Jan 13, 2014 by The Nation

THE NATION MONDAY JANUARY 13, 2014

NEWS Naval chief warns officers

By Precious Igbonwelundu

T •Traders attending to customers during the poll.

•An empty polling booth in Awka

Outrage over council poll in Anambra

HERE is outrage in Anambra State, following the local government election conducted by the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) on Saturday. Opposition parties had refused to participate, alleging that ANSIEC and the state government were insincere. But the All Progressives Congress (APC) announced its withdrawal before the parties, under the aegis of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), decided not to take part in the election. Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour

•APGA sweeps poll •A sham, says Ngige From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

Party (LP), who showed interest, cried foul over alleged manipulation by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Some APGA members protested that the list of those contesting the poll was changed. The election was marred by violence and general apathy, with people complaining of the non-availability of electoral materials. Declaring the results yesterday at the ANSIEC headquar-

ters in Awka, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Sylvester Okonkwo, said APGA won 20 seats, excluding Nnewi North Local Government. Problems arising from the the exercise made the commission to cancel the result. A new election has been fixed for Saturday. Some of the 20 councils where the party won are Ayamelum, Njikoka, Awka South, Awka North, Orumba South, Orumba North, Onitsha North, Onitsha South, Anambra East, Anambra

West, Nnewi South, Ogbaru, Aguata, Idemili North and South. The party also won 304 councillorship seats, leaving 12 for PDP and one for UPP. A chairmanship candidates of LP in Awka South, Mr. Uche Ifediorah, decried what happened in Anambra, saying the state had no political future. State Coordinator of Transform Nigeria Movement (TNM) Comrade Obi Ochije condemned the election. The leader of the Progressives

Peoples’ Alliance (PPA) in the state, Mr. Godwin Ezeemo, said ANSIEC did not do a good job, having planned the election for almost eight years. He said logistic problems could have been solved to make for a smoother exercise. Senator Ngige yesterday wrote off the election as a “sham” He said the All Progressives Congress would head for the court to quash the results. According to him, what happened on Saturday such as lack of election materials at the polling units were predetermined so as to give the results to candidates of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Igbo youths threaten Jonathan’s 2015 ambition

HE crisis rocking the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), following the removal of the Pro-chancellor and Chairman of the Governing council, Dr. Emeka Enejere, has taken a new dimension. Igbo youths have sworn to work against the ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 if the pro-chancellor is not reinstated. The youth are also unhappy with the position of the Igbo apex

Chime endorsed for Enugu West

NUGU State Stakeholders Advisory Group, an assembly of eminent persons from

the state, has urged Governor Sullivan Chime to contest the Enugu West seat next year. The group made the call in a statement in Enugu yesterday, signed by its Chairman, Prof. Solomon Anadike and Secretary, Chief Sunday Ojiogu. It enjoined Chime to yield to the demands of the people on the senatorial bid after he might have completed his term as governor. “Considering Chime’s exceptional performance in the state, it will be most appropriate to have him continue serving the people of Enugu, this time in the Senate. “We are sure he will again record another exceptional performance there,” the group said. It urged the governor to ensure that the agreement to produce the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate from the Enugu North and the replacement of legislators, who had served two terms at both state and national levels were implemented.

•Want UNN’s Pro-chancellor reinstated •Berate Ohanaeze Ndigbo From Nwanosike Onu, Awka

socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, on the issue. In a letter to the Ime Obi Ohanaeze under the aegis of Ohanaeze Ndigbo youth wing at the weekend, they called for the sack of the UNN Vice- Chancellor, Prof. Batho Okolo and his arrest and probe by anti-graft bodies.

The letter was signed by the Ohanaeze youth wing leader, Ibuchukwu Nwodo. The youth urged the Supervising Minister for Education Nyesom Wike to recall Enejere. “Ohanaeze Ndigbo should, as a mater of urgency, stand up in defence of one of its own and make representations to the president.

