00 0 48.00 48.00 0 48.10 48.10 STANBIC 0.10 0 2.31 2.50 0 2.31 2.31 STERLNBANK -0.19 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.20 0.20 SUNUASSUR 0.00 0 200.00 200.00 0 200.00 200.00 TOTAL 0.00 0 3.50 3.50 500 3.50 3.50 TOURIST 0.00 0 5.40 5.40 0 5.40 5.40 TRANSCOHOT 0.00 0 1.23 1.23 0 1.25 1.25 TRANSCORP 0.02 0 0.65 0.65 300 0.65 0.65 TRANSEXPR 0.00 0 0.77 0.77 0 0.77 0.77 TRIPPLEG 0.00 0 7.75 7.80 0 7.75 7.75 UACN -0.05 0 1.95 1.95 0 1.95 1.95 UAC-PROP 0.00 0 7.45 7.65 0 7.45 7.85 UBA -0.20 0 7.00 6.85 0 7.00 7.00 UBN 0.15 0 2.76 3.00 0 2.80 2.84 UCAP -0.20 0 38.70 38.70 0 38.70 38.70 UNILEVER 0.00 0 0.28 0.28 0 0.28 0.28 UNIONDAC 0.00 0 0.81 0.81 0 0.81 0.81 UNITYBNK 0.00 0 0.20 0.20 0 0.20 0.20 UNIVINSURE 0.00 0 5.40 5.40 0 5.40 5.40 UPDCREIT 0.00 0 3.98 3.98 0 3.98 3.98 VITAFOAM 0.00 0 12.85 12.90 0 12.85 12.85 WAPCO -0.05 0 0.40 0.40 0 0.40 0.40 WAPIC 0.00 0 0.77 0.79 0 0.77 0.78 WEMABANK -0.02 0 21.70 22.20 0 22.00 23.50 ZENITHBANK -0.20 0 Copyright © 2019 NgTradeOnline

Top Losers

Stock Close Gain IKEJAHOTEL 2.07 -0.23 STERLNBANK 2.31 -0.19 UCAP 2.80 -0.20 AFRIPRUD 3.80 -0.25 FCMB 1.85 -0.11

Shake-up: NNPC retires 11, redeploys 19 staff

By Etuka Sunday

T

he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday explained that the recent staff movements in the Corporation was normal replacement and backfill exercise to bridge the gap occasioned by impending retirement of some management staff of the Corporation, among others.

NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, in a release in Abuja, explained that the exercise involved statutory retirement of 11 of its senior management staff as well as redeployment of 19 others, saying such replacements were always effected before the final exit of the concerned staff.

Mr. Ughamadu stated that in all 30 senior staff were affected by both the statutory retirements and redeployment.

He gave the list of staff on statutory retirement between 1st May and 31 July this year to include: General Manager, Chad Basin, Aniya Francis Umaru, who is from the north-eastern part of the country and retired on May 6th, 2019; Adewale Solomon Ladenegan, Managing Director, KRPC, who hails from the south-west and retired on May 13th, 2019 and Musa Sulyman Gimba, who is the Group General Manager, NNPC Leadership Academy, who also is from the north-east and retired on May 14th, 2019.

Others include: Umma Ayuba Musa, who is the General Manager,

HR & Admin Services, Duke Oil, from North-west and retired on May 19th, 2019; Emmanuel–Ate Mariagoretti Ndidi, General Manager, Support Services, NGC, from the south-south region and retires on May 30th, 2019; Tsavnande Thaddeaus Atighir, Executive Director, Operations, from the north-central; Okor Ovieghara, General Manager, Upstream/TA to GMD, who hails from the southsouth region; Barau Mohammed Kabir, Managing Director, NGMC, who is from the north-western region; Dawaki Salihi Abubakar, the General Manager NLNG, LIMS, from the north-west; Ibrahim Aminu Bagudu, the Executive Director, ETSD, NPDC, who is from the northwest and Yusuf Shimingah Matashi, the Managing Director, NPDC, who

hails from the north-western region retires on 17th July, 2019.

Mr. Ughamadu also named the following to be among the 19 staff that were redployed: Anas Mustapha Mohammed, Usman Faruk, Ali Muhammed Sarki, Osarolube Ezekiel, Ihya Aondoaver Mson, Isah Abubakar Lapal, Umar Hamza Ado, Garba Adamu Kaita, Ossai Uche, Usman Umar, Ehizoje Tunde Ighodaro, Ahmed Mohammed Abdulkabir and Lere Isa Aliyu.Others are: Richard-Obioha Maryrose Nkemegina, Dikko Ahmed, Ibrahim Sarafa Ayobami, Usman Yusuf, Sambo Mansur Sadiq and Buggu Louis Tizhe.

The NNPC spokesman said it was usual for the Corporation to obtain necessary approvals on replacements

of retiring staff ahead of schedule, saying this was the case with the recent exercise that takes effect as at when the retiring staff depart at various times within the period.

Ughamadu stated that the exercise was effected to ensure uninterrupted operations of the Corporation in achieving its mandate, adding that extant corporate guidelines were strictly followed in the process.

He advised members of the public to disregard the insinuation that some staff of the Corporation were relieved of their duties, saying the deployments were expected and aimed at sustaining the system.

The NNPC spokesperson urged staff of the Corporation not to be distracted with the report.

‘Non release of N195bn Export Expansion Grant crippling businesses’ From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

T

he Organised Private Sector Exporters Association (OPEXA) has appealed to the Executive and Legislative arms of government to expedite action in the releases of the sum of N195 billion being parts payment of the accumulated Export Expansion Grant (EEG), from 2007 – 2016 for exporters in the country.

The association lamented that it members are face with the challenge of accumulating interests on loans which was said to be making their investment and pricing decisions in their businesses very difficult.

“We have taken up debts to service the receivables and these debts are incurring further interests with the continuing delay in the payment of EEG claims,” a letter addressed to President Mahammadu Buhari noted.

The letter, signed by the Executive Secretary of OPEXA, Mr. Jaiyeola Olanrewaju, and directed to President Muhammadu Buhari pointed out that the federal government had earlier approved promissory notes (PN) programme in 2017, at its Federal Executive Council meeting and forwarded to the National Assembly for their approval in 2018.

It was stated that National Assembly had also conveyed its approval for payment of N195 billion claims in January, 2019.

“We, the exporters have been waiting anxiously, since the approval from NASS for the PNs to be issued.

It was only on 4th April 2019, almost 70 days after the approval from NASS that the DMO (Debt Management Office) called the exporters to brief us on the implementation of PN program,” the letter stated.

It went on to condemn the sudden move by the DMO to issue the PNs through a Reverse Auction Process, adding that the DMO has not been forthcoming with any further details about the mechanism of Reverse Auction Process.

Consequently, the association made a three-point demand that includes a Reverse Auction Process (RAP) for issuance of Promissory

Notes (PNs) should be reconsidered by the government.

That government (including the Debt Management Office, DMO) should restrict themselves to issuing the PNs as the shortest term feasible for payment, while equal treatment should be meted to all beneficiaries of all categories of PN. The exporters demands that they should be issued PNs with shortest tenure (spread evenly over a maximum period of three years) bearing in mind that payment has been delayed for a period of three to 12 years for member’s claims.

The association declared that

members were becoming unsettled in their businesses more than ever and unable to carry out their vital roles.

The association said government’s inaction was causing challenges to their members.

While commending the leadership of President Mohamadu Buhari, it noted it has shown clear intention to take the country out of the perennial dependence on oil revenue by getting other sectors up and working but affirmed that the ongoing dispute could be a stumbling block if not nip in the bud.

According to OPSEA, the inability of government to meet up

with the promissory notes for nonoil exporters for dues owed them for over nine years may undermine the successes recorded so far by the policy.

In a letter to the president appealing for his intervention on the matter, OPSEA recounted that before now, the previous administration commenced the issuance of EEG to genuine exporters but the grant was later suspended in 2007 due to duplicitous claims and counterclaims by stakeholders over who and who should indeed benefit from the package.

Meanwhile, initially pressure was

on the National Assembly to do its work and give its legislative nod for the issuance of the federal government’s N350 billion Promissory Notes to exporters in continuation of the EEG. But the pressure is now back on the executive to complete what it started by ensuring that the PNs are settled without further delays.

Reliably sources have it that the Federal Executive Council had sent three issues for the formal approval by the National Assembly earlier in the year. The three executive resolutions bothered on the EEG claims, payment of construction contractors and pensions.

State Coordinator, National Orientation Agency, Mrs Dolapo Dosunmu (L), addressing participants, during the Annual General Meeting/ inauguration of SEAP Micro Finance Bank Android POS Device for effective operation, yesterday in Ibadan. Photo: NAN

FG appoints Capt. Yadudu as new FAAN MD

From Suleiman Idris, Lagos

T

he Federal Government has appointed a former Avionics Maintenance Engineer and pilot, Captain Rabiu Hamisu Yadudu as the new Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to replace the elsewhere helmsman Engr. Saleh Donuma.

The announcement was contained in an electronic statement made available yesterday by the Deputy Director of Press and Public Affairs (Aviation) in the Ministry of Transportation, Mr. James Odaudu.

The statement noted that President Muhammadu Buhari approved the

new elevation for Yadudu who until the new position was the Director of Operations for the country’s airports management authority.

The ace pilot is a seasoned aviator with considerable experience in domestic, regional and inter/ transcontinental scheduled passenger, charter, cargo and most recently Aero Medical operations.

Captain Yadudu, who assumed office as Director of Airport Operations in February 25, 2017 holds a current Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the United States Federal Aviation Administration licenses as Captain in Command on the Boeing 747,200/300, Learjet 45 XR, and

Cessna Citation Sovereign – CE-680 aircraft.

Prior to his sojourn in FAAN two years ago, he was Deputy Director and Captain in Command at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in the presidency, in their Cessna Citation Sovereign Air Ambulance.

The new FAAN Managing Director graduated from the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) in 1993 as a Licensed Aircraft Maintenances Engineer (AVIONICS) and later trained at Delta Aeronautics in Forth Worth, Texas, USA where he obtained his Commercial Pilot License in 1995.

The Kano state born aviator started

his career in the industry with Nigeria Airways as an Avionics Maintenance Engineer but later left for Kabo Air where he joined as a Co-pilot and rose to become a Captain in2007.In the course of his career at Kabo Air, he has served at different points in time as the Safety Pilot, Head of Safety and Chief Pilot.

Industry experts described the new appointment as a round peg aptly fitted into the round hole.

Commentator and aviation security consultant, retired Capt.

John Ojikutu said Captain Yadudu is without doubt the most experienced man in the last 15 years to serve as FAAN Director of Operations.

ict Huawei mobile users ponder switching brand after Google news

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

Page 20

T

ime to abandon the Huawei phone? That was what some owners asked after U.S. tech giant Google said it would suspend its business with China’s top mobile maker, threatening future access to Gmail, YouTube and Chrome.

Google said on Monday it would comply with an order by U.S. President Donald Trump to stop supplying Huawei, meaning it would no longer be able to offer its popular Android apps to buyers of new Huawei phones.

