February 10, 2015

MAY 29 ...108 D AYS TO GO DA

Newspaper of the Year MORE •INEC extends voter cards collection till March 8 •AND ON PAGES 2-7,12, 58&60 •NLC vows to resist another elections shift •Jonathan puts democracy at risk with shift, says Tinubu •Anxiety as military takes over roads in Port Harcourt

•Nigeria’s widest circulating newspaper

VOL. 10, NO. 3121 TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

•www.thenationonlineng.net

TR UTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM TRUTH

N150.00

•INSIDE: ELECTIONS DELAY: NAIRA FALLS P5 4 EQUITIES LOSE N208B TO POLLS SHIFT P5 3 P54 P53

PDP, military launch plan to rig polls, says Oyegun We’re neutral, says Defence NSA: March 28, April 11 stand

threat to our democracy today ‘Theis thegreatest way the ruling party has compromised the leadership of the Nigerian military to serve the personal agenda of President Jonathan. This is a dangerous game

From Yusuf Alli and Tony Akowe, Abuja

’

A

NOTHER shift of the general elections is in the smithy, All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun alleged yesterday.

It is all in a bid to spark a constitutional crisis and subvert the will of the people, Odigie-Oyegun said.

His proof – a secret memo from the Presidency to the military, inviting officers to

•Bow out now —Editorial Pg. 15

a conference in Kaduna, allegedly on how to intimidate the electorate in APC-controlled states and rig the elections.

Odigie-Oyegun accused the Military High Command of being in an “unholy” and “dangerous” alliance with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to subvert the people’s democratic will. The Defence Headquarters denied it all.

The Director of Defence Information, Maj-Gen Chris Olukolade said: "We are not involved in politics and they should not drag us into it.

"Kaduna is a training base for the military. There could be a lot of seminars, workshops and other forms of training, which will make officers and men to perContinued on page 4

•Chief Odigie-Oyegun…yesterday.

Canada, C’wealth observers seek credible elections

C

ANADA has advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to guarantee credible elections. It also expressed concern over the postponement of the February 14 and 28 elections.

A statement yesterday by Mr Deepak Obhrai, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and for International Human Rights, said.“Canada

Ekiti poll audio: How Fayose, Obanikoro threatened General

M

ORE facts emerged yesterday from the audio recording of the meeting held in Ado-Ekiti by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains to perfect the rigging plot for the June 21, last year governorship election.

Besides Governor Ayodele Fayose, who was then the PDP candidate, there were WILL THE former Minister of CHIBOK GIRLS KIDNAPPED ON State (Defence) MusiAPRIL 15 EVER liu Obanikoro, MinisRETURN? ter of Police Affairs Je-

?

By Seun Akioye, Snr. Correspondent

lili Awosiyan, Senator Iyiola Omisore and Hon. Abdulkareem, among others, who met with Brig. Gen. Aliyu Momoh.

Gen. Momoh, according to the audio recording posted by online medium Sahara Reporters, was deployed by the military top brass to aid the rigging plan, using soldiers moved into the state for the purpose.

The video was made available by Capt Sagir Koli, who said he was an intelligence officer deployed for the mission. He is now on AWOL. Continued on page 8

is concerned that Nigeria’s general elections have been postponed.”

The statement added: “The people of Nigeria must be allowed to exercise their democratic right to choose their representatives through free, fair, peaceful and credible elections.

“All institutions of state as well as political parties and candidates, must uphold democrat-

ic values,” Obhrai said.

The statement urged the nation’s security agencies to be impartial in providing security during and after elections.

It also advised INEC and security operatives to provide journalists unrestrained access to reports during the election process.

“It is particularly important that security agencies provide

security for elections in an impartial manner.

“It is also important that journalists are allowed unfettered access in reporting on the election process.”

Also yesterday, the Commonwealth Observer Group Chairperson Dr Bakili Muluzi, said: “The Commonwealth Observer Group arrived in the Continued on page 4 •Nigerian Breweries Plc Chairman Chief Kola Jamodu beating the gong at the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) to close the market for the day in Lagos…yesterday.

Applauding are (from left) Managing Director/CEO Mr. Nicolas Vervelde and NSE Chief Officer Executive Mr. Oscar Onyema.

•TRANSPORTATION P14•ENERGY P16 •POLITICS P17 •SPORTS P23 •PROPERTY P50

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

2

NEWS

NIGERIA DECIDES

The road to polls’ postponement

•Liaison Advisor, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo), Mrs. Precious Molokwu (middle) flanked

by Public Affairs Officer, National Petroleum Investment Management Services, Mrs. Bunmi Lawson (left) and Provost, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Prof. Folashade Ogunshola, at the presentation of an Audio-Visual Studio to the College by NNPC-SNEPCo in Lagos.

After 12 hours of consultations on Saturday, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega shocked the world as he announced the shift of the much-anticipated general elections billed for February 14 and 28. But, to unsuspecting Nigerians, it was a postponement foretold. In this piece, Deputy Editor (News) ADENIYI ADESINA reviews the intrigues behind the action.

U

From left: Vice Chairman, Convention on Business Integrity (CBi), Mr. Opeyemi Agbaje (left); Executive Director, CBi, Mr. Soji Apampa (second left); Group Managing Director, Vodacom Business Africa, Mr Douglas Craigie-Stevenson (second right) and Managing Director, Vodacom Business Nigeria, Mr. Guy Clarke at the signing of Vodacom Business Nigeria to the CBi in Lagos….yesterday.

•From left: Head, Research, Risk Managers Association of Nigeria, Mr Jonathan Osadolor; Managing Director, XL Human Resources Outsourcing, Mr Afam Udeagwu; Founder, MindBuilders Network, Mr Ndu Jibuike; Executive Secretary, Knowledge Exchange Centre, Ms. Maria Glover and General Counsel, XL Africa Group, Ms. Ezinne Ekekwe at the inauguration of Knowledge Exchange Centre in Lagos...yesterday.

•General Manager, External Relations, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Kudo Eresia-Eke (right); Vice Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna, Prof Abdullahi Mustapha (second right); Deputy Managing Director, NLNG, Isa Inuwa (second left) and Deputy Vice Chancellor, ABU, (Administration), Prof Naiya Sada during an inspection of the Engineering Laboratory being provided in the institution by the NLNG.

KNOWN to many, President Goodluck Jonathan knew that his second term aspiration will be a Herculean task. So, he began the race early, much earlier than his opponents. The rallies held nationwide by the body known as Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) were nothing but campaigns. Beyond the rallies, the President had in his bag of tricks many other strategies.

Firstly, he empowered ex-militants from Niger Delta, his Southsouth geo-political zone, financially to serve as foot-soldiers to beat war drums or issue threats to any political traducer serving as a stumbling block to his re-election bid. The first phase of the plot worked because virtually all presidential aspirants in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were technically shut out of the race under the guise of continuity.

With an automatic ticket secured, Jonathan’s greatest headache was how to beat the mega opposition the All Progressives Congress (APC) - at the polls. His strategists knew it would not be an easy task but they were determined to try their luck even if it meant not playing by the rules. The President pulled the second string by changing his Service Chiefs for what a source described as a “crack political strategy.” The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Marshal Alex Badeh was almost on his way out of the Air Force to vie for the governorship of Adamawa State when he was “miraculously” elevated from the Chief of Air Staff to the CDS. Air Marshall Badeh had a frosty relationship with former governor Murtala Nyako, even when Nyako, a retired Air Vice Marshall was in the PDP. Sources believe that the CDS played a prominent role in the impeachment of Nyako.

Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah is said to be an anointed choice of the the President’s wife, Dame Patience.

Both of them are from Rivers State.

A generation of officers was almost retired from the service to pave the way for Minimah’s emergence as the Chief of Army Staff (COAS).

The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, was the President’s pilot for some years before his appointment. He had been part of the ‘First family’. Though promoted on merit, the appoint-

ment of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin was said to be a major political concession to Kogi State. This is often a campaign issue in the state.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, is on a familiar terrain of political abracadabra having purportedly served as Aidede-Camp (ADC) to ex-First Lady Mrs. Maryam Abacha. It was learnt that the Abachas and a former Chief Security Officer (CSO) were instrumental to Abba’s appointment. The IGP is obviously used to the tactics of crushing the opposition. This was why the police wasted no time in stripping Speaker Aminu Tambuwal of his security apparatchik.

A source said: “Whatever the role the Service Chiefs are playing today is a demonstration of loyalty to their benefactor. In April, last year, a terrible gaffe that embarrassed the nation was made by the military chiefs when the Defence Headquarters said they had rescued 100 of the abducted Chibok girls. Elsewhere, they would be heavily sanctioned for the misinformation, but as it were, nothing happened to them. The President, who is the Commander-inChief (C-in-C), did not see it as an international embarrassment. The prosecution of the war against the insurgents has been criticised by the international community as lacklustre, with many countries wondering what has become of our military that was well respected in times past.

Again, the C-in-C is satisfied with the reports filed by his Service Chiefs.

It is obvious that the military is politicised and the Service Chiefs have made up their minds to do only the bidding of the President. Jonathan had perfected his plans from the beginning and he succeeded in working to the answer, a former Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Abubakar Tsav, said.

“The shift in polls’ dates is sad and most unfortunate indeed. The Service Chiefs attended the Council of State meeting. Why did they not raise this issue there? I smell a rat.

We no longer have a military, but traders, business and market men,” he added.

The interest of Service/Security Chiefs in the polls

Some of the Service Chiefs are neck-deep in politics of survival . A victory for Jonathan will guarantee them more years in service. In fact,

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

3

NIGERIA DECIDES

‘

•Dr. Jonathan

•COAS Minimah

the wife of a security chief recently went to a state for empowerment programme to boost the re-election campaign of the President. If Jonathan loses, Buhari, a no-nonsense Army General, will become the nation’s President and he will certainly shake-up the military in such a manner that professionalism will be restored. There might also be auditing of the hardware and evaluation of the campaign against insurgency. Some of the Service Chiefs were also said to be angry following incessant criticisms of the military approach to Boko Haram insurgency. At a stage, the DHQ issued a statement criticising Buhari’s alleged remarks against the military. They do not want a C-in-C with a mindset to flush them out.

A source said: “The Service Chiefs are afraid of their shadows. The manner in which the Army handled the Buhari Certificate issue showed some bias and politicisation which is an abuse of military ethics. So, they have a lot to hide. Even if they escape Buhari’s axe, they are already on the wrong side of history.

No team of Service Chiefs had recorded highest number of mutinies as the present crop.”

How Jega succumbed to pressure Although Jega battled spiritedly on Saturday to deny being under pressure to reschedule the elections to March 28 and April 11, his visible loss of weight and fatigue at the press conference in INEC Media Office pointed to some trauma for him. For many months, the forces behind polls’ postponement had tried in vain to force Jega to fall in line. To the forces, except Jega is the same page with them, the prospect of the President winning the election is remote. The electoral body must therefore be infiltrated. Besides infiltrating the rank and file of INEC, many groups, especially Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, were sponsored to put Jega on the edge on every key decision vital to the conduct of the polls. At a point, offer was made to some INEC National Commissioners to undercut Jega with the hope that any of them can succeed the political scientist as chairman. The first shock for Jega was the aborted plan by INEC to create additional 30,000 polling units, a development which was beclouded by ethno-religious politics. Still undone, the Presi-

•Gen. Buhari

•CDS Badeh

•NSA Dasuki

• Prof Jega

•Naval Chief Amosu

•IGP Abba

SOME OF THE OPTIONS ON THE CARD • Draft a pliant Judge to subject the APC candidate to a rigorous legal tussle • Disqualify Gen. Buhari outright in the eleventh hour • Created constitutaional crisis to stalemate the process • Sack of INEC Chairman Prof Attahiru Jega • Create legal landmines for the opposition dency took advantage of InterAgency Committee on Election Security (comprising INEC and security agencies) to understudy the lapses in the commission’s preparations. The peaked about three weeks ago, when National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki, a retired colonel, invited Jega for an “appraisal session” on the botched February polls. At the session, the NSA cross checked intelligence report on the status of PVCs distribution nationwide and obtained a table on these from Jega. He was said to have also spoken on security challenges in the Northeast, especially Adamawa, Borno, Yobe and Gombe states and wondered if the elections should not be postponed for this reason. Jega was said to have made it clear that he could not tell Nigerians that the polls are shifted because of the security situation in the Northeast. The meeting ended without any inkling that the NSA was going to Chatham House, London, United Kingdom (UK) the following day.

The source added: “A bewildered Jega woke up to hear Dasuki dropping a hint on likely polls’ postponement because of logistics challenges over the distribution of PVCs and Card Readers. He could not believe it that Dasuki spoke less about security threats in the Northeast which will make the conduct of the poll impossible.

“The clever shifting of blame on INEC angered Jega and he felt betrayed by the NSA. He also felt that Dasuki deliberately put INEC on the spot to incur the wrath of Nigerians and the international community.

“So, if you saw Jega hammering on INEC’s readiness for the poll, it was a deliberate ploy to pay the NSA back in his own coin and prove to the world that only the security agencies were not willing to allow the poll to hold.”

Undeterred, the Service Chiefs

hatched another plot, this time around, to put Jega in a cul-de-sac.

The Service Chiefs now wrote individually to the NSA that they cannot guarantee security for the general elections. The aggregate of their position was contained in a letter the NSA wrote to Jega on Wednesday, the eve of the Council of State meeting.

The President, in his concluding remarks, was said to have told Jega not to disregard the advice of the security chiefs who are trained in intelligence. Jega possibly saw this as a subtle threat and had to succumb to the blackmail.

What next after polls’ shift?

Virtually, every political analyst believes the attribution of polls’ shift to security challenges in the Northeast was a smokescreen. In fact, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), described the development as “delay tactics.”

The Director of Media of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Femi Fani-Kayode, said the shift was “in the interest of deepening democracy and in national interest.”

The APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said: “This is clearly a major setback for Nigerian democracy. We must not fall into this obvious trap. Change we must. They can only delay it; no one can stop it.”

To underscore the ill-motive behind the shift, some PDP governors had relocated to Abuja on Saturday to strategise on what to do if violence trailed the announcement by Jega.

For postponing the polls, some hawks and military top brass had anticipated a nationwide violence which they can use to crackdown on the opposition figures. It was curious that before Jega announced the shift, troops were massively de-

ployed in some key state capitals and towns in the North and Southwest without any prompting. Those behind the deployment acted on false intelligence interpretation.

This was why Gen Buhari, on Sunday, warned Nigerians against playing into the hands of the presidency and the PDP. He said: “Our country is going through a difficult time in the hands of terrorists. Any act of violence can only complicate the security challenges in the country and provide justification to those who would want to exploit every situation to frustrate the democratic process in the face of certain defeat at the polls.”

Definitely, the presidency and the PDP would have to re-strategise on other options to frustrate the opposition. Checks have confirmed the likelihood of using the six-week extension window to lay legal landmines for Gen Buhari on the over-blown certificate drama and alleged perjury. Already, there are four, mostly induced, cases against the APC flag bearer in court. There were fears that a pliant judge might be used to disqualify him. The plot is to subject the retired General to the rigours of legal hurdles up to the Supreme Court to dampen his spirit.

The legal matters might not be disposed of till the last minutes. Some hawks in the PDP are after his outright disqualification so that Jonathan and 13 other candidates can slog it out at the polls.

Another option is the alleged plot to create a constitutional crisis to pave the way for a political stalemate which will lead to another contraption like an Interim National Government (ING). Gen Buhari alluded to this in his reaction to the postponement on Sunday when he said: “We don’t know the type of government they want to bring, whether a military government or a civilian government. But an elected govern-

The President, in his concluding remarks, was said to have told Jega not to disregard the advice of the security chiefs who are trained in intelligence. Jega possibly saw this as a subtle threat and had to succumb to the blackmail

‘

ment must be in place 30 days before May 29.”

A fourth plot borders on the sack of Jega, the National Commissioners and Resident Electoral Commissioners if they ‘fail’ again in the distribution of PVCs. On Saturday, the INEC chairman had assured anxious journalists that he would conduct the general election. He spoke innocently, oblivious of the plot to sack him. The only intelligence available to Jega is about how one of his discredited predecessors had been serving as a consultant to the PDP. Those being positioned for his job are: Prof.

Femi Mimiko (a brother of the Governor of Ondo State who just completed his tenure at the Adekunle Ajasin University); INEC National Commissioner (Operations), Prof.

Nuru Yakubu, a former INEC chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu, and a former National Commissioner of INEC, Mr. Victor Chukwuani.

A highly-placed source, who spoke in confidence, said: “These forces are determined to ease Jega out by citing shoddy preparation, poor distribution of PVCs, some technical incompetence and other sundry issues.

“They have been shopping for candidates to replace Jega if they could wield influence to allow the polls to hold in June or if they could frustrate Jega to pave the way for a new hand to manage INEC during the general elections.”

Notwithstanding the ongoing intrigues, the postponement will assist INEC to tidy up a few things before the poll.

Jega said: As for us in INEC, we’ll endeavour to use the period of the extension to keep on perfecting our systems and processes for conducting the best elections in Nigeria’s history.

In particular, we believe that we would resolve all outstanding issues related to non-collection of PVCs, which agitate the minds of many Nigerians.”

Will Jega be third time lucky?

The nation seems to have accepted the postponement since INEC acted within the laws. But will the chairman of the commission, Jega, be third time lucky? Twice in his career as INEC chairman, he has postponed general elections using his integrity as an excuse. If Jega falters again on March 28, he will be consigned to the dark side of history.

4

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

NEWS INEC extends PVCs collection

C •President Goodluck Jonathan (right) receiving the report of the 2014 Christian Pilgrimage to Holy Land from the leader of the Federal Government Delegation/ President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja…yesterday.

Shekau vows to defeat regional force in videos

B

OKO Haram leader Abubakar Shekau vowed in a new video released yesterday that the group would defeat a regional force fighting it in the northeast, Niger and Cameroon.

“Your alliance will not achieve anything. Amass all your weapons and face us. We welcome you,” he said in a 28minute speech in one of three videos posted by the Islamists on YouTube.

Troops from Nigeria have been backed by soldiers from Chad, Cameroon and Niger in recent weeks because of increased concerns about Boko Haram’s threat to regional security.

In the second of the videos, images of the leader of the Islamic State group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, are shown along with archive footage and a voiceover recalling a battle between British colonial soldiers and fighters from the Sokoto Caliphate in northern Nigeria.

Shekau has namechecked alBaghdadi before but appears to be positioning Boko Haram in a wider jihadi context by showing the Sokoto Caliphate, which was dismantled by the

Boko Haram attacks Niger, Cameroon

T

HE Boko Haram sect yesterday launched attacks in neighbouring countries Niger Republic and Cameroon.

A prison was attacked in Niger overnight, but the sect’s fighters were repelled, a military source said.

In Cameroon, 30 persons were abducted after attacks.

The assault was the third on the Niger border town of Diffa in four days and come as lawmakers were due to vote on whether to join a regional offensive against the militants.

“The attack was repelled. Clean-up operations have been under way since this morning,” the source, one of around 3,000 Niger soldiers British in the early 20th century.

“We never rose up to fight Africa. We rose up to fight the world,” he said.

“We are going to fight the world on the principle that whoever doesn’t obey Allah and the Prophet to either obey or die or become a slave.”

Shekau dismissed the size of the multinational force, which had previously been set at about 7,500.

“You send 7,000 troops?

Why don’t you send 70 mil-

sent to the volatile border region, told Reuters.

Boko Haram, which is seeking to carve out an Islamic emirate in northeastern Nigeria, has stepped up its campaign of violence over the past year.

It has expanded its operations zone into Cameroon and attacks near Lake Chad – a crossroads between Nigeria, Chad, and Niger – have sent tens of thousands of refugees fleeing across the borders.

On Saturday, the governments of Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Nigeria and Benin agreed to establish an 8,700-strong regional force to

lion? This is small. Only 7,000? By Allah, it is small.

We can seize them one-byone. We can seize them oneby-one,” he said in Arabic.

Shekau also directly threatened Chad’s President Idriss Deby, whose forces have attacked Boko Haram in the northeast Nigerian towns of Gamboru and Malam Fatori in recent days.

Shekau’s challenge came after the United States said on Friday that Boko Haram could face a stronger test against more capable region-

Continued on page 60

al forces.

Washington estimates that Boko Haram has a core of between 4,000 and 6,000 fighters but is well-equipped after raiding Nigerian Army positions.

In the second video, members of the sect were enforcing Sharia laws in an unnamed location where “offenders” were being punished.

Two young men are receiving lashes of cane for allegedly committing adultery.

Continued on page 60

OLLECTION of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will continue till March 8, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said yesterday.

The extension followed the postponement of the elections till March 28 and April 11.

The PVCs collection was initially due to end last Sunday.

In a statement yesterday, the commission’s secretary Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, said it hoped that “this extension will finally avail every registered person yet to collect his/her PVC the opportunity to do so in readiness for the general elections”.

The INEC chairman’s Chief Press Secretary Mr Kayode Idowu, said the problem was not that the cards were not available “but the question still remains the collection by the owners’’.

Idowu said the commission would do its best to ensure that registered voters received their PVCs, given the extension in the election dates.

The chief press secretary said the collection of PVCs was not one of the reasons why the election dates were rescheduled, adding that

68.7 per cent of PVCs had been collected as at Feb. 6.

“By the time we add the figure for Saturday, you can be sure that it would have reached 70 per cent.

“Even with all complaints, the rate is not bad as people are talking about it.’’

Idowu, however, added that the commission would use the extension period to improve on its preparations to achieve success in the elections.

The commission has said that parties can no longer substitute candidates in spite of the postponement.

A top official of the commission said: “We have been receiving enquiries from political parties on whether or not they they can replace their candidates.

“But we have already printed the ballot papers; we cannot change the format overnight. This will attract more cost. You will recall that the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, said the poll shift is without cost.

“The reality is that some aspects of our preparation for the polls, especially the nomination and substitution processes, had lapsed as contained in the guidelines in the Electoral Act. “We will not allow lastminute substitution of candidates.”

Canada, C’wealth observers seek credible elections Continued from page 1

country on 7 February, following an invitation from Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to observe the Presidential and National Assembly Elections originally scheduled for 14 February, and to consider all factors affecting the credibility of the electoral process as a whole.

“Soon after our arrival, we were informed of the decision taken by the Chairman of INEC to postpone these elections by six weeks in light of the security situation facing Nigeria. We understand and respect this decision, tak-

en in difficult circumstances.

“We look forward to the rescheduled elections taking place on 28 March, to enable the people of Nigeria to exercise their democratic right.

We further urge all stakeholders to remain calm and patient and to give the Commission the support it needs to deliver these important elections.

“The Commonwealth Observer Group encourages the relevant authorities to do their utmost to ensure the safety and security of all citizens and deliver the conditions which are conducive for a peaceful and credible poll.”

PDP, military launch plan to rig polls, says Oyegun Continued from page 1

form better. They should not give it political colouration.

"We will remain non-partisan, we shouldn't be dragged into politics."

The APC chair spoke at a briefing in Abuja, which was attended by four governors, a deputy governor and top leaders of the party.

He said the Service Chiefs had included “at least six weeks” in their letter to INEC demanding the postponement of the general elections.

The elections were moved from February 14 and 28 to March 28 and April 11.

Odigie-Oyegun said: “It is important to note that the Service Chiefs’ letter to INEC demanded postponement for ‘at least’ six weeks. This, we must note, is a booby trap.

Embedded in that phrase ‘at least’ is a window to push for another postponement. It is clear, however, that any further postponement can only lead to a constitutional crisis.

The constitution demands at least 30 days before the handover date of May 29th.

“We have strong suspicions but hope this postponement

N

Elections won’t be shifted again, says NSA

ATIONAL Security Adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki has said that the new dates – March 28 and April 11 – fixed for the general elections won’t change.

Dasuki, whose security report led the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to shift the dates, said all camps belonging to the Boko Haram will be destroyed in the next six weeks.

“All known Boko Haram camps will be taken out. They won’t be there. They will be dismantled,” he told French news Agency (AFP).yesterday.

“Those dates will not be shifted again,”

is not part of an agenda to create a constitutional crisis in the country. We are just recently recovering from the crisis precipitated by the political crisis of 1993. We cannot afford another. ”We are all witnesses to the way INEC was intimidated into postponement of the elections despite repeated assurances of its readiness. We are aware of plans for worse intimidation in the days ahead.

“We are aware of plans to intimidate and orchestrate arrest of our leaders across the country on frivolous

Dasuki said when asked if the polls, initially scheduled for February 14, could be pushed back further.

Dasuki said he believed the new military co-operation agreed two weeks ago between Nigeria and its neighbours – Cameroon, Chad and Niger – will prove decisive against Boko Haram.

Dasuki had urged election officials on Saturday to postpone the vote on the grounds that the military could not provide security because all available resources were being deployed in the northeast to fight Boko Haram.

His justification for the delay was wide-

grounds. We are now aware of how PDP used intimidation and arrest to rig the last governorship election in Ekiti State.

“We are aware that this is the plan of the PDP. But we have no doubt that Nigerians will stand up to this. We have no doubt that the international community is watching.”

Odigie-Oyegun accused the Presidency of writing a secret memo to all divisions of the Army on how to intimidate voters in all APC-controlled states.

He said: “The greatest

ly criticised, because the military is not primarily responsible for election security.

Troops have only been called in when police and civil defence units have needed reinforcements.

Dasuki said there was no political motive underlying his call for a delay.

“It’s not everybody who does things for selfish reasons. Some of us have a conscience,” he said.

Dasuki said the postponement could easily help the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), because improved security could boost turnout in the northeast, an APC stronghold.

threat to our democracy today is the way the ruling party has compromised the leadership of the Nigerian military to serve the personal agenda of President Jonathan. This is a dangerous game.

“A recent court judgment in Sokoto clearly ruled that the military had no role in the electoral process. What happened with this postponement is that Service Chiefs simply vetoed a democratic process on the directive of President Jonathan.

We know what politicisation is doing to our once proud

military institution.” ”We are aware that the Presidency has forwarded a secret memo to all commanders of divisions and battalions of Nigerian Army for a three-day strategy meeting in Kaduna from today( Monday) on how to use the military to intimidate voters in APC states to rig election in favour of President Jonathan.

“Since recent revelations about the role of the military in Ekiti elections is demonstrable proof of how far this government will go to compromise the military as an

•Col. Dasuki

institution, could it be that when the Service Chiefs said they would not have enough personnel to provide security for the elections, what they are actually saying is that they would not have enough soldiers to intimidate voters in favour of the ruling party if the elections had proceeded as scheduled?”

The APC National Chairman expressed concern about the unholy alliance between the ruling PDP and the Military High Command to subvert the nation’s democracy.

He said the National SecuContinued on page 60

ADVERT HOTLINES 08023006969, 08052592524

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

5

NEWS POLLS’ POSTPONMENT

It’s an act of desperation by Jonathan, says Tinubu A

LL Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has described the postponement of the general elections as an act of desperation by President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

To him, the reason for the shift is “nothing but a lie draped in a falsehood born by deceit.”

Tinubu wondered why the service chiefs decided to launch a major operation a week before the elections.

In his view, the simple explanation is that they were given marching orders by the president to delay the polls, knowing that failure was inevitable.

He urged Nigerians to remain calm and do everything to keep the peace in the face of what he called “insult to our democracy and common sense”.

The APC national leader warned that the Federal Government would attempt more tricks before the six weeks is over.

But, he added that the Jonathan administration would be “defeated by the power of our commitment to a new day in a new democratic Nigeria.”

The statement reads: “What happened on Saturday was actually not a postponement due to security or logistical reasons. What happened

By Joseph Jibueze

was the by-product of overt political interference undermining the independence of the election management body, INEC. The elections were postponed not because they could not be safely held.

“They were postponed because one man, President Jonathan, feared that an election held on February 14 would for him become an election lost. While the mouth was Jega, the words were Jonathan. He chose to place our democracy at risk than do what democracy demands by facing and risking the verdict of the people. That he would use our security agencies to provide his excuse only adds insult to injury.

“This act was the desperation of a man in fear of defeat.

It was not done for the national good. It was the wrong thing done for the wrong reason by the wrong man. The rationale stated by the heavily intimidated INEC chairman does not withstand close scrutiny nor the rigours of logical thought. It is nothing but a lie draped in a falsehood born by deceit.

“Jega said he hinged his decision on a purported letter stating that due to an impend-

ing offensive, the security agencies will not have the personnel to spare to adequately guard the polling areas in the Northeastern states.

“For the Service Chiefs to be inserted in the electoral process in this manner and at the eleventh hour reveals nothing but a cynical plot to thwart elections. President Jonathan has revealed that he only wants elections where the guaranty is that he shall win.

This is not the nature of democratic elections.

“Jonathan’s government has purposefully undermined the electoral process because he is not interested in a free and fair contest where the outcome reflects the sovereign will of the people. He wants an elaborate coronation dressed in the garb of an election. The Nigerian people are too smart for this rude trick.

“This postponement is a smokescreen because what the letter says is that they are advising a postponement of six weeks in the first instance subject to the amelioration of the security situation in the Northeast.

“This is coming from a Chief of Defence Staff that vowed to crush the insurgents within four months early last year. A year later, nothing has changed. He is now asking

Nigerians to believe this government can do in six weeks what it could not do in six years.

“I ask Nigerians to question why these Service Chiefs decided to launch a major operation a week before the elections. What is new about the security situation in the last two weeks that has not been there these past several years?

“The date and importance of the election was well publicized. Why did they wait till now? They waited because they were given marching orders by the president to delay the elections. They have gone on an offensive already. However, the true offensive is not against Boko Haram. It is against the Nigerian people and our democracy.

“If elections could hold in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, why not in Nigeria where only 14 out of 774 council areas are under siege? This postponement may be the prelude to even rasher and more authoritarian action by this desperate, inept government.

“This postponement has deeply wounded Nigerian democracy. While my party hoped to go into the election and win it that we may offer a new and honest deal to the people, this government con-

COSEG rejects polls shift

•Asiwaju Tinubu

tinues to feed the people a raw deal.

“The ambition of one man should not be allowed to affect the destiny of 170 million Nigerians. Nigerians have signalled their desire for change and there is nothing this government can do to erase it.

“Thus, we do not despair. I ask our supporters and Nigerians to remain calm and do everything to keep the peace.

I ask you to renew your determination in the face of this insult to our democracy and common sense. It is inevitable that change shall come and we shall bring it fairly, democratically and peacefully.

“They will attempt more tricks before the six weeks is over. Each time, they will be defeated by the power of our commitment to a new day in a new democratic Nigeria.”

Nigeria won’t split, says U.S. ambassador

T

HE United States (U.S.) Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James F. Entwistle, has said Nigeria will not split despite its socio-political problems.

Entwistle, who spoke in Lagos at a news conference on the premiere of the movie, Selma, dismissed the rumoured insinuations that the American government had predicted that Nigeria would split anytime from this year.

The American envoy said Nigeria was not different from all other countries with various degrees of challenges, stressing that would not make

them split.

He noted that his country, the U.S., has had its fair share of political challenges and that did not make it split.

The ambassador added that Nigeria is a strong country that has not shown any sign of disintegration, wondering why people would predict doom for the country rather than work towards its strength.

“Do you want Nigeria to break up?” he asked.

Earlier, founder, House on The Rock church Pastor Paul Adefarasin admonished Nigerians to work towards the

country’s peace and unity.

Pastor Adefarasin said: “Knowing that peace is not the absence of tension, but the presence of justice, we must ensure that peace, justice and equity are enshrined in Nigeria.’’

He warned that the interest of Nigeria could not be determined along ethnic or religious lines, noting that “the tragic events in parts of this country are a harsh reminder that dialogue, peace and religious tolerance are crucial to our continued existence’’.

Pastor Adefarasin reiterat-

ed the need to foster and promote non-violence before, during and after the general elections.

He said the Rock Foundation partnered the United States Mission to Nigeria to premiere the movie, which chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition.

On his part, the Nigerianborn British actor, David Oyelowo, acknowledged the timeliness of his movie to the

political experience in Nigeria.

He said it was a thing of joy for him to make a movie that would speak to the need of the country’s social and political development.

“Nigeria is country of my birth and I spent seven years of my life here and we all must contribute our quota towards its development and the peaceful co-existence of the people living therein,” he said.

Oyelowo wants every Nigerian to eschew violence and embrace peace, which he said was the central theme of Selma.

THE Coalition of Odu’a SelfDetermination Group (COSEG) has condemned the postponement of the general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The group, at a meeting to formally adopt the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, in Ibadan, said the desperate plan by the President Goodluck Jonathan’s regime to shift the general elections was unnecessary and uncalled for, especially when INEC had maintained its readiness for the election.

Describing those behind the election postponement as political robbers working for the Presidency, the group said they should be held responsible if anything should happen during and after the election.

The group hailed the courage of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) for dissociating itself from the evil adoption of President Goodluck Jonathan by the factionalised Afenifere.

It stated that anyone directing Yoruba people to vote for President Jonathan under the condition in Nigeria must be living in the forest of Sambisa.

COSEG added that anybody canvassing “for a man who has shown disdain for our people and neglected them cannot be real leader or voice of Yoruba people”.

“Today, millions of Yoruba people are clamouring for change. Yet some selfish individuals are pulling us back.

We cannot trust this Jonathan again,” the group said.

The COSEG Chairman, Dayo Ogunlana, moved the motion for the adoption of Buhari and it was seconded

by Taiwo Otitolaye, the national coordinator, Odu’a Liberation Movement.

Tsav: Jonathan, PDP are desperate From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

From Left to Right : Major General Sanusi Muazu, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2nd mechanised Division, Ibadan, presenting Nigeria Army souvenir to Mr Micheal Ale, National Coordinator, Open Government Initiative while Mr Kayode Owolabi, Country Director, Election Integrity Compliance Group looks on during a courtesy visit to GOC.

F

ORMER Lagos State commissioner of Police and social critic Alhaji Abubarka Tsav has described the shift in election dates as unfortunate and patriotic.

In a telephone interview with The Nation, Tsav queried why the Nigerian Army did not think of the onslaught on Boko Harm five years ago.

“Why wait until a few days to a scheduled presidential election? I smell a rat, especially the desperation shown by Mr. President and his team,” he said.

He added that the shift looked as if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)was allegedly preparing for rigging of the election as it did in Ekiti State.

The former police commissioner advised the military and service chiefs to remain neutral in keeping with the tradition and integrity of the military internationally.

He added that doing otherwise would plunge Nigeria into another bloody situation, “due to an ordinate ambition of a person who appears ungrateful to God”.

Tsav noted that Dr. Doyin Okupe had during his campaign against the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, consistently told Nigerians that Jonathan would not handover to those who hate Nigerians, adding that its means the polls shift was designed to achieve Okupe’s campaign.

He, however, said: “No matter how long a corpse stays in the mortuary, it must be buried. February and March are next door neighbours.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

6

NEWS POLLS’ POSTPONMENT We must continue to mobilise against PDP, says Aregbesola

Buhari to NLC: why I want to be president •‘$32.88b spent on defence in five years’

O

P

RESIDENTIAL candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) General Mubammadu Buhari yesterday told Nigerian workers that he is seeking to be president to join forces with them in securing and rebuilding the nation.

Buhari, who spoke at the 11th delegates’ conference of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja, said the nation was in a crisis and facing grievous challenges in numerous sectors.

He regretted that after spending over $32.88 billion on defence in the last five years, the Nigerian military has not been able to win the war against Boko Haram.

“Our security situation in this country has never been so dire,” he said.

The APC candidate noted that the hard times ahead would affect Nigerians in every part of the country, 67 per cent of whom, he added, were already living on less than N200 per day.

He received a standing ovation after his speech from the workers representing 44 Industrial unions, with shout of change, change, change as he walked out of the hall for other engagements at about 2.00pm.

He told the workers that he was aspiring to be president, not just to hold an office, “but to join you in securing and rebuilding a nation, our nation. Our plan to restore good governance, efficient and effective public sector stands to benefit the country’s labour force perhaps more than any other subgroup” His words: “Let me begin by saying thank you to all of you for giving me the opportunity to address this year’s delegates’ congress of the NLC. I want to also congratulate you who have travelled from near and far, braving bad roads, traffic jams and delayed airlines to be here for the congress.

“I know you made this

• Gen. Buhari flanked Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole (left) and NLC President, Abdulwahed Omar, at the NLC conference...yesterday.

From Tony Akowe, Abuja

journey for a good reason. You came here because you believe in what this country can be.

That is to say, you all believe in change.

“You believe that the labour of our heroes past and present shall never be in vain.

You believe that our hopes and dreams can become reality. You believe in a nation bound in freedom, peace and unity. You believe that we can rebuild the broken walls.

“You believe that our great country can set a standard for all of Africa to see. I pray that you will give me the opportunity to play a part in bringing about this change that the APC so strongly desires for our country.

“As most of you know, I am not a novice when it comes to participating in the struggle to deliver Nigeria from the power of darkness. Many times, my efforts have earned me the wrath and vengeance of crooks and thieves. What I want to assure everyone in this room and across the length and breadth of this vast country is that I will do my best for you.

“Once again, Nigeria is in crisis. Our country is facing grievous challenges in numerous sectors. In the light of recent events, the three most pertinent at this time are security, the state of the economy and corruption forming a terrible troika that must be tackled all at once before we can achieve any meaningful progress.”

He noted: “In August 2011,

a vehicle smashed through two security barriers at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in Abuja just after 11am. Its driver crashed the car into the reception area of the building, which housed 26 different UN agencies, and then detonated a bomb. Twenty-five people were killed; around 60, wounded. The then little-known extremist group, Boko Haram, claimed responsibility for the gruesome attack.

“Since then, Boko Haram has gained international notoriety and become a major national menace, kidnapping girls from their schools and women from their homes; slaughtering boys in their dormitories and men in their farms; exploding bombs in public and private venues; and taking town after town in the Northeast of Nigeria.

“And, for some reason, our defence forces are unable to cope and unable to defend.

Despite the Federal Government’s defence budget that has gulped over $32.88 billion in the past five years.

“Our security situation in this country has never been so dire. Today, Nigerians have to endure, not just terrorist attacks in the North, but militancy in the Niger Delta, communal violence in the Middle Belt, cult wars in the South, and kidnappings, armed robberies, and common acts of thuggery throughout the country.

“Most of us are left to fend for themselves. Those who turn to the police, the army or any other state security agencies usually have the means

and personal connections to buy help and protection.

Those who don’t simply move on, resigned.

“The bitter ones may form vigilante groups, others join mobs that dispense jungle justice on suspects and scapegoats alike. Too many believe they have nothing to lose, and everything to gain, and the most alienated are easy prey for terrorists, militants, and thugs. This must change!

“And then, the economy.

A few weeks ago, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) took monetary actions to reduce the pressure on the Naira by devaluing the currency and increasing interest rates – both directly and indirectly, by raising interest rates and restricting the amount banks can lend from their available cash.

“These actions, while necessary to reduce the slide in our currency, have reduced the amount of goods the ordinary Nigerian can purchase with the money he or she has.

We are likely to experience a rise in the prices of all goods, especially fuel, bread and foodstuff. The hard times ahead will affect Nigerians in every part of our country, 67 per cent of whom are already living on less than N200 per day.”

Other challenges facing Nigerians today, he said, include youth unemployment, a lack of social services, corruption and poor governance, adding that “Nigeria needs a group of people who knows what to do about these problems.

“They must have the competence, the experience, the know-how, the leadership capacity and, most especially, the courage to move Nigeria forward. APC is that group.

An APC government at the centre will treat labour as a partner in moving the nation forward.”

He said: “Our plan to restore good governance, efficient and effective public sector stands to benefit the country’s labour force perhaps more than any other subgroup. In line with our party’s manifesto, we will identify and promote growth of industries and give incentives for the use of local content.

“An APC government will protect and respect labourer’s right to organise, guaranteeing the rights to collective bargaining in good faith in law. We will promote new skills, equip youth for a modern economy through a network of local technology institutions to provide free training in courses for the unemployed.

“But we cannot do any of these things alone. We need your support. That is my purpose of being here in your midst today. As you all know I am aspiring for the office of president of Nigeria, not just to hold an office, but to join you in securing and rebuilding a nation, our nation.

“I pray that you will support me in this quest. I hope that you will give me a chance. Together, you and I can start to build a peaceful, secure and prosperous Nigeria of our dreams.”

SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola broke his silence over the postponement of the general elections yesterday, saying the development amounted to deliberate subversion of the country’s constitution.

Aregbesola, in a statement by his Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said the postponement has no basis in logic, morality or constitution.

He said the shift in polls dates was induced by subtle threats using insecurity in the country as a subterfuge.

Aregbesola was quoted as saying: “This is the second time brazen attempts would be made by the same security agencies to subvert the democratic process. The first was the attempt to subvert the democratic process in the state of Osun when they brought over 73,000 security agents to subvert the will of the people.

“Then, they attempted to forcibly take power from the legitimate authority in the State of Osun. The second is this unwarranted postponement of the elections. This is totally unbecoming of civilian rule and democratic dispensations. And it is clearly an abuse of the powers vested in the person of the president.”

Expressing hopes that nothing must tamper with the new dates of the elections, the Osun governor said part of the strategy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Presidency is to wear Nigerians out to perfect strategies to subvert the wishes of the people.

“This is a grave error on the part of the PDP-led Federal Government as Nigerians, bonded and driven by acute suffering occasioned by the inept leadership that is the legacy of PDP, have resolved to vote out the anti-people party and effect the change they are convinced will transform their lives.

“This postponement, rather than confer on them any advantage, has compounded their woes as Nigerians are much more resolute on their demands for a change,” he said

APC, candidate query competence of disqualification suits

G

ENERAL Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC), yesterday queried the competence of two suits seeking the disqualification of the party’s presidential candidate from contesting in the general elections.

They also objected to the mode of service of court documents on them.

Both suits were filed by Chukwunweike Okafor and Max Ozoaka.

But, last week, Justice Adeniyi Ademola granted exparte orders to the plaintiffs for substituted service on the defendants through publications in the newspapers.

He also abridged the time within which the defendants are to respond.

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

Yesterday, former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Wole Olanipekun (SAN), who led about seven other Senior Advocates of Nigeria for APC and Buhari told Justice Ademola they were in court in protest.

“We are here in protest. We only came to court for two reasons. Our client, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, have utmost respect for this court. And we, as officers in the temple of justice, have a duty to come here and offer assistance to this court.

“We are filing our processes at the court’s registry and we are challenging the legality of this court’s orders as well as the competence of the suit.

The case is not even ripe for

•Party objects mode of service We are filing our processes at the court’s registry and we are challenging the legality of this court’s orders as well as the competence of the suit. mention as it is,” Olanipekun said.

Olanipekun was accompanied by Akin Olujinmi, Lateef Fagbemi, Emeka Ngige, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, James Ocholi, Funke Aboyade, Femi Falana (all SANs) for APC and Buhari.

Ade Okeaya Ineh, Godwin Obla and Ken Njamanze (all SANs) represented Ozoaka.

Fagbemi, who spoke for the APC, urged the court to set aside its earlier order abridg-

ing the time within which the defendants were to file their responses.

He said the urgency which warranted the order has been defeated with the postponement of the presidential election from February 14 to March 28.

Justice Ademola adjourned proceedings to February 23.

In the suit, Ozoaka raised eight questions for the court’s determination and prayed for among others, an order dis-

qualifying Buhari from contesting or participating in the election.

He queried the authenticity of the statement of result or result sheet presented by Buhari on the grounds that it was bearing ‘Mohamed’ Buhari as against ‘Muhammadu, which the plaintiff said is the real name of the APC presidential candidate.

Ozoaka, in a supporting affidavit to the originating summons, stated that the INEC Form submitted by Buhari did not meet the requirements under sections 31(1)(2) & (3), and 31(8) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

He also faulted some information contained in other documents attached to the form, including Buhari’s voter card which described the

presidential candidate as a public servant.

The plaintiff urged the court to declare that the on the voter card, the photocopy of which was attached to INEC Form CF 001, was false on the grounds that Buhari was not a public servant as of when the voter card was issued.

Okafor, in his suit is contending that the INEC FORM CF 001 the APC candidate submitted to INEC was incomplete. He urged the court to declare the form incompetent.

He argued that Buhari’s alleged failure to accompany the INEC form with evidence of his educational qualifications and evidence of his birth certificate or affidavit of declaration of age had altogether rendered the form inchoate.

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

7

NEWS POLLS’ POSTPONMENT

NASS will probe polls shift, says Saraki

C

HAIRMAN, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology, Senator Bukola Saraki, yesterday vowed that the National Assembly will investigate the recent shift in polls’ dates by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Saraki, in a statement in Abuja, said: “As soon as the National Assembly reconvenes, we will look into this issue of postponement and take steps to ensure that our electoral process is not tampered with any further. As leaders of this nation, it is our duty to protect our nascent democracy.

“While we recognise the severity of the security challenges facing Nigeria today, sadly, these challenges are not new. It has been almost a year since Boko Haram kid-

napped 200 of our schoolgirls in Chibok.

“Thousands of men, women and children have now died at the hands of Boko Haram and thousands are displaced. However, security should not be used as an excuse to delay our elections and obstruct democracy.

“The delay in elections is an obstruction of democracy led by President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

APC has been calling for free, fair and transparent elections for our country.

“The delay in elections hinders this call. INEC is expected to act independently, but unfortunately is being guided by a government which believed it was about to lose an election and decided to stop the election to restrategise.

“For the first time in Nigeria, we are seeing a seating government run away from election.

“For over three years, President Jonathan has failed to make national security a priority. How then does President Jonathan now expect the people to believe him when he says he will tackle the terrorist group in six weeks?

“The international community has continued to support our view that there must be peaceful, free, transparent and credible electoral processes in Nigeria and that the country’s security forces would remain impartial so Nigerians can vote safely and without undue delay.

“They are disappointed about the recently announced postponement.

President Jonathan and INEC

The danger in poll shift, by ARG

T •Dr. Saraki

must be aware that the eyes of the world are on them.

“I charge Nigerians to be calm, non-violent and steadfast. We must be determined to make sure postponement does not demoralise or disenfranchise us. We must see this as a challenge for us to remain resolute in yearning for a new democratic government; one that will not see itself as above the people.”

NLC: we’ll resist any further election shift

T

HE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) cautioned yesterday that any further postponement of the general elections will be strongly resisted.

It dismissed the claim of insecurity as the reason for the shift in this month’s general elections.

In a statement entitled: “The Last Postponement”, by its General Secretary, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, the NLC said since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been made to postpone the elections, government should do everything possible to win and sustain the confidence of Nigerians and the international community on the issue of the elections.

The statement reads: “Against popular opinion and

From Tony Akowe, Abuja

allegations of a sinister motive, INEC has been made to postpone the general elections. We would want to register our disappointment about this development, more so as it was hinged on insecurity.

“We take very seriously the issue of security of Nigeria and Nigerians and we will not for anything advocate for putting on the line their safety. However, neither Boko Haram nor the general elections were sprung on us. We knew about both all along and we ought to have had contingency plans. This is why we find bogus, the excuse of insecurity “Now that INEC has been made to do the deed, we urge that it be the only postpone-

ment. Government should do all that is necessary to win and sustain the confidence of both Nigerians and the international community on the issue of elections, for therein lies the crux of democracy.

“While we are not at ease with the postponement, we nonetheless call on INEC to make the best use of the extension by ensuring that preparations are full-proof, including broadening the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). We need not remind INEC the import of this.

“We urge Nigerians to remain committed to participating in the elections. They should make the necessary time to collect their PVCs, vote and defend their votes. They need not be reminded that they will have no reason to complain if they do not vote

and defend their vote.

“In the light of difficulties associated with collecting the cards, government should create an enabling environment, including declaring of public holidays, to enable workers collect their cards. Similarly, INEC is enjoined to make the process less cumbersome.

“In our previous statement, we had made the point that the resort to subterfuge to gain electoral advantage was illegal and unhelpful to the growth of democratic culture.

“We find it necessary once again to sound this note of caution because Nigeria is bigger than any partisan interest. Finally, any further attempt to frustrate the process of the general elections by whatever means, a postponement or otherwise, shall be resisted.”

Jonathan’s eligibility: High Court refers decision to Court of Appeal

A

FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has referred to the Court of Appeal the determination of whether or not President Goodluck Jonathan was eligible to contest the next presidential election having inherited the remnant of the tenure of the late President Umar Musa Yar’Adua.

The decision was contained in a ruling delivered yesterday by Justice Ahmed Mohammed on an application for referral filed on November 28 last year by two lawyers, Adejumo Ajagbe and Olatoye Wahab.

Agbaje and Wahab had sued the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking to restrain them from allowing Jonathan to participate in next presidential election on the ground that his second term would end on May 29, this year.

Before the substantive suit could be decided, the duo filed the application for referral, urging the court to refer the interpretation of sections 135(2)(a) and (b) and 137(1) of the Constitution to the Court of Appeal, a request the AGF objected to.

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Mahmud Magaji (SAN), had argued that unless the Court of Appeal first resolved the substantial issue of constitutional law raised by his clients, in relation to the effect of sections 135(2)(a) and (b) and 137(1) of the Constitution and whether a person sworn into the office of the President on two previous terms is deemed to have been elected to that office at the two previous elections, it would be difficult for the trial court to determine the substantive case.

The AGF, in objecting the referral, queried the plaintiffs’ locus standi and argued that the case was an abuse of court process because a similar case had been decided by the High Court of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which is now on appeal at the Court of Appeal, Abuja.

The appeal referred to by the AGF was filed by Cyriacus Njoku, who is challenging the judgment of Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi of the Federal Capital High Court, who had earlier ruled that Jonathan was eligible to stand for re-election.

In his ruling yesterday, Justice Mohammed refused the

AGF’s objection, noting that not only did the plaintiffs have the standing to file the suit, it did not amount to an abuse of court process because parties in this case were different from the one decided by Justice Oniyangi at the FCT High Court.

Justice Mohammed held that the fact that the case was yet to be decided by the appellate court implied that the issue of the interpretation of Sections 135 and 137 of the Constitution has not been finally put to rest.

“The fundamental feature of the issue is that there is no decision yet by the appellate court as it relates to the interpretation of sections 135 and 137 of the constitution in relation to the tenure of office of the President, concerning whether or not the oath of office taken by President Jonathan after the death of President Umar Yar’Adua should be regarded as an election.

“It is my humble view that the constitutional issue raised by the plaintiffs’ present suit involves substantial question of law that requires reference to the Court of Appeal for determination in accordance with Section 295(2) of the Constitution.

HE Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) has described the reason given for the postponement of the February 14 and 28 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as untenable and dangerous.

Its Publicity Secretary Kunle Famoriyo, in a statement yesterday, said the nation’s defence and security institutions have not convinced Nigerians that they have the capability to curb the Boko Haram insurgency and it remains to be seen that they now possess new tactics and intelligence on how to curb it.

The group noted that “it is difficult to see how a six-year menace will disappear in six weeks”.

The statement also reads: “Indeed, the events of the past few weeks lend credence to a pervasive public opinion that INEC was coerced into its adopted position.

“Nigerians were not particularly surprised at the postponement and many actually saw it coming. There was no doubt it was an ‘executive coercion’, whose design and intent can only be to subjugate Nigeria’s premier democratic institution. And until the security chiefs are able to advance believable reasons and demonstrate renewed commitment to their constitutional duty, Nigerians will remain suspicious of a premeditated plan to subvert democratic process.

“The public perception that the defence institutions are being used to forcefully gain partisan ambition is widening and the current federal administration, as usual, appears not to give a damn.

“In fact, security chiefs are helping to reinforce this perception, in the light of recent revelation on Ekiti gubernatorial election, and it can only lead to truncation of democracy.”

The group added: “To worsen an already bad case, so much sacrifice is being demanded from Nigerians without commensurate sacrifice from the leadership cadre as if Nigerians signed a master-slave contract with their leaders.

