Tuesday 9th January 2018

External Reserves Hit Four-year High of $40.4bn CBN injects $210m into FX market Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja and Obinna Chima in Lagos Nigeria’s external reserves have risen to $40.4 billion, the Central Bank of Nigeria

(CBN) revealed yesterday, making it the first time in exactly four years since the country’s reserves hit the $40 billion mark.

This is just as the CBN

injected $210 million into the interbank window of the foreign exchange market.

Figures obtained from the CBN indicated that external reserves reached the $40.4

billion last Friday, indicating an increase of $4.8 billion, compared with $35.6 billion as of December 5, 2017.

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele towards the end of

last month had put the value of the external reserves at $38.2 billion.

Confirming the latest reserves figure, the acting Director in charge of Corporate

Communications at the CBN, Isaac Okorafor, attributed the reserves accretion to the Bank’s strategy to effectively manage Continued on page 6

Court Refuses AGF’s Application to Stop Senate Probe on Maina… Page 6 Tuesday 9 January, 2018 Vol 22. No 8300. Price: N250

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Obasanjo: It’s Not Yet Ripe to Say If I’ll Support Buhari for Second Term Blames Yar’Adua for dismantling anti-corruption structures Agha Ibiam in London Former Nigerian president and chairman of the panel of advisors of the Africa Initiative for Governance (AIG), Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has said that it was not yet ripe to determine if he will support President Muhammadu Buhari’s bid for a second term in office or not.

Having ditched the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which brought him to power for eight

years, Obasanjo in 2014 threw his weight behind Buhari and invariably the All Progressives Congress (APC) as against the PDP administration led by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

However, Obasanjo, whose response was brief when confronted with the question

by THISDAY after delivering a speech titled, “Leadership in the African Context – How Continued on page 8

Governors Meet With Ministers, Security Chiefs over Herdsmen/Farmers Clashes Three killed in fresh Taraba attack

Olawale Ajimotokan and Kuni Tyessi in Abuja Concerned about the growing wave of violent clashes between farmers and herdsmen in several states of the federation, the governors of Taraba State, Mr. Darius Ishaku; Benue, Mr. Samuel Ortom; Nasarawa, Mr. Tanko Al-Makura; Kaduna, Mr. Nasir el-Rufai; Niger, Mr. Abubakar Sani Bello; and Adamawa, Mr. Jibrilla Bindow, yesterday met with the Ministers of

Interior and Agriculture and Rural Development, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd.) and Mr. Audu Ogheh, to fashion out measures to stop the clashes.

Also in attendance were the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Lawal Daura, and Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Continued on page 6

EDO STATE EYES NEW SEAPORT...

L-R: Nigerian Ambassador to China, Amb. Usman Bakori; Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki; Chairman, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Ltd, Mr Lin Yichong; and Managing Director, ICMG Securities Limited, Mr. Michael Osime, during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the construction of the Gelegele seaport project… yesterday in China

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Court Refuses AGF’s Application to Stop Senate Probe on Maina Tobi Soniyi A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has refused an exparte application brought by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) to stop the National Assembly from probing the reinstatement of the former Chairman of the Presidential Task Force of Pension Reform, Abdulrasheed Maina into the civil service.

Justice Binta Murtala Nyako reportedly heard the application in chambers, but turned it down and ordered the applicant to put the respondents on notice, so as to come and show cause why the application should not be granted.

The court later fixed January 15 for hearing of the motion

on notice.

In the suit, the AGF asked the court to determine if the National Assembly has the right to probe issues relating to the “employment, attendance at work, disengagement, reinstatement and or promotion of a civil servant�.

He equally wants the court to among other things declare that “the employment, attendance at work, disengagement, reinstatement and or promotion of a civil servant are matters outside the exclusive and concurrent legislative lists contained in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended)�.

Malami also wants the court to declare that the National Assembly cannot legitimately regulate the employment, attendance at work,

disengagement, reinstatement and or promotion of a civil servant, which are matters exclusively within the purview of the Federal Civil Service Commission under the Constitution.

He also prayed the court to declare that the National Assembly lacks the legislative competence to investigate the employment, attendance at work, disengagement, reinstatement and or promotion of a civil servant, which are matters exclusively within the purview of the Federal Civil Service Commission under the Constitution.

The AGF submitted that the power of investigation vested in the National Assembly by Section 88(1) of the Constitution is limited and such that can only be exercised

within the confines of Section 88(2) of the Constitution.

According to him, the plaintiff as the Chief Law Officer and Minister of Justice of the Federation is bound to ensure compliance by the Federal Government of Nigeria and or any of its cognate organs/agencies with the express or implied contents of extant judgments and orders of competent courts in Nigeria.

He further submitted that the National Assembly cannot constitute itself into a quasiappellate court, tribunal or panel with a view to reviewing any executive action taken in compliance with the adverse judgment in the said Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/65/2013.

Controversy has continued to trail the reinstatement of Maina who had been on

suspension over his alleged involvement in the N100 billion fraud perpetrated by the pension reform task force, which he headed up till 2013.

The AGF was alleged to have masterminded the controversial reinstatement of Maina into the civil service, even though he has denied the allegation.

Despite clear evidence that his office wrote a letter to the Head of Civil Service recommending Maina’s reinstatement, Malami denied having knowledge of the letter.

The Senate had last October mandated its Committees on Public Service, Internal Affairs, Anti-Corruption, Establishment and Judiciary to probe the circumstances of Maina’s return to the public service.

The House of Representatives had already

commenced the probe.

When he appeared before the House panel, Malami denied involvement in Maina’s recall.

Despite his alleged complicity in the pension fraud, abscondment from work and becoming a fugitive of the law, Maina was recalled and deployed to the Ministry of Interior under controversial circumstances.

Owing to the uproar that followed his reinstatement, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered Maina’s sack and queried the Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, to provide an explanation for Maina’s recall.

As a follow up to that, the Senate moved to conduct a forensic investigation into the reinstatement.

GOVERNORS MEET WITH MINISTERS, SECURITY CHIEFS OVER HERDSMEN/FARMERS CLASHES (NSCDC), Mr. Abdullahi Muhammadu.

Since the beginning of the year, scores have been killed in several states and property worth millions have been lost to bloody attacks often blamed on armed herdsmen and militia groups.

The gruesome deaths followed a trend in the last couple of years involving clashes between farmers and herdsmen in several states of the federation.

But even as the meeting between the five governors and officials of the federal government was in session, news broke on yet another three persons that were reportedly killed and no less six others injured in another overnight attack on Maisamari town in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State by a suspected militia group.

Dambazau, in his welcome remarks before entering into a closed-door session with the governors, his counterpart in the agriculture ministry, and the security chiefs, condemned the recent killings in Benue and other parts of the country, saying the situation portends a grave danger with the 2019 general election around the corner.

He established a nexus between communal and electoral violence, stating that with the elections fast approaching all the necessary

steps must be taken to ensure that the bloody clashes are curtailed. “Knowing that the general election is fast approaching and considering the history of political and election violence in Nigeria, all necessary steps must be taken to ensure that the recent crimes and violent conflicts are curtailed with the utmost dispatch,� he said.

While commiserating with the governors of the affected states, he warned that the threat to peace and security anywhere across the country would not be tolerated.

He said the meeting was convened to deliberate on how to ensure lasting peace and tranquility in the country.

He also conveyed the appreciation of the federal government for the governors’ commitment to addressing the security challenges in their states. “I wish to express the appreciation of the federal government for your (governors’) individual commitment and cooperation with the security agencies in addressing the menace of rural crimes, particularly kidnapping, rustling and the most recent violent clashes between herdsmen and farmers. “Threats to peace and public safety in any form at any location will not be tolerated.

It is the responsibility of governments at all levels

to provide, unconditionally, sustainable peace and public safety within their territorial boundaries. “Against this background, the meeting is convened to primarily bring us together to share our experiences on the aforementioned security challenges. “The meeting will then agree on the necessary measures to be taken and apportion responsibilities. “The immediate repercussions of this menace include hunger due to the acute shortage of food, diseases, criminal activities and deepening animosity between ethnic and religious groups. “The current situation is very dangerous for the Northern part of the country in particular and the country in general,� the interior minister said.

Also speaking, Ogbeh conceded that the federal government had not done enough to cater for the needs of the herdsmen.

In recent years, herdsmen have been migrating to the Middle Belt and Southern Nigeria due to the effects of climate change and the attendant desert encroachment on grazing lands in the North.

But in the process, sedentary farmers have complained that they are losing their crops to uncontrolled livestock grazing, often resulting in

cattle rustling and violent altercations between them and the herders.

According to Ogheh, “The farmer and herdsmen must not have their lives threatened by circumstances surrounding their professions. We do not want the farmer to lose his crops, nor would we want anyone to lose their cattle. “Over the years, we have not done much to look seriously into the issue of livestock development in the country. People ask the question why should the government get involved?

Why shouldn’t the herdsmen manage their own livestock? “I am sad to tell you that in the last 50 years, until recently, we may have done enough for the rice farmer, the cassava farmer, the maize farmer, the cocoa farmer, but we haven’t done much for herdsmen and that inability and omission on our part is resulting in the crises we are witnessing today. “In Europe, every cow that is farmed gets a subsidy of six euros per day; we have done next to nothing for the cattle rearers here and as a result, their operations have become a threat to the existence of our farmers and that is what this meeting will seek to resolve.�

He said the federal government was planning cattle colonies where adequate water and pastures would be

made available to herders in the country. “We are planning a programme called cattle colonies, not ranches, but colonies where at least 5, 000 hectares of land would be made available, adequate water and pastures would be made available. “We also want to stop cattle rearers from roaming about; the culture of cattle roaming will be stopped. “The cattle will be provided with water and adequate security by the rangers, there will be adequate pasture milk collection, and even security against rustlers to enable them to lead a normal life. “This has been done elsewhere in India, Ethiopia and even Brazil,� Ogbeh explained.

The agriculture minister went further to express reservations against the open grazing culture, noting that the culture should be reformed as it had become harmful to the people. “Many will argue that open grazing is part of our culture, but once a culture is becoming a threat to people, leading to deaths, it must be dropped,� Ogbeh said.

He maintained that cattle ranching and not the traditional system of migration by herdsmen would provide a final solution to the needless bloodletting.

The minister also said

bill may have fallen but our manufacturing and agriculture sectors still have a long way to go if we must attain self-sufficiency in those sectors. “We must not be quick to discard the restrictive measures which aided our recovery simply because the metrics have improved,� he said.

He said the central bank would continue to fine-tune its policies and strategies based on its understanding of evolving developments and will be supported by in-house technical analyses

and simulations.

Meanwhile, the CBN yesterday injected a total of $210 million into the interbank window of the foreign exchange market for requests in the wholesale, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Invisibles segments of the market.

A breakdown of the figure indicated that the CBN offered $100 million to the wholesale sector while the small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) and invisibles windows each received $55 million.

EXTERNAL RESERVES HIT FOUR-YEAR HIGH OF $40.4BN forex demand by various sectors of the economy.

Citing the CBN policy restricting access to forex from the official forex market by importers of 41 items as the major turning point, Okorafor said the policy had helped to stop the haemorrhaging of the country’s external reserves, which hitherto witnessed heavy depletion due to the huge import bill and other debt obligations.

According to him, the CBN policy had ensured a decline in Nigeria’s import bill from over $5 billion

monthly in 2015 to about $1.5 billion in 2017.

He expressed optimism that with the determination of the Bank and the cooperation of the fiscal authorities, the external reserves will continue to grow in the course of 2018.

Emefiele had last November projected that the reserves would grow to $40 billion by the end of 2018. But the target was attained 12 months in advance.

According to Emefiele, the dogged implementation of the foreign exchange

restriction on certain items led to a 65 per cent drop in the country’s monthly import bill, from an average of $5.5 billion to $1.9 billion by the first half of 2017.

He also anticipated a return to a low double-digit or high single-digit inflation levels this year.

He, however, cautioned policymakers not to become complacent or over-confident, stressing the need for all hands to remain on deck to improve and sustain the pace of economic recovery. “For one, our import

artificial insemination and the provision of special grass for cattle will lead to improved yields.

After the meeting, which lasted for about seven hours, the Benue State governor, Mr. Ortom told reporters who had been waiting for the meeting’s outcome that there was no need to politicise the matter of the herdsmen killings and Nigerians should be discouraged from hate speech.

He said part of the modalities put in place was the deployment of more security personnel to affected and troubled spots, more logistics and helicopters to conduct surveillance.

Ortom said all herdsmen and their livestock were welcome in Benue but the animals must be ranched. “All herdsmen and cattle breeders are allowed in Benue Continued on page 8

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NEWS

Power Generation Still at 3,600MW Despite Repair of Escravos-Lagos Pipeline Ejiofor Alike Despite the claim by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that it has repaired the EscravosLagos Pipeline System (ELPS) and resumed gas supply to power stations in the Southwest, the country’s electricity generation was still around 3,600MW yesterday, THISDAY has learnt.

A section of the ELPS at Abakila in Ondo State blew up in flames on January 2 as a result of bush fire, which disrupted gas supply to five power stations, leading to two system collapses within 24 hours.

The spokesman of NNPC, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu had told THISDAY on Sunday that the corporation had completed the assessment of the damage but was set to start repairs.

But in a curious twist, the corporation said in a statement yesterday that it had completed repairs and restored gas supply to the affected power plants.

THISDAY’s investigation, however, revealed that despite the restoration of gas supply to the plants, average power generation was approximately 3,600MW yesterday.

Before the fire incident last Tuesday, average generation was put at 4,300MW on the previous day by the Transmission Company

of Nigeria (TCN), with 4,685.3MW as peak generation and 3,667.5MW as the lowest electricity generated.

This performance was above the average of 3,610MW recorded yesterday, despite the restoration of gas supply to the power stations.

The spotlight on grid operations showed that on Saturday, peak generation was put at 3,929.7MW, while the lowest generation was 173MW. According to the operational report, a total of 3,227.90MW was sent to the grid as of 06:00hours on Sunday.

With the poor performance of the grid, electricity supply has remained epileptic across the country.

NNPC had noted that with the restoration of the ELPS and resumption of gas supply, the affected power plants with a combined generating capacity of 1,143MW would resume power generation.

The power plants include Egbin Power Plant in Lagos State; Olorunshogo Power Plant, PEL Olorunshogo and Paras Power Plant in Ogun State; and Omotosho Power Plant in Ondo State.

The corporation, however, did not indicate when it completed the repairs and when the affected power stations would resume full operation.

Before last Tuesday’s fire incident, the country had on

Nigeria's electricity grid is erratic and susceptible to system failure December 18, 2017 attained a generation peak of 5,222.3MW. The 36-inch ELPS is a

natural gas pipeline built in 1989 to supply gas from Escravos in the Niger Delta

OBASANJO: IT’S NOT YET RIPE TO SAY IF I’LL SUPPORT BUHARI FOR SECOND TERM to Drive Transformational Change in African Countries,� at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, yesterday, retorted that the time was not ripe to answer such a question.

Having given his terse response, Obasanjo was hurriedly ushered into his car and driven off for a dinner event at the university college.

The event, which was organised by AIG to announce the 2017/18 scholarship recipients, attracted hundreds of people from the university community and beyond.

His speech, nonetheless, drew a lot of questions bordering on why the African continent is governed by bad, corrupt and inexperienced leaders.

Obasanjo, who was well equipped and prepared to make the event an interactive one, responded to all the questions thrown at him by the audience.

On fighting corruption in Nigeria, he said it was a hydra-headed monster, which was deeply entrenched in the system, adding that fighting corruption was not a one-day affair but something that must be fought continuously. “The man (leader) on top must be above board and be seen to fight corruption.

Those around him must also be upright and various institutions such as the police, judiciary, the executive and other

bodies must make it an all-inclusive affair because it is an endless process,�

Obasanjo said.

He then went on to blame the late President Umaru Musa Yar ’Adua whom he said had dismantled some of the structure he had put in place to check and curtail corruption, such as the pioneer chairman of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

He noted that Yar’Adua had allowed former Delta State governor, Mr. James Ibori, to push for the replacement of the former EFCC chairman, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, whom Obasanjo claimed was poisoned but eventually survived it.

On achieving good governance in Africa and particularly Nigeria, Obasanjo urged Nigerian youths to participate in politics.

He, however, expressed regret that the amount of money required in politics was obscene, noting that something must be done about it. “Politics in Nigeria has been dominated by people that have stolen money, that have godfathers or even drug barons, the type we have now at the National Assembly.

So youths should pool resources to become politically active in order to replace the present crop of leaders and provide better alternatives,� he added.

Obasanjo told the audience that he was satisfied with what AIG was doing by collaborating with the Blavatnik School of Government to ensure that young minds are produced in West Africa to take up the mantle of leadership in the near future.

He remarked that Africa’s time to develop was now, but maintained that African leaders needed to implement transformational change agendas if things must happen. “There must be far reaching reforms to ensure we remove the old order and introduce the new order because Africa is viewed by the Western world as a liability. “For the eight years I was in power, I tried to reach out to other world leaders using my shuttle diplomacy which attracted positive actions. I campaigned for debt relief which we got and Africa was no longer treated with disdain,� he recalled.

He said transformational leadership abhors complacency by thinking outside the box, thinking strategically, and refuses to take no for an answer.

The former president added that policy development and honesty would push the reforms that the African continent was yearning for, adding that leaders needed to wake up for the paradigm

shift.

The inaugural recipients of the AIG scholarships for 2017/18 are Emokiniovo Akpughe (Nigeria), Efosa Trevor Edobor (Nigeria), Abdul-Fatawu Z. Hakeem (Ghana), Chukwunonso Iheoma (Nigeria), Oluwapelumi Simpson (Nigeria) and Emmanuel Taiwo (Nigeria).

Before his speech, Obasanjo arrived at the university college at 14.07GMT and went straight into a meeting to discuss the partnership between the Blavatnik School of Government and AIG. Others at the meeting included the Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government, Prof.

Ngaire Woods; Director of Development, Dr. Kirstine Knox; Head of Executive Office, Hillary Coyne-Bar; and the Head of Partnerships and Fellowship Office, Gail Allan.

Members of the AIG advisory panel present at the meeting included Obasanjo, Chairman of the THISDAY Editorial Board, Mr. Segun Adeniyi, and Mrs Yemisi Ayeni, while the AIG board members present were former President of Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Aigboje AigImoukhuede, Mrs. Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, and the Group Managing Director/ CEO of Access Bank Plc, Mr. Herbert Wigwe.

to various consumption utilisation areas.

It supplies gas to power

plants in the South-west and also feeds the West African Gas Pipeline System.

GOVERNORS MEET WITH MINISTERS, SECURITY CHIEFS OVER HERDSMEN/FARMERS CLASHES but you must ranch them. If we see any animal roaming about, we will know they are rustlers.�

His Taraba state counterpart, Mr. Ishaku, concurred stating that ranching was possible, as it had successfully been done in other countries.

He further added that Nigerians must be enlightened on the need and importance of peaceful co-existence.

Another Three Killed in Taraba But just as Ishaku was attending the meeting in Abuja, the police in his state confirmed the death of three persons, while no fewer than six others sustained injuries in another overnight attack on Maisamari town in Sardauna Local Government Area of the state by a suspected militia group.

Yesterday’s attack occurred a few days after some 24 persons were killed in attacks on three Taraba communities.

The earlier attacks occurred in a separate local government, Lau. The police spokesperson in the state, Mr. David Misal, who confirmed the latest incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jalingo, said the incident took place during a cultural event called Nding-Chin.

The cultural event was said to have been held in the area for the first time.

Misal, who said the area was now calm, disclosed that

the command had deployed additional police officers to beef up security.

Also speaking on the incident, the acting chairman of Sardauna Local Government Council, Mr. Godwin Sol said that the state government had previously banned all cultural meetings and festivals because of the security situation in the area.

He said he was surprised to learn that a group, which mobilised its kinsmen from surrounding villages, had held a dance event in Maisamari against the council’s order.

He said security operatives were later mobilised to disperse the gathering, adding that due to the size of the crowd, a time frame within which to complete the exercise and disperse them was given.

Sol said at the expiration of the time frame, instead of leaving the town as agreed, the group relocated to the house of one Yaya Ahmadun to continue with the dance which continued into the night. “It was while this was on going that some unknown gunmen attacked the place and killed three persons and injured six others,� he said.

The council boss said the host of the event in Maisamari, as well as leaders of the cultural group, were arrested.

It was also learnt that the injured were taken to the Gembu General Hospital for treatment.

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NEWS

Ă?ĂĄĂ? ĂŽĂ“ĂžĂ™Ăœ Davidson Iriekpen Ă—Ă‹Ă“Ă– davidson.iriekpen@thisdaylive.com, 08111813081

Protect Rivers People or Resign, Amaechi Tells Wike Wike proposes death sentence for cultism, kidnapping in Rivers

Ernest Chinwo Ă“Ă˜ Ă™ĂœĂž Ă‹ĂœĂ?Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂž The Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, has called on the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, to make a commitment to protect the lives and property of the Rivers people or resign from his position.

This is as the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended Wike and the security agencies for the restoration of peace to Omoku area following the killing of cultist and kidnap kingpins in the area.

Amaechi spoke yesterday in a broadcast to the people of the state following the killing of the notorious cult leader, kidnap kingpin and suspected mastermind of the New Year massacre in Omoku, Prince Igwedibia Johnson, popularly called Don Waney, and two accomplices by a combined team of operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the army.

He recalled that there has been a lot of bloodshed in the Omoku and the entire Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni Loocal Government Areas as well as other areas of the state, adding that many lives had been lost while the government had not been proactive.

The minister said Wike was wrong to be pointing finger at the opposition and comparing the mayhem in Rivers State to happenings in other states. “Some 48 hours after the Omoku massacre, the response of the governor and government of Rivers State whose primary responsibility is to protect you from these kind of attacks was a gabble blather about a N200million bounty and to

launch another round of attacks on me because I politely advised them to protect the Rivers people or resign from office,� he stated.

He stated that the violence in Rivers State was peculiar and needed special treatment.

According to him, “You know, and many outside Rivers State know that the nature and type of insecurity, violence and carnages in the state are unique and peculiar to the state. The madness in Rivers State since the advent of these NEW men of power is rooted firmly in the witchcraft politics of those who now preside over the affairs of the state. They lack the political will and have devilishly refused to halt the violence and killings as well as restore some level of sanity in the state because of their mischievous politics and voodoo electoral calculations.�

He added: “We cannot continue to live like this. The Omoku massacre is the breaking point where we must all collectively rise up and raise our voices to say we’ve had enough.

The governor and Chief Security Officer of the state who swore an oath to protect us must now protect us or resign from office.

We will no longer tolerate his inability and/or refusal to protect defenceless citizens. Enough is enough,� Amaechi said.

However, Wike has declared that the state government will amend the state antikidnapping law to prescribe death sentence for criminals involved in cultism, robbery and kidnapping.

In a state broadcast on yesterday evening on the killing of Johnson Igwedibia alias Don Wanny, Wike stated that the state government has zero tolerance for crime and criminality, hence it would

Gelegele Seaport Devt to Begin as Obaseki Signs MoU with China Harbour The Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Harbour Engineering Company Limited (CHEC), for the development of the Gelegele Seaport and other transport infrastructure in the state.

The landmark event which held in China yesterday, would see China Harbour Engineering Company, the biggest infrastructure company in China, with a robust portfolio covering the broad infrastructure spectrum, lead the development of the seaport that would serve as the gateway for exporting manufactured goods from the Benin Industrial Park under construction and other manufacturing companies in the region.

The MoU signing is the result of series of engagements between the governor and the Chairman of CHEC, Mr. Lin Yichong, which started last year.

Some of the projects the Chinese company is handling include the constructiondredging/excavation for waterfront development in Yanbu, South-west Saudi Arabia and on the northern shore of the Red Sea as well as the Lagos moles repair project, being executed by the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA).

Others are the Offshore Approach Light Structure in New Doha International Airport, which includes three terminal bridges and three temporary steel bridges and the Ma’aden Infrastructure Project Port Design and Construction, owned by the Saudi Arabian Mining Company, among others.

Earlier, the governor was at the Nigerian Embassy in China to discuss his developmental plans for Edo State with officials of the Nigerian Mission in the Asian country and sought areas of collaboration.

continue to take measures to protect lives and property.

He said: “We reiterate our zero tolerance for all forms of criminality and reassure all residents of our determination to be tough with those who choose to violate our criminal laws and undermine peace and security in the State. “To underscore the seriousness we attach to the fight against violent crime, we shall be amending the antikidnapping law toprescribe the maximum sentence for engaging in cultism, robbery and kidnapping.�

Wike stated that the

amnesty programme of the state government which generated peace and was largely successful before it was compromised by Amaechi, who prevailed on the federal government and the security agencies to sabotage it.

He emphasised that APC leaders in the state worked against the amnesty programme.

He said: “Our decision to offer amnesty to all repentant cultists, militants and criminals was done in good faith and in the best interest of the state. Regrettably, while the programme was on course,

some opposition leaders in our state, especially the former governor, unhappy with the successes recorded, dissuaded some armed militants and cultists from sincerely embracing the amnesty. “Indeed, they also persuaded the federal government not to support the programme and other security measures we had recommended. This is the reason why we must thank the president for doing things differently and with the support of all, a different result has been achieved.�

He further said: “Even now, instead of showing respect

for the dead and genuine sympathies to the bereaved families of this dastardly act, the former governor prefers to further exploit the unfortunate incident for political ends by making wild, unguarded and inciting statements against the state government. However, we leave him to the judgment of God and posterity.�

Wike said contrary to Amaechi’s false claims and posturing, the security challenge in Omoku predated the current administration.

He said the state was never

Cont’d on Pg 38

WELCOME TO STATE HOUSE

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (left), with a delegation from Kukah Centre after a meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja....yesterday

Delta Polls: APC to Boycott By-election in Two Councils Sylvester Idowu Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹ĂœĂœĂ“ Still aggrieved over alleged malpractices that trailed last Saturday local government elections,  the Delta State chapter of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) has said it will boycott the rescheduled by-elections slated for today, demanding that all results from previous elections be cancelled.

The Chairman of the party in the state, Jones Erue, who announced the decision of the party to stay out of the by-elections, reiterated the party’s earlier position that the ruling party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) connived with the state Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) to muddle up the process in order to deprive the electorate their right to a free and fair election.

Erue however, promised that the party would always be ready to participate in any election, across the 25 council areas of

the state, when it is sure that the process would be free, fair and credible, demanding that the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, and the DSIEC give Delta people a real election.

In the event that the DSIEC goes on to ignore the demands of the party, Erue said it would take all legal steps to ensure that all wrongs were righted.

He debunked insinuations that the APC was divided over the steps taken, saying he had the blessings of all the critical stakeholders of the party. “For the record, I want to reiterate that the elections purportedly organised by the Okowa-led PDP government in the entire state was a fraud. The Okowa government rigged his own election by confiscating all sensitive election materials including result sheets and then resorted to writing all the results and handing same to DSIEC to announce. “In the attempt by the APC to insist on all materials

including result sheets be provided to allow a free and fair election, the PDP resorted to violence that was witnessed throughout the 25 local governments areas of the state. In summary no elections took place anywhere in Delta State. “We demanded and still demand for a total cancellation of the sham elections in all the 25 local government areas in Delta State. To purportedly direct for a re-run in only two local government areas, Ughelli North and Ethiope East, is a subterfuge for the validation and authentication of the sham elections in the other 23 local government areas. “In the circumstances, we therefore state as follows: APC Delta State is and has always been prepared for the local government areas elections. We condemn the grotesque and brazen sabotage of the will of the people of Delta State

in the so-called election that Okowa and his lackeys in DSIEC organised last Saturday, January 6, 2018 in Delta State. “We demand for the cancellation of the sham elections in all the 25 local government areas in Delta State and not only in Ughelli North and Ethiope East. We demand that Okowa and his DSIEC guarantee a free and fair election in a re-run that will take place in all the 25 local government areas of the state. “We will therefore not participate in the elections in the two local government areas fixed for today.

For the avoidance of doubt, we are prepared, willing, and ready to participate in any free and fair election in all the 25 local government areas as the people of Delta State are ready to throw out the corrupt PDP government from the state, starting with the local government area elections,�

Erue said.

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NEWS

Buhari, Osinbajo, APC Chieftains to Storm Abia Today for Political Rally Umuahia, the Abia State capital and its environs, is in a state of frenzy as the state gets set to host President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman, John Odigie Oyegun and other bigwigs of the party today.

Other APC chieftains expected at the rally include the Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha; former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani; former Governor of the old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo, ministers from the South-east; immediate past Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sullivan Chime; immediate past Governor of Ebonyi State, Martins Elechi, among other APC stalwarts in the country in general.

The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Benedict Godson, stated that the party intends to use the rally to announce its preparedness to take over governance in the state and other states in the South-east in 2019.

Godson, according to The Will, said President Buhari is expected to be in the state for the first time after being elected president of the country for a

mega rally organised by the party at the Umuahia Township stadium and would also use the opportunity to present to the people of the state, some political bigwigs in the state who had joined the party from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and from other parties.

He also added that members of other political parties that defected into the party like former governor of the state from 1999-2007, Mr. Orji Uzor Kalu; PDP 2015 governorship aspirant, Dr. Sampson Uche Ogah; former Managing Director of defunct Hallmark Bank, Chief Sir. Marc Wabara; Mr. Emeka Wogu; former Labour Minister, Senator Bob Nwanunu; General Ogbonnaya Okoro (rtd) and others would be formally presented to the public during the president’s visit.

“The Abia mega really will be the first APC rally in the South in 2018 and we want to use it to tell the world that we are ready to take over the Abia Government House and other state government houses in the South-East. We also want to use the occasion of the rally to pledge our support for President Buhari to run for the 2019 presidential election,” he stated.

“We will also receive prominent politicians of Abia State extraction like Kalu, Ogah, Ike and others who thought it wise to join the party in the last few months.

Speaking on zoning the governorship, he stated that, “we don’t have candidates and we can’t have an anointed candidate” insisting that the party’s governorship candidate could emerge from any part of the state.

“We believe that there are some persons with governorship ambitions and they have not made it open to us. We are not zoning the governorship slot.

It is open. We want a credible person to emerge. We need change in the state.

“We need a credible and reliable person who can change

the life of Abians and develop Abia. It doesn’t matter the part of Abia the person is coming from.

“The APC is desirous of change and ensuring that Abia is developed. We want Abians to feel the impact of governance.”

Meanwhile, a former governorship candidate of the party in Enugu State, Chief Oke Ezea, has said President Muhammadu Buhari remains the best candidate that can sweep massive votes for the party in the next general election, adding that the electoral demography still favours him.

Ezea also urged Ndigbo to make the region relevant by aligning themselves with the political reality so that President Buhari can win in the entire

South-east to enable them have a shot at the presidency which had eluded them since 1999.

The APC chieftain in a statement sent to THISDAY yesterday, said recent criticisms of the party from within and from the main opposition party on social and traditional media will not change anything or rob President Buhari of victory.

According to him, President Buhari still enjoys cult followership in the North, arguing that the votes from the North-west alone is higher than those of the South-east and South-south combined.

The statement read in part: “No candidate can match Buhari in 2019. He is our best candidate for the job.

All these social media attack won’t affect our victory because

the social media critics do not even have voter’s cards. Those who vote in the North are the common people. They don’t know anything about fuel scarcity because they don’t even have cars that consume fuel. They are not bothered about exchange rates. They don’t know dollars and Euros.

They are only interested in food prices and happily enough the agricultural policies of Buhari have brought food prices down. So all these indices that critics are harping on won’t work.”

Ezea added that President Buhari can win without Igbo votes just as he did in 2015 when the PDP agents didn’t allow their votes to count but wrote the final result.

Army: Shekau in Terrible Health The Nigerian Army has confirmed that the leader of the main faction of the Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau, is in a terrible state of health.

This was disclosed by the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman, who said in statement that this followed heavy bombardment of targeted territories in the Sambisa area of Borno State by the Nigerian Army under the Operation Lafiya Dole.

The army also disclosed that the terror group has devised tricks to evade air raids, which it described as unraveled.

The Boko Haram terrorists group has always perfected survival tricks to continue their nefarious activities through enticement, deceit, concealment and outright propaganda.

These, the army said, were decoded through credible intelligence which became imperative for the public to be aware of it.

“The insurgents deployed special roofing techniques in order to avoid air detection and bombardment from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF). They resort to roofing their living accommodation and hideouts with a mixture of coated sugar and mud so that the roof will not reflect when there is sun shine. Decisive measures have been taken to deal with this deception.

“There is no doubt that the main Boko Haram terrorists group factional leader, Abubakar Shekau, is in a terrible state of health and not much a threat as he is now a spent horse, waiting for his waterloo. However, Abu Mus’ab Albarnawiy, who has been busy deceiving and

recruiting gullible persons especially misguided youths into his fold will soon be captured. We reliably learnt that some misguided persons, particularly youths, are getting conscripted into the sect through enticements,” the army added.

It said youths are usually attracted to the sect because of the deceitful and erroneous impression that Abu Musab’s Albarnawiy brand of “jihad” and insurgency is refined and genuine, but noted that this is notntrue, adding that both Boko Haram factions are terrorists’ organisations whose activities constitute crimes against humanity.

Their nefarious activities run contrary to the religion of Islam, the army said.

“The faction has recruiters all over the country, especially in the North-east. However, their clearing house for such conscripts is at Potiskum, Yobe State. Efforts are ongoing to track those involved.

“There is no doubt that Mamman Nur Algadi has been wounded and he is more or less a cripple since 2014 at Mubi, he was hit by NAF while on motorcycle. He is not a fighter, rather he taught in Boko Haram terrorists enclave and he is also a member of the Shurah Council of the terrorists group. He was wounded along with one Abu Mujahid, an indigene of Saminaka, Kaduna State, who was later executed by Abubakar Shekau.

“In view of the above, the general public should be wary of these unscrupulous elements attempting to recruit more youths into their sect,” the army warned.

PREPARING FOR ELECTION DAY

L-R: APGA candidate in the coming Anambra Central senatorial election, Chief Victor Umeh; and Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, arriving Ojoto for Umeh’s senatorial rally in Idemili South Local Government Area...yesterday.

Al-Mustapha Makes Surprise Appearance at Crusade Ground Mary Ekah In what appeared to be a surprise drama, former Chief Security Officer to late General Sani Abacha, Maj. Hamza AlMustapha and founder of the newly floated political party, Green Party of Nigeria (GMP), lasy Sunday made a surprise appearance at the grand finale of the four-day international crusade organised by the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries in Mgbidi, Oru West Local Government Area of Imo State.

Al-Mustapha said his mission to the Christian gathering was to appeal to the General Overseer of the Lord Chosen, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, to acknowledge with a particular interest the problem in Nigeria at this point in time as they were snowballing into something bigger, pleading passionately to the Muoka to come to the rescue of the 19 states of Northern Nigeria that are incessantly experiencing crises.

He enumerated the problems plaguing the country to include

“corruption, terrorism and high unemployment rate. “Our brothers and sister are dying across waters, our education system is nothing to write home about, infrastructure is nowhere to be found, so many promises but not fulfilled, too much money but nothing to show for it, institutional decay, nepotism, gender inequality problems and all that,” he added.

He said therefore that it was high time Nigerians resorted to the likes of Muoka to seek help and direction for the country and be free from the instabilities confronting the country.