The order to U.S. companies could affect tens of millions of consumers in Europe, its biggest market outside mainland China.

“I was absolutely shocked,” Luna Angellica, the Dutch owner of a new Huawei P smart+ contacted

by Reuters in London, said after the Google news. She was already “considering saving up” for a rival model, she added.

Trump’s move, said to be motivated by spying concerns amid a bitter trade war with China, could at a single blow derail Huawei’s ambitions to overtake Samsung as the world’s biggest phone maker.

“I like the phone so much - I’m just kinda scared one day I’ll be forced to buy another phone,” said Anthony Chiringa, who lives in Nairobi and bought his Huawei Y7 for $180 two weeks ago.

“Buying a new phone to replace another one will be another expense for me. Rather Huawei should come up with a way whereby the current Huawei users can be able to replace their phones for free,” he said.

Emerging economies such as Kenya are key to Huawei’s ambitions as it seeks to sell more low- to mid-priced handsets outside

China. India, where Huawei now has only single-figure market share, is also potentially vital.

“I was already in two minds about buying the phone,” said Sumeet Lyallpuri, 46, a businessman in Mumbai who had been considering upgrading his existing Huawei to the brand’s P30.

“Now if Google updates are not available for Huawei phones, Google Play or apps such as YouTube are not there I wouldn’t want to buy the phone at least for the time being,” he said.

Manish Khatri, the owner of a smartphone shop in Mumbai, India’s financial hub, said some customers had been looking for Huawei phones. “Now with Google deciding to have a limited relationship with Huawei I will direct customers to other smartphones brands such as

Samsung or Apple,” he said.

Huawei said on Monday it would continue to provide security updates and services for its smartphones and tablets that have already been sold.

And Google’s team working on the Android operating system told Huawei users on its Twitter @ Android account it would comply with U.S. requirements while ensuring “services like Google Play & security from Google Play Protect will keep functioning on your existing Huawei device.”

Replies to the tweet ranged from frustration to worry.

“So because of a US law, you actually punish millions of international users by banning them?” wrote Andreas Benjaminsen, who described himself as an open source enthusiast on @photolsen

account. Twitter user Ania K. wrote on @kuleczka1983: “I am very worried ... I’m the owner of a P30 Pro”.

Neither user could immediately be reached for comment.

Operators, who tie phones into their networks with mobile line contracts for calls and data, were also racing to determine the impact on their businesses from Google’s decision.

“We are reviewing the details of the executive order to understand any potential implications for our customers,” Spain’s Telefonica, Europe’s third largest mobile operator.

Hutchison’s British network operator Three told customers that Huawei’s routers and devices would continue working, but also said it was seeking further information.

“We are in discussions with Huawei and will provide a further update as soon as we can,” the firm said in statement.

Huawei, which is also the global leader in telecoms networking equipment, is embroiled in a longrunning row with the United States over the security of its systems and devices.

The U.S. administration has said Huawei equipment could be used by China for espionage and Washington has pressed its allies to use other suppliers. Huawei denies the U.S charges.

Huawei’s founder and chief executive, Ren Zhengfei, had said before Google’s announcement on Saturday that growth of the Chinese tech giant “may slow, but only slightly” due to recent U.S. actions.

(Reuters) L R Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta Executive Vice Chairman/CEO Nigerian Communications Commission NCC, Dr. Abdur-Raheem Adebayo Shittu, Honourable Minister of Communications, Musa Istifanus, Permanent secretary ministry of communications, Hon. Mahammed Onawo, Chairman House Committee on ICT during the Valedictory Press Briefing for the Hon. Minister of Communications yesterday 20th May 2019 At NAF Conference Centre Abuja

U.S. DHS warns of data threat from Chinese-made drones

T

he U.S. Department of Homeland Security has warned U.S. firms of the risks to company data from Chinese-made drones, according to a notice reviewed by Reuters on Monday.

The notice, titled “Chinese Manufactured Unmanned Aircraft Systems,” warned that U.S. officials have “strong concerns about any technology product that takes American data into the territory of an authoritarian state that permits its intelligence services to have unfettered access to that data or otherwise abuses that access.”

A spokeswoman for DHS’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency confirmed that it “recently released an industry alert providing organizations with information related to the inherit risks associated with using UAS technology manufactured in China and measures to reduce such risk.”

The notice, which did not name any companies, was reported earlier by CNN. It urged companies to “be aware of whether

your UAS data is being stored by the vendor or other third parties.

If it is being stored, find out how, where, and for how long.”

This is the latest concern raised by the U.S. government about the threats of Chinesemade devices. On Wednesday,

the U.S. Commerce Department added Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and 68 affiliates to an export blacklist, citing the risk of to U.S. national security from the telecommunications network equipment maker.

China’s SZ DJI Technology

Co Ltd, the world’s largest maker of consumer drones, said in a statement on Monday that “the security of our technology has been independently verified by the U.S. government and leading U.S. businesses.”

The company added that it

gives “customers full and complete control over how their data is collected, stored, and transmitted.”

It said that for government and critical infrastructure customers, “we provide drones that do not transfer data to DJI or via the internet.” (Reuters)

ENGIE selected for operation, maintenance of Orange’s data centres in West Africa

E

NGIE has been selected for the operation and maintenance of the Orange Services Group’s data center in Abidjan, for a five-year contract that will start early June 2019.

This datacenter of the latest generation, built by the Orange Service Group (GOS), is one of the few datacenters existing in West Africa complying with the Level IV classification.

According to this classification, it has the required redundancies to

ensure continuity of service in all circumstances. It received the ward of Best Data Center from Africa at the 2017 “Datacloud Congress” in Monaco.

The perimeter of the contract includes preventive maintenance of the multi-technical lots of the datacenter buildings, including the electrical substations, high voltage, cooling and air conditioning, Central Management Technology, fire alarm systems, security and control, video surveillance and

access control.

This contract demonstrates ENGIE’s ambition to accelerate its development in energy services in West and Central Africa and to become one of the leaders in energy efficiency, installation and maintenance services in Africa.

Built on the Free Zone of Grand-Bassam, located 40 km from Abidjan, the economic capital of Côte d’Ivoire, the building has a floor area of 1 450 m² including a 420 m² computer room.

This next-generation datacenter has a power capacity of 1.3 MW and a design which is oriented towards reliability and energy optimization of data storage.

The center represents a strategic infrastructure for Orange in West Africa and primarily hosts Orange’s service platforms of its Middle East – Africa subsidiaries but it is also a colocation space for BtoB customers’ needs in this region. (APO)

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

METRO

Page 21

The Six Area Council Chairmen Being Sworn Into Office.

Candido inaugurates AMAC Councillors, says no room for competition

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he AMAC Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu Candido yesterday inaugurated the newly and re-elected Councillors, representating to twelve Wards of the Council, barely hours after his inauguration for second term by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello.

Candido while performing the inauguration at Council's Secretariat in Garki Area 10, admonished the Councillors to strive to surpass the legacy left by their predecessors as the constituents yearn for more dividends.

He however strongly declared that there is no room for competition , as everyone has been endowed by God with a unique mind to think differently from the other.

"To achieve our collective dream of improving the lives of our people, we must be ready to work together. I solicit your cooperation and political expertise in carrying out our agenda for this administration, which begins today (Monday).

"You (Councillors) must think creatively, be innovative and showcase something new in your constituencies, let your electorate feel your impact and be happy for the choice of representation they have made," Candido stated

Bello charges FCT Councils’ Chairmen to shun corruption

By Stanley Onyekwere

T

he FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello charged the newly sworn-in Area Councils Chairmen to shun all acts of corruption and reckless spending, so as to ensure effective governance at the grassroot level.

Bello specifically tasked them on the need to imbibe the virtues of good governance and accountability in the discharge of their duties, as they will be accountable to God and to the people who elected them to office.

He gave this charge yesterday, while delivering his keynote address during the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected

Area Council Chairmen at the FCDA Conference Hall in Abuja.

He said: “The temptations that come with occupying an elected public office are enormous but you must not lose sight of the fact that you are accountable to the people.

“The welfare and wellbeing of your people should come first in all your decisions and actions.

You must learn from the mistakes of your predecessors and build on their successes.

“You should resist the temptation to discard good ideas or discontinue laudable projects because they were initiated by officials from another political lineage.”

The Minister further advised them to cultivate very cordial working relationship with traditional rulers and other stakeholders irrespective of political and religious affiiations.

While giving a vote of thanks on behalf of other Chairmen, Chariman of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abdullahi Adamu Candido, commended the FCTA for organizing an induction course for them, which will ensure efficiency in governance.

He stressed the need to consider establishment of a strong Communication link between the FCT Administration and Area Councils, so as to reduce conflicts in the line of duty.

The newly sworn-in Chairmen include: Abdullahi Adamu Candido, AMAC; Abdulrahman Ajiya, Abaji Area Council ; John Gabaya Shekwogaza, Bwari Area Council ; Adamu Mustapha Danze, Gwagwalada Area Council ; Abdullahi Suleiman Sabo Area Council , Kuje and Daniel Chiya, Kwali Area Council.

It will be recalled that the All Progressives Congress (APC) won four Chairmanship seat of area councils of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abaji, Gwagwalada and Kwali while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won Bwari and Kuje area council at the just concluded 2019 elections.

Dispute: Dei-Dei land owners plea for out of Court settlement

By Stanley Onyekwere

S

ome landowners at Zaudan Pazeri and Filindabo Layouts, under the auspices of Zaudan Pazeri Property Owners Association at Dei-Dei district of Abuja, have appealed to the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello to settle the land issues between them and the FCT Administration out of court.

Chairman of the association, Elder Friday Ugoala, made the appeal recently, while addressing members of the association at the premises of the FCT High Court at Jabi, when the case that was

adjourned to May 16, 2019 did not hold.

Ugoala explained that with the complexity of the case in court, the association has still has faith that the present administration would stop the illegality meted out to over 1,000 landowners in the community and settle the issue out of court, by granting them the right to develop their plots.

“The court did not sit as expected, and we are told to come back on July 3, 2019 to continue with the case, although no reason was given to us for the adjournment.

“That been as it is, we are still pleading with the Minister of FCT, Mallam Mohammed Bello,

that we are ready for out of court settlement anytime any day. He is in position to help his people, because he is our governor.

“He is not the author of our problem, but he can be the solution to it. The mistakes of the past cannot continue, that is why we are pleading that he in his good nature should come to our aide and put and end to our plight.

“We trust that with his kind nature, he will reconsider and give us his approval for us to continue developing our plots and on his own side, give us the certificate of occupancy, which we have paid for and the money is in the pulse of the government,” he stressed.

According to Ugoala, everyone in Abuja knowns how high house rents in Abuja is, because of the housing deficit in the territory, that they are not asking the government to build houses for them, but to allow them developed their plots which they legally acquired.

“That is why we are appealing to the minister to show us kindness by coming to our rescue.

We are ready for out of court settlement anytime any day.

"The court has given the counsel the government the permission to make sure that the matter is settled amicably outside the court and we are still expecting that it will be done,” he said.