“Because patriotism should beget patriotism, if Nigerians are being asked to be patriotic enough to suffer the attendant cost of polls’ shift to fight insurgency - a man-made problem, then, is it not normal for an administration that has shown unprecedented lethargy in prosecuting war against insurgency to be equally patriotic enough to admit its failure and step aside?

“To continue on the path of impunity and blatant abuse of the democratic right of Nigerians as the handlers of Nigerian state are doing is the foundation for injustice. Yoruba people loathe such insensitivity and will always reject such leadership because you can delay the burial of a corpse, but the delay can never resurrect the corpse.

“Yoruba nation is not blind to the grave implications posed by the current pursuit of invidious personal agenda to the detriment of collective goodwill. Toying with issues that should be sacrosanct in a democratic process is a shove that will soon turn to push and the Yoruba nation will carefully consider its options for a desired peaceful and prosperous state.

“We wish to warn those hell bent on scuttling our democracy to learn from history because, like they did in 2010 against the infamy known as “the cabal”, Nigerians will continue to resist dictatorial agenda of a few who seek to hold the nation hostage.”

Judge transfers suit against Tambuwal to Abuja court

By Joseph Jibueze

•Tambuwal

J

USTICE Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos, yesterday transferred a new suit against House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal to the court’s Abuja division.

Two lawyers - Anthony Nwajiugo and Okechukwu Ebirim - are asking Tambuwal to be restrained from parading himself as the Speaker.

They argued that having defected from the party upon which he was elected into the House, Tambuwal “cannot remain and has, by his action, lost the competence to remain the Speaker.”

They argued that the House of Representatives as presently constituted under Tambuwal’s leadership could not embark on any legislative

business including the adjournment of plenary sessions or the impeachment of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Tambuwal had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC) citing the crisis in his home state of Sokoto.

When the case came up yesterday, Justice Buba directed the applicants to address him on why the matter was filed in Lagos and not Abuja.

To the judge, the action ought to be filed at the Federal Capital Territory, being Tambuwal’s place of business.

Ebirim said the matter was a constitutional one which could also be filed in the court’s Lagos division.

Besides, he said the House also conducts part of its business in Lagos at its liaison office, and that the court was a proper venue for the matter to be filed.

Ruling, Justice Buba transferred the suit to the Abuja division and directed the applicants to contact the Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim Auta for further directive on date of hearing in Abuja.

The applicants formulated two questions for determina-

tion: “Whether by the combined effect of Sections 68 (1) (g) and 50 (2) (a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Hon. Aminu Tambuwal of Kebbe/Tambuwal Federal Constituency of Sokoto State is competent to remain the presiding officer and speaker of House of Representatives?

“Whether by the clear combined effect of the provision of Section 50 (1) (b) and Section 50 (2) (a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) the House of Representatives is properly constituted with a competent and constitutional speaker as to enable it proceed on its regular legislative business?”

In a supporting affidavit deposed to by Nwajiugo, the applicant said by virtue of his citizenship and training as a lawyer, he was aware that Section 68 (1) (g) of the Constitution provides that a member of Senate or House of Representatives shall vacate his seat upon defection from the party that sponsored him or her before the expiration of his or her tenure.

He added that the suit was filed to challenge the propriety of Tambuwal presiding over the House’s business, especially the plan to impeach Jonathan.

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

8

NEWS Referendum on council creation

O

SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has said the objective of conducting a referendum on local government creation was in line with the constitution.

The governor spoke yesterday after casting his vote at the Ifofin Ward 8 Unit 1 in Ilesa at the on-going referendum on the creation of new local governments in the state by the State Independent Electoral Commission.

In 2012, the government set up a committee to look into how the state could create viable local government councils with sustainable socio-economic potentials.

The governor said the state will do everything under the constitution to create local governments that will meet all required standards.

He said the state was determined to ensure that all legal, technical and constitutional procedures are followed in the council creation processes.

“As it is in democracy, what we are trying to do is to feel the pulse of the people to know what their preferences are. I am sure the state will not have any problem as being envisaged by some people because we will do everything possible to meet the constitutional requirement.

“We are working round the clock as you can see that voting is taking place all over the state to know the feeling of our people on the creation of additional local governments.

“We will create councils that will meet all constitutional requirements.

It is the genuine desire of the people for selfgovernment.”

APC candidate lauds tribunal

T

HE All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Obokun constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has said the re-affirmation of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s re-election victory by the election petition tribunal was another victory for democracy and the people.

He said the judgment was not only a legal affirmation, but an endorsement of the people’s will.

The Justice Elizabeth Ikpejime-led tribunal had on Friday dismissed the petition of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Iyiola Omisore, challenging the governor’s re-election.

“The judgment is a victory for democracy and the wish of the people, as all the efforts of the PDP to upturn the tenet of democracy failed.

“The tribunal judges have to be praised for turning down the alleged financial overture made to them by the petitioners and their display of high integrity has shown that this nation would survive the hurdles we have been subjected to by the federal force.”

‘How Fayose, Obanikoro, others rigged Ekiti polls’ •Continued

from page 1

F

AYOSE was declared winner of the election, wining in all the 16 local government areas. He defeated Governor Kayode Fayemi, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), predicted by bookmakers to carry the day because of his sterling performance.

From the conversation, the plan had the alleged backing of the Presidency and the Chief of Army Staff.

The military men to be used for the “operation” were also to wear special stickers. They were to arrest top leaders of the APC and assist in manipulating the ballot.

The troops were also to provide cover for those taking illegal election materials around, whose vehicles were not to be

By Seun Akioye

searched at check points.

Fayose in the audio was unhappy that Gen Momoh was not fully carrying out instructions.

He complained that “there is no vehicle that left this place without that sticker. The people you just disarmed had that sticker clear and clean. Today, they went to Efon (Alaye) to carry all the materials.

“We are supposed to be collating these things INEC gave to us, the soft copies we have printed and everything because they see INEC thing on top of it. Why is my contact man not with them? I said my contact man will be sitting at the check point permanently.”

Accusing Gen. Momoh of not being very effective, Fayose said at the meeting that “if the general wants to

spoil it (their plan), let him tie his head because we are going to wage a war against him, the war is imminent.”

Recounting how the General was introduced to him, Fayose said: “I was in my house when the chief of Army staff called me and told me he has briefed him and gave me his number because I never met him before. He told me ‘you are in safe hands; he would perform and if you have any issues, call me’… I never met him in my life. He only called me with the instruction from the Villa. Each time we explain this to this man, he is … everything is porous.”

At another point during the conversation, Fayose also said: “We have to call the President and let him know. These people are doing something. They will

not even serve the policemen that want to help us. We can’t continue like this.”

In response to a statement

by Abdulkareem, Gen Momoh said: “I’m a stakeholder. It is more in my heart than you.”

Assuring the meeting of support, Gen Momoh said: “There are about six special teams … I have one strike force. I have almost 40 soldiers after deployment.”

To extract full commitment from Gen. Momoh Obanikoro said: “Don’t talk too much. I want you to go and work and deliver for us.

Look here, you can’t get promotion without me sitting on top of your military council. If I’m a happy man tomorrow night, the sky is your limit… I’m not here for tea party. I’m on a special assignment by the

president.”

Adesiyan added: “So that when next we have someone to send on a special assignment, it will be you.”

Among the issues discussed was the arrest of leaders of the APC prior to or on the election day.

Among those on the list is the Director General of the Fayemi Campaign, Bimbo Daramola, a member of the House of Representatives and the Commissioner for Finance, Dapo Kolawole Gen. Momoh also briefed the session that “we have done a lot of arrests, me and Oga Chris.”

He was obviously referring to the Anambra businessman, who reportedly led those who arrested APC chieftains during the election.

Eko Atlantic gets mobile app

By Miriam Ekene-Okoro

D

•Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Mr Jimi Agbaje addressing a rally at Mushin...yesterday.

With him are his running mate, Alhaja Safurat Abdul Kareem; party chair, Mr Tunji Shelle (left); and former Minister of State for Defence, Mr Musiliu Obanikoro.

PHOTO: NAN

Fashola: Jonathan ‘bullied’ Jega to postpone polls

D

ID President Goodluck Jonathan “bully” the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, into postponing the February 14 and 28 elections? Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola was in the affirmative.

Fashola gave an insight into how President Goodluck Jonathan “behaved uncouthly” during the Council of State meeting last week in Abuja.

The governor, who spoke at the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship campaign in Alimosho yesterday, lambasted President Jonathan for disobeying past presidents and heads of states.

Fashola said each time Jega spoke on the readiness of the commission to conduct the general elections, the President “bullied him and shouted him down”.

He said the President did a similar thing to some governors who spoke at the meeting.

The governor told the crowd that students who face imminent failure during exams look for post-

By Tajudeen Adebanjo

ponement or create crisis to ensure exams do not hold.

He said: “The awaiting president, Muhammadu Buhari,said he appreciates your perseverance and patience. He said no one should fight because he does not want anyone dead.

“He said collect your Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) if you have not.

“After that, start campaigning from house-tohouse, talk to the chiefs, talk to the kings that by March 28, we will vote.”

Fashola described the PDP governorship candidate, Jimi Agbaje, as JK ‘Just Kidding.’

He reiterated that ‘Just Kidding’ has not paid his tax and land use charge. According to Fashola, Agbaje is trying to trade off Lagos lands, which belong to the Awori.

“Before 1914, Lagos has been in existence and the Awori own Lagos, now ‘Just Kidding’ has said the Federal Government is our landlord in Lagos. Is that the kind of governor you want?

Kings and chiefs be wary of the man called ‘Just Kidding’ in Lagos because he

‘If truly he knows how to run a government, he should understand that no local government can borrow money like that let alone states because the Federal Government needs to approve it’ wants to sell your land to Jonathan.”

Fashola said Agbaje displayed his ignorance of governance by alleging that local governments in the state borrowed $10billion (N1.9trillion).

“If truly he knows how to run a government, he should understand that no

local government can borrow money like that let alone states because the Federal Government needs to approve it. He did not even call $1billion but $10billion; this shows how they steal.”

The governor said Nigerians have not gained anything from the Jonathan administration.

He said: “For those of you who don’t understand my language, this thing no be brother brother again, no be sister sister again. The question you should ask yourself is what have you gained?

“Over 200 school girls are missing and Jonathan is contesting for election, if they were his daughters, will he be contesting? Is that the president you want?

What kind of a man is he?

“Now listen, when the girls were missing, we told him go and visit their parents, go and sympathise with them.

“You know what the president did; he said they should bring the parents to him. Is that how they do it in Africa?”

Fashola urged the crowd to vote for all APC candidates.

EVELOPERS of the Eko Atlantic City have launched a mobile app to facilitate a tour of the emerging global city in Lagos.

The Eko Atlantic Director of Communications, Brent Sadler, said the app is interactive with the new Eko Atlantic Milestones newsletter.

“The physical reality of Eko Atlantic is clear to see off the shore of Victoria Island.

But now the virtual reality of the project is being brought to life.

“Without doubt, the smartest feature on the app is Augmented Reality (AR) – a cutting edge technology that displays a digitally enhanced view of objects or locations.

“Using the camera and sensors in a smart phone or tablet, AR adds layers of digital information - videos, photos, sounds, graphics or GPS data – directly on top of items in the real world.”

“In addition to an easy-touse presentation, the app features a graphic overview of the infrastructure networks progress as well as a gyroscope-enhanced virtual tour enabling users to navigate through the Eko Atlantic city development site just by moving their mobile device around.”

Poly workers defy order From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

M

OST workers of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, defied yesterday the order of the Governing Council to resume work.

Very few workers returned.

Many of the offices remained closed.

There were guards at the polytechnic gate to ensure maintenance of law and order and that workers willing to resume work were allowed access.

The Governing Council suspended trade unionism pending the time normalcy returns after months of crisis.

The Governing Council Chairman Victor Ebomoyi, in a statement, ordered workers to return to work immediately or face the consequences of their action.

The unions have vowed not to back down on their industrial action.

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

9

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

10

NEWS Folarin: Oyo PDP focused From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

T

HE governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Teslim Folarin, has said the party remains focused, despite the postponement of the general elections.

He said with the argument of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the security lapses in some parts of the country, it will be reasonable to consider the interest of others.

Folarin, who spoke during a rally yesterday in Igboho and Kishi, urged Nigerians to trust the INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega.

The PDP candidate urged Nigerians to accept the postponement of the elections in good faith, adding that Nigeria can only be great if people support government polices.

“We remain focused and determined, despite the postponement of the elections. I want to urge Nigerians to accept it in good faith and think of how to make Nigeria great..”

Appeal court reserves judgment in APC suit

T

HE Appeal Court in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, has reserved judgment in the suit by the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenging the election of Governor Ayo Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The APC urged the court to declare former Governor Kayode Fayemi, winner of the June 21, last year, governorship election.

The party, in the alternative, also urged the court to order a re-run of the election on the grounds that Fayose was not qualified to stand as a candidate at the poll.

From Odunayo Ogunmola, Ado-Ekiti

The five- man panel, led

by Justice Abdu Aboki, adjourned after listening to counsel to all parties in the appeal.

The respondents are PDP, Fayose, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chief of Army Staff and Inspector General of Police.

The APC is challenging Fayose’s election on the grounds that he was not qualified to stand election as a candidate by reason of his impeachment from office on October 16, 2006.

The party also sued the governor for the alleged

forgery of academic certificates and violation of the Code of Conduct Rules.

The Election Petitions Tribunal, led by Justice Mohammed Sirajo, in a judgment delivered in Abuja on December 19, last year, upheld Fayose’s election and dismissed the APC’s petition.

APC’s counsel Hakeem Afolabi adopted and relied on all briefs filed on behalf of his client, urging the court to allow the appeal and grant all reliefs sought by the appellants.

Afolabi drew the court’s attention to the striking out of paragraphs 110-120

and 125a of the petition by the lower tribunal, which borders on the qualification of the second respondent (Fayose).

The APC counsel argued that the reason given by the lower tribunal cannot be accommodated under Section 138 (a) of the Electoral Act. He contended that the decision of the tribunal was taken suo moto and that the right to fair hearing of the appellants was breached.

PDP’s counsel Robert Emukpoeruo argued that not only did the tribunal strike out the paragraphs in contention, it also

Women, students supportAmbode

Ondo PDP panel submits report

T

T

HE eight-man reconciliation committee set up by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State yesterday submitted its reports to Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

The committee was set up on January 10 to reconcile aggrieved members of the party.

The Deputy Governor, who is also the chairman of the committee, Alli Olanusi, submitted the report to Mimiko.

The submission was witnessed by the state chairman, Chief Clement Faboyede and his deputy, Fatai Adams, Chief of Staff to the governor, Dr Kola Ademujimi and all members of the committee.

The governor said the conflict within the party was envisaged because of the merger between two strong parties, the old Labour Party (LP) and the old PDP. He assured that the report would be utilised to strengthen the party.

Woman killed in Ogun From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta

A

MOTHER of three has been hacked to death by herdsmen after they allegedly gang-raped her on the farm at Oja-Odan community, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Mrs. Balogun was said to have gone to harvest cassava at the weekend when the assailants accosted her.

The Coordinator, Ketu Advancement Front (KAF), Kunle Abiose, appealed to Governor Ibikunle Amosun to secure the lives and property of residents.

He said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the people and herdsmen last year has not curbed the attacks.

Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said Mrs. Balogun’s remains were found in the bush and there was no evidence to show she was killed by herdsmen.

considered the merit of the complaints of the appellants.

Fayose’s counsel Yusuf Ali urged the court to dismiss the APC’s appeal.

Ali argued that the constitution of the panel that recommended Fayose’s impeachment violated constitutional provisions in that it was not set up by either a chief judge or an acting chief judge.

INEC’s counsel Wilcox Abereton, in adopting his brief of argument, averred that APC’s candidate Kayode Fayemi had conceded defeat, maintaining that the appellant (APC) is no longer entitled to any appearance.

The Army Chief’s counsel, Abayomi Sadiku, prayed the court to dismiss the appeal. He was seconded by the IG’s counsel, Olusola Oke. After listening to the lawyers, Justice Aboki reserved judgment in the appeal.

•From left: Agbaje; Ambode; Ambassador Entwistle; Consul General Jeffrey Hawkins and others at the signing…yesterday.

Ambode, Agbaje sign peace pact

T

HE governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Jimi Agbaje, yesterday signed a peace accord to maintain peace before and after the election.

The accord was signed at the Electoral Security Roundtable sponsored by the United States Embassy on Victoria Island, Lagos.

The peace deal was at the instance of the US Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, who said there was need for politicians to douse the tension in the

By Seun Akioye and Wale Ajetunmobi

country by maintaining peace and engaging in issue-based campaign.

The candidates also pledged, on behalf of their supporters, to promote peaceand commitment to the judicial process.

At the ceremony were the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Archbishop Alfred Martins, National Missioner of Ansarud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Imam Abdulrahaman Ahmad, Senior Pastor, House on the Rock, Pastor Paul Adefarasin and National Missioner of Fatil-ul-Qareeb Islamic Society, Sheikh Abdurrahaman Adangba.

After the ceremony, Agbaje called on his supporters to eschew violence. He said he was happy that there has been no death since he started his campaign.

The PDP candidate, who spoke during his campaign in Mushin and Oshodi/ Isolo yesterday, called on party members to be law abiding.

“I want to let you know that there is no reason for us to be violent because whatever the form the election is going to take, we are prepared. Everybody has seen that we have better ideas, let us continue to be peaceful because victory is ours,” he said.

Ekiti lawmakers’ suit: Fear of attack stops service on Fayose

E

KITI State House of Assembly Speaker Adewale Omirin and 18 other members have been unable to serve Governor Ayo Fayose notice of their suit filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos, for fear that the bailiffs will be attacked, arrested or killed.

Their lawyer, Norrison Quakers, told Justice Saliu Seidu that they were unable to serve the processes on the governor and other defendants due to safety concerns.

He suggested an undertaking by the defendants’ lawyers to accept service on their clients’ behalf.

The defendants are represented by a former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) General Secretary, Deacon Dele Adesina (SAN).

A lawyer from his office, Mr. E.O Afolayan, insisted that the order of court as to service of the processes must be complied with.

The plaintiffs may, therefore, use substituted service.

The Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, the

By Joseph Jibueze

Department for State Services (DSS) and the purported “Speaker”, Dele Olugbemi, are respondents.

Olugbemi was “elected” by seven PDP members of the House after claiming to have “impeached” Omirin.

Also joined as defendants are members loyal to Olugbemi- Samuel Ajibola, Adeojo Alexander, Adeloye Adeyinka, Isreal Ajiboye, Fatunbi Olajide, Olayinka Abeni; and the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti.

Three commissioners purportedly cleared by the House under Olugbemi, namely Oweseni Ajayi (Attorney-General), Kayode Eso (Works) and Toyin Ojo (Finance) were also joined as defendants.

The plaintiffs, in their originating summons, are praying the court to declare that Omirin and his deputy are entitled to occupy their offices except removed by the votes of two-third majority of the Assembly.

They also sought a declara-

tion that the attempt to force them to join the PDP is against their constitution right to freedom of association.

They also want the court to nullify the purported removal of the Speaker and his deputy by seven lawmakers for being unconstitutional.

Omirin, who was elected as Speaker on June 6, 2011, said a team of heavily security operatives were deployed to the Assembly’s premises on November 17, and prevented the plaintiffs from conducting their legislative duties.

Oyo SDP candidate restates his mission

O

VER 2,000 people have joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo State. The party Chairman, Sunday Adelaja, received the defectors in Iwajowa Local Government Area. He said they would be given equal opportunities with old members.

The party chairman congratulated the defectors for identifying with the SDP and promised that they would not regret their decision.

He told the party supporters and loyalists, who converged on the palace of

Sabiganna of Iganna to listen to the governorship candidate, Seyi Makinde.

Makinde thanked the politicians for their kind words about him and reiterated his commitment to banishing poverty in the state.

He said his coming into politics was not for personal enrichment, but to use the opportunity to liberate the people.

The SDP candidate enjoined his supporters to work assiduously for the success of the party, saying “it is by your work that we can get to office through which we can actualise our plans for the state”.

HE Sisters Forum- a coalition of women from various ethnic groups in Lagos, has endorsed the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

Its Executive Director, Mrs. Chinyere Anokwuru, said the decision to endorse Ambode was based on their assessment of his competence and experience.

“The emergence of Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode as the APC governorship candidate ended our worries on who could match Babatunde Fashola’s achievements.

“A look into his manifesto revealed that he had sufficient relief-oriented programmes for women.

The welfare and economic empowerment of women is uppermost in his heart amongst many others.

“Mr. Ambode’s credentials are excellent. His pedigree is spotless. He is the new face of leadership, transparency and competence. His intellectual and professional depth have put him on a pedestal that is higher than those of the other candidates.”

The National Union of Lagos State Students (NULASS) has also declared its support for Ambode.

At a briefing at the Federal College of Education, Technical, Akoka, Lagos, NULASS president, Abdullahi Mohammed said Ambode has the skills to take over from Governor Fashola.

The students thanked the governor for the bursary given to them. They praised the Special Assistant to the governor on Youth and Student Affairs, Animashaun Abdul-Akeem, for his efforts at carrying them along.

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

11

BUSINESS THE NATION

E-mail:- bussiness@thenationonlineng.net

There is nothing wrong in having a robust renewable energy programme in the country. In fact, government has taken a step in that direction by introducing the: ‘Light Up Nigeria’ scheme.

- Director-General, National Power Training Institute of Nigeria, Rueben Okeke

NAHCO to improve terminal security

Bi-Courtney to instal facilities

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

N

IGERIA’S ground handling operator, Nahco Aviance, has signed on the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to shore up security at the nation’s foremost airport, the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

This followed the fracas, which ensued between men and officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and licensed agents in November, last year.

The fracas led to the closure of the Cargo terminal for about two weeks by the Federal Government.

Armed operatives of the NSCDC had since January taken up positions in various sections of the terminal. They would have the responsibility to further enhance the security of the terminal.

The operatives, who are about 25 in number, would complement other security arrangements already put in place by the ground handler, who also has a subsisting MoU with the Nigeria Air Force.

According to the Head, Corporate Services, nahco aviance, Mr. Bashir Ahmed Gulma, Nahco Aviance, will do all it takes to ensure that the terminal is sanitised in line with the stakeholders agreement of December 2014.

He said: “The deployment of Civil Defence operatives in several areas of operations is just one in our series of efforts to ensure that the cargo terminal meets international requirements.We are committed to fulfilling our own part of the agreement we have with the Nigeria Customs Service.”

Gulma said the Civil Defence operatives would be confined only to NAHCO’s operational areas.

The entrance to the gate of terminal called Hajj Camp is not one of those areas, he added.

DATA STREAM COMMODITY PRICES Oil $59.5/barrel Cocoa $2,686.35/metric ton Coffee ¢132.70/pound Cotton ¢95.17pound Gold $1,396.9/troy Sugar $163/lb RATES Inflation 8% Treasury Bills -10.58%(91d) Maximum lending 30% Prime lending 15.87% Savings rate 3% 91-day NTB 15% Time Deposit 5.49% MPR 13% Foreign Reserve $34.5b FOREX (RDAS) US Dollar 168 Pounds 253.26 Euro 190.6968 Swiss Franc 181.1907 Yen 1.4316 CFA 0.2889 WAUA 235.9975

B

• From left: Executive Director, Mikado Nigeria Limited, Rasheed Mohammed; Global Trainer, USN Bryon Kennedy; MD/ CEO, Mikado Nigeria Limited, Mike Ojeme and African Development Manager, USN, Donovan Dunn, during the media parley and introduction of Ultimate Sports Nutrition (USN)Brands to Nigeria by Mikado Nigeria Limited in Lagos.

BoI boosts cassava bread with N2.2b

T

HE Bank of Industries (BoI) has commenced the disbursement of about N2.2 billion to boost the production of cassava bread, an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

This is to support the 174 members of the Association of Master Bakers of Nigeria who have indicated interest in the Cassava Bread Fund Initiative.

The cash is expected to be deployed in the acquisition of baking equipment which would enable the bakers achieve principally, the inclusion of about 20 per cent cassava flour into wheat flour for baking of cassava bread as well as other confectionaries.

Under the scheme, the

By Okwy lroegbu-Chikezie and Daniel Essiet

members were grouped in two batches, with N989 million already disbursed to the first batch of 100 beneficiaries, which is 92 per cent of the approved N1.074 billion. Of the remaining 74 beneficiaries, only 60 have met basic conditions precedent to facilitate the disbursement of 50 per cent grant amounting to N537.93 million. The requests for this batch are being processed as the suppliers of equipment only provided performance bonds as equipment delivery guarantees just last Wednesday, while the actual funds was released yesterday.

In a statement issued over

the weekend, BoI stated that the Fund is a revolving one, while the sustainability of the scheme is considered paramount. Consequently, the Bank’s Regional Officers have been engaged in visiting and verifying the effective and efficient utilisation of the funds in terms of equipment delivery, installation and efficient operation across the nation.

Similarly, the bank explained that N350 million was earmarked for 35 High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) millers to enable them upgrade their mills; the fund is divided into two: 50 per cent grant and 50 per cent loan.

Consequently, N195 million or 55.7 per cent of the fund, has been disbursed to

20 beneficiaries grouped into batches of 10 each as grant for the reconfiguration of their factories. The bank said while equipment for the first batch of 10 beneficiaries have been installed, the delivery and installation of the second batch of equipment to another 10 beneficiaries is “on going.”

And that with the pace of work, it is expected to be completed on or before February 20, 2015 all targeted at enabling the beneficiaries meet the desired HQCF volume.

The BoI assured that it was not only committed to the objectives of the Fund, but places on its front burner its sustainability by conscientiously managing the Ssheme.

’Nigeria’s bulk trade is from maritime’

A

BOUT 98 per cent of Nigeria’s bulk trade is done through the country’s maritime environment, the Commandant, Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, Kaduna, Air Vice Marshal John Chris Ifemeje, has said This development has continued to attract some security challenges with its attendant legal implications.

AVM Ifemeje, spoke at a seminar for Senior Course 37 of the Department of Maritime Warfare titled: ‘The law of the sea,’yesterday in Jaji.

He highlighted crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, operation of illegal oil refineries, illegal oil bunkering, sea robbery and piracy, as some major challenges facing the sector.

Represented by the Deputy Commandant, Rear Admi-

From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

ral Sylvanus Abbah, the Commandant maintained that the seminar was timely, relevant and, indeed, justifiable not only because Nigeria’s current quest to extend her continental shelf but also due to the legal and security burdens associated with such extensions, especially with the current heightened military, diplomatic, economic and legal interest in the Gulf of Guinea.

According to him, “Nigeria is a littoral state with a coastline of 420 nautical miles and vast sea space of 84, 000 square nautical miles. Within this area are living and non-living resources such as fish and crude oil from which comes about 90 per cent of our for-

eign earnings. Adjunct to the foregoing is the fact that 98 per cent of Nigeria’s bulk trade is done through our maritime environment.

“These economic activities which extend to the greater Gulf of Guinea (GOG) has continued to attract some security challenges with attendant legal implications in recent times.

He said: “The two seminar papers titled: Emerging security.Trend in the Gulf of Guinea: Legal perspective and Nigeria’s quest for extension of the continental Shelf: Issues and challenges’ are quite apt and very contemporary as this is not only because Nigeria’s current quest to extend her continental shelf but also due to the legal and security burdens associated with such extensions, especially with the current heightened military, diplo-

matic, economic and legal interest in the Gulf of Guinea.”

He praised the Director, Department of Maritime Warfare (DMW), Commodore Obinna Ofodile, for his vision in the choice of the topics and resources persons.

He said the seminar was designed to create a forum for the discussion of issues related to the maritime environment in which the students will operate after their course.

“The policing role of the Nigerian Navy is aimed at ensuring that the nation’s maritime space is conducive for economic activities, going by the enormity of this responsibility to the nation, the issue at stake is how the Nigerian Navy would carry out its task in line with the Laws of the Sea.

I-COURTNEY Aviation Services Limited plans to instal facilities at the new domestic terminal two of the Lagos Airport to boost self-check-in for passengers.

According to the terminal operator, the facilities are part of efforts to improve services to airlines.

The Chief Executive Officer of Bi-Courtney, Mr Christophe Pennick, said the installation of facilities is evidence of how to manage modern terminals.

He said the firm was ready to assist other terminal operators on the use of the facility.

Penninck said the firm would inaugurate facilitie soon, adding that BiCourtney will organise an event around the development to encourage other airports to install a similar system in their terminals.

Penninck also said MMA2 “is in the process of completing the implementation of the latest version of the Common User Passenger Processing System (CUPPS)”.

He said the IATA-compliant system, “makes it easier and more efficient to process passengers and increases the dwelling time in the terminal”.

He said BASL has also instal new automatic gates, which, when operational, will ensure that only passengers with valid boarding pass can enter the secure zones.

He said the company had made massive investment in the development of infrastructure in the terminal, including software and hardware upgrades of its passenger processing equipment and the installation of 14 additional check-in counters.

He noted that the company would always look for opportunities to invest in new equipment, adding: “As promised last year, we increased the capacity of the check-in area. We installed a full Baggage Reconciliation System (BRS), which will soon go live together with the CUPPS and egates.

This will make it possible to finally stop using manual bingo sheet and avoid baggage fraud. We installed two new escalators and a panoramic lift. We also replaced a lot of air conditioners throughout the terminal and hired a dedicated AC team to make sure the maintenance is constant.

“We also ordered five additional elevators and an escalator, all of which have already been delivered. The installation is on-going and when this is completed, the car park will finally have two functioning lifts. We also plan to acquire two additional power generators.

“To bring the terminal up to par with international airport terminals, we embarked on an extensive training of our staff.

All security personnel of BiCourtney have received twoweek ICAO-certified AVSEC training with the support of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

12

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

13

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

14

THE NATION

BUSINESS TRANSPORTATION

E-mail: ynotaderibigbe@gmail.com

Agwai: SURE-P has spent N73.8b on rail

T

HE Subsidy Reinvestment Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) has spent about N35.5 billion on the Gombe-Kafanchan-Port Harcourt intercity train service, its chairman, Lt Gen. Martin Luther Agwai (rtd) has said.

The service is an extension of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Eastern line inaugurated by Vice President Namadi Sambo last December.

Speaking at its inauguration, Agwai said: “On this section, SURE-P has spent N35.5 billion

Stories by Adeyinka Aderibigbe

comprising N5.23 billion in 2012, N14.41 billion in 2013 and N15.9 billion in 2014.’’

The Gombe-Kafanchan-PortHarcourt line has a feeder line at Kafanchan-Kaduna.

Agwai said SURE-P has spent N73.8 billion on the rail to rehabilitate the Western and Eastern rail lines since 2012 when the train transformation began.

Since its establishment in 2012, SURE-P has become an all purpose investment vehicle championing

the reactivation of train services.

Agwai said the soon to be inaugurated Abuja-Kaduna standard gauge track, the first to be built in Nigeria, is one of the projects to be handled by SURE-P under its investment in the rail modernisation initiative.

The rehabilitation of the Jebba to Kano track, he said, is ongoing, adding that the installation of the eastern and western rail lines is at advanced stage.

Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo, Transport Minister Senator Idris Umar, Nigeria Rail-

way Corporation (NRC) Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and Managing Director, Mr Adeseyi Sijuwade, among others, took a ride in the air-conditioned coaches from Gombe to Kwami within the city.

Some residents of Gombe metropolis, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), hailed the Federal Government’s initiative.

According to them, the return of rail transportation will boost socioeconomic development of the region and country.

• Agwai

NRC acquires new rail buses, trolleys

T

HE Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) has acquired two new multi-million naira air-conditioned 16seater rail buses and 18 five-seater motorised trolleys.

The rolling stocks, it was learnt, would improve the response time of the corporation’s engineers and technicians to emergencies especially in inaccessible areas along the rail network system.

Speaking while taking reporters round the equipment, NRC Managing Director Adeseyi Sijuwade said they would be deployed in the engineering and signals and maintenance units.

Their acquisition, he said, would further improve response time to blockages of rail tracks or total breakdowns that needed urgent attention.

With the buses, he said, engineers would have easier and quicker means of commuting within the rail network without waiting for the regular passenger trains.

The engineers, he said, would be able to address issues quicker and fix challenges that might arise in any section of the rail system.

• Rail buses:

The buses, Sijuwade said, were an addition to NRC’s fleet, adding that they would be deployed for inspection and maintenance.

The trolleys, Sijuwade said, would be allocated to railway maintenance engineers to facilitate regular tracks inspection and maintenance.

“With these, our men can use the buses on inspection and maintenance shuttles within the system and they can also be deployed to carry out specialised trainings on the corporation’s operations,” he said.

PHOTO: SOLOMON ADEOLA

Sijuwade explained that the trolleys were a departure from the pump trolleys inherited from the colonial masters which must be pumped at regular intervals by the operators before they could move.

Among others, the new trolleys, Sijuwade said, are fitted with Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), engine, and can carry five workmen, which means more hands, to handle the repairs, unlike the old pump trolleys that carry two persons. They are also fitted with tools wagon at the back to store

FRSC hails Special, Regular Marshals partnership

O

GUN State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Mr Adegoke Adetunji has praised the Special and Regular Marshals for working together in the bid to tackle road lawlessness.

Speaking at the inauguration of Itori Special Marshal Unit, Adetunji said the Corps had made an impact with the creation of the Special Marshals.

He put the statistics of crashes in the state at 47.7 per cent, with 24 per cent reduction recorded last year, compared with the same period in 2013.

Adetunji urged the Special Marshals to increase their patrols, saying the Corps’ vision for 2015 is the eradication of crashes.

He said the attainment of the mandate requires the commit-

ment of both Marshals.

He appealed to the Special Marshals to be more effective and efficient.

The state’s Coordinator, Special Marshals and Partnership, Elder Emmanuel Fagbenro, pledged the unit’s commitment to road safety.

According to him, Special Marshal is charged by law to prevent and minimise accidents on the highways.

He said the Itori Unit was created to cooperate with the Regulars to promote road safety.

He urged the Special Marshals to focus on enforcement, public enlightenment and arrest of erring drivers to ensure total eradication of accidents on the roads.

The Oniwasinmi of Wasinmi, Oba Emmanuel Osuntogun, hailed the Special Marshals for

• Motorised trolleys.

tools and materials, and a wind visor.

Sijuwade said 12 of the trolleys may be deployed in the western line, which is the corporation’s busiest corridor; the other six would be deployed to the Eastern line.

He said though more of these equipment would still need to be obtained by the corporation, the ones already delivered would go a long way in assisting the corporation deliver more service to Nigerians.

He said: “These trolleys are the vehicles that we are going to issue out to all our track maintenance engineers, to ensure that all our tracks are cleared and maintained. This becomes imperative

PHOTO: SOLOMON ADEOLA

especially when you realise that most of our tracks are not accessible by road. That is why the men must be equipped to ensure that they have easy access to any section of the tracks that may require their attention and repairs at a short notice.”

Sijuwade said the equipments would reduce passengers’ nightmares especially during breakdowns or track upgrading, adding that their acquisition is critical to the success of train services nationwide.

He said the equipment, which were designed to run on the existing narrow gauge, have been tested by the corporation’s engineers adding that they would soon be deployed to the various sections and divisions for use.

RTEAN seeks extension of auto policy’s implementation

T •Adetunji

their efforts in preaching safety.

He urged all road users to be disciplined noting that the task of making roads safe is multi-faceted. “The lives of the citizens using the roads are vital for socioeconomic renewal and national transformation,” he added.

HE Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has demanded that the national automotive policy’s implementation be extended by six months.

The implementation which should have begun last month was suspended by the Federal Government to get more backing for the policy.

RTEAN’s National President Alhaji Musa Shehu told reporters in Abuja that the extension would ease commuters’ pains.

He urged the government to grant a 70 per cent waiver on the over 4,000 mini and high capacity commuter vehicles expected to be imported within the period.

Shehu said: “The initiative is coming at a time when the government is discouraging importation of vehicles and encouraging local manufacturing of vehicles in the country.

“We support the Federal Government’s automotive policy but we are making this appeal in the knowledge that local manufacturers cannot meet the demand of these vehicles at the moment.

RTEAN, he said, supports the policy because it is running a nationwide mass transit scheme dedicated to low income earners.

Shehu said the scheme was meant to boost mass transportation for the benefit of the people.

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

15

THE NATION

BUSINESS AVIATION

‘Excessive charges killing airlines’

F

OR the second year running, there has been predictions of a robust growth in African airline business by the International Air Transport Association ( IATA).

IATA has hinged the predicted growth on improved facilities at airports, lower navigational charges and sundry factors.

While some African carriers including Ethiopian Airlines, Kenya Airways and South African Airways seem to be driving this prediction, the same cannot be said of Nigerian airlines.

Nigerian carriers are faced with poor airport and navigational facilities ass well as multiple charges.

Findings by The Nation has revealed that in the same period, domestic airline business in the country has taken a huge downward slide. Experts and stakeholders in the aviation sector have not ceased to blame some government policies, amidst other factors, as responsible for this malaise.

The chairman Committee on Aeronautical and Passenger Charges In the aviation sector, Mr Ahonsi Unuigbe, reckons that the excessive charges levied on operators

By Kelvin Osa Okunbor

in the industry remains a major albatross in having an efficient, effective and profitable airline business locally. For instance, Unuigbe revealed that the imposition of multiple charges on airlines by aviation agencies and regulators, has constituted a huge yoke on the operational costs of airlines. These excessive charges he listed to arise from payments to ground handling companies , concessionaires and other players in the aviation sector.

These, in most cases, are duplications for related services .

He said such multiplication of charges is affecting the operations of many investors in the sector.

Speaking in an Interview, Unuigbe said such practice could be a huge disincentive to operators are grappling under huge operating costs and other challenges.

The committee was set up last year by minister of aviation to review all aeronautical and non Aeronautical charges by aviation agencies on passengers and airlines.

Unuigbe said the committee has come up with its findings to help reshape practices

that would increase competitiveness in the aviation industry.

He said that the imposition of port charges as well as cargo charges by the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on the same cargoes enough evidence that the industry is plague with multiple charges.

He said : ``With respect to passenger ticket charges, the basis of some of these charges, is not known and is quite arbitrary. The committee analysed the basis of computation of passenger tickets for four domestic airlines, namely, Arik, Dana, Medview and First Nation. ``The analysis shows that an amount ranging from 40 per cent to 65 per cent of the airfare is hidden as fuel surcharge, known as YQ. The computation of this fuel surcharge is unknown to both passengers and Government alike. ``Equally, this cost element has been omitted by the airlines in the computation of both VAT and Ticket Sales Charge, resulting in significant loss of revenue to the Federal Government,'' he said.

According to him, there is also a prevalence of inaccu-

rate computation of statutory charges and non-remittance of the passenger charges collected by airlines to appropriate aviation authorities. ``From the tickets analysed, some airline operators deliberately charge as high as nine per cent of Base fare as Ticket Sales Charge as against the statutory five per cent, expected to be remitted to the government through the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA),'' he said.

The Chairman noted that there is incidence of poor service quality to passengers in the face of non-enforcement of the passenger bill of rights.

He noted that the passenger bill of rights, as contained in the NCAA Act, clearly entitles passengers to several means of redress, in the event of any infraction, adding that these rights are not known to most passengers nor are they being enforced by NCAA. Unuigbe explained that the minimum capitalisation requirement for domestic airlines is N500 million, which at today's exchange rate, barely covers the cost of effectively operating and maintaining one aircraft.

NAHCo advocates partnership in service delivery THE Acting Managing Director /CEO of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCo) Aviance, Norbert Bielderman, has called for partnership in the provision of optimum service delivery at airports nationwide.

His call is predicated on several challenges experienced by passengers and airport users at Nigerian airports.

He said this while presenting a paper titled, “Improving Passenger Experience through Optimising the use of Automated Check-in and Baggage Drop-off Facilities” at Airport Business Summit and Expo in Abuja.

Bielderman, who was represented by the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Mr. Hassan Yahaya, urged airport authorities to allow for partnership in the provision of optimum service delivery at the various airports for all users.

The Acting Managing Direc-

tor listed some of the challenges experienced by passengers and other users of airports to include; long queues, poor facilitation guide, poor ventilation, ineffective departure hall belts, frequent break down of conveyor belts and high passenger taxes.

He called on stakeholders in the aviation industry to prevail on the Federal Government to follow through with its aviation roadmap towards lifting the sector from the doldrums.

Bielderman contended that that automation of the Checkin and Baggage Drop-off facilities for example, will add value, speed, convenience and control for the passengers and that it will help airlines reduce cost and bottlenecks.

Airports through automation of facilities will achieve a better space management and increased processing capacity amongst others.

NCAA warns airlines against indebtedness THE Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has warned airlines against indebtedness, adding that it will come down hard on such operators.

NCAA Director-General, Capt Usman Muhtar stated this at a meeting with the workers, warning that he would not hesitate to sanction airlines that are indebted to it.

“The Director-General has warned all operating airlines who are indebted to the authority to commence remittance of outstanding and current payments, or appropriate sanctions will be applied in full,” it said.

He gave kudos to all the airline operators in Nigeria and the foreign carriers who equally ensured safety and security in their operations.

He noted that the volume of traffic was on the increase and therefore advised the operators

to ensure compliance to NCAA’s safety guidelines and regulations.

“While the primary safety lies in the purview of the operators, the regulatory authority will continue to provide the regulatory framework that will increase their value chain,” he said, adding that training and retraining of staff remained one of its major priorities for 2015.

He assured that the authority will not rest on its oars but will ensure a greater efficiency and sustenance of the robust regulation that has been the hallmark of the NCAA. While stating that the year 2014 was an accident free year, he added that complacency will have no place in its regulatory functions but will rather be strengthened by adequate training of staff this year.

ICAO meets on aircraft overflight in conflict zones

• From left: Managing Director, Azman Air Alhaji Mohamed Abdumunaf; Chief Executive Officer, Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) Mr. Christophe Penninck and Bi-Courtney’s Head of Aeronautical Services Mr. Raphael Uchegbu at the company’s Appreciation Dinner in Lagos.

Sanya Airways begins direct freighter service

S

ANYA Airways Corporation, a United States of America (USA) registered airline, has announced its readiness to commence a new freighter service from the world’s busiest airport, Atlanta, to Nigeria’s economic capital, Lagos, with a B767-300ER on Aircraft Crew Maintenance Insurance (ACMI) programme from ABX Global.

The B767 freighter, according to the chief operating officer (COO), of the airline, Segun Adesanya, will initially operate weekly frequency on a continuation leg to Lagos from Liege, in Belgium, and then to Na-

mibia where it will airlift perishables bound to Liege.

Adesanya claimed the B767 venture would enable the airline to market perishable exports from Southern Africa to Europe, a market he revealed that is now growing rapidly.

He also stated that the service would provide inbound capacity for Sanya shipment in Europe and USA for onward connectivity to its West African network as well as provide equal opportunity for delivering products that are bought on line abroad by African traders.

The COO explained that the aircraft loading capability makes it the best to

offer payload up to 45 tonnes as well as accept long and oversize pieces thereby making its service a new dimension of business to and from Africa.

His words: “We are very excited with this new venture that will be cost-effective cargo solutions to freight forwarders, traders, online users for heavy and outsize pieces, energy equipment, time critical cargo and dangerous goods.

He continued: “Sanya Airways Corporation is able to provide highly competitive pricing, offer block space, backloads and other commercially innovative solu-

tions that are value-added service to our clients.”

He disclosed that his company’s partner in Nigeria, Broadline Services Limited (BSL), would assist the airline with documentation collection, customs formalities where required, while trucking and warehousing arrangements will be provided by Nahco Aviance.

Adesanya, a Nigerian, who hails from Ogun State, therefore solicited for an enabling environment, cooperation, understanding and best work ethics while promising to service the international community by making Lagos the main hub in Africa.

THE International Civil Aviation Organisation will hold a high-level safety meeting this week to look at the global tracking of commercial aircraft and over-flights in conflict zones.

More than 800 participants are expected to attend the four-day international gathering at ICAO’s headquarters, in Montreal, Canada.

The US, Australia, the Netherlands and Malaysia are sending large delegations to the conference.

ICAO, the UN agency that governs civil aviation, said the conference will review the current situation, look at how to manage aviation safety in the future and study ways to increase regional co-operation.

The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 last March, is being used as a peg for the engagement. The plane went down while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people on board.

The meeting will review an industry report that was the result of a task force set up by the International Air Transport Association, fol-

lowing the tragedy.

The report, submitted late last year, noted that there are areas of the world where tracking capabilities are limited by interference, and other issues, such as the lack of communications’ infrastructure.

The task force came up with a set of performance criteria that include identifying the position of an aircraft at least every 15 minutes.

ICAO said the vast majority of commercial flights are fully tracked, but pointed out that there are gaps in certain areas of the world.

IATA, whose 250 member airlines represent almost 85 per cent of all air traffic, noted that more than 100,000 daily flights operate safely around the world.

The ICAO conference will also look at recommendations on how to deal with risks to civil aviation that occur in conflict zones.

Last July, Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile while flying over the war-torn section of Ukraine.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

16

THE NATION

BUSINESS ENERGY

E-mail:- energy@thenationonlineng.net

Fed Govt seeks 10 per cent power generation from coal

A

S part of the Federal Government’s efforts to diversify the sources of power generation, attention is being focused on exploiting the abundant coal deposits in some parts of the country.

The government expects to generate 10 per cent of the power supply needs of Nigerians from coal, the Power Minister, Prof Chinedu Nebo, has said, adding that licences are being given to companies that want to invest in coal-power plants.

Nebo, who spoke in Lagos, said: “Government is working on diversifying sources of power generation to make sure that we have a good robust energy mix.

As a result of this, more licences have been issued to companies

•More licences for solar power generators

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

that are interested in mining coal for power generation. We are looking at a time where about 10 per cent of our power generation will come from coal-fired turbines. The President is determined to ensure that it happens.”

He said the decision to veer into exploitation of coal for power generation has become imperative in view of the menace of gas pipeline vandalism, which seriously sabotages government’s efforts at providing stable power supply to the populace. He said vandalism is a thorn in the flesh of the

SON moves against importers of fake LED bulbs

I

MPORTERS of sub-standard Light Emitting Diode (LED) energy saving bulbs are in for hard times, says the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON). It has adopted measures to stop influx of such bulbs.

The organisation has also started examination of all imported LED bulbs to determine their genuineness. LED bulbs are considered the best energy saving bulbs. They are expensive but have long life span.

SON’s Head of Enforcement, Bede Obayi said the bulbs are undergoing tests in the agency’s laboratory to determine their level of reliability, and further ensure that those that fail to meet the required safety standards are impounded to serve as deterrent to other importers.

He said the tests vary in scope, adding that they seek to achieve a common goal of differentiating the original from fake.

Obayi told The Nation that SON is conducting what it described as Life and Turfion tests on the bulbs in order to know the compositions, workings, and other vital information about the bulbs, and subsequently separate the fake from the original.

He said Life test is going to show the life span of the bulbs vis-a-vis knowing the number of hours they can spend before they go off, while the Turfion test shows the distinct and definite natures of the bulbs.

He said bulbs are expected to spend certain number of hours, days, or months, adding that there are cases whereby bulbs goes off few hours after they are fixed.

Obayi explained that people use substandard energy saving bulbs without considering their financial and health implications. He said bulbs that are not showing reasonable level of light emission, offering lasting value, among meeting other requirements provided by their manufacturers, are deemed to be substandard, and should be withdrawn from the market.

Obayi said there was no let up in the fight against importation of substandard energy equipment, noting that SON has been withdrawing obsolete gas cylinders from the market in line with the Federal Government’s directive that the products must be phased out to pave way for the production of new ones locally.

According to him, complaints from customers made the government to initiate the tests, among taking other precautionary measures to protect the users.

He said the delay in impounding fake energy bulbs, was as a result of lack of enough evidence on them, stressing that the tests would give a true picture of the bulbs used in Nigeria.

By Akinola Ajibade

Obayi said: “It was not proper for SON to start impounding energy saving bulbs without having enough proofs to substantiate its claims. The tests would reveal a lot of things. The outcome would determine the next line of action which SON would take.

We have heard of fake energy saving bulbs in the market, but we need to follow due process by conducting a thorough investigation on the issue before we do anything.

“We have organised a forum for all the stakeholders especially those that are importing the bulbs. We told them to collect Standards Organisation of Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) certificate since it is a major way of knowing whether products coming into Nigeria meet the local standards.

He said possessing of SONCAP certificate is mandatory for importers of goods into the country, arguing that anybody without the certificate is not worthy of bringing goods into the country.

The government’s decision to introduce pre-paid meters made electricity consumers to determine their consumption level and costs. In recent times, millions of energy conserving bulbs have flooded the market as consumers transit from analog to pre-paid meters.

government as 70 per cent of the nation’s power supply comes from gas fired turbines. “The phenomenon of gas pipeline vandalisation is another problem. Vandalism is taking a toll on us and it is a situation where our own compatriots vandalise the oil and gas pipelines and especially the gas pipelines. About 70 per cent of our power generation is gasfired turbines and 30 per cent hydro. We have not been doing coal, renewable and biomass, among others, and these are areas the government is focusing now,” he said.

Nebo also noted other areas the government is channeling resources and attention to improve power supply including existing and proposed new hydro plants.

He said: “The hydro power plants including Kainji, Jebba, and Shiroro, the government has done much to make sure they go back to their ini-

tial capacity. For over 30 years, there has been no overhauling of the Kainji turbines but this government has undertaken that. Very soon Jebba and Kainji will be operating at capacity or near capacity. We are also working on about 12 small and medium hydro plants including Kashimbilla, which is almost ready and will be inaugurated soon. The turbines have been installed but the transmission components will be flagged off shortly. The contract has already been awarded.

“Work has also started in Zungeru hydro power since 2013.

A lot of civil works are ongoing there and on completion, the plant will be generating 700 megawatts (MW) to the national grid and the President will soon flag off the Mambilla power project that will add 3050MW when completed.

“Licences have been issued by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission(NERC) to companies that want to do solar power

generation in Nigeria and the good thing is that there is an attraction because solar is more capital intensive but its maintenance is much less. Down through the year, you don’t have to buy fuel because God has already given the fuel, which is the sunlight. So, solar is expensive to install but costs much less to maintain along the year. For over years, you save a lot of money by using solar technology and government is working very hard to make sure it happens by giving solar the highest tariff consideration. If you are generating power by solar, you will get the best tariff in the country.

“More independent power plants (IPPs) are coming. The Azura-Edo IPP, a 450MW Open Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT) power station, which is part of a 1,500MW facility being developed near Benin City, was flagged off about two months ago. Ughelli power plant has not only doubled capacity within a year but is also trying to add another 1000MW in the next 12 to 24 months.”

•A power plant. Inset: Nebo.

Seplat aims at 50,000 bpd equity production by 2071

N

IGERIA’s leading indigenous independent oil producer, Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, has set its eyes on achieving daily equity production of 50,000 barrels of oil and 250 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) of gas by end of 2017.

Seplat’s Managing Director, Austin Avuru, told The Nation that the production milestones had been their target from the beginning. He said besides the newly acquired interests in oil mining leases (OMLs) 53 and 55, the operated production stands at between 70,000 and 74,000 barrels per day (bpd) and between 120 and 275 mmscf/d by end of this first quarter. However, Seplat’s equity production is 33,000 bpd.

With the recent acquisitions, the targets may likely be achieved before 2017, an industry stakeholder told our correspondent.

Avuru said: “Our plans from the beginning has always been to increase not just gas or oil but continuously grow oil and gas production to a possible plateau at the

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

end of 2017. But more importantly to a sustainable plateau, which means we must also find the reserves to underpin that plateau production and achieve a reserve production ratio of at least 20 years. In summary, we will grow oil, gas production and grow our reserves to a level that can sustain that growth in oil and gas production.

It is a tripartite thing and we will focus on them, so for us these days, we no longer talk about operated production, we talk about our own equity production.