Al-Mustapha regretted that the Northern states were presently bedeviled with so many social problems, and requires sincere and honest people like Muoka, who can direct and pass the right messages to the people and as well pray for a turnaround in Nigeria.

According to him, “We want Pastor Muoka to extend his evangelism to the North to change the situation there for good. If we allow terrorism to get deep rooted, it may affect

other parts of Nigeria.

Besides, people are dying every day. So, there is need to bring in place people who have the capacity to bring Nigeria out of its present situation.

Describing the church leader as an embodiment of humility and a distinguished personality who radiates all known and unknown qualities of a true leader, Mustapha said: “The essence of any leadership in life rests on the provision of hope to the people when their confidence is lost and providing that confidence when the people no longer have hope anywhere else. The Lord’s Chosen Ministries has an anchorman of such capacity.”

The ex-soldier noted that life is not measured by the amount of money, cars or houses one has, but by the number of lives affected positively.

“Life is not measured by the riches in your pocket nor the number of houses, castles or palaces that you have and not by the power that you have but it is measured from

the point of view of people appreciating and smiling when they see you and when they hear of you. The Lord Chosen General Overseer, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, is one of those people. I see in him humility, simplicity, wisdom, responsibility cheerfulness, kindness and of courses faith and wisdom.”

Speaking further, Mustapha hinted that in kindness and wisdom, when he was being persecuted in 2009, and kept for 15 years going through torture, Muoka made intercessory prayers on his behalf till he got freedom.

“In the mid-way of my persecution, the distinguished religious leader sent people to pray for me. He was also praying for me without minding the leadership that was persecuting me. And as I was going through the travails, through the kindness and wisdom with which he showed me, I saw a lot of things happening, and eventually, God Almighty granted me freedom,” he stated

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍˇËœ 2018

COMMENT

Editor, Editorial Page PETER ISHAKA Email peter.ishaka@thisdaylive.com

BATTLE FOR GOVERNMENT HOUSE, OKE MOSAN

Resources acquired in the name of a constituency should be spent on members of the constituency, writes Yusuf Adekunle

I

have followed political events in my state not just as a loyal and principled party man but as a stakeholder in the socio-economic development of Ogun State. I may not be one of those well known chieftains of the party, but to the extent that I play my part actively in my area, I consider myself a stakeholder. It is high time I also made my position known on certain burning issues in the state, especially the 2019 gubernatorial race.

I acknowledge the current Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, is limited in some ways. So are his political appointees. Certain things are better left for those of us party men who aren’t in government to espouse. I read a lot of lies these days in the papers and I wonder what exactly is at stake. Where did Amosun boast that he would install a successor at all cost? Is it now an offence to declare openly that you would support a candidate from an area deprived for years and urged the people to find a candidate who had been with them and could genuinely identify with their aspirations?

I agree with one response in defence of the governor recently, although it did not go far enough. The writer appeared to speak tongue-in-cheek. She had said: “It goes without saying that Governor Amosun swore to an oath to protect the constitution and under no guise must he be seen to subvert same (for political expediency). Contrary to speculations, he has nothing personal against anyone who shows any interest in becoming the governor. Amosun has in recent months been bombarded with visits by concerned stakeholders in the state who feel insulted by a queer politics of attempting to straddle two states at the same time. But more importantly are the messages and representations from a broad spectrum of the majority of residents that put him in power. All the governor has done is to amplify the outrage of the people against the bare-faced insults and upending of a moral standard expected of a worthy representative, in the ultimate hope that reason will triumph over political cum moral brinkmanship. “It strikes one as thick, too thick, that a moralist will see nothing wrong in a politician being a representative of constituents in one state with a remuneration package

EVERY STATE HAS ITS OWN PECULIARITY. IN OGUN, THE STAND OF THE MAJORITY IS THAT THE STATE IN FORESEEABLE FUTURE WILL ONLY ALLOW A TRUE SON-OF-THE-SOIL TO PRESIDE OVER THE AFFAIRS OF THE STATE

to serve those constituents and that same representative is devoting all his resources (time, money and energy) to be the super representative not of the same constituents or bigger constituency in the same state but in another state!�

The naked truth is that no one can simply descend from thin air to Ogun State to become the governor.

Our people have become too sensitive to the background of who or who should not govern them, especially in the light of their experiences in not too distant past. “Once beaten, twice shy,� goes the saying.

If someone came to you and told you he’s from Town A, the next day he said it was no more Town A but Town B; and with another eye on Town C, what would be your opinion about such a fellow? We know of forum-shopping, shopping for jurisdiction et al.

Now, should root-shopping also enter our political lexicon? Must anyone become so desperate to be elected if they truly wish to serve the people without ulterior motives?

Yes, I hear the world has become a global village and that it is parochial and primordial to ask for the state of origin of any one who aspires for political leadership. Sure then, and why not? Ha ha ha! A Nigerian may aspire to become the Queen or King of Britain because the world is now a global village!

Every state has its own peculiarity. In Ogun, the stand of the majority is that the state in foreseeable future will only allow a true son-of-the-soil to preside over the affairs of the state.

I wonder why Governor Amosun should be made the scapegoat for merely echoing the position of majority of party men and people of Ogun State. Even at every turn he will tell you, “We are not God!�

But as the saying goes, the voice of the people is the voice of God. Let the man serve the people of Lagos West with his body, soul and spirit rather than robbing Peter to pay Paul. Resources acquired in the name of Lagos West should be spent on the people of Lagos West. That is the path of moral rectitude. It’s the path of honour. That’s my candid advice for him. And that’s the position of majority of Ogun indigenes.

Adekunle is a member of APC in Ota, Ogun State

MARAUDING HERDERS AND DAY OF THE OPPRESSED Israel A. Ebije argues that time is not on the side of violent herders

A

rgument has gone back and forth on those behind killer herdsmen who have managed to establish human slaughter slabs almost in every major city capital in Nigeria. Some people “unfairly� opined that security operatives have turned a blind eye or are in cahoots with the marauders. Others argue that our own integrity saddled president, Muhammadu Buhari who is an ex-grand patron of Fulani herders in the country, is complicit in the “genocide�. The military have generously piped to Nigerians that the marauding herdsmen killing Nigerians are indeed foreigners. Many Nigerians are either backing or opposing arguments surrounding narratives emerging from the unabated coordinated killing fiesta of Nigerian communities by Fulani herdsmen. Anger fuelled by ethno-religious sentiments is gradually spewing out of modesty of speech rights limits as fingers are beginning to reach metres between eyeballs of those proposing or opposing the growing killing phenomenon.

President Buhari has strongly condemned the killing of innocent Nigerians in Benue, which has led to at least 40,000 displaced. He has promised to burrow deep into the matter with the hope of unravelling those behind the despicable act

only to proceed immediately to Kaduna for an all important train ride. Governor Ortum is rattled for the umpteenth time over the killing feast held more than frequently in a state he is expected to be chief security. Sadly, protesters who pelted him while condemning the gruesome murder of their kit and kin did not spare him. The recent killings in Benue is a sad reminder of terror based deaths with a staggering increase from 7,512 to 50,000, representing 300 per cent deaths on account of terrorism in recent years according to UK Independent newspaper report.

In these entire sad trends, I am tired of hearing reports of the more than frequent killings of Nigerians in the hands of herders. While I take it for granted that Boko Haram is designed to kill, herding is a trade designed to provide meat and dairy for Nigerians. I am tired of protesters stoning governors who in the first place are not in control of the police of army.

I am tired of hearing the army claiming herders are aliens yet almost allowed free access to inflict terror on Nigerians in their fathers land. I am tired of religious based shenanigans brewing as a result of these killings. I am tired of hearing people distancing indigenous Fulanis from killings of innocent citizens, only to declare they are Nigerians once they are attacked back.

I am indeed tired of the fear of a looming

counter attack. Yes, one day the hunter will soon be the hunted and that will change everything.

It all starts with protests. Sadly, protests based on deep-seated anger quickly spew out of control. Only a few hours after the recent carnage in Benue, Ortom got the medieval treatment of stoning. Soon collateral damage will be incurred with spiral effect on innocent Nigerians. Drawing conclusion from the bitterness against “foreign Fulanis� responsible for slaughter of Nigerians, it is easy to conclude that people are going to take up arms and defend themselves from real or perceived threats. For those emotionally isolated from the dastardly act by herders across the country, the evil wind set to blast into the face of all will not favour anyone.

Once any or every herder becomes a spot for angry Nigerians, ethnic -based killings will spiral out of control across the country in a revolving scenery of reprisals.

In New Jersey, an appellate court ruled in 2017 that citizens can self defend themselves when police apply excessive force. The case of Darnell Reed was instrumental to the ruling. The New Jersey ruling is a landmark projection against police brutality. Applying the rights of citizens to defend themselves in the Nigerian context on account of Fulani herders attacks, it becomes more than

valid for citizens in flashpoint arrears in the country to self defend themselves in the face of unbridled annihilation. The state and federal government are helpless in dealing with the hydra headed monster and to make matters worse, the over 40 dead Nigerians killed in Benue will soon be forgotten, remembered only in another analysis as mere statistics. Nigerians are quick to forget, just the way this too shall be forgotten. Interestingly those bearing the scars of losing loved ones will never forget. They will wait for that single straw that will make them self defend themselves in the face of the slightest provocation.

If the police and armed forces sit back with hands weaved around their jaws, the masses will weaponise to unleash operation Flush Foreign Fulanis (FFF). When that starts, nobody will listen to counter narratives that will want people to believe it’s the indigenous Fulanis that are under attack. The time to make a resounding stand against marauding herders is now.

Time is indeed ticking against herders in the country. With government stance against anti-grazing law, the more than frequent unprovoked attacks on farmers, there will be more dramas on account of the drivel that culminate discuss on this despicable affair. ebijeo5@gmail.com

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T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍˇËœ 2018

EDITORIAL DEALING WITH THE MENACE OF CULTISM The authorities must do more by bringing criminals to justice

T

hat cult wars and gang violence have exacerbated the climate of lawlessness and fear in the polity is no longer in doubt. What is more worrying is that the menace has become so widespread that armed robbers, drug peddlers and other sundry miscreants are now being recruited into the fold. In many states of the federation today, cultists of various stripes act with impunity, killing, raping and maiming victims while causing widespread destruction. Yet the authorities seem helpless in dealing with this crime.

During the last Christmas holiday period, there was hardly a day when some young men and women did not fall victims to this goring spectre of criminal violence, most of them as a result of battles for turf between rival cult groups. From Cross River to Edo to Ekiti and several other states, gang wars are now almost a common fair with several innocent bystanders becoming victims. What is even more worrisome is that members of many THE MENACE HAS MOVED of these cult gangs FROM THE CAMPUSES are also involved in OF OUR INSTITUTIONS armed robbery and OF HIGHER LEARNING kidnappings as the TO THE STREETS WHERE nation has, in recent THESE CRIMINAL GANGS months, witnessed OPERATE WITHOUT with the ‘Badoo’ cult RESTRAINTS, PERHAPS group in Ikorodu, BECAUSE THEY HAVE Lagos State.

POWERFUL BACKERS Last September, WITHIN THE SOCIETY a pregnant woman and a student of a polytechnic in Abeokuta were killed when youths suspected to be members of a secret cult invaded the Onikolobo area of the Ogun State capital.

And in what the Police conďŹ rmed as a clash of rival cultists, a man believed to be a student of the Ekiti State University (EKSU) was last October in Ado Ekiti shot several times before his assailants dismembered his body with a machete. At about the same period, a face-off between two criminal gangs, the ‘Baggars Confraternity’ and the ‘Klans

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AFRICA’S SHADOWS OF SHAME

T

here isn’t a better conversation starter than this: “Africa is the wealthiest continent, but the poorest and least developed.�

Try it, and you’ll be overwhelmed by the debates that follow. Africa’s progress compared to the rest of the world can be likened to a chauffeur who drives his employer to important places in a luxury vehicle but himself waits idly in the car. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) plan had its ups and downs, but while significant strides were made in other parts of the world, the plan’s hugest failures were recorded in Africa. Despite the failure of the MDGs, as well as regular episodes of corruption, inflation, extreme poverty/hunger, economic dependency and other Third World plagues, African leaders still make quite flattering remarks as regards their fictional achievements, which are most visible on the pages of newspapers.

Who takes the fall for the continued economic and political backwardness of the African continent? The first-republic politicians who were more concerned with attaining independence than preparing for the administrative rigours of governance? Or the present-day leaders who are arguably in power to massage their egos and set up trust funds to exempt their future generations from poverty? And of course some African heads of state are both first-republic and present-day rulers, having spent over three consecutive decades in power!

One category of African leaders are famous for constitutional

confraternity’, left no fewer than 19 persons dead in one such bloody encounter in Calabar, Cross River State. Although the motive behind the New Year day gruesome murder of scores of people in Rivers State on New Year day is still unknown, there are speculations that they could be cultrelated against the background that the state has, in recent months, become notorious for such gang killings.

For sure, cultism is not new in Nigeria. For a very long time, several people have identiďŹ ed with one form of cultism or another either for personal/ family protection or for the promotion and safeguard of certain interests. But today, cultism has become almost like a status symbol, especially on our campuses while members kill sometimes for reasons as imsy as being snubbed by a student of the opposite sex. But the menace has moved from the campuses of our institutions of higher learning to the streets and these criminal gangs operate without restraints, perhaps because they have powerful backers within the society.

Four years ago, some prominent personalities were among 67 suspected cultists arrested and quizzed in Benin City, by men of the special squad deployed in Edo State by the police authorities, to curb the growing killings and cult activities. In the days preceding the deployment of the police team, some criminals said to be members of ‘Eiye’, ‘Black Axe’, ‘Buccaneers’, ‘Aiye’ and ‘Jurist’ confraternities had unleashed hell on the streets of Benin. The body count in the madness was 22 dead. Among those arrested for their alleged involvement in the mayhem were 14 Junior Secondary School students between the ages of 12 and 15.

In all the foregoing, what is particularly disturbing is that the authorities seem bewildered in tackling the endemic problems of cult wars. While no plausible explanations have been provided, most people believe that the fact that there are no convictions for such crimes encourage many young people into it. And as long as this persists, Nigerians may have to brace up for more gang violence.

amendments (close to election year) to guarantee their eligibility for a longer stay in power despite mediocre achievements.

Another category of African leaders plan to retire as kingmakers by ensuring power is transferred to a trusted relative or loyal stooge, to evade future prosecution for corruption.

The basic job description of the military does not include civil administration—which is good for democracy. However, in countries where leaders have tarried in power for decades but more than half of the population still live below the poverty line, can the next election be trusted to recruit better candidates?

Can the ballots inspire a new wave of change in Eritrea, whose president has been in power since independence? Or Cameroon, Uganda and Equatorial Guinea, whose citizens have learned to live with rulers who’ve clung to power for over 30 years? Or Chad and Sudan, whose presidents have tarried for 27 and 28 years, respectively? Perhaps we can use the Zimbabwe experience as reference. Who says military intervention can’t represent the voice of the people? The military can enforce a peaceful transition of power from these never-ending, ineffective governments to interim ones, while putting measures in place for credible elections.

To break free from tyrant “democratic� rulers who have no moral justification for leadership, Africa could use another coordinated, peaceful coup this year. I don’t promote military intervention in politics, I just encourage it.

Nimi Princewill, princewill.nimi@yahoo.com

DECENT ACCOMMODATION IS SIGN OF SUCCESS

T

he whole thing about public-office kleptocracy is all a game of the mind.

If the mind fixates on a thing of beauty or order that gives satisfaction on a scale that can be managed, then why steal from the public coffers? As a young lad in my early teens, I had decided what constitutes a decent and manageable accommodation as retirement from one’s workplace approaches. At Otukpo in Benue State and here in Minna, Niger State, a particular architecture type made and left an indelible impression in my mind. I was too young to recall any such building type at Warri in Delta State, but the rectangular one-storey, broad-verandah, wide-windowed buildings located in broad expanse of space with short fencing is all I ever wanted to own as I approach

retirement. The architecture is Africaconscious or Afro-centric because natural ventilation is still important in our towns and cities. These buildings usually have stonewall front-facing facades and a built-in ground- floor garage in the old-school format. At Otukpo, if I recall correctly, these home types were owned by Lawyer Omaku, Brigadier Obeya, and others.

In Minna the Angulus family home just before the F-Layout Junction is always eye-catching and there are a couple of them located on the road to Government House just after the Zenith Bank Junction. If Nigerians consider owning one such property a sign of success, then the propensity to do public-office “corruption� dims indeed.

Sunday Adole Jonah, Department of Physics, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2018

16

POLITICS

Group Politics Editor Tobi Soniyi Email tobi.soniyi@thisdaylive.com 08033146139 SMS ONLY

EXECUTIVE BRIEFING

Hurdles Before APC Since it became the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress has let down many of its supporters.

Shola Oyeyipo suggests what the party should do to get its mojo back It is not only the new year, 2018 that portends difficulties for the President Mohammed Buhari-led ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, the entire period that will lead to the conduct of the 2019 general election will be characterised by hurdles that the party must cleverly scale through.

F

irst and very importantly is the burden of leadership. No doubt, there is no perfect nation in the world. Similarly, no leader is infallible. The Nigerian president is no exception. Leadership involves taking decisions that have various impacts on the citizenry, consequently, governments get knocks for unfavourable decisions and commendation for positive policies.

Experts are of the view that the Nigerian economy was going to experience a slow down.

Unfortunately for Buhari, the responsibility for fixing the economy fell on his laps. He was rattled and appeared unprepared. There was also the need to tackle corruption, which is considered as the main problem confronting the country and to urgently address insecurity, particularly the Boko Haram in the North-east and resurgence of militancy in the South-south.

No doubt, there have been remarkable progresses in the anti-corruption crusade, especially interns of recovery. Measures have also been put in place to make stealing public funds difficult. Nevertheless, there are enough to criticise in the fight against corruption.

In the fight against terrorism, the APC government has done better than the government it replaced. The terrorists have not been defeated, but the government had taken the war to the insurgents.

In the aspect of the economy, things are beginning to change for better but many remained trapped in the poverty pit. For instance, going by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBC), Nigeria recorded a 1.4 percent increase in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate in the third quarter of this year.

The Central Bank of Nigeria also recently noted that the nation’s external reserves rose to $38.2 billion, the highest in 39 months while the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Report for 2018 placed Nigeria in the 145th position, which is 24 positions better than the 169th position the nation was ranked in the 2017 report.

While all these indexes are commendable because they indicate positive growths, since the emergence of the economy from recession in the second quarter 2017, the setback is that average Nigerians have continued to groan and complain about widespread poverty and lack.

This obvious is an indication that these positive statistics have yet to have the desired effects on the people. Government must redouble its efforts, sustain the growth and reflate the economy to enable a trickle down effect.

This is by every means a big challenge to a party and government heading for general election in about 13 months. Aside the statistics, efforts must be made for Nigerians to begin to feel the positive developments by reducing poverty rate - by putting foods on the tables of Nigerian electorate, since the fastest way to a man’s heart is his belly. If the economy remains the way it is now till the election period, it will be difficult for the APC government to ask the people to vote for it again.

If the government succeeds in reflating the economy in such a way that it creates wealth for Nigerians, the next and most important action the ruling party must take is to mend the cracked wall within its fold.

Not a few political analysts have reckoned that the initial voice of unison that propelled the APC to electoral victory had faded. The party has been polarized. It is now a theatre of war between major power blocs. There is the Aso Rock Cabal (ARC); the Buhari Political Friends (BPF); the Bola Tinubu Group (BTG) and the Bukola Saraki Group (BSG).

Bola Tinubu, APC National Leader

These prominent members of the party have been contending for relevance and the effects have been most unpleasant on the party, because rather than place the collective interest of the party ahead of them, sectional interests have dominated the space among party leaders.

The above scenario has subsequently snowballed into another major knot that the APC has not been able to untie. It will be dangerous for the party to head into the general elections with a divided house. Except he party resolved its internal division, it will be difficult to speak with one voice. Not too long ago, the Peoples Democratic Party suffered a similar fate. Those who undid PDP are today in the APC. They may unleash on their new party what they did to the PDP. The APC continues to violate several sections of its constitution. One of such provisions is Article 25 (A)(i) which stipulates that the National Convention of the party shall be held once in two years at a date, venue and time to be recommended by the National Working Committee and approved by the National Executive Committee subject to the giving

It will be dangerous for the party to head into the general elections with a divided house

John Odigie-Oyegun, National Chairman, APC

of the statutory notices to the Independent National Electoral Commission and at least fourteen days notice given to members eligible to attend.

Aside the National Convention which has become a subject of intense controversy, critics and opposition parties are of the views that there are evidences to show that the ruling party has been unable to hold other crucial meetings such as the National Caucus and National Executive Council (NEC) meetings that should precede the convention because of some unresolved disputes among the party bigwigs.

The fear has been that the fault lines among aggrieved top notch members of the party would resurface at such statutory meetings and therefore it was better not to hold the meeting than to provide the disgruntled members of the party with the opportunity to attack the leaders. This, many believe, explains why the leadership of the party has been wary about holding these important meetings. Nevertheless, until the ruling party successfully holds and survives these meetings, its chances of coming out united and strong before the general elections will remain very slim.

The party’s presidential primary will also constitute a big poser for the leadership of the APC. Already, the likes of the Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha; Kaduna State lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani and National Leader of the party, Bola Tinubu, have stated that there would be no automatic ticket. This, however, does not mean the president will not get the party’s ticket for the presidential race. Nevertheless, when the party holds its primaries, the grievances among the members

will surely play out and it is likely to widen the division within their ranks unless carefully managed.

Disagreement among party members in some of the states, which flows from the earlier identified power blocs would also need to be addressed. For instance, in Lagos State, the National Legal Adviser of the APC, Dr. Muiz Banire has been at dagger drawn with the National Leader, Tinubu. Similarly, in Kano State, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has been in a fight with his former boss, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. These two states are some of the states that turn in the largest numbers of votes during elections, so if the issues are not addressed, it could have negative consequences on the electoral fortunes of the party in the near future.

The APC cannot also feign ignorance of the presence of a relatively more potent opposition in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). In what is a big challenge to the ruling party, the PDP, coming from what appeared to be an intractable crisis, the former ruling party held its convention, elected a substantive chairman and is forging ahead with a move to reconcile aggrieved party members.

The implication is that the period when the APC rules without any formidable opposition is over because the PDP will expectedly give the government a good run for its money with stiff opposition.

In all, it is high time the leadership of the ruling APC settled down to work on how to form one united party where collective interest must override individual quest for dominance.

If the party is unable to do this, then it is in the path to perdition.

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY,JANUARY 9, 2018

POLITICS

For Osunbor, It’s Victory at Last The indictment of a former governor of Edo State, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor by the National Human Rights Commission for alleged electoral offences was rightly set aside by a federal high court, reports Davidson Iriekpen

A

Federal High Court in Abuja penultimate week quashed the indictment of a former governor of Edo State, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor for electoral offences by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Delivering judgment on the suit filed by the former governor against the commission, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu held that the former governor was not given the opportunity to be heard and as a result, there was a gross violation of his fundamental right particularly his right to fair hearing as enshrined in the constitution. She held that the law was trite that when a tribunal or an administrative body was to conduct hearing they must ensure the parties involved were heard orally or in writing.

Osunbor was declared the winner of the Edo State governorship election in 2007 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and consequently sworn in as governor before he was sacked from office by the Court of Appeal in Benin City in controversial circumstances in 2008. The court ordered that Adams Oshiomhole be sworn in as the winner of that election.

However, in 2014, the NHRC released a report under its ‘Electoral Accountability Project/End Electoral Impunity Project’ in which it indicted the professor of law and 65 others, including organisations and security personnel as having committed electoral crimes in 2007 and 2011 general election.

In making the recommendations, the commission said it exercised its power under Section 6 (1) of the NHRC Act 1995 as amended. The recommendations followed the council’s consideration of an independent review of evidence of gross violations of rights to participate in government.

In a covering letter to the recommendations to the AGF, the council said the purpose of recommending those who had committed criminal offences during elections was to address impunity. The letter which was signed by the then Executive Secretary of the commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, reads: “The main objective being to address impunity by ensuring that individuals and groups indicted for various electoral offences are brought to justice to serve as a deterrent, to uphold sanctity of the ballot and to ensure greater respect for democratic values among citizens.”

But Osunbor challenged the NHRC to disclose the part of the judgments of the Edo State Election Petitions Tribunal and the Court of Appeal where he was adjudged or said to have personally committed any offence. He also questioned the integrity of the commission and how it arrived at the recommendation without giving him the opportunity to defend himself.

He wondered how the NHRC arrived at its conclusion, saying that it was a monumental tragedy on the part of the commission which deals with human rights to degenerate into a willing tool for the violation of the human rights of law-abiding citizens.

The two-time senator concluded that the commission acted recklessly or mischievously to tarnish his name and defame his character.

He said when the report was published in 2014, he wrote a letter dated April 22, 2014 addressed “to the NHRC Executive Secretary, Angwe, requesting among others, to disclose to him the specific electoral offence or offences he committed.

“I did not imagine that it will be difficult for the commission to do this given the fact that electoral offences are well set out in the Electoral Act. In his reply, the executive secretary claimed that the commission based its recommendation on the judgment of the election petition tribunal that nullified my election as governor of Edo State,” he explained.

Osunbor argued that even if the commission assumed that it “indicted” him because his election as a governor was nullified by the election tribunal and the Court of Appeal due to the wrongdoing or criminal acts of others,

Osunbor

it could not possibly be ignorant of the law on this matter.

He cited the decision of the Court of Appeal in the case of Falae vs Obasanjo to counter whatever indictment the Court of Appeal that nullified his election and which the NHRC relied on. He said it was inconceivable that a human rights commission was ignorant of the law.

In the case, Justice George Oguntade while delivering judgment in the petition filed by Chief Chief Olu Falae of the All Peoples Party (APP) urging the election tribunal to nullify the election of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo of the PDP on the grounds that he (Obasanjo) committed electoral offences, held that: “The law is that even if a political party engaged in criminal activities which would disqualify a candidate, it cannot affect the candidate unless it is shown that the candidate authorised or ratified the offending conduct. A candidate’s liability to have his election voided under the

I wonder if the defendant has powers to review the judgment of the tribunal, make findings, indict persons and make recommendation for their prosecution

doctrine of election agency is distinct from and wider than liability under the criminal law…”

Consequently upon this, he proceeded to court to find out among others, whether by the combined provisions of Sections 5 and 6 of the NHRC Act, Cap N46, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (as amended), Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 4 of the Police Act, Cap P19, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, if the defendant has the power to investigate him for electoral offences as stipulated in Sections 124 to 139 of the Electoral Act, 2006, indict him for electoral crimes and forward his name to the Attorney General of the Federation for prosecution; Whether the commission in exercise of its powers under Sections 5 and 6 of the NHRC Act, Cap N46 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (as amended) and Section 1(1) and 1(3) of the Constitution (as amended) is not bound by the extant provisions of Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution and the rules of natural justice entrenched there; and whether the defendant is empowered by law to review the judgment of a competent court or tribunal and arrive at a different conclusion from that of the court or tribunal for the purpose of indicting the plaintiff for criminal prosecution?

Justice Ojukwu after listening to the parties, held tthat an administrative tribunal was bound to observe the rules of natural justice, adding that the principles constituted the bastion of fairness and were equally enshrined in Section 36 (1) of the 1999 Constitution. Citing previous decisions like Olabode Adewunmi vs Nigerian Eagle Flour Mill and Adedeji vs Police Service Commission, Justice Ojukwu held that the principles to hear the other side was very important and pervaded the system of adjudication in dispute in both primitive and civilised world.

She noted that where a tribunal was to conduct proceeding on documents, all the parties must be heard in writing and where there would be additional oral hearing, all parties affected must be given an opportunity of an oral hearing.

The judge concluded that in the instant case, there was no evidence that the plaintiff was called upon or given an opportunity to be heard orally or in writing.

While, examining the defence of the NHRC that he merely reviewed and acted on the judgment of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ojukwu wondered if the commission had the powers to review the judgment of the Court of Appeal.

“I wonder if the defendant has powers to review the judgment of the tribunal, make findings, indict persons and make recommendation for their prosecution, it may be the use of the word ‘review’ but something here is rather strange. The Supreme Court as the final court of the land has no jurisdiction to entertain an application for a review of its judgment once it has been delivered, save under the slip rule,” she held.

On Section 5 (b) of its Act which the commission said it derived its powers from to indict Osunbor and others, the judge held: “Section 5 (b) of the Act provides that the defendant ‘shall’ monitor and ‘investigate’ al alleged cases of human rights violation. To ‘investigate’ means to inquire into (in matter) systematically; to make (a suspect) the subject of a criminal inquiry. To make an official inquiry.

In other words, the defendant is expected to act in an organised manner, bound by the rule of law, and natural justice in carrying out their statutory functions.”

The court concluded that while it was not attempting to strip the NHRC of its powers under sections 5 and 6 of its Act, such powers must be exercised within the precinct of the law. It wondered what a rights commission established to deal with all matters relating to the promotion and protection of human rights and other international conventions on human rights would find a person guilty of an offence without hearing from him or her.

“This court is not by any means attempting to strip the defendant of their powers under sections 5 and 6 of the NHRC Act, (the court cannot do so). The court is merely but firmly stating that the exercise of such powers must be within the precinct of the law. It is a paradox that the NHRC, known and established to deal with all matters relating to the promotion and protection of human rights and other international conventions on human rights would be found wanting in this instance.”

Apart from Osunbor who rejected the indictment and recommendations of the NHRC, many of those equally affected and observers had also expressed reservations, wondering what manner of a rights commission would indict or recommend people for prosecution without at least hearing from them. They also wondered where the commission derived the powers to recommend people for prosecution.

Section 149 of the Electoral Act 2010 and 2011 clearly put the power in the hands of INEC. For instance, the section states that INEC shall consider any recommendation made to it by a tribunal with respect to the prosecution by it on any person for the offence disclosed in any election petition. It states: “The commission (INEC) shall consider any recommendation made to it by a tribunal with respect to the prosecution by it on any person for the offence disclosed in any election petition.”

Section 50 (1 and 2) of the Act further states: (1) “An offence committed under this Act shall be tried in a magistrate court or a high court of the state in which the offence is committed, or the Federal Capital Territory (2) A prosecution under this Act shall be undertaken by legal officers of the commission (INEC) or any legal practitioner appointed by it.”

It would be interesting to note that there is nowhere in the Electoral Act where the power to prosecute anybody for electoral offences is outsourced to the NHRC.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2018 ˾ T H I S D AY

FEATURES

Acting Features Editor Charles Ajunwa Email charles.ajunwa@thisdaylive.com

Empowering Aba Shoe Makers John Okiyi Kalu writes on the decision of the Abia State Government to send 30 Aba shoe makers to China to study automated shoe making processes first hand.

Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, flanked by Aba shoe makers selected for training in China

T

he original "Argonauts" were a band of heroes in Greek mythology, who in the years before the Trojan War, around 1300 BC, accompanied Jason to Colchis in his quest to find the Golden Fleece. Their name comes from their ship, Argo, named after its builder, Argus. Since then the word "argonauts" have become synonymous with pathfinders in history making expeditions.

In an article published August 13, 2013, in response to the "deportation" of Igbo from Lagos to the South-east region, C. Don Adinuba, a prolific writer of Igbo origin, penned the following lines on those we now consider as Igbo education Argonauts.

"When the Great Zik of Africa returned from the United States in the 1940s with a string of degrees in diverse disciplines, he saw that the Igbo were lagging behind the Yoruba because Igboland is in the hinterland, far removed from the sea through which modernity came to our country. He did not induce in the Igbo a persecution or inferiority complex or demonise the Yoruba, but rather took far-sighted steps to make them leapfrog developmentally. He sent to the United States nine promising Igbo young men, including

K. O. Mbadiwe, Nwafor Orizu, Mbonu Ojike and Okechukwu Ikejiani, for further studies,

As pointed out recently

by Governor Ikpeazu, promoting local enterprises is expected to support job creation in the state. For example, if each of the 250,000 local entrepreneurs directly employ four persons, there will be a minimum of one million new jobs in addition to other indirect jobs for transporters, traders, technicians, food sellers and others

and the “Argonauts”, in turn, sent their family members and relatives to the U.S. This is the genesis of the Igbo dominance of the Nigerian community in the U.S. A gifted anthropologist, Zik recognised that Igbo society thrives on village and town competition. He used the instrumentality of the Igbo State Union to promote the establishment of educational institutions by communities. Thus, “in one fantastic burst of energy,” as Chinua Achebe put it, “the Igbo wiped out their educational handicap.”

By 1965, they had begun to compete with the Yoruba educationally. Meanwhile, Zik had recruited many village primary school teachers with a flair for writing and trained them as journalists on his West Africa Pilot. That’s how the Igbo came into journalism. Emmanuel Obiechina, the eminent Professor of Sociology of Literature, did show in a compelling manner how this development led to the emergence of the first generation of intellectual novels and how the Igbo were in the forefront.

"As Eastern Nigerian premier, Zik operated far the lowest budget in the country because palm produce, the region’s economic mainstay, was attracting much lower prices

than cocoa and groundnut, which were the main revenue earners for the other two regions. Yet, he was able to establish the Eastern Nigerian Development Commission, able to set up Nigeria’s first indigenous bank, Nigeria’s first full-fledged university, Nigeria’s first cement company, Nigeria’s first gas company, Nigeria’s first steel company, Nigeria’s first industrial estates in Enugu and Port Harcourt, etc. No wonder, Eastern Nigeria had the world’s fastest growing economy by 1966."

On Thursday 4th of January 2018, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State feted and sent forth 30 shoe makers from Abia State who were selected to travel to China to learn automated shoe making and return to the state to form the fulcrum of the emerging automated shoe making industries that are expected to soon dot the landscape of Abia State.

In many ways, Governor Ikpeazu appears to have keyed into the same vision of the great Zik of Africa in pursuing his passionate push for the accelerated growth of indigenous enterprises in the state, anchored on the promotion of Made-in-Aba brands.

Prior to his emergence as governor of Abia State in 2015, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu

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FEATURES

Ikpeazu (middle)...displaying Made-in-Aba leather sandals produced by a female shoe maker

articulated five pillars of development he will pursue to enhance the socio-economic well-being of the people of the state: Agriculture, Industrialisation, Oil and Gas, Commerce and Education, In a recent live radio interactive engagement with Abians via the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State (BCA) Governor Ikpeazu pointed to his promotion of Mad-in-Aba brands as possibly his biggest achievement in the 30 months of his governorship.

While many may not understand the premise of that statement, given that Governor Ikpeazu is also well known for the unprecedented road construction efforts of his administration that earned him the tag of "caterpillar revolutionary" and many other achievements in different sectors, it is actually with the promotion of local enterprises that he scored the golden goal.

With over 250,000 small and medium scale enterprises, Aba is well known and acclaimed as the number one SME hub of Nigeria. What appears to be lacking in that historical acknowledgement of Aba as the entrepreneurship capital of Nigeria is the lack of confidence of Aba craftsmen who make all sorts of things; ranging from leatherwork (shoes and bags), fashion wears and accessories (clothes, beads etc) and equipment fabrication and credit other countries with the products of their craftsmanship.

Prior to the emergence of Governor Ikpeazu, Aba will make shoes or clothes and tag them "Made-in-Turkey" or even "Made-in-Senegal". Equipments fabricated at Aba are sold as "Made-in-China" while Aba made wines and spirits are credited to South Africa or Spain and sold within and outside the country without acknowledging the ingenuity of our local manufacturers.