Page 22

world news

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

N international_peoplesdailyng@yahoo.com

Trump’s ‘genocidal taunts’ will not end Iran – Zarif

I

ran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has dismissed US President Donald Trump’s “genocidal taunts” and warned him not to threaten the country.

With tensions rising, Mr Trump tweeted on Sunday: “If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran.”

Mr Zarif said the president should look at history. “Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone... Try respect it works!”

The US has deployed additional warships and planes to the Gulf in recent days.

But Mr Trump’s tweet marked a shift in tone after recent attempts by him to downplay the possibility of a military conflict with Iran.

When asked by reporters on Thursday if the US was going to war, he said: “I hope not.”

His warning to Iran on Sunday was issued hours after a rocket was fired into the heavily fortified Green Zone in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, and hit a building about

The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group has been deployed to the Gulf 0.5km (0.3 miles) from the US embassy.

The US recently evacuated non-emergency staff from the mission because of what it called a “serious” threat reportedly linked to Iran-backed forces in Iraq.

A rocket landed half a kilometre from the US embassy in central Baghdad on Sunday Writing on Twitter on Monday, Iran’s foreign minister said the US president was being “goaded” by what he called the “B Team” - a

reference to US National Security Adviser John Bolton, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

Mr Trump “hopes to achieve what Alexander [the Great],

Huawei’s Android loss: How it affects you

T

he restrictions being placed on Huawei’s access to the Android operating system will cast a long shadow over Tuesday’s launch of the Chinese company’s latest handsets.

The firm has invited press from across the globe to London to witness the unveiling of its Honor 20 Series smartphones.

The BBC understands the devices will still offer the full Android experience - including use of Google’s own app store.

But unless a clash with the US government is resolved, future launches are set to deliver a much more limited experience - assuming Huawei decides to run them off Android at all.

As yet it is unclear whether the restrictions Google has imposed on Huawei will be long-lasting.

Presumably Google does not want to break ties with what is the world’s second bestselling Android phone-maker after Samsung - the Chinese firm recently said more than half a billion consumers use its handsets.

In theory, the US’s Bureau of Industry and Security could issue a licence to let Google continue the relationship or at least parts of it, or even make a U-turn and drop its restrictions altogether.

But assuming the matter is not resolved soon, let’s try and pick our way through the consequences.

What exactly is Google doing?

The US tech firm is suspending all business activity with Huawei related to “non-public” transfers of hardware, software and technical services.

That does not mean that Huawei loses all access to Android, as the core operating system is an open source project. Any manufacturer can modify it and install it on their devices without having to get permission.

But in practice, all the major vendors rely on a lot of support from Google.

In addition, Google controls access to several add-on bits of software, including: • the Play app store

• its own apps • the Google Assistant virtual helper • the Gmail email service • tools that allow third-party services access to certain functions How does this affect existing Huawei handsets?

Owners of Huawei or Honor phones will not find that they suddenly cannot install new apps or get updates for Google services.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Huawei shipped about 3.1 million handsets to the UK between April 2018 and March 2019, according to analysts IDC, making it the third most popular brand after Apple and Samsung The reason is that their devices have already been certified under processes known as the Compatibility Test Suite (CTS) and the Vendor Test Suite (VTS).

As a consequence, Google can provide them with new versions of its products and authorise downloads from its Play marketplace, without having to directly deal with Huawei itself.

However, matters become more complex when it comes to security updates.

The way these typically work is that Google gives Android device-makers the code for its software fixes about one month before it reveals details to the public about the vulnerabilities involved.

This gives manufacturers time to check the patches do not cause problems for their own proprietary software, and then to package up a customised version of the fixes as a download.

Huawei will now only learn of the patches on the same day they are released to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), meaning there will be a lag before it can distribute them.

That could theoretically result in a situation in which a serious flaw is revealed and Huawei’s devices remain exposed for several days or weeks.

How about new handsets?

New phones will not be certified, and as a consequence will not be able to have Google Mobile

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

Services (GMS) pre-installed.

Some of these services will still be accessible via the web, but many would find that less convenient.

The loss will not have much impact on Chinabased users, who are already blocked from accessing most of Google’s facilities. But elsewhere, it could be a deal-breaker for many consumers.

They would still be able to install third-party apps via alternative stores or a process known as side-loading.

But Google prevents its own apps being installed on uncertified devices.

Furthermore, losing access to GMS also means that third-party developers would not be able to tap into Google’s application programming interfaces (APIs) on new devices.

The consequences would be that their apps could lose some functions.

“Let’s say an app wants to send a notification to your device,” Mishaal Rahman, editor-in-chief of the news site XDA-developers.com, explained to the BBC. “There’s a really, really good chance that it’s using Google Play Services for its push notification service. So any apps - even Twitter - could stop working with push notifications.”

Another example, he added, would be the loss of Casting, a facility that allows handsets to wirelessly stream audio and video to a TV or other equipment via a tap of an icon.

What about future releases of Android?

There has already been a lot of speculation that Huawei devices might be stuck with the current version of Android.

But Mr Rahman believes that is unlikely to be the case since the next version - Android Q - will also be open source and Google has already shared most of the source code with Huawei and other partners.

However, he added that things could be more tricky for the subsequent release - Android R - in 2020. Source: BBC NEWS

Genghis [Khan] & other aggressors failed to do. Iranians have stood tall for millennia while aggressors all gone. #EconomicTerrorism & genocidal taunts won’t ‘end Iran’,” he added. “#NeverThreatenAnIranian.

Try respect - it works!”

What is behind the escalation?

Tensions began rising earlier this month, when the US ended exemptions from sanctions for countries still buying from Iran.

The decision was intended to bring Iran’s oil exports to zero, denying the government its main source of revenue.

Mr Trump reinstated the sanctions last year after abandoning a landmark 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers that he wants to renegotiate.

Days later, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said his country was suspending several commitments under the deal and threatened to step up uranium enrichment if European countries did not act to protect its oil and banking industries from the effects of the US sanctions with two months.

The White House then announced that the US was sending an aircraft carrier, B-52 bombers and a Patriot missile defence battery to the region because of “troubling and escalatory indications” related to Iran.

Last week, four oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman were damaged in what the United Arab Emirates said were sabotage attacks, and drone attacks on two oil pumping stations in Saudi Arabia by Yemen’s Houthi rebels - who are supported by Iran - forced the temporary closure of a pipeline.

Iran has denied that it was behind two incidents.

There were also unconfirmed reports, citing US and regional security officials, that Iran had loaded missiles onto boats in Iranian ports and that Iran-backed Iraqi paramilitary fighters had positioned rockets near facilities in Iraq used by US troops.

What are other counties saying?

“I would say to the Iranians: do not underestimate the resolve on the US side,” UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt told reporters in Geneva on Monday. “They don’t want a war with Iran. But if American interests are attacked, they will retaliate.”

The USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group has been deployed to the Gulf “We want the situation to deescalate, because this is a part of the world where things can get triggered accidentally,” he added.

e w s Zuma and arms firm in bid to quash corruption case

F

S

outh Africa’s former President Jacob Zuma and representatives of French arms company Thales are due to appear in court in an attempt to have all corruption charges against them dismissed.

The allegations centre on a $2.5bn ($1.96bn ) deal to modernise South Africa’s defence forces in the late 1990s in which Mr Zuma is accused of accepting bribes from Thales.

Both deny the charges.

Lawyers acting on behalf of Mr Zuma and Thales will argue before a panel of three judges in the South African city of Pietermaritzburg that the long delay in proceedings makes it impossible for them to receive a fair trial.

The hearings are expected to conclude by the end of this week. Last year Mr Zuma’s party, the African National Congress, forced him to resign as president.

Page 23

r o m

A

f r i c a

Uganda boat capsize: Dozens feared dead on Lake Albert

N

ine people have been confirmed dead and dozens more are missing after a boat capsized in western Uganda on Sunday.

The boat was carrying more than 50 football players and fans from the western Uganda district of Hoima.

Witnesses say overloading and bad weather are probably to blame for the accident, as rescue attempts continue.

In 2016, about 30 footballers and fans drowned when their boat capsized on Lake Albert.

The passengers were travelling to Runga landing site where a friendly match between two local clubs was scheduled.

The wooden canoe capsized shortly after it departed the docks.

The police are looking for the dozens of people still missing A police spokesperson said that fishermen at nearby landing sites rushed to the rescue and 32 people were rescued within an hour of the accident.

Friends and relatives of the missing passengers have gathered at the shore as police conduct search operations.

The police and Military Marine Unit responded shortly afterwards with divers who

Relatives of the missing passengers wait at the shore of Lake Albert as search operations continue have since been able to recover nine bodies, the BBC’s Dear Jeanne reports from Kampala.

Why are there so many deaths when boats capsize?

Police and eyewitnesses say the boat was overloaded and then hit by strong winds.

Survivors say most people on the boat were

not wearing lifejackets.

In 2016, another boat carrying footballers and fans capsized on Lake Albert, killing more than 20 people.

In 2014, two boats carrying refugees being repatriated to DR Congo capsized and 109 bodies were recovered in Lake Albert.

Kalusha Bwalya fights Zambia warns noncompliant mining firms for Caf seat

A

Jacob Zuma has been dogged by corruption allegations for more than a decade

BBC Somali in search of best female poet

B

BC Somali is launching its young female poet of the year award.

The competition is open to women aged between 16 and 35.

Previous awards have attracted hundreds of entries, and many female talents have been unveiled as a result.

BBC Somali editor Abdullahi Abdi said: “Since we established this award, we have seen many Somali women showcasing their creativity and talent in poetry. I therefore hope this continues and the women become famous among Somali-speakers in the Horn of Africa and diaspora.”

BBC East Africa head of languages Rachael Akidi Okwir says the award is a sign of the BBC’s commitment to young female audiences.

“This award has previously helped us discover unique voices of young Somali female poets. The BBC continues to be committed to reaching out to young female audiences, and I have to say BBC News Somali has been at the forefront of these efforts,” she said.

stand-off has developed between Zambian football legend Kalusha Bwalya and the president of the Football Association of Zambia (Faz).

Bwalya has announced his intentions of running again for the Confederation of African Football (Caf) executive member position and so has Faz president Andrew Kamanga.

Only one candidate can be fronted from the same country for the position which covers the southern African region.

But in order for Bwalya to defend his current post, he will need to get a nomination letter from Faz. Mr Bwalya, who has held the post since 2011, has challenged Faz to allow him and Mr Kamanga to present their manifestos to the Faz executive committee, after which members can vote for their preferred candidate.

“If we have to follow the statues of Caf and Fifa about transparency, then the easiest would be for Faz to call a meeting. When one is aspiring for a position then we should call an executive committee meeting,” Mr Bwalya told journalists at the weekend in Lusaka.

“Afterwards the seven members can vote for their preferred candidate and the winner from that simple democratic process can be backed by the executive committee.”

Faz general secretary Adrian Kashala has said the association had no problem with Mr Bwalya’s suggestion.

He, however, stressed whoever wanted to stand from Zambia would be subjected to an integrity test - something that Caf has not asked member associations to do.

There are fears that the integrity test by Faz is targeted at disqualifying Bwalya who was banned from “all football-related activities” by Fifa for violating the federation’s ethics.