“Today, we are on an operated production of about between 70,000 and 74, 000 barrels per day and our equity there is around 33,000 barrels per day. We hope to drive our own equity production for oil over the next three years closer 50,000 barrels per day, and drive our gas production equity to between 200 mmscf/d and 250 mmscf/d in the next three years.

Those are projections but that is where we want to be. Again, there are mitigants to all of these – oil price, cut down on capital expenditure (capex) but that is where we want

to be.

“By the end of this year’s first quarter, we would have doubled our producing capacity from 120mmscf/d to about 275mmscf/ d. And our new plant is modular, so we can stick in two extra modules and add another 150mmscf within a short time and with a relatively small capex spend. What that means is that we can build it up to 375mmscf/d or 400 mmscf/d. So our target at the end of 2017, is to be able to process and deliver between 300 mmscf/d and 400 mmscf/d and they will all go into the domestic market. And by that time, our target is to see that 20-30 per cent of our bottom-line is from gas.

Seplat just bought 40 per cent interest from OML 53 and 22.50 per cent interest from OML 55 to be able to meet their projected targets.

On the acquisitions, Avuru said: “This transaction fits neatly with our strategy of securing, commercialising and monetising natural gas in the Niger Delta with a view to supplying the rapidly growing and evolving domestic market.

In addition to the large scale discov-

ered, but undeveloped gas and condensate resources that are yet to be fully classified through detailed technical work, there are near term opportunities to increase and optimise oil production significantly above current levels. We very much look forward to working with NNPC and leveraging our technical and commercial expertise as operator to realise the full potential of this high grade acreage.

“The addition of OML 55 to our portfolio, also expands our footprint in the Niger Delta to six blocks and further cements our position as a leading indigenous independent exploration and production (E&P) in Nigeria. OML 55 provides us with a number of attractive opportunities to boost oil and gas output, and is consistent with our strategy of prioritising those that offer nearterm production growth, cash-flow and reserve replacement potential in the onshore and shallow water offshore areas of Nigeria. We are pleased to have extended our operating partnership with NNPC who we look forward to working with in our capacity as operator pursuant to the Joint Operating Model,” he added.

17

MONDAY TUESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2015

POLITICS THE NATION

E-mail:- politics@thenationonlineng.net

LAGOS APC RALLY

•Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Mr Akinwunmi Ambode at the Alimosho rally...yesterday.

What next after polls postponement?

Against people’s expectation, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has succumbed to the pressure to shift the general elections till next month, fueling suspicions that those behind the shift have a hidden agenda.

EMMANUEL OLADESU writes on the implications of the postponement for the electoral process.

W

HEN the poll shift proponents kicked off the strange campaign in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), stakeholders dismissed their activities with a wave of the hand. Both parties-the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC)-intensified their rallies across the six geo-political zones. But, when the PDP discovered to its chagrin that the outcome of the elections may not favour President Goodluck Jonathan, the ruling party threw its weight behind the postponement crusade, to the consternation of the APC candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who was believed to have an edge over the president, ahead of the exercise.

With the postponement, the parties were back to square one.

The two main parties have now returned to the drawing board.

PDP leaders celebrated the shift in Abuja with the President and the National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu. A source said that the chieftains believe that the six week-gap would enable them to re-strategise and repackage the President for another round of rallies.

To the APC, the postponement was in bad faith. The shift has made an adjustment to the campaign time-table more compelling. A member of the Lagos State APC Publicity Secretary said that more campaign materials would be produced and rallies may be repeated in sone zones. But, APC leaders also perceived the postponement as a blessing in disguise. The circumstances surrounding the postponement has become a campaign issue. “The President said that he cannot guarantee security. Why is he looking for a second term, if he cannot discharge his constitutional duties of protecting life and property? Nigerians will not vote for a leader who cannot protect them,” said Lagos APC Publicity Secretary Comrade Joe Igbokwe.

However, a PDP chieftain, Chief Ishola Filani, who had defended the agitation for postponement, shortly before the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, announced the shift, said the poll will fail because the commission was not ready for the exercise. “Thirty five percent distribution of PVCs is outstanding.

If the election is conducted, many people will be disenfranchised. Is it good to exclude Nigerians from voting?” he queried.

But, subsequent events after the announcement of new election dates have lent credence to the feeling that the Federal Government requested for the shift to achive an undisclosed motive. Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), who gave an insight into what transpired at the Council of State meeting, said the government forced the postponement down the throat of the electoral agency. Berating the PDP for the embarrassing decision, the governor, who addressed a rally in Alimoso, said President Godluck Jonathan acted against the public opinion.

Fashola, who spoke in Yoruba, said: “I was at the meeting we told the President that INEC should conduct the election and he disagreed. Former Heads of State said the poll should be held on February 14 and 28. He said no. Former Chief Justices of the Federation said the poll should hold. He still objected.

He is afraid of Buhari. That is why they don’t want election.”

The postponement has been a major topic for discussion among Nigerians. A source said that the shift may not be the end of the game. Conscious of an imminent power shift, PDP chieftains, added the source, may have seen the futility of insisting on Dr. Jonathan’s candidature for the critical exercise.

“Unless there is a concerted effort to resist further postpone-

ment after the first postponement, some circumstances may be created that may make the polls unfeasible. The interim option is still there. The President may be persuaded to jettison his second term so that the PDP can field a candidate from the North to face Buhari. What the INEC will be made to do is to hold other layers of elections and postpone the presidential election for the second time. In Nigeria, nothing is impossible,” added the source.

Reacting to the postponement, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora described it as a coup against the people. He said the argument that the Northeast is unsafe is not tenable, pointing out that many countries battling with terrorism have not shelved general elections.

The Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER) also took exception to the postponement, saying that it has made INEC a lame duck. Its Coordinator, Mr. Ayo Opadokun, said that Jega was blackmailed to shift the dates, adding that the commission has lost its independence. “The real reason for postponing the elections may have been concealed from the public. There is a hidden agenda somewhere and Nigerians should not sleep on guard, “ he added.

However, Lagos State PDP governorship candidate Jimi Agbaje said the poll shift was constitutional, although he acknowledged that it meant more expenses and more stress for candidates. “The postponement is within the confines of the constitution and the electoral guidelines. As long as May 29 is sacrosanct, everything is in order,” he added.

After the poll shift, what next? Fashola enjoined Nigerians to prepare for March 28 and April 11. He told party supporters •Continued on page 18

18

THE NATION TUESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2015

as an ethnic nationality has a ‘ Ikwere very critical role to play at this point in the life of Rivers State ‘

Community backs Igbinedion’s daughter

‘Ambode is right choice for Lagos’

A

LL Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Hon. Bolaji Ayinla has urged Lagosians to vote for experienced politicians at the polls. He said there is no room for trial and error candidate. He said the party deliberately chose Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, an experienced administrator, as its governorship candidate.

Ayinla, a member of Lagos State House of Assembly, is contesting for the House of Representatives in Mushin II Constituency. He said what is needed in Lagos is continuity. Ayinla said the foundation was laid by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu 15 years ago, adding that Governor Babatunde Fashola has built on it.

The flag bearer said, if elected, Ambode will not only consolidate on the legacy, but he will also move Lagos to the next level.

He said that Lagos will remain a model state under Ambode.

Ayinla described Ambode as a seasoned civil servant and a professional, who has what it takes to govern the state. “There is no doubt the APC will win, not only in Lagos State, but

T

By Leke Salaudeen

nationwide,” he said.

Ayinla added: “There is no room for trial and error in Lagos. We can’t entrust the governance of the state in the hands of an inexperienced candidate that will take us back. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) can’t make any difference in 2015 with Jimi Agbaje as its governorship candidate.

“Agbaje was one of us. He should have waited for his turn and be groomed for the job. But, his inordinate ambition has taken him to two or three parties within eight years. Agbaje is not in the right party. He should retrace his steps and return to the progressive fold where he belongs.”

On his mission in the House of Representatives, Ayinla said his experience from the campaign field has shown that the immediate needs of his constituents are employment for the youths, security of life and property and provision of basic infrastructure, including stable power supply, good roads and potable water.

He promised to attract federal

•Ayinla

presence to his constituency, if elected. Ayinla therefore, urged people to reject President Goodluck Jonathan and vote for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential election.

He advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that all eligible voters collect their voter’s cards so that they can exercise their franchise during the elections.

“INEC is improving on the distribution of voter’s card. If they keep the tempo, we shall get there,” he added.

APC kicks off campaigns in Edo North

T

HE All Progressive Congress (APC) has kickoff the general election in Edo North campaign. The chief marketing officer was no other person than the leader of the party in Governor Adams Oshiomhole who flagged off the campaign in Auchi, the senatorial headquarters told the crowd at Ikelebe Sports Arena that the APC is proud of its candidates.

The governor, who x-rayed the candidates from Akoko Edo, Owan and Etsako, described them as political brands rather than mere products. According to him, “these are tested and trusted persons, the best of the best in Afemailand. So, I want you to support them with your votes and send them to Benin and Abuja as your representatives to help make laws that will benefit our people and Nigerians in general.”

The governor subsequently presented the candidates with party flags, urging them to go out there, sell themselves and the party manifesto to win the heart of the electorates.

The candidates are: Chief Francis Alimikhena, the senatorial candidate for Edo North, Hon. Phillip Shaibu, who is the out-going Majority Leader in the state House of Assembly and the party’s candidate for the Etsako Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, and the three candidates who want to represent Etsako in the state House of Assembly. Damian Lawani ( Etsako Central), Kinsley Ugabi (Etsako East), and Gowon Jerry Yakubu (Etsako West). Given the short period for the campaign, the candidates hit the ground running, taking the train to the 32 wards in Etsako.

The first port of call was the palace of the Otaru of Auchi, Haliru Momoh, Ikelebe 111. Then the Okumagbe of Weppa Wanno, George Oshiapi Ihiabor where the candidates visited for royal blessings and possibly for endorsement. Led by the party’s state

‘

These are tested and trusted persons, the best of the best in Afemailand. So, I want you to support them with your votes and send them to Benin and Abuja as your representatives that will help make laws that will benefit our people and Nigerians in general

‘

Deputy Chairman, Alhaji Otunba Mogaji, the Okumagbe specifically advised the candidates on the need for issue-driven campaign, instead of those of hate and attacks on personality. He also urged them to key into the Abuja peace accord signed by leaders of political parties. He said he was particularly pleased with the peaceful conduct of the primaries that produced the candidates.

Alimikhena, a chief, is from Weppa Wanna. The huge turn out of supporters from the wards was highly intimidating. The village heads, opinion leaders and various interests groups said they were mobilizing their people in support of the APC because of the dividends of democracy enjoyed by their communities.

They said they were ready to reciprocate the gesture at the polls.

Some of those interviewed said the candidates should not to bother to visit their communities for campaigns as the projects executed by the governor would speak for them. They promised to

vote for whoever Oshiomhole and the party present as candidates.

If the candidates eventually get the endorsement of the people of Etsako after the election, they will all be green horns in the hallowed chambers in Benin and Abuja with the exception of Phillip Shaibu, who is the out-going Majority Leader of the Edo State House of Assembly.

This son of a pastor, rugged activist and former NANS President (1999 to 2000) is expected to bring to the table a wealth of legislative experience garnered since 2007 in the State House of Assemble where he has distinguished himself as an astute legislator who puts the people ffirst. From Minority Leader in the House, Shaibu has headed some key committees as chairman which included Rules, Business and Government House.

As a representative of Etsako West Constituency, Shaibu told the people in the wards visited that, in his eight years in the House, he has executed 42 verifiable projects in his constituency. He has also sponsored 26 bills and moved 109 motions in the House.

HE people of Udo community in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State have adopted Omosede Igbinedion as the candidate for the Ovia Federal Constituency seat.

Omosede, who is a daughter of Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom, is contesting for the House of Representatives on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The traditional ruler of Udo community, Ekhorutomwen Igbinudu, the Iyase of Udo, said the election is not just about political parties, but also about the individuals involved.

He spoke when Omosede paid him a condolence visit on the death of his mother, Iguoyedala Igbinudu.

Igbinudu said the community

From Osagie Otabor, Benin

would vote massively for Omosede.

According to him, “Do not be afraid of Udo community. With the way you are talking, it shows you are supposed to represent us in Abuja because we need someone who is articulate.

“There are 46 villages under my control. We have 15 quarters here in Udo. We know what to do when the time comes.”

On her part, Omosede said she was at the palace to condole with the monarch and the entire Udo community.

She said being the only female gunning for a seat in the the National Assembly meant she has already won because the women need to be represented.

‘Beware of opposition’s antics’

A

POLITICIAN, Mr Opeyemi Salami, has urged the people of Oyo State not to allow themselves to be deceived by selfish and unscrupulous politicians in the opposition parties.

He urged the people to pray for peace to reign in the state and the country at large.

Salami gave this warning during the commissioning of a transformer donated for Gospel Faith Mission International (GOFAMINTS) by the wife of the governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi.

He also warned some members of

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

the opposition, whom he accused of planning to cause crisis in the state.

He added: “We are calling for peaceful coexistence among the people of the state.The people of the state should not allow selfish politicians in the opposition parties to deceive them; they failed the people of the state when they were given the opportunity to serve and that is why we should all vote for Governor Abiola Ajimobi and the APC for continuity”

What next after postponement?

•Continued from page 17

at Alimoso: “Buhari has asked me to greet you . He said you should not fight because he does not want anybody to die. He said you should go and take your OVCs, if you have not obtained them.” The governor also urged party supporters to sustain the tempo of mobilisation, ahead of the poll.

“Be calm. Be patient. The end has come for the PDP. Your government is on the way,” he said.

Lagos State APC Chairman Otunba Dele Ajomale said the poll shift was worrisome, urging party supporters not to despair. He described the election as a football match, adding that the PDP has refused to file out. Addressing party faithful at Abesan Estate, Ipaja, he said:”Don’t despair. Vote and you will reap the reward for voting wisely. They think they can dampen our enthusiasm by postponing the elections. They are wasting their time.

They are footballers who refused to come to the field. With the shift, they will lose by a wide margin.”

Southwest APC Women Leader Chief Kemi Nelson said the postponement ,may be a blessing in disguise for the main opposition party. She advised Nigerians to obtain their voter’s cards and maintain their abiding commitment to change at the centre.

However, there are certain issues that should be resolved before the new dates. Security chiefs have said that they needed six weeks to restore security in the Northeast states of Adamawa, Yobe, Borno and Gombe. If they fail to restore security, what happens? Will the polls be postponed again?

One of the reasons for postponing the elections was the flawed distribution f the PVCs. What methods will the Federal Government employ to encourage Nigerians to go for the cards? State governments have declared public holidays. Will the Federal Government follow suit?

•From left to right: All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains Dr. Bunmi Omosehindemi, Hon. Ayo Odeyemi, Dr. Tola Kasali and Alhaji Akani Seriki at the Epe APC divisional rally in Ikosi-Ejirin, Lagos State.

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

19

COMMENTARY EDITORIALS

LETTER

Nigeria’s last chance

Bow out now

•The service chiefs who blackmailed the electoral commission to postpone the elections should resign immediately

T

HE postponement of the 2015 general elections by six weeks will continue to agitate minds of Nigerians for long. Professor Attahiru Jega who heads the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), told a bewildered nation last Saturday that the decision was forced on the election management agency by a piece of advice from the military. He explained that the service chiefs were unanimous in endorsing the National Security Adviser’s (NSA) recommendation that the elections be postponed by six weeks.

This is a dangerous development capable of affecting the unity, territorial integrity and peace of the country. When the NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, first made the call for postponement of the election in London, he hinged it on the failure of the election commission to get majority of Nigerians to obtain the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). He said it would violate a central tenet of democracy if a large portion of registered voters were disenfranchised.

some officers and soldiers have just been tried and condemned to death for deserting the war front. By refusing deployment for election purposes, the armed forces chiefs have committed the same crimes for which the Chief of Defence Staff, Marshall Alex Badeh, gleefully announced that the sentence on the personnel would serve as deterrent to others.

The service chiefs committed higher crimes of treason than the condemned mutineers since the constitution puts the armed forces in the charge of Badeh and his chiefs.

Military has no role in polls We are miffed, anyway, that the military now regards electoral duties as its

Blackmail However, after Professor Jega met the Council of State on Thursday and declared that the commission was ready to perform its statutory function, the service chiefs were brought in to blackmail the commission. The military chiefs said they could not guarantee the safety of lives of those to be deployed for the ordinarily harmless task of conducting the elections.

Heads of the armed forces whose duty it is to protect the nation’s territorial integrity have, ironically, sent fear down the spines of the people by declaring their inability to guarantee safety of electoral personnel should the general elections earlier fixed for February 14 and 28 •Jonathan be allowed to go on.

The military that has failed to curb the Boko Haram insurgency in the past two years, did not tell the nation what magic it would perform to bring the situation under control within six weeks. After a series of meetings where he tried to sell the INEC position to stakeholders last Saturday, the commission’s chairman said his hands were tied as the security chiefs had unanimously told him a shift for six weeks would be needed to tidy up the action against insurgents in the North East.

Ulterior motive

It is obvious that the declaration was motivated by reasons other than the professional. The NSA was personally appointed by the President on whose behalf we believe he was acting in making the suggestion. Since then, the ruling party has consistently aligned with that position. By agreeing to be so used by a section of the political class and the presidency, the military chiefs have no basis to hold on to their positions. They have been so shamelessly used against the national interest, and, for subverting the electoral process, they should be relieved of their positions and tried for treason. It is ironical that their action came at a point that

Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states would make it impossible to perform any other roles in other parts of the country is at best a smokescreen for an invidious plan to force a shift of the polls dates.

As a result of these men’s action, the country is on tenterhooks. The military has been brought to disrepute and, in the eyes of the international community; the country is on focus once again for the wrong reasons. It is believed that the cloud is gathering and the government is heavily influencing what is clearly beyond its purview. A time there was when the military was highly regarded. But, in recent times, heads of the armed forces have shown that they are more loyal to the President as Commander-in-Chief and politicians in the ruling party than the country.

This is a dangerous development. In his state, Badeh at a point showed open hostility to former Governor Murtala Nyako when he dumped the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Nigerian people want peace; they also want a government that enjoys their mandate. The country once went through a gruelling civil war that lasted 30 months and left devastation in its trail. The electorate is aware of the consequences of a badly managed electoral process and division in the armed forces. These are frightening prospects that should be avoided at all cost.

Despicable role

primary duty. It is the sole responsibility of the police to provide security cover for those on electoral duty. In the First and Second Republics, the armed forces were not brought into the picture at all. The police were trained and equipped for the task. This is the international standard.

We are not aware that the police have requested military support. It is obvious that the insurgency in the country affects only 14 of its 774 local government areas.

These could be isolated while voting takes place in the 760 unaffected. The excuse that the involvement of the military in the anti-terrorism action in parts of

The military chiefs should be told that they should not by acts of omission or commission drag the country along lines that could only leave it in ruins. The roles the military establishment has played so far in the Buhari certificate saga and the alleged rigging of the Ekiti State governorship election last year, as well as the militarisation of the electoral process in Osun State are enough to indicate that there is an agenda hidden from the public. The evident erosion of professionalism in the Nigerian Armed Forces is partly a result of its incursion into politics. This, ultimately, is not good for the country.

So, let Badeh and his men go so that Nigeria may enjoy peace and be saved the heartache of undue politicisation of the military.

‘By agreeing to be so used by a section of the political class and the presidency, the military chiefs have no basis to hold on to their positions. They have been so shamelessly used against the national interest, and, for subverting the electoral process, they should be relieved of their positions and tried for treason. It is ironical that their action came at a point that some officers and soldiers have just been tried and condemned to death for deserting the war front’

S

IR: What entrenches and solidifies democracy is the ability of an opposition party to win a national election. It also goes without saying that a too large majority in any parliament is an anathema to an enduring democracy. These two vital factors have been clogs in the search for a truly democratic governance. The closest we had was in the second republic when a coalition of other parties made a disconcerted efforts to forge a formidable opposition to the ruling National Party of Nigeria. All the efforts made then by the leadership of the then Progressive Parties Alliance were prematurely aborted by the inordinate ambitions of the political gladiators of the alliance.

In 2011, conscious efforts were made by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) to have a formula to collaborate so as to upstage the ruling PDP in the presidential election. This again, dramatically unravelled at the most crucial moment. Perhaps, the loose alliance would have snatched the presidency from PDP. But who knows what would have followed then as there were mutual mistrust amongst the players of the alliance.

Nigerians, for the first time; have been presented with a very credible alternative to the ruling political party. Every part of the country is buzzing in anticipation of the CHANGE that we all hope will bring back the nation’s lost glory. In fairness to the citizens of this country, we have all endured, for so long; the cluelessness and tardiness of the PDP government in proffering mitigating solutions to the multi-facet problems the country is grappling with. Nothing works again in this country. The national airline was sold, the refineries are grounded, the power supply is epileptic, the hospitals have gone from being mere clinics to mortuaries, roads are in deplorable condition, insecurity pervades everywhere, corruption festers, infrastructural decay goes on unabated, unemployment rate skyrockets, education sector totally neglected, youth development stunted, ethnic jingoism keeps rearing its head. A myriad of problems!

I don’t think anyone is under any illusion that all these problems would be solved in one fell swoop. But we need a government that will provide the platform for economic growth, prevent corruption, provide security and rebuild infrastructure. People at the helms of affairs must be positively creative and map out ways that will take this great nation out of the wood.

The PDP has shown in the last 16 years, more so in the last six years; that it’s peopled by insensitive, clueless and retrogressive members.

In his short stint as the Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari demonstrated that he has capacity and ability to take tough decisions that will propel the country forward. He flatly rejected the conditions stipulated by the IMF for loans and instead looked inward for alternatives to secure more funds to run the government and implement developmental projects. In quick successions, he paid some of our outstanding loans.

His decision to change the national currency, was a masterstroke as this made useless, the enormous cash that had been stashed away by corrupt politicians. No one will forget in a hurry the war against indiscipline introduced by his administration.

In contrast, Goodluck Jonathan has shown that he lacks what it takes to take tough decisions. He does not have the wherewithal to think creatively on how to solve the many problems confronting this nation. He is clearly disinterested in moving this nation forward.

His actions and body language are eloquent testimonies to the fact that he just wants to stay in office without doing the jobs the office requires of him. Not only this, he’s surrounded by people who have little or no interest of the common man’s welfare.

So, fellow Nigerians, let us all go out on election days to effect the change that will usher in a purposeful and progressive government. This is our golden chance and I am afraid to add; our last chance at getting it right.

• Dr. Oluwole Alabi, Republic of Ireland.

TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief Victor Ifijeh • Editor Gbenga Omotoso •Chairman, Editorial Board Sam Omatseye •General Editor Adekunle Ade-Adeleye •Editor, Online Lekan Otufodunrin •Managing Editor Northern Operation Yusuf Alli •Managing Editor Waheed Odusile

• Executive Director (Finance & Administration) Ade Odunewu

•Deputy Editor Lawal Ogienagbon

•Advert Manager Robinson Osirike

•Deputy Editor (News) Adeniyi Adesina

• Gen. Manager (Training and Development) Soji Omotunde •General Manager (Abuja Press) Kehinde Olowu •AGM (PH Press) Tunde Olasogba

•IT Manager Bolarinwa Meekness

•Deputy Editor (Nation’s Capital) •Press Manager Yomi Odunuga Udensi Chikaodi •Group Political Editor Emmanuel Oladesu •Legal Counsel John Unachukwu •Group Business Editor Simeon Ebulu • Manager (Admin) Folake Adeoye •Group Sports Editor Ade Ojeikere •Acting Manager (sales) •Editorial Page Editor Olaribigbe Bello Sanya Oni

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

20

CARTOON & LETTERS

S

IR: Nigeria's political setting is in chaos at the moment because the PDP cut the principle of zoning which is needed for peace especially in a fickle country like Nigeria with a complex history. I wish they did not.

More than a decade into the fourth republic, the social process for integration of all Nigerians into the polity is still abysmal, caused by leaders who have refused to see the big picture to follow nationalistic causes.

Only credible patriotic leaders can help change this drift. In Nigeria we look at perfect or near perfect situations and advocate it for our peculiar circumstance. Rotational presidency is what we need right now to keep this nation at peace and united. The political class and the masses must first become like Moshood Abiola and disabuse their minds of ethnic and religious sentiments and then we shall be ready for ‘let the best man be.’

Right now we are at, ‘let there be peace, cohesion and unity’ level, and we need to begin from where we are.

I see the wisdom in rotational presidency from the point of our ethnic diversity; this would give everyone a sense of oneness and stakeholdership.

Nigerians pray that the stoppage

S

EDITOR’S MAIL BAG SEND TYPEWRITTEN, DOUBLE SPACED AND SIGNED CONTRIBUTIONS, LETTERS AND REJOINDERS OF NOT MORE THAN 800 WORDS TO THE EDITOR, THE NATION, 27B, FATAI ATERE ROAD, MATORI, LAGOS. E-mail: views@thenationonlineng.net

PDP’s betrayal of Igbo presidency of rotational presidency by the PDP which was enshrined in their party in principle will not push this country on the brink of chaos, disaster and collapse of statehood.

Recall the shooting pains that Yugoslavia suffered as a result of illogic propagated by inept and conflict-ridden leader like Slobodan Milosevic, even though that complex-country was united by Josip Broz Tito with his nationalistic ideas a moment earlier and it was to his credit that, that country witnessed peace throughout his reign until his death.

One wishes that a ruling party for more than a decade would have taken Nigeria to a height beyond pointing the finger at the ‘other side’ for the travails of ‘this side’ which has turned our country into, ‘this side’ and ‘that side’.

I expected that this party would have gone on a mission to negotiate

with all Nigerians, to appeal to sense of right and wrong, but not on a war mission, to separate us. I anticipated that, after more than a decade of democracy, we would have been the pride of Africa. I thought at this time of our history that two of the majority tribes would have done terms as presidents and had looked forward to an Igbo Presidency in 2015 after which it would rotate to the other three geographical regions. At best we could have experimented with a single term of four years for all regions on principle championed by the PDP unmindful of the two terms per candidate as enshrined in our constitution.

I believe that power struggle should not result to the ruin of Nigeria, it should not be a closeminded ‘do-or-die affair’ that has seen many a nation go down into a deep hole.

INEC’s dramatic somersault

IR: Barely six days ago, as was reported by the media (including pro-Aso Rock media); Nigerian military chiefs and other law enforcement agencies at a meeting of the National Peace Committee for the 2015 elections, said they were ready for the elections. Less than five days later, they made a u-turn, and in apparent threats to the Nigerian people, signalled in writing to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that they would not be able to provide security for the General Election scheduled for February 14, and February 28. And their sociologically unsound and untenable reason is that they would be committing all of their personnel and resources into an offensive against the Islamist terrorists, Boko Haram. According to them, the kick off of the offensive is the same day of the crucial Presidential Election slated for

February 14, and that the said operation against Boko Haram will last for six weeks. This absurd about-turn by the National Security Team and the military ultimately forced INEC that had hitherto maintained it was ready for the General Election to announce a six week shift to March 28, and April 11.

The critical question here is: what happened between the time of the meeting of the National Peace Committee and when the security chiefs made a clear commitment to the General Election? Could it be that the administration and the ruling party actually wants to buy time to perfect their election rigging strategy as the opposition has alleged?

Let there be no mistake: this aboutface by the military couldn't have come just out of the blues; it was a carefully orchestrated plan with the broad knowledge and backing of the

Commander in Chief and his ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). It is nothing but a grand conspiracy against the people, pure and simple.

The President and Commander in Chief must take full responsibility for this provocative, subversive and seditious shift of the General Election triggered by his National Security Team and the Military.

In the final analysis, how would this administration contain in six weeks the Boko Haram insurgency and terrorism they haven't been able to contain in five years? Who is fooling who here? The Commander-inChief and his team evidently have something up their sleeves, for these are clearly the antics of drowning men clutching desperately at anything to survive.

• Eneruvie Enakoko, Conscience Reports, Lagos

The PDP has failed to look along the lines of reaching out to the ‘other side’ to win national goals and stop sponsoring hatred, bigotry, treacherous power tussle and lots more which counter-produces them in same measure in all regions? It has cuckolded the South-east into a holy matrimony with a president from the South-south instead of nuptials to the nation and discounted their importance as a majority political force in Nigeria. It remains to be seen if the East having

burnt their bridges will get support from other majority tribes and other regions in the future should a candidate from that region seek the highest office in the land.

It is hoped that when the majority tribe eventually takes back power from the minority that Nigeria will not become another Iraq where Saddam Hussein a Sunni minority Muslim and Iraqi maximum ruler refused all requests to engage with the Shia majorities. And as soon as the Shia majority had their chance with foreign backing, after consolidating their hold to power they consequently went on a war path with the Sunni and alienated them the way Saddam, did them.

A terrible prospect.

•Simon Abah Port Harcourt, Rivers State

On the postponement of elections

S

IR: Some weeks ago, rumors started flying that the earlier scheduled February, 14 and 18 elections might not hold after all.

When I first learnt about it, I dismissed it outright because INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega had stated in several fora that the scheduled dates stand. On deep reflection, I said to myself: With President Jonathan, nothing is impossible!

How apt I was?

Just like any other unpopular policies of this government, it was first denied; a sudden Council of State meeting was later summonmed to give the postponement some face lift, and to the glory of God, after listening to Prof. Jega’s presentation, the Council overruled the President and came to a conclusion that President Jonathan was just crying more than the bereaved and right there and then, Jega was given the go ahead to continue with the election process as scheduled.

Trust our President; he decided to use the military high command (with Boko Haram as an excuse) to push the proposal using the so-called National Security Adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki (who was the first to fly the kite in faraway London) as the coordinator. Jega held series of

meetings with all the relevant election stakeholders including his 37 Resident Electoral Commissioners and the overwhelming majority of them rejected the call for the postponement. I believe that in a democratic society like ours, majority should have had their way. Unfortunately, the voice of the minority was upheld and the election was postponed by six weeks! I am not surprised, because in Jonathan’s administration, 16 is greater than 19 any way.

My view on this issue is this: what has Jonathan got to do with fixing of elections date? Who should complain, INEC or the President? Do we even need military to conduct elections? Is Jonathan afraid of losing election? Was there no insurgency in Nigeria when the 2011 elections were conducted?

These are pertinent questions that only the proponents of the postponement can answer. As for me and without sounding anarchical, I would conclude with a popular quote that “where peaceful change become impossible, violent change becomes inevitable” • Muhammad Adamu Auta muhammaduauta@gmail.com

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

21

COMMENTS So, if IBB and Shonekan were trenchant elections must hold as scheduled, it is because they had passed through the perilous path Jonathan and his gang are leading themselves. It brings nothing but perdition and disaster.

“With report from NSA,” The O, it is no festival of aphorisms.

Nation of February 6, quoted IBB But ongoing political rascality in Olakunle as reportedly quipping to Col. the land, that if not checked could lordbeek1@gmail.com, 08054504169 (Sms only, please) Abimbola Sambo Dasuki (rtd), President plunge Nigeria in fresh but needless Jonathan’s National Security crisis, requires some straight talk.

Adviser’s jeremiad, on parlous First, it is surprising that the symbolism security in Adamawa, Yobe, of the election-must-hold-from-February Borno and Gombe states, “it is 14 ensemble, at the February 5 Council clear that only 14 out of the 774 of State meeting, must have been totally local governments in the country (less than 5%) are under security was devious and noxious; and feverishly laid the foundations of lost on President Goodluck Jonathan and his party. threats. You cannot,” he reportedly insisted, “stop elections the rot that lasts till today. Sani Abacha was well and truly According to a front page report in The Nation of February 6, because of these areas.” savage, materially and spiritually, and was the very epitome of former presidents/heads of state that opposed shifting the Yet, the NSA angle is another face of the postpone-the-election military rule as Stone Age tyranny and debauchery. elections were Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Gen. grand burlesque. In London, the NSA’s dissonance was the slow Well, Gen. Abubakar led the Army, tail between hind legs, Ibrahim Babangida, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar and Chief distribution of permanent voter cards (PVCs), an Independent back to the barracks; and birthed the current 4th Republic, though Ernest Shonekan.

National Electoral Commission (INEC) headache. Less than the sudden death of Chief Moshood Abiola, who won the 12 Of the pack, Gen. Babangida and Chief Shonekan are especially two weeks later, the NSA has developed new worries — his June 1993 presidential election, is an eternal blight on his tenure. significant. Both were star actors in the catastrophic 12 June own core area of security. Six weeks hence, what would the June 12, of course, brings back the pair of Babangida and 1993 presidential election annulment crisis, which satanic script excuse be?

Shonekan. the current power rascals appear to be acting out, despite being It takes no especial acuity to see that someone, somewhere is “A bull in a china shop” (incidentally the title of this piece) blessed with the hindsight of how June 12 nearly finished trying to dodge elections — and that person might just be the was the Obasanjo vicious putdown, when Gen. Babangida was Nigeria. But more on that presently! president of the Federal Republic! That is a new low in Nigeria’s trying every trick under the sun — not unlike President Jonathan Nevertheless, in the overall context of Nigeria’s grand political chequered but troubled political history! and his crowd are doing now — to stay in power, though he mess, the trio of Gen. Gowon, President Shagari and Gen. Doyin Okupe, a presidential spokesperson, was later to spill pretended to organise an elaborate and circumlocutory transition Abubakar are no less important. the beans — his principal could not guarantee security during programme.

Though the quintessential officer and gentleman, Gen. elections, if they start on February 14! If a president cannot Babangida knew he had to leave at the end of his transition Gowon’s prevarication over a pledged 1976 return to civil rule guarantee security, what the hell is he still doing on his seat -programme — but he didn’t want to. Jonathan knows he is a date drained his military government of all legitimacy, leading just to grow gross on the people’s fat? sorry failure as president and, from feelers, will lose the election to his eventual overthrow in 1975.

The Okupe angle also introduces another rich parallel to this — whether on February 14 or later.

President Shagari fell because, after a failed presidency like running power show, vis-a-vis June 12. Back in 1993, Okupe was the current Jonathan’s, his National Party of Nigeria (NPN) — As Babangida stonewalled then, blundering into the tragic part of the National Republican Convention (NRC) negative again as notorious as the current Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) annulment of June 12, Jonathan is stonewalling now, pushing campaign to hurl down MKO Abiola, the Social Democratic — savagely rigged the polls, which led to the collapse of the 2nd for election postponement. But by that gambit, what crisis will Party (SDP) candidate; since they lacked the panache to vault Republic — and the president’s ouster — in 1983. he plunge Nigeria into?

Alhaji Bashir Tofa, NRC candidate, to MKO’s dizzying heights.

Gen. Abubakar was the fall guy who was constrained, between Still, the Shonekan leg of the narrative. Chief Shonekan, an The Jonathan campaign, with their puerile scandals where 1998 and 1999, to lead a disgraced military back to the barracks, otherwise respected business voice, stumbled into the power there are none; and petty blackmail and threats, and ridiculous after dissipating its essence in toxic political power. maelstrom as head of IBB’s contrived Interim National scaremongering, are adopting the same dumb tactics to shoot Gowon was benign. Murtala Mohammad/Olusegun Government (ING), after even the annulment could not guarantee down Gen. Buhari. But if that tactic electorally buried Tofa in Obasanjo, on impulse, tried to fix the polity, but destroyed the IBB’s stay; thus playing out the tortoise who would not return 1993, it is not about to lift Jonathan in 2015. civil service. Muhammadu Buhari/Tunde Idiagbon were from a trip until it was thoroughly disgraced.

But political rascality aside, a democratic president that dodges draconian, riled by the decadence of the 2nd Republic. Babangida Yet, Shonekan was doomed to similar fate. For starters, he an election, because of mortal fear of a crushing loss; and security became a pariah in Nigeria’s South West — for playing Judas to agents of state, that stack their cards to achieve scare-mongering cheated fellow Egba man; but more importantly, to the Yoruba to subvert elections, play an ultra-dangerous game that borders “It takes no especial acuity to see acherished culture of standing firm, no matter what, on fairness on treason. that someone, somewhere is trying and justice.

Goodluck Jonathan is a co-citizen. Only the law, with the a Lagos High Court declared his ING illegal. Finally, instrumentality of democratic elections, thrust him above the to dodge elections — and that person hisThen, judicial ouster rocketed the terrible Abacha into power. By rest of us, as president of the Federal Republic. might just be the president of the the courts, Shonekan ought not to be on the National Council of Now, if for any reason he subverts that law, he only knocks State; but an Abacha regime decree som ewhat revalidated his the ground from under his own feet — and risks a fatal crash.

Federal Republic!” tenure.

It is playing the proverbial fool, treading where angels dread.

Tortoise: I’m going on a journey. Audience: When will you come back? Tortoise: When I’m disgraced. —Yoruba saying.

Those the gods will destroy, they first make mad. — An African saying.

Fools tread where angels dread. — An English saying

N

I

R

epublican ipples

T did not come as a surprise that the late Saturday night announcement by INEC chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega of the shift in the polls from the initial February 14 date to March 28 has again torn Nigeria and Nigerians right through the middle. It was, as one might expect of a well-crafted assault designed to confuse, confound and ultimately provoke different sets of actors in an already polarised polity. Unfortunately, it would appear one instance in which the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan would overplay the opportunistic card while pretending to be above the fray.

Today, Nigerians know the story – either in part or in whole – of a plot that has gone through long incubation.

Saturday announcement was merely the maturation of a plot which actually preceded the Chatham House kite flown

by Jonathan’s National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki on January 22. Of course, it was convinient as it was well-timed: barely 50 percent of the permanent voters cards had been distributed; in the increasing unlikelihhood that that the balance would be able to collect their PVCs at the end of the initial target date, the NSA had argued that a shift in the elections by three months – within the limits allowed by the Electoral Act – would be a good idea.

Apparently, INEC’s assurances that the distribution would be completed in time for the polls made no sense to him; he would still insist on allowing more time for a successful election. “It costs you nothing, it’s still within the law”, he had stated at the Chatham House parley.

Of course, Nigerians knew that he merely spoke the mind of his principal, President Goodluck Jonathan. What was not known at the time was that the whole business of PVCs was merely a decoy, a ploy sort of, to halt the momentum of the President’s main rival, General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress. Indeed, as the following days would reveal, INEC was merely being suborned to play the unwilling fall-guy in the dangerous scheming by an administration desperate to keep its hold in power.

As Nigerians would later witness, what followed was a game of wits: a stubborn INEC would refuse to play the game strictly their way leaving the out-of-depth administration to shop for plausible alibis to convince Nigerians on the inevitability of the shift. To make good, the office of the NSA would write to INEC highlighting the issues of security in the North-east. If the letter, a sort of insurance, was meant to secure the co-operation of INEC, it apparently failed; which was why the federal government turned to the National Council State where the NSA’s letter would again come up for discussion. Of course, the body saw through the charade and threw the matter back to INEC, the body charged with organising the elections to conclude upon. Indeed, most members, according to reports, saw no

Bull in a china shop

Policy Sanya Oni sanyaoni@yahoo.co.uk 08051101841

Inching to the abyss? sense in halting the elections – insurgency or not – given that their activities was limited to 14 local governments out of the 774 in the country.

This was perhaps the point that things got desperate. With limited options left for manouvre, the federal government again turned the pressure on INEC. This time, it found a willing ally in the brass-hats in the military to whom it appeared to have outsourced the dirty job. Trust the nononsense fellows, they dared INEC to proceed with the elections and risk the dire consequences! With the nation’s dog at this point wagging the military’s tail, and given the unfathomable situation in which the office of the commander-in-chief, the bastion of state authority, had been cynically surrendered to a group of functionaries within the military establishment, the capitulation of INEC was more than assured!

That obviously sets new limits for the outsourced presidency of Dr Jonathan.

And who won?

Merely by the gloating in the camps of the federal government and the ruling PDP, the instance of capitulation

by INEC is supposed to be a strategic victory of sorts. Without any doubt, it guarantees the party just enough time to revamp its flailing campaigns, and perhaps just enough time to unleash more sinister plots from its inexhaustible bag of tricks. Whether or not the development would confer the much sought-after electoral advantage for the president and his party is of course a different matter.

Now, let’s look at who lost. The most promiment victims are the key institution of the Nigerian state daily undermined by the PDP-led federal government. Top on the list is the military whose institutional integrity is being violated on a daily basis; no doubt, the development has since brought back its characterisation by one of its leading lights as an institution of anything-goes.

I must confess that I found a contribution by Karen Attiah in the Washington Post on the issue irresistible: “... after years of Boko Haram’s carnage, what will the army do in six weeks that they couldn’t do in five years and with a $5 billion security budget? Where was this urgency hiding for the past six years? And why escalate tensions and anger Nigerians who have been eagerly waiting to cast ballots by making this announcement with only a week to go before the polls?”

Like a hunter’s dog sworn to be lost in the woods, it seems unliekly that anyone is listening.

The next victim is INEC. Expecting INEC to proceed with the elections in those impossible circumstances would obviously amount to stretching legalism to surrealism. It would amount to inviting chaos. In the circumstance, that postponement would seem pragmatic. But then, the real danger will come six weeks down the line; in other words, what happens should service exigencies, as defined by the military high command, compel further extension? What would INEC do? Defy the brass-hats, or what? Would it be time again to invoke the overused doctrine of necessity?

And what happens to the constitutional order?

That is the bind that the nation has found itself. Clearly, the prognosis are anything but good. In all of these, what must pass as lamentable is that an administration that came into office via the ballot box has become so terribly allergic of the democratic process as to now seek to undermine it.

How the current development plays out is anyone’s guess. I would however wager that neither the PDP or the federal government would have the last laugh – except they do what is right by the law and the constitution. In this case, it seems the only thing to do is to ensure that nothing – no matter how remote – is allowed to abort the May 29, handover date.

‘What must pass as lamentable is that an administration that came into office via the ballot box has become so terribly allergic of the democratic process as to now seek to undermine it. How the current development plays out is anyone’s guess. I would however wager that neither the PDP or the federal government would have the last laugh – except they do what is right by the law and the constitution’

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

22

COMMENTS

S

O, the presidential election would no longer hold this Saturday. Hmmm, I hope we are not going back to the June 12 1993 election era?

When I raised the alarm in this column a couple of weeks ago that from what was happening on the political scene and which is still prevalent now, we might end up having another controversial election on our hands just as we had in 1993, I never thought it could come to pass so soon.

When some so called interest groups started canvassing for the postponement of the February 14, 2015 presidential election and nobody called them to order, it became clear, even to the blind that the Federal Government had a hand in it and this Saturday’s election would not hold. So it was no surprise when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the shift in dates by six weeks, with presidential and national assembly polls now slated for March 28, and governorship/houses of assembly elections coming up on April 11, 2015.

Well, six weeks is not eternity and before you know it, March 28 would be here and the decision whether to retain Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan as president and commander in chief of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or not would have to be taken by Nigerians. There are very strong reasons for him not to come back and I align myself with those who are calling and clamouring for change.

I don’t want to bore you with some of those

‘I am of the opinion that postponing the February elections was just postponing the evil day for the president and his party, soon it would be March 28 and the verdict of the people that he is so afraid of will be delivered. CHANGE is what we want’

O

LUJIMI Kolawole Agbaje needs little introduction in the politics of Lagos state. The man popularly called JK, a once-upon-a-time progressive is surprisingly the Lagos governorship candidate of the conservative Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He stoked the fire of curiosity recently when he declared publicly as widely reported in the newspapers that he is the ‘best man to rule Lagos because he has no godfather that can influence him negatively in office.’

Rather than address issues germane to governance and general well-being of Lagosians, he played to the gallery before newsmen by laboriously trying to present himself as a man of himself and also by notifying Lagosians about his witch-hunting expeditious plan if ever he gets the chance to rule the state. He declared: “When it was time to choose my running mate, I chose my running mate, nobody chose her for me. The issue of a godfather hampering service delivery is not even on the table. I don’t have a godfather. I want the people to believe me that it won’t happen.”

Agbaje may be competent to speak publicly on several issues but not on that of political godfatherism because his aversion for it contradicted how he got the governorship ticket slot in his new found love party- the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). Permit me to refresh readers’ memory by re-presenting the result and whole essence of party primaries that produced Agbaje as governorship candidate of PDP direct from the mouth of his major challenger, Musiliu Obanikoro: “The entire primary was a sham. I still cannot comprehend how accredited delegates of 806 will turn out to be 868. To be honest with you, with the benefit of hindsight, you can tell that the outcome was predetermined.’’

Perhaps it is pertinent to ask: Who were those powerful PDP figures that predetermined the outcome of the Kangaroo primaries that produced Agbaje as governorship candidate? They are two including Bode George and Seye Ogunleye both central figures in the PDP central administration’s plan to cause chaos in Lagos. The two leading PDP leaders are beneficiaries of godfatherism in all their political lives and will not support a candidate that would not treat them as such and therein lies the fallacy of Agbaje’s statement. Up till today, he has not denied the fraudulent discrepancy that gave him the PDP

Between now and March 28 reasons, most, if not all of them you know already, but suffice to say that unless Jonathan can resolve them between now and election day, Nigerians should not give him the chance to run this country for another four years.

Four more years of Jonathan, whether with this team or another team would bring Nigeria down to her knees. That’s assuming the country is not on her knees already.

I am tempted to mention some of those things in case he can correct them.

It is over 10 months now that the Chibok girls were kidnapped from their schools by insurgents from the Boko Haram terrorist group and taken to God knows where. We are not nearer rescuing them from the terrorists now than we were when the incident happened on April 15, 2014. Their parents have cried out begging the commander in chief to help bring their daughters home but Jonathan and his commanders appear helpless and as some are want to say, clueless.

When Jonathan assumed the presidency six years ago as acting president and up until his election as president in 2011, he inherited a whole country with our international borders intact. Today under his watch the bulk of the north eastern part of Nigeria is under the control of Boko Haram which has declared its own country on our territory.

When he took over, Jonathan promised to tackle corruption that has taken firm root in our society. And nowhere was this firmly entrenched than in the oil sector which is the main stay of our economy. And the poster child for corruption in that sector is Jonathan’s Minister of Petroleum Madam

Diezani Alison-Madueke. You are aware of the billions of naira of public funds she spent to hire private jets to take her round the world. She has frustrated all efforts, by the House of Representatives in particular to probe her lavish life style, using our money.

Even the courts are on her side. Of course Jonathan is protecting her. Under her watch, billions of dollars have disappeared from the coffers of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the president thinks nothing of this.

Before he came to power electricity supply was in fits and starts. He promised not only improved power but stable supply as well.

Today we are worse off than when he assumed office. He has not only failed to maintain the low capacity that he inherited, power supply has even gone down under his watch.

With graduate unemployment everywhere, a minister in his cabinet, Abba Moro organized a bogus job interview for the Immigration Service in which instead of jobs, death was harvested by some of those unfortunate to have applied and attended the interview held on open fields in different stadia across the country. Months after the death of these young Nigerians and in spite of the public outcry that accompanied the exercise, Moro is still holding court in Jonathan’s government as Minister of Interior.

These are a few of the things one could easily recollect. So can Jonathan fix them within the next six months?

First, to give teeth to the fight against corruption, Jonathan has to fire the main

Agbaje’s ‘godfatherism’ postulation

By Hakeem Adisa ticket, rather, he has been rationalising the political charade.

Yet, Akin Ambode, the candidate of All Progressives Congress(APC) empirically made nonsense of the claim of godfatherism when after intense campaign across the 57 local governments in the state participated in the APC governorship primaries, widely acknowledged as the fairest, to emerge as progressive flag bearer in an untainted primary.

Ambode scored 3,735 votes while the aspirant that came second, Obafemi Hamzat scored a distant 1,201 votes where more importantly and unlike that of PDP, the number of approved delegates was not more than the number of votes cast. The result of the APC primaries was a consequence of political decency of the APC candidate in Ambode and the PDP’s sham primaries result that of the primitiveness of Agbaje’s godfathers that he has futilely been trying to deny in public. Agbaje should stop living a life of political denial.

Apart from the issues of primaries, the political trajectory of Agbaje since his days in his touted Afenifere cliché, down to PDP, gave him away as someone that was in search of godfathers that would make his desperate governorship aspiration come true which he now, albeit erroneously, thinks he has found in Bode George and Ogunlewe. Two symbols of what a godfather should not be.

Jimi Agbaje, a pharmacist, in his desperation to become Lagos governor dumped JAYKAY Pharmaceutical and Chemical Company Limited that he founded in 1982 precisely 10 years ago. He had a deceitful dalliance meant to hoodwink the undiscerning public with the progressive Action Congress (AC), his first political party. He left in 2007 to join the Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA) in search of his governorship ambition after losing the party’s governorship ticket to in-

cumbent Babatunde Raji Fashola in the primaries. In his typical domineering way, he deliberately ran the DPA aground in the state which was one of the compelling reasons why INEC de-registered the party. Is this the man Lagosians want as governor? Absolutely No! This intentional act of his paved the way for him to join the reactionary party that has always been after his heart-the PDP. He got to PDP and hijacked the two main godfathers there to the chagrin of co-aspirants for the governorship ticket. What obtains in PDP now because of overtly ambitious Agbaje is fragile peace of the grave yard. It cannot last beyond February 28 when Agbaje, a serial loser would have once again lost the governorship contest.

In contrast to this deceitful profile of Agbaje is that of Ambode who in the short period of his emergence on the political firmament of Lagos has endeared himself to millions of people in the state. Ambode as finance intellectual was a success and as a career civil servant, a shining star and beacon of hope to the young folks. As a serving civil servant and chief custodian of Lagos treasury, his unflinching commitment was not in doubt as he buried himself in bureaucratic obscurity in accordance with the civil service norm of being seen but not heard.

He helped the state to escape the illegal seizure of Lagos funds by former President Olusegun Obasanjo after the creation of additional local councils in the state by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s administration. He created the successful financial infrastructural template at the time.

Ambode was responsible for the global revenue and expenditure profile of the state government; he also provided admirable financial leadership and supervision to over a thousand accountants across all ministries and agencies in the state. He was in the forefront of financial strategy formulation process for the operations and growth of Lagos State Treasury

symbol of corruption in his cabinet –Diezani Alison-Madueke before Nigerians could take him serious again. Not only must he fire the Minister of Petroleum, she must account for all our money in her care since she became the minister. And now that the forensic audits of the NNPC which Jonathan reluctantly ordered after much pressure has confirmed that billions of dollars in public funds have not been properly accounted for, those responsible must be brought to book and our money recovered.

To take our confidence in him back to the pre-2011 presidential election, Jonathan must in the next six weeks recover our territories lost to Boko Haram and deliver the Chibok girls to their parents intact.

The security forces have shot themselves in the foot by forcing INEC to postpone the February 14 and 28 elections on the grounds that they would be seriously engaged in fighting Boko Haram in the next six weeks and wouldn’t want any distractions, hence their inability to guarantee adequate security if the election were to go ahead as scheduled.

The implication of this is that they must overcome the insurgency in six weeks, recover the territories lost, restore normalcy to the northeast and other troubled spots, and free the girls from captivity. These they must accomplish in time for them to focus their energies and resources on providing security for the elections across the country on March 28 and April 11, 2015. Can these be achieved?

If in six years Jonathan could not deliver improved electricity supply to the nation as promised, can he do it in six weeks to convince Nigerians that the nation should be entrusted to him in the next four years? If he cannot defeat Boko Haram in six years can he do it in the next six weeks? The easier things he can do now is to fire Diezani, Moro and all the other corrupt elements in his government before the elections, but would that be enough to change the minds of Nigerians already made up to effect a change in leadership at all levels where the PDP has held sway?

I am of the opinion that postponing the February elections was just postponing the evil day for the president and his party, soon it would be March 28 and the verdict of the people that he is so afraid of will be delivered.

CHANGE is what we want. We cannot continue like this for another four years.

Office (STO) and for implementation and meeting of the State finance requirements.

All these were attained because of his well grounded academic background both home and abroad.

He graduated with Honours in Accounting at age 21 from the University of Lagos and became a Chartered Accountant at age 24.