The story is now different.

With the focused and well planned promotion of Made-in-Aba brands by Governor

Ikpeazu, today goods and services made in Aba are appropriately branded as "Proudly Aba Made". Indeed this campaign has caught national and international attention to the extent that even manufacturers and tailors based in far away Lagos and elsewhere in Nigeria now struggle to identify their brands as "Aba made".

International organisations like Ford Foundation have also taken note and sponsored global marketing campaigns for Made-in-Aba brands at CNN, among others, at no cost to the government of Abia State.

Yet we are still at the early stages of the focused promotion of local enterprises at Aba which has produced more than N1.6b in direct sales from the federal government and other institutions.

The federal government of Nigeria, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, has also keyed into the Made-in-Aba

I’m sending you to China with a lot of conďŹ dence.

Others will be going after you, don’t block their access. You are our ambassadors in China, be worthy ambassadors and pay attention to your reason of going to China.

God will see you through and it will be well with you

agenda with policy support and physical actions such as ensuring that 10,000 shops at Ariaria International Market now have steady power supply courtesy of Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria. An executive order was also signed by the Presidency to ensure that only goods without Aba made alternatives are procured by the agencies of government.

With the promotion of Made-in-Aba brands have come challenges of meeting increased orders in a timely and profitable manner.

Automation of manufacturing processes is now an absolute necessity, especially in shoe making where orders of tens of thousands pairs of shoes have to be expeditiously serviced and delivered to specification.

After analysing the challenges and future trends, Governor Ikpeazu decided to visit China last year to study their automated shoe making processes first hand and arranged for the training of the next generation of automated shoe makers of Aba that will man the soon to be opened shoe factories at Aba and train others.

The 30 shoe makers are therefore the argonauts of the automated Aba shoe making era at Aba who will, like Zik's education argonauts, train others and mainstream modern shoe making at Aba. The Government of Abia State, in addition to arranging for training locations and institutions in China, is paying for the flights and accommodation of the argonauts in China as well as providing them with stipends to take care of themselves while in China. As pointed out recently by Governor Ikpeazu, promoting local enterprises is expected to support job creation in the state. For example, if each of the 250,000 local entrepreneurs directly employ four persons, there will be a minimum of one million new jobs in addition to other indirect jobs for transporters, traders, technicians, food sellers and others.

With improved job availability, many idle but highly intelligent and skilled Abia

youths will be gainfully employed with crimes like armed robbery and kidnapping effectively checked to enable the government spend less on security and more on other programmes such as infrastructure renewal in the state.

It is also expected that a prosperous Aba shoe maker will readily pay tax to the state and help improve the internally generated revenue (IGR) inflows of the state that is crucial to continuing the development agenda of Governor Ikpeazu.

Similarly, the industrialisation agenda of the administration, which also led to the establishment of the Enyimba Industrial Cluster, will benefit from the coming automation of shoe making at Aba. In all, Governor Ikpeazu has once more shown remarkable vision in pursuit of his agenda to spread prosperity in Abia State.

The same vision that led him to embark on reconstruction of key economic roads that lead to business clusters at Ariaria (Faulks Road) fabrication hub at Port Harcourt Road and other entry points to the important commercial city of Aba. To date, Governor Ikpeazu has completed more than 30 road projects in Abia State and currently working on more than 87 other roads which are at different stages of completion.

History was kind to the great Zik of Africa for sending out the nine Igbo education argonauts and will certainly be kind to Governor Ikpeazu for sending out the 30 automated shoe making argonauts of Abia State.

To the 30 shoe making argonauts of Abia State, my advice to them is simply to remember what the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu said to them: "I’m sending you to China with a lot of confidence. Others will be going after you, don’t block their access. You are our ambassadors in China, be worthy ambassadors and pay attention to your reason of going to China. God will see you through and it will be well with you."

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L-R;Elder Brother of celebrant, Prof. Toyin Ashiru; Celebraant, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru; CEO, Airtel, Segun Ogunsanya abd CEO, CMC Connect, Yomi Badejo-Okusanya at the birthday /wedding anniversary of Bimbo in Lagos...recently

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Quick Takes OPEC Oil Cut Adherence Rises The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries( OPEC) deepened compliance with an oil supply-cutting deal in December due to a further decline in Venezuelan output and extra cuts by Gulf exporters, a Reuters survey found, showing strong commitment to the deal despite higher prices.

Adherence to the curbs rose to 128 per cent from 125 per cent in November, the survey found. The United Arab Emirates, for the first time since the deal took effect in January 2017, pumped below its OPEC target, joining Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

OPEC is reducing output by about 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) as part of a deal with Russia and other non-OPEC producers. The pact will run until the end of 2018.

Oil hit its highest since May 2015 last week, supported by falling inventories, strong demand and high OPEC compliance.

Many producers, still suffering from a 2014 price collapse, are enjoying the rally and the extra revenues. “We are all pleased about it,� one official in an OPEC country said of the early 2018 price rise.

Iranian Oil Tanker Burns

AMODA HONOURED

L-R: - Special Guest, Chief Ademola Dada; Vice Chancellor of University of Lagos, Prof. Toyin Ogundipe; the celebrant Dr. Oladele Amoda; Lagos State Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Olawale Oluwo; and Senior Pastor, Trinity Church, Ituah Ighodalo during the presentation of the Autobiography of Amoda at the retirement party organised in his honour by the Management of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) in Lagos... recently.

Oil Companies to Invest $37bn in Exploration in 2018 Ejiofor Alike A new report by Wood Mackenzie indicates that global investment in conventional exploration and appraisal will be around $37 billion in 2018, about seven per cent less than 2017 spend of $40 billion, and over 60 per cent below its 2014 peak.

According to the report, the majors’ investment will be cut back relatively less, trimmed by around four per cent versus 2017.

The report noted that as some of the last outstanding pre-crash high-rate rig contracts roll over,

ENERGY average well costs should trend lower, while wildcat counts may creep above this year’s numbers.

Wood Mackenzie stated that the exploration sector has emerged from the downturn confident that it has put its house in order, but added that it does not expect to see a surge in activity in 2018.

Vice President, Research, Global Exploration, Wood Mackenzie, Dr Andrew Latham, said it was expected most companies would maintain a highly cautious approach to

exploration for a while yet.

According to Latham, competition for the best opportunities will be fierce, while industry investment and well counts will remain stubbornly low in 2018. “We have identified five issues that stand out this year, but two are key. Firstly, the number of committed explorers has dwindled and corporate diversity will remain unusually low. Secondly, much of the industry is chasing rather similar opportunities. Play and basin diversity will also be unusually narrow. This raises the spectre of sharper competition eroding margins – a threat not

seen since 2014,� he said.

The report listed five key themes that would affect exploration sector in 2018 to include: fewer explorers focused on fewer plays; investment remaining supressed; big wells mainly in deepwater and frontiers; acreage reloading gathering pace; and long overdue move back to profitability.

Wood Mackenzie stated that industry consolidation, the price downturn and the attractions of unconventional alternatives have reduced the number of wildcatters operating in the Continued on page 22

LCCI Seeks Reduction in Interest, Foreign Exchange Rates Jonathan Eze For the country to sustain the present economic recovery and achieve the growth forecast for 2018, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has advised the federal government to, as a matter of urgency, address the issue of multiplicity of exchange rates, invest aggressively in infrastructure to boost productivity in the economy and ensure an interest rate policy that is investment friendly.

LCCI stated this in a document titled: ‘Economic and Business Review in 2017 and Outlook for 2018’ signed by its director-general, Muda

INDUSTRY Yusuf.

Other enablers suggested include: the alignment of procurement policies at all levels of government to support domestic investment, investment policy that would protect domestic investor and tax policy that is investment friendly.

According to the chamber, current reforms in critical sectors as power, agriculture, solid minerals and oil and gas should be sustained and the executive orders signed in May last year to be fully enforced to improve the way government does business and thereby improve the business

environment.

While reviewing the economy last year, LCCI said it was mixed, noting that the economic downturn of 2016 continued into the early part of 2017. “However, there was an upturn with the resumption of growth in the second quarter of 2017. Though the growth was very marginal at 0.55 per cent, it marked a significant turn of events. The economic outlook since then had remained positive, though the recovery and growth have been fragile. The non-oil sector recovery was somewhat slow because of issues of operating cost, investment climate and productivity faced by economic

players. Indeed, the non-oil sector contracted by 0.8 per cent in the third quarter of this year. However, the trajectory for growth and investors’ confidence remains positive for 2018,� LCCI said.

On foreign exchange market, LCCI acknowledged that CBN’s periodic intervention in the forex market reduced the exchange rate volatility over the last two quarters of 2017. “With the intervention, businesses witnessed improved liquidity of forex and stability of Naira against the dollar. Confidence is gradually returning to Continued on page 22

A tanker carrying Iranian oil and run by the country’s top oil shipping firm was ablaze and spewing cargo into the East China Sea on Sunday after colliding with a Chinese freight ship, leaving the tanker’s 32 crew members missing, the Chinese government said.

Thick clouds of dark smoke could be seen billowing out of the Sanchi tanker, engulfing the vessel as rescue efforts were hampered by bad weather and fire on and around the ship, Mohammad Rastad, Head of Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organisation, told Iranian television.

The Sanchi, run by the country’s top oil shipping operator, collided with the CF Crystal about 160 nautical miles off the coast near Shanghai and the mouth of the Yangtze River Delta on Saturday evening, the Chinese Ministry of Transportation said in a statement.

The Panama-registered tanker was sailing from Iran to South Korea, carrying 136,000 tonnes of condensate, an ultra light crude. That is equivalent to just under 1 million barrels, worth about $60 million, based on global crude oil prices. “Sanchi is floating and burning as of now,� the Chinese ministry said. “There is an oil slick and we are pushing forward with rescue efforts.�

Algeria’s Sonatrach May Invest in Iraq Algerian state energy company Sonatrach will study possible investments in oil exploration and natural gas projects in Iraq, the Iraqi oil ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

The statement cited comments by Iraqi Oil Minister Jabar al-Luaibi and Algerian Energy Minister Mustapha Guitouni, who arrived in Baghdad on Sunday.

The Algerian delegation will hold meetings with Iraqi energy companies “to achieve concrete steps toward sealing a cooperation agreement with Sonatrach�, said Luaibi, mentionning specifically projects to develop Iraq’s gas wealth.

Iraq continues to flare some of the gas extracted alongside crude oil at its fields because it lacks the facilities to process it into fuel for local consumption or exports.

Algeria is a main supplier of gas to Europe, exporting it by pipelines to the continent and also shipping it on tankers after liquefying the gas in special plants.

Guitouni expressed hope of strengthening cooperation in oil exploration and natural gas, the Iraqi ministry statement said.

Iraq is the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ second-largest crude producer behind Saudi Arabia, with output of 4.4 million barrels per day. Fellow OPEC member Algeria has estimated output of 1 million bpd.

“If you say you are going to bring a cargo of fuel and we depend on you; we are going to put a penalty to it if you fail to perform�

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu

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BUSINESSWORLD OIL COMPANIES TO INVEST $37BN IN EXPLORATION IN 2018

Oil Industry Stakeholders List Conditions to End Perennial Fuel Crisis Ejiofor Alike

sector.

With few newcomers, the report stated that the narrow corporate landscape will persist, adding also that operatorship will be more concentrated than ever, with only the majors, a handful of NOCs and the top few independents leading high-impact drilling programmes. “Once again, the majors will be the explorers to watch. Too large to match the retrenchment to US shale of the US independents, they know that conventional exploration will be needed for long-term renewal. The Majors sense a bottom-of-the-cycle opportunity to build acreage at low cost.

Their exploration cuts have been less deep and their overall market share will continue to grow,� Latham explained.

According to the report, the most-favoured plays will be deepwater sweet spots promising high resource density, rapid commercialisation and breakeven prices below $50 per barrel.

LCCI SEEKS REDUCTION IN INTEREST, FOREIGN EXCHANGE RATES

the forex market and we hope that this would be sustained in 2018. However, economic players stated that it was impossible to access the foreign exchange at the official rate of N305 to the dollar. Crude oil prices in the international market and local production levels of crude oil remain the two key variables that would determine the sustainability of the current favorable FOREX regime. “The multiplicity of exchange rates remains a concern because of the implication for transparency and roundtripping in the FOREX market.

It is thus desirable to reduce the multiplicity of rates and the disparities in the rates to further deepen confidence in the market.

LCCI also commended the government on provision of power, it said remains at the heart of ease of doing business in Nigeria.

NEWS

The Petroleum Club, an advocacy group whose members are made up of leaders of the petroleum industry in Nigeria, has listed the conditions to ensure uninterrupted supply of petrol in the country.

In its position paper on the severe shortages of petrol, which the country faced in recent weeks, the oil industry stakeholders traced the primary cause of the problem to the recent rise in crude oil prices.

The club, however, noted that there are a number of structural issues that need to be addressed so that a smooth supply of petroleum products can be sustained throughout the country over the long term.

According to the paper, which was signed by the Chairman of Board of Directors, Mr. Godswill Ihetu, these structural issues include: the level of domestic refinery production, petroleum product distribution infrastructure, the respective roles of NNPC and the private sector in petroleum product importation, and the subsidy regime aimed at achieving a fixed, uniform pump price throughout the country.

On the issue of domestic refining, the group stated that it is clear that private management and operatorship of the refineries is required as well as private investment for repairing, upgrading and, in due course, expanding them. “ If outright sale of the refineries is not desired, there are other models that

can be adopted, which may be acceptable to all stakeholders, particularly if the process of bringing in the private investment is transparent,� the Club said. The Petroleum Club also argued that efficient distribution of petroleum products requires good distribution infrastructure. “An extensive national network of pipelines and depots, as well as import and export terminals was built by NNPC in the 1970s and 1980s (and more recently to serve the Federal

Capital Territory) and several private entities have built their own storage facilities,� it said.

The Petroleum Club, however, noted that many of the NNPC depots have fallen into disrepair, pipelines have been vandalised and some facilities are not operational at all.

According to the group, this has resulted in product distribution across the country becoming much more difficult and expensive. “We are pleased to note that,

as part of the effort to improve product supply, NNPC has done a lot of work at a number of depots and positive results have been achieved. Like the refineries, the product distribution system operates as a department of NNPC and an arrangement acceptable to all the stakeholders needs to be made for private management of the facilities and for the injection of private capital for making them fully functional, with up to date technology for

operation, security surveillance,� the group added.

The Petroleum Club also stated that the recent severe product shortage has resulted in friction between the NNPC and the oil traders that signed the Direct Sale-Direct Purchase (DSDP) contractors, who have been accused of not importing the stipulated amounts of petrol and of importing larger amounts of deregulated products such as diesel, contrary to the provisions of their contracts.

MINING JOINTVENTURE PACT

L-R: Indonesia Ambassador to Nigeria, Harry Purwanto; President/Director of PTTIMAH, Mr. Mochtar Tabrani; Chairman of Topwide Ventures Limited, Senator Annie Okonkwo; Chairman of Solid Minerals Development Fund, Alhaji Uba Saidu Malami; former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu; and Managing Director/CEO of Topwide Ventures Limited, Mr. Tony Okonkwo, after signing a joint venture agreement with Indonesia’s largest state mining company PTTIMAH in Abuja‌recently

African Countries Advised to Adopt Intelligent Traffic Systems African countries have been advised to adopt intelligent and integrated traffic systems so as to unleash their full potential. Vice President for Mobility at Siemens Africa, Mr. Kevin Pallay gave the advice in an article made available to THISDAY. According to him, intelligent mobility involves the electrification, automation and digitalisation of existing transport infrastructure, and gives every citizen access to safe, reliable and efficient modes of transport.

Pallay said the need and demand for intelligent mobility in Africa has never been greater as World Economic Forum competitiveness data revealed that only three African countries feature in

the top 50 globally for quality of roads, quality of rail and quality of ports infrastructure respectively.

He said: “World Bank data also indicates that the Sub-Saharan African railway network has declined to 59,634km, down from 65,661km in 1980 with only about 70 per cent of the railway network in operational state. Many African cities have traffic infrastructure plagued by unreliable power supply. To the frustration of motorists, timing of traffic lights stays the same regardless of actual conditions, and many are faulty and take weeks to repair. This means that the road infrastructure can’t handle peak traffic, not because of technology but because of the

lack of proper technological investment. The challenge is partly that these traffic systems have grown in an uncoordinated way, with lots of different suppliers and systems cobbled together. Speeding and traffic light violations are a problem, and there is limited technology deployed to support effective traffic law enforcement.�

He therefore said that the adoption of intelligent traffic systems (ITS) will keep Africa’s busiest cities as fast-moving investment destinations. “ITS includes deployment of smart sensor systems with intelligent algorithms to automatically adapt to improve traffic flow. Two-way communication can be enabled

by running fibre between traffic junctions and a central control centre to gather information from intelligent networked systems, sensors and cameras at every junction. This allows traffic lights to be adjusted according to demand,� he said.

He explained that as part of the integrated solution, motorists and commuters will be informed about travel times, weather conditions and traffic jams on radio or online. “With all traffic management systems automated and digitalized, technology like automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras can be utilised to efficiently enforce traffic rules. Average speed over distance (ASOD) technology captures the time

when a specific vehicle enters and exits the ASOD zone. The journey time is compared against the distance travelled and authorities are automatically notified if the prescribed speed limit was exceeded. This improves the safety of drivers, passengers and pedestrians.

It also minimises the risk of corruption, while promoting best practice among traffic enforcement officers who are exposed to a new skillset when trained in operating these new systems,� Pallay said.

He explained that another effective means of reducing congestion on overburdened and under maintained roads in Africa is through greater investment in upgrading passenger rail networks.

STOAN: Gridlock Will Reduce in January, Cause of Problem Remains Group Business Editor

Chika Amanze-Nwachuku AgriBusiness/Industry Editor

Jonathan Eze

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) Linda Eroke (Labour) Eromosele Abiodun (Maritime) Ejiofor Alike (Energy) James Emejo (Nation’s Capital) Obinna Chima (Money Mkt) Chineme Okafor (Energy) Reporters

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (Cap Mkt)

The Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) has said it expects the Apapa gridlock to reduce before the end of January 2018 as a result of decline in importation activities.

Chairman of STOAN, Vicky Haastrup, in a statement , said the reduction of the gridlock is not because any significant measure has been taken to address the cause of the problem, but due to an anticipated drop in importation.

She said: “The last quarter of every year usually marks the peak of importation activities at the port. Now that the 2017 importation peak season is over,

the number of trucks coming to the port is expected to reduce thereby providing temporary relief to road users.�

She said the situation, however, means less cargo and less volume for the port especially in the first quarter of 2018.

Haastrup said the off-peak period provides opportunity for the Federal and Lagos State governments to address the root cause of the gridlock.

She said: “The reasons for the gridlock are along two major lines. One is that there is a proliferation of petroleum tankers due to the preponderance of fuel tank farms and

petroleum deports in the Apapa community. This is an anomaly, which should urgently be corrected by the Federal Government. The correction is to facilitate the distribution of petroleum products through pipelines, and not using trucks.

Also, once government can get the refineries working, there will no longer be need for tank farms in Apapa, which attract these trucks. “The other reasons for the gridlock are the dilapidated state of roads leading into and out of Apapa as well as the absence of truck parks. “Government can address these by taking advantage of

the off-peak season to intensify road rehabilitation works and make relevant provision for truck holding bays before the next cycle of high level activities sets in. “There is also an opportunity to begin implementation of the much touted truck call up system to ensure that only trucks that have business to do at the port are granted access into Apapa.�

She urged the federal government to review its tariff policy on some imported items including vehicles, rice and fish to reduce smuggling.

The STOAN chairman also said that the nation’s seaports have been positioned to sup-

port the federal government’s economic diversification and export drive.

According to her, “Terminal operators across the various ports have made substantial investments in the capital development of their various areas of operations. We have carried out major investments in terminal upgrades, acquisition of modern cargo handling equipment and training of port workers. All of these were done with the view of supporting government’s economic aspirations for the country, including the drive to diversify the nation’s economic base and promote non-oil export.�

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ENERGY

The Threat to $16bn Egina Project Having positioned Nigeria as a regional hub for fabrication and integration of floating production storage and offloading facilities in Africa, the $16 billion Egina project does not deserve the recent threat by the Nigerian Ports Authority, as it could send the wrong signal that Nigeria is not the preferred destination for investments, writes Ejiofor Alike There is no doubt that Nigeria’s oil and gas industry has suffered dearth of investments for the past 10 years following the failure of the federal government to conclude the reform aimed at establishing a new set of rules that will govern the sector.

With the non-passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), the country’s oil and gas sector is afflicted with a protracted reform, which created uncertainty in the operating environment, and scared investors, especially foreign ones.

The lack of clarity of terms in the operating environment forced many investors to abandon the country and move to other countries where the operating environment is predictable. This development led to loss of investment.

Despite the efforts made by the successive administrations to woo investors, only pockets of projects have been sanctioned since the past 10 years while major projects have either been deferred or cancelled.

According to the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), about $10 billion worth of investment is stalled as a result of the non-passage of the PIB. Also during his ministerial screening by the Senate, the then Group Managing Director of NNPC and now Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu,made a mind boggling revelation that Nigeria was losing $15 billion yearly due to non-passage of the reform bill.

Since he assumed office, President Muhammadu Buhari has travelled round the world to solicit for investments but apart from signing MoUs, foreign investors have not actually launched major investments in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector as most of the multi-billion projects have remained on the drawing board.

With the uncertainty in the oil and gas sector, only very few investors have takenthe risk to stake billions of dollars on investments in the sector as a result of their belief in the long term opportunities in the country.

The Egina deepwater oil field being developed at the cost of $16 billion by the French oil major, Total, is the biggest project in Nigeria’s oil and gas industrysanctioned in the face of the uncertainty in the industry.

While the other international oil companies (IOCs) have put their major investments on hold, pending the passage of the PIB, which will define new fiscal terms for the industry, Total has staked $16 billion to add 200,000 barrels per day of crude oil to Nigeria’s current daily production.

Located at the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 130 offshore, the 200,000 barrels –per-day capacity Egina deepwater field, is being developed by Total Upstream Nigeria Limited (TUPNL).

The capital expenditure (Capex) for the six packages in the oilfield development is $16 billion, and $3.3 billion of this amount is earmarked for building the Floating Production Storage Offshore vessel (FPSO) vessel.

Egina FPSO A major component of the Egina oil field is the FPSO being built by Samsung Heavy Industries Company Limited (SHI) of Korea at a cost of $3.3 billion.

Total awarded the contract to SHI in 2014 after the Korean firm emerged the winner, following a rigorous tendering process.

The Egina FPSO is not the first FPSO to be deployed in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry but the uniqueness of the Egina FPSO lies in the fact that apart from being the largest FPSO in Nigeria, it will also be the first FPSO to be integrated locally in Nigeria, and indeed, Africa.

This is also the first time in the history of the industry that fabrication of FPSO modules will be carried out in-country.

On October 31, 2017, the FPSO left the quay side at Samsung Yard in Geoje, South Korea, on its long anticipated journey to Nigeria.

When it arrives at the SHI-MCI FZE quayside (Samsung Yard) in Lagos after about 90 days’ journey, it will be integrated locally before it sails away to the deep offshore oil field.

Egina FPSO sailing away from South Korea to Nigeria on October 31, 2017

Indeed, the Egina oil field has scored first on many fronts.

For instance, in the area of engineering and management, the Project Management Team (PMT) and all the main contractors’ PMT offices are based in Nigeria, with 94 per cent of basic engineering executed in Lagos by Nigerian companies.

Also detailed engineering was done in-country with a consortium of three Nigerian companies with 85 per cent of engineering man-hours expended in Nigeria.

Again, in the area of fabrication and integration, SHI has also set a new record in Nigerian content development, having locally fabricated six modules or about 60,000 tonnes of the equipment out of the 18 modules, representing over 30 per cent of the main packages of the project.

NPA’s recent threat that it might not allow the Egina FPSO that is due to arrive this January to access the Nigerian waterways due to “the refusal of the parties involved in the project to request for towage and pilotage service as required by law,� will only scare other potential investors and worsen Nigeria’s position in the Ease of Doing Business ranking

The six FPSO topside modules for Egina FPSO were fabricated in-country across fabrication yards and will be integrated into the main FPSO when the FPSO arrives at the Samsung Yard in Lagos, the first of its kind to be berthed at quayside in Nigeria.

It should also be noted that SHI has invested $300 million in the SHI-MCI yard.

Apart from the fact that the Egina field has the largest FPSO in Nigeria, its FPSO will also be the first to be fabricated and integrated locally in Nigeria, and indeed, Africa.

The assembly of the integrated control and safety system of the FPSO will also be fully performed in-country.

Another first scored by Egina is that it is likely that Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will be the first Nigerian leaders to board an FPSO that is integrated locally in Nigeria before it sails away to the oil field located offshore.

A recent threat by NPA It is noteworthy that Total, SHI and the other Egina partners achieved this feat on the Egina project despite the high level of insecurity, long contracting cycle, lack of respect for sanctity of contracts, inconsistency of policies, overregulation and bureaucracy, which have made Nigeria a high risk environment for the oil and gas industry.

NPA’s recent threat that it might not allow the Egina FPSO that is due to arrive this January to access the Nigerian waterways due to “the refusal of the parties involved in the project to request for towage and pilotage service as required by law,� will only scare other potential investors and worsen Nigeria’s position in the Ease of Doing Business ranking.

Having positioned Nigeria as a hub for FPSO fabrication and integration in Africa with its attendant massive inflow of investments that will benefit the NPA and the Nigerian economy, the Egina FPSO does not deserve the kind of threat, according to analysts.

NPA’s General Manager in charge of Corporate and Strategic Communications, Abdullahi Goje was quoted as saying that the refusal of the parties involved in the Egina project to request for towage and pilotage service from the NPA, being the only organisation empowered to provide same in the country, is contrary to the laws of the country and would be resisted.

Goje added that notice has already been given to promoters of the FPSO to the effect

that the vessel would not be granted access to Nigeria’s waterways.

He added that the NPA would pursue legal remedies in its determination to ensure that no organisation impedes on the mandate of the NPA as provided in Part II of the Port Act. Oil and gas industry stakeholders believe it is very important for agencies of the government to defend their mandates and the laws of the country.

Government agencies should ensure that foreign investors operating in Nigeria comply with the country’s laws just the same way they obey the laws of their home countries.

However, the interest of the Nigerian people and the country’s economy should be the motivating factor behind the implementation of the laws and not the desire of an agency to demonstrate its relevance and wield its statutory powers.

Rather than issuing a threat against a project that has enhanced Nigeria’s position as a global player in the world energy dynamics, the NPA should collaborate with NCDMB and other relevant government agencies to provide waivers and other concessions that will not only encourage SHI, Total and LADOL but also serve as a bait to woo other investors.

The Egina FPSO has sailed away from South Korea to Nigeria, where it will be integrated locally and this is the first time it will happen in Nigeria and indeed, Africa.

When the FPSO is integrated in Samsung Yard and Nigeria becomes a hub for FPSO integration in Africa, the Nigerian people, the economy and the NPA will be the greatest beneficiaries.

So, a threat to deny the FPSO access to the Nigerian waterways is not in the interest of Nigeria.

Blocking the FPSO’s access to Nigerian waterways will be a sad reminder of the NIMASA-NLNG saga, where NIMASA resorted to self-help and blocked NLNG vessels, an action for which the court has delivered judgment against NIMASA. Being the first time such project will be sanctioned in Nigeria and Africa, the local integration of Egina FPSO deserves waivers, concessions and incentives so as to provide assurances and guarantees to foreign investors that Nigeria is a preferred destination for investments.

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INTERVIEW

Rafsanjani: Implementation of Economic Plan will Boost the Economy The Executive Director of Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani spoke with select journalists, saying if the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan is religiously implemented it will resuscitate the economy. Jonathan Eze brings the excerpts: of jobs, reverberates in London and Paris and Washington and Berlin.

It is no longer an isolated issue because it affects the global dynamics. And we need to advise ourselves that the whole issue of youth today is all linked with the gross instability, the gross inequalities between the urban and rural space.

What is your position on the federal government’s economic recovery and growth plan?

I commend the federal government for releasing the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), which should provide some degree of policy certainty to domestic and foreign stakeholders on the policy direction of the Nigerian government for our economy.

I appreciate the fact that the ERGP was produced through a process that involved consultations with the private sector and hope such consultative posture would be sustained. I share in the broad principles behind the plan – tackling constraints to growth, particularly fuel, power, unfriendly regulations, and foreign currency; leveraging the power of the private sector, promoting national cohesion and social inclusion and allowing markets to work. I also support some specific initiatives and targets stated in the document including the desire to increase oil production to 2.5million barrels per day by 2020; privatisation of specific enterprises and assets; reducing petrol importation by 60 per cent; building a globally competitive economy; and improving infrastructure and the overall business environment. I urge government to ensure a focused, concerted and effective implementation of all the actions and initiatives contained in the ERGP so that the benefits may quickly accrue to the economy, businesses and citizens, and the nation as a whole.

What are the immediate measures the government can take to instill business confidence among Nigerian manufacturers?

I think that government should address the infrastructural challenges facing the nation’s manufacturing sector so that all of us can operate at the same level in this country, which will enhance investment drive. Those challenges need to be addressed squarely to move the industry forward, rather than, the diversification programme of the federal government. Today, we know that power supply in this country is nothing to write home about. So, there is need for government to do something in that area to ensure that there is adequate power supply in the country. We cannot move our goods from one part of the country to the others specifically, the heavy ones via road transport. We need to develop a robust rail transport network in the country. Even though, the rail networks we have in this country currently are not well-maintained as they need to be maintained properly. A situation whereby average interest rate in this country hovers around 23 per cent is not acceptable. It does not support manufacturing or investment growth. So, we believe that there is need for government to do something in trying to bring the interest rate regime down to three or five per cent as it is obtained in other clime. Until that is done, the whole programme of diversification of the economy will not work. We think something needs to do something on the multiple taxation issue in the system too. I think government should address that area as there is need to harmonise all the taxes. This was started in 2012-2013, but the gazette is yet to come out. This administration should dust up that recommendation and do something about it.

Given the current economic conditions and the inseparable link between investment and risk, is this a good time to invest?

Absolutely. Institutions and individuals in Nigeria are going through some of the most difficult economic times on record and more than ever need to create buffers to enable them weather the storm. Some of the quick actions to take include cutting excesses, reducing debt and saving more amongst a number of other useful measures. Spending less and saving more is a simple step towards sustainability

Do you think agriculture alone can transform the economy of this country?

Agriculture is a base. Once you start processing agric product, it is no longer agriculture, it is manufacturing, so it is a question of agriculture is one of the basic things because you can export agric produce totally on processed ones. It is good enough, but agriculture would provide the basic for all other things to follow.

Rafsanjani and preparing for the unexpected such as rising prices, job losses, or having to support more family members or others in need. Also, asset prices during downturns and recessions tend to be much more compelling than during boom periods so those that have the discipline to save, end up making some of the best investments over time.

Should government completely divest from ventures and leave every economic activity

ERGP was produced through a process that involved consultations with the private sector and hope such consultative posture would be sustained.

I share in the broad principles behind the plan – tackling constraints to growth, particularly fuel, power, unfriendly regulations, and foreign currency

to private sector operators?

That sounds good, but at our level of development and poor capital capacity per capita, there is still a role for government in mentoring economic activities and setting up cluster economic zones. India, China, Malaysia, Brazil and even United Kingdom and others continue to have some state enterprises as take-off points, examples and models to be replicated by the private sector. No doubt, government should create a fair regulatory regime, set standards, operating as an incentive to investors and operators. Government can help with insurance schemes, crop storage facilities located strategically for preservation; develop local and international market through bilateral networks. The West African and larger African market is still not fully tapped into by Nigeria. These are the things that both local and State Governments must be challenged to come back into. They must think seriously about development. Nigerians must go back to agriculture and diversify the economy Talking about youth migration and jobs, is this something that you feel the Nigerian Government and other world leaders have understood that by transforming these rural spaces they can create jobs?

I will say leaders of today, the Nigerian Government and other world leaders are beginning to understand it. Why are they beginning to understand it? It is because they can now see the massive impact of rural migration.

And this can be generated or caused by the impact of climate change, extreme droughts that devastate their farms, their livelihoods and they have no other choice than to migrate into the urban cities.

This can be because there are political events that cause migration of the rural people. I always say that what happens in Nigeria today, when most of the talented youths travel to Europe and other parts of the world for greener pastures because of lack

The minister of agriculture has presented the ‘Green Alternative’ a roadmap for the agricultural sector to the Federal Executive Council, how can the policy be realised and do you see government working the talk?

There has never been a shortage of good intentions in this country. If you know the amount of studies that are available in this country, you will be amazed, but the question is implementation. So, if the minister gives a roadmap what, are the implementation criteria, where does he involve the private sector to buy into government programmes because the government does not make money? Where the government tries to run any business, it would be a disaster because there is no profit motive, so when they have such projects in other countries in the world, they will be talking to the bodies particularly private bodies, organised private sector to work with government to see how we can help them implement it.

Tell us how global campaign on food security can be achievable in the world?

Hunger is a complex problem, exacerbated by financial pressures, volatile commodity prices, natural disasters, and civil wars. But, we could take an enormous step towards winning the global campaign against malnutrition, simply by investing in improved infrastructure and in agricultural research and development.

This is because one-quarter of all the food in the world is lost each year, owing to inefficient harvesting, inadequate storage, and wastage in the kitchen. Halve that waste, and the world could feed an extra billion people and make hunger yesterday’s problem. The extent of food loss is particularly galling in view of a new global study on food security from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation.

According to the FAO, 57 developing countries have failed to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of halving the proportion of hungry people by this year. One in every nine people on the planet – 795 million in all – still goes to sleep hungry.

Of course, there has also been remarkable progress. Over the last 25 years, the world has fed an extra two billion people, and – for all the 57 failures – the developing world as a whole has almost halved its hunger rate.

But, the challenge is to sustain the progress: by 2050, demand for food will have nearly doubled. One reason is that by then the world will have added another two billion mouths to feed; a second reason will be the growing appetite of a surging new middle class. At the moment, the United Nations (UN) is considering 169 new development targets to succeed the Millennium Development Goals (hunger is one target area, among many). These targets are vitally important, because they will determine how more than $2.5 trillion in development money is spent on everything from climate change to malaria.

25

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍˇËœ Í°ÍŽÍŻÍś

Imperatives of Inter-agency Collaboration Jonathan Eze writes on why the federal government should intervene in the inter-agency crisis between the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council and the need for collaboration and synergy towards achieving the diversification agenda Before the multi-billion naira laboratory of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) was inaugurated some years ago, Nigeria had to depend on neighbouring country, Ghana to export products to the world. This was because the country’s products faced rejection in international market with statistics showing that Nigeria recorded the highest number of rejects in the global market when compared with other countries in the African continent.

And since the internationally certified laboratory was established, non-oil exports have received a major boost as products after being tested and certified by the SON were no longer subjected to any kind of testing anywhere in the world.

A former Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Segun Aganga, once described the laboratory as an integral part of the national quality infrastructure which the federal government had built for the country through SON. This state-of-the-art laboratory made it easy for the agency to carry out quality test on the different sub-standard products that finds its way to the country and such is conducted without delay and according to international standards.