It followed an investigation into his links to banned Qatari official Mohammed Bin Hammam.

The ban “focused principally on benefits that Mr Bwalya had received from Mr Bin Hammam”, Fifa said.

Bwalya has always denied any wrongdoing.

Z

ambia’s President Edgar Lungu has ratcheted up his pressure on foreign mining companies to comply with a recently introduced sales tax or stop their operations.

He said he was unhappy that some mining companies in the northern Copperbelt region were downsizing operations and firing workers, partly because of the new tax.

He singled out Mopani, the local unit of mining giant Glencore and Konkola Copper Mines KCM, owned by Vedanta Resources Limited.

The government has a stake in both local companies but Mr Lungu said that the government had started the process of disengaging its investment in KCM, reports the state-owned Zambia Daily Mail.

Mr Lungu said KCM and others had told him “lies” that they would increase their investments.

“Like I said, it is a process. It starts with the desire, the will and the heart. There is no question about our resolve to divorce KCM,” Mr Lungu said as he addressed journalists and ruling party supporters after winding up his tour of the Copperbelt region over the weekend.

“And we have filed that notification. So as I go back to Lusaka, we will have a cabinet meeting tomorrow [today]. I will brief my colleagues about my trip and ensure that the other processes start.”

KCM said in a statement that it was aware of the president’s comments but had not received an official communication about his plans.

It said that it had sought to an “urgent meeting with the president or the minister of mines”.

The company said that it had invested $3bn ($2bn) in Zambia and employed 13,000 people and that it also operates other corporate social programmes like hospitals and schools.

Zimbabwe dismisses concerns about ‘expired’ anti-retrovirals

Z

imbabwean authorities have tried to allay fears that anti-retroviral drugs being dispensed by public health facilities six months after their expiry were harmful to users, statelinked newspaper The Herald has reported .This is after people living with HIV/Aids came forward to say that a consignment of the drugs, which initially

expired in June 2018 and whose shelf life was extended by six months, was having negative effects on them, says the paper.

The daily reports that the Ministry of Health’s director of Aids, Dr Owen Mugurungi, said the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe gave them the green light to distribute the antiretrovirals for another six months following safety tests.

Dr Mugurungi said it was normal around the world for most medicines to be used beyond their expiry dates and that other countries repackage their drugs to indicate the new expiry date, The Herald reports.

He said pharmacists are supposed to explain to patients that the medicine is still safe for use for six more months.

Source: BBC

PAGE 24

N

e w s

F

r o m

A SI A

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

Al Jazeera suspends journalists for Holocaust denial video

A

l Jazeera has suspended two journalists over a video they produced that denied the facts of the Holocaust.

The Qatari state-funded broadcaster had published the video on its online AJ+ video service in Arabic.

During World War Two, six million Jewish people were systematically killed by the Nazis.

Al Jazeera’s video said this number had been exaggerated and “adopted by the Zionist movement”, and that Israel is the “biggest winner” from the genocide.

Its narrator also asked, “why is there a focus only on them?” - referring to the Jewish victims - before claiming that the community uses “financial resources [and] media institutions” to “put a special spotlight” on Jewish suffering.

How did people react to the video?

The video was published on the AJ+ Twitter and Facebook pages on Friday evening local time, with a caption asking: “What is the truth of the Holocaust and how did the Zionist movement benefit from it?”

It was posted in Arabic, but drew strong criticism after the USbased non-profit Middle East Media Research Institute (Memri) tweeted an English translation.

Questioning the number of Jewish victims killed, suggesting that Jewish people manipulate the media, and claiming that Jewish people or

The video was published by Al Jazeera’s online video network AJ+ the State of Israel benefit from the Holocaust have been condemned as forms of anti-Semitism.

Emmanuel Nahshon, spokesman for Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the video was “the worst kind of pernicious evil”.

“That’s how Al Jazeera brainwashes young people in the Arab world and perpetuates hatred of Israel and the Jews,” he said. “Lies and evil propagated by the ideological descendants of ‘Der Stürmer’.”

Der Stürmer was an anti-Semitic

Nazi propaganda publication.

Medhi Hasan, one of the broadcaster’s most prominent journalists, said he was “glad to see Al Jazeera bosses taking disciplinary action” over the “ridiculously offensive and dumb video”.

And some people noted the difference between the content published on Al Jazeera’s Arabic pages, and its English language journalism.

What has Al Jazeera said?

In a statement released on Sunday evening, Al Jazeera said it had “swiftly

deleted” the video, stating that it had “violated the editorial standards of the network”.

“Al Jazeera stated today, that it has taken disciplinary action and suspended two of its journalists over video content produced on the Holocaust,” it said.

The statement added that Al Jazeera “continues to adhere to the journalistic values of honesty, courage, fairness, balance, independence, credibility and diversity, giving no priority to commercial or political over professional consideration.

“In addition, the Network recognizes the diversity in societies with all races, cultures, beliefs and their values and intrinsic individualities.”

Dr Yaser Bishr, executive director of the broadcaster’s digital division, also said that he had called for “mandatory bias training and awareness programme”.

AJ+ channels’ managing director Dima Khatib added that the video “was produced without the due oversight”.

Al Jazeera Arabic vs Al Jazeera English: A stark contrast Al Jazeera English is known to audiences worldwide for its varied coverage, which often sheds light on underreported stories.

But its reporting - which only occasionally hints at the affiliations of its Qatari owners - comes in stark contrast to Al Jazeera Arabic.

AJA’s obvious stance on key regional crises and rivalries heavily colours its output.

Its friendly coverage of Islamist groups - particularly favouring those aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood - came to the fore particularly with the 2011 uprisings in the region.

Some of its correspondents have adopted a still harder line. In 2015, prominent anchor Ahmed Mansour offered a sympathetic account of the activities of al-Qaeda’s Syria affiliate in a lengthy interview with its leader.

Since a major rift between Gulf states erupted in 2017, AJA’s coverage has also shifted closer to Iran.

Volodymyr Zelensky: Comedian-president calls snap election

C

omedian Volodymyr Zelensky announced a snap parliamentary election during his swearing-in as Ukraine’s new president.

The election was expected to take place in October 2019. But at the ceremony in Kiev Mr Zelensky said “I am dissolving the Verkhovna Rada (parliament)”.

He said ending the conflict with Russian-backed rebels in the east would be his top priority.

A political novice, he campaigned strongly against official corruption.

“People must come to power who will serve the public,” he said on Monday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would not congratulate Mr Zelensky on his inauguration, but would wait for “the first successes in settling the internal conflict in south-eastern Ukraine, and in normalising Russian-Ukrainian relations”.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov called on Ukraine’s new leader to implement the Minsk peace accord agreed in 2015, and also suggested an “all for all” prisoner swap between both sides.

Mr Zelensky a former television star, acted the part of Ukrainian president in a popular comedy series. He scored a landslide victory in last month’s presidential election.

“We must become Icelanders in football, Israelis in defending our native land, Japanese in technology,” he said at the swearing-in.

He said Ukrainians must also “become Swiss in our ability to live happily with each other, despite any differences”.

“Our first task is to achieve a ceasefire in Donbas,” he said, referring to the eastern region controlled by Russian-backed rebels.

In the election Mr Zelensky ousted incumbent Petro Poroshenko, who had been in power since 2014.

Mr Zelensky has given few details of his plans since winning by a landslide on 21 April. He has left it to a team of advisers to try and reassure people that he knows what he is doing.

At the ceremony, Mr Zelensky was given golden symbols of office, including a sceptre, which he held aloft in a victory salute.

Russian state TV said no Russian official had been invited to the inauguration.

Volodymyr Zelensky turned fiction into fact - he had acted the part of president in a comedy series Mr Zelensky made his inaugural address in Ukrainian but at one point, referring to the conflict in the east, he switched to Russian, saying: “I’m convinced that for this dialogue to start, we must see the return of all Ukrainian prisoners”.

Fighting in the east has claimed about 13,000 lives since Moscow annexed Ukraine’s Crimea peninsula in 2014.

Putting on a show Analysis by Jonah Fisher, Kiev Correspondent Ukraine saw the Volodymyr Zelensky they knew so well. With a

broad smile on his face, he strode the last few hundred metres to the Verkhovna Rada, high five-ing supporters and posing for selfies.

Once inside, things got serious.

Surrounded by the politicians he has spent most of his career mocking, Mr Zelensky was sworn in and made his inaugural address.

As far as I can tell, it was the first full-length public political speech the former comedian has made, and he pulled no punches.

During a passage about the conflict in eastern Ukraine he alternated between the Russian and Ukrainian languages, drawing a heckle from an MP, followed by a withering put-down from Mr Zelensky: “Thanks for continuing to divide the nation, Mr Lyashko.”

Mr Zelensky accused Ukraine’s politicians of “creating a country of opportunities - opportunities to steal, bribe and loot”, before announcing that he was dissolving parliament and triggering new elections.

If the new president is to have a chance of delivering on his ambitious plans, he will need the people who swept him to power to transform parliament too.

Who is Volodymyr Zelensky?

Mr Zelensky starred in the longrunning satirical drama Servant of the People in which his character accidentally becomes Ukraine’s president.

He plays a teacher who is elected after his expletive-laden rant about corruption goes viral on social media.

He ran under a political party with the same name as his show.

Volodymyr Zelensky turned fiction into fact - he had acted the part of president in a comedy series With no previous political experience, Mr Zelensky’s campaign focused on his difference from the other candidates rather than on any concrete policy ideas.

Despite this, he stormed to victory and won 73% of the vote.

EPA Volodymyr Zelensky • 73%landslide win on 21 April • Comedian but trained as a lawyer • Instagram star with 4.2m followers • Millionaire thanks to his production company Kvartal 95 • Linked to oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky through show on TV channel 1+1 Source: Ukrainian and

international media What challenges will he face?

He made tackling Ukraine’s deep-rooted corruption a major campaign theme. Last month, his aides announced plans to scrap MPs’ immunity from prosecution and make military purchases more transparent.

But perhaps the biggest challenges the new leader will face is the continuing conflict with the eastern rebels.

In the run-up to his election, Mr Zelensky said he wanted to “renew relations” with eastern Ukraine and start a “powerful information war to end the conflict”.

There have already been indications that President Putin is determined to test him.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

PAGE 25

PEOPLES DAILY, TUESDAY, may 21, 2019

26

Feature

CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICE

Robots on the road - how close is our driverless future?

I

t was on the motorway near Phoenix, Arizona, that I realised fully driverless cars might be quite a distant dream. And that was because our Google Waymo robo-taxi seemed incapable of leaving that motorway.

We were in Arizona to record a radio documentary for the BBC World Service about the progress towards creating autonomous vehicles that would make our roads safer and replace human drivers with robots.

Google leads this race at the moment and for the past six months has been offering a robotaxi service, Waymo One, to a select few early adopters in and around the Phoenix suburb of Chandler.

Our first ride with Waymo took us through the quiet suburban streets, where traffic is sparse and drivers well mannered.

Here, the minivan, fitted out with a battery of sensors and highdefinition cameras, performed very impressively, handling slightly tricky left turns, spotting other road users and slowing down as it passed a school.