This feat was simultaneously achieved with his finishing a Masters degree in Accounting, specializing in Financial Management, at his alma-mata through a Federal Government scholarship.

He was also a US Fulbright scholarship for the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship at Boston University in Massachusetts and was alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Boston, USA amongst other reputable institutions across the world. He surprisingly retired voluntarily at age 49 to set a company more interested in mentoring the youth when he could have stayed back.

This act of voluntary retirement showed Ambode as a man of courage and of himself not holed up by any godfather and as someone who is not afraid of the future since politics was not on the agenda at the time he did this. How can this lofty profile of Ambode be compared with that of Agbaje who was merely driven by the lucre of the governorship position? Where is Agbaje’s requisite public service experience, not his godfathers instigated board appointments adventure, to make him a veritable contestant against Ambode?

One thing is sure and that is the fact that Lagosians are not ready to trade experience for experiment in who becomes the next governor of the state which is the nation’s centre of excellence. This was corroborated by no mean royalty than Oba Rilwan Akiolu, who several months back endorsed Ambode as competent and capable to take over from Governor Babatunde Fashola come May 29.

His precise words: “Ambode remains the best man with the required pedigree and character to take Lagos to the next level.” What other endorsement is need that one from the father of all and not Agbaje’s divisive godfathers that had deludingly promised him what is not in their powers to give. What a fate for a politically duplicitous man angling at all cost for what is beyond him!

• Adisa, public affairs analyst writes from Mushin, Lagos.

25

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

has confirmed that it remained castrate in the present ’ INEC arrangement where it depends on the Federal Government for everything, including breath ’ See page 26

E-mail:- law@thenationonlineng.net

Abuse of federal might •Polls shift draws lawyers’, activists’ ire

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) postponement of the February 14 and 28 elections as scheduled has drawn the ire of some lawyers and activists. To them, there is more to the postponement than meets the eye. If insecurity is the only reason for the shift, then the Service chiefs should go. The lawyers and activists hope the shift will not throw Nigeria into another constitutional crisis, writes Correspondent PRECIOUS IGBONWELUNDU.

T

INSIDE:

HROUGHOUT Saturday, Nigerians waited on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

They were eager to know whether INEC would postpone the February 14 and 28 elections as scheduled. When INEC postponed the elections late Saturday night citing security reasons for its action, their response seemed to be “here we go again, is this not June 12 all over again?” INEC Chairman Prof Attahiru Jega said the elections were postponed to March 28 (Presidential and National Assembly) and April 11 (Governorship and House of Assembly).

He denied that the commission was coerced to shift the polls, saying the postponement became inevitable because of the advice from security agencies. He said there was no

‘States should enforce judicial autonomy’ -Page 37

way INEC could expose over 600,000 ad hoc staff and others to danger.

He also denied acting any script on behalf of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the elections were postponed because security attention would be on the Northeast during the period.

“It should be noted that this rescheduling falls within the constitutional framework for the conduct of the elections, notably, Sections 76(2), 116(2), 132(2) and 178(2). See also Section 25 of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended).

“For the avoidance of doubt, we will under no circumstances approve an arrangement that is not in line with the provisions of our laws,” Jega said.

Judges, lawyers decry non-use of labour law report -Page 38

He continued: “Last Wednesday, which was a day before the Council of State meeting, the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) wrote a letter to the Commission, drawing attention to developments in four Northeast states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe, experiencing the challenge of insurgency.

“The letter stated that security could not be guaranteed during the proposed period in February for the general elections. This advisory was reinforced at the Council of State meeting on Thursday where the NSA and all the Armed Services and Intelligence Chiefs unanimously reiterated that •Continued on page 26

The dilemma of the Nigerian voter -Page 39

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

26

LAW COVER CONT’D •Continued from page 25

the safety and security of our operations cannot be guaranteed, and that the Security Services needed at least six weeks within which to conclude a major military operation against the insurgency in the Northeast; and that during this operation, the military will be concentrating its attention in the theatre of operations such that they may not be able to provide the traditional support they render to the Police and other agencies during elections...”

Some analysts said the postponement became inevitable the moment the NSA Sambo Dasuki first called for a shift, because of low distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

Those who questioned the postponement because of insecurity said if the military could not quell the insurgency that has ravaged the country unabated in the last six years, can it do so in six weeks?

Many are not convinced that the NSA is not playing out the Presidency’s script. Speaking at the Chatham House in the United Kingdom (UK) on January 22, Dasuki said elections should be postponed because INEC needed more time to distribute the PVCs. After deliberations by the Council of State where INEC said it was ready to go on with the polls, the NSA brought up the issue of insecurity, seemingly tying INEC’s hands. It was no PVCs, but insecurity, according to the gospel of Dasuki. As NSA, is he just waking up to the issue of insecurity, which the nation even battled with in 2011 and yet elections were held then?

Observers note that the Presidency, INEC, parties and security agencies have been preparing for the polls since 2011 election, wondering why the NSA is suddenly realising that security could not be guaranteed for the exercise as scheduled.

To them, there is more to the postponement than meets the eye because it remained doubtful what would happen in six weeks that could not have happened in the past six years.

A source of concern is the confidence of voters in the electoral process. There are those who say the postponement became the last option after it became clear that President Goodluck Jonathan may not win re-election.

What other plan do they have in store?

Civil Society groups led by the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room believe that the military chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police are no longer deserving of their posts for writing to INEC that their men would not be available for election duty until after at least six weeks.

“The Situation Room calls for the resignation of the military chiefs and security heads, including the Police on account of their inability to exercise their constitutional responsibility to secure lives and property at all times including during the elections,” the coalition of civil society organisations said.

Despite INEC’s explanation, analysts believe the commission was arm-twisted by the Presidency through the security chiefs to shift the elections. They described Jega’s new stance as compromising, adding that it indicated that INEC is not independent as claimed.

Although the commission followed constitutional provisions by not extending the election dates to a period that will be less than 30 days to May 29 handover, some lawyers argue that INEC lacks the legal and moral rights to shift the presidential election.

Constitutional lawyer Norrison Quakers (SAN) maintained that INEC’s power to cancel or postpone elections is only for National and Houses of Assembly elections, which do not have to do with the entire voting population of the country or a state.

He said since election results are expected to be collated and announced at the same time for governorship and presidential elections, the commission cannot assume right on an issue where the Constitution is silent.

He said: ‘‘The only person empowered by the Constitution to postpone a general election (presidential) is the President and this power he cannot exercise in isolation. The Constitution clearly provides that when the territory of Nigeria is at war (not a section and not insurgency) and the president feels it will be practically impossible to conduct an election, he will write the National Assembly seeking an extension and the legislature upon approval, will postpone the election to a period of not more than six months. ‘‘Aside being morally wrong, what INEC has done by postponing the general elections is unconstitutional and not tenable.’’

For activist lawyer Prof Itse Sagay (SAN), INEC exhibited its lack of independence and bowed to the rule of force in postponing the elections. ‘‘There was no reason elections should not hold as scheduled. All the political parties have made their plans, including campaigns, post-

•Prof Jega

•Akeredolu

•Dr. Ajibade

•Oguntade

Abuse of federal might ers, finances and other necessary arrangements to suit the February date. Also, INEC has its plan laid out to that effect. The postponement will destabilise the polity and create uncertainty. ‘‘Is it within the next two months that they want to quell Boko Haram that they have been unable to do these past years? This action will demoralise voters, create more expenses. It just means that INEC has been influenced and no longer independent. Prof. Jega never said anything about postponement until the NSA did and was later joined by all the operatives of the PDP. ‘‘So, it is correct to say that INEC has collapsed under pressure. Everyone took the postponement rumour for granted until PDP loyalists started raising dust about it. This shows there is lack of independence and it will affect everyone’s disposition on the outcome of the election when it is eventually held since INEC can be pressurised into changing its mind,’’ said Sagay.

Former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) described the reason for the poll shift as “lame”.

“The reason for the shift is lame. INEC was never independent. INEC has confirmed that it remained castrate in the present arrangement where it depends on the Federal Gov-

ernment for everything, including breath.

“The Federal Government shenanigans in arriving at the ultimate postponement of the elections must be condemned by all wellmeaning Nigerians. What we have witnessed is Government Magic. They have just turned green to blue and electric to candle (apology to Fela Anikulapo-Kuti),” Akeredolu said.

Dr Babatunde Ajibade (SAN), said the PDPled government is playing a dangerous game that could precipitate a serious constitutional crisis.

“While it is within the statutory powers of INEC to postpone elections, it is not expected that INEC’s decision should be compelled by advice received from agencies of the government in power, such as the security agencies that have so obviously and brazenly compelled this decision. This derogates from the supposed independence of INEC and leaves it at the mercy of the government of the day.

“There is no reason to believe that the reasons adduced for compelling this postponement, viz. the security situation in the Northeast of the country and a consequent shortage of military personnel will abate in six seeks, so what then? A permanent postponement until the security situation abates?

Constitution clearly provides that when ‘The the territory of Nigeria is at war (not a section and not insurgency) and the president feels it will be practically impossible to conduct an election, he will write the National Assembly seeking an extension and the legislature upon approval, will postpone the election to a period of not more than six months

‘

“If elections could be held in Afghanistan despite the long-running and still ongoing insurgency by the Taliban, it is incredulous for Nigerian security agencies to insist that elections cannot hold because of security challenges in the Northeast.

“The (mis)handling of electoral contests have always been potential flash points in Nigeria’s history. We are skating on very thin ice now and must pray that commonsense will prevail and that history will not be allowed to repeat itself,” Ajibade said.

To George Oguntade (SAN), there is no doubt that INEC possesses the requisite constitutional powers to fix the dates for elections, which will include the power to postpone. The constitutional limitation to this, he said, is that the election must be held and concluded within a specified period before the expiration of the tenure of the existing Government.

“However, in fixing the date or postponing from a fixed date, INEC is obliged to act reasonably and in the interest of the country. It is not to act whimsically or capriciously. The main question, therefore, is whether in reaching its decision to postpone the elections for a period of six weeks, INEC acted reasonably and in the best interest of the country.

“The reason canvassed is that the security agencies have advised that they cannot guarantee the provision of the requisite security cover because of the military challenges they are confronted with in the Northeastern part of the country.

“This decision will immediately appear to be a volte face on the part of INEC, which being aware of the security situation for some time, had always maintained that the elections will proceed as scheduled. What major calamity has therefore happened of late to warrant this sudden u-turn a week to the elections?

“Furthermore, the security challenge that has been provided an excuse for the postponement has been going on for the past five years or so. What is the likelihood that in six weeks time, the security situation will be different from what it is today?

“Again, what is the numerical strength of the Nigerian Army and security agencies in Nigeria such that they cannot continue their military activities in the North as well as provide necessary cover for the elections? Is it that Nigerian Army is so weak and decimated that it cannot face offensives on the different fronts simultaneously? There are endless questions to be asked,” Oguntade said.

He said without any clear evidence, it would be premature and presumptuous to accuse INEC of playing politics, moreso, when the decision to postpone is recognisable under the constitution.

“What INEC needs to do is to ensure that on its part, PVCs are distributed nationwide as far as possible and that it is fully ready to proceed. It is equally necessary to engage continuously with the security agencies and let them see that to avert any national crisis, the elections must go ahead in six weeks as rescheduled, and that this being so, arrangements must be put in place to provide necessary security cover regardless of what is happening in the North,” he added.

Dr Joseph Nwobike (SAN) said his understanding of grounds upon which elections may be postponed suggest that the decision to postpone an election must be that of INEC. “In other words, once INEC is satisfied that the circumstances which warrant the postponement of an election have occurred, it is entitled to postpone the election to another date within the time allowed under the Constitution and the Electoral Act for the conduct of the election.

“In this instance, INEC has, through its Chairman, adduced some reasons for postponing the elections. Whether or not those reasons are compelling and verifiable cannot be questioned by public opinion.

“What we should all do is to continue to have confidence in INEC and the electoral process. In doing so, it behoves the political class and the political parties to manage the information that they feed their followers and members.

“As pointed out by INEC, this postponement would also afford it opportunity to further train the engaged adhoc staff on the electoral and voting processes. I also believe that they will also use this opportunity to do more in terms of voter education and logistics simulations.

“Thus, the postponement will not only enable the security agencies to mobilise for the elections but would also assist INEC in the overall discharge of its constitutional responsibility.

“On the basis of the foregoing and the decision of INEC, I call on Nigerians to continue to support INEC in this critical and trying period of our nation building,” Nwobike said.

27

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

FROM THE COURT ‘Obey ECOWAS Court’s decisions’

H

OW can the effectiveness of the Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) be improved upon? It is by enhanced commitment of ECOWAS memberstates, say the court’s President Justice Maria Do Ceu Silva Monteiro, the court’s Registrar, Tony Anene-Maidoh and the Chairman, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof Chidi Odinkalu.

They condemned the levity with which member-states and institutions treat the court’s decisions. They contended that without ECOWAS states leading by example in ensuring prompt and effective enforcement of the court’s judgments, the purpose for which the court was established about 10 years ago would be defeated.

Justice Silva Monteiro, Anene-Maidoh and Odinkalu spoke in Abuja at the opening of the court’s 2014/2015 legal year. It had as theme: “The effectiveness of ECOWAS Community Law: The challenges of enforcement.”

The court’s President, who listed the challenges facing the court, said the law rate of enforcement of its judgments questioned the efficacy of the community law. She urged ECOWAS member-states to ensure the prompt approval of the court’s Rules of Arbitration, which has been pending before the ECOWAS Commission since March 2011.

Justice Silva Monteiro said the absence of the court’s Arbitration Rules has made it difficult for the court to exercise one of its judicial mandates of serving as arbitration

‘Samsung, others disobeyed court order in contract deal’

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

tribunal as provided in the law establishing the court.

She also complained about the inadequacy of space for the court, urging the Federal Government to grant the court’s request for a more accommodation as contained in its letter of July 8, 2014 to the country’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. She urged the government to “fully and effectively” implement the December 18, 2003 agreement between ECOWAS and Nigeria.

Anene-Maidoh, who noted that judgment enforcement ‘remains a grave concern,’ said the court’s effectiveness and credibility depend on the respect that everyone accords its judgments.

He suggested the strengthening of the court’s judgment enforcement machinery.

Odinkalu, who urged member-states of ECOWAS to show good example by ensuring prompt enforcement of the court’s judgment, having voluntarily subscribed to its existence, noted that compliance was vital to execution of the court’s judicial function.

“Habitual failure of compliance is an attack on the legitimacy of the institution, and so, the efficacy of its foundational instruments and dispositions. If not redressed over time, failure of compliance derails rule of law and could substitute vigilantism in its place.

“Failure to effectively address the challenge of compliance and enforcement with decisions of the ECOWAS Court could also impair the effectiveness of the court and frustrate the realisation of the promise of the Community sa

By John Austin Unachukwu

S

•Monteiro

formidably captured in the Declaration of Political Principles of 1991.

“Habitual failure to comply with its decisions portrays the community as indifferent to its credibility, impotent in the face of defiance of its will or complicit in such defiance. None of these does any credit to the community,” Odinkalu added.

AMSUNG Heavy Industry Nigeria Limited and Total Upstream Nigeria Ltd are still working on multimillion dollar contract for the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) unit in Egina Field within OML 130, despite an order that parties maintain the status quo.

Mr Olukayode Enitan, counsel to the plaintiff John Owubokiri, told Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Lagos, at the resumed hearing that despite the order, Samsung Heavy and Total Upstream Nigeria were still constructing the project.

Justice Abang said if Enitan was sure that the defendants flouted the order, he should take the necessary steps.

Samsung Heavy is contending that the court cannot hear the case.

The court adjourned till February 26 for hearing of all applications.

Other defendants include the AttorneyGeneral of the Federation (AGF); National Petroleum Investment Management Services, NPIMS; Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board, CDMB; Samsung Heavy and Total Upstream.

Court strikes out defendants’ names in Lagos land suit

A

LAGOS High Court sitting in Ikeja has struck out the names of six defendants in a land suit brought against a Lagos businessman, Mutiu Okunola.

The claimants, Prince Steven Ibitoye and Commander Fasasi Adebambo(rtd), are demanding N500 million damages for alleged trespass.

When the matter came up for hearing, the claimant’s counsel Olajide Ajana told Justice Mary Omeya, that he had an application in which the claimants were seeking to discontinue the suit against six of the 22 defendants.

He argued that the claimants’ decision to discontinue the suit against the six defendants was supported by decisions of the Supreme Court and cited a decided case between “Olayinka Rodsignes and others versus Public Trustees (1972) 4 SC @ 29” to buttress his submission.

The six defendants are YDJ Investment Limited; H & H investment Limited; Garewa General Merchants; Aglow Company; SC Designs Limited and Unknown

By Adebisi Onanuga

persons.

A deponent , Joy Salako in a seven-paragraph affidavit in support of the motion on notice averred that after filing the suit, they could not serve the fourth to eighth and the 18th defendants the copies of the origination summon.

She claimed that they have the instruction of the claimants to discontinue the suit against the six defendants.

In her ruling, Justice Omeya granted leave to the claimants to discontinue the suit against the six defendants and adjourned hearing of the originating summon to March 17.

The defendants were not in court neither were they represented by their counsels.

Other defendants in the suit include Wasimi Creek Resort Estate, Guessimate Engineering Company, Pa Amida Akerele, Prince Taofeek Bashir, Prince Kayode Bankole, Pastor Paul Nasiru for themselves and the Kuyasi Awushe family.

They also include Chief Wakilu Sodiq; Alhaji Tajudeen Irawo; Alhaji Taofeek Ganiyu; Mr. Kazeem Balogun; Hon. Ganiyu Sodiq for themselves and Iluobi branch of Kuyasi Awushe family. The other defendants are the governor of Lagos State, the state Attorney-General; the Director, Lagos State Lands Bureau and the Director, Lagos State Public-Private Partnership Office.

In a 68-paragraph affidavit by Prince Ibitoye, the claimants asked the court for seven orders. They prayed the court to declare them as the rightful owners of a large parcel of land situated at Wasimi Maryland, Lagos, allegedly being trespassed on and sold by the defendants and that they are entitled to be granted statutory right of occupancy in respect of same and that any purported sale of any portion of the land be declared illegal, null and void.

They urged the court to grant an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, from further trespassing on the land; from granting or registering any title in respect of the land to anybody, except

•From left: Justice Taofikat Oyekan-Abdullahi; Justice Omolara Kayode -Ogunmekan; Justice Yetunde Idowu; Chief Judge, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade and Justice Iyabo Adebiyi at the swearing in of three new judges of the Lagoos High Court.

themselves; an order restraining the 19th to the 22nd defendants from recognising or entering into partnership with anyone with respect to the property; an order of mandatory injunction for the removal of any structure on the said land.

They also asked the court to award them a sum of N500 million jointly and severally against the defendants for trespassing on their land.

The defendants, in their 40-paragraph counter affidavit deposed to by Chief Wakilu Sodiq, who claimed to be the head of the Iluobi family of Onigbongbo, urging the court to dismiss the claims of the claimants as frivolous and gold digging.

They denied the averment of the claimants as contained in paragraphs nine to 67. They averred that the land upon which the claimant sued does not belong to the Kuyasi Awushe family, but to the Iluobi family. They averred further that the Iluobi as a whole did not at any time assign or sell their purported land to the second claimant and that he is not known to the family.

28

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

LAW & SOCIETY

•Alegeh (middle) with members of the committee

N

IGERIAN Bar Association (NBA) President Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN) has inaugurated the association’s Anti-Corruption Committee.

Dr. Theo. Osanakpo is the Chairman; John Baiyeshea (SAN) is Alternate Chairman and Joshua Usman is the Secretary Alegeh urged the committee to strengthen the Anti-Corruption Commission, which is headed by Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN), to eradicate corruption from the association and the nation.

Alegeh said: “As the proponent of rule of law and voice of the people, the NBA under my watch has declared a zero tolerance on corruption, thereby reforming and strengthening the NBA Anti–Corruption Commission to monitor and report cases.

“The fight against corruption by the NBA will not be taken seriously by any Nigerian except the NBA is seen as having done a serious battle against the perceived corrup-

NBA inaugurates Anti-Corruption Committee

By John Austin Unachukwu

tion within the Association.

He continued: “Corruption, no doubt, is one of the major cankerworms that have eaten deep into the fabric of our national lives. It is responsible for the underdevelopment of our nation as resources meant for development are brazenly looted by few shylock individuals.

“Over the years in Nigeria, the issue of corruption is a malaise in our society and in the whole world as well. The NBA intends to join in the crusade against corruption in our country for the promotion of rule of

law and entrenchment of tenets of democracy in our society.”

Alegeh said example abounds on how some greedy Nigerians have cornered and looted the country’s resources. The ones that readily come to mind, he said, are the $180 million Halliburton scam, $4.5 billion fuel subsidy probe scam, $16 billion power probe, and N32.8billion pension scam to mention, but a few.

“As part of its effort to develop and promote our nascent democracy, the Nigerian Bar Association has always been involved in the vibrant advocacy over the issue of corruption in Nigeria.

“The leadership of the NBA issued a press statement at the last International Anti-Corruption Day on the 9th of December, 2014 that it will help the government at all levels to fight and break the corruption chain as it undermines the social and economic development in our society,” Alegeh said.

Alegeh listed the committee’s terms of reference to include: “To Work with the 109 Branches of the NBA to set up an Anti-Corruption Committee each, to set and maintain the highest standards of conduct aimed at avoiding corrupt practices at the Bar and the Bench; to develop and facilitate policy dialogue and anti-corruption training courses/workshop for stakeholders in the fight against corruption, to develop feedback mechanism from anti corruption agencies and the public and to do all things necessary to ensure a corruption free society.”

The President also inaugurated the NBA Prosecutors team and the Young Lawyers Forum.

The Federal Commissioner, National Complaints Commission (NCC) Lagos State, Funso Olukoga has been on the saddle for three years. In this interview with ADEBISI ONANUGA, he speaks on his vision for the commission and his achievements.

‘NCC can sanction recalcitrant respondents’ showed that people are getting more knowledgeable about what the public complaint commission does and what we are doing. I am sure that within a short time, Nigerians will know more about the public complaint commission and make use of its services because it is free anyway. All they have to do is bring their complaints to us and we will deal with them.

So, what did you do in awareness creation that led to improved performance which was not being done before by your predecessors?

In the area of awareness, we went out to the people; we encourage people to patronise us, through website. We sent out leaflets; we paid courtesy visits to various organisations that we believe will be able to help us publicise our work. We also visited media organisations too. In the last few months, we had visited almost all the newspaper houses in Lagos, and electronic media as well, just because we want people to know what we are doing. So we were able to achieve a lot in • Olukoga spite of our financial constraint.

What do you intend to achieve with the O what extent would you say your commission is known and are Nigerians ac- complaints boxes you launched recently?

The launching of the public complaints tually making use of its services?

The fact that we are pushing out so many boxes is another bold step that we took as adverts and embarking on enlightenment cam- part of our efforts to take our services to the paigns, underscore the fact that we are not doorsteps of Nigerians. The boxes are inknown so much by Nigerians and much still tended to serve the needs of individuals, who needed to be done. We want to ensure that all otherwise may be far from our office, to drop Nigerians know us, know the services we pro- their written complaints against any individe and know that they have a right to com- vidual or corporate organisations. It now beplain when they are not satisfied about gov- comes our responsibility to pick these comernment services or matters between two par- plaints, look into them, carry out necessary investigation and treat them as appropriate. ties.

How has improved awareness creation af- That is why we made the boxes to be transfected your performance within the last one parent, have the name of the commission boldly written on it and would be positioned year when compared to the previous year?

What we were able to do in 2014 was quite a in conspicuous locations around the state for remarkable achievement. This is because the easy access of the people. Some of the places number of cases we had in 2013 was much we are considering include local council delower than what we had in 2014. It showed velopment authority (LCDA) offices, hospithat people are getting to know us better. It tals, eateries, airport, seaport, market places

T

and hotels among others.

How would you describe the relationship between your commission and other agencies of government vis-à-vis your responsibilities?

As agencies of government, they know it is important for them to cooperate with us in order to ensure that there is good governance.

And in any case if they do not cooperate, it is easy to have them sanctioned as well because it is a matter of procedure. They realise that it is easy to identify and sanction any government agent or agency that fails to cooperate with other agencies of government. So, those that are always recalcitrant are the private organisations that do not have the knowledge of the existence of the Public Complaints Commission or are ignorant of the laws enabling the Public Complaints Commission to impose sanctions on them for being recalcitrant. Because if they do, they will realise that there are sanctions for disobeying the laws.

So, these private organisations are the culprits really. And we will deal with them.

Does your commission handle complaints against foreign companies, particularly those that are engaged in casualisation of workers?

I will say that we do not discriminate when it comes to a particular company dealing with Nigerian citizens. It can be local or foreign company. What is important as far as we are concerned is that any act of injustice is dealt with or removed and that if there are problems between the complaints and respondents, that these problems are resolved. If there is any means of crime either relating to illegal immigration or whatever, we are under obligation to report to law enforcement agencies.

And if there is any act that has some criminal element, again we are bound to report to law enforcement agencies. But if it is a matter of employee/employer relationship, we try to resolve it just the way it is and we have succeeded most of the time.

So, how has alternate dispute resolution as-

sisted in your constitutional roles?

Alternate dispute resolution is one of the tools we employ when we are resolving complaints between the respondent and the complainant. Alternate dispute resolution, of course, has to do with resolving matters out of court and not getting to litigation. There are certain cases that present themselves in such a way that the resolution would depend on the expertise of administrators and we will refer such cases to the administrators. Where we can mediate and resolve the matter, yes, we will mediate between the parties and we will resolve the matter. So, it is a tool we use.

But the job of the public complaint commissioners is not reliant on that tool alone, but we make use of it very often and we find it very useful in dealing with the cases that are brought before us. The ADR is very useful and we have a working relationship with the Lagos State Multi-Door Courthouse, where we refer cases that have technical content as far as arbitration is concerned.

Were there complaints against the Federal Government as regards the Nigerian Immigration Service recruitment exercise? If there were, how did your commission handle the matter?

We don’t even need to wait for anybody to come to us before we responded to it. If you follow our activities, we responded at that time, we came out with a statement to say that future recruitment should be done in a particular way so as to prevent that type of occurrence. Where we believe that we should respond, we respond because that is what we are set up to do; to respond on behalf of the citizens. And we are empowered, not just when they lay complaints before to us, but we are empowered to be proactive, that is, to even intervene where we believe that an act of injustice has been committed or may be committed. So, we are allowed to do that. And in that case, we responded and came up with a statement, at least, in Lagos State.

‘

Newspaper of the Year

A SIX-PAGE PULLOUT ON NORTHERN STATES

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

PAGE 29

N3m car for Kaduna trader •PAGE 30

‘Three councils to generate cash for Taraba’ •PAGE 31

•Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II (veiled) and dignitaries at the coronation

I

T was a day of royalty. Kings and queens were present, attended to by courtiers. A 21gun salute sent the message far beyond the Coronation Hall built for the occasion by Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Dignitaries from diverse places surrounded the new Sarkin Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi as his Staff of Office was presented to him and he was proclaimed Emir of Kano.

The Emir was clad in unmistakable red and white regalia topped off with golden embroidery. On his feet were ostrich-black shoes.

On his face were dark goggles hemmed in by a green-whitegreen turban.

The Emir was led into the Coronation Hall by the Shamaki and other royal guards in the company of high-ranking chiefs in the Emirate Council. His entourage came in at 10:10. Governor Kwankwaso and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III were there.

The coronation started at about 10.50am. The Chief Imam of Kano, Prof. Sani Zaharadeen administered the Oath of Office. The Emir vowed to uphold the tenets of Islam and the rich cultural heritage of the Kano kingdom. Thereafter, he was decorated with traditional regalia by the Madakin Kano, Alhaji Yusuf Nabahani Ibrahim who was supported by the Makaman Kano, Sarkin Bai Kano and Sarkin Dawaki Mai Tuta Kano.

Items presented to the new Emir by the kingmakers included a

Memorable coronation for Emir of Kano Everything you expected in a grand coronation was there. The guns boomed. The trumpets sounded. The large crowd surged and hummed as palace courtiers displayed their colourful, royal gear. At the appropriate time, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II was crowned as Sarkin Kano. KOLADE ADEYEMI reports

‘Items presented to the new Emir by the kingmakers included a sword, spear, knife, bow and arrow. The presentation lasted 10 minutes. The decoration triggered loud cheers and shouts of joy, as the large rowd chorused Allahu Akbar’ sword, spear, knife, bow and arrow.

The presentation lasted 10 minutes. The decoration was heralded by cheers and shouts of joy, as the large crowd chorused Allah Akbar.

Governor Kwankwaso presented the new Emir with the Staff of Office. This was followed by the traditional 21-gun salute signifying the authority of his royal office.

In his address during the tradi-

tional rites, the Madakin Kano, Alhaji Yusuf Chigari who chairs the kingmakers committee, thanked God for sparing the life of the Emir and members of the Emirate council to witness the coronation of the 57th Emir of Kano. He prayed for the repose of the soul of the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, and also that God will grant the new Emir the grace to lead his

people in truth and wisdom.

As the Madakin completed his prayers, the kingmakers, District Heads and the Tambari, Kakaaki, Algaita, Kidan Sara, came in turns to pay homage to the Emir. Elated, Sarki Muhammad Sanusi II thanked Allah for making it possible for him to witness the memorable day.

He said the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero spent 51 years, a height which no Emir in Kano had ever attained and prayed for God to bless his soul and give the living the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss. He also prayed that Allah will give him the wisdom to lead the people of Kano in peace and harmony. He said his appointment would strengthen his resolve to discharge his obligations creditably, stressing that God in His infinite wisdom and will, is the one •Continued on page 30

NEMA donates relief materials to flood victims •PAGE 35

Forgotten visually impaired students

•PAGE 34

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

30

THE NORTH REPORT

Memorable coronation for Emir of Kano •Continued from page 29 who gives power to whom he so wishes and expressed appreciation to all those who were responsible for his appointment as the new Emir of Kano. He also promised to do his best to protect Islam, give advice where necessary and promote the welfare of his people.

Kwankwaso described the appointment of Malam Muhammad Sanusi II as the Emir of Kano as a collective judgment of the people.

He said the selection process that led to the appointment of the Emir was rigorous, painstaking and fair.

Kwankwaso said that the late Alhaji Ado Bayero firmly stood against injustice and persecution, adding that Kano greatly missed a rare gem.

His words: “His Highness’ appointment was justified owing to the widespread acceptance from Kano community and [beyond]. The Emir is a highly knowledgeable person, a seasoned technocrat of international repute and an administrator par excellence.

He has also distinguished himself as an outstanding religious scholar that is quite conversant with the dynamics of our time.

“Let me use this opportunity to underscore some of the various accomplishments we have been able to achieve in the last three and a half years or so. We began by improving our internal revenue base from N400 million to about N2billion. We also avoided frivolous expenditures by MDA’s and cut recurrent expenditures, saving up to N500 million monthly. We have passed legislations ranging from the ban on street begging, street hawking and stray animals on our streets. We have also implemented policies and social reform programmes like the mass wedding programme, house numbering and street naming exercise and other empowerment initiatives anchored by the Community Reorientation Committee (CRC) and our 26 manpower development institutes like the Reformatory, Corporate Security, Sports, Hospitality and Tourism etc. So far over 360 thousand women and youth have benefitted from these programmes.

“Furthermore, we established 44 garment industries, one in each of the LGA of the state and to give our young entrepreneurs access to finance; we established 37 micro-finance banks in 37 Local Government Areas. We also made available a N6 billion soft loan scheme, where the state government provided N3 billion while the Central Bank, Bank of Agriculture and Bank of Industry provided N3 billion. It is worthy to mention that our Emir Muhammad Sanusi II was instrumental in the actualization of these loan schemes.”

Former Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Alfa Wali described the coronation as special and historic, stating that he was very happy to have witnessed it. Alhaji Wali described the new Emir as a principled, honest and dedicated person who has the welfare of his people in his heart. He said Sarki Sanusi 11 is a peacemaker and a leader who has the fear of God. Mr. Jumoke Fadibus, a representative of the Oshemawe of Ondo Kingdom, Oba Victor Okulade John described Emir Sanusi II as a straight-forward and hardworking man who has really contributed his

‘Emir Muhammad Sanusi’s appointment was guided by a collective and careful judgment of his ability, credibility and capability to provide the required purposeful leadership to enhance the Emirate Council and the general well-being of our people’ quota to the development of the banking industry.

“I wish him long life on the throne and predict he is going to spend 50 years on this throne in good health,” he said.

The 89-year-old Sarki Bai Kano, Alhaji Murtar Adnan, said the coronation of Emir Sanusi II remained the happiest moment of his life. He added tha the selection of the new Emir was done in good faith and that he was eminently suitable and qualified for the position.

“I congratulate the Emir on his coronation as the 57th Emir on the throne in Kano. We started from 1977 right from school of basic studies. We graduated in 1981 from Ahmadu Bello University. We have been family friends since then. He is an amiable person. He is a person that can never get lost in a crowd as he always stands out.

Dignitaries at the occasion included former Head of State and Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, APC National Leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Governors, Adams Oshiemole (Edo), Ahmed Abdulfatai (Kwara), Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe), Abdullaziz Yari (Zamfara), Chibuike Amaechi (Rivers),

•Guests at the coronation

•From left: General Gowon (retd); Governor Kwankwaso; Asiwaju Bola Tinubu at the coronation

•Foreign and other dignitaries at the coronation Ramalan Yero (Kaduna), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Kashim Shetima (Borno), President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, Aminu Dandata, Speaker of House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar 11 who was the father of the day, Senator Saminu Turaki,

Senator Olusola Bukola Saraki, Emirs, traditional rulers, captains of industry and members of the diplomatic corps.

The event was wrapped up with the commissioning of the multimillion naira Coronation Hall 2015 by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar II and a beautiful Durbar

staged at Kofar Kudu, Emir’s Palace in honour of the coronation of the new Emir. The Nation reports the event was smooth and successful as security agencies were able to provide adequate security both at Government House and the Emir’s Palace.

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

31

THE NORTH REPORT

T

HREE local councils have been identified as inexhaustible sources of revenue or what is popularly referred to in business as cash cows. One of the councils is Ibi in the southern part of the state known for the famous Nwonyo Fishing Festival.

Another revenue source is Sardauna Council in the central area of the state where the equally renowned Mambila Plateau is located.

The third is Yorro on the northern tip of the state, where you find rocks so neatly arranged that you might think some ancient hands placed them there. Yorro rocks remind visitors of those in Plateau State.

Who identified these cash cows? It was Darius Dickson Ishaku, who is running for governorship of the state on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Some have said his campaigns have been issue-based and innovative, from house to house. He has toured the entire state canvassing support and eliciting votes. During the campaign tours, he had firsthand information on the nature of the state, popularly called Nature’s Gift.

Ishaku said he believed those three councils could generate enough revenue to drive the state. So why not develop the tourist havens?

Ibi council The attraction here is the Nwonyo Lake, which has produced the biggest fish in Nigeria. The fishing festival is a tourism product that has put the country in world reckoning.

The lake has been the identity and heritage of southern Taraba people for 101 years now. A tributary of River Benue flows into it, covering a distance of about 10km. Most of the aquatic creatures from the main river course take asylum at Nwonyo due to its cool and serene habitat and the fact that the lake is a reserve. The main business of the festival is the fishing expedition.

But there is also the search for turtles and crocodiles. Boat regatta, horse race, traditional wrestling, masquerades and cultural dances are other exhilarating attractions that herald the day. The atmosphere is generally that of a carnival. The catcher of the biggest fish is usually rewarded with a car prize. The biggest catch ever at Nwonyo has been the Nile Porch fish, known in Hausa as Giwa Ruwa by Hudu Yakubu which weighed 280kg.

The state, however, has not been spinning the kind of currency it desires to derive from the fishing festival and other tourists attractions.

And the socio-economic lifestyle of more than half of the natives in Ibi and its environs contrasts sharply with the nature’s benevolence. Ishaku said he will rebrand it to yield economic benefits. The candidate is not happy that Taraba is richly blessed with natural endowments, but its people are wallowing in misery.

•Dignitaries at the coronation

•The Nwonyo Fishing Festival, one area of tourism to be developed

‘Three councils to generate cash for Taraba’ From Fanen Ihyongo, Jalingo

Sardauna council In Sardauna, the ‘great’ Mambilla Plateau and other beautiful mountains are the essence, as far as tourism is concerned. And that was the reason why the candidate began his campaign at the Mambilla Plateau, a breathtaking 1,840 meters above sea level.

He said the plateau is one of the greatest tourist destinations in Africa, with the best climate in Nigeria. Being the most accessible high altitude, offering the largest and most impressive eco-system sights, Ishaku said he will build a world-class holiday resort in the area where world presidents shall be going to enjoy their holidays.

One favourable factor for this the temperate weather which does not exceed 25°C all year round.

Ishaku said, “The plateau will become an ideal place for hosting ECOWAS Summits. I believe participants who would come across West Africa would love to visit some of the exciting historic sites on the mountains and the plateau.

Besides the captivating mountains, the fields look beautiful, with evergreen lengthy belts of tea plantation and gallery forests that inhabit beautiful birds, chimpanzees and little mammals that tourists love to watch.

To achieve this, Ishaku said he has to complete the Mambilla Hydroelectric power dam which is to generate 3050 megawatts electricity. The people of Mambilla Plateau had confronted the candidate with seven demands. But the former minister of

•Ishaku Niger Delta Affairs told them that the hydroelectric dam shall be their life wire when completed.

“The venue (Mambilla Plateau) for this rally is deliberate because of President Goodluck Jonathan’s efforts to complete the Mambilla Dam project.

“The Mambilla Hydroelectric Dam project had been on the drawing board since 1960. It was when Jonathan came on board that the project came to fruition. It can employ many youths in Sardauna and other parts of the state.

“After voting for Jonathan on February 14, you must vote me on February 28, because I was the one the president sent to work on the dam project when he appointed me as minister of state for Power,” he told the crowd at the Mansur Stadium in Gembu, headquarters of Sardauna local government area.

Yorro (Northern Taraba) Yorro is another council area in the north of Taraba identified by Ishaku as a tourist haven. But it is usually difficult getting to Yorro, because of bad roads. The absence of road alone can scare a tourist, especially a new comer. Here, the sun can rise piercingly and ferociously sharp above 45°C. The dust and searing heat can also put a visitor to flight. But while in Yorro, you will marvel at what nature has offered the state. The blazing heat becomes dissipated in the shadows of hills and inselbergs.

Some of the hills are a heap of stones or boulders. You will think a human being arranged them. In some areas a boulder is perfectly placed on another, as though it would fall, but it has been there for thousands of years, according to the natives. Like in Gembu, you can see the rock with giant footprints of an unnamed ancient warrior. Another rock looks like a woman and her daughter, without any application of art work.

The vegetation is beautiful too, a mix grill of Guinea Savannah shrubs and desert tree species that have the abilities to adapt to both dry/hot and wet/humid seasons using both physical and behavioral mechanisms to endure, resist and or retain water.

Saguaro, Joshua tree and Palmyra palm trees are good examples.

One major setback for these tourist havens is woeful roads.

Ishaku said he would build those roads if elected.

“Roads and other infrastructural facilities must be built in these tourist areas to speed up massive devel-

opment,” he said. The candidate said he believed that when this is done, the people would be more united and bridged closer to their cultures. The tourism, which he referred to as an “effervescent industry,” shall create wealth for the people.

Ishaku, who was ferried via local boats when crossing from Lau to Karimlamido, made a covenant with the electorate. “Do you want roads?

Do you want development?” When the crowd answered in the affirmative, he solicited: “Give me your votes and I will build beautiful roads for you; I will complete the Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Dam; I will rebrand tourism in Taraba.”

Good news! President Goodluck Jonathan, during his presidential campaign in Jalingo, said he has released $1 billion of the $1.5 billion contract sum, through counterpart funding for the Mambilla dam project.

“The contractors are on site.

The Mambilla dam is the best in West Africa. We shall develop it with top grade infrastructure for all African presidents to be going there to holiday. I believe this would generate revenue for the state,” Jonathan said.

Acting Governor Abubakar Sani Danladi also assured that Ishaku is an architect while his running mate, Haruna Manu, is an engineer. “These technocrats will design and reconstruct a beautiful Taraba for us,” Danladi said.

The people will decide on April 11, whether they want Ishaku to transform Taraba, or not.

•A flutist at the coronation of Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II

32

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

33

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

Page 34

Website: http://www.thenationonlineng.com

•The students

V

ISUAL impairment is not the only concern of the School for the Blind Children located at 15, Audu Ogbeh Street, off Asheik Jarma Street, Abuja.

Their environment is quiet and serene but there are mountains to climb if they must have good education. For instance, the students’ apartments are overcrowded because their population keeps increasing.

Their study materials, brailled books, for instance, cost far more than the ones for sighted learners.

Also, they study in the dark because there is no power generating set for them.

Their motto, “Slowly but surely for the Blind”, conspicuously written on their signpost, is ironical, as their education seems to be in reverse gear.

Though the school is strategically positioned, not too far from the Central Business District (CBD), it is rarely noticed, neither are its dire needs.

Some of the items the school needs are hostel blocks, food, study materials such as brail paper, and braille machine, among others. Another important issue about the school is its increasing population and co-habitation of

Forgotten visually impaired students From Olugbenga Adanikin

mature students in single apartments.

Despite its location close to the seat of power, the needs of this special group remained unattended to.

Unfortunately, getting the learning materials for these special students could be very expensive, unlike what obtained in the conventional schools. While a textbook sells for about N1,000, the same textbook with brail may sell for N4,000.

In the circumstances, the indigent pupils mostly depend on philanthropists, donors and non-governmental organisations (NGO) to survive.

Our correspondent gathered that

‘The school has no alternative power supply such as power generating set.

In the first place, we don’t read with light which is not the right thing. If there is darkness and a snake is crawling, how will one know? But since there is nothing we can do, we resign to fate’ the students study in darkness, a situation that compounds their already pitiable situation.

The school has no alternative power supply such as power gen-

3,400 PDP members defect to APC T HE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has suffered another major blow, as the former chairman of Abaji Area Council, Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim and 3,400 members of the party in the area have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim was the first elected chairman of the council. He also contested for a seat for the FCT senatorial election on the platform of the PDP in 2003 but lost to Senator Isa Maina at the party’s primary election.

From Gbenga Omokhunu

Among notable PDP members who defected were the former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Commissioner, who was also a delegate representing the FCT at last year’s Constitutional Conference, Mr. Musa Salihu, chairman PDP elders of Nuku Sabon Gari Ward, Idris

Abdullahi, Samuel Baba, PDP youth leader, Nuku/Sabaon Ward, Labaran Ahmadu, PDP Caucus Leader and Gurdi Ward, among others.

Speaking on behalf of other decamped persons, Alhaji Ibrahim, said he and some PDP elders, caucus and stalwart of the party decided to join the APC, because of lack of sincerity in the ruling party.

“For the last three years, Nigerians have been experiencing insecurity in which many lives are lost on •Continued on page 35

erating set.

“In the first place, we don’t read with light which is not the right thing. If there is darkness and a snake is crawling, how will one know? But since there is nothing we can do, we resign to fate,” the Assistant Head teacher, Academics, Mrs. Anne Ekandem said.

Incidentally, our correspondent was seated when one of the members of the support staff brought in a five-litre keg of kerosene, while another member of staff was asked to take it to the hostel.

From all indications, they were already used to the poor reading environment as efforts to get immediate attention of the Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) SUBEB yielded no result.

“They don’t have any option.

They do their prep in the cover of darkness. It is not as if we like it but that’s the best option for now.

“Even, they eat in the dark; there

is nothing they can do.

“If there is no light, you will see the matron bathing some of them with torch light,” Ekandem said.

The school authorities also pleaded to the authorities to supply them with plastic tables and chairs. The management said such gesture would reduce the possibility of the students harming themselves.

“Getting some of these materials is challenging. The government had tried in their way. Like this brail, it is not something you can just pick, they are things you place special order for and they can be very expensive,” one of the members of staff said.

Expectations from the pupils Investigations by our correspondent revealed that all the pupils have the zeal to learn.

Wondering why the pupils showed much enthusiasm despite their conditions, the assistant head teacher said: “Initially when the blindness set in, they must have been asking, where this will get us to? Just like their parents.

“They have the quest for education and they have realised that the sky is their limit such that they can compete with other students in other schools.”

Sadly, John Kaura, a 32-year-old •Continued on page 35

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

35

ABUJA REVIEW

Forgotten visually impaired students •Continued from page 34 student has been blind for 22 years.

He was the oldest among other students in the rehabilitation centre of the school. Yet, he was full of optimism. He wants to be a lawyer as soon as he finishes his programme.

Obviously, he appeared much more than his age. His school uniform was no different from the other younger boys and girls. He was putting on a black pair of sandals with a sagged black pair of socks.

Narrating his ordeal, he said he became blind at the age of 11.

“I’m here to learn. I was in Kaduna when the incident happened at the age of 11. I went with my grandmother to the market but unfortunately, I missed my way and somehow I had accident at the railway crossing. I would have been here for long but someone later told me about this school,” he said. On his plans after graduation, he said: “I want to become a lawyer or mass communicator”.

John urged other disabled persons to embrace education in order to be self-reliant rather than waiting for supports that may not come.

A 12-year-old student, Esther Nnabuife, praised the school for showing them love. Her colleague, Honest Oyeama, 17, joined the school last year. He described the activities as challenging, even as they are encouraging. He plans to

T

HE Federal Capital Territory (FCT) National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has donated relief materials worth millions of naira to victims of last year’s flood disaster at Yaba community in Abaji Area Council.

Among the items donated were mattresses, bags of beans, buckets, mats, kegs of vegetable oil, bags of garri, bundles of zinc, bags of nail, cartons of zinc nail, bags of rice, bags of cement, mosquito-treated nets and kegs of red oil.

While presenting the items to the victims at the palace of Etsu of Yaba, the Director-General of NEMA in the FCT, Alhaji Abbas G. Idris, said the donation of the relief items aimed at cushioning the hardship experienced by those affected by the flood victim which wreaked havoc in the community.

He said various communities in Kwali and Gwagwalada area councils have also suffered from flood last year, but Yaba community in Abaji Area Council was the worst hit, which he said NEMA decided to ac-

be a Sport Journalist. They all have wonderful ambitions and interesting stories.

Why the school was established Established in 1991, the FCT School for the Blind was set up to provide education for the less-privileged persons; especially the blind. Admission into the school is free and government is expected to provide the necessary items in the school. Admission into the school is almost on daily basis while government takes care of the teaching and non-teaching members of staff.

“We run a primary education and we run a rehabilitation centre for adults or teenagers; who became blind in the course of their education; whether tertiary at level or while working.

“It can be very challenging, especially when they are fresh students.

They feel hopeless and don’t know what life has in store for them. They feel they have come to the end of the road. But by the time they finish their courses of study here, they are full of hope, ready to go into the larger world to face the challenges of nation-building,” a member of staff said.

She attributed poor background of the pupils as one of the major challenges the school experiences.

“When they are leaving, we still

•One of the blind students try to provide some of the necessary materials for them to take along to the secondary school because they cannot get the same provision they got here,” our source said.

According to her, there is no special secondary school for the blind, so their interest could not be guaranteed.

Read and Play All works and no play, they say, makes Jack a dull boy. Aside from the conventional learning process, the pupils also engage in extra-cur-

ricular activities. They were said to engage in foot balling, bead making, necklaces and soap making. Also, some private individuals also visit the school to teach them how to bake bread while they participate in literary and debating competitions, singing and melo-drama.

“We need a lot of learning materials such as the brail paper. We need enough seats. We prefer the studenttype of plastic chairs so it won’t tear their clothes.

“They live here. We feed them in the morning, afternoon and night.

NEMA donates relief materials to flood victims ‘I want to tell you honestly that Yaba community in Abaji Area Council received much attention not because the community is special, but because of the pressure the council chairman, Alhaji Yahaya Garba and the Etsu of Yaba, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, mounted on us to ensure that the affected areas are considered’ From Gbenga Omokhunu

cord priority in assisting those that were affected.

“I want to tell you honestly that Yaba community in Abaji Area Council received much attention not because the community is special, but because of the pressure the council

chairman, Alhaji Yahaya Garba and the Etsu of Yaba, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, mounted on us to ensure that the affected areas are considered, “ he said.

Also speaking, the council chairman, Alhaji Yahaya Garba Gawu, commended the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, and the FCT

NEMA for donating the relief materials to flood victims.

He said his administration was determined to continue to give priority to the welfare of residents of the council, while urging residents of the community to avoid building houses at the river bank.

“It is high time you people understood with the short fall in the country’s oil price, things were not as before where government will always come to assist. I am advising those who always build houses close to the river bank to desist from such,” he said.

On his part, the Etsu of Yaba, Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu, expressed concern over the deplorable condition

of the road linking Dangara Junction with Yaba Village, even as he appealed to the FCT Minister to come to the aid of residents of the community by rehabilitating the road.

“Also the road from Yaba to neighbouring Kpache community which was under construction is in progress, but the contractor is handicapped since he has neither been paid take-off grant nor mobilisation fee.

He has been suffering with his workers in silence because the loan he took from the bank had been yielding interest,” he said.

The monarch commended the effort of NEMA and the FCT Administration for coming to the aid of those affected by the flood at the community.

3,400 PDP members defect to APC •Continued from page 34

•Abuja gridlock

We don’t have a generator in the hostel. What if they take the power, you will see the matron bathing them with torch light.

“They do it in the cover of darkness,” she said.

However, the school management called for supports from humanitarians, corporate organisations, NGOs, and faith-based organisations (FBOs), among others to assist the less-privilege children.

Meanwhile, efforts to get the reaction of the Chairman, FCT SUBEB to comment on the matter were unproductive.

daily basis due to activities of the so-called Boko Haram. That alone has been touching my heart, let alone mentioning other challenges which the masses are experiencing. On this account, I and other members of the PDP resolved to join the APC,” he said.

On his decision to join the APC, the former INEC Commissioner, said he realised when he was in PDP that the mess the country has been plunged into cannot be wiped out by the party, unless by the APC. “The ruling PDP have shown me and other members that they are not ready to put things right and if for nothing because of our younger ones. There is need for me to join the APC to ensure that change. At my age, I don’t need anything, but the younger ones coming behind need us to join the progressives to ensure that we leave good legacy for them, “he said.

Receiving the decamped persons at the Adamu Shuaibu Memorial Town Hall, chairman of the (APC)

in the FCT, Alhaji Usman Abdulmalik, said there was no doubt that some prominent individuals of the council were among those that decided to pitch their tent with the APC, even as he added that they must have reasoned very well that things are not going well with the people of this country under the PDP administration.

He said he was elated with the mass defection of members of the PDP across the 10 wards of the council, saying APC was ever ready to carry them along in line with the party’s constitution to ensure victory at the polls.

He said: “I know there are some that have benefited from the PDP, but then what is happening under the PDP administration over 15 years is nothing but a repeat of deceit and fake promise which I believe prompted some of these prominent people in Abaji to join the progressives train. And APC shall carry everybody along in whatever decisions we are making to ensure that the APC waxed stronger in the FCT.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

36

ABUJA REVIEW

B

ATS which virtually disappeared from the trees at the Presidential Villa during the deadly Ebola Virus Disease epidemic in Nigeria last year have returned to their nests.

It was one of the animals health authorities listed as dangerous and carrier of the Ebola Virus Disease following the importation of the disease into Nigeria last July by the late Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer.

The disappearance of the bats for a long time from the State House prompted my write-up on the16th of September, 2014 entitled “Where are the bats and monkeys?”

Members of staff of State House that parked their cars, especially under the trees at the parking lots in the Presidential Villa, somehow benefited from the birds’ relocation from Villa for close to six months.

The birds’ exit during the period reduced the number of times members of staff of State House have to wash their cars.