Now, this multi-purpose laboratory is being threatened with the seemingly cold war between (SON) and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) over the Lekki building hosting the laboratory.

And over 400 staff of the agency, which is one parastatals of the federal government that had championed the ‘patronise Made in Nigeria Campaign’, effectively keyed into the current administration’s Ease of Doing Business mantra, boosted confidence in Nigerian-made products, as well initiated policies backing the government’s job-creation agenda through the avenue of agriculture revolution.

Under the leadership of Mr. Osita Aboloma, the Director-General of the agency, SON has witnessed a monumental turn-around not only in saving the country from the attendant damages associated with sub-standard products but had gone miles away in sensitising the public on the need to beware of these harmful products and to report cases of factories or warehouses where such products are being kept or produced.

The result of the agency’s dynamic approach is the almost weekly sealing of warehouses with such harmful products and confistication of such until they are publicly destroyed.

However, these achievements, are now under threat following the simmering contest over the Lagos building, hence an urgent reason why the federal government should intervene to save the situation.

THISDAY gathered that RMRDC is threatening to eject the SON from the Lekki office, despite a gentleman’s agreement of several years, bothering on mutual swap of officially allocated premises on the one hand, as well as the grievous harm this will do to the Federal Government of Nigeria ‘s products testing scheme managed by the SON. The premises in question was allegedly being developed by the RMRDC about the time of the relocation of the federal government seat to Abuja, but eventually left unused for about 18 years. It was, however, re-allocated to SON sometime in 2000 by the office of the Head of Service of the Federation, and the agency carried out a massive renovation of the entire structure to make it habitable.

SON had since year 2000 been responsible for its overall maintenance including the provision of electricity and water to a floor occupied by RMRDC. Not only did it relocate its Headquarters from the then Federal Secretariat Complex, Ikoyi to the Lekki Phase 1 building, it has invested so much in constructing tnrer additional structures accommodating many of its Laboratories including two internationally accredited food technology and chemical testing laboratories in furtherance of the economic diversification agenda.

The mycotoxin and food fortificant labora-

The contentious building housing SON’S laboratory tories are located in the premises while it also accommodates one of SON three State offices in Lagos State in view of the concentration of manufacturing and seaports in the state.

The fact that the SON is key to providing requisite standards and acceptable certifications for non-oil products towards self-sufficiency, exports and increased foreign exchange earnings, is not in question.

THISDAY gathered that RMRDC uses just one of the five flours with less than 15 staff, as against the SON’s over 400 staff and internationally accredited agencies carrying out the latter’s off-shore Conformity Assessment Programmes for imported products worldwide.

The menace of substandard products is a great threat to the security of the Nation and the safety and wellbeing of its people.

The fact that the SON is key to providing requisite standards and acceptable certiďŹ cations for nonoil products towards self-sufďŹ ciency, exports and increased foreign exchange earnings, is not in question

Given the obvious fact that the building has more utility value for the SON, which is championing the fight against substandard products, it is expected that SON should be allowed to continue the usage of the building and facilities in question especially when one recalls that the “Ship House� in Abuja as it is popularly called was built by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) but it is today occupied by the Federal Ministry of Defence.

In the case between the SON and the RMRDC, there are also indications that the earlier mentioned swap involved the latter taking over a building allocated to the former in Abuja in exchange for the one in Lekki, which made it keep mum all this while.But the question industrialists are asking are that with the feat already recorded by SON with the development of requisite capacity to test food and agricultural produce for international acceptance through the accreditation of its Laboratories by SON, should Nigeria throw this away on the altar of unfounded rivalry or whatever other factor.

Will Nigeria’s economic interest be served positively if the RMRDC succeeds in ejecting SON from the premises in Lagos that accommodates its operational Headquarters, internationally accredited Laboratories and the international accredited firms (IAFs) operating its off-shore conformity assessment programme for imported products?

These and more are the many questions begging for answer even as the agency hopes for quick intervention from higher quarters before more harm is done to the nation’s economy.

The SON should be encouraged to fight sub- standard products. There must be a synergy between the two sister agencies. The public too should play its part in reporting saboteurs to the agency and according to Aboloma in a recent event, he urged the citizens to volunteer information that can lead to the arrest of importers and promoters of substandard products in the country.

According to him, the job of preventing substandard products is not an easy one, but something that requires consistency and concerted efforts to tackle. “This is why I implore Nigerians that if you see something, say something; at the end of the day, we must get it right as a nation,� Aboloma said.

Among the agency’s many achievements was the launch of the Product Authentication Mark (PAM) which is intended to raise the patronage of made-in-Nigeria products and boost the country’s economic diversification drive from oil to non-oil sector and check substandard products.

The PAM is a mark of quality fixed on all finished products to demonstrate their conformity to approved standards. It is issued as a sticker with security features and QR code which can be scanned by a smart phone. It is applied on each product to ensure traceability and tracking of imported and local products.

Aboloma said PAM would reduce counterfeiting of products which had become a clog in the wheel of the progress of local manufacturers, adding that it was one of the federal government’s initiatives targeted at improving the business “We started it because counterfeiting is an age-long menace that has burdened us, leading to the influx of substandard goods in Nigeria. It also makes it difficult for local manufacturers to be competitive,� he said. “It is our opportunity to deploy technology and authenticate products shipped into the Nigerian market,� he said. Certain items such as food products, drugs, and machineries of manufacturers, among others, are exempted from PAM, which will tentatively take effect on February 1, 2018.

With the many programmes lined up by SON in the New Year, the federal government should adequately support the agency to deliver adequately on its mandate especially of riding the country of sub -standard products.

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

09.01.2018

JUSTICE SECTOR: LOOKING AHEAD IN 2018

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen

Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris

Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN

President Muhammadu Buhari

Controller General of Nigerian Prison Service, Ja'afaru Ahmed

2/DASHBOARD

09.01.2018

Requirement of Fair Hearing Even Before a Quasi-Judicial Panel PAGE 4

Buhari Praises NBA for Intervening in North East, Niger Delta PAGE 5

Lagos Judiciary Staff Swears Oath of Secrecy, Allegiance PAGE 5

Lawyer Dispels Financial Impropriety Allegation Against Former Lagos CJ, Atilade

QUOTABLES ‘Frankly speaking, the EFCC Act does not require any amendment in the fight against corruption. What is required is the political will and coordination on the part of the anti-corruption agencies and the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation; no more, no less.’

– Femi Falana, SAN, Human Rights Activist

‘Where we are today, is because of corruption....After previous administrations spent billions of Dollars on power, all we inherited when we took over on the 29th of May, 2015, was a mere 2,690 mega watts of power. That was due to corruption. After previous governments budgeted billions of Naira for roads over the years, what we inherited are death traps....Why did Boko Haram thrive for so long? The answer is corruption, because money meant for the purchase of weapons for the military, were simply diverted....For a country that sold oil at over $100 per barrel for years, we simply failed to save for a rainy day, and when the rain came, it beat us silly!’

– Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Lawyer, Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Federal Republic of Nigeria

PAGE 5

Court Voids NHRC Report Indicting Osunbor for Electoral Offences PAGE 6

‘Law is Like Wine, it Gets Better With Age’ PAGE 6

COLUMNIST ABUBAKAR D. SANI Abubakar D. Sani holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Maiduguri, and has been in active private legal practice since he was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987.He is the Principal of Abubakar D. Sani & Co., which has offices in Abuja and Kano. " INSIGHT" aims to unravel, analyse and proffer solutions to numerous anomalies in Nigerian law and practice, particularly statutes, vis-a-vis the Constitution, International Treaties and Conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory, Judicial Precedent and other relevant statutes and issues.

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE EDITOR JUDE IGBANOI DEPUTY EDITOR AKINWALE AKINTUNDE REPORTER TUNDE BUSARI GROUP HEAD OCHI OGBUAKU II ART DIRECTOR

/3

President Buhari’s New Year Message and Failed Promises

I

Rail System listened intently to the New Year’s Day Address of His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari (fondly called PMB or Baba), President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I was happy, because Baba touched on a lot of pertinent issues.

Baba honestly admitted that Nigeria has a huge infrastructural deficit, which requires attention. He revealed Government’s plans for extensive roadworks and the rail system, and gave some deadlines for delivery of some of the railway projects. Recently, I had a chat with the Managing Director of a Commercial Bank and a Financial Guru, and they both explained to me that the importance of a functioning and efficient rail system in Nigeria, cannot be underestimated, especially if we want our agricultural objectives to succeed, as rail is the fastest and cheapest way to move produce from Point A to Point B. With a lot of bad and unmotorable roads, especially in the rural areas where the agricultural produce emanate from, Farmers are constantly complaining about how expensive it is to move their produce to town, and how they become mostly overripe and spoilt before they reach their destinations. Having a ‘sure banker’ way of moving produce around the country, will be a plus for Nigeria, as it will not only help to reduce the cost of food stuff for the people, increase employment but also boost the export of our farm produce.

Of course, a pessimistic friend of mine asked me what type of rail system Nigeria was building, to which I replied that I did not know. He then pointed out that, rail is intertwined with power supply and diesel supply, both of which the country is still struggling to supply. I did my research and discovered that electric trains are more energy and cost efficient, and in this age of ‘cry against global warming and environmental pollution’, trains powered by electricity, also have lower emissions. But where is the electricity supply to power the trains all over Nigeria, when majority of Nigerians still do not have electricity in their homes? There needs to be an all-encompassing policy, also linking electricity generation with a successful rail system.

Power Supply Baba in his Address, admitted that “power remains a concern”. He stated that as at December 2017, 7,000 mega watts of electricity was generated and as of December 8, 2017, 5,155 mega watts of electricity was delivered to consumers, the highest amount that has ever been achieved. Unfortunately, there was a systems collapse/national grid shutdown due to a fire outbreak, resulting in Nigerians experiencing several days of ‘blackouts’ last week. After giving Nigerians fuel shortage as their 2017 Christmas present, we got ‘blackout’ as our New Year’s gift. Whoever is to blame or not to blame, I wonder how much more suffering Nigerians are expected to bear.

or Lake (Lagos-Kebbi) Rice. Baba announced that rice importation will stop in 2018. This is probably a good thing, if Government is sure that local production can meet demand. This will certainly create more jobs for Nigerians especially in the rural areas, and help to boost the economy. Honourable Minister of Agriculture, I implore you to kindly ensure that Nigerians have enough rice to eat, before they start to export. We do not want a repeat of the ‘Yam Affair’.

Restructuring The shocker that Baba gave us, was what he said about Restructuring, something to the effect that it isn’t really the case before the court right now, as there are other pressing matters that affect us, like the size and cost of governance. But was the promise of devolution of powers/restructuring, not one of the cardinal points of APC’s Manifesto and Campaign Promises Agenda? So, why did they decide to put it on the back burner, to purportedly face other issues which we already knew also existed and had to be tackled? Don’t they all go hand in hand?

Can they not be handled simultaneously?

Did APC make false campaign promises that they did not intend to keep, simply to win the election? Funny enough, I watched an interview of the Chairman of the APC, Chief John Oyegun, where he said almost the same thing as Baba on the issue of Restructuring.

Security Baba went on to say that “let me assure my fellow citizens, the security of life and property is still top of our Government’s agenda. We have since beaten Boko Haram.

Isolated attacks still occur.....Our Government is really determined to protect all Nigerians in line with our election pledge and promises”.

So why the need for $1 billion to fight those that have already been defeated? Possibly because, in actual fact, they may not have been defeated?

Baba talked about kidnapping, but I was shocked that he failed to mention or give any credence in his Address, to the growing menace of the Fulani Herdsmen (or whoever it is that is attacking the people of Benue State), their violence, cruelty, criminality and murderous rampages. Government needs to treat this matter with the gravity that it demands. Why was it so easy to proscribe IPOB, which did not have a reputation for violence, calling it a ‘Terrorist Organisation’, meanwhile suspected Miyetti Allah people/ Herdsmen who stand accused of unleashing violence all over the place, are left by the authorities to continue their killing spree? The

Fuel Crisis Regarding the fuel crisis, Baba blamed it on those he referred to as ‘saboteurs’ (which may very well be so), but he did not address the fact that there’s just something amiss with the fuel importation system in Nigeria. There are several versions of what is responsible for the present fuel crisis which started early December 2017 - which I do not care to regurgitate, but could there be wisdom in the words of Learned Senior Advocate Festus Keyamo, who said in a television interview that “the NNPC are not telling Nigerians the truth”? Now, the Minister of State of Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu has been quoted in the newspapers as saying that the fuel crisis may linger till 2019. So, if there is lack of electricity and fuel (diesel), pray tell, how will the rail system work?

Rice For those who love Basmati Rice (like my husband) or Uncle Ben’s (like my sister-in-law, Sope), you had better start loving Ofada Rice

President Muhammadu Buhari

last vicious outing in Benue State, brought tears to my eyes, when I saw some photos that went round social media, of helpless women including a heavily pregnant woman, slaughtered like their cattle. It seems that the issue of security has been politicised.

If not, why the absolute silence on Herdsmen? Yes, they have the right to graze their cattle, but in accordance with the laws of the land. No, they do not have the right to continue to senselessly maim and kill innocent people in Benue State and all over the place, destroying their farmlands, in the name of open grazing. Miyetti Allah and their Herdsmen, should march to Abuja, to Aso Rock and the National Assembly, to air their grievances (which I cannot deny the legitimacy of - they do require grazing land), instead of being so vicious.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended in 2010)(the Constitution), which provides thus: “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”, is contained in Chapter 2 of the Constitution which is not justiciable.

So, as impressive and important as this provision sounds, it is little more than decoration. About 50 people were said to have been killed in this New Year attack in Benue State. 16 people were gunned down in Rivers State, on their way back from Church on New Year’s Eve, while a Paramount Ruler was killed in Kaduna State.

I choose to believe that, we are bound by the provisions of the Constitution, justiciable or not. Government should step up to its responsibilities, in this regard. There should be no ‘sacred cows’.

I watched the interview of a Youth Leader in Benue State. She said that the Federal Government has been silent on the Herdsmen issue, and they do not know Government’s stand on it. She said it was so bad in their State, that you really cannot go to bed at night with two eyes closed, for fear of being attacked, killed and looted by these Herdsmen. Yet Baba did not deem it fit to even mention the topic! It is a matter that is too important to ignore. It is a matter that is gaining rising importance, and if something is not done to curb it, we may have another Boko Haram issue on our hands.

Baba commented that Government’s clean up program in conjunction with the United Nations in the Niger Delta, is making satisfactory progress. I thought to myself that it was indeed good news, until I saw people from Ogoniland being shown on television, protesting that Government had

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE

THE ADVOCATE onikepo.braithwaite@thisdaylive.com onikepob@yahoo.com

“WHY WAS IT SO EASY TO PROSCRIBE IPOB, WHICH DID NOT HAVE A REPUTATION FOR VIOLENCE, CALLING IT A ‘TERRORIST ORGANISATION’, MEANWHILE SUSPECTED MIYETTI ALLAH PEOPLE/ HERDSMEN WHO STAND ACCUSED OF UNLEASHING VIOLENCE ALL OVER THE PLACE, ARE LEFT BY THE AUTHORITIES TO CONTINUE THEIR KILLING SPREE?” not commenced the clean up in their place!

Promises Nigerians are just about tired of empty promises being made by successive governments. APC too, has joined them, with its shifting of the goal post and constant making of excuses. It is time to ‘walk the talk’. We are tired of Committees being set up on any and every issue that arises, every little thing, all to no avail. From Baba’s Address, it is obvious that Government has its work cut out already.

I heard someone say that for the 2019 elections, he doesn’t want APC or PDP to win.

Having just returned from Dubai where he spent Christmas with his family, and seeing the sights and the level of development that has taken place there since they discovered oil in 1966 or so, he is campaigning for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, VicePresident and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, to come and run for the Presidency here! We all know that this is not possible, but all these people are available to share their wealth of knowledge and experience with us, if we are oblivious of the proper steps to take.

However good Baba’s intentions are (and I do know that he is somewhat compassionate and does have good intentions for Nigeria), they are simply not enough to turn the country around. Intentions must be backed with good, coherent, cohesive, effective plans, that must be properly executed. In the words of General Raji Rasaki (Rtd), “acson, acson la fe” (we want action, action).

Towards the end of his address, Baba stated that “we all have a collective responsibility to strengthen our democracy and entrench the rule of law” - Kwarai! (Exactly). I concur with Baba. Let us start with Government obeying court orders, and releasing those whom the courts have granted bail, but still remain in custody.

4/LAW REPORT

09.01.2018

Requirement of Fair Hearing Even Before a Quasi-Judicial Panel

T Facts

he Respondent joined the employment of the 1st and 2nd Appellants in 2001, where she rose to the post of Region Human Resources Manager on annual salary of N17,368.468. She was summarily dismissed on an alleged gross misconduct, bordering on breach of the code of business conduct for submitting non-business related expenses for reimbursement and for disclosing official confidential information to an outsider, her husband. The Respondent made her representations before the audit-panel, after which the panel forwarded its findings to the Ethics and Compliance Committee (ECC) of the 1st and 2nd Appellants. The ECC relied on the audit report to recommend the Respondent’s dismissal, by which she was summarily dismissed. The Respondent subsequently made two appeals, with additional representation for review of the dismissal; however, the ECC after considering same found no basis to review the dismissal.

Unhappy, the Respondent filed an action at the trial Court where she successfully challenged her dismissal, on the ground that she had no knowledge of any specific allegation made against her, until she was summarily dismissed. Aggrieved by the judgement of the trial Court, the Appellants filed this appeal challenging the decision.

Issues for Determination The issues for determination were: (1) Whether the Court below was right to have refused to attach probative value to Document-15 – the audit report in respect of the transaction; (2) Whether fair hearing covers the investigation of an Administrative Panel/Tribunal; and (3) Whether the acceptance of payment of terminal benefits, did not preclude the Respondent from challenging the determination.

Arguments The Appellant contended even though Document-15 was not signed by its maker, it did not warrant the trial Court to reject it in evidence, as it was an internal memorandum bearing the names and designation of the two persons that authored it. On the second issue, it was argued that the fair hearing provision in Section 36(1) of the Constitution, does not cover investigation of Administrative Panel, adding that by the Respondent’s acceptance of payment of the terminal benefits, she was precluded from challenging her dismissal thereby.

For the Respondent however, it was contended that Document-15 was unsigned, had no probative value and was therefore, void. Also, that fair hearing was denied the Respondent by the Panel, as she was not confronted with specific allegations of gross misconduct, and the letter of invite to appear before the Audit Panel did not specify any allegation against her.

Court’s Judgement and Rationale On the first issue, the Court noted that where the rule of evidence requires a signature, or provides for certain consequences if a document is not signed, an electronic signature would satisfy that rule of law and avoid those consequences. SECTION 93(2) of the EVIDENCE ACT 2011. The Court added that a type-written document should bear manual signature or mark, and that an electronic document could bear electronic signature or mark signifying authorship of the document for its integrity and genuineness to be preserved. SECTION 258 (1) of the EVIDENCE ACT 2011.

In this case, Document-15 (the audit report) emanated from Anna Geraci and Paul Docekal, and was sent to the ECC on the investigation affecting the Respondent.

The origin of the document was not in doubt since it had the names of the authors at the beginning showing that it was an internal correspondence. Since the primary purpose of a signature is to identify the origin of the document as coming from a particular source and thus genuine, the names of the makers of the Document-15 stating that the document emanated from them sufficed to make the document authentic. Therefore, being an internal correspondence from the staff of the 1st and 2nd Appellants, the trial Court should have attached weight to it.

On the second issue, it was held that fair hearing as one of the twin pillars of natural justice, is enshrined in Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution; thus, where fair

In the Court of Appeal of Nigeria In the Lagos Judicial Division Holden at Lagos On Friday, the 17th Day of November, 2017 Before Their Lordships Joseph Shagbaor Ikyegh Ugochukwu Anthony Ogakwu Abimbola Osarugue Obaseki-Adejumo Justices, Court of Appeal CA/L/661/2016 Between 1. Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited 2. The Coca-Cola Company 3. Mr. Sheriff Tobala .........Appellants And Mrs. Titilayo Akinsanya

......Respondent

(Lead Judgement delivered by Hon. Joseph Shagbaor Ikyegh, JCA)

hearing is not expressly provided for, it could be implied or applied as a pillar of natural justice. Thus, whether a contract of employment is statutory or based on master/ servant relationship, the observance of the rule of natural justice cannot be over-emphasised. The principle of fair hearing applies to both private and public bodies with attendant requirements. AIYETAN v THE NIGERIAN INSTITUTE FOR OIL PALM RESEARCH (N.I.F.O.R) (1981) 2 N.S.C.C 777 AT 782-783; Also in BABA v NIGERIAN CIVIL AVIATION TRAINING CENTRE, ZARIA & ORS (19191) 22 N.S.C.C (Pt.2) 145.

Relying on the above, the Court added that where a Panel is merely investigatory and does not determine the rights of an employee, its duty is to act in good faith, by fairly listening to both sides before deciding the matter in controversy between the parties. Accordingly, the Panel that uses the investigative report to discipline the employee, must confront the employee with the report in form of query for his representation before taking a decision. In this case, the invitation commencing the investigation of the Respondent was silent on what she

“....WHERE A PANEL IS MERELY INVESTIGATORY AND DOES NOT DETERMINE THE RIGHTS OF AN EMPLOYEE, ITS DUTY IS TO ACT IN GOOD FAITH, BY FAIRLY LISTENING TO BOTH SIDES BEFORE DECIDING THE MATTER IN CONTROVERSY BETWEEN THE PARTIES”

was being investigated for. The particulars upon which the Respondent was subsequently dismissed, should have been communicated in advance for her to know what she was to meet at the Audit Panel and prepare for it.

The disciplinary body relied on the report to summarily dismiss the Respondent, showing that the Panel was obliged not to only state the specific allegations in the letter of invitation to the Respondent in advance before the meeting with the Panel, but the Panel should have afforded the Respondent adequate time to prepare her defence against the allegations. Their Lordships agreed that the Panel fell short of these requirements. Hence, the principle of fair hearing was breached when the Respondent received only 24 hour notice to respond to the invitation, without mention of the allegation. The Respondent was not presented with the whole case against her, as she was not confronted with some adverse information which was used by the Panel and accepted by the 1st and 2nd Appellant. Consequently, the breach of her right to fair hearing, resulted in the violation of one of the principles of natural justice. The Court noted that the trial Court believed the Respondent was denied fair hearing before the decision to summarily dismiss her; therefore, such finding of fact would not be disturbed on appeal, as the trial Court had the advantage of watching and hearing the witness while giving evidence in the witness box.

Deciding the third issue, the Court held that where a contract of employment is silent on termination, Sections 14, 16 and 19(d) of the National Industrial Court Act allows the Court to use its discretion to assess the quantum of damages for wrongful termination of the employment, and award reasonable and fair amount assessed to it by the employee for the wrongful termination. However, where the contract of employment makes provision for determination of employment, the measure of damages for wrongful dismissal is determined by the terms which are binding between the parties and cannot be altered, as the Courts cannot make contract for parties. INTERNATIONAL DRILLING CO. NIGERIA LTD. v MOSES AJIJALA (1976) N.S.C.C 88 Applying the provision above, the letter of dismissal provided that the Respondent violated the Code and that she would receive separate communication from the finance department on the settlement or reimbursement of any outstanding expenses, without mentioning the one month salary in lieu of notice. Relying on CHUKWUMAH v SHELL PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY OF NIGERIA LTD. (1992) 4 NWLR (PT. 289) 512 AT 571 where it was held that the payment of salary in lieu of notice, is a condition of the contract of employment that must be paid at the time the letter of termination is delivered to the employee, the Court agreed that the collection of outstanding expenses could not bar the Respondent from instituting an action at the trial Court as she did. Salary in lieu of notice, which is a term of contract, is distinguishable from other terminal benefits due to an employee at the determination of the contract of employment. It is the collection of the latter by an employee before filing an action in Court, that would affect a term of the contract and bar the employee from filing an action to challenge the determination of the contract of employment.

By the terms of the contract, the Respondent was entitled to a month salary in lieu of notice, and there is no evidence before the Court that she was offered and/or collected it before instituting the action. It follows, that there is no basis to hold that the Respondent was barred from filing the action.

On this note, the Appellate Court found the appeal on liability unmeritorious, and same was dismissed. The Court, however, allowed the appeal on damages in part by reducing the sum of N17,368,468.00 awarded to the Respondent to N1,447,373.33 representing the Respondent’s one month emolument in lieu of notice.

Appeal Allowed in Part.

Representation: Mr. C.A. Candide-Johnson, SAN with I.A. Onyebuchi Esq. and Mr. A. Adewole for the Appellants.

Mr. I. Isiekwena with Mr. A. Adedoyin and Mr. O. Odum for the Respondent.

Reported by Optimum Publishers Limited (Publishers of the Nigerian Monthly Law Reports (NMLR))

09.01.2018

NEWS/5

Lagos Judiciary Staff Swears Oath of Secrecy, Allegiance Akinwale Akintunde As part of efforts geared towards ensuring efficient,

L-R: NBA General Secretary, Aare Isiaka Olagunju, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, President Muhammadu Buhari, NBA President, A B Mahmoud, SAN, Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Abba Kyari, Secretary to Government of the Federation, Mr. Mustapha Boss, former General Secretary NBA , Mr. Emeka Obagolu JP and Attorney-General and Minister for Justice of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN

Buhari Praises NBA for Intervening in North East, Niger Delta President Muhammadu Buhari has praised the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), for setting up task forces to help in promoting peace and reconciliation in North East and South South.

He said his administration would not have succeeded without Lawyers’ support.

The President spoke, when NBA leadership visited him at the State House in Abuja.

He expressed happiness with the courtesy call and praised NBA President Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, who led the delegation, for his fearless disposition in the defence of the rights of Nigerians and the enthronement of the rule of law.

Buhari said his administration remains committed to providing security, recovering looted assets and prosecuting the anti-corruption war.

“In doing this, we require the input of the Bar and Bench.

Lawyers have been busy since this administration came in, and have played critical roles in the recovery of looted assets.

“Your support in the current initiatives of government in ensuring judicial integrity, is in the best interest of government and Nigerians.

“We must embrace the rule of law, for the country to move forward. And I thank the NBA, for making huge contributions to the success of this administration”, he said.

The President said several Lawyers have been playing key roles in his administration, such as Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, Secretary to the Government of the Federation Mr. Boss Mustapha, AttorneyGeneral of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, Chief of Staff to the Vice-President Mr. Ade Ipaye, who were all present during the visit.

He thanked Lawyers and Nigerians for their prayers when he was sick, and for their

best wishes when he marked his 75th birthday.

Buhari said his administration remains focused on security, combating insurgency, providing good governance, growing the economy and guaranteeing welfare of citizens.

According to him, the government has made great strides in tackling insurgency in the North East.

He said he he would not rest until issues such as Biafran agitation, crises in Taraba, and conflicts between herdsmen and farmers in different parts of the country, are solved.

Buhari commended the NBA for setting up the task forces in the North East and the Niger Delta, to complement the Federal Government’s efforts to protect the life and property.

He said if professional associations play their role and co- operate with the government, the country would benefit He sought the Lawyers’ body’s continued support, saying: “The NBA, by its composition and philosophy, remains the largest gathering of Lawyers in Sub-Saharan Africa, and going by its motto of promoting the rule of law, the NBA should speak in all matters of rights and privileges concerning the citizens”.

Mahmoud restated NBA’s commitment to safeguarding the rule of law.

He said: “Our constitution enjoins us to protect the independence of the Judiciary and also the independence of the legal profession, both of which are considered critical components of all democratic societies”.

The NBA President commended Buhari for his successes in the North East, saying insurgency has been contained, but noted that more still needed to be done.

“We salute your steadfast leadership, and congratulate men and women of Nigerian

Armed Forces for these successes. We are of course, aware that a lot remains to be done to completely secure the region.

“We are also aware that insurgency is a complex regional problem that requires multifaceted approach. We, therefore, wish to encourage the government to do more to secure the North East Region”, he said.

Mahmoud identified other flashpoints of conflict which must be addressed, such as the situation in the Niger Delta, the lingering Biafran agitation in the South East, the various communal conflicts in Southern Kaduna, the Benue, Taraba, and the recurring feud between the herdsmen and farmers across many states.

“All these remain significant issues, and have continued to undermine the peace and security in the country. We want to urge your administration to continue to do more to improve peace and security,” he said.

Mahmoud highlighted NBA’s contribution towards addressing the issues.

He recalled that in October 2016, he set up two task forces: the Niger Delta Task Force and the North East Task Force.

He said they were charged with coordinating the association’s intervention in the two regions, with the ultimate aim of promoting peace, reconciliation rehabilitation, and reconstruction.

“In the North East for instance, the justice sector has all but been destroyed for most part of Bornu State, and parts of Yobe and Adamawa States.

“We are mobilising to support the rebuilding of justice sector institutions. We are also working to support the victims of these conflicts.

We have been able to attract international support to aid our intervention”, he said.

Mahmoud commended the President on his efforts and successes in promoting good governance, fighting corruption, and getting the economy out of recession.

He said the NBA is willing to contribute towards reviving the economy.

“We are aware much has been achieved in the two and a half years of your administration. We do not in any way underrate the enormous challenges of governance, and the problems that your administration inherited.

“We are also aware that many new initiatives have been introduced to enhance economic management, address issues of youth unemployment, extreme poverty and improve the diversification and competitiveness of the Nigerian economy.

“The NBA has the requisite expertise amongst its members, to contribute to policy work in all the areas of the economy, and we are willing to cooperate and work with government to improve economic management in all Sectors”, Mahmoud said.

The NBA President presented a Policy Book containing specific recommendations on governance and economic management, to President Buhari.

The recommendations are based on the outcome of the Association’s last Annual General Conference held in Lagos.

“We are confident that the recommendations, if implemented, will significantly improve the economy, enhance prosperity, and build more confidence in the country especially amongst its youth who are increasingly being frustrated by lack of opportunities”, Mahmoud said.

effective and transparent service delivery in Lagos State Judiciary, the entire members of judicial staff, were last week made to swear oath of secrecy and allegiance.

The Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Opeyemi Oke, had during the New Legal Year Church Service, said that as part of her administration’s reform, all judicial staff would be mandated to sign oath of secrecy.

Keeping to her promise, the Chief Judge flagged off the four-day oath taking exercise, which took place simultaneously at the Conference Rooms of the Ikeja High Court and Igbosere, between January 2 and 5, 2018.

Flagging off the exercise last Tuesday, the Chief Judge said the same set of rules, regulations and allegiance which apply to Judges, also apply to workers who work with them.

She said it is now imperative for supporting staff, to know that they are bound by the same set of rules that bind Judges who adjudicate and deliver judgements on cases before them.

Justice Oke explained that swearing to an oath of secrecy and allegiance by staff of the Judiciary, will bring about dignity to the workers in the Judiciary, such that litigants would have respect for them.

She said that the Judiciary as an institution that deals with justice delivery, has very important documents that must be kept sacred and

which cannot be allowed to be toyed with.

According to her, the oath taking was introduced because the Judiciary has received series of “petitions and complaints about judgements leaking out, certain exhibits missing and so on.

“So, this is to prevent that, and secondly and most importantly, it is a way of also curbing corruption.

“When you have your oath taking, you know the implications of your action and every action also has a resultant effect. If you violate that, you know what the resultant effect of that will be”, she maintained.

While lamenting that corruption has eaten deep into so many establishments, the Chief Judge said her administration is determined to make a difference.

“It is a new year. It is a new dawn, and we want to make a difference. So it is a joint effort and it is necessary, it is a very fundamental exercise that will help the image of the Lagos State Judiciary, and to have more confidence from the public that we serve because we are service providers.

“I have a mission to leave behind a Judiciary that every Lagosian, every Nigerian, can be proud of; a Judiciary that stands shoulder to shoulder with other foremost Judiciaries around the world.

“My mission is to leave a Judiciary where litigants will come, and when you lose a case, you will be leaving the court smiling and be able to say to yourself, yes, I lost the case, not because of corruption but because I have a bad case”, she said.

Lawyer Dispels Financial Impropriety Allegation Against Former Lagos CJ, Atilade Akinwale Akintunde Mr. Olugbenga Babatunde, Lawyer to former Lagos State Chief Judge, Justice Olufunmilayo Atilade, has dismissed the rumours of financial impropriety allegations levelled against her, describing them as baseless.

There have been rumours that the former Chief Judge is under probe, for mismanaging the State Judiciary funds while she was in charge.

Reacting to the said rumours, Babatunde in a statement issued on behalf of the immediate Lagos Chief Judge, said nothing could be further from the truth and challenged anyone with evidence of corruption against her to come forward or keep quiet.

The Lawyer said the National Judicial Council (NJC), which is responsible for disciplining judges, never issued Justice Atilade a query

over her conduct, let alone over acts of corruption all through her tenure in office.

Babatunde said it is unfortunate that many unfounded stories and insinuations have been coming from the top hierarchy of the Lagos State High Court against Justice Atilade, who took over the baton from her elder sister, Justice Ayotunde Phillips.

According to him, the invitation of Justice Atilade’s former Personal Assistant by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for questioning, had nothing to do with Justice Atilade’s integrity or activities whilst in office.

“It has already been confirmed that her PA was invited for questioning, but there has been no legal proceedings brought against him, and the retired Chief Judge and the Judiciary, are CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

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Court Voids NHRC Report Indicting Osunbor for Electoral Offences Akinwale Akintunde A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has declared null and void, a Report by the National Human Rights Commission indicting Professor (Senator) Oserhemen Osunbor for electoral offences and forwarding his name for prosecution.

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, in her judgement delivered on December 15, 2017, also declared that the Report titled “An Independent Review of Evidence of Gross Violations of Rights to Participate in Government, to Public Service and Through the Election Petition Process in Nigeria 2007 and 2011”, violates the fundamental right to fair hearing of the plaintiff as guaranteed under Section 36 of the Constitution.

The Court also restrained the defendant (National Human Rights Commission), her agents and privies, from further circulating or retaining the said Report in her website.

The National Human Rights Commission had reviewed the judgement of the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal given in 2008, and came up with a Report, which indicted some people including the plaintiff, Professor Osunbor for electoral offences.

In carrying out the Review of the Tribunal’s judgement, the Commission set up the Technical Working Group headed by Professor Nsongurua Johnsondombana .

The Commission went further to come up with a Report that recommended the indicted people, including the plaintiff, to the Attorney-General of the Federation for prosecution.

Professor Osunbor however challenged the action of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), asking the court to determine whether by the combined provisions of Section 5 and 6 of the National Human Rights Commission Act, Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution,

the defendant (NHRC) has the power to investigate him for electoral offences as stipulated in Section 214 to 139 of the Electoral Act, 2006, indict him for electoral crimes and forward his name to the Attorney-General of the Federation for prosecution.

The plaintiff through an originating summons filed by his lawyer, Mr. Omoruyi Omonuwa, SAN, also asked the court to determine whether the defendant in exercise of its powers under Section 5 and 6 of the National Human Rights Commission Act and Section 1(1) and 1(3) of the 1999 Constitution, is not bound by the extant provisions of Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution and the rules of Natural Justice entrenched therein.

Professor Osunbor also prayed the Court to determine whether the defendant with the said Report of February 2014, is not in violation of his fundamental rights to fair hearing, for failure to give him an opportunity to be heard.