While a Google engineer sat behind the wheel, she never intervened and soon we relaxed and forgot that we were effectively being driven by a robot.

Then, we hitched a ride with Shawn Metz, one of a few hundred locals selected as customers of Waymo One. He told us he and his wife used the service for their weekly shop, nights out and in places with limited parking.

“We’re hoping to go from a two-vehicle to a one-vehicle household eventually and optimistic this technology might get us there,” he said.

But as we headed along the motorway on the 20-minute ride to his office, things began to go wrong.

As we approached our exit, there was a solid line of traffic to our right.

An assertive human driver would probably have squeezed over and made it to the exit lane - but the robot, which cannot exceed the speed limit, was more cautious.

The Waymo vehicles are licensed for use in small areas of California and Arizona The car missed that exit and the next one before finally leaving the motorway.

And when we were back on the suburban streets, it appeared to freeze at a junction where it needed to turn left across traffic after a while, the engineer behind the wheel had to take over and complete the turn.

Mr Metz told us that in his experience this was a very rare occurrence.

Slow progress Nevertheless, it served as an illustration that the Waymo autonomous driving technology, widely thought to be ahead of its competitors, still needs to be refined.

It is understandable, however, that the system is programmed to be ultra-cautious.

After all, just a few miles away, another self-driving car killed a pedestrian in an accident in March 2018, which shook confidence in autonomous technology.

The car belonged to Uber, one of Waymo’s big rivals, and it ploughed into a woman pushing a bike across a road near Arizona State University.

An investigation found that the safety driver had been watching a video on her phone at the moment of impact.

The ideal road and weather conditions coupled with welcoming local officials have made the Phoenix area one of the world’s leading locations for testing autonomous vehicles.

Driverless lorries are being tested on building sites, where people are sparse At first, there was little opposition but local journalist Ryan Randazzo said the accident had shaken public confidence.

“To have an accident that was the exact kind of thing that these cars were supposed to be able to prevent really rattled people’s nerves,” he said.

“And I certainly hear a lot more feedback from people in this area who are not comfortable with these tests going on in their community.”

Clem Wright, product manager at Waymo, admitted the Uber accident had brought home how high the stakes were in the race to build self-driving cars but stressed his company was being meticulous in its testing.

“We have 10 million miles on public roads, gathering these different scenarios,” he said.

“And then we also use simulation where we say, ‘Hey, here’s a tricky situation. What if this car is coming 10 miles per hour faster? What if a bicycle is swerving into us?’”

Pedestrian power Nevertheless, with huge sums being invested by both technology companies such as Google and traditional car-makers, there are some brave predictions of when the robots will be able to take to the road without a human safety driver.

Ken Washington, Ford’s chief technology officer, told us his

SASA MARKET TRADERS ASSOCIATION CAC/IT/ No. 61796

“

Myra Blanco, a researcher at the Virginia Tech Transport Institute, in the US, said we would probably see driverless cars in geofenced areas in two to five years but she was far more sceptical about full automation.

SIGNED : EJIKE EJIOFOR ESQ. 08037024224.

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE RICHARD ADEYEMO FOUNDATION

NETWORKING PROFESSIONALS INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS EMPOWERMENT SYSTEM INITIATIVE

TELLAFRICA HERITAGE & SOCIOCULTURAL INITIATIVE

THE TRUSTEES ARE : (1) Rev. Ihedoro Onyemaechi Victor.

(2) Favour Chikodi Ihedoro.

(3) Chizoba Concilia Etteh.

(4) Chigaemezu Harrison.

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.TO PROPAGATE THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

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. IKECHUKWU EDWIN IKECHUKWU - BOARD CHAIRMAN 2. NANCY DE OCAMPO SANORIA - DIRECTOR FOR TRAINING & EVENTS 3. MARYANN U. CHUKWUONU - DIRECTOR FOR DOCUMENTATION/ SECRETARY 4. SALAMATU IJIJANG SHUAIBU - DIRECTOR FOR PUBLIC RELATIONS 5. NATALIA LORENZO - DIRECTOR FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS 6. DIVINE MARCUS - DIRECTOR FOR FUND RAISING THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. PROVIDING AFFORDABLE EDUCATION, STRATEGIC TRAINING TO INCREASE THEIR BUSINESS PRODUCTIVITY. 2. PROMOTING ENTREPRENEURSHIP TO UNEMPLOYED YOUTHS, NON-WORKING CITIZENS, WIDOWED WOMEN AND DIVORCED WOMEN AS THEIR SOURCE OF LIVELIHOOD. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. H.I.M., OBA ADEYEYE ENITAN, OGUNWUSI (OJAJA II) – CHAIRMAN 2. KEHINDE ADEBAYO, TAIWO 3. GBEMISOLA ADEWUMI, TAIWO – SECRETARY THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To promote diversity, propagate Africa, preach peace n unity for the betterment of the global community.

2. To organize seminars, conferences, programs and/or events to project black civilization and sociocultural heritage into world consciousness.

3. To contribute to the development, promotion, growth, sustainability and propagation of African’s written and unwritten culture, both at home and in diaspora, using tools such as information, entertainment, arts and crafts.

4. To promote African’s cultural-heritage and ingenuity through its arts and crafts, dance, drama, and also embarked upon research, identification and sharing of African’s artefacts and story all over the world.

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.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

The general public is hereby notified that the above named Body has Applied to corporate Affairs Commission for Change of Trustees and Amendment of Constitution to reflect the Change in accordance with the provisions of the Companies and Allied Matter Act. 1990 as follows:

the same streets.

Far from the orderly roads of Arizona, I stood with the transport writer Christian Wolmar at the hectic crossroads outside Holborn Tube station, in central London.

He pointed out that pedestrians would have no hesitation in stepping out in front of driverless cars, knowing they were programmed to stop, and the result would be gridlock.

“Once you set the rule that driverless cars have to effectively kowtow to any pedestrian in the street, and pedestrians begin to learn that, then the whole balance of power in our streets will change,” he said.

“The concept just doesn’t survive the idea of mixed use streets.”

The robots are coming to our roads but they are still nervous new drivers with a lot to learn.

For all the warnings that millions of driving jobs could be automated out of existence, it looks as though humans will stay behind the wheel for years to come.

Source: BBC

MILLINERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

WESTMINSTER FOUNDATION FOR DEMOCRACY

Philip Hammond, has also promised that “genuine driverless cars” will be on the roads by 2021.

Waymo has already received permission to operate without a driver in a limited area near Google’s Mountain View headquarters, in California.

But any experiments with fully autonomous vehicles are likely to take place under strictly controlled conditions for years to come.

On busy city streets, pedestrians may thwart the swift progress of robot cars Myra Blanco, a researcher at the Virginia Tech Transport Institute, in the US, said we would probably see driverless cars in geo-fenced areas in two to five years but she was far more sceptical about full automation.

“That means going from the mountains, rural roadways, all the way to the city - that is going to take a little bit longer, probably potentially a couple of decades away,” she said.

Even then, there will be real problems in mixing the robots, the human drivers and pedestrians on

NEW TABERNACLE OF GRACE ASSEMBLY 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.

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.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. ILIYASU BALA (RETAINED) 2. ALHAJI YAHAYA ABUBAKAR (RETAINED) 3. ALHAJI USMAN YAKO (RETAINED) 4. ALHAJI SALISU JANGEBE (RETAINED) 5. ALMUSTAPHA ABUBAKAR (APPOINTED) 6. ALHAJI ABUBAKAR ALHASSAN (REMOVED) 7. ALHAJI AKANBI GIWA (REMOVED) 8. ISMAIL BAMIDELE (REMOVED)

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To promote youth empowerment and help women to access justice across Nigeria and beyond .

The Waymo vehicles are licensed for use in small areas of California and Arizona

PUBLIC NOTICE

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.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR CHANGE OF TRUSTEES AND APPLICATION FOR CTC OF CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Mosunmola Adefolake Onasoga ( Nee Adeyemo) 2. Kehinde Ruth Onasoga 3. Malate Ann- Atajiri 4. Adenike Hannah Onasoga.

Rory’s journey required a human driver to take control

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.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. OKUNAIYA FOLAKE AMINAT - CHAIRPERSON 2. OJO ABIGAIL OLUWAMIDE - SECRETARY 3. ASEIGBU VICTORIA CHINWENDU - FINANCIAL SECRETARY 4. OJERINDE OLUWAKEMI KIKELOMO - PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER 5. OLALEYE MARY BAMIDELE - ADMINISTRATIVE HEAD 6. ADU OLUFEMI FELICIA - HEAD OF PROGRAMMES 7. IYOHO EMEM IBONG - MEMBER 8. UDEH OGECHI CHRISTIANA - MEMBER THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. TO CREATE A PLATFORM WHERE MILLINERS CAN BUILD A STRONG NETWORK SYSTEM AND SYNERGY. 2. TO PROMOTE THE SKILL OF MILLINERY IN NIGERIA. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : OGHOLOH PHILLIPA SOLICITOR 08038330347.

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.

company’s extensive autonomous driving programme would deliver results in a couple of years.

He said: “Between now and 2021, we’re going to apply that learning in a way that allows us to eventually take that safety driver out of the system on selected routes.”

In the UK, the Chancellor,

PAGE 27

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

THE OLD TRUSTEES ARE: 1. PAUL NAISMITH - RESIGNED 2. ANTHONY DONALD RAYMOND SMITH

- RETAINED

THEOPHILUS WALTER BAKO FOUNDATION

The ministry of yeshua hamashia

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.

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 REMAIN THE SAME.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Prince njoku 2. Josephine awele njoku.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAME.

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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.

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

SIGNED : Presenter - Barr Okietu Ofuru lishman.

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

EXOUSIA CHURCH OF GOD FOR ALL NATIONS

GLOBAL INITIATIVE AGAINST DRUG ABUSE

THE NEWLY APPOINTED TRUSTEES : 1. CHRIS LANA 2. LOUISE COLLINS THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAME Any objection therefore should be addressed to the Registrar-general Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi street, Maitama, P.M.B 198, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED : SECRETARY

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

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) PAUL ADEKUNLE SHOYELE 2) OLA OLIVER SHOYELE 3) JOSIAH OLUSOJI OGUNTIMEHIN 4) DAMILOLA JULIUS DANIELS THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1.

To preach and spread the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2.

To win souls for Christ Jesus.

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.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : (1)Azodo Eucharia - chairman, (2)Tony Udoh - secretary, (3)Edith Ezeike, (4)Adaobi Ezeoke, (5)Daniel Eke (6)Chinwe Eboh (7) Ugochukwu Azodo Emeritus.

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To Eradicate drug abuse globally.

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 : By - BARR. CHIOMA UNEGBU.

SIGNED : BY AZODO Ugochukwu.

BROTHERS OF CHARITY FOUNDATION THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1.Ezugwu Desmond Ejiofor - chairman.

2.Eze Onyinyechi Kingsley - member.

3.Chukwuma chibugo micheal - secretary.