When the birds were around, cars at the parking lots, whether under a tree or not, are usually stained with their faeces and the owners have no choice than to find a way to wash or clean them.

They rested from all these in the past six months as cars parked under the trees had no stains except for some dry leaves that fall on them due to the harmattan season.

The leaves were often blown off the cars as soon as the owners start the engines and move off.

Warning members of staff of State House of the dangers of the bats and monkeys in the wake of the disease in Nigeria last year, the Chief Physician to the President, Dr. Fortune Fiberesima issued internal circular outlining simple procedures to ward off the disease from the Villa.

The circular, dated August 12, 2014 reads: “In view of the recent outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease and that certain animals (bats and monkeys) have been linked with the virus, the following precautionary measures are deemed necessary: “Avoid physical contact with bats and monkeys, whether dead or alive. Do not pick dead bats and monkeys. Please immediately notify the Public Health Unit of the State House Medical Centre for proper disposal.”

“Avoid using hands to clear animal droppings (animal faeces) on parked cars. Hand gloves are available at the SHMC on request. Water-hose vehicles parked under trees (with or without animal droppings on them) properly before washing.”

“Sanitise hands or wash your hands with soap and water as often as possible. The aforementioned measures are purely precautionary, in view of the large number of bats and monkeys in the Villa.”

It was not really clear whether the bats, which vanished in their thousands from the State House shortly after the circular, was due to the nor-

Bats back from Ebola-exile mal seasonal migration of birds or were repelled and dislodged from their abode of many years because of the Ebola Virus Disease.

Nigeria was, however, on October 20, 2014 declared free of the Ebola transmission by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The bats are back again to Aso Rock in their thousands and the cars and other objects have s began to have faeces of the bats.

Members of staff of State House, no doubt, are up to the task as they have been used to it over the years.

Jonathan and the alleged missing fund Despite claims that huge amount of money have been diverted from the Federation Account, President Goodluck Jonathan, on Monday last week, noted that various figures been thrown up were causing more confusion.

Shortly before he was suspended prior to his retirement from office as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi had claimed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had, illegally diverted $20 billion from the Federation Account.

In March last year, the Presidency disclosed that it had authorised a reputable international firm to carry out the forensic audit of the accounts of the NNPC in order to get to the

From the Villa

By Augustine Ehikioya

root of the matter.

Sanusi, whose suspension was announced by President Jonathan through a statement in February last year by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, has long been turbaned as the Emir of Kano.

Based on his allegations, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), headed

by Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, among other individuals and groups, on January 16, 2014, had urged the National Assembly to institute a comprehensive independent forensic audit by an international reputable firm.

Stressing that the declining state revenues were not unconnected with the financial diversion, the Forum, on February 25, last year also noted

Monarch urges politicians on peace

T

HE Ona of Abaji and chairman of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) council of chiefs, Alhaji Adamu Yunusa, had urged politicians in the area to play politics according to the rules of the game without any rancor or acrimony.

Yunusa, who spoke when the FCT All Progressive Congress (APC) senatorial candidate, Senator Sidi Ali, the party House of representatives candidate, Alhaji Zakari Angulu Dobi, and their supporters visited the monarch at his palace to seek for his blessings towards the general election.

According to the monarch, any

From Gbenga Omokhunu

child who is going out to look something good either for himself or for the entire society, must surely go to seek for his father’s blessing irrespective of any background he or she comes from.

“So I want to appeal to all of you here to advised all your supporters to avoid any abusive or provocative comments that may ignite any violent reaction from opponent, as God gives power to who he wishes and take it anytime right from the day such person was born, “ he said.

•Abuja city gate

that the Presidency breached the 1999 Constitution and the CBN Act by suspending Sanusi.

Adding another angle to the series of allegations and drama, another former Governor of CBN, Charles Soludo, last week, alleged that N30 trillion have not been accounted for under the watch of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala.

But receiving the report of the forensic audit, Jonathan said: “There has been so much of controversy over this NNPC and leakages or no leakages. I remember the Senate has also looked into it, it is also good that you professionals have also looked into it.

“What appears in the papers and

the speculations is also very high.

The figures that I cannot even imagine the country will make are being bandied in the newspapers.

“So, I am quite pleased that you have taken the forensic audit and I believe it will help us to move things forward and set things right. I promise we will handle it decisively.

“I assure you that this is a precious document that the Accountant-General will keep and I will have my own copy, because even if you leave office, maybe when I write my memoir, I will use some part of it. But the kind of figure people bandied in the paper look so ridiculous,” he added.

Giving highlights of the report, the Auditor-General of the Federation, Mr. Ukura Samuel, revealed that only $1.48 billion was missing from the treasury.

He noted that the report was centered on NNPC Costs; Ownership of NPDC revenues and Kerosene (DPK) subsidy.

It is hoped that there was no element of bias or any sweepings under the carpet in carrying out the forensic investigation and that its findings are revealing the true picture of the allegations.

Above all, may God grant the government the courage and wisdom to do what is fair and just on the issue by tracing and recovering the diverted fund based on the probe report and any other diversion for the benefit of Nigerians.

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

37

LAW PERSONALITY

‘States should enforce judicial autonomy’ Mr Uwemedimo Nwoko is the Akwa Ibom State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice. An activist-lawyer, he was called to bar in 1992 and was in private legal practice until his appointment. He tells JOSEPH JIBUEZE his plans for the justice sector.

Y

OU challenged the former Governor Victor Attah administration over some constitutional issues. Have things changed now?

I have always insisted on compliance with the Constitution. The autonomy for each of the three organs of government and the three tiers of government in Nigeria are constitutional. They are not things that are left to the whims and caprices of individuals. I do insist there should be autonomy for these organs and tiers of government. Fortunately for me, we are one of the few states that comply with the constitutional provision of giving autonomy to the judiciary even before the judgment in favour of the judiciary staff.

That is why Justice Ademola struck out our names after we applied and showed evidence that we have already complied with the provision of the Constitution in respect of giving autonomy to the judiciary. That is why we are not bound by that judgment. I am lucky to come from a state where the independence of the judiciary had already been applied even before judiciary staff at the national level went to court.

What was your case for councils?

I have always maintained that the local governments should be made to stand as an independent tier of government in terms of managing their finances and my position has not changed. My opinion is that the law, Section 162 of the Constitution, as it stands makes it is very clear that the finances of the local government should be paid directly to the local governments. This joint account manipulation by some states is what is creating a problem. All that we need to have are governments at the various levels sitting down and ensuring the application of that law. It would be nice to have a system where local governments have their funds directly paid to them, even if it goes through the Joint Account as it is being operated. All that is needed to be done is for the local governments to come out with their own format. I have attended Joint Account meeting in Akwa Ibom and I saw that they all discussed and agreed on modalities they want to apply. I believe that as far as Akwa Ibom is concerned that position is being applied. It may not be the same with other states.

Your appointment came as the Governor Godswill Akpabio administration is winding down. What impact can you make with the short time?

Well, the administration of the Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio is actually winding down, but the government of Akwa Ibom State is not. There is still work to be done. As far as the business of the government is concerned, every minute is material. There is still a lot of room to make impact in the administration, and I am very grateful to Gov-

ernor Akpabio for giving me the opportunity even for this brief period to be part of the success story of his administration.

What areas of the justice sector would you like to focus on?

The concerns of the Ministry of Justice as far justice delivery system is concerned are the protection of human rights, compliance with the rule of law and the Constitution and giving room for the citizens to enjoy the fundamental human rights. I was appointed into a government with excellent credentials as far as human right is concerned. There is room for improvement.

What are these specific areas?

I will be working toward further decongesting the prisons and our courts; to ensure that the rights of citizens are respected and that the rule of law is applied. Beyond that, I am working towards instituting a legal framework to enhance the performance of the staff of the Ministry of Justice in making contribution to the state’s justice delivery system. I have discovered that a lot of criminal cases run into difficult quarters in the cause of prosecution. I have decided to establish a synergy between the ministry and the police. There should be a monitoring of the police investigation so that whatever needs to be put in place are brought into place immediately.

The three Attorney-Generals who served under Akpabio were said to have fallen out with him. Will you be different?

All of them are entitled to their own rights and ambitions. They are people I respect to a great deal. In fact, I spoke on phone with my immediate predecessor, Ekpenyong Ntekim, and he promised me his assistance where and when necessary. I also believe that if in one way or the other there are some minor differences, it is part of the democratic processes. I can assure you that within a very short time all of them would come back and eat at the same table.

It has been said that Attorneys-General abuse their powers. Is that true?

If somebody says a particular AttorneyGeneral is abusing the provision of nolle prosequi he should be able to give statistics and instances. I would not, for instance, use what happens in Lagos State to judge Kano State.

Every individual state has its own peculiarity. If somebody is saying the Attorneys-Gen-

‘It would be nice to have a system where local governments have their funds directly paid to them, even if it goes through the Joint Account as it is being operated.

All that is needed to be done is for the local governments to come out with their own format’

NBA Abuja inaugurates new officers

T

HE Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Justice I. M. Bukar has inaugurated new officers of the Abuja Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).

Justice Bukar, represented by Justice Jude Okeke, administered the oath to the 10 new officers who would run the association for the next two years.

They are Mr. Agada Elachi (Chairman), Betty Umegbulem (Vice Chairman); Kola Omotunigbon, Secretary; Christopher Eiche, Treasurer; Chinedu Obienu, Welfare Secretary; Silas Joseph Onu, Publicity Secretary and Obioma Ezenwabodo as Provost.

Others are Nduka Okatta, Social Secretary; Philemon Yakubu, Financial Secretary and U.M.D. Umukoro as Assistant Social Secretary.

The officers were elected on December 12, last year, but their swearing-in was delayed due to the strike by the Judicial Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) until January 29.

The event was noted as the most attended inauguration in the history of the Branch.

Justice Ishaq U. Bello of the FCT High Court made glowing remarks on the cordial relationship that exists between the Bar and

eral are abusing their powers, I think it is a wrong judgment. If somebody sites instances, with reference to the particular instances, we can then appraise the action of the AttorneyGeneral in question. It is then that we can give an informed judgment of the action of that particular Attorney-General. Making such blanket statement is unfair to the Attorneys-General.

Do you foresee a free and fair election in Akwa Ibom State?

Governor Akpabio that I know is determined to have a free and fair election in the state and he is providing every facility and enablement, within the limit of his office, for that purpose. He would not mind who wins or loses. But as far as he is concerned, within the domestic arrangement of his political party and as a governor he is entitled to be interested in who should come out as a candidate of his political party and, possibly succeeds him. He would be a failed governor if he fails to take interest in who succeeds him but his interest would not influence the outcome of the general elections, which is to be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). As a member of a political party, a loyal one for that matter, and in this case the Leader of the party in the state, he has the capacity and obligation to ensure that the primaries of his political party are held in a free and fair environment. The governor is determined to have free and fair election in the state and he is not going to influence the outcome of the elections. He will, within his capacity ensure that those who win are those the people actually want.

Why were you in support of another national conference?

I am of the opinion that the most important issue that should had been placed on the table of the last National conference in Nigeria would have been for Nigerians to discuss their readiness or otherwise to remain together as people of one nation. That particular aspect which I see as the most important and critical was left out from the terms of reference of the last conference and what that means is that we are going to come back to face that question. One day we would answer whether Nigerians are still ready to live together as people of one nation. If you check through the present electioneering and the

By John Austin Unachukwu

the Bench in the FCT. The event was attended by prominent Bar leaders in the FCT, including the NBA President, Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN).

He praised the branch for blazing the trail in conducting the first electronic voting by any branch of the NBA. Also at te event were the General Secretary of the NBA, Mazi Afam Osigwe, the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), who was represented by a Director from the Ministry of Justice, Mr. P. I. Oteh. Two former Presidents of the NBA, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN) and J. B. Daudu (SAN) were also present.

Also present were: Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama (SAN), Chief IkechuKwu Ezechukwu (SAN), Chief Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN), Chief S.I. Ameh (SAN), Chief Godwin Obla (SAN), Chief Karina Tunyan (SAN), Dr. Garba Tetengi (SAN) and Director, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Pius I. Oteh.

Past and present national officers of the NBA were also in attendance.

I

MO State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has filed a fresh appeal at the Supreme Court against the decision of the Court of Appeal reinstating the sacked Chairman of Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, Cletus Ilomuanya.

Okorocha had, in his maiden broadcast on June 6, 2011, dissolved the Imo State Council of Ndi Eze. Ilomuanya challenged the governor’s decision in the court.The High Court decided the case against him, prompting him to appeal at the Court of Appeal, which reinstated him.

Okorocha, who was dissatisfied with the Court of Appeal’s decision, appealed to Supreme Court.

Last Thursday, when the case was called at the Supreme Court, Justice John Fabiyi (who presided) struck out the suit on the ground that the appellant failed to first obtain the court’s leave as required.

Imo State’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice ChukwumaMachukwu Ume (SAN), who represented Okorocha, restated the case by filing a fresh one marked: SC9/ 2015.

Okorocha wants the apex court to hold that the five-year tenure of Ilumounya had elapsed on January 28, this year, having

•Nwoko incidents that follow them you would get to find out that there is still doubt as to the readiness of Nigerians to continue to live together as citizens of one indivisible, indissoluble sovereign nation. The questions again arise: Are we ready to bury our differences and past experiences and come together to work as a people of one nation? Are we still whipping and fanning the embers of discord? What has changed between 1914 when the amalgamation was done and today? What is the difference between the attitude of Nigerians after the civil war in 1970 and today? How have we been able to handle the issue of fiscal federalism? Have we been able to resolve the issue of resource control? Most of those things are treated on the surface superficially.

How do you mean?

The average Southsouth person, including myself, believes that the foundation of the Nigerian nation, which was formed under the Republican Constitution of 1963, was completely eroded by the intervention of the military in the Nigerian politics. I keep on referring Section 140 (1) of the 1963 Constitution which peg resource control at 50 per cent to the regions. The military came up and wiped it out and reduce it to zero. The Southsouth demanded at the last National Conference that it should be raised 25 per cent but the North fought it to a standstill and that issue was not resolved. Do you expect the Southsouth person to be happy? Instead of resolving our fundamental issues we keep managing them. The trouble is actually incubating; it is just becoming a more vicious and explosive time bomb waiting for its appropriate time to explode. There will definitely be another national conference.

Okorocha appeals reinstatement of ‘monarch’ From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

been appointed on January 28, 2010 by the state’s former governor, Ikedi Ohakim.

Okorocha also filed a motion for a stay of execution of the Court of Appeal judgment pending the determination of his fresh appeal.

Relying on the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Okorocha argued that Ilumounya’s tenure could not be extended.

The state’s Attorney General has, however, petitioned the Inspector-General of Police Suleiman Abba over the alleged attempt by Ilumounya to mislead the public on the appeal which is still pending.

Copies of the petition were also sent to the Imo state Police Commissioner and the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal.

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

38

LAW & SOCIETY Comply with environmental laws, ex-NBA section chair pleads

P

IONEER chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association ( NBA) Section on Business Law (SBL), Mr. George Etomi has urged Nigerians to comply with environmental laws to improve the quality of their lives.

He spoke at the public presentation of a book titled: Appropriate mechanisms for environmental protection and sustainable development in Nigeria - An advocate’s viewpoint in honour of the retiring Director-General, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Dr. Ngeri Benebo.

He praised Benabo for her achievements, saying her doggedness and passion for the environment led to the passage of over 24 environment bills into law by the National Assembly.

Etomi said: “Under her brilliant leadership, NESREA has developed 24 environmental regulations, on behalf of the Federal Government, which have been signed into law and published in the Official Gazette of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“One of such regulations is the National Environmental (Control of Vehicular Emissions from Petrol and Diesel Engines) Regulation, 2010, S. I. No. 20, which is aimed at controlling the country’s air quality.

“A World Health Organisation (WHO) report revealed that in 2012 about seven million people died as a result of exposure to air pollution. Nigeria has over 10 million vehicles and three million motorcycles and is clearly not excluded from this statistic. The carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon and Nitrogen oxide emitted from these automobiles also causes skin cancer, cataract asthma and other respiratory diseases as well as impacting negatively on the ozone layer and global warming.’’

He said to combat the menace, NESREA is at the implementation stage of the pilot Vehicular Emissions Testing Programme.

The programme, he added, involves a mandatory test of vehicles for toxic air emissions, and emission reduction technology in vehicles.This would control toxic gas generated by vehicles on the roads. NESREA would carry out the tests with some government agencies. Vehicular emission testing centres would be set up in Abuja and in other parts of the country,’’ he disclosed.

“The Vehicular Emissions Testing

By John Austin Unachukwu

Programme will greatly aid in the reduction of Nigeria’s carbon emissions to internationally acceptable standards. It will also help bring Nigeria at par with the developed nations which all run similar programmes.

Another side benefit of reduced carbon emissions is that Nigeria would be able to earn carbon credits for trade on the global stage.

This would be another source of revenue for the country, especially in these trying economic times.

NESREA, Etomi added, was addressing some peculiar environmental issues in the telecoms sector, especially the erection of masts. He said this was resisted by the teleco, which argued that NESREA is not the primary regulator of the telecoms industry.

Earlier, he said NESREA developed the National Environmental (Standards for Telecommunications/Broadcasting Facilities) Regulations, 2010 S. I. No. 11, which led to friction between the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and NESREA. However, the two agencies agreed to adhere to the telecoms companies’ Enivironmental Impact Assesments and the siting of masts and base stations, among other things, he added.

Etomi said some telcos have been complying, recognising that health and human benefits outweigh the monetary benefits of flouting environmental regulations.

He said Airtel has settled with NESREA on getting Environmental Impact Assessments. “Although NESREA is not the primary regulator for the telecoms sector, it is imperative that the TELCO’s cooperate with NESREA and find ways to address NESREA’s concerns, as all will feel the effect of any detriment to the environment due to their activities.

He said: “It is safe to say that Benebo’s tenure at NESREA brought issues of environ-

•From left: Gloria Kanake, Etomi and Prearemowei Oti

•From left: Amb. Abdul-Azeez Garuba, Dr. Benebo and Sir Peter Idabor

mental compliance and enforcement to the national limelight. She adopted a participatory approach to environmental governance in Nigeria through the creation of the NESREA annual National Stakeholders’ Forum.

“The achievements of NESREA over the last eight years are too many to summarise in one

‘The achievements of NESREA over the last eight years are too many to summarise in one article. It is hoped that the next tenure of leadership builds on these achievements and propels environmental governance in Nigeria to the next level’

article. It is hoped that the next tenure of leadership builds on these achievements and propels environmental governance in Nigeria to the next level.”

Another achievement of Benebo, Etomi said, was the revival of the National Toxic Waste Dump Watch Committee (NTWDWC), adding that it elevated e-waste prevention to regional and global levels.

“As Nigeria is an importing country it could be easily made a dumping ground for toxic waste. Recently, NESREA has made a lot of headway in the curtailment of the importation of electronic waste. Guilty vessels have been detected, detained and even sent back to their countries of origin after paying the imposed fines,’’ he added.

Judges, lawyers decry non-use of labour law report

By Precious Igbonwelundu

•Etteh

J

UDGES and senior lawyers have decried the poor reference to Nigeria Labour Law Report (NLLR) by lawyers, urging them to get acquainted with the report to further enhance jurisprudence.

They make the call at the weekend during a colloquium on Employment law and practice in Nigeria, organised as part of activities marking the 50th birthday of the Publisher, NLLR, Enobong Etteh.

It had as theme: Advancing the frontiers of Nigerian Law through Law reporting; Nigerian Labour Law Reports as a case study.

At the event were Justices Habib Abiru of the Court of Appeal and Stephen Adah of the Rivers High Court; Justices of the National Industrial Court (NIC), Prof. James Agbadu-Fishim and Prof. Benedict Kanyip; a labour law guru, Prof. China Agomo; Health Law expert, Gani Adetola-Kaseem (SAN); James Ocholi (SAN) and Solomon Awomolo (SAN), among others.

The stakeholders noted that the use of the NLLR among practitioners was below the aver-

age despite the fact that the publication has been in existence for a decade.

They said there have been milestone and classical judgments delivered by the NIC and reported by the NLLR, but most lawyers, who are ignorant of the judgments, most times cite cases out of context.

Kanyip expressed worries that despite abundant landmark decisions of the NIC, labour lawyers still based their arguments on decisions of the appellate and Supreme Courts.

“The point I simply wish to make is that the utilisation of the Nigerian Labour Law Reports by lawyers has been generally less than satisfactory, especially for a court like the NIC, whose decisions are subject to minimal right of appeal. ”I have heard arguments of counsel regarding, for instance, Section 7 of the NIC Act, 2006, on the ambit of the court’s jurisdiction over issues relating to labour. The disturbing thing is that even when the National Industrial Court has made pronouncement on what the word labour means for the purpose of jurisdiction, counsel chose not to even refer to such a decision, they preferred to rely on the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal cases, even when these cases are of no relevance,” said Kanyip, who appealed to lawyers to get acquainted with the NLLR. He said the idea behind the NLLR was to fill the gap created by the lack of the NIC’s law report it stopped producing, adding that lawyers can only get to learn about the identity crisis in labour law by keeping abreast with recent developments.

“There is a quiet revolution going on at the NIC since 1999 after the promulgation of the court as one of the courts of record ... Irrespective of employers’ right to hire and fire, it is no longer globally fashionable to terminate an employment without a justifiable reason,” he said.

Similarly, Agomo said law students were also liable, noting that despite the existence of the NLLR on the book shelve since 2004, most of her students do not know about it.

She advocated the need for the chamber, Rochebas Solicitors, to set up strong resilient and aggressive marketing team that can cover the country, urging the publisher to encourage the students by subsidising the shelf price for them.

Etteh said he had been excited by labour and employment related matters, noting that his first labour dispute case was a year after he was called to bar.

“I was assigned a Labour Law Case in 1991. It excited me because I saw the opportunity of fighting for some employees of the Federal Ministry of Industries, who were wrongly retired from service. Again in 1993, I had to do a labour case with the firm of our late Sage, Chief Kehinde Sofola, (SAN). That case was reported as the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Nigerian Civil Service Union (2004) 1 NLLR (Part 3) 429.

“That was a personal brief, which I brought to the firm because I had a personal decision not to hide any case file when my principal walked into my office. That case had two indelible impacts in my life. First, it made me fully understand the challenges facing industrial law practice in Nigeria and secondly, it eventually became the platform for building a great solicitor/client relationship with a trade union that has spanned over two decades.

“By the turn of the second millennium, I began to feel the fire of conservative activism agitating my spirit I kept hearing, you must do something about the state of Employment Law Practice in Nigeria. The fire became unquenchable and by 2002, I had to ignite a quiet campaign for labour justice reforms in Nigeria. Ordinarily, I could have hit the press or media.

“But I choose to do the activism the conserva-

tive way by sending a 17-page Memorandum for Reforms to the then Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mohammed Uwais, CJN (as he then was), GCON. The then CJN acted pronto on the memo and went to work on the recommendations.

“I can tell you that 2002 Memo to the CJN triggered the current reforms in the labour justice sector. It was in furtherance of that quiet campaign that I jumped into the deep sea of law reporting. I have put my hand into the plough and there is no looking back.

“I needed to bring labour law decisions to limelight. I needed to turn the focus of stakeholders to this forlorn area of practice. I needed to agitate the minds of the Bench and the Bar to ask what this gentlemen saw in an area of law erroneously viewed as narrow.

“I needed to provoke legal and labour practitioners to join in the campaign for reforms. My wisdom was variously questioned by my friends. Even my state Attorney-General then, honestly advised me to expand the scope of the Law Report to secure its future.

“But I was driven by vision and passion. I saw a day in Nigeria when the rights of employees and employers would be redefined. I saw a day when the right to hire and fire will not be without question. I saw a day when there would be an NIC in every state of Nigeria.

“I saw a day when the doors of sovereignty will be opened for international best practice to influence the way Nigerian workers are being inhumanly treated in factories and construction companies.

For that day to come, I needed to take a risk.

“For that day to come, I needed to contribute my quota. Nigerian Labour Law Reports, a primary source of law in labour jurisprudence, was one of such risks. Don’t ask me how many tons of naira in millions we have sunk in to pursue this dream. Don’t ask me the sleepless nights with my gang of risk takers that we have put in. But in all, at 50, I feel a sense of fulfillment that the risk was worth taking.

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

39

LEGAL & SOCIETY

Electoral campaigns: Forum asks parties, candidates to address issues

M

EMBERS of various Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Abuja has asked politicians to examine the quality and pattern of their campaigns.

They said the messages being churned out did not only dwell on frivolities and primordial sentiments, but were deliberately intended to exploit the nation’s fault lines of religion and ethnicity.

They urged politicians and their parties to redirect their campaigns to address issues and the myriad of challenges facing the country, to enable the electorates make informed choices on election days.

The event titled: Training on advocacy for issue-based campaigning in Nigeria, was organised by a coalition of CSOs under the aegis of the Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room (Situation Room), with support from the British Department for International Development (DFID).

Speakers included the Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), Clement Nwankwo; Country Director, Action Aid Nigeria, Dr Hussaini Abdu; Executive Director, Human Rights Monitor, Festus Okoye and Country Director, Open Society Initiative, West Africa (OSIWA), Jude Ilo. They urged Nigerians to insist that candidates in the elections must discuss how to fix corruption, poverty, unemployment, socio-economic inequality and decay in infrastructure, among others. They advised the elec-

From Eric Ikhilae, Abuja

torates not be moved by the current campaign pattern that seeks to solely exploit the nation’s ethnic and religious diversity.

Nwankwo said the event was meant to educate participants on strategies for advocating the pre-eminence of issue-based campaign in the country, and articulate issues that will help define citizens’ understanding.

He observed that there were a lot of issues affecting the country, which should be addressed by candidates rather than expending energy on frivolities and issues that could further divide the nation.

He urged President Goodluck Jonathan and others to showcase their achievements, on which basis they are seeking re-election. He faulted the threat by some Niger Delta indigenes that they will deny the country access to the resources in their geo-political zone should Jonathan lose election.

Abdu, in his presentation titled: Issues in the economy, wondered why the level of poverty, unemployment and inequality has continued to rise despite claim by the government to have improved on the economy through its various economic policies.

He noted that the nation’s main problem was the economy. He observed that the factors that led to military intervention in the early 1980s were present.

Abdu, a former lecturer at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA),

urged Nigerians to demand from the various candidates, how they intend to revamp the economy, because whoever wins “has a lot to do in resuscitating the economy”. He said what candidates should focus on is how to arrest the current drift in the nation’s fortune.

Okoye, in his paper titled: Democracy, rule of law and issue-based campaign, observed that though the country, by adopting democracy, has resolved to live by democratic culture, tenets and values, its elite, nurtured in a culture of impunity, are hesitant to commit to constitutional democracy.

This, he said, was evident in “our political parties, their manifestos and even, in the way the affairs of the parties are conducted”.

He noted that candidates’campaigns and their parties’ manifestos have continued to avoid pertinent issues around democracy, rule of law, separation of powers and the people’s sovereign power.

Okoye argued that rather, politicians and their parties make fleeting references and generalisation to these pertinent issues. “As a people and a nation, we should pose questions to the political parties and the candidates and demand answers to them,” he said.

He urged the electorate to insist that political parties and their candidates “restrict themselves to issues affecting the welfare and the wellbeing of the people and abandon the uncharitable path of character attack.

•From left: Justice Lateefat Folami; Justice Lateefa Okunnu and Justice Latifat Oluyemi at the swearing in of three new judges in Lagos State.

SERAP to Finance Minister: account for alleged CIVIL society group, Socioanti-corruption laws and the missing N30tr national Economic Rights and Accountry’s international anti-corrup-

A

countability Project (SERAP) has asked the Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to account for the alleged missing N30 trillion.

In making the request, the group relied on the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act 2011.

It followed the disclosure by the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, that over N30trillion was unaccounted for.

The group threatened to sue the minister under within two weeks of the receiving or publishing this letter.

In the letter dated February 2, 2015 and signed by SERAP Executive Director Adetokunbo Mumuni, the group, said: “As trustee of public funds, SERAP contends that your Ministry has a legal duty to render account on the missing N30trillion to the beneficiaries (Nigerians) of the trust, if and when called upon to do so.”

It continued: “As a key agency of government, the Ministry of Finance has a sacred duty to ensure that the country’s resources and wealth is

By Adebisi Onanuga

used solely to fulfil the basic economic and social rights of all Nigerians and achieve the country’s overall socio-economic development.

This implies providing strong leadership in the efforts to curb public sector corruption, and to refer to appropriate anticorruption agencies any allegations of corruption in which any agencies of government may be involved or officials of your Ministry may be complicit.’’

The group said the stealing or mismanagement of public funds might be responsible for the economic crisis and hardships being faced by Nigerians, noting that this has led to persistent lack of enjoyment of their legally recognised economic and social rights, such as the rights to education, to adequate healthcare, to adequate food, and access to clean and potable water.

“SERAP considers this a serious allegation that requires your immediate and urgent clarifications. If true, such allegation will clearly amount to a fundamental breach of

tion obligations and commitments including under the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party, it added.

Our error

•Oyetibo

THE picture used on this page last week along with the story: The Token debuts in Lagos, was not that of the publisher Tayo Oyetibo (SAN). The one above should have been used. The error is regretted.

- Editor.

LAW AND PUBLIC POWER

with gabriel AMALU email:gabrielamalu1@yahoo.com For comments: 08033054939 (sms only)

The dilemma of the Nigerian voter

P

OOR Nigerian voters. The more they think they are in control, the greater their illusion. After the parties have worked the electorate into a frenzy, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is forced to shift the February polls to March/April. As usual, while the politicians trade blame, Nigerians,the poor victims of a gravely dysfunctional country, are handed six weeks to lick their psychological wounds. As INEC chairman has urged, Nigerians are compelled to ‘keep hope alive’.

Few days before the polls were shifted, all the people I interacted with, had made up their minds over the presidential candidates, they will vote for; and their reasons were as a diverse as the people that make up our dear pseudo-federal republic of Nigeria.Those I spoke with included artisans, public servants, professionals and business people.They were mainly Igbo and Yoruba, with a few others, from the Delta. Our informal discussion revolved around who they will vote for,and why, between the two leading presidential candidates, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

For those angling for Gen. Buhari, the major reason they prefer him, is his reputation as an incorruptible person. They claim that if he makes it to the presidency, many of the Nigerian elite, who indulge in corrupt practices would have a tough time ahead. They cite his ascetic life style, despite his exposure to political offices. Among this group, corruption is viewed as the major challenge facing the nation, and they belief a Buhari presidency will kill the debilitating corruption ravaging our country.

Indeed for many within this group, should Buhari win, many corrupt elites will simply join the next available flight, out of the country.

Another major argument of those supporting a Buhari presidency is believe that he will defeat the Boko Haram insurgency in the north east.

They argue that as a former military leader, he will run the insurgents out of the country, with ease. They excitedly refer to his exploits as former commander of the Third Armoured Division, based in Jos; when he reportedly chased insurgents into a neighbouring country.Again this group believe that the army will be more committed to the fight against the insurgents than they are under President Jonathan, a civilian.

In fact, some even tout the unrealistic claim that the General will lead the fight.

On the flip side, the strongest argument against Gen. Buhari is that he comes from a tribal group that has ruled Nigeria for the longest period, and as such he should allow President Jonathan, a minority,from oil bearing region of the country, another chance. They also argue that should Buhari become a president, there will be a resurgence of the born-to-rule mentality, and the unfair privileges and access to government offices by the Hausa-Fulani, as in the past. They cite examples when they had preferential treatment with regards to promotions in the public service.

They also raised issues about Buhari’s sponsors.

Another major worry of those against Buhari’s presidency is his excessive strictness; indeed, many used very harsh words against him.

They cite many of the claims in a campaign documentary as evidence, and even when one points out that some of the claims may not be true, considering the time when it happened, the claim that he has no mercy sticks with them. Here, there is also the claim that he bears responsibility for some of the violence in the north, considering some of his outbursts, when he claimed that the elections were rigged against him.

For President Jonathan, his supporters claim that he has turned around the economy, for better. They cite the claim by the Minister for Agriculture that Nigeria is now nearly self-sufficient in rice production. They are also excited that our economy is now the biggest in Africa, and according to government officials the preferred destination for direct foreign investment in Africa. Another claim they make is that Nigeria has under the government of President Jonathan become a net exporter of cement.

Still on the economy, they tout the claim that corruption has been eliminated in the distribution of fertiliser.

The other strong claim by the supporters of the President is that he has done well with infrastructure, citing the famous Ore-Benin highway, and the revived railway. They also cite the privatisation of the power sector, which they claimed the past presidents could not do. They relay the claim by the government that ghost workers have been eliminated in the civil service, and that he has spread universities across the states that had none. One major claim based on sentiment is that coming from the Niger Delta, Jonathan deserves a second term.

On the flip side, there is the contention that the president is soft on corruption. They cite the fuel and kerosene subsidy scam. Also the pension fraud and the allegations against the NNPC and other major government agencies. Another major issue against the president is the rampaging insecurity in the country and debilitating unemployment.

They argue that the President lacks the capacity to fight the Boko Haram menace, despite the huge resources allocated to the military over the years. Like the argument against the Hausa-Fulani aristocrats, there is the argument that young Niger Delta Turks have replaced the former, particularly in accessing unearned privileges. Indeed many contend that their excesses contribute significantly to the ascendency of corruption in the country.

Notably, none of those I encountered raised query over the position of the candidates, with regards to restructuring of the country. Again, though ethnic bias is a factor for the preferences, there were strong supporters of the two candidates across the two major ethnic groups. Since I am not anexpertise on voters’ attitude, I hope the delay will not result in apathy and change of preferences.

40

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

LAW REPORT

State electoral commissions must be properly constituted IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF KOGI STATE OF NIGERIA IN THE KOGI STATE JUDICIAL DIVISION HOLDEN AT KOTONKARFE THIS MONDAY 8TH DAY OF DECEMBER 2014 BEFORE HIS LORDSHIP HON. JUSTICE ALABA OMOLAYE-AJILEYE SUIT NO: HC/KK/002 CV/2013 Between: ALL PROGRESSIVE CONGRESS (APC) -CLAIMANT And 1. KOGI STATE GOVERNMENT 2. ATTORNEY GENERAL AND COMMISSIONER FOR JUSTICE, KOGI STATE 3. KOGI STATE INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION (KOGIEC) 4. BARRISTER ABRAHAM A. OLANIRAN DEFENDANTS 5. HON. DAVID O. APEH 6. HON. HARUNA IBRAHIM 7. HON. AHMED A. SAMARI 8. HON. AMOKA SUBERU 9. PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP) JUDGMENT

•Continued from last week HE argument then centred around the fact that with the merger of ACN, ANPP and CPC, into APC, the three parties that merged had gone into extinction and, therefore, could not be substituted with another party without proof of the new party’s certificate of registration. I resolved the issue then by taking judicial notice of the merger of the three political parties under section 124(1) and (2) of the Evidence Act 2011, being a fact of common knowledge in Nigeria. The objection to the capacity here is an expanded version of the points taken up at the interlocutory level. The contention of learned senior counsel for the 1st – 8th defendants and learned counsel for the 9 th defendant is that the claimant’s sole witness stated in his evidence in-chief that the original claimants still remained independent political parties in spite of their merger and that the Independent National Electoral Commission was yet to approve the merger of three parties into one as required by law. They also argue that failure of the claimant to tender her certificate of registration is fatal, as her capacity to sue and be sued has not been established; which according to them is a fundamental requirement to institute an action. Mr.Ocholi, SAN, arguesper contra, stating that the claimant has locus standi.

44. The case, HSFCO (Nig) Ltd v. Springside Co. Ltd (SC)(supra) cited by Mr.Aruwa, of counsel, provides a guide for the resolution of this point. In it, the Supreme Court held: The issue as to whether or not a plaintiff has a locus standi to institute the action is determinable from the averments in the statement of claim… In other words, it is the averments in the statement of claim that would disclose the rights and obligations or interest of the plaintiff which has been violated or threatened with violation or infringement then, the trial court would be in a position to determine whether the plaintiff has locus standi to institute the action (P. 85 lines 10 – 20).

Guided by the above authority, I took a glimpse at the averments in the statement of claim. In paragraph 1 of the amended statement of claim filed pursuant to an Order of this court of October 14, 2013, the claimant avers: “The claimants (sic) is a registered political party in Nigeria with their State Office (sic) in Lokoja, Kogi State, while they have their offices at all Local Government Area and words of the State within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Courts (sic) “(P.I).

45. In response, the 1st – 8th defendants and the 9th defendants admitted the facts. In paragraph 1 of the further amended joint statement of defence of the 1st – 8th defendants, filed on 4/02/2014, it is stated as follows: “The 1st – 8th Defendants (hereinafter called” the Defendants”) admit paragraph 1 of the Amended statement of claim (herein-after called “the claim”).

Similarly, the 9th defendant in paragraph 1 of her statement of defence dated 4th November 2013, avers as follows: “The defendant (sic) admits paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, of the statement of “ claim”.

46. It is a well-recognised principle that has received the stamp of authority of the highest court of this land, in numerous decisions, that if a particular averment of a claimant is admitted, there will be no onus to prove what has been admitted by the opposite party (Bunge v. Gov. Rivers State (2006) 12 NWLR (Pt.

T

995) 573. Accordingly, I hold that, the defendants having admitted, in their pleadings, that the claimant is a registered political party in Nigeria, it does not lie in their mouths to challenge her locus standi or capacity to institute this action again. The claimant here, on the pleadings before this court, has discharged the onus of proof cast on her and section 133 (1) of the Evidence Act 2011 necessarily imposes a burden on the defendants to prove the negative (Bunge v. Governor of Rivers States)(supra). This is particularly so in the light of the provision of section 80 of the Electoral Act, which stipulate that: ‘’Every political party registered under this Act shall be a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal and may sue and be sued in its corporate name”.

47. The provision of this section has put to rest any doubt about the locus standior capacity of the claimant to institute this action. It has alsorendered all the arguments of learned counsel for the defendants, with due respect, puerile and futile. It is my holding, therefore, that having regard to the pleadings before me, the claimant is a registered political party, and therefore, has the capacity and locus standi to undertake the prosecution of this action.

48. The next preliminary point taken up by Mr.Akubo, SAN relates to the application or otherwise of the provisions of section 2 of the Public Officers Protection Law, Cap 111, Laws of Northern Nigeria 1963 (as applicable to Kogi State). It is the contention of Mr.Akubo SAN that this action is statute barred having not been brought within three months from the date of appointment of the 4th – 8th defendants in 2008, when the cause of action arose.

The basic response of Mr.Ocholi, SAN, is that this case falls within one of the exceptions to the general rule on the application of statute of limitation. The learned senior counsel, however, fails to buttress this argument with any legal authority.

49. Let me state here that the exact date of the appointment of the 4th – 8th defendants in 2008 is only extracted in evidence. The argument of Mr.Akubo, SAN, is only premised on the calculation of the lapse of five years between 2008 and 2013 when this action was filed. Be that as it may, section 2(a) of the Public Officers Protection Law Cap 111 Laws of Northern Nigeria (as applicable to Kogi State) provides: 2. Where any action, prosecution or other proceeding is commenced against any person for any act done in pursuance or execution or intended execution of any law or any public duty or authority, or in respect of any alleged neglect or default in the execution of any such law, duty or authority the following provisions shall have effect; (a) The action, prosecution or proceeding shall not lie or be instituted unless it is commenced within three months next after the act, neglect or default complained, of or in case of a continuance of damage or injury within three months next after 50. The basic principle is that time begins to run for purposes of limitation of law from the date of the accrual of the cause of action in a case (see Ofili v. Civil Service Commission (2007) LPELR-8538 (CA). The crucial question here is to determine when the cause of action in this case accrued. In determining this question, it is pertinent to know the true meaning of a cause of action. In Aiyelabegan v. L.G. Service Commission, Ilorin, Kwara State (200( 22WRN108,

it was held that a cause of action is a set of facts and or the factual situation which gives a party a right to judicial reliefs. The cause of action in a case incorporates every fact which would support a party’s right to succeed or to have the judgment of the court in his favour.

What constitutes a cause of action is put more succinctly in Ekiti State Electoral Commission &Ors v. PDP &Anor (2013) LPELR – 2041 (CA) in the following words: “... the whole or complete set of circumstances giving rise to an enforceable claim.

Therefore, it consists of the fact or diverse facts which put together, give the plaintiff a right to sue. It has two component elements, firstly, the wrongful act or omission of the defendant which gives the plaintiff his reason to complain; and secondly, the consequent damage”(Onyemenam, JCA, P. 54).

And when the issue arises as to what constitutes cause of action in a suit, the writ of summons and statement of claim constitute the podium for its determination (see Ofili v. Civil Service Commission (supra). The relevant averments in this regard are paragraphs 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15 of the amended statement of claim which are reproduced hereunder: 7. The 5th – 8th Defendants are commissioners/ members of the 3rd Defendant appointed by the 1st Defendant but are members of PDP in their various wards and Local Government Area of their origin in Kogi State.

8. The 9th Defendant is also a registered Political Party in Nigeria having the Governor of Kogi State and 4th – 8th Defendants are some of her members and also have the right to sponsor candidates for the forthcoming Local Government election in Kogi State.

13. The Claimants shall be highly prejudiced if the 4th – 8th Defendants are allowed to remain in that office to conduct the forthcoming Local Government Election as a member of PDP which party is also in control of the 1st Defendant and is sponsoring candidates to contest the election which the 3rd Defendant is to organise.

14. The composition of the 3rd Defendant headed by the 4th Defendant is illegal; unconstitutional null and void.

15. The 1st Defendant had taken several steps in respect of the forthcoming Local Government Election in Kogi State addressing several Press Conferences regarding the dates and activities leading to the conduct of Local Government Election in Kogi State. Minutes of some of the meeting and Press release are hereby pleaded so also the election timetable.

51. It is clear from the foregoing paragraphs that the cause of action in this case necessarily consists of the appointment of the 4th – 8th defendants by the 2nd defendant as members of the 3rd defendants; the composition of the 3rd defendant; the facts relating to the allegation of the 4th – 8th defendants membership of the 9th defendant; and the steps taken in respect of the local government election which was yet to hold as at the time this action was filed on 20th March 2013.

52. From both the writ of summons and the statement of claim that as at 20th March 2013, the constitutional validity of the composition of the 3rd defendant to conduct the local government election of 4th May 2013 was a live issue. The approach adopted by Mr.Akubo, SAN, in defining and restricting or limiting the time the cause of action arose in 2008 when the 4th – 8th defendants were said to have been appointed, is, with due respect, faulty, as it

ignores other relevant facts and circumstances that constitute the cause of action in this case.

This action goes beyond merely challenging the appointment of the 4th – 8th defendants. As at 20th March 2013, (when the action was filed), the local government election that constitutes an integral part of this action was yet to hold.

In all the circumstances of this case, in the light of the foregoing, I hold that this action is not statute barred.

53. The third preliminary point that calls for determination here is whether or not this action constitutes an abuse of the process of this court. Both learned counsel for the defendantsrefer to what they call three antecedent suits which according to them were on the same subject-matter and instituted by the original claimants who were predecessors of the claimant. The three suits are HCL/57/2011 (Exhibit D1), HCL/151m/2012 (Exhibit D2 and HCL/303m/2012 (Exhibit D4). It is contended that the claimants cannot litigate on the same matter already litigated upon in Exhibits D1, D2 and D4.

54. A similar issue also came up at the interlocutory stage of this action and I pronounced on same, holding that the process of this court had not been abused by the institution of this action. This is what I said: “This case before me, in essence, challenges the constitutionality or otherwise of the composition of Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KGSIEC), the third defendant.

One of the cases before the Chief Judge is an application for judicial review by way of certiorari, prohibition and mandamus over the election slated for 8/12/12 and the appointment of liaison officers for the local government area councils, as the case may be. In my view, none of the cases possesses the elasticity to stretch its subject-matter to cover the other.

Each case exists on its peculiar subject, facts and circumstances… I should also add here that the process of this court has not been abused in any way by the institution of this action in this court. (Omolaye-Ajileye, J., PP 8 – 9) I have no reason to depart from these pronouncements. Istand by them. I also wish to add here that I fail to see how the principle of estoppel by conduct or sections 169 and 151 the Evidence Act apply to the claimant. This is because, this action was instituted to challenge the May 4, 2013 local government election, at a time when the election was yet to hold.

Objection to Admissibility of Some Documents 55. Mr Akubo, SAN, has asked me to discountenance Exhibits P1, P6, P9, P10 and P15.

The documents were admitted, in the first place, because Mr.Akubo, SAN, without objection. All the same, he has now drawn my attention to the fact that Exhibits P1 and P6 are public documents which have not been certified. The point of objection to Exhibits P9, P10 and P15 is that they are mere photocopies. I have re-examined the documents and found the points raised by Mr Akubo, SAN, well made out. There are statutory prohibitions against the admission of the documents in the form in which they have been presented to the court. I, shall, therefore, discountenance them. See sections 104 and 105 of the Evidence Act 2011.

•To be continued next week

•From left: Mal Bala Gum, Hon. Yusuf Zagi Dass, Hon. Nasiru Bakura Gamawa; Hon. Saleh Magaji Chinade, Chairman Tetfund and Talban Katagum, Dr. Musa Babayo; Alhaji Adamu Ada Ada and Mallam Pakistan Azare after Babayo was conferred with the Honorary Doctorate Degree of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN).

42

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

43

44

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

45

HEALTH THE NATION

E-mail:- health@thenationonlineng.net

You have heard of menapouse. But, have you ever heard of andropause-the male version of menapouse? Men with the condition also experience menopausal fits, writes OYEYEMI GBENGA-MUSTAPHA writes.

A

Men experience ‘menopause’ too

46-year-old teacher, Taiwo Olujobi, thought he had erectile dysfunction (ED) because his wife’s incessant complaints about his manliness.

He too observed that he could not sustain his erection for long. He resorted to some aphrodisiacs, to no avail. He then decided to pay a visited the hospital.

At the clinic, Olujobi was diagnosed of “andropause.” He was stunned, because he thought it is only women that experience anything called ‘pause’ A nurse (name withheld) took time to explain the condition to him, saying the term ‘male menopause’ refers to the hormonal changes that some men experience as they get older. As men age, their testosterone levels tend to decrease.

This shift can cause physical, emotional, and psychological changes.

The nurse expalained that there is no doubt that a man’s sexuality changes with advancing age.

“The instant, anytime, ‘as-manytimes-as-you-want’ erections experienced at 18 years, do not last forever. With advancing age, the urge reduces, erections take time to come on, any time is not always a good time and the male organ

•Dr Tijani

requires more direct stimulation in order to get aroused. Besides, the erections may not be as angled and rigid, and ejaculation becomes feebler. The refractory period (interval) between erections gets prolonged”, she said.

According to a Consultant Urologist, at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Dr Habib Tijani, the above sums up a condition called Andropause in men. It is also known as Androgen deficiency in the ageing male

(ADAM for short).

He said: “Like menopause in women, it is usually due to the agerelated reduction in the sex hormones, this is due to a reduction in the active body testosterone which tends to occur as men age.

Andropause is a distinct physiological phenomenon that is in many ways akin to, yet in some ways, quite different from the female menopause. A healthy man has a testosterone level of 300–1,200 ng/dL (nanograms per deciliter).

A man’s testosterone level usually peaks in his 20s. After age 30, the average man’s testosterone level declines one per cent each. Thus, by age 70, a man’s testosterone level might reach 50 per cent of his pre-”menopause” level.”

Dr Tijani said, “Menopause is a condition most often associated with women. It occurs in a woman when she ceases to menstruate and can no longer become pregnant.

Men experience a different type of ‘menopause’ or life change. It usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 60, but sometimes as early as age 30. Unlike women, men can continue to father children, but the production of the male sex hormone (testosterone) diminishes

gradually after age 40.

“Testosterone is the hormone that stimulates sexual development in the male infant bone and muscle growth in adult males, and is responsible for sexual drive. It has been found that even in healthy men, by the age of 55, the amount of testosterone secreted into the bloodstream is significantly lower than it is just 10 years earlier. In fact, by age 80, most male hormone levels decrease to pre-puberty levels. Men in andropause can also experience a lowered sperm count and a reduction in the proportion of red blood cells in their plasma.

If you notice any of the signs and symptoms, visit your doctor right away. Menopause happens suddenly; ‘male menopause’ can take decades. While all women experience menopause, some men never experience ‘male menopause.’ Men’s testosterone levels vary widely. Someone in his 80s with a testosterone level of 600 ng/dL exits, and someone in his 30s with a level of 150 ng/dL equally exists.”

Are there predisposing factors?

Yes, there are, he says.

He identified obesity and diabetes as contributing factors to

low testosterone.

Ge said: “It is important to take care of yourself as a healthy lifestyle is the best guarantor that your testoserone will remain at a healthy level as you age. Make sure you do exercise and eat a healthy diet.”

Dr Tijani said should a man be experiencing some of the following symptoms, it is advisable to visit your doctor. “They can determine whether you are undergoing andropause. With proper care and support, you’ll feel better in no time”, he stated.

He said: “The symptoms areLow sex drive; difficulties getting erections or erections that are not as strong as usual; lack of energy; depression; irritability and mood swings; loss of strength or muscle mass; increased body fat and hot flashes. Although symptoms may vary from person to person, other warning signs of andropause include fewer spontaneous erections, breast enlargement, reduced endurance, tiredness, decreased motivation and selfconfidence, difficulty remembering things and inability to concentrate, increased irritability and nervousness and reduced muscle size and strength.”

Jonathan signs HIV/AIDS anti-discrimination law

P

•Lawal (second left) flanked from the left by HOD, Clinical Service, Dr Richard Adebayo; Director of Administration, Mr Razaq-Oyetola and member, Nursing Department, Mrs Ladapo Abosede who represented the HOD at the event.

Hospital hails union for suspending strike

M

EDICAL Director (MD) of Federal NeuroPsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos Dr. Rahman Lawal has praised the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Health Care Professionals (JOHESU) for suspending its almost three months strike.

Dr. Rahman Lawal said he was happy with the development at this time, because of the long strike’s impact on the hospital community.

Dr Lawal said: “A presidential committee of experts on interprofessional relationships in the public health sector led by Alhaji Yayale Ahmed was constituted by Federal Government to take a holistic look at the crisis which is well over four years now with a view of finding a lasting solution.

Appreciable progress has been made and the task of the committee has been concluded. Efforts are

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

underway for the release of government white paper on the committee’s report.”

He added: “It is noteworthy to mention that some of the issues which the union is agitating for its members are important. The union is however advised not to be confrontational or physical in

the way they press home their demands for improved welfare for their members and to refrain from acts that may be inimical to the services rendered by other workers who are not on strike.”

It would be recalled that the JOHESU embarked on an indefinite strike on November 12, last year to drive home its demands.

RESIDENT Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has signed the HIV and AIDS AntiDiscrimination Act 2014 into law.

The assent is a reflection of the country’s commitment to stopping all forms of stigmatisation and discrimination against people living with HIV. National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) Director-General, Prof John Idoko was excited by the development saying: “A landmark legislation that makes provisions for the prevention of HIV-related discrimination and provides for access to healthcare and other services. It also provides for protection of the human rights and dignity of people living with HIV and those affected by AIDS in Nigeria. The new law is a source of renewed hope that all acts of discrimination against people living with HIV such as recruitment and termination of employment, denial of access to services including healthcare, education, association and other social services will be quickly reduced and

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

ultimately ended.”

Prof Idoko said: “The law is the latest addition to Nigeria’s commitment to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. During the past four years alone, close to four million pregnant women were tested for HIV and now know their status, while 8.2 million adults in the general population were tested. By 2013, the number of HIV infections had declined by 35 per cent and Nigeria is pursuing efforts to stop new infections altogether. The number of sites providing services to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV increased from 675 in 2010 to 5,622 in 2013.”

The Chief Communications Officer, NACA, Mrs Toyin Aderibigbe said: “The government of Nigeria remains fully committed to improving the health of Nigerians and getting to zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero discrimination.