The plaintiff further prayed the court, to determine whether the defendant is empowered by law to review the judgement of a competent Court or Tribunal, and arrive at a different conclusion from that of the Court or Tribunal for the purpose of indicting him for criminal prosecution.

Professor Osunbor therefore, prayed the court to declare that by the combined provisions of Sections 5 and 6 of the National Human Rights Commission Act, Section 214 of the 1999 Constitution, the defendant has no powers to investigate him for electoral offences as stipulated in Section 214 to 139 of the Electoral Act, 2006, indict him for electoral crimes and forward his name to the Attorney-General of the Federation for prosecution.

He also asked the court, to declare that the Report is in gross violation of his fundamental right to fair hearing and that the recommendations in the

Report as it relates to him are ultra vires, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

Furthermore, the plaintiff prayed the court to declare that the defendant is not empowered by law to review the judgement of a competent Court or Tribunal, and to arrive at a different conclusion from that of the Court or Tribunal for the purpose of indicting him for criminal prosecution.

The plaintiff also prayed the court to restrain the defendant, its agents, privies from taking any step or action or circulating or continuing to circulate or retaining the Report in its website or forwarding the said Report to any agency or institution of government or other organisations in or outside Nigeria.

The plaintiff also asked for the sum of N500 million as general damages for the mental agony, torture, pain, and psychological trauma occasioned to him by the defendant’s Report.

Reacting to the Originating Summons, the defendant through its lawyer, Mr. Femi Adedeji, filed two preliminary objections dated June 26, 2014 and February 25, 2015, questioning the jurisdiction of the Court to entertain the matter.

The first preliminary objection dated June 26, 2014 was decided on appeal, while the preliminary objection of February 2015, was predicated on the facts that the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the suit, because the Originating Summons was not initiated by due process of law; that complaint of the plaintiff pertains to the alleged violation of his fundamental right to fair hearing guaranteed by Section 36 of the Constitution and that by virtue of Order II, Rules 3 of the Fundamental Rights, the plaintiff is required to file a Motion on Notice for the enforcement of his fundamental right to fair hearing, amongst others.

The argument of the defendant was essentially that the plaintiff ought to have instituted the action vide Order II, Rule 3 of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rule 2009, for the reason that the facts in support of the plaintiff’s Originating Summons and reliefs sought, showed a complaint against breach of his fundamental rights, and should therefore, come with the procedure set out by the rules.

The defendant’s lawyer submitted that non-compliance with the rules, had robbed the court of the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

In opposing this objection, Mr. Omonuwa, SAN, counsel to Professor Osunbor, submitted that the plaintiff’s action is anchored on the interpretation of certain provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the Police Act, and the National Human Rights Act, 2010, touching on the issue of fair hearing.

Omonuwa, SAN noted that Order II Rule 3 of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure, provides for the mode of commencement of action under the rules.

He noted further that, the rules make allowance for commencement by any originating process accepted by the Court, like in the present action.

He urged the Court, to refuse the prayer sought by the defendant in its preliminary objection.

But giving her judgement last Friday, Justice Ojukwu dismissed the objection to the Court’s jurisdiction filed by the defendant, and upheld the arguments of plaintiff‘s counsel, Mr. Omonuwa, SAN urging the Court to affirm jurisdiction.

The Judge held that, the argument of the defendant seems to suggest that they are immune to the principle of natural justice, premised on the fact that they only reviewed the judgement of the CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

Legal Personality of the Week Adepeju Jaiyeoba

‘Law is Like Wine, it Gets Better With Age’ I am Adepeju Jaiyeoba, partner at Strichland Associates, an astute lawyer, action oriented individual, avid team player and skilled communicator, who sees every problem as an opportunity to provide not just any solution, but innovative solutions. I see law from the perspective of service to humanity, as well as business.

In 2015, I was honoured by President Barack Obama at the White House, Washington, for my work on the international business stage as well as my community support effort on the local scene. I combine a rare experience in business and law to provide legal services and support for Government agencies, parastatals, international organisations and companies doing business in Nigeria, and across the world.

In addition to active legal practice, I have also in the past served as a Columnist for THISDAY LAWYER, where I wrote about contemporary legal issues, challenges of young Lawyers, as well as shared numerous lessons learned from several international conferences which I have attended.

Last year, I served as a panelist at the Nigerian Bar Association Conference. I also speak at numerous events, and was actually opportune to address the United States Congress Black Caucus group at an event put together by vibrant United States Legislator, Representative Karen Bass.

Have you had any challenges in your career as a Lawyer, and if so, what were the main challenges?

I have definitely had a number of challenges, many of them related to being a woman in practice and active litigation.

fever, or when they kick up a fuss because they feel Mummy should be around.

What was your worst day as a Lawyer?

The day we flew our witness to Lagos, had overnight meetings with her, and hardly slept the whole night, only for the court not to sit. It was very frustrating.

What was your most memorable experience as a Lawyer?

My most memorable experience as a Lawyer, was at my first appearance in court as a new wig before Justice Alogba, where I took on a colleague on a point of law and received an open court commendation from the learned justice. That day, I made a promise to myself, never to leave Law, no matter the challenge.

Adepeju Jaiyeoba

Maintaining work life balance is often a challenge for women in active practice, myself included. My work goal is to make our clients happy, and my resolve is to do whatever it takes legitimately, including burning midnight oils, sleeping over at the office or working at weekends, to ensure their needs are met. As a woman, I have learnt that we need to give value and keep giving value. It’s the only thing that speaks for us, when we have to take permission to take the children for immunisation, when we are called from their crèche that they have a

Who has been most influential in your life?

I have got several influencers in my life.

The first being my Dad, Mr. Mabadeje, who taught me discipline, my Mum, Mrs. Mabadeje, who taught me selflessness, my husband, Femi Jaiyeoba, who consistently rings it in my ears that impossible is nothing, Ms. Olufunke Aboyade, SAN, who taught me commitment and dedication to duty, and Mrs. Oredeji Delano, my goal tracker, Mrs Amina Oyagbola and Women In Successful Careers (WISCAR), for their assistance in helping me chart a progression plan, which ultimately assisted me to focus on my goals.

Why did you become a Lawyer?

As someone who grew up at the peak of military rule in Nigeria, I was intrigued by the concept of rights and their violation. I

saw oppression, disillusionment, and death in the land. At the same time, I was deeply inspired by the courage of the likes of Gani Fawehinmi, SAN and Femi Falana, SAN amongst others, who stood up in the face of tyranny. Their courage to speak out in the face of danger, their consistent stand on the side of truth, their principle and desire to make change happen for others, really inspired me to study Law. Attending Obafemi Awolowo University and having the privilege to be taught by Professor Poopola, Professor Akorede Yusuf, Dr. Olasenni and their likes, really helped sustained my interest.

What would your advice be to anyone wanting a career in Law? Study law for the right reasons, be ready to spend some time, especially the early years, not focusing on money, but building your career as well as experience. Remember that law is like wine, it gets better with age.

If you had not become a Lawyer, what career would you have chosen?

I would have probably been a detective with the Police Force or a Businesswoman. I’ve always loved analytical reasoning, evidence gathering and examination, as well as the nitty-gritty of transactions.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

In ten years, I believe would be running a successful Law Firm, offering not only value to clients but also our staff, as well as building one of the best places to work on the ,continent. I am a firm believer in the fact that, your best investments are actually in people.

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Justice Sector: Looking Ahead in 2018 Last year, was quite an eventful year for the Nigerian Judiciary and the Bar. A change of baton at the Apex Court and new Chief Judges for several States, including Lagos. President Buhari released 500 Prisoners from Kano Prisons, while the Governors and Chief Judges also did same in their States.Yet the Prisons all over the country, remain overcrowded and in extremely poor unsanitary conditions. What does 2018 hold for the Bar, the Bench, and the Justice Sector as a whole? Will this year be better than the last? What are the challenges and potentials of the Judiciary? How can the gains of some of the anticorruption fights started in 2017, be maximised this year? Will be there be any Prison and Police Reform? Former Ekiti State Attorney-General, Mr. Olawale Fapohunda & Onikepo Braithwaite, former NBA President Mr. J.B. Daudu, SAN and Executive Director, Access to Justice, Mr. Joseph Otteh, give a prognosis of what this year will look like, for the Justice Sector

Reflections on 2017

T

hrough 2017, THISDAY Lawyer, frequently raised issues and proffered options about the unsatisfactory state of our justice system.

We said that the Buhari administration’s three intervention areas – Security, Economic Growth and Anti- Corruption, would not be sustainably achieved without focus on our justice system.

Uncoordinated Three Arms of Government To be sure, the responsibility for undertaking the needed reforms is not the exclusive preserve of Mr. President, however, few will disagree that an important stumbling block to progress in the justice sector, is the tragic lack of coordination and cooperation between the three arms of government, even around the administration’s three- intervention areas. The existing schism between the Presidency and the National Assembly, has for the most part, led to the non- confirmation of nominees to important government institutions and agencies. The relationship between the executive and the judiciary, can hardly be said to be rosy. Salutary speeches by Mr. President and the Chief Justice of Nigeria on the need for collaboration, have not translated into concrete deliverables.

Plea for Presidential Leadership While Mr. President does not have the exclusive preserve on matters of administration of justice, it is our considered view that the responsibility for achieving coherence and coordination between the three arms of government on matters of justice administration, rests with him. We have suggested that as a first step Mr. President should publish his vision for the justice sector. We argued that, there is a world of difference between what was published as a candidate of the All Progressives Congress and what should be published as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Needed: A Conspiracy of Three Arms of Government We said that this vision statement, should be the basis for a meeting of the three arms of government, with a single agenda item namely, what type of justice system do we want for Nigeria?

We advised that separation of powers should not be an excuse for inaction, and cannot by any stretch of the imagination mean that the three arms of government, should operate like three independent institutions. Indeed, we went as far as saying that if we are to make concrete progress in this sector, there should be a conspiracy of the three arms of government in support of the justice sector. Each arm with an unflinching commitment to delivering concrete reforms, within its own area of competence.

A Year of Unmet Expectations Truth be told, the experience of justice sector reformists through 2017, was one of unmet expectations. Regrettably, there has been a lot of talking and insignificant game changing interventions. It is simply frustrating, that many of the important proposals for reform have simply been ignored, or worse still, implemented in half measures.

With less than a year before the circle of politicking begins, it is unrealistic to expect any groundbreaking reforms in the justice sector. In our considered view, what is achievable, are those interventions that are largely administrative in nature and can be accomplished substantially with zero budgets. We have in previous write-ups, identified some of these interventions.

Therefore, if what we have written reads familiar, it is because sometimes it is necessary to keep hammering away at the same issues, until we reach a tipping point. We repeat them here for emphasis: The Presidency In 2018, Mr. President should provide leadership and direction for the justice sector. Specifically, Mr. President should convene a meeting of the three arms of government, with a single item agenda, on the state of administration of justice in Nigeria. An immediate outcome of this meeting should be an actionable 12- month activity plan, expressly stating who does what, within what time frame, and within a budgetary framework. Crucial to this initiative must be the publication of Mr. President’s vision for the justice system.

making the police relevant to the security needs of Nigerians.

Even in the face of terrorist attacks on our major cities and villages, including rampaging herdsmen, kidnappers, violent armed robberies and the serious internal threat from Boko Haram, the political class continues to pay lip service to police reforms. Ideas on strengthening the intelligence gathering ability of our police, bringing about coherence and coordination between the police and different security agencies, enabling our cities with infrastructure to deter terrorist attacks, and most importantly, making police people-friendly, have been met with a lackadaisical attitude of political authorities, and are mired in politics.

National Council on the Administration of Justice It is worth repeating that, the goal of a justice system capable of upholding the principles of the rule of law, remains largely a challenge, due in large part to a fragmented institutional structure and the resulting lack of coordination among the numerous levels of government and relevant justice institutions. The idea of a single forum in which the three arms of government, agencies with a justice sector mandate, and civil society organisations meet to discuss and agree on concrete interventions for the justice sector, has long been proposed.

We urge President Buhari to consider the inauguration of National Council on Administration of Justice, to provide high-level policy making, implementation and oversight of interventions in the Justice Sector. Its mandate should be to ensure a coordinated, efficient, effective and consultative approach in the administration of justice, and reform of the justice system.

2018 Interventions In a previous write-up, we suggested six legal, policy and administrative presidential directives, for the consideration of President Buhari for managing the transformation of the Nigeria Police.

Directive 1: Direct the Ministry of Interior and the Federal Ministry of Justice, to draft a new Police bill. The new law should be aimed at facilitating human rights, gender equality, pro-poor policing, and enhancement of community policing. Further, the proposed law should emphasise transparency in the appointment of the Inspector General of Police through a meritocratic and competitive process, with a fixed tenure of office.

Directive 2: Direct the Ministry of Interior to review the reports of Presidential Committees on Police Reform from 1999, with a view to articulating their recommendations into an actionable agenda for police reform.

Directive 3: Direct the Inspector General of Police to undertake an audit of manpower, vehicles, training institutions and other resources of the police force, with a view to identifying and prioritising specific areas of need for appropriate intervention.

Directive 4: Direct the Secretary to the Federal Government, to formally appoint the National Human Rights Commission as Nigeria’s independent police ombudsman, with strong authority to receive complaints from the public on matters of police corruption including, abuse of power and extra- judicial killings.

Directive 5: Direct the National Orientation Agency to convene a national dialogue on the desirability of State police.

Directive 6: Direct the Secretary to the Federal Government, to convene an extra-ordinary meeting of the Nigeria Police Council to receive briefings and make inputs into the implementation of Directives 1-5.

The Judiciary In a number of write -ups, we raised concerns about Mr. President’s frequent calling out the judiciary. We said that blaming the judiciary for all the things wrong with the justice sector, is as unfair as it is unhelpful. Things like the absence of forensic analysis; the underfunding of the DPP’s office within an underresourced Justice Ministry; poor evidence gathering; an archaic legislative regime to mention a few, are some of the things that the judiciary has no control over, but for which it always seems to take the blame for. The judiciary, should only be accountable for the things that the Judiciary controls. Judicial reform and Justice sector reform are not the same. In as much as judicial reform is desirable, what Nigeria needs is a holistic reform of the justice sector. The difference is significant, and it will be a mistake to confuse or equate the two.

Another unmet expectation 2017 also witnessed the inauguration of a new Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). Given the hue and cry that surrounded the delay in the confirmation, it is reasonable to assume that the administration of the judiciary will not be the same. We eloquently made out a case for many specific and practical judicial reforms, for the consideration of the CJN. However, no effort has been made to implement them. We said that the CJN has to take the judiciary in a different progressive direction. In a direction never seen before, in the history of Nigeria. As a starting point, we proffered that the disconnect between the judiciary and the citizenry, needs to be dealt with. We suggested that the CJN publish his agenda for the judiciary. At the very least, this will enable better understanding and appreciation of proposed and ongoing measures, aimed at Increasing access to justice for the citizenry, reducing delay, enhancing accountability through structural changes and setting benchmarks.

Breaking down Conservative Barriers We also proposed that the CJN, should rightly take his place as the Chief Justice of Nigeria and not just of the Supreme Court.

Breaking down barriers of judicial conservatism should include, on the spot visits to State Judiciaries. Majority of Nigerians do not live in Abuja. Periodic visits to State Judiciaries including lower courts, will provide an opportunity for the CJN to see first-hand the quality of justice being served Nigerians.

We note that the idea of National Council on Administration of Justice, is one idea that appears to resonate with the CJN, given the Term of Reference of the Bilikisu Bashir Committee on Judicial Reform. “Exploring areas of comparative advantage and mutual cooperation between the three arms of government”. We again commend this suggestion to the CJN. Judicial Corruption We said that the discussion around judicial corruption, ignores the issue of fair and adequate conditions of service for judicial officers. It is ridiculous and unrealistic, to continue to insist that a call to the Bench, is one to national service and penury. We argued that conditions of service of judicial officers, must be set at a comparatively high public-service level, in order to remove both the temptation to corruption and public contemplation of the possibility of such temptation.

The guarantee of adequate conditions of service, is not meant

President Muhammadu Buhari

for the benefit of the judiciary alone. Rather, financial security, is a means to the end of judicial independence, and is therefore, for the benefit of us all. We called for a review of judicial salaries, pensions and benefits, as an important component of judicial reform. To achieve this in concrete terms, we proposed an Independent Judicial Benefits and Compensation Commission appointed by the President in consultation with State Governors, to undertake a comprehensive review of salaries, allowances and benefits of all judicial officers in Nigeria, including lower court judges. The Commission should be required to submit a report with its recommendations to the National Council of States, for deliberation and implementation.

We now call on the CJN to support this proposal.

security, whether the resources are used in an effective manner, and whether the public view the police favourably. The index also assesses the current threats to internal security in each country.

Nigeria has only 219 police officers for every 100,000 citizens—below the index median of 300 and the sub-Saharan Africa average of 268, according to the report. There is nothing contained in the said report, that has not been the subject of everyday discussion in Nigeria. Indeed, the only surprising development arising from the report, was the reaction of the hierarchy of the Nigeria Police and the silence of the administration. This unenviable ranking of the Nigeria Police Force, is as much an indictment of the Police, as it is of successive administrations.

A Plea for Direction All our appeals to the CJN, is to articulate and provide direction, leadership for the needed reforms in the justice sector. In the words of His Lordship on the occasion of the submission of the report of the Bilikisu Bashir Committee on Judicial Reform “.... it is our duty to lay the first foundation for solving our problems; nobody can come from outside to salvage the Nigerian Judiciary. The solution must come from within us. We have to do so, because if we don’t do so, the whole edifice will fall on our heads, and we will have ourselves to blame”.

Lackadaisical Attitude Mired in Politics There has been almost two decades of discussion on police reform, by government created committees and commissions. Previous governments implemented none of their major recommendations.

The promise of the Buhari administration, of a radical overhaul of the Nigeria Police has not been met either. So far we have seen a tragic combination of limited reforms or no reforms, in

Nigeria Police Force Worst in the World 2017, was the year the Nigeria Police Force was declared the worst in the world. Of 127 countries measured in the World Internal Security and Police Index, Nigeria’s Police Force was ranked as the worst, just below DR Congo, Kenya and Uganda to make up the bottom four. The index, a collaboration between the International Police Science Association and the Institute for Economics and Peace, focuses on how much resources each nation devotes to internal

"TRUTH BE TOLD, THE EXPERIENCE OF JUSTICE SECTOR REFORMISTS THROUGH 2017 WAS ONE OF UNMET EXPECTATIONS. REGRETTABLY, THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF TALKING AND INSIGNIFICANT GAME CHANGING INTERVENTIONS"

Nigeria Prisons A National Scandal 2017, was the year President Buhari admitted that all was not well with our prisons. In his words, “we need a new approach to prisons decongestion. It is a national scandal, that many prisons are overcrowded by up to 90 percent. Urgent new measures should be put in place to speedily decongest prisons, not only in the interest of justice but also to save cost for prisons maintenance and enhance the welfare of prisoners”. It was also the year that, Mr. President personally supervised the release of 500 inmates of the Kurmawa Central Prisons in Kano State. This action was said to be part of Federal Government’s efforts at decongesting prisons across the country.

The administration also undertook three major penal reform interventions. The Federal Executive Council, adopted a memorandum by the Honourable Minister of Interior on prison reforms. The immediate result, was the increase in the number of prisoner transport vehicles available to the Prisons Service. The second intervention was the high level briefing by the Ministry of Interior to the National Council of Sates, on the role of States in prisons decongestion. Many States, see prisons as the exclusive preserve of the Federal Government. They readily point to the exclusive legislative list in support of their position.

We have said that it is difficult to rationalise the position of State Governments. Most States provide vehicles and other logistics in support of the police and other security agencies, without giving a thought to the needs of prisons. It seems simplistic enough to understand that, effective policing may invariably lead to the arrest, prosecution and possibly imprisonment of persons who come into conflict with the law. It is also to the credit of Mr. President, that he inaugurated a Presidential Committee on Prison Decongestion.

A New Approach in 2018 These interventions are without doubt significant; however, the frequencies of jailbreaks across our prison facilities, are a clear indication of the need and urgency for far-reaching reforms. In our respectful view, undertaking this new approach to prison reforms, cannot be the sole responsibility of the judiciary. The executive branch, led by Mr. President, should provide leadership to this

"SO FAR WE HAVE SEEN A TRAGIC COMBINATION OF LIMITED REFORMS OR NO REFORMS, IN MAKING THE POLICE RELEVANT TO THE SECURITY NEEDS OF NIGERIANS" new thinking. We had previously suggested four interventions for the consideration of Mr. President. We commend them again as actionable interventions in 2018 Action 1: Direct the Federal Ministry of Justice to review the Prisons Act, with a view to proposing an amendment for the consideration of the Federal Executive Council. This is without prejudice to the several Prison bills in the National Assembly.

Action 2: Remove the Prisons Service from the oversight of the Ministry of Interior, and place it under the Ministry of Justice.

Action 3: Appoint the National Human Rights Commission as Chief Visitor of Prisons, with a formal mandate to conduct inspections on a regular basis, respond to complaints, investigate deaths in custody, publish independent regular findings, and make appropriate recommendations to the President and National Assembly.

Action 4: Direct the Federal Ministry of Justice In collaboration with State Governments, to undertake an audit of all prison facilities in Nigeria, with view to identifying persons who should not be in prison, for the consideration of the National Council of States.

The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation & Minister of Justice Ignoring Court Orders The Attorney-General of the Federation on his inauguration, stated that his vision of administration of justice in Nigeria, is a system of justice that gives every person fair and equal access to justice and guarantees the dignity, rights and security of every person, regardless of gender, money or any other difference. Through 2017, the office of the Attorney- General of the Federation was criticised for the refusal of the Federal Government to obey court orders.

The matter of Sheikh Ibrahim El Zakzaky, Founder of Islamic Movement in Nigeria, and his wife, has gained national and international prominence. There is also the matter of the continuing detention of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

Access to Justice & Human Rights The inability of the Federal Government to speedily process detained Boko Haram insurgents, has also been the subject of discussion, especially within the international human rights community. The arrest and trial of a number of judicial officers, and the capacity of the Federal Ministry of Justice to prosecute the administrations anti-corruption agenda, were key issues in 2017.

Progress was also made in a number of areas. The facilitation of a Presidential Panel to investigate allegations of rights violations in areas of military operation, was significant. Relatedly, the flag-off of consultations around a National Action Plan on Human Rights and the signing into law of the Anti-Torture Act, were positive developments.

Agenda 2018 Justice Policy The Attorney-General of the Federation, should complete and publish the national justice policy. A National Policy on Administration of Justice, should be the end product of a deliberate process of consultation between the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary, with the active participation of the States. The Policy should include a number of key policy priorities for example, the needs of poor, vulnerable and marginalised groups; promotion and implementation of zero tolerance for corruption within the justice system; access to Justice; gender; linking human rights with security and appropriate funding.

Human Rights The Attorney-General of the Federation, should achieve a quick resolution of the continued detention of Sheikh El Zakzaky and his wife, and that of Sambo Dasuki. Their continued detention in defiance of court orders, harms the reputation of the Buhari administration. A government with a stated commitment to the rule of law cannot detain persons indefinitely, in defiance of the court orders.

Olawale Fapohunda, former Ekiti State Attorney-General and Onikepo Braithwaite

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09.01.2018

Nigerian Judiciary in 2018: Prospects, Hopes and Aspirations

T Introduction

he Nigerian Judiciary, is expectedly in the news. It is the beginning of a new year, 2018 and politics is in the air again; and so the Judiciary and the entire Justice system, are expected to conform to the whims and caprices of Politicians and the media.

One of the biggest challenges confronting this arm of Government, is the fact that public observers and commentators, expect the judiciary to make adjustments each time the masquerade of the politicians come out to make their seasonal festivities. The wheel has almost turned full circle, another four years is about or around the corner, and the general elections and all the baggage it carries, particularly the legal consequences of political party shenanigans masquerading as democratic preliminaries, are suddenly upon us. One of the anomalies of this season, is that both the political class and the general public, expect the judiciary at the flag-off of political war games called elections, to abandon all that is before it and go straight to resolve political disputes at the expense of the wheels of the society, which continues to grind on in the nature of criminal, commercial, constitutional, land, chieftaincy etc cases, even after the politicians have been settled. Now, the greatest regret of the advent of politics and political activity, is that it is these other matters highlighted above, that in reality, turn the wheels of the Nigerian economy and socio-cultural life. Their adjudication or determination are prolonged or abandoned, until the main political office holders are sworn in and the judiciary can catch a breath of fresh air. In the interim, every other judicial activity is put on hold, until the politicians have been dealt with and are satisfied.

Why the Judiciary is Under Pressure The objective of this discourse, is to analyse why the Judiciary is placed under such undue and unwarranted pressure in the period leading up to and including the conduct of a general election. Why are politicians or indeed elective officials, so selfish that every other thing or activity is relegated to the back burner until their own respective and indeed, peculiar political status, is sorted out by the courts? The answer is simple. Several provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act tie the result of an election i.e. to the office of President, Governor, Senate, House of Representatives, Houses of Assembly of the 36 States of the Federation and the elections to the 774 Local Government Councils, to the determination of election petitions by the hierarchy of Courts in Nigeria. In a nutshell, therefore, the Judiciary is an integral part of the elective process in Nigeria, and the electoral and indeed political process, can be marred by the wrong strategy being adopted by the judiciary.

Now, the reality is that, there appears to be a game of cat and mouse being played here. Because the political class in Nigeria have refused to attain political puberty and maturity, they have been unable to shed such dangerous political coats and skins such as, election rigging, open bribery of the electorate during elections, the use of thugs and other riff-riffs to achieve certain base political ends, the bribery or corruption of INEC officials and judicial officers, the uncertainty of the electoral laws applicable in any election such as the status of the card reader during Registration and whether accreditation and election ought to run Pari-Passu, are still matters for which there are still no clear legislative or statutory answers, and same applies to other forms of serious misconduct perpetrated by the political class.

The Public already associate politicians with these bad habits, and because there is a symbiotic relationship between the elected officials and the led (people), it is easy to overlook the excesses of these elected officials and their agents (the civil service and hordes of advisers). The nature of the relationship between elective office holders and the people,

were or are aimed at achieving one objective i.e. to erode the independence of the judiciary in such a manner that come 2019, there will be a pliant and pacified judiciary which will act the script written by the political puppeteers of this Administration, which is to impose on Nigeria and Nigerians another four years of a Buhari/APC administration. This explains why there was concerted effort to block the present Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Hon Justice WSN Onnoghen GCON from assuming this exalted office; this also explains why there has been sponsored criticism of the composition of the Corruption Courts Monitoring Committee set up by the said CJN, and so many other measures put in place by the Judiciary.

Indeed, the body language of this Administration, has been to paint the judiciary in a very dirty way; that it is corrupt and the weakest link in the governance chain of the country.

But in reality, is the judiciary corrupt as the Executive has made it out to be? This discourse will next consider the issue of corruption vis a vis the Judiciary.

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Walter Onnoghen

is that the governance and administration of the peoples’ livelihood is in the hands of these motley crowd (politicians), and being in control of the purse strings, they can deploy the peoples’ resources and commonwealth in such a way and manner that their sins are either obscured or transferred to its perennial scapegoat – the Judiciary. The latter is therefore, not in an enviable position at this point in time. It is therefore, the objective of this discourse to find out how the judiciary can shed this unwanted and unwarranted toga of being a clog in the wheel of justice, and to expose who the real culprit is i.e. - as between the Executive and Legislative arms of Government on the one hand and the Judiciary on the other hand. It will be appropriate to begin with the nature and quality of today’s judiciary.

The Nature and Quality of the Nigerian Judiciary Vis-a- Vis its Constitutional Role and Functions In terms of the quality of manpower, zeal and training, the Nigerian Judiciary, nay the entire legal system, stands among the best in the world. However, attitudinal and behavioural disposition, the subterranean interference by the parties interested in the outcome of justice, low morale, insufficient or inadequate remuneration, poor infrastructure, absence of working tools, unpredictable system for the appointment and discipline of judges, corruption here and there, etc have all contributed in assaulting the independence of the Nigerian Judiciary in a very detrimental manner. The Bar, even at the level of the Nigerian Bar Association, has done little to appropriate to the Judiciary through its advocacy platform (which it undoubtedly possesses), those tools it needs to sustain its independence in these trying times.

The DSS Raids on Judges As indicated above, the chicken has come home to roost. On or about the 8th of October 2016, Nigeria’s premier security outfit, the Department of State Services acting in a gestapo manner reminiscent of a covert military operation conducted behind enemy lines, invaded in a planned manner, houses of senior Judges in Abuja, Port Harcourt and Kaduna, and took them into custody. As expected, the exercise was greeted with widespread condemnation of the actions of the APC government in power.

Till date, not one Judge has been convicted or sanctioned as a result of the said exercise, and it is clear from the brittleness and undue

haste with which the exercise was conducted, that nothing useful came out of it.

However, there is a school of thought with which I identify and subscribe to, that the entire invasion was planned, and that it is part of the masterplan by those who carried out the invasion, to put the Judiciary in a situation where its independence is so badly compromised that it will only do the bidding of certain critical and indeed well-placed Government officials in 2019, the year of our general election.

In the aftermath of the assault on Judges as described above, some of the affected Judges, Inyang-Okoro and Ngwuta JJ: SC alleged that the Minister of Transport Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, in the company of one Umana, tried to induce them to influence or deflect the decision of the Supreme Court in the Rivers Governorship case in his (Amaechi’s) favour, (see the Vanguard Newspaper of 19/10/2016), but they (severally) rebuffed his overtures. Although, Minister Amaechi denied the allegation and threatened to sue for defamation, nothing has been heard of his libel suit.

The EFCC on the other hand, also carried out a systematic but concerted attack through social media bloggers, on the judiciary and some targeted senior members of the Bar. For instance, some Judges were arraigned before their brother Judges, accused of receiving bribes from colleagues who were alleged to have given them gifts during their children’s wedding. These and other forms of harassment became EFCC’s approach to exacting retribution from Judges who had given judgement against its interest, or against Lawyers who persistently defended politically exposed persons charged to court for allegations of financial crimes. In a nutshell, these harassments, too numerous to catalogue here,

“IN TERMS OF THE QUALITY OF MANPOWER, ZEAL AND TRAINING, THE NIGERIAN JUDICIARY, NAY THE ENTIRE LEGAL SYSTEM STANDS AMONG THE BEST IN THE WORLD”

Corruption and the Nigerian Judiciary The effect of persistent and recurrent corruption in the Judiciary of any political system, is that it completely blunts 5 the ability of the courts to do justice even in cases where it has no pecuniary interest.

This is because, the precedents it has set for itself, which forms the basis of future decisions, have been based on corrupt platforms. Now corruption is akin to a primed grenade being used as a toy, by children in a playground. It will destroy everybody in the long run. To the question – whether corruption exists in the Nigerian Judiciary, the answer is that it does, but not at the high levels you will find the same pervasive corruption in the Executive and Legislative arms of Government. This is so, because the judiciary is part of the Nigerian society, to which corruption has become an endemic feature. A microcosm, cannot be different from its host. However, the idea of corruption is anathema to the judicial system, because of the level of trust and confidence that is reposed in it. That is why even 15%-20% corruption within the ranks of the judiciary, is intolerable.

What the percentage of corrupt judges is in Nigeria, is irrelevant. The fact that it exists, is demonstrated by some of the disciplinary measures meted out by the National Judicial Council (NJC) on corrupt Judges.

The main reason why the Judiciary cannot be allowed to be corrupt, is because of the plenitude of its powers and consequent functionality as it relates to redressing rights of all citizens that approach it. See section 6-(6)-(b) of the 1999 CFRN which vests ‘Judicial powers in the designated courts to all matters between persons or between Government or authority and to any person in Nigeria, and to all actions and proceedings relating thereto, for the determination of any question as to the civil rights and obligations of that person’. The essence of this provision, is that the Judiciary is the designated body to determine the civil rights and obligations of Nigerians. It follows that all authorities inclusive of Government and all persons, artificial or real, are not above the courts, and are indeed subordinated and obligated to obey and respect its determination.

It is not for these Agencies and highly placed persons, to make determinations as to who is corrupt, or not before they have been tried in a law court. To do so, as many highly placed Government officials and the media have done in the past, amounts to a naked usurpation of the judicial powers of the courts.

Undoubtedly, there is a severe crisis of confidence in the judicial arm of Government.

Do the courts meet the expectation of the people in the discharge of its primary responsibilities?

The answer is obviously in the negative. The consensus is that, the corrupt elements in the court system and the Bar, have given the entire sector an almost irredeemable bad name. One of the measures to be embarked upon in order to restore the image and efficacy of this arm of Government, is the expulsion of Judges who

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NIGERIAN JUDICIARY IN 2018: PROSPECTS, HOPES AND ASPIRATIONS have been proven to be corrupt from the system.

This can be achieved by or vide two routes; (a) the criminal investigation and trial route and (b) the Administrative or complaint based system of discipline. These avenues intersect one another, and it is important where a judicial officer is to be tried in a court of criminal jurisdiction, for such an officer to be suspended from his office. In that vein, the dignity of the office of a judge, is not compromised by the criminal trial in progress. This step is not undertaken by the NJC in the course of its civil disciplinary powers, but it is the effect of where a Judge is arrested and charged to court for allegedly committing a criminal offence. The law takes its course, as it does with every citizen.

As it relates to administrative conduit for the discipline of judicial officers. That is a course exclusively preserved for the NJC by virtue of Sections 153, 160 and 291 of the 1999 Constitution. The end result of any disciplinary action, is either a reprimand, suspension from office, compulsory retirement, placement on the watch list or dismissal. No other organisation, inclusive of the DSS, EFCC, ICPC or even the Police, ought to or can influence the NJC, whilst discharging the afore described civil disciplinary process for judicial officers. The efficacy of reform measures to be embarked upon, to steer the justice sector from the abyss of corruption, ought to be the main objective now. This is in addition to the reform of the appointment procedure for judicial officers, so that only the best and indeed honest Lawyers, are appointed to the Bench.

The Case of Nganjiwa v FRN Delivered by the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal on December 11, 2017 The aftermath of the unprecedented assault on the Judiciary by the DSS and EFCC, has ignited a defence mechanism and response in the judiciary. As expected, no judiciary worth its salt, will sit idly by and allow its independence to be trashed and trampled upon by other arms of Government.

However, in my considered view, the case of Nganjiwa v FRN, is an example of overreaction by the Judiciary. Above all, it is my humble view, that the main premise on which the case was decided, with respect, is wrong. The facts are as follows: The Appellant in this matter is a serving judicial officer, specifically a Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, who was arraigned before the High Court of Lagos State Coram Hon Akintoye J, through a 14 Count Information dated the 8th of June 2017, wherein he was alleged to have committed offences ranging from unlawful enrichment by a public officer to making false information to public officers’ contrary to some sections of the Criminal Law of Lagos State. The Appellant took out a preliminary objection against his trial, on the ground that ‘having regard to the doctrine of the independence of the Judiciary and separation of powers, whether the executive arm of Government acting through the EFCC (or any other authority), can directly prosecute a serving judicial officer without following an alleged due process, by first referring the matter to the National Judicial Council for prior disciplinary action?

In resolving this issue of intense constitutional ramification, the Court of Appeal concluded that, a serving Judge must go through the process of disciplinary action of the NJC, before he faces a criminal trial consisting of the same set of facts.