•Dr. Jonathan

the support of the Presidency. Therefore, we shall mobilise our members for a review of our political stand in 2015.”

Suspected thugs attack Borno Governor

OME thugs on Saturday attacked the convoy of Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima while on his way to inspect equipment deployed in Maiduguri International Airport by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency(NAMA) as part of steps to reopen the airport. But the ambush was repelled by security agents who dispersed the thugs without any injury. The attack was, however, suspected to have been engineered by a former governor , who is allegedly opposed to the second term bid of the Shettima. The spokesman of the governor, Alhaji Isa Gusau, however , said his principal was undaunted by attempt to intimidate him. He said the governor believes that Allah will determine who will be the governor in 2015 and not any man. According to a source, the former governor, who allegedly had disagreement with the incumbent governor had mobilized the hired thugs ( known as ECOMOG) to attack Kashim having got wind of his plans to be at the airport. The source said: “The whole plot is a scheme by a former Governor of Borno State. He hired thugs that were

From Yusuf Alli, Abuja

members of his ECOMOG and mobilised them to the airport knowing the governor was scheduled to visit the airport on inspection of NAMA equipment. “The ex-governor had hidden under a condolence visit to Shani, which lost its Emir recently, to plot the attack against the governor. “His aim was to destabilise the state but Governor Shettima has been able to calm the situation. “The Governor held security meeting on Saturday after that incident and then met his supporters and appealed for calm. “Theformergovernorhasn’tbeen happy with the way Shettima has managed the security situation and doing well. The ex-governor is just egoistic, he believes no one should have a second term like he did. He wants to remain the first and the only politician to be re-elected as the Governor of Borno State. When contacted, the Special Adviser on Media and Communication to the governor, Alhaji Isa Gusau, confirmed the incident. He said: “Some thugs believed to have been hired outside Borno State, were smuggled into Maidug-

2015: Oyo Senator, 11 council chiefs meet ENATOR Ayo Adeseun representing Oyo Central Senatorial district and the 11 local government Caretaker Chairmen in the zone yesterday held a close door meeting on ways to win the 2015 polls. They meeting was held when the 11 council bosses paid him a solidarity visit and political familiarization at his Castle of Joy, Onipanu residence, Ogbomosho, Oyo State.

“If our demands are not met within one week, we will mobilise other youths and women across the country for a protest at the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Assembly,” they said. According to the letter, “we shall mobilise forces against the re-opening of UNN, an action, which may negatively affect other higher institutions. “We see what is happening at UNN as an act of insolence on the generality of Ndigbo, with

From Tayo Johnson, Ibadan

The council chairmen expressed absolute confidence on his ever increasing electoral value and political relevance needed to put the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the lead in Oyo State ahead of the approaching 2015 general elections. Issues relating to how certain differences threatening the fabric of the newly formed APC will be re-

solved was part of the essence of the meeting. The Local Government Chairmen in attendance were that of Egbeda, Ona-Ara, Oluyole, Akinyele, Lagelu, Oyo West, Oyo east, Atiba, Afijio, Surulere and Ogo-Oluwa. Also at Onipanu were Mr Temi Adibi of Ogbomoso North and Mr Wasiu Adewale Olatunbosun of Ibadan North west to solidarise with their colleagues on the visit.

uri for the sole purpose of breaching the emerging peace in the city. “Governor Kashim Shettima was on his way to the Maiduguri International airport on Saturday, for the purpose of inspecting facilities brought in from Lagos by the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency to speed up the reopening of Maiduguri’s airspace for use by air travellers. The visit was meant to be a follow up of the Governor’s meeting with the M.D of NAMA as well as Chairman,CEO of Arik Airline in Lagos, two weeks ago, towards the reopening of the airport which had been closed down. “ While the Governor was heading towards the airport, the hired thugs attempted to breach his convoy by exhibiting all manner of behaviours true to the jobs they were hired to do. “ If Governor Kashim Shettima were to be violent, he could have directed his security details to descend on the thugs but instead, he calmed nerves and ensured that there was no breach of peace with no injury. He calmed members of his entourage and security details. The police dispersed the youths. “The governor went on and completed his inspection, he spoke with NAMA officials and to his credit, Maiduguri’s airspace is now open to all flight operations. After the inspection, Governor Shettima trekked for two kilometres from the airport acknowledging cheers from residents who obviously appreciated his effort in gaining peace and progress in Borno State. We do not know those behind that attempt, it is the responsibility of security agencies and journalists to identify them. “But what we do know is that Governor Shettima’s focus is entirely on delivering projects and programmes to better the lives. The