Ultimately, Nigeria will be able to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.”

‘Why many Nigerian kids suffer from sickle cell’

M

ANY children in Nigeria are suffering from sickle cell anaemia (SCA), says the chairman, Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria (SCFN), Prof Olu Akinyanju.

He blamed this on the country’s large population, adding that over 80 per cent of children living with the condition are within Africa.

Akinyanju spoke while receiving a cheque and some Indomie noodles donated to the foundation

by Dufill Prima Foods Plc. He said access to affordable treatment

By Ruka Jimoh

would reduce the crisis experienced by children in the early phase of their lives.

Akinyanju called on individuals and corporate bodies to support the centre.

Director SCFN, Mrs Ayo Otaigbe said SCA is a huge burden that requires a lot of support.

She said Sickle-cell disease (SCD) is a genetic blood disorder that affects the haemoglobin within the red blood cells.

“The recurrent pain and complications caused by the disease can interfere with many aspects of the patient’s life, including education, employment and psychosocial development. ”Sickle cell disorder is by far the most common inherited disorder in the world and three quartres of cases occur in Africa. In Nigeria, where it affects two out of every 100 children born, it causes suffering for many patients and their families,” she said.

She said SCD is a very complex

condition, which requires huge amount and research to improve the lives of those living with this condition.

Public Relations Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr Tope Ashiwaju, said the donation was part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR).

Ashiwaju said poor funding of the health sector, especially in the area of research and provision of drugs and equipment was the rationale behind the company’s donation to the foundation.

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

46

HEALTH

How to enjoy good health, by dentists D O you pay attention to oral hygiene?

The consequence of not doing so will lead to failing health, says a dental consultant, Dr Oyinkan Sofola.

The mouth, she said is the mirror of the body which serves as a means of early diagnosis of systemic diseases before they manifest in other organs. A systemic disease affects a number of organs and tissues, or affects the body as a whole.

Dr Sofola, a consultant, Community Dentist, Preventive Dentistry Department, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), spoke at the Oral Health Expert Forum organised by Unilever Nigeria in conjunction with the Nigerian Dental Association (NDA). It was themed- “Your teeth, your health and you”.

Dr Sofola said: “Some of the proven systemic diseases and their signs include anaemia, manifesting on the tongue as boil. Diabetes mellitus and HIV/ AIDS as mouth thrush. A lot of research is still on-going, but it has been established that the mouth is the gateway to the body. Current research works has linked the condition of the mouth, especially with plague accumulation (poor oral hygiene) to systemic disease.”

Dr Sofola enjoined Nigerians to pay more attention to periodontal diseases (gum

By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha

disease), because it is both preventable and treatable, “while we are still gathering evidence on the link between these diseases and oral hygiene, treating periodontal disease is cheaper than treating cardiovascular diseases at the maturity stage. So we should take oral help seriously.”

She said there is a relationship between nutrition and general well being and oral health.

She said: “Let’s look at nutrition as a relationship between oral hygiene and systemic health. Unhealthy habit such as smoking, drinking and poor diet will lead to dental diseases and this in return will lead to pain. When you are in pain, you cannot eat and this will affect your nutrition. That is why the mouth is a mediator between the general health and systemic health. Oral health is a component of health and should not be thought of being separate from the health of the rest of the body. A person is not well systemically if he’s not well orally.”

Another dentist, a Consultant Paediatric Dentist, Child Dental Health Department, LUTH, Dr. (Mrs) Lola Orenuga, speaking on ‘Developing positive dental attitudes in childrenSustainable for a life-time’, said the prevalence of dental caries in Nigeria as compared to other

• Dr Orenuga and Dr Sofola at the event

countries could be said to be low. “It is between 13.9 percent to 28 percent; but the last national oral health count we had in Nigeria was done 20 years ago, so there is a need to update data on our dental profile.

In addition, Dr Orenuga said: “However, the concern for us is that the majority of the caries are untreated. While we have low caries prevalence in Nigeria as compared to other countries, most are untreated resulting ultimately in pain and tooth loss.

We have a prevalence of about 90 per cent untreated caries.

“More importantly is the early childhood caries. We tend to see caries in children. We have a prevalence of 6.5 to 22.5 per cent.

Over 95.6 per cent of early childhood caries is untreated.

On the global average, we have a global prevalence of 35 percent of untreated caries. Nigeria is doing much worse than the global average of untreated caries. On the other hand, periodontal disease (gum diseases) has been found to be between 79 to 90 per cent of the Nigerian population. What we are saying is that all the studies that have been done between 1960s and date reveals that we have a lot of periodontal disease in Nigeria. If we have a lot of periodontal disease in Nigeria and this is being linked to systemic disease, then we have a lot of work to do because this might lead to increasing morbidity in the nation,” she stated.

Brand Manager, Pepsodent, Unilever Nigeria, George Umoh said his company is partnering with dentists nationwide because: “It is in an attempt to address specific needs and solve

everyday problem of consumers and in a bit to address the needs within the oral care sector that we have often rolled out products that impact on healthy lifestyle positively. So we have often manufactured the best products and make them available in the right places to deliver the best benefits to consumers.”

“We are also collaborating with all stakeholders. As a foremost manufacturer that is often in the business of addressing health issues and the needs of consumers, we have several programmes we have put in place to address the needs of consumers and this forum is one of them. Unilever Nigeria has been a foremost partner with the Nigerian Dental Association (NDA) and we have other programmes in the year to deliver superior oral care to consumers and ensuring a cavity free Nigeria,” he said.

Philips, others partner on healthcare to equip clinics

A

•PCN Registrar, Mr Nurudeen Aimanekhi Elijah Mohammed hands over the signed MoU to NAPPMED President, Vincent Mamah.

Phamacists seek to stop quack

P

HARMACISTS Council of Nigeria (PCN) is collaborating with key health managers to regulate patent medicine vendors’ activities.

Besides, it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Incorporated Trustees of National Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED) on patent medicine vendors regulation.

The MoU said:“Pursuant to the mandate of PCN, NAPPMED and its associate, LSMDA shall partner with PCN to carry out the regulation of Patent Medicine Vendors in Nigeria.”

The agreement would also involve the Lagos State Medicine Dealers Association (LSMDA), which was identified as a key stakeholder in Lagos. PCN said it has agreed to liaise with other

By Wale Adepoju

stakeholders and relevant government agencies to review from time to time, the approved drug list for PMVs in line with the national drug policy.

“The prevention of drug hawking falls under the mandate of NAFDAC, however, the proliferation of drug hawkers in Nigeria is a major concern and will be presented by PCN representative at the meeting of the Federal Task Force on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and unwholesome Processed Food,” it said.

The PCN said: “On the ongoing sensitisation on the modalities for implementing the Mega Drug Distribution Centres (MDDC) NAPPMED is urged to encourage its members that meet requirements to establish MDDCs before the deadline of July. It is under-

stood by parties that the use of policemen by PCN inspectors is desirable as it ensures safety of the inspectors and averts possible breakdown of law and order during inspection exercises and for no other purposes.

“To render the collaboration with the PCN effective, NAPPMED and LSMDA have undertaken to mend fences and operate with singularity of purpose and shall in future discourse present issues as a united body. “ “Parties are of the understanding that the guidelines on Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors License (PPMVL) which provides that ownership of Patent Medicine Shops should be open to all Nigerians who have met the requirements should be respected in order not to infringe on the rights of citizens”, he stated.

LEADING medical supplier, Royal Philips has collaborated with Medical Credit Fund and Diamond Bank to help private clinics across the country secure finance to acquire hitech health equipment, among others, to prevent avoidable deaths.

Its Director, Ultrasound/Value Segment Africa, Marc Bakker said this would play a vital role to reduce maternal and infant mortality (MIM), among other disease burden in Nigeria.

He said the private sector was targeted as a driving force for healthcare, adding that it represents over 60 per cent of service delivery in the sector.

The company, he said, wanted to ensure that private clinics have what it takes to support clinics in patients’ diagnosis and treatment, adding, “We are about quality products, education and maintenance.”

Besides, overcrowding would stop in public hospitals when private clinics can provide core health services in their locality.

He said financing equipment is tied in partnership with the other companies to ensure sustainable environment and lower the risk involved.

The reason, he said, was to ensure that the business angle of the partnership is properly managed.

Medical Credit Fund, he said, would do a need assessment and scrutiny of the clinics to know the capacity of business as well as lower the risk involved while Diamond Bank Plc provides the fund.

Head, Direct Banking, Diamond Bank, Jude Anele, said the bank

By Wale Adepoju

recognises the sector as key to the economy, adding that doctors or investors should not run health facilities as a one-man business.

He said there is need for them to set up a system, adding that involvement of the partners would ensure that.

“They should have internal standards, he stated.

Anele said the bank is offering 17 per cent as interest rate on the loans, adding that this is seven per cent reduction in the 25 per cent usually charge on small and medium enterprise (SME).

According to the Product Development Manager, PharmAccess Foundation, Dorien Mulder, her organisation is dedicated to affordable access to quality healthcare in Africa, “We stimulate investments through partnerships with the private sector and government institutions,” she said.

She said the company’s integrated approach consists of complementary initiatives that aim to increase investments and resources, efficiency and effectiveness within the healthcare system.

The company, she said, also stimulates the demand for and supply of healthcare services by combining standards for quality improvement, loans for healthcare providers, health plans and in-depth impact research.

Mulder said the organisation’s expertise covers health plans, healthcare quality, financing and infrastructure.

THE NATION TUESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2015

47

hope to cash in on a combination of ‘Ifactors, not least the internal crisis in the ruling PDP to coast home to victory

‘

Special Adviser on International Co-operation and Development to Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State Inibehe Okori is the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate for Akwa Ibom Northwest Zone. He is contesting against Governor Godswill Akpabio. In this interview with reporters in Uyo, the state capital, Okori speaks about his chances at the polls.

‘Akpabio’s bid for the Senate dead on arrival’ W HAT is your background and what are your aspirations?

My name is Obong Inibehe Okori and I am a graduate of the University of Jos (UNIJOS). I spent several years as a banker before foraying into international business. Presently, I am the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Akwa Ibom Northwest Senatorial Zone.

Do you have what it takes to give your people quality representation at the national level?

Well, I would like to state that I am a man of integrity and honour with an amiable personality. People know me as a forthright person, down-to-earth, a great mobilizer, highly connected and very much loved by my people. Most people who have had contact with me can attest to the fact that I am a man who is passionate about the wellbeing of my people. And I am confident that I have the capacity to deliver given my track record of achievements over the years.

What should your senatorial zone expect from you if you, are given the opportunity to serve?

Driven by an altruistic desire to serve, I strongly believe in “change that connects with the people”. As a man who has the interest of my people at heart, I have always had a strong desire to bring about positive change that translates to greater opportunities that would improve the living conditions of my people, particularly our teeming youths. Our youths are our future; they need to be given their pride of place in the society. Having spent several years on the turf of international business, I strongly be-

lieve that the people of Akwa Ibom Northwest district will have the benefit of tapping from my vast wealth of experience and global network.

What would be your focus in the Senate?

The focus of my tenure in the Red Chambers, if elected, would be to use key legislations to drive change in all sectors of the economy, particularly to enhance the wellbeing of the teeming youth population and women in my senatorial zone.

I hope to bring to the floor of the Senate intellectually-based legislations, driven largely by my expertise and experience on

is shameful that the ’ ItPDP in Akwa Ibom State decided to favour a particular contestant, which in this case happens to be His Excellency, Governor Godswill Akpabio, by handing him the party’s ticket on a platter

‘

the field as a widely traveled businessman.

My innovative thinking, cutting-edge and proven creative strategy for all-round development is surely expected to enrich the next Senate.

Have you held any political office before?

My political trajectory has seen me run for the governorship of Akwa Ibom in 1999.I am therefore not new to politics. Before defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), under which I contested the governorship, to the APC, I was a very influential figure in the ruling party and played key roles to ensure the party’s victory in so many elections at both the state and federal levels.

In Akwa Ibom State, I command the respect of major political stakeholders, particularly in my senatorial district because of my antecedents.

Given the massive support my candidacy commands at the stakeholders’ and grassroots’ levels, I am seen by many as the candidate to beat.

Why did you defect from the PDP, considering the fact that you played significant roles in the party?

My defection was primarily due to the failure and clear injustice on the part of the party leadership in the state to provide a level-playing field for all contestants to emerge through a free, fair and credible process. It is shameful that the PDP in Akwa Ibom State decided to favour a particular contestant, which in this case happens to be His Excellency, Governor Godswill Akpabio, by handing him the party’s ticket on a platter. But, let me assure you that the

•Okori

governor’s bid for Senate is dead on arrival.

I am the candidate to beat in this election.

Governor Akpabio knows this much. The people of Northwest Senatorial zone will reject him at the polls.

I hope to cash in on a combination of factors, not least the internal crisis in the ruling PDP to coast home to victory.

Who replaces Bello-Osagie in Oredo?

S

INCE 1999, no lawmaker from Oredo has been elected twice into the House of Representatives. Hon Razaq BelloOsagie, who was elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), is not contesting the general elections. He lost the party primaries to Speaker Uyi Igbe, not because of non-performance, but because of Oredo principle of one term.

The succession race in Oredo is a two-horse race between candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama and Hon. Igbe, the Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly.

Oredo is a metropolitan constituency where the PDP has not secured easy victory in previous elections.

Unlike in other constituencies, no political party has won election in Oredo twice. Between 1999 and 2003, Dr. Willie Ogbeide of the PDP was in the House. He was replaced by a candidate of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Mr. Emmanuel Arigbe-Osula who served till 2007. Patrick Obahiagbon was elected on the platform of the PDP in 2007 and was removed in 2011. Obahiagbon defected to the defunct ACN but failed to secure a return ticket and was replaced by Hon. Bello-Osagie.

The battle for Oredo is a renewal of rivalry between the PDP and the APC. Candidates of both parties have intensified campaigns to the various wards. The PDP had hoped that protest votes by Osagie’s supporters would easily sway vic-

• Omoregie From Osagie Otabor, Benin

tory for it at the polls. But, Osagie refused to defect to another party.

Hon. Bello-Osagie, in a surprise move, has thrown his weight behind Igbe, despite losing the primaries. He has printed large banners and placed them at strategic places, urging the people of Oredo to vote for all APC candidates.

Osagie who denied speculations that he has perfected plans to defect to the PDP urged his supporters at an APC rally to forget the party primaries and vote for the APC. He stormed the APC campaign rally at Oredo Local Government with his teeming supporters and raised the hands of Hon. Igbe, saying “the APC is the best platform

to bring about development and a better tomorrow.”

Osagie said the general elections was not about himself, but to rescue the people from hopelessness and disappointment. He added that the APC has of men that could harness abundant opportunities in the country for the benefit of the people.

Bello-Osagie added: “Politics is about the upliftment of the lives of the people and the development of the society. What we need are men who are visionary, men with strength of character, men with capacity to deliver on their promises.

“I am happy to be part of the APC to ensure we bring happiness to our people. I want to ensure that the APC succeeds all elections. I cannot subvert the successes of the APC because I am no longer in the race.

“A man cannot operate outside the limitations of his abilities. I have strength of character and want to help reposition our country and to enforce the integrity of our national prestige. What we need are men and women with capacity whose activities are based on purposeful leadership.”

Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama Ogbeide-Ihama is an engineer and a player in the oil and gas industry. He contested against BelloOsagie in 2011 and scored about 8000 votes. Ogbeide-Ihama in the 2011 contest to put up a good campaign structure that saw him moving from house-to-house and in the

A man cannot ’operate outside the limitations of his abilities. I have strength of character and want to help reposition our country and to enforce the integrity of our national prestige

‘

streets of Benin City even at night.

He told newsmen recently that his purpose of joining the race again was to provide good governance and quality representation. Ihama would have a herculean task at the elections because of Osagie’s performance. There is hardly any ward across the constituency where Hon. Osagie did not initiate and complete a project. Ihama however said what was important to him was for the people of Oredo to live well and have access to good roads, education, quality health care, security, job opportunities and empowerment.

Speaker Uyi Igbe Speaker Igbe has served for eight years at the Edo State House of Assembly. He emerged Speaker in

• Uyi

2011 and was able to provide leadership that saw a crisis free assembly until June last year when the PDP attempted to take over leadership of the assembly. Igbe, by the end of his tenure, would be the first Speaker in the state since 1999 to have spent four years without impeachment. He got the support of Governor Adams Oshiomhole and other major party leaders because of his resistance against the PDP. He was tear-gassed and a policeman threatened to shoot him on a day policemen stormed the assembly to stop renovation work. In several wards he had taken his campaign train to, he was reminded of the achievements of Hon. Osagie. Igbe is quite sure of victory because the people of Oredo have not always supported the PDP. Besides, the achievements recorded by the APC led administration.

48

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

49

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

ENERGY

Manufacturers seek liberalisation of meter market T

HE Electricity Meter Manufacturers Association of Nil geria (EMMAN), has urged the Federal Government to liberalise the meter market to allow their members sell meters directly to individuals and corporate organisations through approved vendors by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

The Executive Secretary of EMMAN, Mr. Muideen Ibrahim, made call at the inauguration of the remodelled National Meter Test Station and the opening of the Technical Inspectorate Service Field Office in Lagos at the weekend. The meter test station is under the newly created Electricity Management Services Limited (EMSL).

Also, the Federal Government has said it will enforce standards on electrical materials to ensure that Nigeria does not become dumping ground for substandard materials.

The Minister of State for Power, Mr. Mohammed Wakil, also made this known in Lagos at the commissioning of the remodelled National Meter Test Station and the opening of the Technical Inspectorate Service Field Office.

He said President Goodluck Jonathan has reformed the generation, transmission and distribution value chains of the power sector adding that the government now focuses on effective delivery of safe and reliable electricity supply to Nigerians.

He noted that the government is resolved to enhance consumers and investors’ confidence through sus-

•Govt enforces standards on electrical materials

By Emeka Ugwuanyi

tained inspection, testing and certification of electrical materials and equipment.

Wakil said: “Electricity materials should be of high quality and specification. All categories of electrical installations, power systems and network must be properly planned, designed and tested before use. Gone are the days of sub-standard equipments and installations which compromised safety of Nigerians.

More pointedly manufacturers of fake power equipments are hereby put on notice.

“The long arm of the law shall catch up with those endangering lives of innocent citizens. Nigerians do not only want adequate power supply but also safety and reliability.”

The minister said the significance of safety and quality control informed the establishment of Electricity Management Services Limited adding that the agency is growing into a giant. “I am happy to note that EMSL has within this short period achieved remarkable success which includes the remodelled meter test station and others at Kaduna and Port Harcourt. The technical inspectorate service field offices of EMSL, have detected defective power equipments in many zones,” he added.

The Managing Director, EMSL, Mr. Peter Ewesor, said the remodelled national meter testing station will be saddled with the roles and responsibilities of enforcement of technical and safety standards. He said other roles are technical inspection, testing and certification of all categories of electrical materials and equipments and electrical installations adding that in line with EMSL mandate and regulations, no electrical installation or network can be put into use unless it has been tested and certified fit for use by engineers and technical officers of EMSL. “Over 10,000 substandard meters have been rejected for not having anti-energy-theft protection. These types would have led to high commercial and collection losses for the investors. We have rejected over five thousand meters having terminal connections that were out of specifications, this would have led to risk to workers and staff of the utility companies and possible burning of the meters on installations,” he said.

Ibrahim said the only way to ensure effective distribution of meters to electricity consumers is when meter manufacturers are allowed to sell meters to government institutions, private estates and barracks, among other consumers.

Oil marketers allay fears over falling crude price

T

HE Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) has called on Nigerians not to panic because of fall of the crude oil price. The price will still rise, it said.

The asociation said the consequences of the inability of its members to import fuel on sustainable basis was due to the free fall of the Naira in the foreign exchange market.

Speaking at a quarterly roundtable on the economy, which was organised by the Nigerian NewsDirect in Lagos, the Executive Secretary, MOMAN, Mr. Obafemi Olawore, said crude price fluctuations had always been cyclical and noted that the price would soon correct itself.

He urged Nigerians not to panic because oil price will still rebound.

“How soon the price will rebound, I cannot say but when it rises, we should save into Sovereign Wealth Fund,” he added.

Olawore urged policy makers to address the challenges of foreign exchange fluctuations to enable investors plan ahead. He said the government should look inwards by halting what the country does not really need like importation of toothpicks and other similar items. He also called for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in order to boost investment in the upstream sector.

“If we can fix the power sector, patronage of diesel will drop, and price of diesel will also drop. Unless the downstream sector is fully

deregulated, domestic price may not reflect current price at the international market, he said.

However, due to the fall in prices of oil, the Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) raised interest rates from 12 to 13 per cent and at the same time devalued the naira. The exchange rate of naira to dollar dropped to N208 recently.

The chairman of the roundtable, Dr Diran Fawibe, stated that the fall in crude oil price was affecting the country because the government focuses only on the oil and gas sector as main source of foreign exchange earnings.

He suggested that if the government could focus more on non-oil and gas sector and other mineral resources like palm oil, cocoa and other mineral materials, the fall or increase in the prices of oil would not have any impact on Nigeria’s economy.

The Director-General, Lagos Chamber Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Muda Yusuf, who was represented by Mr. Vincent Nwani, said if crude oil price continues to fall, there would be a huge fiscal problem in the economy.

“If the crude price continues to drop, some state governments may find it difficult to pay salaries. But Nigeria may not be ready to diversify until oil price falls to $10 per barrel. But I hope the country can take advantage of the drop in crude price to do things correctly by diversifying to other sectors,” he said.

‘NNPC is committed to sale of kerosene at N50 per litre’

T

HE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) is committed to selling kerosene N50 per litre in all its 524 mega stations and 12 floating stations across the country, the General Manager, Group Public Affairs, Ohi Alegbe, has said.

He said the need to make consumers get the product at cheaper prices, and further achieve the goal of KeroCorrect Scheme, an initiative introduced to make people buy the product at official price, informed this decision.

He said bottlenecks created in the area of distribution and sales of kerosene will be removed, as the scheme

By Akinola Ajibade

gets underway. “Loopholes in the sales and distribution of kerosene gave rise to the issue of black market. There are cases whereby marketers create different selling points for themselves to sell Kerosene at a higher price and make more money. We hope to rid the market of black market operators since supply of kerosene will be made direct to the stations owned by the National Oil Company,” he said.

Alegbe said the NNPC would not tolerate any act of breaches on the issue, adding that it would penalise erring stations by not supplying kerosene to them.

Seven Energy bags award

S

•From left: Executive Secretary (NASME) Mr. Eke Ubiji; Vice Chancellor Babcock University Prof. Kayode Makinde; Deputy Manager (S&D) Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, Mrs. Christy Onabu; Publisher, Nigerian NewsDirect, Dr Samuel Ibiyemi; and Chairman International Energy Services, Dr Diran Fawibe at a Roundtable organised by Nigerian NewsDirect in Lagos.

Solution to skills gap in power sector ‘coming’

T

HE Federal Government is solving the perennial problems of skills gap in the power sector with the training and provision of the industry with competent personnel, the Director-General, National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), Rueben Okeke, has said.

Okeke told The Nation that the government is interested in human capital development in the industry, and has ordered the institute to train workers across board.

He noted that the institute has trained engineers and craftsmen, among others workers, adding that the 2014 training cut across the country. The trainees were equipped for the growing challenges in the sector.

Okeke said that thousands of people had been trained in the past few years, and that more will be trained in distribution, transmission and generation of electricity this year.

He said: “There is dearth of skills

By Akinola Ajibade

in the sector. The government noted this, and demanded that the sector be replete with highly dedicated and trained workforce. The body has lined up series of human capital development programmes, in view of the challenges in the industry.

The programmes are meant to prepare and build the capacity of workers, who hitherto lacked basic training.

According to him, workers are being trained to meet the goals of the reforms which emphasise the need to have a qualitative workforce for the sector. “‘That is the reason behind the training of workers for the new power firms and the National Independent Power Projects (NIPPs). We have a training programme that would provide the right personnel for the projects.

With the NIPPs billed to provide 5,000 megawatts of electricity to the national grid and further help in improving power supply, there is

the need to ensure that the plants take-off very well by providing them with the required expertise,” he said.

He said the transition from the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) to Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to the new private investors, which comprises 11 power distribution companies (DISCOs) and six power generation companies (GENCOs) came with its own problems.

Okeke, an engineer, said the challenges are in the areas of losing competent workers and its attendant lower productivity to restructuring exercise in the sector. The sector, he said, has put in place measures to transfer skills from the experienced and retired workers to the new ones employed in the sector.

He said efforts are being made to resolve gas problems, and further improve the operation of the turbines. Okeke said the focus is on gas because the country relies mostly on the product to generate electricity.

EVEN Energy International Limited has emerged as the winner of the Indigenous Firm of the Year Award from the Petroleum Africa magazine. The award is given in recognition of Africa’s indigenous Oil and Gas Companies for their investment and involvement in upstream, midstream and downstream operations.

The Chief Executive Officer, Seven Energy, Phillip Ihenacho, said: “We would like to thank Petroleum Africa for this prestigious award. Considering that it was the first time we made the list of finalists, it is a fantastic recognition of all our ongoing ef-

forts and achievements during 2014 in contributing to the development of the Nigerian gas market in a responsible way. We are committed in aiding the development of Nigeria’s gas resources, improving power supply and supporting local economic growth. We are proud to receive this award in recognition of all our hard work.”

Seven Energy came top of a list that included other leading indigenous players from countries such as Ghana, Angola, South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria after a rigorous review process

by Petroleum Africa’s Survey Committee.

Schneider partners NAPTIN to train 400 electricians

S

CHNEIDER Electric in partnership with the National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN) will train over 400 electricians in a programme which begins March 12. This was made known during the inauguration of Schneider Electric laboratory at NAPTIN Regional Training Centre, Ijora, Lagos.

Speaking at the inaugurtation of the laboratory equipped with house wiring and industrial didactical benches, the Country President, Schneider Electric, Mr. Walid Sheta, reiterated the company’s commitment towards the development of skilled personnel in the sector.

“Our goal has always been to improve the quality of personnel in the sector. With this laboratory and the training programme, retail

electricians can get affordable, world class training and certification. Not only will the training increase their skills and boost their confidence, our homes will also be safer if electrical installations are done by properly trained and certified electricians,” he said.

The Director-General, NAPTIN, Mr. Reuben Okeke, noted that, inadequate capacity building in the power sector has led to skill gap in generation, transmission and distribution and also in the areas of management of regulatory and policy framework but with partners like Schneider Electric, adequate training is becoming a reality.

The inauguration of the Schneider Electric’s laboratory equipment has given the power sector a boost as a result of the quality of training now available, Okeke added.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

50

THE NATION

* The Environment * Mortgage * Apartments * Security * Homes * Real Estate

BUSINESS PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

Website:- http://www.thenationonlineng.com 08062722507

property@thenationonlineng.net muyiwalucas2002@yahoo.com rapid and easy house ownership for Nigerians.

FHA’s commercialisation vs social housing

•FESTAC Mass Housing Scheme. Inset: Prof Al-Amin

‘How we plan to close housing deficit’ The Federal Housing Authority says it is re-engineering for better efficiency in delivering affordable houses. But how will this be achieved, given the ‘failure’ of the authority over four decades? FHA’s Managing Director Prof.

Mohammed Al-Amin shared his plans with select journalists. MUYIWA LUCAS was there.

C

ONCERTED efforts are now being made to resolve the over 17 million housing deficit in the country. One of these efforts is the re-engineering of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), a government agency whose impact has not been felt by Nigerians over the last 40 years of its existence. The Minister of Lands, Housing and Urband Development, Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi, while dissolving the management of the FHA last December, noted that the Authority has failed to meet its statutory responsibilities to an acceptable level over the years.

Now, the FHA, under a new leadership of Prof. Mohammed Al-Amin, a professor of urban planning and environment, may be having a refocus, aimed at achieving feats it has failed to realise. But how far can Al-Amin take the FHA?

Doing things differently Al-Amin agrees that there is a 17 million housing deficit in the country, a situation that makes his coming at this time critical. He said that he has not brought anything new, but just to do things in “other different ways.” This, he explains, would mean turning things around by making housing delivery, housing accessibility, affordability and availability a reality. “This is to be done simply by re-engineering the system that bring about housing delivery in the country; re-engineering the workforce; the mode of housing delivery; the resource allocation; prioritising the deliverables, as well as injecting new spirit into partnership,” he said.

He explained that the deficit is not just a factor of production but also the factor of demand.

For instance, Al-Amin explained that there is a huge difference in the country’s population in the last 40 years compared to what it is now. He explained that when there is a high population, especially one growing at about 3.7 per cent per annum, then definitely which ever system of housing finance is in place, if not properly positioned, there will always be a deficit.

The FHA boss noted that it has been an old model of several years back for a country to just rely on an agency or a group of individuals to provide housing to its citizens- a system he said is now archaic because globally, housing delivery is not something that is run by one person or one agency. “It involves a lot of collaborations, partnerships. So my first priority is to ensure that the safety of operations particularly how we relate with housing financiers, housing contractors, housing market as well as the

housing demand and supply is re-engineered in the sense that what is required for the system to do is aided by the necessary resources- both human and financial, that are required. So, that is precisely what I have come to do to make sure that any placement, any arrangement, anything that is put in place to assist the system is now re-vitalised to work, so that at the end of the day we will close the deficit and ensure that the accessibility is high.”

He said the new FHA under his leadership, has put so many things in place, including reach out campaigns and advocacies for so many cases of housing delivery starting for the housing finance, to the nature of houses and the type of materials for housing construction to even small things in housing- like maintenance culture. “So it is something that requires the concerted effort of both government and non-governmental organisations to be able to close the gap between housing delivery and housing demand,” he said.

Doubts on FHA’s statistics Prof. Al-Amin told The Nation that the statistics being bandied of the FHA building 40, 000 housing units in the last 40 years is questionable. For him, the FHA has put up more than this number of units because apart from the direct construction done by the Authority, other housing units have been put up through its various partnerships with the private sector, including the facilitations of most of the various State governments housing projects. “There is the hand of the FHA in one stage or the other of most housing projects in this country. If you put just the resources, materials and otherwise, it is tantamount to hundreds of thousands of houses.

People are not talking of the partnerships, the facilitations that we do, either in giving money to off-takers to process housing or injecting our technical know-how in sites, serving as a gobetween for prospective house owners and financiers to make sure finances come down,” he explained, assuring that the FHA is working very hard and certainly that statistics will soon

change for better.

Social housing and partnerships

Al-Amin is of the opinion that the private sector is interested in more or less the profit that comes into their system; therefore, he explained, FHA’s partnership with the private sector is now being reviewed. “We have a special task team that comprises of professionals and experts that are studying the partnership system to come out with a template for both commercial and social housing because the partnership that you go into with the private sector on commercial housing, shouldn’t be the same that you go with the private sector on social housing. Social housing involves houses for low income, houses that are very much affordable of which a lot of Nigerians belong,” he said, adding that the partnership system that was in place before his appointment focused more on the commercial system.

Al-Amin however admitted that government cannot go into social housing alone, hence, the need to have partnerships. But having such partnerships, he reckons, the FHA has to be able to come up with new realities, which requires that other private sector social housing driven companies be invited. “We can partner with several government organisations, unions, trade union, trade organisations and others in this area. This will then enable us to fashion out a way of bringing down whatever the interest rate is to a single digit and also to negotiate with government of all levels to come into the provision of infrastructure in the housing because most of the cost or the high percentage of the cost that translates into the final market cost of a house is being risen by the cost of infrastructure that is being built into it. So, the new model of partnership we are talking about is bringing government, our agency and other organisations that are related to it then we negotiate with either of the tiers of government, federal, state and local in the infrastructure provision,” Al-Amin said.

He is hopeful that as soon as infrastructure provision and housing delivery is taken care of, the prices of houses will crash quickly, leading to a

‘Government cannot go into social housing alone, hence, the need to have partnerships. But having such partnerships, the FHA has to be able to come up with new realities’

According to Al-Amin, the reform that is being talked about in the FHA is in line with the fact that there will be a shift away from the previous practice because it is not sustainable, to a practice where citizens of a country get value for their money. Therefore, he explains, the FHA reforms will be one that will strengthen the system- the operations and staff currently in the authority. “What commercialisation is all about is bringing private sector into your operations.

You can build 500 houses in two years but, there is an opportunity where six developers can come from outside and help to develop 30,000 houses in the same period. So, why don’t you open your arms, commercialise the system that is bringing about investors that are doing the same thing because the commercialisation does not negate the principle of social housing,” he argued.

Continuing, he said that “Social housing is a mandate that is enshrined in the constitution of this country and every citizen is entitled to a decent shelter. So, social housing is embedded in this reform we are talking about; essentially, this is what we are looking for. What the reform is all about is to open up a system where investors could come, bring their own money, bring mass housing, and sell at government controlled price since government will inject its resources into infrastructure and maintenance.” The FHA boss said that apart from this model making houses available, affordable, and accessible, it will also generate a lot of employment opportunities, which the FHA can capitalise on to provide jobs for at least half of the unemployed youths population in the country because housing starts from marketing of the undeveloped land, to the erection of structures, to furnishing, to selling, maintenance, infrastructure and all of that, which require people to work on.

Rent-to-Own scheme Al-Amin said the rent-to-own idea is not new in the FHA, which he said pioneered the initiative 20 years ago. “We build houses; we allocate to users; they pay rent on a system of owning it or on a system of perpetual rent. It depends on what you tick in the form that we will allocate,” he explained, adding that several Nigerians have owned houses through the rent-to-own housing scheme of the FHA. He disclosed that the Authority is also to introduce other models of not only rent-to-own, but rent to own the investment.

Initially, he further explained, FHA’s mandate was to build houses and give it out to people.

But the new policy, he revealed, is not only to build, but also to acquire land, provide site and services scheme- lay the road, drainage, electricity, water, amongst others, then allocate the plot of land and give buyers different options of the type of structures to be built. “We are trying as much as possible to liberalise the way Nigerians access houses; it is not going to be business as usual where you have to be connected to somebody in Abuja or the Parliament; any Nigerian can walk into our authority or in future our agencies and get what they require,” AlAmin said.

PMIs vs housing delivery The PMIs, he explained, are institutions that were created through the enabling law, and through the facilitation of government. Though the PMI’s are private sector driven, they are to create and provide mortgage for interested persons across the country. Therefore, he said, they need to have the financial, technical and reach out strength to be able to deliver to the clients and customers. He said for over 30 years, FHA has had its own PMI known as FHA Homes Limited, which is primarily meant to market the product produced by FHA, as well as create mortgages for intending off-takers.

“So the issue of the recapitalisation of the PMIs actually does not affect our system because we have a primary mortgage institution that is operational just like the other private sector institutions that have to go through the system of recapitalisation as well as capacity demands that our primary institution had to go through and ensure that we came out with the requirement and fully licensed by the authority, that is, the Central Bank of Nigeria and other agencies that are responsible for that,” he explained.

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

51

PROPERTY/ENVIRONMENT

Lafarge, Shelter Afrique partner on affordable housing • Target is 2m people by 2020

C

EMENT manufacturer and building solutions provider, Lafarge Africa Plc, yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding with Shelter Afrique, a PanAfrican housing and development institution, for the purpose of facilitating access to affordable housing for low income earners in Nigeria. The agreement which will commence with the development of identified sites of 20 acres of land at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, will be for an initial period of four years. Under the terms of the MoU, the areas of cooperation between the two organisations include provision of assistance to define the best construction technologies for use in affordable housing and micro-finance projects as well as supply of cement and concrete products for projects.

The housing scheme, targeted to be a social housing initiative, will be in three categories of social, middle, and middle-higher categories.

The Group Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Guillaume Roux, at the signing ceremony said that the initiative is in furtherance of the company’s objective of complementing government’s efforts to boost national development through improved infrastructure, industrialisation and economic growth. He noted that Lafarge’s commitment to bringing more housing and better solutions to contribute to building better cities in Nigeria will

From left: Managing Director, Readymix and Aggregates, Lafarge Africa, Mr. Loren Zanin; Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Guillaume Roux; Managing Director, Shelter Afrique, Mr. James Mugerwa, and Director, Corporate Affairs, Shelter Afrique, Mr. Vipya Harawa, at the MOU signing on affordable housing in Nigeria, in Ikoyi, Lagos.

PHOTO: ISAAC JIMOH AYODELE Stories by Muyiwa Lucas

be enhanced with the implementation of this agreement, which he said, represents a new major step in its affordable housing programme.

Roux said Shelter Afrique was chosen as partners on the project because of its record in developing houses in Africa. “The idea was to choose a firm

that has the most experience in executing such projects in the continent, which will also drastically reduce the cost of construction to an affordable level for Nigerians,” he said.

Besides, says Roux, the project is in continuation of his firm’s affordable housing programme scheme tagged “Ile Irorun” which was started in October 2013. So far, over 6, 000 people

Lagos seeks partnership for LagosHOMS

I

N a bid to sustain its mortgagebacked affordable housing scheme, the Lagos Homes Ownership Mortgage Scheme (LagosHOMS), the Lagos State government is seeking partnership with real estate investors capable of fast tracking and spreading the project to every part of the state.

The planned arrangement, according to government’s thinking, will see the partners not only helping in providing a lasting solution to the state’s housing challenges but also leverage on the immense opportunities presented by the thriving property market in the state.

The State’s Commissioner for housing, Mr. Bosun Jeje, while reaffirming the state government’s commit-

ment to delivering the 1008 housing units in the Ijora-Badia area under the LagosHOMS initiative, noted that though the upcoming estate is still in its infancy stage, the project remains on course. He emphasised that the new upcoming estate is not only a calculated attempt to renew the once slum neighbourhood, but it also buttresses the state’s unrelenting effort to bridge its housing deficit by providing livable housing for its residents.

“Our involvement in the construction of housing units is to help bridge the deficit and most importantly to inspire investors that the real estate sector is viable and lucrative to invest in,” he said, adding that despite the state’s achievement, the ministry of housing intends to continue to part-

ner with the organised private sector to provide lasting solution to the shortage of housing in Lagos state.

Jeje noted that in spite of earlier pessimism expressed about the 1008 Ijora-Badiya estate, the first block of flats is already taking shape, while piling work and construction of other complimentary infrastructure are also upbeat, and assured that the estate will be delivered in phases with the first phase consisting of six blocks.

The modalities for awarding units once delivered remains unchanged, as former residents of the destroyed shanties will have the right of first refusal to units, before the other intending homebuyers can be contacted.

PMB consortium pools resources for housing delivery

T

HE recapilisation exercise in the primary mortgage banks appears to be yielding dividend.

Last week, Homebase Mortgage Bank Limited, joined a consortium of PMBs in a gigantic project that will berth the construction of over 5,000 housing units in the GrandLake Estate scheme, located at Abraham Adesanya, LekkiAjah corridor, in Lagos State. Prior to last week, two national mortgage banks – Imperial Homes Mortgage Bank Plc and Trust Bond Bank Plc, had kick-started the private sector initiative to increase the nation’s housing stock through a joint finance arrangement for the emerging residential community in Lagos.

The GrandLake Estate is being promoted under a joint venture the Grand Imperio Group (GIG), a firm of real estate developers, alongside Ocean Springs Estates Limited and Vestril Limited. It is already structured into phases for ease of delivery. A total of 554 housing units would be delivered under the first phase within two years.

Under the scheme, which has been described as an “ideal price point” for emerging middle class in the country because of the affordability, the financiers are open to work with and finance other developers, who wish to come on board for various kinds of concepts and designs to fit into the

entire Grand Lake concept. Such developers should have capacity to take at least 10,000 sqm to 20,000 sqm of the landed property. The scheme will also feature site and serviced plots for residential and commercial developments offering three different plot sizes to suit a potential buyer’s requirement.

Prices and payment options are adjudged to be flexible, as subscribers to the scheme will benefit between five to 20 years payment structure from any f the partnering consortium.

However, a one-off payment will attract three per cent discount. While 1 bedroom bungalow is going for N7,950,000; 2-bedroom would cost N10,950,000; 3-bedroom goes for N13,950,000; and the 4- bedroom bungalow is N17,950,000. A serviced plots of 600 sqm sells for N18, 000, 000 at N30, 000 per sqm while plots in the commercial zone are pegged at N45, 000 sqm.

The ambitious project is on completion will boost of such facilities like spectacular ambience, detailed finishing, security and recreational facilities. Also striking in its design is a unique man-made lake with a relaxation centre to complement the magnificent landscape. The units comes with air conditioning, PABX system, CCTV, Stone coated roof tiles, swim-

ming pool, bar and lounge, astroturf football pitch, gym, good quality finishes, fully fitted kitchen and recreational facilities.

The managing director and Chief Executive Officer, Homebase Mortgage Bank Limited, Dr. Femi Johnson, said the partnership is a good beginning for the sector and the economy, especially as uncertainty now trails the oil sector. Johnson said the synergy is an indication of better days ahead.

“This is the first time mortgage banks are coming together to pull resources especially after the capital raising and restructuring of the sector.

People can now saying I am 4,900 percent more capitalised than I was before the recapitalisation,” he said.

I think this not enough and I think people should partner with others so to pool capital to be able to do something beyond our individual capability. This is an example for other people and when something starts to roll, it will gather momentum,” he said.

Johnson, who is also the President of the Mortgage Banks Association of Nigeria (MBAN), said Nigeria Mortgage Refinancing Corporation (NMRC) was fully backing the novel initiative, adding that, the houses that would be created from the partnership will conform to the standard of NMRC.

have been impacted by the scheme through more than 1,000 constructions. “This partnership with Shelter Afrique is in furtherance of our earlier efforts to address the needs of Nigerians for decent and sustainable housing. Lafarge brings its expertise to offer affordable housing solutions to populations with low purchasing power, and since 2013, the

programme has provided access to decent housing for 250,000 people in 18 countries. Lafarge’s objective is to facilitate access to affordable and sustainable housing for 2 million people by 2020,” Roux said.

Similarly, Mr. James Mugerwa, Managing Director, Shelter Afrique at the occasion said that his firm, with this initiative, has once again, shown that it is always keen on building strong partnerships and finding efficient ways to deliver affordable housing, which he observed to be a shared vision with Lafarge, and also a show of joint commitment to Nigeria, which he said is a very important market for affordable housing and a key player in the region.

For Mugerwa, Nigeria is a very important market for the firm, which makes this initiative both economically and socially viable.

“We want to show that one can still build affordable houses and still make profit without aiming for 30 to 40 per cent profit margin. When the houses are built in large numbers and made affordable with small profit margin, the volume sold will make good economic return on the investment in the long run. But we are happy that we are housing Africans,” he said, adding that with the project, the teeming Nigerian population will begin to benefit from affordable housing.

As part of the partnership, Lafarge will provide such inputs as mixed concrete, and other building solutions, while Shelter Afrique will provide the technical expertise and other inputs for the project.

NITP sets up committee on land

A

SEVEN man committee that will fashion out modalities for land use in the country has been inaugurated by the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP). The committee, named “Committee on land use planning report” has its terms of reference to include preparation of a thorough land use analysis survey that will be followed by a map with identified land uses which will be coded in the NITP approved professional colours.

Members of the committee are drawn from the NITP’s pool of experienced town planners. They include Badejo Olatunji, as chairman; Mrs. Claudius Akinyemi, as secretary; Michael Simire, Bisi Adedire, Oyebanji Toba James, Hakeem RoyLarindes and Dr. Adewale Alade.

Giving reasons for the initiative, NITP’s president, Dr. Femi Olomola, while inaugurating the committee, said it was being set up as part of the seven-point agenda of the new national executive council for the creation and evolution of an omnibus and multi-purpose land use planning report which will address pressing na-

tional challenges such as security and fraud.

Olomola described the concept as a novel initiative of the NITP executives, even as he disclosed that the institute has plans to dialogue with the relevant authorities or agencies on the need to adopt the report for transactions. He therefore charged the members of the committee to not to take the assignment with kid gloves, because town planning hinges on orderly arrangement of land use with regard to overriding public interest.

Olomola said the report, having been approved by the national executive council and the council of the institute, will be mandatory in accompanying building plan approvals / permits, issuance of certificate of occupancy, opening of corporate accounts with banks and incorporation / registration of new companies with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

“Between us and the next generation, there is a contract. It is our sacred duty to create a conducive environment for all to live in,” Olomola said.

Lagos to sanction planning, building defaulters

L

AGOS State Government has vowed to deal with defaulters of its planning and building regulations, especially those who put up structures before obtaining building and planning permit.

The government said it is in the interest of the public to ensure they get necessary approvals before embarking on any type of construction to save lives and properties and also to avoid demolition of buildings under construction or on completion wasting peoples resources.

In an interactive session themed” Rapid Urban Growth- Need for aggressive Physical Planning for Sustainable Environment” which held at Ikorodu, a Lagos suburb recently, General Manager, Lagos State Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA), Mr. Toyin Rotimi Abdul, said the state is in favour of aggressive physi-

By Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie

cal planning for sustainable Lagos Mega City. He said with over 20 million population in the state, the reality pose grave implication for urban sustainability.

Underscoring the exponential population growth in the state using Ikorodu as an example, Abdul quoted United Nations data captured in 1991 that estimated its population in the region of 184,045, which he said has risen to about 1.6 million. This, he explained, has led to an astronomical rise in property developments and sporadic urban growth and transformation. He advised that a sustainable environment can only be achieved by adhering to planning laws and regulations and therefore urged on the need to process building plan application before the actual development.

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

52

THE NATION

BUSINESS MARITIME

e-mail: maritime@thenationonlineng.net

Customs urged to reduce cost Govt policy sends auto business booming in Cotonou A

T

HE volume of vehicles being imported through the nation’s seaports has reduced drastically due to the implementation of the automotive policy by the Federal Government.

Findings have also revealed that over 70 per cent of fairly-used vehicles, popularly known as Tokunbo, being imported into the market come through the neighbouring Port of Cotonou, Benin Republic.

Also, the volume of imported vehicles into the country has reduced by half since the introduction of the auto policy.

The Managing Director, Port and Terminal Multi-service Limited (PTML), Asconio Russo, confirmed the development when the President, National Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu, visited the terminal in Lagos, last week.

He claimed that the policy is already affecting operators at the ports, urging stakeholders to address the issues to bring succour to the sector.

Russo said: “I may not want to comment on government policy because

Stories by Oluwakemi Dauda MaritimeCorrespondent

it is not my prerogative, but I can give you the figures. The number of vehicles being discharged all over Nigeria – I am not talking about our terminal – but in Nigeria, has dropped by 50 per cent.

“So, the calculation is if the whole of Lagos was discharging 20,000 or 25,000 vehicles every month, it is like we are now doing 10,000 vehicles and these are the ones coming into RORO. There are also some coming in containers which have also disappeared.

“We have noticed that the number of vehicles coming into Cotonou has increased dramatically, so we are losing business while Cotonou is gaining business. Everyone can understand what this means and we know that Cotonou’s population has not increased from the 10 million people they were.

“This policy is dramatically affecting the port industry and this is affecting the overall population because the prices of vehicles are going up in the market and this is something we

see every day,” Russo said.

Responding, Shittu said ANLCA has always being critical of the auto policy because the implementation would affect the businesses of its members.

“We have always being critical of this automotive policy and we have not changed our position. By the time April comes and the 35 percent levy is added, it will be a problem because there will be no cargo through here, our people will lose jobs and we will lose the whole revenue,” Shittu said, wondering how those who have made huge investments in the sector would be able to recover their inputs.

He continued: “It is a very serious matter. How many Nigerians can afford to buy a brand new vehicle in this country? So, when duty on fairly use vehicle is 70 per cent and by December, it will be 100 per cent according to what the Minister, Olusegun Aganga, mentioned to me, should we shut down the whole port in protest? Will it receive popular acceptance? Will the government not see us as saboteurs because this is pre-election and post-election?”

MARITIME lawyer, Osuala Emmanuel Nwagbara, has urged the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to implement Article 20 of its Act to reduce the cost of doing business at the ports.

Delivering a paper titled: “Towards A New Port Order: The Journey So FarA Lawyer’s Perspective”, at a forum organised by the Shippers’ Association of Lagos State (SALS) , Nwagbara said there was need for Nigeria to implement the provisions of Act No. 20 in the spirit of trade facilitation among the World Trade Organisation (WTO) member countries He urged the NCS to repeal the benchmark method of valuation as well as all arbitrary value method of arriving at the duty payable on imports to attract more business.

Nwagbara said the idea of using arbitrary, or fictitious valuation methods run contrary to the provisions of Article VII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) to which Nigeria is a signatory.

He said the Customs and Excise Management (Amendment) Act No. 20 of 2003, provided that Customs duty should be determined sequentially by reference to six methods, which include; transaction method, identical method, similar value method, computed method, deductive method and fall back method, wondering why the Service would not conform itself to these six as stipulated.

“The simple explanation of the provisions of Act No. 20 of 2003 is that duty on imported goods shall be based on value stated by the seller on the seller’s invoice and such invoice is usually authenticated by the exporting countries’ Chamber of Commerce.

This is the meaning of method one,” he said.

He said where there is good reason to doubt the veracity of the value stated on the invoice of the seller, then recourse should be made to the value of identical goods from same country of import, of same quantity, within a maximum time lag of three months, all in a bid to determine value so as to have the appropriate customs duty charged on the imports.

This sequential method, he said, should continue where applicable until the last method is attained. He wondered why the Nigeria Customs Service at the moment uses what may be

described as “Benchmark method of valuation” of import or arbitrary method in order to arrive at the duty payable on such import.

He explained that “ all that was done in many cases was to allot particular type of import of particular packing unit without reference to the invoice value of the seller from the country of import. “So, every container is assessed at the same value or the Nigerian Customs Service man may just apply his discretion as to what he feels the value of a particular import should be and then base the duty assessment on that discretion value,” he said.

This valuation method, he argued, is arbitrary or fictitious and runs contrary to the provisions of Article VII of GATT, saying it “adds to the high cost of doing business in our ports”.

He stated that there is need for Nigeria to implement the provisions of Act No. 20 in the spirit of trade facilitation among WTO member countries.

Nwagbara decried the practice by Customs officials to employ every instrument to frustrate genuine complaint of over-assessment by the NCS in matters of valuation, describing it as a denial of port users’ access to justice.

He said Paragraph 13 of the 1st Schedule to the Act No. 20, 2003 , which made the Comptroller-General of Customs a semi-final authority to adjudicate on all disagreements on valuation before a dissatisfied party would approach the court, envisaged that disagreement over assessment to Duty was a civil disagreement. According to him, it should be settled. He, however, regretted that the Service frustrates the procedure. “Once an assessment is done, it is take it or leave,” he said.

He continued: “All forms of chicanery would be employed to frustrate genuine complaints of over assessment to duty, beginning from delay in attending to the complaint, to subtle threat of declaring the affected overtime cargo, with the unpleasant consequence of being lost to the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

This, he said, encourages corruption in the system apart from restricting the affected port user’s access to Justice. “Nigeria is a member of the World Customs Organisation (WCO), which is the technical arm of WTO on trade facilitation,” he said.

18 suspects, 36 vehicles held in Imo

T

•Customs Area Controller, PTML Command, Mrs Isa Tallatu, displaying some goods seized by the Command.

PHOTO: OLUWAKEMI DAUDA

CRFFN set to sanitise freight business

T

HE time seemed up for all illegal freight forwarders operating at the nation’s sea ports as the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) is set to implement the Act establishing the council, The Nation has learnt.

Many unregistered freight forwarders, findings revealed, are operating illegally at the seaports.

The council, it was also learnt, has resolved to train about 300 freight forwarders at Certificate, Diploma and Higher Diploma in Freight Forwarding and Supply Chain Management levels this year, to facilitate trade and boost quick cargo clearance.

The Council, it was gathered, would soon carry out its oversight function on all associations, corporate and individual freight forwarders to ensure that only registered freight forwarders are allowed to do the clearing jobs at

the ports.