Indeed, the Court of Appeal’s pronouncement at page 17 of its judgement aptly conveys the court’s reasoning thus: 'Whenever a breach of judicial oath occurs, it is a misconduct itself, then the NJC is the appropriate body to investigate such breaches by the judicial officer, and if found to be so, such judicial officer shall face disciplinary action and the NJC may recommend the removal of such a judicial officer to the appropriate authority, which is either the President in the case of a Federal Judicial Officer or the Governor of the State in the case of a State Judicial Officer and/ or take other actions appropriately. When this is done and accepted by the appropriate authority in compliance with the provisions of the Constitution, then the relevant Law Enforcement Agent or Agency, is at liberty to make the said judicial officer face the wrath of the law. Any act done by the Law Enforcement Agent or Agency in violation of the above, is tantamount to denying

the NJC its powers to discipline Judges in accordance with the provisions of Section 153(1) and paragraph 21 part 1 of the Third Schedule, of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). See paragraphs 21(a) & (b) of the Third Schedule, Part 1 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) respectively.

Whenever there is an allegation of official misconduct against a judicial officer, and the above stated process is not adhered to, it amounts to jumping the gun and ipso facto, a direct violation of the Constitution.

Recourse to the National Judicial Council, is a condition precedent as clearly set out by the Constitution, and any attempt by any Agency of Government to by-pass the Council, will amount to failure to observe the condition precedent, thereby leading to flagrant violation of the Constitution’.

The truth is that, the harassment of the Judiciary by Agents and Agencies of the Executive Arm of Government referred to above, have in the past 12 months become a recurring decimal, and its officials have made it a past-time to invade the houses of Judicial Officers and charge them to court for flimsy allegations. In my humble view, the rendering of the above judgement, is not the answer to executive lawlessness and harassment of the judiciary. This decision brings about a collision between the doctrine of separation of powers, which the Court of Appeal hinged its judgements on and the overriding principles of Equality before the Law, which is an intrinsic and integral part of the Rule of law. Consequently, should there be any reason to make a choice between issues of separation of powers and that of the Rule of law, my view is that the Principles of Equality before the Law, must prevail.

It is safe to surmise that there is no provision of the Constitution that directly or inferentially provides immunity for judicial officers from criminal prosecution. Section 308 of the CFRN 1999 (as amended), exclusively provides immunity from criminal and civil prosecution before courts, to the President, Vice President, Governors and Deputy-Governors. No other public office holder or judicial office holder, is immune from prosecution, even if it is only temporarily secured by recourse to delayed prosecution, arising from the postulation that the NJC must exercise disciplinary proceedings before a criminal trial on the same facts can be undertaken by the State. It is my considered view, that no provision of the Constitution, not even section 153 thereof and paragraph 21 of the 3rd Schedule to the Constitution, can be interpreted to vest the NJC with a prior disciplinary jurisdiction over and above that of the ordinary courts of the land.

In the absence of any direct legislation, constitutional and statutory in respect of the powers of delayed prosecution of Judges now arrogated to the NJC, it follows that such power is rooted in quicksand.

The Court of Appeal was mindful of the potential absurdity of its reasoning above, it provided what appears to be a tenuous explanation or distinction between its eventual position and the reality of the situation, which is that judicial officers ought not to be above the law thus: ‘It must be expressly stated that, if a judicial officer commits theft, fraud, murder or manslaughter, arson and the likes, which are crimes committed outside the scope of the performance of his official functions, he may be arrested, interrogated and prosecuted accordingly by the State DIRECTLY without recourse to the NJC. These classes of criminal acts are not envisaged and captured by the provisions of paragraph 21, part 1 of the Third Schedule. On the other hand, if any Judicial Officer commits a professional misconduct within the scope of his duty and is investigated, arrested and subsequently prosecuted by security agents without a formal complaint/report to the NJC, it will be a usurpation of the latter’s constitutionally guaranteed powers under Section 158 and paragraph 21 Part 1 of the Third Schedule, thereby inhibiting, and interfering with and obstructing the NJC from carrying out its disciplinary control over erring judicial officers, as clearly provided by the Constitution.

This will amount to a violation of the constitutionally guaranteed independence of (a fundamental component) of the judiciary. See ELELU-HABEEB & ANOR v A.G. FEDERATION (supra).

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Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN

The reality is that even where a judge is accused of committing a heinous crime such as murder or arson, while occupying the office of judge, the fact that it is murder does not place it outside the performance of a judge in his official capacity. The toga of a judge continues to remain with him until justice is done, one way or the other. After all the recipients of justice as postulated by the Supreme Court in the celebrated case of JOSIAH v STATE include, the State, the Accused, the Victim and the Society.

Consequently, where a judge is charged to court for a bona fide criminal offence bordering on misconduct as contained in the Judicial handbook on the Code of Conduct for Judges, the issues thrown up go beyond the image and dignity of Judges. What is thrown up at that point in time, is the satisfaction of justice in relation to the offence alleged against the trial Judge. The issues thrown up are such that, there must be a speedy trial of the judge, with an unfettered opportunity for him to clear his name. Where he clears his name, he returns to his office, where he does not, the law takes it course. The Court of Appeal in a bid to justify its reasoning, provided several examples with other units of the executive i.e. Court Martials with the defence forces, orderly room trials with the Police and the investigation of Security Agencies over the Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos cash recoveries.

It appears that the judiciary has forgotten that it is the 3rd tier of Government, and not a department of the executive that is amenable to departmental inquiries. Once a citizen of Nigeria, including a Judge, is alleged to have committed a crime, prosecution must commence and an instant opportunity must be given to him to defend himself. The charge is not to be left hanging over his head, like the proverbial sword of Damocles. It is hoped that the Supreme Court will make the right adjustments, when called upon to do so in due course.

The Reality or Threat of Judicial Corruption At the risk of being accused of blowing hot and cold, the thrust of this discourse is that today’s corruption in the judiciary is fanned and encouraged by the political class who have metamorphosed into the Government of the day on the one hand, and the opposition on the other hand. The truth is that 98% of all politicians prefer a situation where their success in an election is guaranteed, whether through the rigging of polls or the perversion of the judicial process by the bribery or coercion of Judges. Every politician is after assurance and certainty of his ambition. Consequently, politicians now take an active interest in

“NIGERIA HAS THE BEST SET OF JUDGES IN THE WORLD, BUT WE MUST INSULATE THEM FROM THE CORRUPT ANTICS OF OUR POLITICAL CLASS. THAT CAN ONLY BE DONE BY THE LEGAL PROFESSION, PARTICULARLY, THE JUDICIARY ITSELF”

who gets appointed to the higher Benches, from the High Court to the Supreme Court.

This is because the same politicians lobby the high judicial office holders for appointment of certain chosen candidates, into election panels and appellate panels. Whether their entreaties work, is still a matter of serious debate at the moment, because the pattern and trend of the decisions of some suspected panels both at the level of the election panels and the appellate courts, is under serious scrutiny at the moment.

With the new leadership of the Judiciary, the time has come for political interference in the adjudication of election cases. Once the Judiciary brings to an end this access allowed to politicians by such accommodations, the dignity of the Bench, will be instantly restored.

Conclusion The present leadership as with the leadership of the past judicial administrations, know the problems and have worked out the action plan(s) to restore the lost glory of the judiciary. This is not the place to publish such action plans.

Suffice to say that (a) the speedy and correct adjudication of cases remains at the soul of all reforms. (b) the judiciary must say NO or learn to say NO, to the unreasonable requests of politicians and (c) judicial officers must remain faithful to their oaths of office. These are the fundamentals, and cannot be compromised. I commenced this discourse, by acknowledging the high quality of the personnel that man the judiciary. I reiterate that my position has not changed. Nigeria has the best set of Judges in the world, but we must insulate them from the corrupt antics of our political class. That can only be done by the legal profession, particularly, the judiciary itself. Until the yoke of such subtle and or direct interference is thrown off, Nigerians will never be able to fully enjoy their right to JUSTICE as provided in Chapter 2 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Joseph Bodunrin Daudu, SAN, Past President Nigerian Bar Association 2010-2012

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Nigeria’s Judiciary Must Renew Itself in 2018

Introduction t’s 2018, and as we settle into the year, we are reminded of unsettled business, unmet expectations, and deferred hopes of the previous year, which now bear with us into this one. Section 17(1) of our Constitution says that the social order of our State, is founded on ideals of Freedom, Equality and Justice, and that in pursuance therefore, the independence, impartiality and integrity of our courts as well as easy accessibility thereto, shall be secured and maintained. Until our justice system is able to function within these principles, and guarantee easy access to justice, we will continue to hold out hope, that someday, it will be well with us.

There is not much to celebrate at this time, and Nigeria’s judiciary is still seething from old, chronic pains. This period in our Judiciary’s history, has provided strategic opportunities to reinvent the institution of the Judiciary, and confront deep-seated cultures of inefficiencies and complacencies that ensnared our Judiciary for so long and brought it much reproach. How much have we utilised the opportunities?

In the last year, the Judiciary has revised the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers, plugging some loopholes in the pre- existing version of the Code; the Chief Justice of Nigeria has also has instituted a Committee that is monitoring corruption cases around the country and ensuring that the cases are proceeding speedily. The CJN constituted a Committee to propose judicial reforms, and that Committee has finished its assignment.

The question is: have we, overall, put our best foot forward in tackling the challenges and seeking out enduring reform? Added to that also, is this: are there outcomes that show improvements at this time? The overall picture, we could painfully opine, still appears dismal at this time.

What has changed?

As we enter 2018, the administration of justice landscape remains nearly as parched, and the business culture of the courts remains, in many instances, just as debilitating and unsuited for the 21st century economy and civilisation in many respects. Corruption happens in courts, and it accounts for, as many have said, a major reason for delays. Inefficiencies created by courts’ own staff and processes – as well as others - cause many frustrations for court users, whether they relate to filing processes, getting them served, applying for records or getting fixtures for hearings.

Court dockets still progress at their accustomed pace and rhythm. Courts sit today, and tomorrow, the Judges are not sitting for one reason or another. Backlogs are increasing, and even the Judges are overwhelmed by their sheer volume. Given that the Nigerian judiciary is in an undeclared state of emergency, perhaps one will be permitted to hunger for a transformational programme that grates the entire judicial system to its very foundation, reboots and refreshes the entire approach to providing access to justice, and doing so with the “urgency of now”! That is yet to come.

Our peculiar challenges are, we are persuaded, not of the ramifications that will be resolved by a magic bullet, or a set of interventions that target the effects and not the causes, or limit themselves to an insular portion of their overall spectrum. Justice delivery processes and personnel performance, are organically linked to one another. If a Judge is ready to adjudicate on a case and the other party was not served because the court bailiff had not done his or her duty, the case will not proceed.

And vice-versa.

Therefore, transforming the delivery of justice services, will require a broad and interactive regimen of actions able to redress the range of pathologies debilitating the justice system.

Let’s take for example, the idea of a Committee of estimable jurists, to monitor the speed of trial of corruption cases. If we manage to get corruption cases moving speedily, we may have done well, but, how about other cases? It’s the preponderance of these other ordinary cases, that often tilts public judgement of the justice system! Should we let these other cases, languish in the purgatory supervised by the law courts? Would we have strengthened our justice system institutionally as a result of the intervention of this Committee? If this Committee’s assignment is time- bound, what happens to the speed at which courts adjudicate

Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris

corruption cases at the end of the Committee’s assignment? Is there another way to hold Judges accountable for the timely resolution of all filed cases, that is rather driven by a system capacitated and strengthened enough to ensure that all types of cases are resolved without attendant delays?

What is needed?

We need a sharper, rounder and keener transformational vision to revive the true spirit of the Nigerian judiciary and win back the trust of the people, as well as realise the lofty aspirations of Nigeria’s constitutional charter obligating us to ensure an independent, impartial judiciary, and guarantee effective access to justice. We need a burning commitment to push such a vision. As Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo said at the swearing in of the current Chief Justice of Nigeria, this is “...a time, when, my Lord and Justices of our Courts, are called upon to resuscitate that confidence that the people of this nation want to have in the institutions of government and indeed, in the judiciary.

What then holds us back? Do we lack the means to be on our front foot to restore Nigeria’s broken justice system? Have we lacked the resources to mount a good fight? Those who have responsibility to manage the crisis have not attributed the pace of our progress to the scarcity of funds, which had been a very handy excuse in the past for the Judiciary’s poor performance. The Judiciary’s budget has seen a significant improvement in the last couple of years, and the Federal Government has pledged to support the Judiciary’s efforts to while. We cannot find much justification on that front.

What is it then?

We think there is a gap that needs to close.

Nigeria needs a judiciary that is made accountable to the Nigerian people, and a leadership that is accountable for its stewardship. This is lacking at this time. Unlike other branches of government, we do not have any means to appraise the performance of the judiciary, enforce a demand for good governance within it, and change its office holders who we think have performed below par. Once appointed, judges enjoy office until retirement, exceptions made for bad conduct and incapacities: While the independence of the Judiciary is a good thing, any framework that confers

“THERE IS NOT MUCH TO CELEBRATE AT THIS TIME, AND NIGERIA’S JUDICIARY IS STILL SEETHING FROM OLD, CHRONIC PAINS”

Controller-General of Nigerian Prisons Service, Ja'afaru Ahmed

power without accountability is faulty, and not a sustainable framework for progress. Our judiciary does not report to the legislature or the executive – or even the people. Our framework does not obligate the Judiciary to create innovative solutions for everyday justice problems – it only permits it to, if it wants. And if it demurs, that’s it for us, but not for it. We need to change this paradigm, as it does not serve us well. Too much independence is not such a good thing after all.

Who is needed?

Justice reform is not a function of court administration alone. Courts are now making far-reaching judicial reform policies straight from the Bench, and this is a development we must also explore. Recently (2016) in R v Jordan, the Canadian Supreme Court revised and set down new timeframes within which the State (Crown) must conclude criminal cases. The court held that, delays in concluding the prosecution of crime suspects that exceeded 30 months were presumptively unreasonable and, with it, terminated criminal proceedings against the accused whose trial had exceeded that limit. In the aftermath of the ruling, the State dropped charges against other suspects whose trials had exceeded the ceiling set by the Court, forcing the Crown to change the way it works. This decision triggered the “search for solutions” as “..the justice system is being shaken to its foundations” said one publication. The Court said that the Canadian justice system, has a "culture of complacency and delay", and took part responsibility for that fault. The Supreme Court held that, participants in the justice system prior to that case, were not “encouraged” to take “preventative measures to address inefficient practices and resourcing problems”. Courts in India have undertaken many similar reforms from the Bench.

We too, can judicialise policies of reforms to help transform our justice system. All hands, therefore, need to be on deck.

Conclusion Former Indian Supreme Court Justice, Krishna Iyer, railing against the Indian Judiciary’s outmoded judicial system at that time had said: “A functional close-up shows that the court zigzags towards its goal, faltering and floundering, and condemned to fail without radical restructuring, socially sensitised engineering, modernised methodology and perspective-based recruitment policy.

Ballyhoo about issues like delays in disposals, docket backlog, long arguments, expensive and dilatory litigation, vagarious judgements and what not, are the syndrome to cure which are needed deeper diagnosis and daring remedies. At present, the Justice Process is iatrogenic, and breeds added injustice.”

This is true for the Nigerian judicial system as well. But, like India, we can begin to do more to repair this broken system.

Joseph Otteh, Executive Director, Access to Justice

09.01.2018

THE LIGHTER SIDE/13

LEGAL HUMOUR

We Hold Your Brief TOBI SONIYI Dear Counsel, It was in the news last week that the Lagos State Government has introduced a new law to protect Consumers’ rights.

However, I received this with mixed feelings. I really don’t know what the law is all about. Can you help shed more light on this? Also, I know for certain that there is already a law at the Federal level, which empowers the Consumer Rights Protection Council of Nigeria to handle all Consumer Rights related issues.

What is the Lagos State Law about please?

F.E., Festac, Lagos.

Dear F.E., It is true that there is a Consumer Protection Law, that empowers the Consumer Protection Council of Nigeria to carry out its statutory duties.

But the new law by Lagos State is actually a repeal of an already existing law, the Lagos State Consumer Protection Committee Law, Cap. L15,LLS 2003 and

does not affect any right that a Consumer may have under any other law (Federal).

"Section 14 of the new law, provides that if a complaint is filed by one or more Consumers, Consumer Associations, State or Local Government Agency and under section 16, provides that after due investigation, including laboratory tests which gives both sides an opportunity to be heard, the agency may direct the person responsible for the harmful product to remove the defect, replace the product, return the price paid, pay damages and withdraw the product from circulation".

Conviction under the law ‘shall be liable on first conviction to a fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for three months, while subsequent conviction attracts a fine of N750,000 or six months imprisonment’.

This new law is quite needful in Lagos at this point, due to the high level of defective and substandard products that flood the markets every day.

A Physician, an Engineer, and an Attorney were discussing who among them belonged to the oldest of the three professions represented. The Physician said, "Remember, on the sixth day God took a rib from Adam and fashioned Eve, making him the first surgeon. Therefore, medicine is the oldest profession."

The Engineer replied, "But, before that, God created the heavens and earth from chaos and confusion, and thus he was the first engineer. Therefore, engineering is an older profession than medicine." Then, the Lawyer spoke up. "Yes," he said, "But who do you think created all of the chaos and confusion?" ˾˾˾ An elderly patient needs a heart transplant and discusses his options with his doctor. The doctor says, ‘We have three possible donors.

One is a young, healthy athlete.

The second is a middle aged businessman who never drank or smoked, and the third is an Attorney who just died after practicing law for 30 years.’ ‘I’ll take the Lawyer’s heart,’ says the patient.

‘Why?’ asks the doctor. The patient replies, ‘It’s never been used.’ ˾˾˾ Q: Why are lawyers never attacked by sharks? A: Professional courtesy. ˾˾˾ A Lawyer and the Pope died at the same time, both went to heaven. They were met at the Pearly Gate by St. Peter who conducted them to their rooms.

The Pope's room was spartan with bare floor, army cot for a bed, and a single bulb for light. They came to the Lawyer's room. It was huge with wall to wall carpeting, king sized water bed, indirect lighting, colour TV, stereo, Jacuzzi and fully stocked bar. The Lawyer said, "There must be a mistake. This must be the Pope's room!"

St Peter said, "There's no mistake. This is your room. We have lots of Pope's, but you're our very first Lawyer!"

COURT VOIDS NHRC REPORT INDICTING OSUNBOR FOR ELECTORAL OFFENCES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 Tribunal in line with Section 5 of the Act. Justice Ojukwu said that was not so, adding that even where a trial Court finds a person guilty of culpable homicide, based on facts and law, the same law also gives him an opportunity to be heard on

appeal, until he exhausts all the strappings of the law.

According to the Judge, while the Court was not by any means attempting to strip the defendant of its powers under Section 5 and 6 of the National Human Rights Commission Act, the Court was merely but

LAWYER DISPELS FINANCIAL IMPROPRIETY ALLEGATION CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 not in any way connected with the matter.

“The suspect has even apologised to her Ladyship, for the attendant embarrassment and negative publicity caused her. The matter has since been resolved”, the Lawyer said.

Babatunde, who is over 30 years at the Bar, said the allegations were borne out of petty jealousy, by those who felt bitter about Justice Atilade’s immediate succession after her sister.

“This is the first time there will be a transition between sisters holding the office of Chief Judge, and in their acceptance speeches, both attributed it to merit and to the Glory of God. “Naturally, there were people envious of this historical feat, and even in the Bible new things and teachings

were not easily accepted and they were always ready to throw stones”, the Lawyer said.

He urged the public to disregard claims by unnamed senior officers, who he said spread falsehood about Justice Atilade.

“It is sad that the exalted office of the Chief Judge is now being made the subject of accusations, the first time in the history of Lagos State Judiciary in particular.

“It is on record, that there has not been any petition to or query from the NJC on any CJ during the previous tenures.

“Lagos State Judges are among the most honourable in Nigeria, and none of them was the focus of any of the recent accusations of judicial corruption”, Babatunde said.

firmly, stating that the exercise of such powers must be within the precinct of the law.

“It is paradox that the National Human Rights Commission, known and established to deal with all matters relating to the promotion and protection of human rights as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Universal Declaration on Human Rights, would be found wanting in this instance. It goes against the grain and norm.

“The right to fair hearing is not negotiable in this instance, the right is very essential for a person to secure justice. Where a person alleging breach of fair hearing establishes it, it follows that the breach will vitiate such proceedings, rendering it null and void.

“Premised on the on-going, it is safe to say that the defendant is bound to follow the provisions of Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, in the exercise of their statutory powers”, the court held.

Justice Ojukwu declared the Report in contention null and void, having failed to follow due process and the principles of natural justice in arriving at it.

The Judge also awarded the sum of N500,000 to the plaintiff, as general damages for the breach of his fundamental right.

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09.01.2018

Trump, Jerusalem and the UN In this article, Chris Akiri traces the history of Israel and Jerusalem all the way back to Biblical times, discussing conquests of the region by various peoples, the creation of the State of Israel by General Assembly Resolution 181 in 1947, and supporting President Donald Trump’s declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on December 7, 2017, condemning what he refers to as ‘mass hysteria in the Arab world’, in reaction to Trump’s action

O

n Tuesday, December 7, 2017, the US President, Donald J. Trump, declared Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, promising to relocate the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Following this declaration, there was mass hysteria in the Arab world, condemning the declaration as a dead set against the peace mediation process in the Israeli-Palestinian imbroglio, and against International Law. I dare say that a sizeable crop of the anti-declaration protesters inveighs against the US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel from the angle of vision of religion and cheap, emotional sentiments.

Biblical History From a remote period of antiquity, except on those excruciating periods when it was conquered and occupied by more powerful enemies, the City of Jerusalem, located in the Judean Hills of Israel and appears 719 times in Bible verses, has been the capital of the United Monarchy of Israel over which ruled countless Hebrew monarchs, including, but not limited to, David and Solomon (1 Kings 1:37, 2 Samuel 8:11-21 and 1Kings 8:21).

If any other group, including the original inhabitants of the City, the Jebusites (not Arabs), refused or omitted to lay claim to their city, such a group would be said to have slept on its rights and overtaken by the equitable doctrine of laches and acquiescence or prescription, for where were the Jebusites, the Perizzites, the Amorites, etc., when David and Solomon, for example, reigned over Israel, with its capital in Jerusalem, for 33 and 40 years on end, respectively? The hackneyed Latin maxim, vigilantibus et non dormientibus jura subveniunt (the laws aid those who are vigilant, not those who sleep upon their rights),has been held to be valid from time immemorial. Jerusalem was the capital of Israel even when the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 AD. Israel was and remains “The Promised Land” and Jerusalem, its divinely chosen capital. According to the Almighty Father, in the Holy Writ, “Since the day that I brought forth my people out of the land of Egypt I chose no city among all the tribes of Israel to build a house in, that my name might be there; neither chose I any man to be a ruler over my people Israel. But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel” (2 Chronicles 6: 5-6).

Creation of Israel Article 2 (4) of the Charter of the United Nations forbids the use of force in the internal relations of States. Against that background, let us consider the following facts: Israel was created by the General Assembly Resolution 181 in 1947 and, on May 14, 1948, became the sovereign State of Israel. Thirty-three Member States of the UN voted in favour of the Resolution; thirteen against, ten abstained and one was absent. No sooner did Israel become an independent sovereign State, than all the Arab States launched ferocious attacks against the young State, in defiance of

Resolution 181 of the UN. So, who is setting UN Resolutions at naught, if we must reason from cause to effect? The wonted discrimination against Israel in the UN, now hallowed by custom, explains why Michael Reisman contends that “Article 2 (4) was part and parcel of a complex collective security process”, emphasising that the obvious collapse of the process, had undermined the original understanding behind the sub-section.

Correct!

Discrimination?

Or how do you explain the fact that, although Israel has been referred to as the “Occupying Power” 530 times in General Assembly Resolutions, there has been no single reference to Indonesia, in East Timor, or to Turkey, in Northern Cyprus, to Russia, in areas of Georgia or in Ukraine’s Crimea, to Morocco, in Western Sahara, to Vietnam, in Cambodia or to Armenia, in areas of Azerbaijan as an “Occupying Power”? Anti-Semitism? Or giving credit to the Urhobo aphorism, that the earthworm navigates its way through the softest part of the soil?

Since May 14, 1948, all Arab States and Iran have consistently vowed to remove Israel from the world map. In view of this, Israel has decided to hold on to certain Palestinian areas, including the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights (captured in the Six-Day war in 1967), as buffer States to prevent a direct incursion of Palestinian and other aggressor States into the Israeli State. And Israel is an “Occupying Power”?

Two of the great religions in the world, Christianity and Islam, have their holy places to which their adherents make annual pilgrimages - Christians to Jerusalem, in Israel, and Muslims to Mecca and Medina, in Saudi Arabia. Besides this fact, Jerusalem has suffered untold hardships.

In its long and chequered history, Jerusalem, in Israel, has been attacked fifty-two times, captured and re-captured forty-four times, besieged twenty- three times and destroyed twice. In April, 637 AD, the same year the Arabs started their conquest and occupation of North Africa, what later became “The Maghreb”, Caliph Umar travelled from Saudi Arabia to Jerusalem to receive the submission of Jerusalem to his army of conquest. The Arab conquest of that year solidified their control over Palestine, a control that was not to be threatened until the First Crusade in the late 11th century.

Conquering of Jerusalem According to the Chronological Reference Points (Middle East Insight) of January-February, 1999), Jerusalem was conquered by the Canaanites (Jebusites) in 1200 BCE; in 1000 BCE, King David conquered Jerusalem. In 960 BCE David’s son, Solomon, built the First Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. The first Arab conquest and occupation of Jerusalem spanned the period AD 637-1099, during which period the Dome of the Rock was built (AD 691) on the sites of the demolished Temples built by Solomon and other Jews.

The Byzantines (AD 324-614), who built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in AD 335; the Persians (AD 614-629) and the Byzantine Christians (AD 629-638), were successive conquerors of Jerusalem. Other

President Donald Trump

conquerors of Jerusalem included the Umayyads, the Romans, the Abbasids, the Crusaders, the Ayyubids, the Mamluks and the Ottomans. The City was placed under British Mandate in 1917, after Britain drove away the Ottoman Turks during the First World War (19141918). The British hung on to the City till 1948, when the Balfour Declaration was considered and adopted by the UN. Quite clearly, the common and unseemly threads that run through the kaleidoscopic history of Israel’s Jerusalem, are conquests and reconquests, including the displacement, banishment, exile, dispersion and decimation of the Jewish nation, as well as the expropriation of their property.

Jerusalem Embassy Act 1995 By reason of the historical facts above, and of the gnawing question as to “What is Israel without an undivided Jerusalem?”, the 104th Congress of the United States of America passed the Jerusalem Embassy Act, now a public law of the US, on October 23, 1995, “to initiate and fund the relocation of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, not later than May, 1999.”

President Donald Trump’s decision is traceable to that extant Act, which his successive ‘lily-livered’ predecessors had shied away from. Yet, the US already has a capacious Consulate building in Jerusalem, which Ambassador David Friedman could conveniently move into; the Israeli Knesset (Legislature), the Israeli President’s and Prime Minister’s official residences are in Jerusalem.

Before Trump’s declaration, therefore, Jerusalem had been the administrative headquarters or constructive capital of Israel! So, when, the other day, the General Assembly of the UN passed

“PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S DECISION IS TRACEABLE TO THAT EXTANT ACT, WHICH HIS SUCCESSIVE ‘LILYLIVERED’ PREDECESSORS HAD SHIED AWAY FROM. YET, THE US ALREADY HAS A CAPACIOUS CONSULATE BUILDING IN JERUSALEM, WHICH AMBASSADOR DAVID FRIEDMAN COULD CONVENIENTLY MOVE INTO; THE ISRAELI KNESSET (LEGISLATURE), THE ISRAELI PRESIDENT’S AND PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICIAL RESIDENCES ARE IN JERUSALEM. BEFORE TRUMP’S DECLARATION, THEREFORE, JERUSALEM HAD BEEN THE ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS OR CONSTRUCTIVE CAPITAL OF ISRAEL!” yet another anti-Israel Resolution by a vote of 128 to 9, with 35 abstentions and 21 absences, demanding that President Trump rescind his declaration regarding Jerusalem, that biased, anti-Semitic body was warning America against executing its own laws!

Chris Akiri, Legal Practitioner, Lagos

09.01.2018

/15

INSIGHT ABUBAKAR D. SANI

xL4sure@yahoo.com

When is a Public Officer Not a ‘Public Officer’?

T Introduction

his poser is prompted by the recent decision of the Zamfara State High Court, presided over by Hon. Justice Bello Mohammed Tukur, which discharged a former Governor of the State, Senator Ahmed Sani, Yeriman Bakura, of the offence of diversion of public funds, inter alia, on the ground that he was not a public officer at the time he allegedly committed the offence, even though he was the State Governor at the time. It appears that the court based its decision on the meaning of “public officer” under the Interpretation Act, where it is defined as a member of the public service of the Federation or a State under the Constitution.

However, Governors are not members of the public services of States under the Constitution, hence they are not ‘public officers’ – at least as far as that definition goes. This will come as something of a surprise to many observers, given the popular belief that all public officials, whether elected, appointed or career civil servants, are public officers. To the extent that the verdict contradicts this notion, the devil, clearly must be in the detail. So, let’s find out. . .

Background The ever-controversial former Governor, was docked, along with three others for, inter alia, allegedly diverting the sum of N464,820,189 out of a N1 billion loan earmarked for the repair of a dam in Gusau, the State capital. This was said to be contrary to Section 22(5) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, which provides thus: “Any public officer who transfers or spends any sum allocated for a particular project or service shall be guilty of an offence under this Act”.

In throwing out the charges, the Court held that since Senator Sani was not a public officer in the eyes of the law, “(he) could not be said or found to have used the public office status that is not available to him to confer any advantage upon another”.

Who, then, is a Public Officer?

This is the question unwittingly thrown up by the decision. Section 18(1) of the Interpretation Act defines “a public officer” as “a member of the public service of the Federation within the meaning of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, or of the public service of a State”. On the other hand, Section 318(1) of the Constitution defines “public service of the Federation (or of a State)” as “the service of the Federation (or of a State) in any capacity in respect of the

Senator Sani Yerima

Government of the Federation (or State)”. It then outlines about eight institutions or statutory corporations and government agencies, employment in which qualifies as ‘public service of the Federation or of a State as the case may be.

Curiously, none of those capacities includes a State Governor, or even the President, his Vice, the heads and members of legislative houses either at the Federal or State level, or indeed, the heads of the Judiciary (CJN/PCA, CJs, etc) and any judicial officer whatsoever.

This situation is clearly anomalous, given that the holders of all these offices - from the President down to the most lowly clerk, messenger or security guard in a local government - is a public officer for the purposes of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers in Parts I & II of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution.

Deconstructing the Decision and Resolving the Anomaly There is no question that the decision effectively de-fanged the provisions of the ICPC Act and other statutes, such as the Penal Code and Criminal Code, in so far as they apply to ex-Presidents/ex-Vicepresidents, ex-Governors, their Deputies and others who, though are regarded as public officers under the Code of Con-

"I BELIEVE THAT THE LEARNED TRIAL JUDGE, WITH RESPECT, ERRED TO HAVE HELD THAT THE FORMER GOVERNOR WAS NOT A PUBLIC OFFICER. I SUBMIT THAT, THERE IS ONLY ONE CATEGORY OF PUBLIC OFFICERS, AND THAT IS AS PROVIDED IN PARTS I & II OF THE FIFTH SCHEDULE TO THE CONSTITUTION.....I POSIT THAT IN FINDING THAT SENATOR SANI, AS A GOVERNOR, WAS NOT A PUBLIC OFFICER, THE COURT UNWITTINGLY RECOGNISED TWO CATEGORIES OF PUBLIC OFFICERS"

duct, however lack that character under the Interpretation Act, for the mere fact that they are not members of the public service by the definition of that phrase in the Act. I believe that the court’s construction of the phrase, is contrary to public policy. It is settled that where a statutory provision is capable of two interpretations, the alternative that is consistent with the smooth working of the system which the statute seeks to regulate, is preferable to that which will cause confusion, uncertainty or friction in the system: ut res magis valeat quam pereat.

See YABUGBE v COP (1992) 23 NSCC pt. 1 pg. 651 @ 671 It is also the law that the provisions of the Constitution should be read and interpreted as a whole, in that, related Sections (in this case, the definitions of “public service” in Section 318(1) and “public officer” in the Fifth Schedule thereto) should be construed together: TUKUR v GOVERNMENT OF GONGOLA STATE (1989) 20 NSCC pt. III Pg. 225 @ 273.

Furthermore, it has never been the case in our law, that the provisions of an ordinary statute (in this case, the Interpretation Act), would render nugatory a relevant provision of the Constitution: A.C.B v LOSADA (1995) 7 NWLR pt. 405 Pg. 26 @ 52. I submit that the definition of “public officer” adopted by the court, is contrary to one of the “twelve commandments” of constitutional interpretation enunciated in ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF BENDEL STATE v ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION (1982) 3 NCLR Pg. 1 @ 132, which is that “the principles upon which the Constitution was established, rather than the direct operation or literal meaning of the words used, measure the purpose and scope of its operation”. I believe that those principles (and the purposes of the Constitution) can be gleaned from its Preamble, and they

include “the promotion of good government and welfare of all persons (as well as) freedom, equality and justice”.

I believe that the decision raises a number of issues. Is the dichotomy between the definition of public officer under the Code of Conduct in the Constitution and the Interpretation Act valid? Is it right that the clearly salutary provisions of the Constitution in respect of the Code of Conduct for public officers, should be subverted (or at least abridged) by being restricted to only “officers in the public service” as so narrowly defined in the Interpretation Act? To the extent that those provisions diverge significantly from the manifest intention of the makers of the Constitution, which is to ensure probity in the conduct of public life, should they be allowed to stand? I submit that, the answers to all these questions is a resounding ‘No’.

To start with, the Interpretation Act itself makes it plain (in Section 1 thereof) that it is applicable “except in so far as the contrary intention appears” either in the Act itself or “the enactment in question”. There is no doubt that this includes the Constitution. However, as if to make assurance doubly sure, Section 37(2) of the Act categorically provides that “nothing in (the) Act shall be construed as purporting to prejudice the provisions of the Constitution”.

I believe that the learned trial Judge, with respect, erred to have held that the former Governor was not a public officer.

I submit that there is only one category of public officers, and that is as provided in Parts I & II of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution. This is clear from the fact that all members of the public services of both the Federation and the States as contained in Section 318(1) of the Constitution, are also named as public officers for the purposes of the Code of Conduct in the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution.

I posit that in finding that Senator Sani, as a Governor, was not a public officer, the court unwittingly recognised two categories of public officers. To the extent that the second category is based on a flawed construction of the Interpretation Act vis-à-vis the Constitution (which in effect, placed it on a higher pedestal than the Constitution), I submit that it negates the Code of Conduct for public officers under the Constitution, as it pertains to ex-Governors like Senator Yerima, et al, who, under the Interpretation Act, are not public officers - even though under the Code of Conduct as aforesaid, they are.

This obvious anomaly can, however, be reconciled when it is recalled that, in ATTORNEY- GENERAL OF THE BENDEL STATE v ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION, supra, the Apex Court held that “a constitutional provision should not be construed so as to defeat its evident purpose”.