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To cater for the less privileged in our society.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

IGBA NDIEZE ODENIGBO EFUNA FOUNDATION

TRANSFORMATION POWER GOSPEL ASSEMBLY

HEAVENLY VISION SOUL RESCUE MINISTRY INTERNATIONAL

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. NWOYE PRINCE CHIKE 2.ANIKPE PRINCE JOHN TOCHUKWU 3. MADU INNOCENT EJIKE 4. OKOLI INNOCENT UCHE THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS AND INTEREST OF MEMBER. 2. TO ASSIST THE LESS PRIVILEGED. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : Secretary

PUBLIC NOTICE

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 No. 1 of 1990 THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

AKOWE DAVID EBUNE (CHAIRMAN) 2.

UTENWOJO ALIFIA 3.

SAMSON EZEKIEL ADUKA (SECRETARY) 4.

AWODI CATHRINNE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Any objections to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, P.M.B, 198, Garki, Abuja within Twenty-Eight (28) days from the date of this publication.

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 No. 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

APOSTLE MOSES OLUWATOBILOBA EZEKIEL (Chairman) 2.

EVANGELIST AYOOLUWA FAITH EZEKIEL (Secretary) 3.

PASTOR ISREAL OLUSEYE OLUFOLAHAN 4.

PASTOR MICHAEL OLUKAYODE DAVID 5.

PASTOR AYODELE J. OLUWADARE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1.

To preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Any objections to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, P.M.B, 198, Garki, Abuja within Twenty-Eight (28) days from the date of this publication.

SIGNED BY SECRETARY

SIGNED BY Secretary

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

”WE SMILE FOUNDATION NETWORK”

ALADINMA FOUNDATION

Shoulder for the needy foundation

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

The general public is hereby informed that the above named ministry has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Acts, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Ogaziechi Marian Chigozie.

2. Nwokeji Ann Udodirim.

3. Ogaziechi Theodora Petronilla.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Valentine Chiyioke Waturuocha.

2. Coleman Ugochukwu Nwaturuocha.

3. Jude Okechukwu Akuechiama.

4. Chidozie Joseph Obele.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi street, Maitama, P.M.B 198, Abuja, within Twenty Eight (28) days of this publication.

Signed: Secretary

The general public is hereby informed that the above named ministry has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Acts, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1 GHIDE ABDURRAHMAN ABUBAKAR -CHAIRMAN 2 ABANA ABDULMALIK KABU-VICE CHAIRMAN 3 MODU MUHAMMAD ADAM- SECRETARY 4 JAAFAR NAFISA MUHAMMAD -TREASURER 5 GREMA UMAR MUSTAPHA-FINANCIAL SECRETARY 6 SALIHU HAJARA YUNUSA PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER AIMS AND OBJECTIVES *The Relief of poverty, sickness, distress of indigent and orphaned children in Nigeria and advancement of other charitable purposes for the benefit of the public interest.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi street, Maitama, P.M.B 198, Abuja, within Twenty Eight (28) days of this publication.

Signed: SALIHU HAJARA YUNUSA

public NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

Auction!! Auction!! Auction!!!

VIRTUOUS LADIES WITHOUT BORDERS FOUNDATION

WE IGNITE LIVES GTREATNESS NIGERIA INITIATIVE

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : WOMEN empowerment and capacity development through information and education..

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

This is to inform the members of the public that the under listed abandoned /recovered items are in Niger state police custody.

Anybody with a genuine claim of ownership is to come forward with relevant particulars.

DESCRIPTION OF ITEMS 1 Scrap Nanfang motorcycle with chassis no NF162FMJ 2 Scrap Bajaj motorcycle with chassis no MDZDDMZZTW976831 3 scrap Yamaha motorcycle with Engine no 486603291 4 One scrap Bajaj Tricycle with Engine no AN101177 5 One scrap Carina 2 with chassis no JT1LST17100083887 6 Scrap Jincheng motorcycle with chassis no LGCFAGLHOB82255 7 Scrap Daylong motorcycle with chassis no LBRDPJJOXA9001776X 8 Scrap Rubber Rubber with chassis no LA072000486 9 Scrap J5 Bus with reg no EKP 323 XA Edo 10 scrap Jincheng ladys motorcycle with chassis no JCIP52FMHRJ9100571A 11 Scrap Boxer with chassis no MD2A18AZ7DWF75449 12 Scrap Jincheng motorcycle with chassis no LJCPACU5189 13 scrap Jincheng motorcycle with chassis no LAWPAGOM38B457236 14 one Scrap unregistered Jincheng motorcycle with chassis no LJCPACLHOASA226 15 one Scrap unregistered Jincheng motorcycle with chassis no LJCPAGEHO750M996 16 one Scrap INFINX and TECNO handset 17 two scrap itel handset 18 Two scrap spots bicycle and one bicycle 19 one scrap Bajaj motorcycle with chassis no CHMDZDDDMZZUWJ37371 20 Scrap Bus vehicle chassis no nil 21 Scrap Nanfang motorcycle chassis no nil 22 Scrap Suzuki motorcycle with chassis no *9912099634* 23 Scrap Bajaj motorcycle with chassis no *MD2AJBAZX FNE68147* 24 scrap Kymco motorcycles with chassis no 51038006 25 scrap unregistered Bajaj motorcycle with chassis no MD2DDDMZZVWA15753 26 Scrap Bajaj motorcycle with chassis no MD2A18A255877936 27 Scrap Jincheng motorcycle with chassis no LJCPAGLH085646270 28 One Scrap Nozoin ladies motorcycle with chassis no LAACXKH4B508126 29 One Scrap Jincheng ladies motorcycle reg no BDA150VN, Engine no 1P52FMH 81374709 30 One Scrap Jincheng ladies with chassis no LJCXCHL16F1006402 31 One Scrap Bajaj motorcycle with chassis no MD2A18AZ 1FWG91846 32 One Scrap Jincheng motorcycle with chassis no LJCPAGLHOASA 09236 33 One scrap Jincheng ladies with chassis no LJCXCHL11D1011 34 One Scrap Camry car with reg no AW 710 KWL 35 One Scrap Mercedes Benz 190 with chassis no DB2010241A167945 36 one scrap Bajaj motorcycle with chassis no MD2A18AZSDWM94818 37 One scrap Jincheng motorcycle with chassis no LAWPAGOMO4CO98240 38 other miscellaneous items such as scrap: televisions, generator, electric wire, building rode, Amplifier, wheel barrow, laptop, guitar, media speaker, bag containing clothes, fridge, iron doors, solar accessories, e . t. c Any claim thereto are to be made within fourteen days from the date of this publication. Failure to come forward with a genuine claim within the stipulated time, the command will have no alternative than to dispose them through public auction Sign: Auctioneer 08054156996

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To assist their members To assist the less privilege.

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 Maters Act No. 1 of 1990.

TRUSTEES ARE: 1 OLAYINKA ADEBOWALE IBIDOJA 2 KAROL IFEYINWA IBIDOJA 3 PRECIOUS CHINENYE OGU AIMS and objective: TO CARE FOR THE WELFARE OF ITS MEMBERS

The general public is hereby notified that the above name has applied to the Corporate affairs Commission (CAC) for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

IGUBE VERONICA PANA 2.

YAHAYA BLESSING 3.

PROFESSOR RESTITUTA BIRUNGI IGUBE 4.

COMFORT KAKA IGUBE 5.

GABRIEL UKEJE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. Empowering women by strengthening their socioeconomic status and providing them with knowledge and skills needed to live a sustainable and health life 2. Create educational awareness among the local communities in Nigeria.

3. To help and generate training programmes for self-employment of women and educated unemployed people and to work for adult education.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Any objections to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, P.M.B, 198, Garki, Abuja within Twenty-Eight (28) days from the date of this publication.

Signed by: SECRETARY

SIGNED BY SECRETARY

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

ORGANISATION FOR THE WELFARE OF NEW REVERST TO ISLAM,ASABA

KUGBO BUILDING MATERIALS DEALERS ASSOCIATION - CAC/IT NO 15196.

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 No. 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

ABUBAKAR IDREES ABUBAKAR 2.

YUSUF MUHAMMAD ADAM 3.

IBRAHIM AMINU 4.

NUHU ALIYU TAFIDA AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1.

To promote the welfare of members.

Any objections to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, P.M.B, 198, Garki, Abuja within Twenty-Eight (28) days from the date of this publication.

SIGNED BY BARR. SALISU ABUBAKAR

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED ThAT THE ABOVE named has applied to the coperate affairs commision for AMENDMENT OF ITS CONSTITUTION under part c of the company and allied matters ACT 1990 the association amended virtually all sections of it’s constitution.

TRUSTEES REMAIN SAME. AIMS AND OBJECTIVE REMAIN SAME Any objection to this APPLICATION should be forwaded to the registra genetral coperate affairs commision plot 420 tigris crescent maitama abuja withing 28 days of this publication SIGNED SECRETARY

Sports

PEOPLES DAILY

PAGE 28

Page

29

sports@peoplesdailyng.com, SMS- 08142929046

tuesday, may 21, 2019

Sports are fundamental in addressing gender inequality in our society - Dalung

By Amaechi Agbo

T

he minister of Youth and Sports Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung has stated that sports are necessary instruments in addressing gender imbalance in the society.

Dalung who made the statement while address women recently, advised Nigeria women to set agenda for themselves in an area to be more relevant adding that the affirmative action is an erroneous creation meant to deepen the already existing class differentiation in the society.

The minister therefore challenged Nigeria women to rise up against cultural and traditional inhibitions in order to create their own world “The struggle for the emancipation of women has a long history, not only in Nigeria, nor Africa, but globally. And I think this is why the United Nations decided to set aside a day where women will come together and those who also believe in the agitation of women to celebrate the day of women.

“Sports is instrumental in creating a balanced society, this is because of the diverse benefits of sports. Sports is an instrument of international diplomacy. It is this sports that brought to an end, the over five decades of crises between North Korea and South Korea with America as an interested party.

“Sports has done much in ending human conflicts situation, therefore, choosing sports as part of this year’s celebration is indeed a good decision.

But I think that the Nigerian women need to develop the agenda for Nigeria woman. Affirmative action is insufficient and is not enough. Affirmative action is about participation of women. If women participate, of what benefit flowing from those who participated to the entire agenda of women? Assuming not conceding, we have 109 senators in the senate, and 80% of them are women, how does that change the fortune of the Nigerian woman? It rather reinforces the creation of class among women and I think this is where we got it wrong. Women must develop agenda around issues. The Indian women developed an agenda around the economy and today, the economy of India is controlled by women.

“There are other cultural issues that inhibit the rights of women, so common is the history of inheritance. And sadly too, is the fact that in Christianity, you could have the pastor presiding over the marriage of two young couple and you could hear him say I pronounce you husband and wife until death do you part.

“Then after some years, the man passes on, and then the family of the man will come and take away everything leaving the woman with only her children. Where is the pastor who pronounced the marriage?

Minster of youth and sports, Solomon Dalung So does that pronouncement end there?