The CRFFN, it was discovered, registered only 1,274 individual freight forwarders and 610 corporate organisations as at the end of December, last year and not 6,000 as was erroneously claimed by the leadership of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) The Head, Corporate Affairs, CRFFN, Uromta Chinyere, in a letter, quoted the CRFFN Registrar, Sir Mike Jukwe, as debunking the 6,000 figure put forward by ANLCA, saying the Council would ensure that all the associations pay their dues to the Council or face the appropriate sanctions.

Jukwe also refuted the claim by the ANLCA chief that no fewer than eight freight forwarding associations were waiting to be registered and accredited by the CRFFN. He said the council has

not received such applications, adding that all defaulters would not go un-punished. He said payment of subscription fees by freight forwarding associations to the Council is not negotiable.

On the mode of registration of practitioners by the Council, Jukwe said the accreditation of freight forwarding associations and freight forwarders by the Council was done strictly in compliance with the laid down regulations, insisting that the council has not in any way lowered the set standards.

He explained that the existence of the Council is not dependent upon an individual, corporate body or association, since CRFFN is a statutory organ of the Federal Government established by an Act. He added that the achievement of the Council, despite its lean resources since its take–off in 2009, speaks volumes for it.

HE Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone ‘C’ Owerri, Imo State has impounded 36 vehicles and arrested 18 suspects in its anti- smuggling campaign.

The seized vehicles included 13 cars, 14 Sport Utility Van (SUV), five trucks and four buses .They were impounded at various locations within the zone.

Its Area Controller, Victor Dimka, told The Nation that 37 seizures with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N179.5million were recorded last month, adding that the seizures were higher than those recorded in January last year. He put last year’s DPV seizures at about N93 million.

Apart from the vehicles, other items that were intercepted by the officers and men of the command included 636 cartons of imported frozen poultry products; 800 bags of cement; 800 pieces of used types; 2,155 cartons of foreign soap and creams; 274 bales of second hand clothing and stockings and 17 pieces of Tarpaulin.

Others are 12 pieces of PVC rubber carpet and 51 bags of 50 kg parboiled rice.

The Area Controller attributed the feat by the unit to innovations put in place by the management of the Service headed by Alhaji Dikko.

This, according to him, has reduced smuggling to the barest mini-

mum in the area.

Dimka also commended other security agencies such as the Nigeria Police Force, the State Security Services (SSS), the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agencies (NDLEA) and the media for cooperating in the fight against smuggling.

“We have been trained, oriented and conscientised under the management of the CGC to meet our challenges and it is left for those still entrapped in smuggling to desist forthwith or be prepared to face the consequences of their act if arrested,” he said.

Dimka advised the public, who wish to purchase vehicles, to ensure that they go through the official channels and clear with the customs before investing their money, warning that all illegal imported goods must be impounded as ignorance of the law is no excuse.

He also warned that the NCS will not succumb to senseless and irrational pleadings for leniency by individuals caught in the act of smuggling.

“So, many unthinkable and unimaginable things are happening in our country today, because of the persistent activities of smugglers and enough is enough because by this, they are trying to circumvent the laws of the land and that of such organisations as the Automobile industry,” he said.

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

53

EQUITIES NIGERIAN STOCK EXCHANGE DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 09-02-15

Nigerian Breweries assures investors of higher returns • -Equities lose N208b on political uncertainties

S

HAREHOLDERS of Nigerian Breweries can look forward to better returns in the period ahead as it begins to optimize synergistic values from the recently concluded acquisition of Consolidated Breweries.

This assurance was given yesterday by the board of the Nigerian Breweries during a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Chairman, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Chief Kola Jamodu, said with the conclusion of the business consolidation, the company has started the process of integrating the new business, which would lead to enhanced operational efficiencies and maximised value for all investors.

According to him, the enlarged Nigerian Breweries would add values to all stakeholders including increased trading activities on the NSE and opportunity for former shareholders of Consolidated Breweries, which was not quoted, to trade their shares on the floor of the exchange.

He noted that the business consolidation would lead to improvement in the company performance pointing out that the new Nigerian Breweries has 11 breweries that are strategically located across the country as against five brew-

By Taofik Salako Capital Market Editor

eries the company had before the merger.

He listed other major benefits from the merger also include cost saving from the consolidation of supply and distribution networks of both companies as a result of improved operational efficiencies arising from integrated operations while the products of both companies will be manufactured more efficiently through their combined operational capabilities.

“Significant cost saving is targeted by distributing products and selling the enlarged product portfolio of the new company across the entire combined sales and distribution network of the enlarged company. The enlarged company is expected to extend market leadership, accelerate revenue growth and expand profit capacity,” Jamodu said.

He added that the Nigerian Breweries has maintained stable growth in sales revenue and profitability in the past five years and assured that the company would continue to increase wealth for shareholders and other stakeholders.

Meanwhile, it was a full run for the bears yesterday at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) as investors responded

to the weekend postponement of general elections. With nearly five losers for every gainer, the market was overwhelmed by widespread sell pressure.

Aggregate market value of all quoted companies dropped to N9.797 trillion as against its opening value of N10.005 trillion. The All Share Index (ASI), the value-based index that tracks prices of all quoted equities, declined by 2.08 per cent from 29,985.08 points to 29,360.55 points. With this, average year-to-date return mounted to -15.3 per cent.

Nestle Nigeria topped the 36-stock losers’ list with a loss of N40.25 to close at N764.75.

Nigerian Breweries followed with a drop of N7.09 to close at N134.72. Guinness Nigeria dropped by N3.99 to close at N125. Lafarge Africa lost N2.99 to close at N85 while Dangote Cement dropped by N2.69 to close at N157.11.

On the upside, Seplat Petroleum Development Company led the eight-stock gainers’ list with a gain of N34.21 to close at N333.90. Dangote Flour Mills placed a distant second with a gain of 38 kobo to close at N4.38 while Vitafoam Nigeria rose by 16 kobo to N3.41 per share.

Aggregate turnover stood at 364.47 million shares valued at N6.03 billion in 3,788 deals.

DAILY SUMMARY AS AT 09-02-15

54

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

MONEYLINK

Naira falls on election delay, oil price rallies

T

HE naira opened at record low yesterday on thin trading as the interbank markets digested the news of six weeks election delay by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) due to an Islamist insurgency in the north.

The naira opened at a record low of 194.75 to the dollar, and quickly fell 1.1 per cent to 196.05, compared with its previous close of 193.90 on Friday.

INEC said late Saturday it would postpone the February 14, presidential election until March 28 due to security concerns.

“This is just going to increase the

Stories by Collins Nweze

uncertainty in Nigerian markets.

While the increased violence is a big concern, investors’ more immediate focus has been on the impact of lower oil prices on the currency and public finances. They need to get some sense of where this currency is heading to make a good judgment call on investments,” Ridle Markus, a strategist at Barclays Plc’s South African unit, told Bloomberg.

Yields on Nigeria’s $500 million of Eurobonds due July 2023 climbed 23 basis points, the most since January 21, to 7.35 per cent.

The naira has slumped 17 per cent against the dollar in the past six months, the most among 24 African countries tracked by Bloomberg. The currency could fall as low as N200 per dollar on Monday, Kunle Ezun, an analyst at Ecobank Transnational Inc., said by phone.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, which is scheduled to sell foreign currency at an auction Monday, may also sell dollars directly to lenders to support the naira, Ezun said.

Meanwhile, oil price rose for a third straight session yesterday as the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting

Countries (OPEC) forecast greater demand for crude this year than previously thought and projected less supply from countries outside the group.

The OPEC forecast demand for its oil will average 29.21 million barrels per day (bpd) in 2015, up 430,000 bpd from its previous forecast, while slashing its outlook for crude supply growth in non-OPEC countries.

Data last week showing the U.S. oil rig count at a three-year low also bolstered prices, which were attempting to find a floor after a brutal selloff in crude that wiped out over half of the market’s value since June.

Bankers’ Committee backs biometric registration

B

ANKERS’ Committee is supporting banks’ continuous enrolment of their customers on the Bank Verification Number (BVN).

BVN involves the registration of customers in the financial system using biometric technology, thereby making accounts more secure using unique identifiers such as fingerprint.

The BVN is an initiative aimed at protecting bank customers and further strengthening the Nigerian banking system. It is an initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in

conjunction with the Bankers’ Committee meant to address the safety of customers’ funds, avoid losses through compromise of personal identification numbers and other criminal activities in the industry.

The BVN also encourages financial inclusion as those who have typically stayed away from mainstream banking due to low literacy levels will be able to open and access their bank accounts using their biometric information rather than traditional identification methods.

The BVN has been described as a

IMF praises Ecobank’s capital position

‘silver-bullet solution’ to many of the challenges in the banking industry.

The BVN is a unique identifier for each bank customer across the financial industry, making it possible to build and track customer financial history and activity. This will allow banks access to more reliable information that could inform decisions on customer loan and credit applications and other complex transactions. In addition, banks are also now able to reduce identity fraud within the financial industry and increase accountability levels.

T

HE International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said it is aware of steps taken by Ecobank to enhance its stability including equity capital the lender raised for the group.

A statement signed by Andrew Kanyegirire, said: “IMF staff is aware that Ecobank has taken a number of important and appropriate steps to address these concerns to avoid risks to financial stability.

“The recent news that Ecobank

FCMB, House of Tara partner on women empowerment

F

IRST City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited is partnering with House of Tara International to launch an economic empowerment initiative for women known as the Beauty Business On the Go (BBOG). The initiative is aimed at empowering women to become entrepreneurs. The project, the bank said, is in line with one of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) focal areas.

In a statement, FCMB and House of Tara explained that the BBOG initiative involves the recruitment and empowering of 5,000 women to become beauty representatives. As beauty representatives, they will be selling multiple beauty brands as part time or full time business, thereby creating job opportunities for themselves. The representatives will be offered trainings, finance, marketing support and other skills necessary

•CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele

to grow their business.

Commenting on FCMB’s involvement in the project, the Head of Communications and CSR, Mrs. Uchenna Mojekwu, said, the BBOG initiative is another demonstration of its commitment towards encouraging women, especially the youth to discover their potentials with a view to aligning such talents with value-added ventures that will make them contribute more to national development.

‘’FCMB as a helpful bank and an institution which caters for all segments of the society, decided to use this platform to further engage women. As catalysts of social and economic development, we believe that by effectively impacting them, they will discover their talent and develop some productive skill,” she said, adding that in this way, they will be working towards the building of a sustainable life.

has raised equity capital for the group and announced an equity capital increase to meet regulatory capital requirements in Nigeria, are further welcome steps in the right direction.”

The Ecobank Group also in a statement signed by Group Head, Corporate Communications, Richard Uku, reaffirmed its financial strength and strong governance as a systemically important banking group in Africa. Ecobank has total assets of over $23 billion. As the IMF statement alluded, in the last six months, Ecobank has raised approximately $1 billion in combined equity and debt capital for its parent company and its business in Nigeria, the largest of the group’s affiliates.

He maintained that Ecobank is compliant with regulatory requirements, including those for liquidity and capital across its network, adding that it continues to be supportive of regulatory reforms that make the African banking system safer, more transparent and more accountable.

MEMORANDUM QUOTATIONS AFRINVEST W. A. EQUITY FUND ARM AGGRESSIVE GROWTH BGL NUBIAN FUND BGL SAPPHIRE FUND CANARY GROWTH FUND CONTINENTAL UNIT TRUST CORAL INCOME FUND FBN FIXED INCOME FUND FBN HERITAGE FUND FBN MONEY MARKET FUND FIDELITY NIG FUND • UBA BALANCED FUND • UBA BOND FUND • UBA EQUITY FUND • UBA MONEY MARKET FUND

126.04 9.17 1.12 1.19 0.63 1.39 1,742.56 1,107.70 113.52 121.16 1.67 1.29 1.32 0.95 1.17

125.82 9.08 1.12 1.19 0.62 1.33 1,742.56 1,106.93 112.91 120.30 1.62 1.28 1.32 0.93 1.17

GAINERS AS AT 09-02-15

SYMBOL

O/PRICE

C/PRICE

SEPLAT

333.90

368.11

DANGFLOUR

4.00

VITAFOAM

CHANGE

FOREX RATES (NairaVs Dollar) February 5, 2015

Inflation: December

13.0%

Foreign Reserves

$34.5b

4.38

9.50

Money Supply (M2)

3.25

3.41

4.92

Credit to private Sector (CPS)

RTBRISCOE

0.82

0.86

4.88

Primary Lending Rate (PLR)

ETERNA

2.52

2.64

4.76

AIRSERVICE

1.71

1.79

4.68

UBCAP

1.45

1.49

2.76

ROYALEX

0.50

0.51

2.00

O/PRICE

MAYFLOUR STANBIC NEM NESTLE FLOURMILL PZ NB BETAGLAS ASHAKACEM INTBREW UBA UACN LEARNAFRCA

1.50 25.75 0.59 805.00 34.20 28.80 141.81 31.49 21.30 21.50 3.42 40.00 1.27

C/PRICE 1.37 24.00 0.55 764.75 32.49 27.36 134.72 29.92 20.24 20.43 3.25 38.04 1.21

CHANGE -8.67 -6.80 -6.78 -5.00 -5.00 -5.00 -5.00 -4.99 -4.98 -4.98 -4.97 -4.90 -4.72

$1

Interbank ($/N)

185.50

$1

Black Market ($/N)

205.00

$1

CBN EXCHANGE RATES (RDAS) February 5, 2015

8%

Monetary Policy Rate

Oil Price (Bonny Light/b)

SYMBOL

168.00

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

10.25

LOSERS AS AT 09-02-15

R-DAS ($/N)

$55 N16.42 trillion.

N17.2 trillion 16.5%

NIGERIAN INTER-BANK OFFERED RATES (NIBOR)

Tenor

03-02-15 Rate (%) Rate (%) 04-02-15

Overnight (O/N)

10.54

11.17

1M

11.94

12.18

3M

13.08

13.33

6M

14.03

14.17

Transaction Dates 03/02/2015 3/12/2014 1/12/2014

Amount Offered in ($) 500m 400m 350m

Amount Sold in ($) 499.93m 399.97m 349.96m

Currency

Buying (N)

Selling (N)

US Dollar

167

168

Pounds Sterling

251.7525

253.26

Euro

189.5617

190.6968

Swiss Franc

180.1122

181.1907

Yen

1.4231

1.4316

CFA

0.2689

0.2889

234.5928

235.9975

Yuan/Renminbi

26.6837

26.8444

Riyal

44.4908

44.7582

SDR

235.2863

236.6952

WAUA

GOVT. SECURITIES YIELD – SECONDARY MARKET

Tenor

Feb. 4, 2015

Rates

T-bills - 91

13.65

T-bills - 182

13.88

T-bills - 364

13.65

Bond - 3yrs

13.81

Bond - 5yrs

13.85

Bond - 7yrs

13.83

55

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

CITYBEATS

CITYBEATS LINE: 08023247888

SURE-P midwives protest non-payment of salaries

Fleeing suspected kidnapper held

T

By Oziegbe Okoeki Midwives employed under the Federal Government Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) yesterday protested to the Lagos State House of Assembly over alleged nonpayment of their salaries and other incentives.

In a letter submitted at the speaker’s office, the midwives said: “There was a memorandum of understanding between the Federal Government and the host-state that salaries and other incentives will be paid to SURE-P workers posted to the host-state.

They said since they start-

T

HE police have arrested one of the two remaining fleeing gang members who attempted to kidnap the Young Shall Grows Motors Chairman Chief Vincent Obianodo in 2013.

John Nnamdi and five others were arrested in Festac Town, Lagos last December 15 during a bank robbery in Cotonou, Benin Republic.

Others are: Victor Anamaelechi (43), Onyema Nwatada, Nwa Ghana, Shola and Kingsley.

Nnamdi told the Abba Kyari-led Lagos State Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS) that two of the fourman gang that attempted to kidnap Obianodo were killed in a gun battle with police.

He and one Evans, who is still at large, escaped.

“It was a kidnap issue please. It was one community bank worker that paid for the job. I got N5m and used my share to buy a vehicle, Acura Jeep (N7m) and police recovered it. We used to pretend to be police officers during operation. I supplied the guns the gang operate with. I hold one while Evans hold one,” he said.

On another operation, Nnamdi said he got N7million share.

“We operated with two Ak47 rifles, two cylinders

‘Pay attention to your health’

T

•The suspects...yesterday

•Gang attempted to abduct transport magnate in 2013

By Ebele Boniface

and a bar which we use to break doors,” Nnamdi said.

On how he was arrested, Nnamdi said: “I went for community bank robbery; we entered the community bank at about 1am. We met two security officers wearing white uniform. We tied their legs and hands with ropes.

We operated for two hours. I was arrested in Akpo Junction in Festac Town by SARS operatives.”

Nnamdi, 35, from Obinwa in Abia State, said he deals in musical instruments.

“I am the gang leader. I am the gang armourer. I had been in Sagamu prison for four months. I got my guns from a friend called Okonkwo, who died during armed robbery operation,” he said.

Anamaelechi, 43 from Mgbidi in Imo State, is married with two children.

Anamaelechi said: “I sell generators; I have a shop at

E18 Electronics Line in Alaba. We are here for robbery case. We were six. We robbed a community bank in Cotonou.

We used Ak47 rifles, 12 magazines, 29 rounds of ammunition. We collected 20, 000,000 Cedis. My share was N5m.”

Kingsley, 36, from Delta State, said: “I am the one that made calls for the kidnap gang that kidnapped Dapson Filling Station director. I collected only N2.1 million.”

My husband is addicted to blue films, says wife

A

MIDDLE-aged woman, Sekinat Akinloye, has gone before the Agege Customary Court in Lagos, seeking the dissolution of her 11year old marriage. She is praying that she be divorced from her husband, Jamiu, who she accused of bestiality.

Mrs Akinloye, told the court: “I once brought his case in 2010, when he denied he wasn’t the father of our first child. But, later I withdrew the case.

ed working about three years ago, they have not been paid nor provided accommodation.

In the letter signed by Funmi Gasallo, they said they had petitioned Governor Babatunde Fashola which prompted the state to pay some workers for 2012 and 2013.

“In fact some of our members have not received any payment at all. We urge the state to intervene before the current administration hands over. The SURE-P workers have ensured an effective and efficient health delivery system in Lagos State,” the letter added.

• ‘I still love her’

By Basirat Braimah

“When I complained I didn’t like the idea of watching pornographic videos in the house because our children are still young, he downloaded it on his phone. The day our daughter saw one of the videos on my husband’s phone, she called her friends to watch with her. I beat her; our neighbours gossiped about it which

saddened my heart. When my husband heard about the incident, he beat me for scolding our daughter which landed me in a hospital. I have always endured his beating. But now, my decision stands.”

The respondent, Akinloye, is not ready to let her go.

He said: “I thought my wife was angry with me because I couldn’t assist her sister. In order to let peace reign, I gave her money to boost her business but she

refused it, saying she wanted to leave. I was dumbfounded because I didn’t know what else to do.

“Last October, she left the house on the grounds that I don’t partake whenever her family members have any social gathering.”

The marriage produced two children between the ages four and 10.

The court’s President, Pa Adekunle Williams, fixed a chambers discussion for the couple after the court’s sitting.

•Cross Section of trainees in the Fashion and Textile design class of the 3rd Phase of the Economic Empowerment Programme of the Lagos State Government at the Ifako-Ijaiye Centre, Oko-Oba, Lagos ... yesterday

HE National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, in partnership with the Lagos State Ministry of Rural Development, has held its first free health initiative in five communities in Otto Awori Local Council Development Area of the state.

No fewer than 50 Corps members attended to the residents, who were tested for high blood pressure, malaria and HIV/AIDS, among others.

Speaking on the occasion, Commissioner for Rural Development Cornelius Ojelabi said the scheme was organised to educate people on the need to “give utmost attention to their health.”

He said: “If you know your health status, then, you will know how it should be managed. I commend the services that the NYSC has rendered to residents living in the riverine areas. This has gone a long way to complement the efforts of the state government. So, I urge you all to embrace this opportunity. I understand that those

By Basirat Braimah

with high blood pressure have been advised to visit the nearest Primary Health Centres (PHC).”

The NYSC state coordinator, Akhanemhe Cyril, said the management took the screening to the rural communities to assist those who could not afford the high cost of medical treatment.

“Some will be treated, while others suffering from several ailments will be given referrals. We intend to go round the rural areas in the state,” he added.

The Baale of Otto-Awori, Pa Abel Ojelabi, thanked the organisers for bringing free medical services to his domain, adding: “for some time, I have been attending my monthly medical check up at a very distant hospital.

So, this initiative is most welcome.”

One of the medical personnel, Dr Ogunnaya Tosin, said though none of the residents had malaria, he encouraged them to maintain good environment.

Why crime rate is high, by DPO

W

HY is crime still on the rise despite security agencies’ efforts to stem the malaise?

It is because of the country’s weak infrastructure network, a divisional police officer (DPO) has said.

The DPO, who pleaded not to be named, said the Federal Government must be ready to deploy computer supported data system to detect of crime and arrest perpetrators adding that nothing could be done with the current obsolete and outmoded system of investigation.

“The police lack requisite data base for criminals; the establishment of dependable and accessible data base for residents anywhere in the country, specifically for whoever perpetrated any crime is essential to stem the development. The data base, which must contain the fingerprints of the individuals, is a simple way of exposing and arresting perpetrators of crimes, because no two fingerprints of individuals are the same anywhere in the world,” he said.

The simple process of identifying fingerprints, he said, could stem the rise in crime.

He stated: “Because of the absence of a data base, the experience has been that a

By Sulaiman Salawudeen

criminal caught in Oyo State will serve out his term in that state and, upon being released by whatever means, would shift base to any other state and continue his (criminal) runs.

“Even within a state, a person is being caught for the same crime over and over again. Why will a recidivist or a jail bird secure such easy passages? It is because of inadequate data base with which to nail him.

“The reality today is that the same old criminals are being turned over across the courts in the country for similar offences and they are constantly getting away with it. This is a blame on us (the police), the court system and ultimately on the government which has not armed the system with a full-proof process of dependable data base”.

In advanced countries, the DPO said, no police officer would stop your vehicle demanding particulars.

“Once they suspect anything on sighting your vehicle, they note the registration number and they feed such into the data base. Every information about the vehicle and the owner will come out and they will track such vehicle in no time if necessary,” he said.

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

56

SHOWBIZ

Smith, Beck scoop top prizes

T

WENTY two-yearold English soul singer, Sam Smith, crowned his breakthrough into music’s top ranks by winning four awards while Beck caused an upset by winning best album at the Grammy Awards, Sunday.

Smith who was the big winner at the 57th Grammy awards, which held in Los Angeles, dedicated his wins to an ex-lover for making it all possible. “Thank you so much for breaking my heart,” Smith told the assembled music royalty, “because you got me four Grammys.”

He won the Best Newcomer, Best Song and Best Record for Stay With Me, and Best Pop Vocal album for his debut, In the Lonely Hour.

While Smith’s wins could be said to have been widely expected, the surprise of the evening, was the identity of the winner of the best album prize – which was Beck, for his lyrical, melancholic Morning Phase, which trumped Smith and Beyoncé, who had been tipped for the top honour.

Beyoncé was, however, consoled with awards in three other categories; Best R&B song, Best R&B Performance for Drunk In Love and

•Concerns of Beyonce’s defeat

By Victor Akande

the less coveted award for surround sound for her selftitled album, Beyoncé.

The event, seen in the record industry as music’s biggest night, capped Smith’s breakout success since appearing as a guest vocalist on Disclosure’s Latch and winning last year’s Brits Critics Choice award. In the Lonely Hour, an ode to romantic devotion, has been a smash hit on both sides of the Atlantic.

Smith was favourite for Best Newcomer but faced stiff competition from Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off for Best Record, which recognises production, engineering and performance, and best song, which recognises songwriting.

“Before I made this record, I was doing everything to try get my music to the world,” he said from the stage of the Staples Centre. “I tried to lose weight and was making awful music. It was only until I started to be myself that the music flowed.”

Critics had hailed Beck’s Morning Phase, which dwells on heartbreak and hope, for its lush, intimate

instrumentation. But few predicted the softly spoken 44year-old born Beck David Campbell would win Best Album. An astonished expression when his name was called out suggested he did not expect it either.

Kanye West briefly feigned an attempt to interrupt Beck, an apparently joking reprise of his notorious 2009 stage invasion at the MTV VMAs, when he disputed an award for Taylor Swift, which West felt Beyoncé should have won.

Beck also won in the Best Rock album category, edging out Ryan Adams and U2.

Pharrell Williams also nabbed three gongs, taking home Best Urban Contemporary Album for G I R L, a blend of funk and pop, Best Pop Solo Performance and Music Video for his smash hit song Happy.

During his performance of Happy, his back-up dancers made the “hands up, don’t shoot” gesture, a postFerguson symbol about police violence against African Americans.

Prince, presenting an award, also made a reference

to the Black Lives Matter campaign: “Like books and black lives, albums still matter.” John Legend and Common injected a civil rights theme by singing Glory from theSelma film soundtrack.

Eminem won Best Rap Album, prompting relief among those who had feared a row if the Australian Iggy Azalea, whom critics accuse of appropriating African American urban culture, took the gong. Eminem, nevertheless, is white.

Other winners included Miranda Lambert, Best Country Album, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album and St Vincent, Best Alternative Rock Album.

Critical response to the show, broadcast by CBS, was mixed. The Los Angeles Times called it “rather tepid”, while the New York Times’ reviewer called it “a night full of soporific performances”.

The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which awards the Grammys, made a play for older viewers by having AC/DC open the show. The veteran Australian rockers raised eyebrows by apparently using a teleprompter.

• Gwyneth Paltrow with Beck at the Grammy Awards

Madonna spiced up the evening with a revealing matador outfit and troupe of dancing minotaurs which accompanied her rousing performance of Living for Love, taken from her new album Rebel Heart.

Tom Jones and Jessie J earned brickbats for a version of You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling which invited unflattering comparisons with Tom Cruise’s karaoke version in Top Gun. Kanye West returned from a self-imposed six-year Grammy exile to croon Only One but was diminished by a bare stage and minimalist

lighting.

President Barack Obama provided an abrupt change of tone by appearing in a public service announcement condemning sexual violence, saying, “It’s not OK – and it has to stop.” It was the latest installment in a White House campaign urging public figures to denounce sexual assaults on college campuses.

The Grammys have been criticised for nominating Chris Brown after he assaulted his ex-girlfriend Rihanna.

The rapper LL Cool J hosted the ceremony for the fourth consecutive time.

David Oyelowo live at House on The HE premises of House Rock’s premiere of Selma on the Rock church,

T

• From Left; Senator Mamora, Ambode, Chief Ogunade, and Olorogun Kuku.

Photo AAMCO

Encomiums as Coliseum hosts Ambode

T

HE Lagos State gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. AkinwunmiAmbode, was on Sunday, was hosted to a Grand House Reception (GHR) by The Niteshift Coliseum, Nigeria’s apex club.

Ambode who was ushered into the club at about 7:30pm with a spectacular display of fireworks became the 77th person to join the exclusive list of leaders in the politics, business, sports and entertainment who have been honoured with the GHR, which started in 1992.

Welcoming the candidate, the chief host of the event and Guvnor of the Coliseum, Ken CalebsOlumese said he was delighted to host Ambode, just like he had hosted former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and incumbent governor, BabatundeRajiFashola.

“In fact, Fashola is the only person to have been hosted twice to a Grand House Reception,” Olumese said.

After a citation of Ambode was read, the APC gubernatorial candidate marshalled out plans he hopes to execute as the next governor of Lagos State.

Ambode said it was not ‘accidental’ that he was the 77th person to be honoured with the Grand House Reception.

According to him, the addition of seven and seven equals 14,

By Joe Agbro Jr

which signifies his aspiration to become the 14th governor of Lagos State.

Harping on moves to develop the state, Ambode disclosed project THESE, which stands for Tourism, Hospitality, Entertainment and Arts, and Sports all representing Excellence to the audience, packed with politicians, captains of industry, journalists, as well as entertainers.

According to him, a robust mix of “public-private partnership is what is needed to move the state forward.”

Thereafter, Ambode was taken to the hot seat where for about an hour, he addressed questions posed by Lagosian.

Among questions he addressed was the contentious issue of citizenship rights in Lagos, given the cosmopolitan outlook of the city-state.

“I won’t discriminate against non-indigenes and indigenes of Lagos,” he said. “We want to create a cleaner Lagos, a secure Lagos for everyone alike. It’s about making everyone to be part of the story of Lagos.”

Also reacting to questions about complaints of consumer protection, Ambode said structures are in place to protect the consumers. He said his administration would also promote sports at the community level, taking advantage of the youthful population resident in the

state.

The event which was supported by the Mainland Business League, was spiced with music supplied by The Coliseum Shifters Dance Band.

Guests at the event include Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Princess Akintoye Braimoh, Senator Olorunnibe Mamora, Ehi Braimoh, Former Vice Chancellor Lagos State University, Chief Kunle Ogunade, Olorogun Sunny Kuku, Ayo Sonaiya, Alariwo of Africa, Tony Okoroji and ace broadcaster Taiwo Obileye.

It will be recalled that penultimate Sunday, Jimi Agbaje, the Lagos gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambode’s major contender, for the post of governor, was similarly hosted

by The Coliseum.

Personalities that have so far been hosted to the GHR include President Goodluck Jonathan, late businessman and politician Chief M. K. O. Abiola,, EreluAbiolaDosunmu, former Inspector General of Police Sir Mike Okiro, the late Afrobeat king FelaAnikulapo-Kuti, Rev Chris Okotie, co-ordinating minister of the economy Dr Mrs NgoziOkonjo-Iweala, former Ghanaian president Jerry Rawlings, former Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles ClemenceWesterhof, and Brig.

Benjamin Adekunle (Retd.) among others.

Lekki, Lagos, witnessed a huge crowd, Sunday, which thronged the cathedral for the premiere of trending American movie, Selma, which detailed the non-violent revolution propounded by the late Martin Luther King Jr. Added to the excitement of seeing the much-talked-about movie, was the presence of Nigerian-British actor, David Oyelowo, who played lead in the movie and his female counterpart, Carmen Ejogo, a British actress and singer, who also appeared as a civil rights activist in the movie.

The timing of the movie’s premiere in Nigeria is in line with the forthcoming general elections, which the pastor of the church, Paul Adefarasin, believes will sensitise Nigerians on the need for a peaceful election.

“The history of elections in Nigeria is fraught with incidents of violence before, during and after all but two elections; 1923 and 1959,” he said, during a press conference that preceded the screening of the movie.

The church’s sensitisation project was supported by the United State’s #United4Peace initiative, which the U.S Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, also lauded at the event.

By Victor Akande

”In our bid to foster and promote non-violence, the Rock Foundation has partnered with the United States Mission to Nigeria to premiere the movie, Selma, which chronicles the tumultuous three-month period in 1965, when Dr Martin Luther King Jr. led a dangerous campaign to secure equal voting rights in the face of violent opposition,” said Adefarasin.

According to him, “…the interests of Nigeria cannot be determined along religious lines nor according to political, ethnic or social indices alone. The tragic events in parts of this country are a harsh reminder that dialogue, peace and religious tolerance are crucial to our continued coexistence.”

Speaking on the legacy of Martin Luther King, whom he described as “a leader who expanded the reach of American democracy to Americans of African descent,” Entwistle said it is timely to reflect on Dr. King’s life as Nigerians prepare to go to the polls next month.

“As you will soon see in this film, this was a dangerous time for Americans who advocated for racial equality in the American South, but Dr.

•Oyelowo, Ambassador Entwistle and Pastor Adefarasin

King and courageous civil rights advocates persevered— by placing black and white passengers on interstate buses, by sitting next to each other in segregated restaurants and at department store dining counters, and through programs to register black voters in southern states. Many were verbally abused and physically assaulted. Some of them were killed,” he recalled.

For Oyelowo, who was snubbed in this year’s Oscars in the acting nominations category, the Oscars cannot be compared to the acceptability of the movie in Nigeria, and the impact it will have on the electorate. He said he would be happy to see a Nigeria that works in diversity, while revealing that his father is from Oyo State, while his mother hails from Edo State.

Selma had four Golden Globe Award nominations, including Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director, and Best Actor, and won for Best Original Song. It has also garnered nominations for Best Picture and Best Original Song at the 87th Academy Awards.

In the twenty years of its existence, House on The Rock has been at the forefront of many community development initiatives, notably in the areas of health and social justice.

THE NATION TUESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 2015

57

NEWS ‘Why Lagosians should vote Ambode’

By Tokunbo Ogunsami

A

GROUP, Akinwunmi Ambode Kommittee of Friends (AA’KOF), has listed reasons why Lagosians should vote for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, on April 11.

The body’s spokesman, Elder Cornelius Olopade, who spoke yesterday at the APC rally at Abesan Mini Stadium in Alimosho, Lagos, said the electorate should vote Ambode because he is a tested politician and administrator.

He said: “Of all the candidates vying for the Lagos governorship seat, Ambode is the most experienced. He is tested and can be trusted.

“Lagosians need the continuity of good governance. They need the continuity of the dividends of democracy. Ambode will provide these.

“The National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola are dynamic politicians, who have set Lagos on the right path. Residents should not allow inexperienced politicians to truncate their good ideals. This is why they should give their mandate to Ambode.”

The APC Lagos governorship candidate told the surging crowd that he was in politics to make a name.

Ambode said: “By the time I finish my tenure, I want to leave a legacy of good governance. Our party, APC, is a party with welfarist programmes, which will positively affect the lives of Lagosians. I urge them to vote for me and other APC candidates. They will not regret giving us their mandate.”

Deputy Senate Whip pledges projects completion

•The All APC Senatorial Candidate for Anambra Central, Sen. Dr. Chris Ngige (right) exchanging pleasantries with the PHOTO: OBI CLETUS traditional rulers of Amansi in Awka North LGA during his campaign visit to the area………today

The Patriots backs polls shift

T

HE Patriots yesterday expressed support for the postponement of the general elections.

According to the group of elder statesmen who met in Lagos, the security reasons adduced for the shift is “tenable”.

Chairman of the group, Professor Ben Nwabueze, in a communiqué said the group is opposed to some people’s call for an interim government. It urged the Independent national Electoral Commission (INEC) to improve on its logistics and the security agencies to demonstrate utmost professional-

•Opposes calls for Interim Govt ism and neutrality in the discharge of their duties.

Nwabueze said: “Security is a highly sensitive matter and we accept the reason of security concerns given by INEC. Only people who don’t know about security will try to fault that. There are also issues on the preparedness of INEC, if they are not ready to provide the logistics needed for the election; I think it makes sense to extend.

“But what we perceive as monstrous is when people talk about extension for two

years, but what we have here is just for six weeks and it is still within what the constitution provides.

“There is no legal authority for the Interim Government, where would they base it in our constitution? You will be acting unconstitutionally, you will create problem that this country may not recover from.

“How would you tell the president to step aside and ask someone else to take over? It seems people make calls without considering the

implications.

Whatever might be the political merits, the constitutional issues against it is so much that the idea will do more harm than good to this country.” The communiqué stated.

At the meeting were Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Dr. Philip Asiodu, former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Chris Ali, Sir Chris Okoye, Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Relations, Senator Ben Obi, Mr Solomon Asemota (SAN) and Mr. Michael Orobator.

Crisis in Ohanaeze Ndigbo deepens

T

HE crisis in the Igbo apex body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, over the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan, has deepened. A group, the Igbo Delegates Assembly, has distanced itself from the en-

•Igbo group distances self from Jonathan endorsement From: Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

dorsement of the President for a second term.

In a communiqué after its meeting yesterday in Abuja,

signed by Chief S. Iyamah, the president-general and Comrade Austin Ifedinezi, the public relations officer, the group urged Igbo in the North to remain where they

are and collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

They enjoined the President and the security agencies to protect them and their investments.

Igbo youths threaten attack if…

I

GBO youths have threatened reprisal if the Igbo are attacked in the North before, during and after the elections.

The youth under the aegis of the Ohanaeze Youths Council (OYC) promised to work with other ethnic nationalities, especially the Ijaw Youth Congress (IYC), to ensure the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Executive Council of the group, led by its President, Chief Okechukwu Isiguzoro, spoke in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, yesterday after a visit to the IYC President, Mr. Udens Eradiri.

He urged the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF), who is also the Niger State governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, to advise his colleagues to ensure security for the Igbo.

Isiguzoro said although the Igbo were advised to remain calm, any attack on them would be retaliated in the Southeast and Southsouth.

•Back Jonathan’s re-election From Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

He said the call for NGF to provide security became necessary, following security reports that some northerners were planning to instigate violence to take over the businesses and homes of the Igbo.

The youth leader said the people were angry because most Ndigbo supported Jonathan’s re-election.

Isiguzoro, who inaugurated the Bayelsa State chapter of the OYC, led by Chief Chinedu Aturchukwu, said they were awaiting a statement from Governor Aliyu to reassure the Igbo of their safety.

He said if the governor failed, the Igbo would have no option but to begin the exodus to their ancestral homes.

His words: “Although we have asked the Igbo in the North to remain calm and stay focused on voting for

‘

They are also planning to take over their businesses. We urge Governor Aliyu to assure the Igbo of their safety...

’

President Jonathan, we have uncovered a plot by some el-

ements in the North to promote tension and cripple the Igbo businesses worth billions of naira.

“They are also planning to take over their businesses. We urge Governor Aliyu to assure the Igbo of their safety because if there is any attack on them, there will be retaliation.”

On the postponement of elections, he said the youth supported the shift to enable eligible voters get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

Vehicle owners get ultimatum

T

HE Lagos State Police Command, has warned the owners of all accidented and abandoned vehicles parked at Ajah Division to remove them within 21 days of this publication or lose them to members of the public. They are: Mercedes Benz G-Wagon with registration number KJA 534 AAA, Kia-Rio KJA 225 BE, Toyota 4Runner DN 866 JJJ, LT Bus Volkswagen FX 118 AKD, Mercedes Benz 200 LQ 79 AAA, Nissan Primera BC 847 APP, Toyota Camry APP 481 BE, Jagua LSD 664 BE, Opel Astra CK 115 LSR, Mazda 323 KJA 688 BF and Lexus Jeep unregistered.

T

HE Deputy Senate Whip, Mr. Hosea Ayoola Agboola, has assured his constituents of the completion of projects facilitated by him and financed by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration in the 13 councils in his constituency.

Agboola, who spoke when finishing his campaign, listed the projects as Okeho-Iganna old Road abandoned in the last decade, Otu-Ipapao Road, Agunrege-Owo-Ofiki Road, Igboho-Kisi Old Road, Iseyin-

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

Oke-Amu Road and IseyinGeorge Dam Road, which he said would be completed this year and inaugurated.

The senator, who was elated by the support for his re-election by community heads and members of sociocultural organisations, who attended his campaigns in Oke-Ogun, promised to continue pursuing masses-oriented and welfarist projects that had impact on the people, if re-elected.

RCCG holds programme

T

HE Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Holy Ghost Zone, Lagos Province 26, will on February 18 begin a five-day special programme at 6pm daily.

It will continue on February 22 at 8am. It is billed for the Fountain of Life Parish auditorium, 40, Agege Motor Road, opposite Oando Filling Station, Moshalashi bus stop, Mushin, Lagos. The theme is: “A New Era”.

The host, Pastor B.T. Akinyeye, said: “It is time for a radical change for those in problems. They will begin to experience abundance. The barren will receive fruits of the womb, those stagnant will experience progress, the sick will receive divine healing and those who don’t have Christ will receive salvation.”

Those expected to minister include Evang. E.O. Falade, Pastor Seun Aderibigbe, among others.

StarTimes rewards customers

P

AY TV operator, StarTimes Nigeria, has rewarded subscribers who emerged winners in the second draw of the StarTimes Christmas promo.

The subscribers, according to a statement by the company’s Public Relations Manager, Israel Bolaji, went home with StarTimes 32 inches LED TV sets and luxury sofas courtesy of Bedmate furniture.

The statement quoted Bolaji saying: “StarTimes is spreading the reach of digital television through this promo by ensuring every Nigerian has access to rich digital TV entertainment that is affordable and available to every Nigerian.”

Mr. Bolaji, in the statement, said that the promo is in line with StarTimes commitment at ensuring Nigerians enjoy the best of digital television entertainment.

“As we look forward to the June 2015 deadline for digital migration; our vision is to help Nigeria migrate successfully from analogue to digital television.

“StarTimes is all about bringing family entertain-

From: Frank Ikpefan, Abuja

ment to everyone in the family, parents, young adults, and children.

“That is why we have collaborated with Bedmate on the promo to make sure families have a comfortable TV experience.

Mrs. Omoyemi Akinwunmi, one of the Star prize winners of a set of Bedmate sofa while receiving her prize expressed her appreciation to StarTimes for keeping to their promise.

“I wasn’t expecting to win since I didn’t buy the decoder because of the promo. It’s my first time using StarTimes and I don’t regret it. I bought the decoder in December and have been enjoying it since then.

“It has so many rich channels that I love, its shows lots of Nigerian movies that I enjoy on Orisun. I encourage others who are yet to get StarTimes decoders to use this opportunity to get one for free,” Akinwunmi added.

StarTimes, which covers 36 cities presently, will be expanded to other cities, the company’s Brand and Marketing Manager, Mr Habeeb Somoye, said.

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

58

NEWS

• Elegushi of Ikateland, Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi (fifth left) with his wife, Olori Aramide Elegushi (sixth right); the Senator representing Lagos Central, Senator Oluremi Tinubu (fourth left); one-time Lagos State Commissioner of Finance, Mr Wale Edun (fourth right); Prince Abayomi Daramola (left), Alhaji Babatunde Balogun (second left), Alhaji Mutiu Are (third left), Jide Sanwo-olu (fifth right), Alhaji Alade Grillo (third right), Samuel Adedayo and Toun Adeniran, at the royal blessing for Senator Tinubu at the Elegushi palace in Eti-Osa, Lagos...yesterday

DSS reassures Nigerians on security

T

HE Department of State Service (DSS) has reassured Nigerians of their safety irrespective of their location following rumours of likely violence during the rescheduled general election.

Its spokesperson Marilyn Ogar, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, warned those spreading rumours of violence to desist or face the wrath of the law.

The statement reads: “It has come to the knowledge of security agencies that people are relocating to their states of origin in anticipation of violence during the forthcoming gener-

From Faith Yahaya, Abuja

al elections in the country.

“We wish to reassure the public of their safety wherever they reside as adequate security is assured for all before, during and after the elections.

“We want to also seize this opportunity to caution those who spread falsehood or rumours of violence to desist from such acts. Those who intend to foment trouble are hereby warned that there will be no hiding place, as the long arm of the law will fish them out.”

Abe: Peterside is man of integrity

T

HE Chairman of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Rivers Southeast, Magnus Abe, has said the party’s Rivers State governorship candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, is a man of impeccable character.

Abe spoke at Council Primary School, Bera, at the be-

From Precious Dikewoha, Port Harcourt

ginning of APC’s State campaign in Gokana Local Government Area.

The senator noted that “integrity is a way of life and Peterside lives integrity”.

He urged the Ogoni and other Rivers residents to vote massively for him, adding that he is well known for his uprightness and sincerity.

Ogboru doubts INEC’s readiness for elections From Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba

D

ELTA State Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate, Chief Great Ogboru has expressed doubts about the preparedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct credible elections.

The LP candidate urged INEC to conduct a test run of the card readers to determine their reliability.

He said this would forestall likely malfunctioning of the machines.

Ogboru noted that INEC might have simulated the machines in its offices with the card readers, adding that this is not adequate.

He said: “I am not saying INEC has not done the simulations with these machines in the office. But that is not enough. The type of simulation that is required in this circumstance, in our view, is that it must be done under election condition.”

‘Rural development’ll be our priority’

T

HE Ogun East Senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Kashamu Buruji, has assured the grass roots urgent development in Ogun East senatorial district.

Addressing a mammoth crowd of party supporters and faithful at two separate rallies in Ogun Waterside Local Government and Ijebu East local government areas, Kashamu said the rural areas in the zone needs urgent and prompt development, saying he’s canvassing for grass roots development because he was so much concerned about the people living in the rural areas.

He said when it comes to relating with the grass roots, his party PDP was fully on

ground, prayed that when he emerged as the senator to represent the zone at the National Assembly, he would concentrate more on the grass roots.

Kashamu, who reiterated his commitment to the creation of Ijebu State, the revamping of Olokola Free Trade Zone in Ijebu Division and Cargo Airport in Remo Division, assured that he would lobby the relevant government agencies and institutions “ to make these projects a reality”.

He said: “The impressive turn out at these rallies have shown that our party, the PDP is on ground. We are the party to beat and we are ready to win at all levels in the state.”

Oshiomhole on May 29: nobody can postpone Christmas

E

DO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has said the May 29 handover date of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration to the All Progressives Congress (APC) cannot be postponed.

The governor said no one can postpone Christmas.

Oshiomhole spoke at the weekend in Benin, the state capital, when he received some defectors from the PDP. He said: “You heard what happened. They said they have postponed the elections.

Few days back, they called us to a meeting at the Council of State and we said they should go ahead and do the elections. In any event, we are not the only country with security challenges. Even elections are held in Afghanistan and Iraq.

“So, whether they postpone

•Governor calls for calm the election or not, we won’t fight. They can’t postpone Christmas. I want to appeal to all of you, nobody should be angry because I know you were ready for Saturday’s election. Only a debtor thinks tomorrow is far. Everybody has seen they don’t want elections. They sponsored discussions on television, Jega said INEC was not the issue. So, they came up with security. If they like, let them keep coming up with issues; elections will hold.

“So, I ask you: just take it easy. These six weeks will cost us more resources and time because we thought we will do the election, get through with it and get on with our lives, but they decided to postpone the elec-

tion, to prolong it but let me ask you, a child that is due to arrive after nine months, how long can you prevent it from birthing?

“APC is already in power, by the grace of God. They can postpone the election but they cannot postpone May 29 handover date. Two wrongs don’t make a right. Don’t fight; make peace: We will use the remaining six weeks to mobilise more, pull out more people from the PDP so that Edo State will be 100 per cent for APC.” The governor expressed joy and praised the courage of the defectors for dumping the Peoples Democratic Party to pitch tent with the party that is set to bring the much desired change and develop-

ment to the country and assured them of level playing ground in the All Progressive Congress.

He said: “I am really grateful to all of you that have joined. You can fool some of the people some of the time but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time. I want to promise you that together, we will continue to build a new digital political soft structure on top of which we can build all the other things.”

Over 300 PDP members defected to the APC. They were led by Chief Sunny Erhengbo; a former PDP House of Representatives aspirant for Ikpoba Okha/Egor, Dr. Friday Omokaro and Edo State Head of Security, Goodluck to Goodluck Campaign Organisation, Mr. Fred Ikhuebor.

JTF recovers arms from suspected pirates

A

SPECIAL squad of the Joint Task Force (JTF), code-named, Operation Pulo Shield, has recovered a cache of arms from a gang of sea pirates that attacked its troops in Delta State on January 8.

Four soldiers attached to the JTF were killed by suspected pirates who operated on the Patrick Waterside in Warri.

The Coordinator of the Joint Media Campaign Centre (JMCC), Lt.-Col. Ado Isa, said yesterday the special squad had been on the trail of the hoodlums.

He said in one of the cordonand-search operations, the troops recovered one AK 47 rifle with registration number 02430 and butt number 897 and two magazines loaded with 30 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.

•Kills suspected kidnapper Isa said another AK rifle with 13 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, which were among the items declared missing after the attack on the troops, was recovered.

According to him, a speedboat suspected to have been used by the hoodlums during the attack was recovered near Bobo waterside jetty.

Though none of the kid peers was arrested, the coordinator said the task force was on trail of the perpetrators to recover more arms.

He said JTF’s troops in Sector I rescued Mr. Julius Omeregie, who was kidnapped by gunmen at Okhuaihie, Uhumwode Local Government Area of Edo State.

Isa said the victim and his

family of five were abducted in his Honda CRV Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) and whisked away.

The coordinator said the kidnappers abandoned the vehicle and other members of the family on the road.

He said: “On getting the information, troops of the JTF, in conjunction with the police and local vigilantes, combed the area and rescued the victim. One of the kidnappers was killed in a shootout.

“A pump action gun with 10 rounds of cartridges was recovered and handed over to the JTF. Efforts are being made to apprehend the suspects.”

Isa added that JTF’s troops of Sector II, in partnership with the Directorate of State

Security (DSS), discovered and destroyed two illegal refineries near Akasa 06 and 103 Cawton Channel II in Rivers State.

He said: “Two suspected illegal oil thieves were also arrested at Oreerokpe community in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State while conveying illegally acquired Automated Gas Oil in a Jeta saloon car with registration number (Delta) AM 306 JRT. “The suspects confessed to have carried out oil bunkering around Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) waterside in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.

“The vehicles and the products were moved to a safe place and destroyed. The suspects are in the custody of the JTF for preliminary investigation before handover to the prosecuting agency.”

APC now biggest party in Nigeria, says women leader

T

HE Southsouth Women’s Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mrs. Rachael Akpabio, has said the party has become the biggest in Nigeria and Afria.

Mrs Akpabio, who is also a member of the Presidential Campaign Committee, spoke yesterday at a town hall meeting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.

The event was organised to enlighten women on the need to spread the message of “Change” and support APC’s

From Kazeem Ibrahym, Uyo

presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, in the March 28 election.

She explained that the party’s claims to the number one position was buttressed by the fact that many parties, such as the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Action for Democracy (AD) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) formed the mega party that became APC. The women’s leader said

APC’s had been swelling with more Nigerians defecting from other parties and joining the progressives.

The event was attended by a large crowd of women from various parts of the state.

The wife of Akwa Ibom State APC governorship candidate, Mrs Florence Umana; prominent women leaders, including the Obonganwan Imo Isemin, Obong Rita Akpan and a former local government chairman, Mrs Stella Effiom, attended the meeting.

They spoke on the need for

a peace change in the affairs of the nation.

Mrs. Akpabio said she was commissioned by the wife of APC presidential candidate, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, to urge women to support her husband.

The women’s leader said the expected change, which Gen. Buhari’s administration would bring, would affect every aspect of Nigeria’s life positively.

Top on the list is tackling corruption, which she said had caused the continuous slide of

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

59

NEWS Ex-council chief Adewale hails Aregbesola

Ortom to tackle Igede’s necglect From Uja Emmanuel, Makurdi

A

FORMER Chairman of Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of Lagos State, Comrade Ayodele Adewale, has congratulated Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola on his victory at the Election Petitions Tribunal.

In a statement, titled: Congratulations to our symbol, the former local government chairman noted that the victory was well deserved.

The statement reads: “The attempt by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, to unseat our progressive governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has failed. The tribunal declared our governor as the duly elected governor of the State of Osun.

“The news came to me not as a surprise but a confirmation of how far the PDP can go because of power. The people have spoken, the tribunal has spoken!

“This feat has once again shown that the people decided their destiny by voting for Aregbesola. They all resolved to support All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) candidate.”

’98 per cent of Nigeria’s trade done by maritime’ From Abdulgafar Alabelewe, Kaduna

T

HE Commandant of Armed Forces Com mand and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, Kaduna State, AVM John Chris Ifemeje, has said 98 per cent of Nigeria’s bulk trade is done through the maritime environment.

He said this had attracted some security challenges with attendant legal implications.

Addressing a seminar for Senior Course 37 of the Department of Maritime Warfare, tagged: The Law of The Sea, in Jaji, the commandant listed crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and operation of oil refineries as the major challenges in bulk trade in the Maritime sector.

The Air Vice Marshal said the challenges had extended to the greater Gulf of Guinea.

Represented by the Deputy Commandant, Rear Admiral Sylvanus Abbah, the commandant said the seminar was timely, relevant and justifiable.

He said this was not only because of Nigeria’s quest to extend its continental shelf but also because of the legal and security burdens associated with such extensions.