Conclusion The import of the of the decision should not be lost, coming on the heels of the recent judgement of the Court of Appeal which effectively insulated serving judicial officers from being investigated or prosecuted by law enforcement agencies like the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, as this case. Unfortunately, the impression created by both decisions is that the war against corruption is on something of a back-foot.

Suffice it to say that, given the public disquiet that has trailed their pronouncement, both decisions have clearly raised more questions than answers.

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09.01.2018

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T H I S D AY TUESDAY JANUARY 9, 2018

T H I S D AY TUESDAY JANUARY 9, 2018

27

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2018

PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT AfDB, GEF, NDF, CIC Partner in $55m Investment into Off-Grid Energy Access Fund The Off-Grid Energy Access Fund has received a boost with $55 million investment through the partnership of the African Development Bank, Global Environment Facility, Nordic Development Fund, and Calvert Impact Capital.

Bennett Oghifo reports The African Development Bank’s Board, recently, approved a US $30-million investment in the Facility for Energy Inclusion Off-Grid Energy Access Fund (“FEI OGEF”). This follows the approval of additional investments of US $10 million from Calvert Impact Capital (CIC), US $8.5 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and €6 million from the Nordic Development Fund (NDF). In addition, the NDF will provide a €0.5-million grant for technical assistance to support deal structuring and capacity development.

According to a statement by the AfDB, the FEI OGEF is a US $100-million blended finance debt fund designed to provide loans in local and hard currencies to off-grid energy companies with the dual objectives of scaling up access to clean electricity for off-grid households and crowding in local financial institutions as co-lenders. The Fund directly supports the Bank’s New Deal on Energy for Africa and is part of its “High 5” priority to light up and power the continent, with an aspirational target of connecting 75 million households through off-grid energy access solutions by 2025. Through the use of clean energy instead of fossil fuels to power communities, the Fund is expected to result in the reduction of up to 8 million tonnes of CO2 emissions over its lifetime.

Over 600 million people are estimated to lack access to modern energy in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“FEI OGEF is the first Bank instrument that enables debt financing, including in local currency, to off-grid energy access companies who need growth capital to expand their operations across Africa. The strong collaboration of the Bank, SEFA and NDF in preparing and creating this fund, and the co-investment by the GEF and CIC, demonstrate the power of partnerships for clean energy access in Africa,” said Astrid Manroth, Director, Transformative Energy Partnerships at the African Development Bank.

The combination of these four first investments brings this innovative fund closer to its first close target to be achieved in the first quarter of 2018 and provides a strong signal to the community of interested investors. In particular, the approvals will provide comfort for dedicated private-sector investors to join FEI OGEF.

Akinwumi Adesina

The Fund is a first mover matching local currency debt instruments with recent innovations in off-grid energy business models to scale up energy access for underserved and rural households. It provides a blended capital structure whereby investments in equity provides comfort and risk cushioning to attract early participation and additional investment by development finance institutions and other commercial investors.

During a recent visit to the Bank headquarters in Abidjan, NDF’s Managing Director Pasi Hellman said, “This initiative highlights the close and constructive working relationship between NDF and the AfDB. We have been in lock step throughout the preparation and development cycle of the Fund. Now we have a fully packaged investment vehicle to bring to market scaling up proven clean off-grid energy solutions to the energy access challenge on

the continent.”

The Fund will be managed by Lion’s Head Global Partners operating out of offices in Nairobi, Lagos and London, with an initial focus on East Africa as well as Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria, and looking to build a strong pipeline of transactions throughout the region.

The pioneering Fund will unlock and catalyse financial sector and local currency participation in this growing green finance opportunity.

“The GEF is pleased to be a partner in this innovative blended finance facility which is part of GEF’s strategic priority to “crowd-in” private sector investment to help countries meet their environmental and sustainability goals,” said Gustavo Fonseca, Director of Programs at the Global Environment Facility.

“OGEF squarely fits within our investment mandate of leveraging public capital at scale to create systemic change in sectors and geographies that have been overlooked by mainstream capital markets. We are excited to work with the AfDB and the other investors to scale this facility and increase access to clean electricity for off-grid households in Africa,” said Jenn Pryce, President and CEO of Calvert Impact Capital.

The Facility for Energy Inclusion (FEI) is the Bank’s flagship initiative for providing long-term finance to small-scale renewable energy access projects, of which FEI OGEF is one of the financing windows.

FEI has been developed with grant support from the Bank-hosted Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA).

African Development Bank Group The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 37 African countries with an external office in Japan, the AfDB contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states.

Nordic Development Fund (NDF) The Nordic Development Fund (NDF) is the joint development and climate finance institution of the five Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland,

Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. NDF finances and facilitates climate investments in Africa, Asia and Latin America and has committed over EUR 45 million in co-finance to a joint portfolio of operations with the AfDB. NDF is currently partnering with the African Guarantee Fund and the International Trade Center on a series of green finance conferences around Africa. The next in the series is planned for Abidjan in March 2018.

Global Environment Facility (GEF) The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a multilateral donor trust fund established in 1991 to finance actions which address critical threats to the global environment. Since then, the GEF has provided over US $14.5 billion in grants and mobilized an excess of US $75.4 billion in additional co-financing for more than 4,000 projects in 167 countries. The GEF is a unique partnership of 18 agencies – including multilateral development banks (MDBs), United Nations agencies, national entities and international NGOs – working with countries to address challenging environmental issues.

Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) Launched in 2012, SEFA is a US $95-million multi-donor facility funded by the governments of Denmark, the United Kingdom, the United States and Italy.

It supports the sustainable energy agenda in Africa through grants to facilitate the preparation of medium-scale renewable energy generation and energy efficiency projects; equity investments to bridge the financing gap for small- and mediumscale renewable energy generation projects; and support to the public sector to improve the enabling environment for private investments in sustainable energy. SEFA is hosted by the Renewable Energy Department of the AfDB. Calvert Impact Capital Calvert Impact Capital invests to create a more equitable and sustainable world. “Through our products and services, we raise capital from individual and institutional investors to finance intermediaries and funds that are investing in communities left out of traditional capital markets. During our 22-year history, we have mobilised nearly $2 billion of investor capital,” according to the statement.

Govt, Private Sector Officials to Learn New Technologies, as IBS Begins Today in Florida Bennett Oghifo The Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Suleiman Zarma Hassan will be visiting the 74th annual convention and exposition for stakeholders in the housing and construction industry that will hold from today, January 9-11, 2018 at the Orange County Convention Centre, Orlando, Florida, USA. A team of Directors in charge of building will accompany the Minister from his Ministry, said a statement by Niche PR & Events, a Nigerian - based Public Relations Company that is facilitating this visit. The company has organised diverse business experts to prime exhibitions, capacity-building programmes, including in-class training, congresses and conferences. Their task is to recruit participation, plan agenda, promote joint venture business partnerships and manage the needed logistics.

The Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mrs. Marcella

Iyitor said some high networth private companies have also confirmed participation at the 2018 IBS, as this event is the best forum to strategize for business growth.

Other government agencies including the Federal Staff Housing Loans Board, Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, Federal Capital Territory and Ogun State Lands Bureau are part of the Nigerian delegation to IBS 2018.

The statement said the Minister of State will meet briefly with the organisers of this Show, who have had several discussions on replicating skill training institutes in Nigeria, visit featured exhibitors with in demand new products and technologies, engage with other industry experts.

The International Builders’ Show is the largest annual light construction show in the world, every year attracting 60,000 visitors from

100 countries. It is the only event of its kind, focusing specifically on the needs, concerns and opportunities that face builders. IBS brings together the industry’s most important global manufacturers and suppliers in 570,000 net square feet space exhibit space, showcasing the latest and most in-demand products, materials and technologies involved in all types of buildings- including wood, concrete, stone and brick. The International Builders show is organised

by National Association of Home Builders which the Ministry is a Global Member.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is a Washington, D.C. - based trade association whose broad mission is to enhance the climate for housing, homeownership and the residential building industry.

NAHB represents more than 140,000 members nationwide.

About one-third of NAHB’s members are homebuilders

and/or remodelers. Its primary goal is to ensure that housing is a national priority.

The NAHB’s educational arm, HBI, is a national leader for career training in the building industry. It provides students the skills and experience they need for successful careers through pre-apprenticeship training, job placement services, mentoring, certification programs, textbooks and curricula. HBI programs do more than just provide job skills: they also build character and selfesteem; helping to provide students with the skills they need to succeed on the job and in life IBS 2018 exhibit show floor will feature the most cutting-edge designs, technologies, products and services aimed at building construction, home technology and interior construction industry sectors. Exciting business opportunities await you at IBS Outdoor Exhibit.

The latest home and business

technologies to build businesses and keep companies thriving into the future will be showcased at nextBuild.

The International Builders’ Show offers in-depth industry-focused educational sessions taught by renowned building industry experts from across the country with topics ranging from Marketing and Sales for Building Professionals, Construction Contracts and Law, Estimating and Scheduling Profitable Business Operations, Principles and Residential Marketing: Strategy and Implementation, Advanced Green Building: Building Science. These one-or two-day courses will give participants chance to increase their skill sets by delving deep into the industry topics, while earning NAHB CEUs. At IBS 2018, participants will visit The New American Home that highlights new products and techniques. See cuttingedge efficiency, technology and sustainability all set in

a contemporary style home with stunning desert view.

Iyitor said, “Participants can see even more of what the building universe has to offer in one trip through Design & Construction Week (DCW).

DCW features the co-location of the NAHB Builders’ Show (IBS) and the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS).

Registered IBS attendees have access to the exhibit floors of both DCW shows.

“IBS 2018 provides show attendees with countless opportunities to network, learn, share info and make connections with fellow builders and the industry’s best suppliers and manufacturers.

You won’t find another show that can compare to IBS magnitude and scope of products and gives you much access to vital information and business connections. Products, education and business connections all await you at IBS 2018.”

29

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2018

PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT

Homework Takes Affordable Luxury Homes to Other Parts of Lagos Homework Development and Properties Limited, based in Lagos, has stated that it would build its luxurious and quality homes in places like Ajah, Yaba and other parts of the mainland of Lagos.

The Director of the Company, Mr. Jide Adekola, said Homework intended to deliver on the projects within a short period and that it had shown strong commitment in resolving the housing deficit in Nigeria through affordable mini estates of one, two and three bedroom apartments.

He said the mini estates, which would feature innovative architectural designs, would be spread across the country, as there was new demand for them for investment and related purposes since they are affordable.

Adekola said the projects were driven by the passion to offer affordable quality homes to Nigerians. Towards this end, the company would negotiate with suppliers and manufacturers of building equipment to see how they could sell their products at discounted rates.

He explained that Homework had made remarkable progress in resolving housing deficit through its products located at Banana Island, where it has a small gated community of terraces and semi-detached duplexes and

at Lekki Phase I with Dunvale Terraces.

Other projects include Rowland’s Court, which consists of maisonettes at Elegushi in Lekki; Dunvale Court, an estate of 3 bed and 4 bed terraces as well as units of one and two bedroom apartments, both situated along Orchid Hotel, Lekki, Lagos.

To make its products unique, Homework embarks on regular training for its team of architects and engineers in line with modern trends.

This has given the company an edge in the market.

It also makes use of upto-date building technology to tackle the challenge of communication in addition to providing identification and security with close circuit television surveillance solutions in its estates. “We also took into consideration space optimisation, comfort, child-friendly environment and recreation while developing our projects,” Adekola said.

He said following the success recorded so far, Homework intends to explore opportunities in other West African countries with products within the reach of the people. “Most people in Africa are looking for low cost houses and because we have done it in Lagos, we will do same in countries in the sub-region.”

FMBN Urges Edo Govt to Key into Nat’l Housing Fund Scheme Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria has appealed to the Edo State Government to ensure that workers in state rejoin the National Housing Fund scheme, disclosing that Edo is the only state in the South-South region that has not keyed into the NHF scheme.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FMBN, Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, who stated this in Benin, recently, noted that it would be wholesome if Edo workers join the NHF scheme and join millions of Nigerians that have benefitted from the scheme.

Dangiwa spoke at the handling over ceremony of house keys to the first batch of beneficiaries of three (3) bedroom detached bungalows at the Goshen Garden City Estate built by a private developer at the by-pass, Benin City.

Represented by the Executive Director, Finance and Corporate

Services (FCS) of FMBN, Mr. Maelville Ebo, Dangiwa disclosed that 4.6 million Nigerian workers were already partaking in the NHF scheme.

The FMBN boss who said that about N74 billion have been disbursed to low and medium income earners to get their own houses, noted that Edo workers might have opted out of the NHF scheme because things were not done perfectly in the past.

However, he said the new team has been able to change the dynamics in the scheme and are aggressively pursuing those who embezzled money meant to build houses for workers.

“We are pursuing the looters to wherever they are. We are recovery hundreds of millions of naira and reinvesting the money in estate like this.

Everything has changed. It will be wholesome if Edo joins and they will benefit from the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria. “The FMBN had advanced facilities for home

renovation and expansion for housing development loans to cooperative societies to build houses for their members. All these are efforts at making the economically less-privileged Nigerians have access to affordable housing. All loans from (FMBN) attract just 6% interest rate.”

“FMBN has disbursed #22.7 million as Home Renovation Loans to some beneficiaries, We are improving the benefits of the (NHF) Scheme, and quickly looking at ways to make it more affordable. “ “One of such is that mortgage loans of #5 million and below are capitalised, so that the beneficiary does not need to put down 10% of the property, as equity contribution or the 10%, for mortgage perfection.

These are some of the benefits of the (NHF) Scheme. I wish to use this forum to appeal to Edo State Workers to rejoin the NHF Scheme. Of all States, in the South-South geo-political zone, only Edo state is not

participating in the Scheme”, Dangiwa stated.

Earlier in her speech, the Managing Director/Chief Executive 0fficer of Delta Trust Mortgage Bank (DTMB), Mrs. Ruby 0koro, said it was time the Edo government took position on whether to join the NHF scheme or not. Mrs. Okoro said that the distribution of keys to beneficiaries of the first private estate in the state was a clarion call for the government and the people of Edo to get back to contribute to the NHF scheme.

She urged the Edo state government to support the project by providing infrastructure such road network and drainages within the estate.

Also in his remarks at the event, the Managing Director of Prucriz Property and Investment Limited/Developer of Goshen Garden, Chris Ebbih, appealed to Governor Godwin 0baseki to help the project by constructing an access road leading to the estate.

NIEVS Condemns Valuation of Plants, Machinery by Nonprofessionals The Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) has condemned the valuation of plants and machinery by non-professionals as a source of revenue loss to government at all levels.

According to the Chairman, Faculty of Housing, NIESV, Mr. Paul Osaji, government at all levels were losing huge revenue that should come from taxes on machinery and plants, because they depend on unqualified professionals, who are neither estate surveyors nor valuers to do the valuation of these equipment.

Osaji said, “With proper valuation of industrial machinery and plants, be it the breweries, aviation, communication outfits, taxes that would be generated either by the federal, state or local governments in term of revenues are so huge that their effective exploitation is capable of eliminating total dependence on revenue from oil, not to talk of engaging in external borrowing.” The involvement of qualified professionals, in this case, Estate Surveyors and Valuers would improve the revenue base of government, said Osaji, who is the Managing Partner, Paul Osaji & Co. He explained the processes and a set of procedures used to determine the economic value of an owner’s interest in an asset, saying “Valuation of Assets may generally be required for following purposes: Mergers and Acquisitions – Pre Merger and Post Merger.

“From Financial Reporting Banking (Lending against

Assets), it involves impairment studies, purchase price allocation, Distress Assets/ non-Performing Asset, Court & Litigation support, including management information and strategic planning.

“Other processes include insurance, initial public offerings, cost investigations disinvestment, among others.

“The scope of Valuer include complete understanding of valuation purpose, collection of data and documents and understanding, physical inspection of subject assets, market survey and collection of data pertinent to the valuation exercise.” Osaji said others are collection of technical details for the subject assets and analysis of technical data and the supporting information, assessment of balance economic life of the subject assets, determination of valuation parameters, methodology, basis of valuation and key assumptions.

“From the foregoing, one will not, but admitted that only those who are professionally qualified, in this case Estate surveyors and Valuers are in position to be engaged in valuation exercise, not the lawyers, the accountants, or architects.

Although their services may be needed in other ancillary areas, but not in the nitty-gritty of plant valuation.”

The reason for this, he said was that “Plant Valuation is highly complex in nature as our practice caters to a wide spectrum of industries each having plant and machinery with its own inherent characteristics.

L-R: Director, TrustBond Mortgage Bank Plc, Deborah Nicol-Omeruah, Managing Director, Adeniyi Akinlusi, Chairman, Etigwe Uwa SAN, and Company Secretary, Mark Okoye at the 8th annual general meeting of the company held in Lagos… recently

Myself, My Home in Harmattan Charles D.S Maduka Harmattan is defined by the Wikipedia on-line encyclopedia as a cold, dry and dusty trade wind (also known as the Northwesterly) usually blowing annually from the Sahara desert into the Gulf of Guinea between the end of November and middle of March. Harmattan is characterised by dry, cold and dust-laden wind with wide fluctuations in the ambient temperature of the day and the night. It also lowers humidity and dissipates cloud cover.

However the three basic necessities of life are food (with water), shelter and clothing.

The clothing has to do with the covering of our mortal body while the shelter protects us from the adverse weather conditions while also acting as a fortress against intruders.

Modern science has proven that the rotation of the earth on it axis as it orbits the sun is responsible for the day and the night while its revolution gives rise to seasons. It takes

the earth 365 days to complete its revolution around the sun. Harmattan as earlier mentioned, is a season that is active within the Gulf of Guinea. The Gulf of Guinea is the northeaster most part of the tropical Atlantic Ocean between cape Lopez in Gabon, North and West to Cape Palmas in Liberia. The home is the shelter that protects man from inclement weather conditions which includes the harmattan season. It is therefore pertinent to examine the necessary steps towards making our homes conducive in the season. The harmattan wind is dust-laden and should be prevented from having access into the house.

A good alternative could be to rely on mechanical ventilation through the use of air conditioning system but that might be outrageous for most people in terms of cost.

We can reduce the inflow of dusty wind into our home by installing door closers. The closers reduce the time lapse between opening and closing of the door when in use. It

is also advisable to check the air tightness of the windows while shut. Due to the wide differential in the ambient temperature between day and night, it is worth the while to have interior finishing that can ensure maximum comfort. The ambient temperature simply means the temperature of the surrounding air; in a room it is the temperature of the air in that room. The ceramic tiles are good for floor finish because they are good conductors of heat and they do not retain dust. You can keep the indoor warm too by using paints that retain heat but repel dust. Moreover allow your artificial light to be on when indoor to heat up the interior space. Silky materials for the window blind retain heat and keep the inside of the house warm and conducive.

Wearing weather- friendly dressing is recommended during harmattan period. Silky materials and dark- coloured dressing retain heat while white apparel reflects solar radiation thereby taking away

the heat needed for comfort.

The windows in the NorthEast side of the house can be shut if that will not affect the natural light and ventilation into the house. Similarly if you are living in an apartment with paved surrounding, you can reduce the flow of dust into your house considerably by laying artificial carpet grass.

The grass traps the dust and acts as air filter. Furthermore high-level windows such as windows for the toilets and the stores could be shut in harmattan because the hot air holds more dust than the cold making openings at higher levels much affected.

Besides wash the curtains / blinds regularly to limit the amount of dust accumulation in the house. Living in and out of seasons is part of nature; it is therefore beneficial to make the most of it by ensuring that your home provides the much needed seasonal comfort in this period of the year.

Maduka, an Architect, writes from Lagos

30

T H I S D AY Ëž TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2018

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

BDCs Seek Forex Rate Convergence Obinna Chima The Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) has called for an emergency meeting of its members to discuss critical issues in the foreign exchange (forex) market.

Top on the agenda is the convergence of Bureau De Change (BDC) rate with banks’ rate as well as need to discourage prevalence of unregistered forex operators from trading in the market.

Also, to be discussed is the rising bank charges associated with BDCs’ transactions. The meeting, which holds in Lagos on Wednesday, is expected to be attended by over 3,500 Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)-licenced BDCs and members of ABCON. President of ABCON, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, who disclosed this yesterday, said negative margins being experienced

by BDCs, review of annual licence renewal in view of the number of the BDCs, and approval of additional forex disbursement centres in Port Harcourt, Maduguri, Benin, Ibadan, among others, would

also be discussed at the meeting.

According to the ABCON boss, to be discussed also are Company Income Tax (CIT) and Value Added Tax (VAT) payment by BDCs, ABCON members’ statutory payments which include CBN Licence Renewal Fees and Annual Subscription Fees as well as late disbursements of forex at various centres. He disclosed the challenges faced by BDCs were enormous, saying many forex users now prefer to buy their Business Travel Allowances (BTA), Personal Travel Allowances (PTAs), medical bills and school fees payment abroad through the banks instead of BDCs following the convergence of naira/dollar rates at parallel market and BDCs. He said the attractive rate at the parallel market segment has triggered a massive influx of demand from forex users running away from the mandatory regulatory documentations sought by BDCs. He said the BDCs were at a disadvantage, as forex users shunned them for the parallel market where they could buy without documentation. “Many forex users prefer

to buy at the parallel market instead of BDCs because there are no longer rate gaps. They prefer the parallel market where there is no single documentation required. That is why we are calling on the CBN to review the rate band for BDCs,� he said.

Gwadabe said the challenges faced by BDCs, if not checked, would trigger a liquidity crisis that may derail the ongoing recovery of the naira against the dollar. “We want the CBN to review the BDC rate to ensure that currency speculators do not return to the market. Remember the BDCs buy dollar at N360/$1 from the International Money Transfer Operators (IMTOs),� he added. He said ABCON members would also find ways to get the CBN to reduce rising bank charges associated with their transactions. “BDCs are charged N1,000 per N1 million transaction and with each operator paying as much as N67,000 for the N67 million monthly transactions.

These charges are too high and our members will be discussing how to get the CBN reduce that burden,� he said.

Fidelity Bank Partners SystemSpecs on Revenue Collections Fidelity Bank Plc has gone into a partnership with SystemSpecs, an electronic financial transactions company and owner of Remita, in the collection of internally generated revenue (IGR) in the country.

Therefore, to ensure a seamless payment process, Fidelity Bank has launched a more convenient collection and remittance of federal government revenues via its Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) channel (*770#).

The bank explained that the solution was developed in response to some of the challenges faced by millions of customers when making their tax payments and remittance and the need for all tiers of government to provide convenient sources of

revenue collection.

This innovative solution, according to the Divisional Head, Retail Banking, Richard Madiebo, was developed with the average tax payer in mind.

He said: “This payment option is borne largely from our desire to always provide easy and convenient payment channels to the semi-formal and informal tax markets in Nigeria. Tax payers can now make payment efficiently, thus leading to reduction of leakages in the system for both the state and federal government.�

He further explained that customers should simply dial 770# on the phone linked to theirs accounts and then use their unique Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) generated from

the Remita platform, to make payments using the USSD code *770*RRR# and conclude their transactions. “Our operating model has always been to collaborate with forward-looking partners in the financial ecosystem, so that customers are able to consistently make smooth and convenient payments across diverse channels,� an Executive Director at SystemSpecs, Deremi Atanda said. “Partnering institution like Fidelity Bank to ensure customers are able to make TSA and other payments on their innovative USSD platform is in furtherance of our corporate ideals and the bank’s quest for the delivery of easy and convenient banking services,� Atanda added.

WEF Appoints Diamond Bank Forum Adviser Diamond Bank yesterday announced its appointment as a Forum Member Adviser to the World Economic Forum (WEF).

According to a statement, Diamond Bank is the first Nigerian company and only the second African company to become a WEF Adviser. “Membership is on an invitation only basis and is extended only to the most dynamic businesses who are using tech-driven disruption to drive growth,� the statement explained.

Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Bank, Uzoma Dozie, will also attend the WEF Annual Meeting in Davos to discuss a number of key themes including: promoting financial inclusion, particularly amongst women; Nigeria’s emerging technology-enabled entrepreneurial culture and Lagos as a hub for innovation; and the role of digital, technology and

data in transforming banking.

Dozie is scheduled to speak on a panel at an interactive workshop session entitled: “A Shared Vision for Financial Inclusion,� on January 24.

Commenting on the appointment and his attendance at the WEF annual meeting, Dozie said: “I am delighted that Diamond Bank was invited to join as a Forum Member Adviser of the WEF as it is testament to our status as one of Nigeria’s leading innovators. I am also thrilled to be attending this year’s annual meeting in Davos, where I will be presenting my views on the three key areas of financial inclusion, Nigeria’s positive outlook and the future of banking. “In particular, I will be sharing Diamond Bank’s experience in the financial inclusion space where our Beta Proposition and Diamond Yello Account have made significant inroads

in bringing previously un(der) banked people into the financial system. It will also be an opportunity to highlight the transformative role of technology and data in enhancing financial inclusion in a country of 180 million people where nearly half do not have a bank account. “I will also be passionately championing the success of increasing numbers of technology-enabled entrepreneurs and the culture of innovation that is taking hold in Nigeria, particularly Lagos.

This innovation is leading to a new wave of business leaders that are shaping the Nigeria of tomorrow, as well as helping fuel economic growth today. “Despite historic challenges, I will also use the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting as a platform to promote Nigeria’s excellent fundamentals and its recent progress.�

Gwadabe

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

AUGUST 2017 Broad Money (M2)

21,851,454.31

-- Narrow Money (M1)

9,890,813.10

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,523,239.91

---- Demand Deposits

8,367,573.19

-- Quasi Money

11,960,641.22

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

9,732,990.89

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

12,118,463.42

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

26,821,446.81

---- Credit to Government (Net)

4,824,226.22

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

7,834,536.74

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

--3,010,310.52

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

21,997,220.59

--Other Assets Net

--14,702,983.39

Reserve Money (Base Money)

5,486,804.65

--Currency in Circulation

1,868,735.07

--Banks Reserves

3,268,266.17 Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

August 2017

Inter-Bank Call Rate

22.63

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

13.35

Savings Deposit Rate

4.08

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.86

3 Months Deposit Rate

10.14

6 Months Deposit Rate

11.51

12 Months Deposit Rate

11.40

Prime Lending rate

17.69

Maximum Lending Rate

31.20 Ëž Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ě‹ ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT THURSDAY, 4 JANUARY 2018

The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $65.86 a barrel on Friday, compared with $66.13 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations. The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Oriente (Ecuador), ZaďŹ ro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Qatar Marine (Qatar), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela} SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

31

˾ TUE ESD DAY, JAN NUA ARY 9, 20118

MARKET NEWS

Union Bank Raises N50 Billion from Existing Shareholders Goddy Egene Union Bank of Nigeria Plc has successfully raised N49.7 billion through a Rights Issue from existing shareholders, showing a high level of investors’ confidence.

The bank had made a Rights Issue of 12.1 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo N4.10 per share between September and October, 2017.

According to the management

of Union Bank, the proceeds of the rights issue will enhance the bank’s capital base and better position it to deliver stronger and sustained shareholder returns.

The bank said yesterday that at the close of the issue on October 30, it recorded a subscription level of 120 per cent.

The bank said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R DEALS

concluded the share allotment and capital clearance review in December 2017.

Commenting on the outcome of the issue, Chief Executive Officer of Union Bank of Nigeria, Emeka Emuwa, said: “The support of our shareholders has been critical to the rebuilding and transformation of Union Bank over the past 5 years. With 20 per cent oversubscription of the Bank’s Rights Issue, they have

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

once again demonstrated a high level of confidence and support for the bank’s short to medium term strategic priorities. Having successfully raised the required capital, we will accelerate the pace of doing business in 2018 as we begin to deploy this fresh capital across identified business areas which will increase our capacity to serve customers better while also delivering returns to our investors in the

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

short to medium term.”

According to him, the new capital will also ensure the bank maintains a strong buffer above regulatory capital adequacy requirements as it drives towards its vision to be Nigeria’s most trusted and reliable banking partner.

Union Bank ended the nine months ended September 30, 2017 with profit before tax of N13 billion. Emuwa had said

O F

they remain encouraged by the results of our customer acquisition strategy, as customers continue to respond to our targeted market offerings and increased brand awareness.

This he said followed the debut of a new advertising campaign to support the launch of Union Bank’s new digital platform, including our revamped mobile banking app and *826#, our SMS banking platform.

0 8 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 8 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

˾ TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2018

32

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THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX

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Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

Ticker

ƋƵŝƟĞƐ DĂƌŬĞƚ džƚĞŶĚƐ 'ĂŝŶƐ ͙ E^ ^/ ƵƉ Ϯ͘ϰй dŚĞ ĞƋƵŝƟĞƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ŽƉĞŶĞĚ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ͕ ĞdžƚĞŶĚŝŶŐ ŐĂŝŶƐ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ǁĞĞŬ ŝŶƚŽ ƚŚĞ ƚŚŝƌĚ ĐŽŶƐĞĐƵƟǀĞ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ůů ^ŚĂƌĞ /ŶĚĞdž ƌŽƐĞ Ϯ͘ϰй ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ Ăƚ ϯϴ͕ϴϰϵ͘ϲϱ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ ǁŚŝůĞ zd ƌĞƚƵƌŶ ĞdžƉĂŶĚĞĚ ƚŽ ϰ͘Ϯй͘ ŽŶƐĞƋƵĞŶƚůLJ͕ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝnjĂƟŽŶ ƌŽƐĞ ďLJ EϯϮϵ͘ϳďŶ ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ Ăƚ Eϭϰ͘ϮƚŶ͘ zĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ͛Ɛ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ďƵŽLJĞĚ ďLJ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ E' D ;нϱ͘ϬйͿ͕ 'h Z Edz ;нϮ͘ϯйͿ ĂŶĚ E/d, ;нϮ͘ϱйͿ͘ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ůĞǀĞů ǁĂƐ ŵŝdžĞĚ ĂƐ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ϭϵ͘ϳй ƚŽ ϲϬϰ͘ϱŵ ƵŶŝƚƐ ǁŚŝůĞ ǀĂůƵĞ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ŝŶĐŚĞĚ ϰϲ͘ϳй ŚŝŐŚĞƌ ƚŽ Eϭϲ͘ϭďŶ͘

/ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ůĞĂĚ WŽƐŝƟǀĞ ^ĞĐƚŽƌ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ^ĞĐƚŽƌ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ůĂƌŐĞůLJ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ĂƐ Ăůů ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ŐƌĞĞŶ͘ dŚĞ /ŶĚƵƐƚƌŝĂů 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ůĞĚ ƚŚĞ ŐĂŝŶĞƌƐ ĐŚĂƌƚ͕ ƵƉ Ϯ͘ϯй ƉƌŝŵĂƌŝůLJ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĂƉƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ E' D ;нϱ͘ϬйͿ͘ dŚĞ ĂŶŬŝŶŐ ŝŶĚĞdž ƚƌĂŝůĞĚ͕ ƌŝƐŝŶŐ Ϯ͘Ϭй ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬ ŽĨ ŐĂŝŶƐ ŝŶ 'h Z Edz ;нϮ͘ϯйͿ ĂŶĚ E/d, ;нϮ͘ϱйͿ ǁŚŝůĞ ƵƉƟĐŬ ŝŶ DK /> ;нϱ͘ϬйͿ ĂŶĚ KEK/> ;нϭϬ͘ϮйͿ ƉƵƐŚĞĚ ƚŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ϭ͘ϳй ŚŝŐŚĞƌ͘ ůƐŽ͕ ƚŚĞ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ ĂŶĚ /ŶƐƵƌĂŶĐĞ ŝŶĚŝĐĞƐ ƌŽƐĞ ϭ͘ϭй ĂƉŝĞĐĞ ĐŽŶƐĞƋƵĞŶƚ ŽŶ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌƐ ƚĂŬŝŶŐ ƉŽƐŝƟŽŶ ŝŶ E/' Z/ E Z t Z/ ^ ;нϭ͘ϰйͿ͕ 'h/EE ^^ ;нϰ͘ϲйͿ ĂŶĚ D E^ Z ;нϰ͘ϰйͿ͘

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ tĞĂŬĞŶƐ /ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ Ͳ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ Ͳ ǁĞĂŬĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ ϰ͘ϭdž ĨƌŽŵ ϰ͘ϰdž ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ &ƌŝĚĂLJ ĂƐ ϯϳ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ ĂŐĂŝŶƐƚ ϵ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞƌƐ͘ zĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ͛Ɛ ďĞƐƚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĞƌƐ ǁĞƌĞ KEK/> ;нϭϬ͘ϮйͿ͕ hE/dz ;нϵ͘ϳйͿ ĂŶĚ hZz ;нϴ͘ϲйͿ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌƐƚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵŝŶŐ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ǁĞƌĞ s/d &K D ;Ͳϰ͘ϵйͿ͕ /> ^/E' ;Ͳϰ͘ϵйͿ ĂŶĚ D z Z ;Ͳϰ͘ϯйͿ͘ /Ŷ ůŝŶĞ ǁŝƚŚ ĞdžƉĞĐƚĂƟŽŶ͕ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ LJĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ ĂƐ ŝŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ƌĞŵĂŝŶĞĚ ƐƚƌŽŶŐ͘ ,ĞŶĐĞ͕ ǁĞ ĞdžƉĞĐƚ ƚŚĞ ƚƌĞŶĚ ƚŽ ďĞ ƐƵƐƚĂŝŶĞĚ ŝŶ ƐƵďƐĞƋƵĞŶƚ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶƐ ĂŐĂŝŶƐƚ ƚŚĞ ďĂĐŬĚƌŽƉ ŽĨ Ă ďƌŽĂĚ ďĂƐĞĚ ƌĂůůLJ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ͘