So, pastor create problems where they will not be part of solutions. It is a very serious issue especially in Christianity where so many women, so many young widows are victims of this development. Women must consider this as an agenda. It is not affirmative action which is just an action to create another class of oppressors. Are they going to contribute their salaries to the development of women? No. “I think the Nigerian woman needs to define her interest within the involving Nigeria democracy and pick issues that will develop the Nigeria woman. Some of us believe in the agitation for women but we are so disappointed that after so many years, the issues have remained the same. And I think affirmative action is not enough, there should be an agenda

that the young women will be introduced into it such that as they grow, they will see it as an agenda of women, believe in it such that as they are growing, they will grow with it. When bad cultural practices which are perpetrated by women most, like a situation where if you have a woman, who facially is a female, and if the second one is a male, in the event of conflicts, the mother will tell the daughter, ‘my friend, don’t you know that he is a man?’

“She is already subordinating the young girl to the authority of a man.

So why do you cry foul that men are marginalising you when you are actors of self-marginalisation. Therefore, if you have a daughter who is the first child, you must define it clearly to your children that they should respect her because she is the first child. When you subordinate your

daughter’s right to the authority of her younger brother, you are creating a gap that will cause trouble. And that is why I say that women are the ones marginalising themselves. We have to correct some of these things we have been practising which is the root of the major problems but above all, I think the inequality in our system has to be addressed because despite the weaknesses of the agitation of women, we need to do justice to them.

“I therefore look forward to the involving of political clime to create more space for the accommodation of women in the political activities in the country and all over of the world. They should be involved in the social structure, power, politics, sport, among others. I wish the Nigerian women the best as she celebrates the women’s day,” he said.

32 pupils shortlisted for Sani Lulu’s Nadal beat Djokovic to football/education Win 9th Italianscholarship Open >>pg >>pg30 30

PAGE 30

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

S p

Nadal beat Djokovic to Win 9th Italian Open

R

afael Nadal claimed his first title of the year by defeating world number one Novak Djokovic 6-0 4-6 6-1 in the Italian Open final in Rome, Bestchoicesports.com.ng understands.

The Spaniard raced through the opener in 39 minutes, the first 6-0 between the great rivals in 141 previous sets.

Djokovic battled back, but in the Rome sunshine Nadal sealed his ninth Italian Open title in two hours, 25 minutes.

It was his 81st tournament win and it takes him 34-33 ahead of Djokovic in Masters 1,000 Series titles.

Victory is a boost before the French Open for Nadal, who was beaten by Djokovic in the Australian Open final in January, and had lost at the semi-final stage in his past four tournaments.

Since 2005, Nadal has won at least one of the nine Masters 1,000 events in a season every year except 2015.

Djokovic had saved two match points in his quarter-

final win over Juan Martin del Potro that finished at 1.05am local time on Saturday and then had another three-set encounter later that evening against Diego Schwartzman which lasted two hours, 31 minutes.

To tumultuous acclaim from the capacity crowd, Djokovic forged his first break point opportunity of the match in the fourth game of the second set, but a magnificent, whirling forehand into the corner from Nadal soon eradicated it.

However, the 31-year-old showed his famous powers of resolve, firing some fierce returns as he took the next chance to break, which sealed the set in 59 minutes.

Nadal broke in the opening game of the decider, prompting Djokovic to demolish his racquet in frustration and with the Serb continuing to falter with drop shot attempts, Nadal surged to a 58th clay-court title.

It reduced his career deficit against Djokovic to 28-26, improving his record on clay against him to 17-7.

r

t

Africa Missing on Medals Podium as World Taekwondo Champions ends in Manchester

T

AJAEREE

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS NWAFOR GRACE CHINAGOROM . NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS AJAEREE GRACE CHINAGOROM. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

SOFTTOUCH SHAREHOLDERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA

International Association of Public Health Logisticians Nigeria

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS MOHAMMED BUKAR. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS MOHAMMED ABUBAKAR. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ALL AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE. salifu

By Amaechi Agbo

T

he Republic of Korea emerged as overall Champions at the just concluded World Taekwondo Champions, which held in Manchester between 14 and 19 May 2019.

No African country made it to the medals Podium, as the continents of Asia, Europe and the Americas dominated the games.

Korea became overall winners with four gold medals, one silver and two bronze medals, followed by host Great Britain with three gold medals and one bronze. Republic of China came in third position with two gold, two silver and three bronze while Thailand came was in fourth position with two gold medals and one bronze medal.

Other countries that got gold medals include Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Italy and Cuba, Mexico, Spain, Iran, Jordan, Croatia, Brazil, Canada, Belgium, Dominican Republic, Kazakhstan, Greece, Argentina, Latvia, Dominica Republic, Germany, Kazakhstan, Portugal and France.

On day two, South Korea’s Jae-

Young Sim, Jun Jang and Da-Bin Lee won gold in the women’s -46kg, men’s -58kg and women’s -73kg respectively. The silver medals were shared between Iran and Mexico.

On day three, Bianca Walkden and Bradly Sinden of Great Britain won the women’s +73kg and men’s -68kg respectively with Jun-Seo Bae winning gold in the men’s -54kg. The silver medals were won by China, Russia and Spain.

On day four, Thailand’s Panipak Wongpattanakit and Italy’s Simone Alessio won gold in the women’s -49kg and men’s -74kg respectively, with Great Britain’s Jade Jones winning her first ever World Championship in the women’s -57kg. The silver medals were won by Jordan, China and Korea.

Great Britain’s Bradly Sinden and Italy’s Simone Alessio thus become the first males to win a Senior World Championship medal for their respective Taekwondo Powerhouse nations.

A record 927 athletes from 145 countries plus 1 refugee team registered to compete at this year’s Championships making it the largest

Mexico, Maicon

by numbers in the sport’s history.

The Men MVP Award went to Jun Jang of South Korea who competed in the Male -58kg category, while the Women MVP Award went to Jade Jones of Great Britain who competed in the Female -57kg.

Korea won the Best Men and Best Women Team Award, having topped both medal table to re-establish the nation as the top taekwondo country in the world.

Best Male Team Coach award went to Claudio Nolano of Italy while the Best Woman Team Coach award went to Lee Change Geon of Korea.

China’s Zhu Linfang was awarded the Best Women Referee Award while the Best Men Referee Award went to Srtefan Raileanu of Moldova.

Canada was given the Best Fighting Spirit Award while the Active Participation Award went to Brazil.

Medallists at the World Taekwondo Championships will have a huge points rewards, which would boost their chances towards qualifying automatically for the for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as the top six Olympic-ranked athletes earn automatic qualifying slots.

Dalung commends Super Falcons for WAFU Cup Success he minister of Youth and Sorts Development, Barrister Solomon Dalung has extolled the virtues of the senior women’s national team the Super Falcons for winning the WAFU Women’s Cup in Abidjan Saturday

CLASSIFIED MOHAMMED

Cuba’s Rafael Alba receiving his Gold medal alongside Carlos Sansores of Sequeira of Brazil and Hamza Kattan of Jordan Photo Credit: World Taekwondo

The Super Falcons eliminated the host nation Cote D’ivoire 5-4 after a penalty shootout, having played out a 1-1 draw in regulation time at the Stade Robert Champroux.

Barrister Dalung said in a statement that their victory is a reinforcement

of the Super Falcons’ dominance of women’s football in Africa.

“I congratulate the Super Falcons for lifting the WAFU Women’s Cup in Cote D’Ivoire. I commend them and their officials for their excellence, team spirit, outstanding display and

unity of purpose. I urge you to continue in like manner as you approach the FIFA Women’s World Cup in France next month. The task ahead is quite enormous but we are upbeat that you will make the country proud in France at the World Cup,” Dalung said.

PAGE 31

PEOPLES DAILY, tuesday, may 21, 2019

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS indah salisu NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS salifu alih. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. AUTHORITIES CONCERNED AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1). Olaniran Ismail Jimoh-Kuku (President) 2). Tolulope Emmanuel Oni. 3). Abidemi Rukaya Kuku.

4). Olugbenga Oladapo Shosanya.

5). Oluremi Mutiu Onashoga (Secretary).

6). Idowu Olatubosun Adesanya.

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1). To promote, educate, and protect the rights of shareholders.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

BELT AND ROAD AFRICA ECONOMIC PROMOTION INITIATIVE CAC/IT/NO/108361

Commonwealth businesswomen’s network Nigeria CAC/IT/No.105299

This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for additional Trustees under part ‘C’ of Companies and Allied Matters Act,1990.

OLD TRUSTEES : 1. OKONKWO INNOCENT CHINWEUBA - RETAINED 2. YANG DEBAO - RETAINED 3. OYEWALE OLUSEGUN- RETAINED NEW TRUSTEES 1.NZEKWE LAWRENCE- APPOINTED AIMS AND OBJECTS 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.

PUBLIC NOTICE

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR CHANGE OF TRUSTEES UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

TRUSTEES : 1. ADIGWE CLARA AFOMA -- RETAINED 2. TAIWO ADEYINKA ADETOKUNBO -- RETAINED 3. RABANA NELLA ANDEM -EWA -- RETAINED 4. OKADIGBO VIVIAN AFOMA -- RETAINED 5. MUKTARI RAMATU HAJIYA -- REMOVED 6. VARACHIA FARZANA SULIMAN -- RETAINED 7. HAJIYA AFFIAH BASHIR DALHATU -- APPOINTED AIMS AND OBJECTIVES REMAIN THE SAME ANY OBJECTION TO THIS SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED SECRETARY

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Attah Matthew Akagwu 2. Miranda Buba Gyanggyang 3. Innocent Ibegbunam 4. Chuka Chiezie Alfred 5. Ejigbo Aishat 6. Obi Chinedu Chima THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To promote professionalisation of the field of public health logistics through education and information sharing.

2. To support Logisticians in Nigeria by providing a forum for members to network, exchange ideas and improve skills.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

COMPASSIONATE CULTURE FOUNDATION THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Ojonah Doris Emamuzo 2. Mercy Ada Idoko 3. Emily Ajisebutu 4. Ese Adonkie 5.Gloria Ubong Etuwewe THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1. To create awareness about learning disabilities in the Nigerian Society.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY.

PUBLIC NOTICE

loss of document

this is to inform the general public of the loss of certified true copy (ctc) AND documents in the file of ferm-od & co. (misc.4928. all efforts to trace the missing documents prove abortive. if found, please return to the nedarest police station and all authority concerned to take note

Akugbe social club

HOPE ALIVE WOMEN INITIATIVE

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. JIMOH JULIUS --- CHAIRMAN 2. DONGO DANIEL OMOKAFE -- VICE CHAIRMAN 3. TINA RICHARD -- CHAIRLADY 4. GIWA PAUL -- SECRETARY 5. FALOLU SUNDAY -- ASSIST. SECRETARY 6. ANTHONY ONISHOWO -- TREASURER 7. JOHN BERNARD -- FINANCIAL SECRETARY 8. ALEXANDER . M. OLU -- ASSIST. FIN. SECRETARY 9. Daniela Sunday Orinami -- MEMBER 10. EMMANUEL AKINLADE -- MEMBER 11. ROSE STANLEY -- MEMBER 12. LILIAN FESTUS -- MEMBER 13. RAPHAEL ADEKOLA -- MEMBER 14. OVIE FRANCIS -- MEMBER 15. SUNDAY UTO OMOLIAYE -- MEMBER THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.To care for the welfare of members in the society.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

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. ONOJA IJATO PATRICIA 2. ONOJA DAVID ANEBI 3. UMAR ADAM 4. YUSUF SHERIFAT IBITOKUN 5. ONOJA RAMOTU IYE 6. UKWAMEDUA ANWULI EUGENIA THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1, To reach out to women and children, politically, socially, psychologically and emotionally.