Governor has constituted a small team of aides to organise an internal retreat involving Commissioners, advisers,permanent secretaries and directors to develop strategies to accelerate completion of ongoing projects and implementation of programmes and as well as to monitor new projects and programmes to be put in place soon. “Governor Shettima has passed through the tougher times of Boko Haram insurgency and succeeded in attracting peace and development. The behaviour of imported thugs cannot cause the slightest obstacle to him and to the people of Borno State. “ If anything, the incident has increased his commitment to serve the people of Borno State and has strengthened his fate and made him stronger with reaffirmed covenant with the people of Borno State. “The Governor believes that the 2015 elections,if that the reason for which thugs were hired, is far from all mortals and where we all remain alive to that time, it is Allah,in the final analysis,that will give power to anyone He wills. “The Governor expresses his deep appreciation to the people of Borno for the tremendous show of concern they express through numerous solidarity visits, phone calls,text messages and e-mails and promises to remain committed to rebuilding Borno State. He called on all residents to support good and pray for it. “ The Governor also thanks the security agencies and members of the civilian JTF and all citizens for their sacrifices, working with him in making Borno State safer since he inherited the Boko Haram crisis in 2011. He prays for the progress of Borno and Nigeria at large”.

HE Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) Rear Admiral Goddy Anyankpele, has warned naval personnel against breaking traffic rules, just as he called for the arrest of any officer found wanting. Anyankpele gave the warning at the weekend in Lagos. It was at a lecture on understanding the highway code and road traffic rules. He noted that the military and traffic authorities have not enjoyed cordial relationship, just as he urged the traffic regulatory agencies to expose all areas naval personnels have hindered their jobs. Anyankpele said: “Today’s lecture is one of such fora we are using to caution our officers. You will be surprised to hear from me that most VIPs are not also happy with the attitude of their pilot vehicles drivers on the road. “And from time to time as soon as we arrive our destinations, we have a way of cautioning them to behave appropriately while on the road. “Nobody is above the law. Any naval or military personnel who breaks traffic rules should be arrested. We have gone a step further by giving Federal Road Safety Commission(FRSC) and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officials the contact details of the Command Provost Marshall, so that we will assist them should any of our personnel caught try to resist arrest. “I expect the attitude of men to improve after this lecture. In the course of the lecture, our eyes have been opened to a lot of things we have been doing wrongly as far as road traffic is concerned. So, I do not expect any of the officers or ratings to be found wanting after the expository lecture we have received,” he said. Opening the lecture the FOC Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, urged the FRSC to ensure quick issuance of drivers’ licence by removing all unnecessary bottlenecks. He stressed the need for naval officers to have legitimate drivers’ licence, frowning at situations whereby most uniformed personnel will flash their identification cards when asked to show their drivers’ licence. He attributed the high rate of accidents across the country to recklessness and impatience of drivers. It is important to always remind ourselves of the responsibility we owe pedestrians and other commuters, he said. Deputy Commander, of the FRSC, Godwin Oweni, educating participants on the highway code, noted that 90 percent of accidents across the world are caused by human factors. “The road speaks but most drivers do not understand. Every week, vehicles plunge into a river along Lagos-Ore road irrespective of the signs placed about 200metres from the river indicating a narrow bend. “Road traffic injuries are fast becoming a source of public health concern with an estimated 1.2 million people dying from road crash annually...”