Ifemeje stressed the implications of the current heightened military, diplomatic, economic and legal interest in the Gulf of Guinea.

He said: “Nigeria is a littoral state with a coastline of 420 nautical miles and vast sea space of 84,000 square nautical miles. Within this area are living and non-living resources, such as fish and crude oil, from which comes about 90 per cent of our foreign earnings.

“Adjunct to the foregoing is the fact that 98 per cent of Nigeria’s bulk trade is done through our maritime environment.”

B

•Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido (right) receiving the Vanguard Personality of the Year Award 2014 from Chairman of the occasion, Prof. Anya O. Anya, in Lagos...at the weekend.

Saraki: postponing elections obstructs democracy F ORMER Kwara State Governor Bukola Saraki has said the shift of this year’s general elections is an obstruction of democracy.

Saraki, who is the State Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), noted that the postponement would hinder free, fair and transparent elections.

In an electronic mail, the Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology Chairman said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “is expected to act independently, but unfortunately, it is being guided by a government that believes it is about to lose an election and decided to stop the elections to re-strategise”.

Saraki noted that for the first time in Nigeria, “we are seeing a seating government

From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

running away from elections”.

The statement reads: “While we recognise the severity of the security challenges facing Nigeria today, sadly, these challenges are not new. It has been almost a year since Boko Haram kidnapped over 200 of our schoolgirls in Chibok (Borno State).

“Thousands of men, women and children have died in the hands of Boko Haram and thousands others are displaced. However, security should not be used as an excuse to delay our elections and obstruct democracy.

“For over three years, President Goodluck Jonathan has failed to make national security a priority. How then does the President now expect the people to believe him when he says he will tackle the terrorist group in six weeks?

“The international community has continued to support our view that there must be peaceful, free, transparent and credible electoral processes in Nigeria and that the country’s security forces would remain impartial so that Nigerians can vote safely and without undue delay.

They are disappointed about the recently announced postponement.

President Jonathan and INEC must be

aware that the eyes of the world are on them.

“I urge Nigerians to be calm, non-violent and steadfast. We must be determined to make sure that the postponement does not demoralise or disenfranchise us. We must see this as a challenge for us to remain resolute in the yearning for a new democratic government, one that will not see itself as being above the people.

“As soon as the National Assembly reconvenes, we will look into the postponement and take steps to ensure that our electoral process is not tampered with any further. As leaders of this nation, it is our duty to protect our nascent democracy.”

PDP is scared of APC says Maccido

K

EBBI State All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman Attahiru Maccido has frowned at the postponement of the general elections from this weekend till March 28 and April 11.

The APC chairman said the postponement was the handiwork of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government because Nigerians had rejected it.

Maccido queried how a government, which could not tackle insecurity in over four years, could do so within six weeks.

The APC chairman said the PDP was using the postponement as delay tactics, which would still fail.

He said no matter how clever the PDP leaders thought they could manoeuvre the system, the will of God would

From Khadijat Saidu, Birnin Kebbi

prevail.

Maccido urged the ruling party to respect the people’s wish, although it had the police, the Army and other security agencies.

The APC chairman noted that the PDP leaders were not democratic, adding that if they behaved as they claimed, they would not have punctured the planed elections.

According to him, their actions showed that they were afraid of losing the elections, from all indications.

Maccido urged the PDP and its leaders to know that the world was watching Nigeria to see how it would get out of the mess the party had put Nigeria into.

‘Don’t use religion to Balkanise Nigeria’

T

HE Provost of the Kano State College of Arts and Science, Dr. Sani Lawal Malunfashi, has urged Christian and Muslim youths to avoid anything that can breach the peace.

The academic spoke yesterday at a workshop organised by a coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) in Kano.

He said the only way Nigeria could be bailed out of the current political quagmire was conducting free and fair elections.

Malunfashi noted that using religion to cause chaos was bad for democracy.

The academic said politicians instigating the youth to violence were only interested in their parochial inter-

From Kolade Adeyemi, Kano

ests.

According to him, it is high time youths were told that politicians would use them to foment trouble and dump them afterwards.

Malunfashi said: “I want you to understand that these politicians take their children to the best of schools and the best of hospitals.

You should understand that these politicians have no regard for you, when it is time for election. So, you can clearly see their intention.”

The academic said the decision by the National Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the general elections was meant

to provoke Nigerians.

He noted that it was part of the grand conspiracy to perpetuate the ruling party in power.

Malunfashi explained that given the sacrosanct nature of the election time table, no one should be allowed to dash the expectation of the electorate.

The provost said the Federal Government would be held responsible for any breach of the constitution.

He said: “Only God knows what would happen to Nigeria if INEC fails to match its words with action.

By postponing the elections, we are only inviting anarchy. The only way out of the impasse is to conduct free and fair elections.”

The convener of the workshop, Comrade Idriss Rogo, stressed the need for Christians and Muslims to accommodate one another with love and brotherliness.

The activist said politics should not be used as a pretext to divide the nation.

According to him, one is at liberty to make an informed choice in an ideal democratic setting.

Rogo said branding an opponent as an enemy should not arise.

He explained that the workshop was organised for Christian and Muslim youths to live in peace.

The activists added that scholars of repute had been chosen to deliberate on issues and come up with solutions.

ENUE State All Progressives Con gress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr Samuel Ortom, has promised to address the complaints about the marginalisation of the Igede ethnic group in Oju and Obi local government areas.

The APC candidate spoke at the party’s for the governorship, senatorial, state and national assemblies’ candidates in the Benue South.

Several chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including a former member of the House of Representatives for Oju/Obi, Augustine Adikpe, led thousands of the ruling party’s members into the APC in the two local government areas.

The former lawmaker said the neglect of the area in the provision of infrastructure and appointments were among the reasons they left the PDP. He hoped APC would address their grievances.

PDP ‘thugs’ destroy eight vehicles in Kwara From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

S

USPECTED Peoples Democratic Party ( P D P ) thugs yesterday destroyed eight of All Progressives Congress (APC) branded vehicles in Share, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

Share is the home town of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.

An eye-witness said the convoy of PDP’s governorship candidate, Senator Simeon Ajibola, was returning from a rally in Pategi, Pategi Local Government Area, when the suspected thugs went haywire.

The eyewitness, who spoke in confidence, for security reasons, said the thugs got set on sighting the eight APC branded cars on Onipako Road, near First Bank in Share.

It was learnt that residents and passersby ran away when the thugs began to wield machetes, axes and other weapons.

The PDP thugs were said to have been enraged by the cold reception their candidate got at a rally in Pategi, an APC stronghold.

They allegedly showed their anger on APC supporters as they were returning from the town.

Last Wednesday, suspected PDP thugs attacked APC campaign train in Isapa, Ajibola’s country home in Ekiti Local Government Area.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed expressed concerns over the increase in political violence by suspected thugs.

In a statement in Ilorin, the state capital, by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, the governor urged law enforcement agents to protect lawabiding residents.

The statement reads: “We urge the leaders of political parties in the state to call their members to order.

Power is not a thing we grab by force.”

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

60

NEWS

•All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders during the news conference...yesterday. From left: Okorocha, Onu, Oni, Momoh, Gaidam, Ngige, Shuaib and Buni.

PDP, military launch plan to rig polls, says Oyegun Continued from page 4

rity Adviser(NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki and the Service Chiefs were economical with the truth on their alleged claim that there were security threats to the general election.

He said: “You will recall that on the 22nd of January 2015, Col. Sambo Dasuki(rtd) , the National Security Adviser (NSA), at Chatham House declared that INEC was not ready for the elections and he has therefore advised the electoral body to postpone the election. “ The reason he gave for his unsolicited advice was that substantial number of registered voters had not collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). He did not say anything about security concern even though Boko Haram was an issue then as it is an issue now. So, at what point did concern over elections shift from PVC to security concern? ”When the United States Secretary of State, John Kerry, visited on January 25th, he wanted a categorical commitment from President Jonathan that the elections would hold as scheduled.

The President assured the American envoy that the elections would hold. Was it that his Security chiefs had not briefed him on the security situation in the country and how this would affect the election time table at the time he was making this promise? ”On the 2nd of February, at the National Peace Committee meeting in Abuja with the representatives of different political parties, the service chiefs gave assurances of their readiness for the elections.

“At the occasion, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh, gave assurances of the Armed Forces’s preparedness for the elections. According to him ‘even though we are busy in the Northeast, we also have capabilities across the nation’. Badeh also admitted that the role of the military is merely to support the police in providing security during elections.

“At the same event, Chief of Army Staff, General Kenneth Minimah said, ‘we are aware of the need for security, before, during and after the elections. We will deploy across the states of the Federation in areas we discover that have capacity for violence. We are prepared to ensure we have peaceful elections.” ” Also speaking at the event, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Adesola Amosu, said ‘we have com-

menced the airlift of the materials needed for the elections, starting from Abuja.

We will continue with the elections. ” The sum total of all these is that only 12 days before the elections and despite the state of insecurity in the Northeast, the entire military high command assured the nation of their readiness to provide security for the elections.

“However, only three days later on Friday February 6th, these same Service Chiefs wrote to INEC, in a letter, which by all practical purposes could be described as blackmail, saying that they would no longer be able to provide security for the elections? What happened in those 72 hours that brought about this complete volte face? ”It is also important to note that at the National Council of States meeting on Thursday February 5th, INEC reaffirmed its readiness and commitment to hold the elections as scheduled. Even though the Service Chiefs briefed the Council that they had security concerns, the consensus of opinion at this august body of eminent citizens was that elections should go ahead nationwide except the 14 LGAs identified as problematic by the security chiefs. ”After all, it was recalled that in 1999, elections were not held in Bayelsa State because of the activities of militants at the time, but it held all over the country. The activities of Boko Haram were clearly limited to 14 local governments in three states out of 774 local governments in 36 states and FCT. How would this then warrant the blanket postponement of elections in the entire country?

“Considering all factors building up to this postponement, it is difficult not to come to the obvious conclusion that the Military High Command is in an unholy and dangerous alliance with the ruling party, the PDP, to subvert the democratic will of the people. We have no doubts that the letter sent to the INEC, warning it not to proceed with the elections, emanated from the Service Chiefs’ hands of Esau and President Jonathan’s voice of Jacob.

“Isn’t it curious that only the PDP and its supporters are celebrating the postponement? We know that at the Council of State meeting, all the former Heads of State in attendance spoke against the postponement, except in the 14 LGAs and all the former Chief Justices also concurred. And every non-PDP governor present in the

meeting spoke against postponement.

Oyegun accused the PDP of plans to foist a constitutional crisis on the country, like the case in 1993 with the annulment of June 12 presidential election.

He said with the way, PDP was going, Nigeria not far from the road to Rwanda.

“Never in the history of our country had a Federal Government and the President of Nigeria so wantonly mobilised ethnic and religious sentiments to divide the people against themselves for selfish political reasons,” the APC chairman said.

“By now, everyone is aware how a close confidant of President Jonathan, Chief Edwin Clark, called for the sack and arrest of the chairman of the INEC because, according to him, the INEC chairman is working for the interest of the North. He said this under the aegis of a Southern Nigerian People’s Assembly. ”We are also aware of how the Vice President, Architect Namadi Sambo, unfortunately invoked religious sentiment to campaign for his party in Niger State. The level of ethnic and religious baiting that we are currently witnessing is unprecedented in the political history of Nigeria.

“The road to Rwanda and other countries that have suffered tragic ethno-religious conflicts is not far from what PDP is currently invoking on our country. We owe it a duty to stress the point that under our watch, Nigerians, regardless of their ethnic origin or religious disposition, would be free to operate without let or hindrance. “ Only few days ago, the Director of National Information Centre, Mr. Mike Omeri, claimed that government has uncovered a plan

by Boko Haram to bomb polling centres without providing a single shred of evidence. The following day, President Jonathan declared in a church in Lagos that Boko Haram planned to bomb the entire country.

“We see this as deliberate scare-mongering to discourage Nigerians from coming out to exercise their democratic right to vote. This is quite unfortunate. The President that should be protecting the people and assuring them of their safety is now the one scaring them.”

Odigie-Oyegun urged Nigerians to regard the postponement as a sacrifice for the survival of the nation’s democracy.

He said: “This postponement comes with a huge cost to all Nigerians and every one involved, directly or in-

directly, in this election, including international observers and journalists.

“However, we should see this as the sacrifice we need to make for the survival of democracy in Nigeria. We must remain steadfast and committed to the cause of change. Like our presidential candidate, General Buhari, said, ‘our desire for change must surpass their desperation to hold on to power at all cost. We have no other country other than Nigeria, and we must remain focused and salvage it.’

“Gentlemen of the press, the contradictions we have pointed out in this briefing represent a clear and present danger to our democracy.

“It is clear that this is a surreptitious but badly disguised attempt to subvert the will of the people. But we must assure Nigerians and friends all over the world that the power of the people is greater than the people in power. These too shall pass and we shall overcome.”

Asked if APC had lost interest in the nation’s military, Odigie-Oyegun said: “Let me loudly and emphatically say that we are largely proud of our men and women in uniform. There is no question about that. We are proud of the great job they are doing; we are proud of the sacrifice they have had to put up with in the North Eastern part of the country even when under equipped.

“We are proud of them; we hail them for their patriotism and we know that they also share some of the pain that we are going through as a people.

“But there is no mincing of words, there is something seriously wrong at the top.

There is no question at all.

The unfolding events of the last few days have shown in clear terms that there is some collusion between the Service Chiefs and the present political elites in government. We will say that without any apology at all.

“It is unusual for the military that is clearly supposed to be at the background advising and assisting their Commander-in-Chief to sit down and write a letter to an independent electoral body.

It is totally unheard of.”

He said he does not see the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, resigning before the general elections.

Odigie-Oyegun added: “When I attended the IPAC meeting, he was very clear that the only thing that will make him resign is if his honour is at stake. I do not see that happening now.

“We think he has done a good job, but his performance has not been faultless.

But by and large, he has

done a good job in the circumstances in which we operate in this country.

“In the report that he gave us, he mentioned repeatedly resource constraint, but nobody picked up on that. So, it was also certain that he was working under constraints of resources. So, by and large, we have confidence in him and we don’t expect that he will be forced out of his position.”

The briefing was attended by a National Leader of the party,Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, Mr. Audu Ogbeh, Governors Adams Oshiomhole(Edo), Owelle Rochas Okorocha(Imo), Ibrahim Gaidam (Yobe), and Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano); the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Chief Moses Adeyemo; former governors Kayode Fayemi and Niyi

Adebayo.

Others were Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Senator George Akume, Senator Bukola Saraki, Senator Chris Ngige, ex-Ministers Bolaji Abdullahi and Inuwa Abdulkadir, ex-PDP National Chairman, Alh. Kawu Baraje, APC Deputy Chairman(North), Senator Lawal Shuaibu, Deputy National Chairman, (South) Engr. Segun Oni, National Vice Chairman, North-East, Engr. David Lawal, National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, the National Publicity Secretary of APC, Alh. Lai Mohammed, a former Information Minister, Prince Tony Momoh, APC National Woman Leader, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani, and the Chiarman of APC in Adamawa State, Hajiya Binta Garba among others.

Shekau vows to defeat regional force in videos

•Shekau Continued from page 4

Another young man’s right hand is chopped off for stealing while a third person is stoned to death for alleged fornication.

The video shows a town inhabited with plenty residents, including women and children and many Boko Haram fighters shouting Allahu Akbar meaning “God is Great”.

The third video shows the

December 1, 2014 invasion of Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.

In the video, the insurgents come into the town in an armoured personnel carrier, driving through Gujba road down to the Government House in Hilux vehicles and motorcycles.

No fewer than 50 vehicles and cache of ammunition stolen during the Damaturu attack are displayed.

“We had a field day in Damaturu, ate and dined, took what we wanted and thereafter drove out of the town at our own volition, with all the vehicles, ammunition and other things we wanted to take along,” he said.

Shekau walks away majestically saying he has nothing to do with Gen. Muhammadu Buhari or President Goodluck Jonathan.

He also called on the Niger Delta militants to come and face him as they claim.

Boko Haram attacks Niger, Cameroon Continued from page 4

take on Boko Haram.

Sect members launched attacks on three communities in northern Cameroon, abducting more than 30 people, including those aboard a packed bus, residents said.

The militants have stepped up their attacks on neighboring countries as Chad, Cameroon, Niger and Benin pledge to send troops to help Nigeria quash the extremist group that has killed more than 10,000 people over the past year.

In northern Cameroon, the fighters seized a bus with 20 people aboard late on Sunday in Koza and then drove it back toward the Nigerian border, some 11 miles (18 kilometers) away, resident Bouba Kaina told The Associated Press by telephone.

Early yesterday, another group of fighters attacked the Cameroonian town of Kolofata, looting food and livestock. The town was recently retaken by Chadian troops who have been helping the Cameroonian military fight Boko Haram.

61

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

FOREIGN NEWS Afghanistan drone strike ‘kills IS commander Abdul Rauf’

A

•Frederic Barbier of the ruling French Socialist party celebrates his narrow win over Sophie Montel of the far-right National Front at a by-election in Doubs, Eastern France...yesterday.

South Korea spy chief gets three years

S

OUTH Korea’s former spy chief has been sentenced to three years in jail for trying to influence the results of the 2012 presidential election.

Won Sei-hoon, who headed the National Intelligence Service (NIS) until 2013, was found guilty of violating election laws.

He was convicted of directing NIS agents to conduct an online smear campaign against the rivals of current President, Park Guen-hye.

Won was immediately taken into custody.

Under South Korean law, NIS agents are required to remain politically neutral.

Won ordered NIS agents to post messages and tweets online in support of Ms Park, who went on to narrowly win the election in 2012.

Some of the messages also ridiculed her rivals, saying they were “servants” of North Korea.

In September, a district court found Won guilty of violating the laws that say NIS agents should not be involved in politics but gave him a suspended sentence of

two-and-a-half years in prison, saying there was not enough proof that he had directly sought to influence the results of the election.

However, on Monday the Seoul High Court dismissed the lower court’s decision and said he had also violated election laws.

“It is fair to say Won had the intention to intervene in the election,” Judge Kim Sang-hwan said, according to Yonhap news agency.

Just before he was taken into custody, Won insisted he had only ever worked “for the safety of my country and its people”, Yonhap said.

Australian PM Abbott survives leadership challenge

A

USTRALIAN Prime Minister Tony Abbott has urged an end to disunity after surviving a party confidence vote on his leadership.

Liberal Party MPs voted by 61 to 39 not to open up his position to challengers.

The leadership test, initi-

ated by a backbencher on Friday, came after a series of policy mis-steps by Mr Abbott that saw his popularity tumble.

But the prime minister said the issue had now been settled, stating “this matter is behind us”.

“When you elect a govern-

ment, when you elect a prime minister, you deserve to keep that government and that prime minister until you have a chance to change your mind,” he said.

“So the focus now is once more on jobs, families, a stronger economy and a secure nation.”

DRONE strike in Afghanistan has killed a militant commander who recently swore allegiance to Islamic State (IS), officials say.

The police chief of Helmand said that former Taliban commander Mullah Abdul Rauf had died in the Nato strike.

It emerged last month that Rauf had sworn allegiance to IS after falling out with the Taliban.

Tribal elders in northern Helmand say a car carrying up to six people was destroyed while crossing the desert.

The car was loaded with ammunition and exploded, reports said.

Analysts are divided over whether those flying black flags in Afghanistan are opportunists or are directed by the IS leadership in Syria and Iraq.

The commander killed in Helmand, Mullah Abdul Rauf, was appointed deputy commander in the region some weeks after he first declared his allegiance when he split from the Taliban.

The air strike that killed him was one of the first reported under Nato’s new mandate.

There have been increasing reports of people supporting IS from across the country.

Afghan government spokesmen continue to insist that they are disaffected Taliban, and not a significant new development.

One disturbing aspect is that the name used by IS in Syria to describe the offshoot here is the Khorasan group, using an old name for Afghanistan.

And there is an ancient myth that black flags will fly again in Khorasan shortly before the end of the world.

China executes ‘mafia-style’ mining tycoon Liu Han

C

HINESE authorities have executed powerful Sichuan-based mining tycoon Liu Han, state media say.

The former chairman of Hanlong Group was sentenced to death in May for “leading mafia-style crime and murder”.

Liu’s younger brother, Liu Wei and three other associates were also executed, Xinhua said, after China’s top court signed off on the move.

Liu is believed to have had links to former security tsar Zhou Yongkang, who is currently being investigated.

‘Tyrannised local people’ The Hanlong Group is a major private conglomerate based in Sichuan province, involved in multiple indus-

tries including mining, telecommunications and chemicals.

As head of the company, Liu Han was both rich and very influential.

Xinhua said the company, which had been “harboured and indulged by government officials, had illegally monopolised the gaming business in Guanghan City in Sichuan province, tyrannised local people and seriously harmed the local economic and social order”.

In recent months, several top officials from Sichuan province have come under scrutiny.

Sichuan was a power base of Zhou Yongkang, China’s former domestic security chief who is now the subject of a corruption probe.

Nigeria’s risky decision to postpone elections

A

T least on first glance, it would appear that way. On Saturday evening, Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced its decision to postpone Nigeria’s national election scheduled for February 14th. These elections were widely expected to be Nigeria’s closest electoral contest yet, between the increasingly unpopular Goodluck Jonathan’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and retired General Muhammadu Buhari of the All People’s Congress (APC). These elections represent a serious challenge to Jonathan’s PDP, which has won every election since 1999.

The reason for the delay?

According to INEC, Nigeria’s security services say they need at least six weeks to launch a major offensive against the Boko Haram insurgency in the northern part of the country, that they could not guarantee security for the February elections. The new date for the presidential elections is set for March 28th. State elections will be held on April 11th.

Seriously?

Boko Haram has been rampaging since 2009, killing tens of thousands of civilians (5,000 in 2014 alone), razing towns, seizing Nigerian territory, threatening and attacking oth-

•Boko Haram’s latest victim may just have been Nigeria’s national election

By Karen Attiah

er countries, but now, with less week to go before the presidential elections, the Nigerian military promises to rout the scourge by late March? This is the same military that falsely claimed 200 schoolgirls were released after being kidnapped by Boko Haram. This is the same military that claimed a ceasefire with Boko Haram, only to have Boko Haram deny any such deal. This army reportedly sends soldiers to combat Boko Haram without adequate weapons, and has had soldiers flee in the face of Boko Haram’s assaults. This military has been guilty of committing human rights abuses against Nigerian citizens in its fight against terrorism. These are the same security forces whose leader said they didn’t need the African Union or the United Nations to help counter the Islamist insurgency.

But after years of Boko Haram’s carnage, what will the army do in six weeks that they couldn’t do in five years and with a $5 billion security budget? Where was this urgency hiding for the past six years? And why escalate ten-

sions and anger Nigerians who have been eagerly waiting to cast ballots by making this announcement with only a week to go before the polls?

Hours before the official announcement, Nigerians were protesting in the streets of Abuja. The United States has pleaded repeatedly with Nigeria to not delay the elections. Secretary of State John Kerry even paid Jonathan and Buhari a visit in Lagos last month to urge for peaceful and timely elections. As the Globe and Mail noted, President Jonathan declined to say during Kerry’s visit whether the elections would be held on February 14th, but said the May 29th date for the transfer of power is “sacrosanct”.

In a press statement, Kerry noted that the U.S. is “deeply disappointed by the decision to postpone the elections” and that “political interference with the Independent National Electoral Commission is unacceptable, and it is critical that the government not use security concerns as a pretext for impeding the democratic process.”

For months, not surprisingly, members of incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan’s party have publicly been

calling for a delay in the polls, but for different reasons, at least publicly. The national security advisor to Goodluck Jonathan, Sambo Dasuki, said last month that elections should be postponed because of what he has cited INEC’s failure to distribute election voting cards to 30 million people. (This is the first election where voting cards are necessary for Nigeria’s 68 million voters to cast ballots.)

As The Globe and Mail reported, the idea of a six-week delay had been floated by government officials even last month. Members of Buhari’s opposition party have stated they would not accept any delays in polls. Indeed, it is not surprising that a decision to push back the elections in the name of security, especially under Jonathan who has been seen to be lackadaisical in his approach to Boko Haram, would be perceived as an attempt to sway political momentum in his party’s favor rather than combating the terrorism threat.

But by citing the military’s demands as the primary reason for the delay, INEC has upped the stakes in what was already perhaps the most heated election in Nigeria’s recent

history, and one where few Nigerians have faith in this year’s electoral process, according to a Gallup poll. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy, has bet its own elections on the military, and one that that has given few signs to date that it can be trusted to adequately counter Boko Haram’s violence and protect Nigerian civilians. Unfortunately, perhaps this is a symptom of what happens when military is given more logistical influence over elections than INEC itself, and perhaps an intractable lingering political effect of Nigeria’s history under the rule of military regimes for decades before the return to democracy in 1999.

It is hard not to feel that INEC has given the security forces more power over Nigeria’s political affairs than they deserve.

What happens if the new election date approaches in March and Boko Haram is still a threat? Will there be another call for a postponement? Will the army become more transparent about its efforts? What if the Nigerian military claims it cannot ensure election safety in March?

How will Nigeria, a country

whose economy has been rocked by the drop in oil prices, fund these ramped up efforts and ensure credible and peaceful elections? Will the May 29th date for the transfer of presidential power still hold firm? Nigerian citizens, Africa, and the world are entitled to concrete answers to these questions.

In the meantime, it is up to anxious Nigerians on both political sides to remain peaceful over the next six weeks. As I have written before, fair and credible Nigerian elections provide the best way for Nigerians to choose whether to hold their leaders accountable for the government’s failures on Boko Haram. Though the Nigerian constitution allows for the elections to be postponed, this decision still amounts to a temporary disenfranchisement of tens of millions of Nigerian voters based on ‘hopes” and promises from the military. It is hard not to see this latest decision, as anything but an needlessly risky gamble, with Nigeria’s democracy at stake. …Attiah is the Washington Post’s Opinions Deputy Digital Editor. She previously reported for Associated Press while based in Curaçao.

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

62

SPORT EXTRA Ronaldo slammed for partying after Real defeat

R •Ronaldo

M

ANCHESTER United midfielder Angel Di Maria believes Barcelona star Lionel Messi would be happy to work with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

The 27-year-old has been heavily linked with a move away from the Camp Nou side in recent months and Chelsea are among the clubs reportedly keeping a close eye on the prolific attacker's situation.

EAL Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo drew criticism in the changing room by partying for his 30th birthday hours after a 4-0 defeat by rivals Atletico, media reported Monday.

Leading sports daily Marca called the Portuguese striker's birthday bash after Real's Madrid derby defeat in the league on Saturday "The Party of Discord."

"Pictures of the celebration did not go down well with Real Madrid's captains" Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos, Marca wrote on Monday.

Ronaldo hosted teammates including second-choice goalkeeper Keylor Navas, defender Pepe, Fabio Coentrao, Luka Modric, Sami Khedira and James

Messi can work with Mourinho - Di Maria Having worked with both Messi and Mourinho, Di Maria has little doubt the two could work together if his compatriot were ever to make the move to Stamford Bridge, even though he expects him

to stay at his current club.

"I don’t think Messi would have any problem working with Mourinho," Di Maria told the official FIFA website.

"But in principle, I don’t think Leo wants to leave

Ibrahimovic: Referee was right to follow the rules

Z

LATAN Ibrahimovic says the referee made the right decision to

allow him to re-take the penalty which ensured a 1-1 draw between Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain.

Rodriguez, who recently had foot surgery, newspapers reported.

Participants including Colombian singer Kevin Roldan, who was invited to entertain guests at the party, posted photographs on social networks of Ronaldo and various grinning teammates.

"The online social networks were on fire with fierce criticism from fans," reported Madrid sports newspaper AS. Disgruntled Twitter users even generated a special hashtag, #lafiestadeladeshonra, or "party of disgrace".

"It was a trending topic all day from 12:00 pm," AS said.

Cristiano's agent Jorge Mendes told Cadena SER radio station on Sunday he himself was "very annoyed" by the photographs.

The Swede saw his secondhalf spot-kick saved by the excellent Anthony Lopes, only for referee Clement Turpin to order a re-take after judging the goalkeeper to have encroached from his line.

•Ibrahimovic

Ibrahimovic despatched the effort at the second attempt to seal a point for the champions at Stade de Gerland and feels a draw was the least they deserved given the opportunities they created.

"We had a lot of chances but only scored once," he told reporters.

"The penalty re-take? If you follow the rules, it makes sense.

"It was a good game but we should have won. Lopes made some saves but we had some chances where we should have scored."

David Luiz believes Lopes' efforts proved PSG were the stronger side and denied suggestions head coach Laurent Blanc gave the team the hairdryer treatment at half-time.

"We played a strong team.

The goalkeeper was their best player, which tells you something. He was very good," said the defender.

"If we play like that, we'll get results.

"Blanc angry at the break? I don't think so. He was frustrated because we played better than Lyon but were 10 down."

Lyon chief Jean-Michel Aulas, meanwhile, was left furious with the performance of referee Turpin, especially as his side were denied a penalty shout of their own when the ball struck Blaise Matuidi's hand in the area.

"We had our chances and an outstanding goalkeeper, but it's more to do with meeting regulations," he told Canal Plus when asked about the result.

"It [the Matuidi incident] was an indisputable penalty.

I'm very annoyed.

"When you tell me that it wasn't a deserved penalty, I think you're taking me for an idiot."

Barcelona. It’s hard to walk away from a club that’s given you everything, where you effectively grew up."

The former Madrid midfielder then went on to discuss comparisons between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, stressing that the two are different types of players.

"I always say the same thing: that they’re two completely different players.

Suarez pleased to end goal drought

L

UIS Suarez admitted his relief after ending his four-week goal drought in Barcelona's 5-2 Primera Division win at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday evening.

After his free-scoring form for Liverpool last season many expected the 28-yearold to light up La Liga, but he has found goals harder to come by since his £75million move to Spain.

It looked like being another frustrating day in a Barca shirt for Suarez when his header from two yards out was remarkably punched clear by Gorka Iraizoz, but in the 25th minute he finally had something to smile about.

The Uruguay striker combined well with Lionel Messi on the right and then swept home a first-time shot from the edge of the box that gave Iraizoz no chance and put the visitors 2-0 up.

"I wasn't nervous," said Suarez, who had not scored in La Liga since the 3-1 victory over champions Atletico Madrid on January 11. "(But) I was very worried because I

am very self-critical and I worry when I can't help the team with everything I have to offer."

On Iraizoz's early save, the Barca frontman added on www.fcbarcelona.com: "That stop was amazing and I thought that that ball just didn't want to go in."

Messi, an Oscar de Marcos own goal, Neymar and Pedro were also on the scoresheet for Luis Enrique's side at San Mames.

"We're aware that in these kinds of matches the intensity should be maximum, because they press really well," Suarez said. "So we knew we had to be very focused from the start."

Hopes of an Athletic fightback were dented in the 75th minute when defender Xabier Etxeita was shown a straight red card for nasty high tackle, with studs up, on Suarez. The 28-year-old went down clutching his knee, before hobbling off. He tried to carry on before being withdrawn after 80 minutes.

•Suarez

•Messi

Lewandowski best in the world, says Hamann

F

ORMER Bayern Munich midfielder Dietmar Hamann has voiced his admiration for Robert Lewandowski, saying he is arguably the best No.9 in the world.

The 26-year-old has been struggling to live up to the high expectations at the Allianz Arena since joining the club from Borussia Dortmund ahead of the 2014-15 campaign, having scored 10 goals in 27 appearances in all competitions so far this term.

Nevertheless, Hamann is adamant that the striker remains one of the best around and believes much of Dortmund's struggles this season are down to the Pole's exit.

"For me, Lewandowski is the best No.9 in the world," Hamann told Sky. "He made the difference at Dortmund joining Bayern.

"He was BVB's most important player. He was more important than Reus is now and than Mario Gotze ever was at Dortmund. There are no words to describe how important he was at Dortmund."

Mancini hoping for resurgence I NTER Milan coach Roberto Mancini hopes Sunday's 3-0 home triumph over Palermo will be a turning point in their season.

Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini hopes Sunday's 3-0 home triumph over Palermo will be a turning point in their season.

The Nerazzurri had won just one of their previous six league games heading into the encounter at the San Siro.

The victory halted a threematch losing run for Inter and lifted them to ninth in the Serie A table.

"We hope the patient (Inter) has finally healed," Mancini told his club's official website.

"But we must continue to train hard.

"We played a great game against Palermo and things are starting to turn for the better for us."

Inter had lost their previous two league games, a 1-0 defeat to Torino followed by a 3-1 loss at Sassuolo, to pile the pressure on Mancini, who replaced the sacked Walter Mazzarri in November.

"It's clear that when you win, things seem different," Mancini said. "But the fact is that we had done well in other games before this one.

"The only difference is that

we won against Palermo.

"I believe in recent weeks we have done better than our results suggested and I'm sorry for my players because I really have seen them work hard in training.

"We still have to improve."

Inter are 13 points adrift of third-place Napoli, who hold the last Champions League qualifying spot.

The Nerazzurri travel to Bergamo on Sunday to face Atalanta, before taking on Celtic in Glasgow in the Europa League last 32 first leg on February 19.

•Mancini

THE NATION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015

63

SPORT EXTRA

Falilat Ogunkoya to mentor Misam School students N

IGERIAN Sports icon, Falilat Ogunkoya is expected to deliver a keynote address at the Second Interhouse Sports meet of Misam Schools, Ikola, Ipaja, Lagos.

A release signed by the Director of the school, Elder Michal Eweje said the event will hold at Alade Sports Ground at Ikola on February

19, starting from 11:00am.

Eweje said the choice of Falilat had to do with her pedigree and integrity on and off the track, which brought her several of laurels during a successful career.

“One of the things we do at Misam is to build a total child by helping our children to grow their talents and that is why we are bringing a

renowned athlete like Ogunkoya to motivate them.

Some of the events billed for the day are 100 metres, 200 metres, tiny tot race, 75metres, 25metres and 50 metres.

The rest are long jump, high jump, shot put, Sack race, threading the needles, filling the bottle. Green House are the defending champion.

Topaz House retains title at Atlantic Hall athletics meet

T •Falilat

OPAZ house has stamped its imprint on the Atlantic Hall Sports Championship, as its emerged winner again for the sixth time consecutively at the school’s 21st inter-house sports competition.

The event which held at the school premises in Epe Lagos, saw yellow clad Topaz house win a total of 24 gold; 16 silver and 20 bronze medals to maintain its grip of the title.

Emerald house played second fiddle with 18 gold, 25 silver and 27 bronze medals while Garnet house got 15 gold, 12 silver and 12 bronze medals to emerge third as Sapphire

house experienced gold draught and came last with 18 silver and 11 bronze medals.

A satisfied top athlete of the winning house, Ademosu Adedeji described the feat as a relief stating that team work and prayers helped the team to victory.

“Winning this competition today is a relief to me because we retained the trophy. It is a relief because at some point in the competition we were struggling with Emerald house and it was really tough for us. I will say that team work and regular prayers have been the success factors for us; we pray as a team and as individuals depending on the event we

Green House dominates Krisbethel sports day

K

RISBETHEL College yesterday celebrated her athletes at their third inter-house sports competition at the Agege Sports Stadium in Lagos.

Students, teachers, parents and guests converged as athletes from blue, green, yellow and wine houses battled for glory in match parades and other track events.

Green house carried the day with a total of six gold; three silver and three bronze medals while runner up Wine house closely followed with five gold; three silver, and three bronze medals. Yellow house emerged third with four gold; six silver and four bronze medals as Blue house made four silvers and two bronze medals only.

From ecstatic Olusola Bayo,

captain of the dominant Green house, “I am so happy about this victory because in previous competitions, we don’t really do well. Last three years we came last but this time through cooperation and hard work we are now the champions. I want to thank my team mates, our teachers and even the school for the opportunity”, he said.

Also, Green house multimedalist Watchman Joshua who won the 200m senior boys and relay for boys said he broke the jinx as he beat his arch rival to win the 200m title. “It is quite unbelievable for me because right from primary school till today, I have never won Chima Michael who came second. I am really as excited for me and my house members as I hope to keep it

up”, he assured.

Meanwhile Chima Michael on the other hand who also won gold for the 100m race attributed the setback to a muscle strain which he sustained during the race.

Another remarkable athlete and multi medalist for the female category, Alekhue Nosa of Yellow house stated that she was born to be a runner but declined wanting to be a professional athlete.

“I feel blessed today because running for me is a gift and I can say that I was born to be a runner. I actually started from my primary school days and I gave my best to it even though I don’t want to be a professional athlete because I have other things I want to do too”, she concluded.

participate in”, he said.

Meanwhile, the school principal, Mr. Andrew Jedas thrilled by the event, revealed that he expected the winning house to be dislodged from being champions and attributed their success to “tremendous efforts”.

The principal maintained that theschooltriestobalanceeducation with sports by “engaging in a lot of sports after school and at weekends we give them tremendous coaching in a variety of sports. Our motor here is excellence and integrity; we don’t just train them to win but to win in the right spirit such that when they don’t win, they congratulate those who win” he concluded.

UPER Eagles’ and Stoke City winger, V i c t o r M o s e s consolidated at the weekend on home front as he welcomed his baby number 2.

The Nigerian international who already had a baby boy made the announcement via his twitter handle shortly after helping Stoke City fought back to claim a 1-1 Premier League draw at Newcastle United on Sunday.

The 24-year old who revealed that baby Nyah was born on Saturday also took to the social media to hail the club fans for their support, and commended Peter

Crouch for ensuring that the team secured at least a point from the game.

“Fans were great today and Crouchy did what he does best. Thanks for your support.

“Also delighted to announce the birth of my beautiful baby girl Nyah yesterday. Thanks for all of your message,” he tweeted.

Despite dominating possession, Stoke looked set for defeat at St James' Park when Jack Colback gave Newcastle the lead in the 74th minute.

But Crouch spared his manager another miserable afternoon at St James' Park with a last-gasp equaliser to deny John Carver his first home win.

ARRI Wolves’ attacking midfielder, I k e c h u k w u Ibenegbu has said his side will go for convincing victory against Racing Club de Bobo Dioulasso in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

The Seasiders will be the guests of the Burkinabe side in the first round clash of the CAF Confederation Cup at the weekend.

Ibenegbu said the key for his side is to win with wide goal margin so as to make the reverse fixture in Warri, Nigeria a mere formality.

“Of course, we’ll like to win convincingly in Burkina Faso so as to make the reverse fixture a mere formality.

“We’ll certainly finish the match right there in Bobo Dioulasso with wide goal margin and upon return to Nigeria seal up our progression to the next stage of the competition.

“People have expressed fear over our Super Six tournament performance but we don’t believe we disappointed.

“We went to the Super Six to prepare ourselves for the continental assignment not necessarily to win the top prize.

“Right now we’re in perfect shape to overwhelm the Burkinabe side, Racing Club de Bobo Dioulasso in both legs.

“Our target goes beyond winning the Burkinabe side but advance further to contest for the Confederation Cup title,” said the former El Kanemi Warriors playmaker to supersport.com.

Warri Wolves are due in Lagos on Wednesday while

they depart on Thursday to Burkina Faso for the weekend clash in at the 30,000 seats Stade Municipal Bobo Dioulasso Kwara Approves Abdurahman As Head Coach Kwara State Government has approved the appointment of Tunde Abdurahman as the Head Coach of Kwara United Football Club of Ilorin.

The club in a statement on Monday in Ilorin, signed by the General Manager of the team, Alhaji Haruna Maigidansanma said Abdurahman would be assisted by the former Technical Adviser of the team Babatunde Sanni as the Chief Coach.

The statement also confimed former Nigeria international, Jimoh Balogun as the Assistant Coach, while Kareem Elemosho joined the club as goalkeeper trainer.

Mustapha Ganiyu was also appointed as a Trainer for the newly promoted Ilorin based club according to the statement.

Maigidansanma in the statement also appealed to the fans of the team to continue to support their darling club while asking them to always suggest a positive way forward for the team to strive in the Nigeria Professional Football League.

He commended them for their support so far and asking them to do more as the management plans to take the team to continental next season.

S

Liverpool eyes Vincent Wolves to nail RC Bobo Dioulasso Enyeama W IVERPOOL boss Brendan Rodgers is understood to be in the market for a new goalkeeper after axing Simon Mignolet earlier in the season.

Mignolet was dropped for the 3-0 defeat at rivals Manchester United in December after a series of blunders.

He has since returned to the starting XI following injury to his replacement Brad Jones.

But Rodgers' lack of faith in Mignolet has seen a host of goalkeepers linked with the club, including Fiorentina's Neto and Australian Mat Ryan.

And now reports from Europe have linked the Reds with a move for Nigeria international Enyeama.

The 32-year-old is currently at French side Lille, and has featured for his country at three World Cup finals.

L

•Enyeama •Master Oluwafolajimi Elegbeleye (in blue jersey) gearing up for 4x100 relay junior event at the Main Bowl of the Abuja National Stadium. He led his Blue House to the 3rd position in the relay after placing second in the 100m boys event in The Centagon International School, abuja’s Inter-House Sport on Saturday.

Moses welcomes baby no 2

TODAY IN THE NATION

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2015 TRUTH IN DEFENCE OF FREEDOM

VOL.10 NO. 3121

‘It takes no especial acuity to see that someone, somewhere is trying to dodge elections—and that person might just be the president of the Federal Republic!’

OLAKUNLE ABIMBOLA

COMMENT & DEB ATE EBA

E

VERY outrage on the popular will in Nigeria has followed a familiar trajectory. There is, for a start, the stage of disbelief and anger and visceral rejection.

“How could they do this to us?” the violated ask in indignation. “This must not pass,” others vow. At this stage, the perpetrators are somewhat tentative. Their exultation is restrained and private. Having no reliable measure of the balance of forces, they do not want to precipitate a showdown yet. In the second stage, those who belong in the substantial ranks of the “any government in power,” with support from the “anything goes” brigade, step gingerly out of the shadows to congratulate and embrace the beneficiaries of the outrage. Consummate players that they are, they say nothing about the process that wrought the controversial benefit, nor about how deserving the beneficiary is. The important thing is that the beneficiary is their man. Nothing else counts.

Hard on the heels of these groups follow those who prize “stability” above all else, “national stability” especially. Outrage or no outrage, they counsel, the “nation” must not be allowed to drift into chaos. The outrage, they remind you, is only the latest in a very long line of outrages; so, why single it out? And, in whatever case, far greater outrages have occurred elsewhere. The really important thing is for everyone to come together “to move the nation forward.”Meanwhile, congratulatory messages for the beneficiary that had begun as a trickle turn into a cascade.

So do “solidarity” visits by an assortment of royal supplicants, influence peddlers, contractors and entrepreneurs with an eye to kick-starting their failed businesses, not forgetting other classes of political adventurers. These “solidarity visits” are dutifully captured live on national television.

They are staged primarily for television anyway. It is the cameras that give them resonance.In the face of all this, the ranks of those who had vowed that the outrage would not pass begin to thin; their voices grow less insistent; the ranks and the voices of those urging acceptance of the outrage for the sake of stability and “moving the nation forward” appear stronger than they actually are. Soon, many of those who had vowed that the outrage would not stand begin to feel overwhelmed.

They give up and move on, persuaded that resistance is futile.The foregoing first appeared in my column for May 1, 2007, written in the wake of the presidential election in which the Umaru Yar’Adua/Goodluck Jonathan ticket was declared winner over the Muhammadu Buhari/Chuba Okadigbo. International and domestic observers said of the poll that it ranked among the most fraudulent they had ever witnessed anywhere. Subsequent events followed the trajectory I sketched above.

Yar’Adua took the reins, dying two years later in office and was succeeded by Jonathan, who went on to win a disputed four-year term that has now run its desultory course. But Jonathan, his suborned Joint Chiefs of Staff and the

RIPPLES

SOYINKA: I’VE 60 REASONS WHY I WON’T VOTE FOR JONATHAN

Only 60?... God knows I have 60 times 60 reasons.

OLATUNJI DARE

AT HOME ABROAD olatunji.dare@thenationonlineng.net

Coup-makers at work

•Dr. Jonathan

•Alex-Badeh, Chief of Defence Staff

National Security Agency and their confederates in and out of uniform, have got to be practically unconscious if they expect that reactions to the coup they staged over the weekend will also follow that trajectory. The “any-government-in-power” marionettes, the “anything-goes” choir, the stability merchants and the fixers, we shall always have with us.

But they have had their day. A new consciousness is sweeping the land – a consciousness that rejects the manipulations, the subornation, and the corrupt blandishments that a long line of rulers had employed to get the people to connive in the subversion of their own will. Four weeks before they executed this coup, a source who is in a position to know had told me that Jonathan was going to do everything within his power to put off the general elections for as long as possible, or to avoid it altogether, because he and his camp know that they are headed for a thumping. “Can he do that?” I asked the source, one of the most knowledgeable and reliable a reporter can ever had in his corner.”It’s too late,” he said. In retrospect, he was wrong, as are all those who have in the face of compelling evidence, continued to underestimate Jonathan’s capacity for the perverse, the devious and the downright dishonourable.

Calls for postponing the election, at first few and far between, grew louder and more insistent. Less than one-half of the electorate

•Sambo-Dasuki, National Security Adviser

has received permanent voter cards stood to be disenfranchised if the elections were held as scheduled, Jonathan’s proxies chimed.

Suddenly the same Jonathan who for two weeks did not give a damn about more than 200 innocent girls kidnapped from their school hostels and has not given much of a damn subsequently was overflowing with solicitude for the voting rights of residents of the area – the same Jonathan who agreed to meet the distraught parents of the abducted students only at the urging of the Pakistani child activist, MalalaYousafzai The area in question, 14 local government areas spanning three states in a country comprising 774 local government areas spanning 36 states and Abuja Federal Capital Territory, is widely believed to be a stronghold of the opposition APC, the party stands to lose if voting there is spotty because of the insurgency. Conversely, it is Jonathan’s PDP that stands to gain the most under the circumstances.

So when Jonathan and the PDP take on the role of advocate for those residents in the Boko Haram-infested areas, you know they are not motivated by altruism. It is just another excuse for scrubbing the projected poll.

Leaving nothing to chance, Jonathan tried to conscript the National Council of State to rubber-stamp his design. The Council rebuffed him and his confederates.

HARDBALL

E

VEN from the great beyond, Chief Bola Ige, the inimitable Uncle Bola, master of the Yoruba political streets, would appear taking pot shots — lethal shots — at his old traducers in Afenifere, over the grandees’ fatal endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Hardball must recall, under the earliest chair of the late Justice Adewale Thompson, was Ige’s Trojan Horse to get back at his old colleagues. Reason: Ige’s 1998 clear betrayal at the Alliance for Democracy (AD) caucus presidential nomination. Afenifere chose Chief Olu Falae over the charismatic Cicero of Esa Oke. Ige’s revenge mission, like the hubris of great characters, would eventually lead to his own end. He dared his own political family to stop him from joining the Olusegun Obasanjo cabinet. But at the other end, he met the treachery of the PDP alleged nest of killers, resulting in the assassination of the old, piercing wit, that had a young, vigorous mind.

But that is story for another day!

YCE, challenging Afenifere’s ill-conceived endorsement of Jonathan that purported to speak for the Yoruba people, dismissed Afenifere as politically contaminated.

“YCE is not a party to any purported endorsement given by any group or groups to

He then reached for his trump card to rein in the unyielding INEC chairman, Attahiru Jega, and delay summary judgment on his failed presidency that an electorate with which he has not kept faith was poised to deliver; an electorate that he and his corrupt administration have more often betrayed than served.

The commander-in-chief who had been missing in action, the one who visits the troops in the frontline decked out in the finest clothing, directed the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the state security apparatus to inform INEC in writing that the armed forces were set, at long last, to launch a massive offensive against Boko Haram, beginning the very day the presidential election was to be held and lasting all of six weeks.

During the period, the armed forces would tolerate no distraction. Nor could it guarantee the safety of election officials or voters.

In short: You are on your own, Attahiru Jega.

Go ahead and stage your election, and may the blood of those who come to harm in the event be upon your head.

Who can blame Jega for submitting to this tawdry blackmail? But the self-indictment of the security chiefs is not lost on the public.

If you are paid and provisioned handsomely to ensure the security of lives and property, and you declare that you cannot guarantee the discharge of that remit, you have no business remaining in office. Do the honourable thing and resign.

But honourable conduct is not something that Jonathan demands of himself or his officials.

In any case, what makes them think they can crush the insurgency in six weeks when Boko Haram has been running rings around them in the past four years? What would happen if six weeks passed and the insurgency continued to rage?

When Jonathan asks Nigerians to accept his shabby conduct “in good faith,” he adds wanton insult to bitter injury. What does he know about good faith?

When he goes on to assure the public that May 29, the day the winner of the election will take office, is sacrosanct, not March 28, the day of the re-scheduled poll, he raises new questions about his sincerity.

Ironically, it is the sedate APC candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, who has increasingly been looking presidential, while Jonathan the incumbent has been running scared, a pathetic study in desperation and fecklessness.

In six years on the job for which nothing had prepared him, not even a dodgy doctorate in ichthyology from the University of Port Harcourt, Jonathan had ample opportunities to equip himself to overcome his early stumbles and rise to its lofty demands. Instead, he cut the office down to his own picayune stature.Before a global audience, his inadequacies became more glaring and more embarrassing with each passing day.

And now, he wants four more years?

Nigeria deserves better.

•For comments, send SMS to 08111813080

•Hardball is not the opinion of the columnist featured above

YCE: Ige battles Afenifere a presidential candidate,” it thundered from a rather very high moral horse, after its national executive committee (NEC) meeting, speaking through Prof. Bayo Olateju, who briefed the media, “and so dissociates itself from such action; as YCE did not at any time sit with any group of people to consider and come to such decision.”

Giving a stern warning to AIG Mbu Joseph Mbu, who now presides over Police Zone 2, comprising Lagos and Ogun states, YCE cautioned the controversial officer, who attained notoriety and set off public alarm by his impolitic statements against Governor Rotimi Amaechi in his earlier tour of duty as Rivers commissioner of Police (CP), not to fan embers of discord or court any needless controversy, in his new posting in Yorubaland.

YCE also cautioned the postpone-the-poll agitators to stick to the INEC timetable, instead of indulging in costly distractions that could derail the democratic process.

Phew! Those were Afenifere’s natural sound bites, when its words were virtual law, because its legitimacy was beyond question. But not

anymore!

Still, what has all these got to do with Uncle Bola (God bless his gentle soul!)? Simple. At the height of his perceived betrayal, he set up YCE to rival Afenifere’s dominance for the Yoruba political soul.

As it was then, YCE was positioned such that ideological purists were inclined to believe it was a negation of the Yoruba cause, even if they retained some deep affection and reverence for Uncle Bola. But with Afenifere blundering into the Jonathan support, with scant any consultation with anybody, except the probable spite in the grandees’ own hearts, Afenifere might just be unravelling into utter irrelevance.

So, Afenifere’s self-relegation and AYC’s selfelevation appears the ultimate triumph of Ige. Even from the grave, Ige, through the Igbimo he nurtured, appears more in tune with Yoruba aspirations than his living rivals — a case of the dead that lives chastising the politically living dead?

Call it the ultimate triumph of the Cicero, and you won’t be wrong!

Published and printed by Vintage Press Limited. Corporate Office: 27B Fatai Atere Way, Matori, Lagos. P.M.B. 1025,Oshodi, Lagos.

Telephone: Switch Board: 08034505516. Editor Daily:08099365644, Marketing: 01-8155547 . Abuja Office: Plot 5, Nanka Close AMAC Commercial Complex, Wuse Zone 3, Abuja. Tel: 07028105302. Port Harcourt Office: 12/14 Njemanze Street, Mile 1, Diobu, PH. 08023595790 WEBSITE: www.thenationonlineng.net E-mail: info@thenationonlineng.net ISSN: 115-5302 Editor: GBENGA OMOTOSO