2, To be a pressure group on gender equality and defend the course of women.

3, To support women to attain their political ambition Nationally.

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.

SIGNED : SECRETARY.

public NOTICE

FCT SWAN Impeaches Chairman, Chidoka

By Amaechi Agbo

T

he Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) yesterday impeached its chairman, Mr. Chidoka Ndubueze of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) for flagrant abuse of office and highhandedness.

The impeachment, according, Salifu Usman, treasurer of the chapter, “was adopted during the Executive committee meeting of the association held at the FCT SWAN office in Area 10 Old Parade Ground, Monday after four out of the six executive committee members, which is more than two-third unanimously endorsed the improvement.

The council listed Chinooks’s offences to include inter alia: lack of capacity to lead

…No, I will not tolerate Rascality - Chairman

FCT SWAN; racketing assignments that were SWAN event to his friends and cronies; abandoning his position as chairman and allowing outsiders to take control of swan event; failure to abide by the standing rule on the 5% payment to SWAN on any trip. One year after his trip on SWAN slot to Russia world cup, he was yet to remit 5% of your honorarium to SWAN).

But in swift reaction, the embattled Chairman Ndubueze Chidoka, has called on members to remain calm over the purported impeachment adding that he would not tolerate rascality within the association.

Chidoka who spoke via a press statement signed by the secretary of the association,

Ikenna Okonkwo Monday in Abuja explained that as a professional body, FCT SWAN would continue to uphold the tenets of journalism practice and assured members that his administration would not tolerate any form of rascality.

The statement father described the reported impeachment as an “unwarranted charade exhibited by three, out of eight executive members of Abuja SWAN during an exco meeting held today (Monday the 20th of May 2019) where the Vice Chairman was not in attendance.”

The Chairman, however, wondered why a few persons apparently driven by selfish interests would stage a walk-out from

the meeting and make frivolous claims, thereafter.

In line with the statutory provisions as contained in SWAN guidelines, the Chairman who is solely empowered to make pronouncement including convening congresses and exco meetings, enjoined members to disregard any “unwarranted call for any gathering in the guise of FCT SWAN congress.”

The statement quotes the Chairman “My resolve to lead my professional colleagues to meaningful ventures won’t be diverted for any personal misdemeanour.

“I will continually discharge my duties as stated in SWAN statutes, just as the entire executive members carry on with progressive activities for the good of the entire association within the Nation’s capital,” it read

space for sale

QUOTABLE QUOTE

. . . putting the people first

TuesDAY, may 21, 2019

“I have no apologies, I don’t apologise for my views. My views are thought-out and I put them there. I don’t have to explain anything to anyone. This is a democracy, and in a democratic space, there must be room for people express their views.”

- El Rufai.

SPORTS The day Emir Sanusi breached tradition latest

Kwara United Players, Officials Embark Protest Over unpaid salaries

By Amaechi Agbo

P

layers and officials of Kwara United yesterday protested in Ilorin, the state capital over lack of welfare packages and none payment of three months’ salary arrears as well as sign on fees.

The peaceful protest was organised to bring the attention of the government to the plights of the club, players and management.

The protest this paper future gathered, will proceed to the Government thouse where they will lay their complaints before the number one citizen of the state, Abdulfatah Ahmed.

It was gathered that close sources in the government house had said that the sum N250 million has been approved by the state government but disbursement has not been effected.

Despite the protest, the club honoured their matchday 21 encounter in the NPFL on Monday in Ilorin against Remo Stars.

Aiteo/FA Cup round of 64 fixtures

K

atsina united feeders vs Nassara United; Sokoto United vs Akwa United Rangers vs Niger Tornadoes Feeders; Abia Warriors vs Heartland Comets Gombe Utd vs FC Ifeanyi Ubah Feeders; Rivers Utd vs FC Timber Loader Walli Flamingoes vs Delta Force; Ambassador FC vs Yobe Desert Stars Cynosure fc vs Mighty jets; Warri vs Doma Utd; Enyimba vs Kano Pillars Feeders Osun United v Shooting Stars Taye Taiwo and Oduamadi

Advert: business: news: lagos:

H

is Royal Highness Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has in recent times been in the eye of a raging storm in Kano.

Apart from the state government whittling down his authority by creating more emirates from his kingdom, the State House of Assembly is also investigating him for “misconduct”. According to a report this was sequel to submissions made by member representing Nasarawa Local government area, who among others, rebuked the Emir ‘for sending his daughter to represent him in one of the functions organised by Bring Back our Girls group in Abuja, describing it as inimical to the tradition of the emirate council’. The legislator maintained, “There are many responsible emirate council members who could represent him at the programme; this is the first time we are seeing such in the historical traditional home”. This columnist here reproduces her account of that event. Read on.

The Emir of Kano and chairman of the State’s Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Sanus Lamidi Sanusi II made history recently or rather broke the glass ceiling when he mandated a non titled person to represent him at an event.

What is more, he chose a woman, his daughter, Princess Saheeda for it. In a conservative society, especially northern Nigeria, nay, the North West region where women are literally not expected to be seen or heard, this was quite a courageous decision. And the young princess represented her father creditably, reading his ‘provocative’ address fluently with good diction and adding a voice of her own thereafter, with her own thoughts which are no less thought provoking. When I tuned in to a live telecast of the inaugural lecture commemorating the third anniversary of the abduction of the now famous Chibok girls, I could recognise those on the high table.

Professor Grace Alele-Williams, former vice chancellor of the University of Benin and professor of mathematics education; Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, convener of the Bring Back our Girls group (BBOG); Hajia Aisha Yusuf, co-convener of the BBOG group; a woman representing mothers of the schoolgirls that are yet to return and a young lady who from afar, appeared like one of the 21 Chibok school girls that were released sometime ago by the Boko Haram militants.

Indeed, my first thought was that this last mentioned lady was there to represent the girls (no pun intended) and that she was well dressed with a photogenic countenance on this occasion

0806 564 8620 0704 385 9705 0814 292 9046 08074420617

Tuesday Column

By VICTORIA NGOZI IKEANO vikeano@yahoo.co.uk 08033077519 because she had to be well packaged for the public event that was being beamed live to the world.

But alas, upon her introduction, it turned out that she is not just the ordinary, common, average Nigerian girl, sorry, lady, but one from a privileged background. She is a princess of the ancient and famous Kano emirate with its rich culture and history, daughter of the fiery Emir Sanusi who in recent times had been ruffling feathers of the establishment and elites in northern Nigeria with his calls that girls in the region be given greater breathing space, be well educated, be given a greater voice and greater participation in the development of the region and the country at large.

Emir Sanusi had drawn a nexus between the under development and pervasive poverty in the region, especially north western Nigeria and its poor educational status in comparison to other regions of the country. He buttressed his statements with facts and figures, statistics that show proportion of school enrolment, school dropouts, withdrawals of girls from school for marriage, under-aged marriages, and research that reveal that girls marrying from age 19 have less health problems than those being married off at age 15 and below, that educated girls are better off and make better mothers than their non educated mates.

And so on and so forth.

Although a member of society’s upper echelon who generally in Nigeria look the other way with royal aloofness while the common man and common woman wallow in abject poverty and sufferings, attributing the common man’s lot to providence, Emir Sanusi’s frank remarks irked many of the elites in his region who severely criticised

“

him, even calling him names. The emir says he is less bothered by the personal insults on him, noting that such attacks do not remove the problems he outlined. He added that he would not descend to their low level of mudslinging.

This is quite dignifying. Princess Saheeda mocked the critics in this regard when she remarked, ‘when they go low, we go high’.

Emir Sanusi urged his fellow elites to endeavour to get the people of northern Nigeria out of the poverty trap before it gets to a boiling point, before the upcoming new generation of “Tigers” charge at them. I dare say that Emir Sanusi Muhammadu Sanusi II, has sowed the seed for that new breed of northerners that would challenge the inherent injustice and work selflessly for a society where peace and justice reigns. They shall be enlightened, broad minded new generation of persons with a new sense and new thinking who shall appear on the scene at the ripeness of time, armed with the Truth as their sacred spear.

Princess Saheeda appears to be taking after her father. Educated in both South Africa and Switzerland, she is asking questions of her own, “All these Almajiris what are we doing about them? Lots and lots of people besiege my father’s palace every day, women and children, asking for one thing or the other…’’

The story was told of how Princess Saheeda whilst still at school, slapped a male classmate in the full view of her classmates for disrespecting her by pushing back her head with his first finger, something he had been doing apparently with many of his other female classmates without any of them seemingly taking umbrage .

Emir Sanusi reminds one of

Emir Sanusi urged his fellow elites to endeavour to get the people of northern Nigeria out of the poverty trap before it gets to a boiling point, before the upcoming new generation of “Tigers” charge at them

Suleiman the magnificent, the 16th century Ottoman Sultan. I am less concerned here with Suleiman’s military expeditions in Europe but more interested in how he changed the face of the Ottoman administration. It is said of him, “Suleiman the magnificent is remembered in Turkey as Kanuni, the law-giver. He completely overhauled the formerly piecemeal Ottoman legal system and one of his first acts was to lift the embargo on trade with the Sefivid Empire which hurt Turkish traders as least as did Persian ones. He decreed that all Ottoman soldiers would pay for any food or other property they took as provisions while on a campaign, even while on enemy territory.

Suleiman reformed the system, dropping extra taxes imposed by his father and establishing a transparent tax rate that varied according to people’s income. Hiring and firing within the bureaucracy would be based on merit, rather than on whims of higher officials or on family connections. All Ottoman citizens, even the highest were subject to the law. He instituted protections for Christians and Jewish citizens of the Ottoman Empire, denouncing blood libels against the Jews in 1553 and freeing Christian farm labourers from serfdom”.

Of course, Emir Sanusi cannot be compared with Suleiman the magnificent but he is sowing the seed for revolutionary changes in the north. When that seed will bear fruit, none can say for now.

And the Emir’s daughter let out a secret which is that though his father longed to be Emir, he would “gladly” give up the throne for the Truth.

Ladies and gentlemen, here comes the reformist Emir Sanusi, the crusader who speaks with conviction, championing the unshackling of the talakawas from poverty and the emancipation of girls from ignorance.

DAN GAYE

AGF drags 2 INEC officials to court over electoral fraud News

Don’t spare them!

Published by Peoples Media Limited, 35, Ajose Adeogun Street, 1st Floor Peace Park Plaza, Utako, Abuja. Kano office: Plot 3, Zaria Road, Opposite Kano State House of Assembly. Lagos Office: No.8 Oliyide Street, off Unity Road, Ikeja, Lagos. Tel: +234 814 292 9046. Cell: +234 802 443 2099; 803 7007 759. e-mail: contact@peoplesdailyng.com; pmlnewseditor@gmail.com ISSN: 2141– 6141