Tuesday, January 9, 2018

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40

Current Price

Previous Current Price Weighting Change

Price Change YTD

Price Change Index to Date

ROE

ROA

P/E

P/BV

Divinden Earnings d Yield Yield

1,639.71

1.97%

6.3%

64.0%

24.3%

7.6%

7.8x

1.0x

3.5%

1

Guaranty Trust Bank PLC

44.00

2.3%

21.8%

8.0%

8.5%

26.0%

4.3%

9.2x

2.3x

4.7%

10.7% 10.9%

2

Zenith Bank PLC

28.61

2.5%

13.7%

11.6%

10.3%

21.7%

3.2%

5.7x

1.2x

7.1%

17.7%

3

Nigerian Brew eries PLC

140.00

1.4%

8.8%

3.8%

3.7%

18.9%

8.6%

34.5x

6.3x

2.6%

2.9%

4

Nestle Nigeria PLC

1,500.00

0.0%

7.3%

-3.6%

-3.6%

78.4%

19.0%

39.1x

25.8x

1.7%

2.6%

5

Dangote Cement PLC

234.26

5.0%

6.0%

1.9%

1.9%

30.4%

15.7%

16.2x

4.6x

3.6%

6.2%

3.4%

5.7%

9.1%

9.2%

2.6%

0.3%

15.6x

0.5x

2.1%

6.4%

1.0%

4.4%

3.4%

2.0%

15.1%

2.0%

4.4x

0.6x

6.0%

22.8%

4.9x

6

FBN Holdings Plc

9.60

7

Access Bank PLC

10.81

8

United Bank for Africa PLC

11.10

0.9%

4.5%

7.8%

6.6%

17.2%

2.2%

9

Ecobank Transnational Inc

17.74

2.8%

3.2%

4.4%

9.0%

-14.6%

-1.3%

10

SEPLAT Petroleum Development C

650.00

0.0%

3.0%

3.8%

3.8%

-12.4%

-6.7%

11

Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC

42.00

0.0%

2.8%

1.2%

2.7%

28.7%

3.4%

9.7x

100.00

4.6%

2.3%

6.4%

6.4%

4.5%

1.4%

70.4x

3.5x

0.6%

1.4%

50.00

0.0%

1.7%

11.4%

11.4%

47.1%

9.8%

4.5x

7.6x

2.0%

22.4%

4.8%

39.2%

0.8x

6.8%

20.5%

0.7x

3.4%

-19.6%

0.8x 2.5x

-16.1% 1.4%

10.3%

12

Guinness Nigeria PLC

13

Lafarge Africa PLC

14

Fidelity Bank PLC

2.92

0.0%

1.4%

18.7%

13.2%

8.0%

1.1%

2.5x

0.4x

15

Oando PLC

5.99

0.0%

1.2%

0.0%

0.0%

40.7%

4.2%

2.7x

0.6x

16

Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC

21.70

-0.7%

1.2%

8.5%

6.6%

23.8%

10.3%

8.5x

3.7x

2.3%

11.8%

17

Okomu Oil Palm PLC

67.69

0.0%

1.0%

0.0%

0.0%

37.4%

25.9%

9.0x

2.9x

2.2%

11.1%

18

Unilever Nigeria PLC

43.00

2.7%

1.1%

4.9%

6.9%

50.3%

8.4%

26.5x

10.1x

0.2%

3.8%

19

International Brew eries PLC

56.99

0.0%

0.8%

4.6%

3.6%

24.6%

7.4%

59.7x

13.6x

20

Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC

31.88

0.0%

0.7%

9.9%

9.9%

10.4%

2.6%

8.8x

0.9x

2.9%

11.4%

21

Transnational Corp of Nigeria

1.77

4.1%

0.7%

21.2%

19.6%

19.6%

4.1%

7.1x

1.2x

22

UAC of Nigeria PLC

17.50

1.2%

0.6%

3.6%

3.6%

6.3%

2.2%

11.2x

0.7x

23

Diamond Bank PLC

1.98

4.8%

0.7%

32.0%

26.1%

2.5%

0.3%

8.0x

0.2x

24

Total Nigeria PLC

230.00

0.0%

0.5%

0.0%

0.0%

37.3%

7.4%

8.6x

3.0x

2.6%

11.7%

1.99

4.7%

0.6%

25.9%

3.8%

0.6%

5.8x

0.2x

5.0%

17.3%

178.50

5.0%

0.4%

-8.3%

-8.3%

32.6%

12.0%

9.5x

2.6x

4.5%

10.6%

3.3%

0.5%

9.2%

13.1%

44.3%

3.7%

12.0x

5.3x

25

FCMB Group Plc

26

11 PLC

27

Forte Oil PLC

47.50

28

PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC

21.00

5.0%

0.4%

1.9%

-0.7%

10.7%

5.0%

19.9x

2.0x

29

Cadbury Nigeria PLC

16.84

8.6%

0.4%

7.5%

7.9%

4.5%

1.6%

48.0x

2.8x

0.0%

37.0%

1.7%

14.1% 5.6%

8.9% 12.5%

8.3% 2.4%

5.0% 2.1%

30

Presco PLC

66.50

0.3%

-2.9%

-2.9%

42.9%

25.9%

3.3x

1.2x

2.3%

30.5%

31

NASCON Allied Industries PLC

20.27

0.4%

0.3%

9.6%

5.5%

53.4%

18.1%

11.4x

5.2x

3.4%

8.8%

32

UPDC Real Estate Investment Tr

10.00

0.0%

0.3%

0.0%

0.0%

0.8x

6.8%

33

Union Bank of Nigeria PLC

7.70

0.0%

0.3%

-1.3%

2.5%

5.6%

1.2%

dƌĂŶƐŶĂƟŽŶĂů ŽƌƉŽƌĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ EŝŐĞƌŝĂ WůĐ ;dƌĂŶƐĐŽƌƉͿ

34

Julius Berger Nigeria PLC

28.00

0.0%

0.3%

0.0%

0.0%

-12.2%

-1.2%

35

Sterling Bank PLC

1.48

5.0%

0.3%

37.0%

31.0%

6.1%

0.6%

36

Dangote Flour Mills Plc

14.70

5.0%

0.3%

21.0%

21.0%

61.6%

15.8%

4.8x

2.1x

37

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Niger

22.10

0.0%

0.2%

2.3%

2.3%

61.2%

23.6%

4.6x

1.6x

38

Chemical and Allied Products P

35.76

0.0%

0.2%

5.2%

0.2%

84.3%

38.5%

15.6x

11.0x

6.2%

6.4%

Beta Glass PLC

51.31

0.0%

0.1%

0.0%

0.0%

18.4%

11.9%

7.2x

1.2x

1.9%

13.8%

7.21

0.0%

0.1%

0.0%

0.0%

4.7%

2.8%

21.4x

1.0x

5.5%

4.7%

dƌĂŶƐŶĂƟŽŶĂů ŽƌƉŽƌĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ EŝŐĞƌŝĂ WůĐ ;͞dZ E^ KZW͟Ϳ ŝƐ Ă ƉƵďůŝĐůLJ ůŝƐƚĞĚ EŝŐĞƌŝĂŶ ĐŽŶŐůŽŵĞƌĂƚĞ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ EŝŐĞƌŝĂŶ ^ƚŽĐŬ džĐŚĂŶŐĞ ǁŝƚŚ ĐŽƌĞ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ Kŝů Θ 'ĂƐ͕ ,ŽƐƉŝƚĂůŝƚLJ͕ ŶĞƌŐLJ ĂŶĚ ŐƌŝĐƵůƚƵƌĂů ƐĞĐƚŽƌƐ͘ dŚĞ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ ĐƵƌƌĞŶƚůLJ ŚĂƐ Ă ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝnjĂƟŽŶ ŽĨ Eϱϱ͘ϮďŶ͘ dZ E^ KZW ƌĞůĞĂƐĞĚ ŝƚƐ ϵD͗ϮϬϭϳ ƌĞƐƵůƚƐ ůĂƐƚ ǁĞĞŬ͕ ƌĞĐŽƌĚŝŶŐ Ă ϯϱ͘ϰй zͲŽͲz ŐƌŽǁƚŚ ƵƉ ĨƌŽŵ Eϰϭ͘ϵďŶ ƚŽ Eϱϲ͘ϴďŶ ŝŶ ϵD͗ϮϬϭϳ͘ 'ƌŽƐƐ ƉƌŽĮƚ ĂůƐŽ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ Ϯϵ͘ϭй zͲŽͲz ĨƌŽŵ Eϭϵ͘ϴďŶ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ LJĞĂƌ ƚŽ EϮϱ͘ϲďŶ ŝŶ ϵD͗ϮϬϭϳ ĂůŽŶŐ ǁŝƚŚ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŶŐ ƉƌŽĮƚ ǁŚŝĐŚ ƌŽƐĞ ϰϬ͘ϭй zͲŽͲz͕ ĨƌŽŵ Eϭϭ͘ϲďŶ ƚŽ Eϭϲ͘ϮďŶ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƐĂŵĞ ƉĞƌŝŽĚ͘ >ŝŬĞǁŝƐĞ͕ ŶĞƚ ĮŶĂŶĐĞ ĐŽƐƚ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ƐŝŐŶŝĮĐĂŶƚůLJ ƚŽ Eϳ͘ϴďŶ ŝŶ ϵD͗ϮϬϭϳ ;ĚŽǁŶ ϲϴ͘ϭй zͲŽͲz ĨƌŽŵ EϮϰ͘ϰďŶ ŝŶ ϵD͗ϮϬϭϲͿ ǁŚŝůĞ W d ĂŶĚ W d ƐƚŽŽĚ Ăƚ Eϵ͘ϬďŶ ĂŶĚ Eϴ͘ϮďŶ ŝŶ ϵD͗ϮϬϭϳ ĨƌŽŵ Ă ůŽƐƐ ŽĨ EϭϮ͘ϴďŶ ĂŶĚ Eϭϰ͘ϮďŶ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ ϵD͗ϮϬϭϲ͘ dZ E^ KZW͛Ɛ ƚŽƚĂů ĂƐƐĞƚƐ ŐƌĞǁ ϭϵ͘ϱй ƚŽ Ϯϳϳ͘ϱďŶ ĨƌŽŵ EϮϯϮ͘ϮďŶ ĂƐ Ăƚ &z͗ϮϬϭϲ͘

KŶ Ă ƋƵĂƌƚĞƌ ŽŶ ƋƵĂƌƚĞƌ ďĂƐŝƐ͕ dZ E^ KZW͛Ɛ ƌĞƐƵůƚƐ ǁĞƌĞ ůĂƌŐĞůLJ ŝŵƉƌĞƐƐŝǀĞ ĂƐ ŐƌŽƐƐ ƌĞǀĞŶƵĞ ŐƌĞǁ ϮϮ͘ϳй YͲŽͲY ƚŽ EϮϮ͘ϱďŶ ;ƵƉ ĨƌŽŵ Eϭϴ͘ϰďŶ ŝŶ YϮ͗ϮϬϭϳͿ͕ ďƵŽLJĞĚ ďLJ ŐĂŝŶƐ ŝŶ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŶŐ ŝŶĐŽŵĞ ƵƉ ϱϱ͘Ϭй YͲŽͲY ƚŽ Eϳ͘ϴďŶ ;ĨƌŽŵ Eϱ͘ϬďŶ ƚŚĞ ƉƌĞǀŝŽƵƐ ƋƵĂƌƚĞƌͿ ĂŶĚ ŶŽŶͲŽƉĞƌĂƟŶŐ ŝŶĐŽŵĞ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚ ϰϳ͘ϯй YͲŽͲY ƚŽ Eϯ͘ϯďŶ ĨƌŽŵ EϮ͘ϯďŶ ŝŶ YϮ͗ϮϬϭϳͿ͘ >ŝŬĞǁŝƐĞ͕ W d ĂŶĚ W d ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ ϲϭ͘Ϯй ĂŶĚ ϱϬ͘ϴй ƚŽ Eϰ͘ϱďŶ ĂŶĚ Eϰ͘ϬďŶ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ ŝŶ Yϯ͗ϮϬϭϳ͘ dŚĞ ŝŵƉƌĞƐƐŝǀĞ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ƌĞĐŽƌĚĞĚ ŝŶ ϵD͗ϮϬϭϳ ǁĂƐ ŵĂũŽƌůLJ ĚƵĞ ƚŽ ŶŽƟĐĞĂďůĞ ŝŵƉƌŽǀĞŵĞŶƚƐ ŝŶ ŝŶĐŽŵĞ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ĞŶĞƌŐLJ Ăƌŵ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵƉĂŶLJ͛Ɛ ŽƉĞƌĂƟŽŶƐ ĂƐ ǁĞůů ĂƐ ŝŶĐƌĞĂƐĞĚ &y ůŝƋƵŝĚŝƚLJ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƐLJƐƚĞŵ͘ /Ŷ ůŝŶĞ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚŝƐ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ͕ ǁĞ ĂŶƟĐŝƉĂƚĞ ĂŶ ĞƋƵĂůůLJ ŝŵƉƌĞƐƐŝǀĞ ƌĞƐƵůƚ &z͗ϮϬϭϳ͘

Afrinvest Securities Limited (RC 603 315) (A Dealing Member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange)

39 40

Transcorp Hotels Plc T o p 10 G a ine r s T ic k er

9.9x

7.8x

0.5x

10.1%

1.5x

-8.1%

0.4x

12.8% 21.0% 1.4%

21.8%

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

Vo lum e

P ric e C hg %

C ON OIL

32.41

10.2%

T ic k er T R A N SC OR P

115.2

4.1%

UN IT YB N K

0.68

9.7%

NB

88.3

1.4%

C A D B UR Y

16.84

8.6%

D IA M ON D B N K

82.7

4.8%

C UT IX

2.24

6.7%

FCM B

41.2

4.7%

PZ

21.00

5.0%

FB NH

40.5

3.4%

178.50

5.0%

SKYEB A N K

30.3

4.9%

14.70

5.0%

OA N D O

29.7

0.0%

234.26

5.0%

WEM A B A N K

26.4

-1.7%

ST ER LN B A N K

1.48

5.0%

F ID ELIT YB K

22.1

0.0%

SKYEB A N K

0.64

4.9%

ST ER LN B A N K

17.7

5.0%

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

VIT A F OA M

3.09

-4.9%

NB

C ILEA SIN G

1.36

-4.9%

M EYER

0.67

A IIC O

0.55

M OB IL D A N GF LOUR D A N GC EM

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V a l u e

T o p 10 L o s e r s T ic k er

T ic k er

Value

P ric e C hg %

12362.9

1.4%

N EST LE

632.6

0.0%

-4.3%

Z EN IT H B A N K

490.2

2.5%

-3.5%

FB NH

379.1

3.4%

NP FM CRFB K

1.33

-2.9%

GUA R A N T Y

337.6

2.3%

WEM A B A N K

0.59

-1.7%

D A N GC EM

221.5

5.0%

UP L

2.55

-1.5%

T R A N SC OR P

203.3

4.1%

A F R IP R UD

4.48

-1.1%

OA N D O

177.9

0.0%

D A N GSUGA R

21.70

-0.7%

D IA M ON D B N K

162.3

4.8%

A C C ESS

161.3

1.0%

Investment Research

Brokerage Ayodeji Ebo | aebo@afrinvest.com

Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com

Bolaji Fajenyo | bfajenyo@afrinvest.com

Omotola Abimbola | oabimbola@afrinvest.com

33

˾ TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2018

MARKET NEWS

Legacy Equity Fund Returns 31.27%, Pays 12 kobo Dividend Goddy Egene Legacy Equity Fund, a mutual fund managed by First City Asset Management Limited (FCAM), generated a return of 31.27 per cent for the year ended June 30, 2017 for unitholders. The 31.27 return was far above the June 2017 year-on-year inflation rate of 16.25 per cent. The return also outperformed the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) All –Share Index that recorded 11.89 per cent in the same

period.

The impressive performance was highlighted at the annual general meeting (AGM) of Legacy Equity Fund in Lagos yesterday. The AGM considered the report of the Fund Manager and the financial statements of the Fund. Unitholders unanimously approved the payment of a cash dividend of 12 kobo per unit.

Details of the audited results for the year ended June 30, 2017, showed that Legacy Equity Fund recorded a gross

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

income of N167.132million.

Also, the Fund recorded a net profit of N150.479million as at June 30, 2017, compared with a loss of N78.714million in the previous year. In addition, investment income rose to N41.530million, from N38.332million in the previous year.

Speaking at the AGM, the Chief Executive Officer of FCAM, Mr. James Ilori, said: ‘’The outperformance of 19.38 per cent was driven good macro-economic and stock

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 05Jan-2018, unless otherwise stated.

research, careful stock selection across sectors, and good portfolio risk management, all of which aided Fund performance.”

He disclosed that investments by the fund were spread across six sectors of the Nigerian economy, namely agriculture, conglomerates, consumer goods, financial services, healthcare and industrial goods.

Unitholders of Legacy Equity Fund commended the fund manager for investing the fund in high quality stocks,

with relatively lower volatility, and for generating superior returns. Legacy Equity Fund is specifically designed for retail investors who want a broad exposure to equities listed on the NSE. The principal activities of the Fund are subscriptions of funds from members of the public and investment of such funds in mostly quoted securities, in accordance with the Fund’s Trust Deed.

FCAM, a subsidiary of FCMB Group Plc, provides

services that cut-across collective investment schemes such as mutual funds, which are predominantly for retail investors, as well as specialised discretionary portfolio management, for ultra-high and high networth individuals and institutional investors. The company has consistently focused on delivering superior wealth and investment management services, aimed at meeting investors’ desire for safety of investments and good returns.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 1 270 1680 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 183.05 183.09 43.87% Nigeria International Debt Fund 238.80 238.84 12.69% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.82 0.83 -0.03% ACAP Income Funds 0.63 0.63 -2.89% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 16.80% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund 19.05 19.62 4.24% ARM Discovery Fund 402.38 414.51 3.42% ARM Ethical Fund 28.02 28.87 2.56% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 17.14% AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 156.19 157.29 2.97% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 16.23% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 18.68% Paramount Equity Fund 12.07 12.38 28.96% Women's Investment Fund 98.08 100.60 15.94% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 18.01% CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 18.40% Coronation Balanced Fund 1.09 1.11 9.65% Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.03 1.06 4.32% FBN QUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,160.13 1,161.30 8.06% FBN Heritage Fund 142.07 143.48 10.06% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 16.20% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional $113.77 $113.87 1.19% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail $113.13 $113.24 1.21% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 161.60 163.86 2.97% FIRST CITY ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Equity Fund 1.42 1.45 52.66% Legacy Short Maturity (NGN) Fund 2.99 2.99 16.44% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 3,022.39 3,061.11 37.37% Coral Income Fund 2,473.74 2,473.74 18.67% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 16.51% INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 16.60% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.13 2.16 1.25% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 18.31%

Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 115.08 115.08 18.61% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.20 1.22 0.20% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,056.43 1,056.43 0.38% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 15.17 15.29 7.49% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 16.79% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.26 1.28 6.08% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 11.07 11.14 0.32% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 14.09% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 133.85 136.28 32.12% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.49 1.49 0.23% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 2,287.74 2,302.95 1.91% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 178.31 178.31 1.05% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.03 1.04 2.48% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 221.12 221.12 0.40% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 181.38 183.73 1.36% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 16.82% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 9,891.58 10,014.72 2.24% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.06 1.06 0.00% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.35 1.37 20.8% United Capital Bond Fund 1.57 1.57 27.90% United Capital Equity Fund 0.94 0.96 2.70% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 15.30% United Capital Money Market Fund 103.00 103.00 4.60% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.10 1.10 15.40% ZENITH ASSETS MANAGEMENT LTD info@zenith-funds.com Web: www.zenith-funds.com; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 12.90 13.09 2.35% Zenith Ethical Fund 13.53 13.69 2.19% Zenith Income Fund 19.11 19.11 1.02%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

11.41 132.75

1.01% 0.22%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

11.90 148.56 112.32

12.00 151.62 114.40

-1.81% 3.98% 2.80%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

4.85 9.50 18.10 19.79 150.14

4.89 9.58 18.20 19.99 152.14

75.00% 34.94% 52.66% 23.93% 18.15%

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

34

TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

White House Says 200,000 Salvadoreans Must Leave the US The Trump administration has announced the US will cancel permits allowing nearly 200,000 people from El Salvador to live and work in the country, according to BBC. The humanitarian programme, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), was granted after a series of earthquakes rocked the Central American country in 2001.

Salvadoreans now have until 2019 before they face arrest and deportation.

The Trump administration has

already removed TPS protections from tens of thousands of Haitians and Nicaraguans.

Protections for Salvadoreans were set to expire on Monday, after nearly two decades of holding the protected status due to the impacts of natural disaster in their home country.

The Department of Homeland Security plans to allow Salvadoreans until 9 September, 2019 to leave the US or find a legal way to remain in the country.

The programme, which was

Two Injured In Fire At New York’s Trump Tower, Officials Say Two people were injured in a brief early-morning fire near the top of Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan as the city’s workday rush began, Reuters reported the New York Fire Department as saying on Monday.

U.S. President Donald Trump was in Washington at the time.

One firefighter was hospitalized with nonlife-threatening injuries and a building worker, who had an injury that was initially described as serious, was treated at the scene and

declined further medical attention, the Fire Department said.

Eric Trump, one of the president’s sons, said on Twitter that it was a small electrical fire in the cooling tower on the building’s roof.

“The New York Fire Department was here within minutes and did an incredible job,” said the younger Trump. “The men and women of the #FDNY are true heros and deserve our most sincere thanks and praise!”

created in 1990, authorises immigrants from several countries to lawfully live and work in the US regardless of whether they entered the country legally or not.

It is only granted to countries

affected by armed conflict, environmental disaster, or epidemics.

With nearly 200,000 immigrants in the US, El Salvador represents the largest group of TPS recipients.

Ten countries, making up over

300,000 US immigrants, have been granted TPS protections since it was first signed into law by President George Bush.

Salvadoreans received TPS in March 2001 after two earthquakes

killed more than 1,000 people and devastated communities.

Over the next 15 years, the programme was reauthorised

by US presidents several times.

Macron Endorses China’s Silk Road but Warns against ‘Hegemony’ French President Emmanuel Macron urged Europe Monday to take part in China’s massive Silk Road infrastructure project but warned against“hegemony”, saying both sides should share the benefits, according to AFP. Macron, on the first day of a state visit, also called on Europe and China to team up on curbing climate change in the face of the US decision to withdraw from

the Paris accord.

“Our destinies are linked,”he said in a keynote speech on the future of Sino-French relations during a visit to the northern city of Xian, the starting point of the ancient Silk Road.

“The future needs France, Europe and China,” Macron said, adding he would travel to China“at least once a year”.

Macron started his three-day

visit in Xian as a gesture to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s huge New Silk Road project, an initiative to connect Asia and Europe by road, rail and sea.

The $1 trillion infrastructure programme is billed as a modern revival of the ancient Silk Road that once carried fabrics, spices and a wealth of other goods in both directions.

Known in China as “One

Belt, One Road”, the plan will see gleaming new road and rail networks built through Central Asia and beyond, and new maritime routes stretching through the Indian Ocean and Red Sea. The project has spurred both interest and anxiety in many countries, with some in Europe seeing it as an example of Chinese expansionism.

US Security Experts Back Iran Nuclear Deal, As Trump Faces Deadlines Retired U.S. military officers, members of Congress and former U.S. ambassadors were among 52 U.S. national security experts who signed a letter released on Monday urging President Donald Trump’s administration not to jeopardize the international nuclear deal with Iran, according to a Reuters report.

Trump faces deadlines related to the deal starting late this week, including deciding whether to reimpose oil sanctions lifted under the 2015 agreement. He will make the decision as Iran’s government deals with protests over economic hardships and corruption.

Signers of the letter, organized

by the National Coalition to Prevent an Iranian Nuclear Weapon, included Richard Lugar, a former Republican chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Paul O‘Neill, who served as Treasury secretary under Republican President George W. Bush; Michael Hayden, former director of

the National Security Agency and Central Intelligence Agency, and Admiral Eric Olson, former commander of Special Forces.

“We support the rights of Iranian citizens to free speech and peaceful protest and we condemn the use of force against peaceful demonstrations,” the letter said.

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S’East, S’South Crucial to APC’s 2019 Plan, Says Oyegun PDP to Oyegun Propaganda, blame game will fail you Onyebuchi Ezigbo ÓØ ÌßÔË The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said the party is not leaving anything to chance in its quest to secure significant in-road in the South-east and South-south zones of the country as part of its re-election bid in 2019.

He said taking control of the South east and South-south geopolitical zones, both of which are presently Peoples Democratic

Party (PDP) strongholds, will be crucial to the party’s victory.

Oyegun stated this yesterday while inaugurating a fourmember strategic committee to investigate why the APC lost out at the just concluded Anambra State gubernatorial election.

He charged the committee to carry out a forensic analysis to ascertain what may have led the party’s defeat at the Anambra State governorship contest in which its candidate, Tony

Despite Threats of Sack, Kaduna Teachers Embark on Indefinite Strike John Shiklam ÓØ ËÎßØË

School, Kakuri and Rimi College, teachers reported Despite threat of sack by the to work.

Kaduna State Government, One of the teachers who teachers in public secondary spoke to THISDAY said he and primary schools in the didn’t receive any circular state, oyesterday commenced from the NUT regarding an indefinite strike against the the strike. sacking of their colleagues.

He said although they were The state chapter of the aware of the strike, there was Nigerian Union of Teachers no official communication (NUT) had directed its from the leadership of the members to embark on strike NUT. following the refusal of the “We have no reason not to state government to rescind comply with the directives its decision on the sacking of the NUT, we heard of the of 21,780 teachers said to strike as it was announced be unqualified after failing on the radio, but we have a controversial competency not received an official test administered on them circular. last year.

“We are waiting foran a The state government, while formal communication and describing the strike as illegal, we will definitely comply if warned that any teacher who we received the circular” the embarks on the strike would teacher said. be dismissed.

An official of the NUT who Samuel Aruwan, spokesman pleaded anonymity, confirmed to Governor El-Rufai, had that some of the schools did issued the warning in a not get the circular, adding statement last Sunday. that a monitoring team had But the teachers ignored been constituted to issue the threat as primary and the circular and enforce secondary schools which were compliance. expected to be reopened “We are that some of our yesterday after the Christmas members reported to work and new year break, remained because there was no official closed. communication. That has been Teachers in some of the addressed and everybody is schools who had earlier complying. reported to work later sent “The government cannot the children home and closed intimidate us, this is a the schools. democracy, not military rule.

THISDAY who visits some We will ensure total compliance,” of the schools within Kaduna he said.

Meanwhile, the state government metropolis between 8a.m. and 9:30a.m, noticed that at has declared that teachers who the Aliyu Makanma Model absented themselves from work Primary School, Barnawa, will face severe punishment.

In a statement yesterday LEA Primary School, New Millennium City and LEA evening, Aruwan, said reports Primary school, Narayi were of absentee teachers were being collated by education not opened.

Also, the LGEA Primary administrators for appropriate Schools in Mahuta , Unguwan action.

The statement reiterated Boro, Kakuri and Karji areas were under locked and key that “all teachers that have with security guards manning absented themselves from work will face the severest the gates.

Pupils who had reported penalties applicable in the to school were asked to public service rules....”

He maintained that, returned home.

However, in some of the although the NUT officials schools, teachers reported tried to unlawfully prevent teachers from working, many to work.

At the LEA Primary of them defied the intimidation, school Sabon Tasha GRA, stressing that the “strike action Government Secondary will not restore bad teachers.”

Nwoye, was beaten to a second position by the incumbent governor, Willie Obiano, of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Oyegun said: “The South-east and the South-south would be crucial and critical for our victory in 2019. Not from the point of view of numbers of votes because we are fairly confident, having gone through our initial planning that the APC would carry the day in 2019.

“But for us, it is critical that the South east and South-south both geographical zones which have contributed immensely to the survival of this country must fully be represented in what is going to be a truly national government of the APC in 2019,” he said.

Oyegun who expressed disappointment at

the poor showing of his party during the Anambra State election, said the committee is expected to provide answers as to why APC’s scored much lower votes that was expected during the election.

“So we will learn from the experience in this particular case of the result of the Anambra State election, in which l must personally confess that l was disappointed in terms of votes that we got at that election. I expected a much better result than that. It has become necessary therefore drawing from that at this early stage to examine why - the reasons why the votes that the APC scored were much lower than we expected.

“Today, we are inaugurating a strategic committee and the mandate is for you, Chief Niyi Adebayo and your team to do

a forensic examination of what could have gone wrong; why did we not do well as we expected; what were the factors that contributed to our low score.

“We did much better compare to the 2015, no question about that but in all fairness, given the work we put in and given the reactions of the public and the rest of it there was no question at all that we ought to have done a lot better. So, the question today is why?

“It is important that we are using Anambra State as a trigger. The terms of reference was drafted and appropriately worded to give you the scope to look at the possibilities of (God forbid) a repetition of what happened in Anambra in other state in the South-east,” he said.

Regarding the plans of the party for the 2019 general election, Oyegun said the

APC has started early to strategise in order to ensure that it secures a handsome win at the next general election in the two zones.

“We want to strategise early; we want to plan early; we want to be confident that after we have done our field work and the reward from the field work is commensurate with the efforts that we have put in. I want to be partisan here, we want a situation where we will win handsomely in the South-east.

“I mentioned the Southeast when l stated that the circumstances are slightly different but we are going to have the same type of strategic team for the South-south.

The issues are different, the environment is different, the circumstances are different

Cont’d on Pg 38

ON GROUND TO RECEIVE RETURNEES

Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Mr. Kenneth Kobani (left), and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, at the Port Harcourt International Airport after receiving 491 Libyan returnees in Port Harcourt....Sunday

Apapa Port Declared 160% Increase in Agric Exports in 2017 FG aims to be cocoa top producer in five years Olawale Ajimotokan ÓØ ÌßÔË The federal government said the Tin Can Island at Apapa Port in Lagos declared 160 per cent increase in agricultural exports last year.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, made this disclosure yesterday at a retreat held in conjunction with Synergos towards enhancing public service delivery.

Ogbeh said the increase projected a robust outlook as the country exported more than it was importing last year.

The minister said that more than 35 million dollars was earned last year from the

export of Zobo, a local drink produced from Hibiscus leaves.

“All containers that used to carry cargo before and were half empty are now going out fully loaded with goods for export, such that we are now short of containers at the ports,” Ogbeh said.

He stressed that apart from oil and gas, agriculture was the biggest sector in terms of job creation in the country, saying that additional six million jobs were expected to be created by the 12 million Nigerians involved in the cultivation of rice.

“This year is our last lap and today, rice importation

from Thailand has drastically reduced by 95 percent as directed by the President, who wants Nigeria to be a major exporter of food. There is a demand for Nigeria’s agro produce. All we need do is to strengthen our quality control and once make agriculture a force and a national culture,” he said.

He criticised the practice of drying tomato in Kano and Katsina States, which he said is harmful for human consumption, when they come in contact with the excrement of goats and cattle, whenever they run their mouths on them.

Ogbeh also added that government has the desire to

open new frontiers this year by focusing heavily on improved fertilizer blending and plantation crops particularly cashews and cocoa.

Nigeria is presently rated as the fourth leading producer of cocoa beans in the world, behind Cote d’ Ivoire, Ghana and Indonesia.

According to Ogbeh, government intends to move up in the ranking as the leading grower of the cash crop over the next five years.

Cote d’ Ivoire’s current cocoa output as at April 2017 was 1, 148,992 tonnes while Ghana was second at 835,466 tons.

Nigeria produced 367,000 tons of cocoa in 2017.

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FG: We Have 2,000MW of Idle Electricity for Industries, Manufacturers in Nigeria Chineme Okafor Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The federal government yesterday said there is currently about 2000 megawatts (MW) of electricity that could be generated and sent to manufacturing bases across Nigeria but are not being utilised because the manufacturers have not shown interests to take up this idle volume of electricity.

Speaking at the January 2018 edition of the monthly power sector operators’ meeting in Lafia, capital of Nasarawa State, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, stated that the country had recorded some milestones in its power sector in the last year, and would like to improve on them in 2018.

Fashola explained that while power generation and transmission capacities of the country had grown to 7,000MW respectively, distribution had only inched up to 5,000MW, leaving a balance of 2,000MW unused and which could be channeled to the industrial bases of the country.

To this end, he explained that the government would want manufacturing outfits and clusters in the country to indicate their willingness and where they want this excess power to be channeled to them for consumption.

Manufacturers in the country had frequently complained of poor electricity supplies and rising cost of independently providing the electricity they need to undertake their operations, while the government in 2017 approved a regulation for eligibility customers, thus paving the way for heavy power users to enter

into contracts for direct power purchases with the generation companies (Gencos).

However, Fashola, said in Lafia: “I will like to start this my remarks by highlighting the progress and milestones on our journey for incremental power which reassure us that we are on the right path and inspire us to continue with more belief. “Those milestones are represented by: Generated power has gone up to 7,000MW in 2017 from 3,000MW in May 2015, Transmission capacity at 6,900MW in 2017 from about 5,000MW in May 2015. Peak distribution now averaging 5,000MW in 2017 from 2,690MW in 2015.�

He further stated: “We are also putting together a policy position to help expand the distribution network of the Discos and use this to distribute the 2,000MW that is currently available but cannot be distributed. “I also use the opportunity to call out to manufacturers to let us know where they are, how much power they need, and how we can connect you because we have 2000MW of undistributed power.�

The minister equally claimed that Nigerians are now spending less money on fuel and diesel for their private generators. He noted that reports he gathered also proved that Nigerians were equally being conscious of their power consumption.  “I will like to thank all of you for your contributions towards these milestones. The reason I thank you is because you are impacting the lives of Nigerians, you are saving them money and changing their lifestyles for the better. “They tell me that their

consumption of diesel and petrol to run generators for power has reduced and the hours they run their generators has gradually reduced. This is the result of incremental power and we must get more of it.  “They also tell me that they are now monitoring how they use power and are turning off appliances that are not needed.

Although this is meant to save costs, it also conserves energy, reduces waste and supports incremental power,� he added.

Similarly, he stated that a section of the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) which was burnt by a bush fire last week and subsequently cut gas supply to about six gas power Gencos in the southern of the country had been repaired by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and gas supply through it to the power

plants restored.

Fashola, also commissioned a 60MVA transformer installed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to boost electricity supply to Keffi and its environs in Nasarawa.  The transformer, according to the Interim Managing Director of TCN, Mr. Usman Mohammed, was installed with support from the World Bank under the Nigeria Electricity and Gas Improvement Project (NEGIP). Mohammed also stated that it was in with the government’s Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Program (TREP), which according to him would stabilise, expand and provide the needed flexibility to Discos to effectively supply their customers. “The TREP programme has attracted significant interest from several donors. One of the donor

which signify interest in TREP is the World Bank with the sum of $486 million. The FGN led

by Federal Ministry of Finance has concluded the negation of NETAP last month. “TREP also includes strategies for completing existing projects either through in-house capacity or through the fast tracking existing contracts. Through this process several transformers and substations will be completed in the first quarter of 2018,� he stated.

He further said: “As part of the strategy of TREP, NEGIP which was implemented for eight years had 50 per cent disbursement rate as at February 2017. The disbursement rate has increased to 80 per cent between February to November 2017. “This substation reinforcement and many others you would commission between this month

and March 2018 are part of the success of our new strategy in project implementation that significantly empowered the regional offices.� “It is necessary to bring to your attention that as we commissioned many transformers in TCN, we have discovered that there are several transformer capacities all over the country that were constrained by transmission line limitation. TCN with your support intends to embark on massive re-conductoring of transmission lines this year. This is expected to significantly increase the wheeling capacity of TCN between 2,000MW to 3,000MW. TCN is already in discussion with World Bank to use the balance in NEGIP to procure the conductors,� Mohammed added.

DHQ, Garrison HQ Get New Spokesperson, Commander COURTESY VISIT A new Director of Defence outgoing and incoming L-R: Permanent Member, Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board, Alhaji Shuaib Baba Jimoh; Commissioner, Federal Character Information has been appointed. He is Brigadier-General John Agim. He replaced Major General John Enenche who is now Commandant, Army War College.

A statement by Wing Commander O. O. Ademosu of Directorate of Defence Information (DDI) said until his appointment as the new Defence Spokesman, Brigadier General Agim was Commandant Nigerian Army School of Public Relations. He has taken over with effect from 8 January 2018.    Meanwhile, Nigerian Army has appointed Major Geberal James Gwaza Khalifa Myam as a new Garrison Commander in Abuja.

A statement by Major Salisu Ibrahim Mustapha said the new commander took over from Maj-Gen. John Seyina Malu, who is now appointed the Corps Commander Nigerian Army Engineers.

The handing and taking over ceremony took place yesterday. Â According to Nigerian Army tradition, part of the activities for the handing and taking over ceremony includes; Quarter Guard inspection, Lowering and hoisting of

Commander’s Flag, formal signing of handing and taking over notes between the outgoing and the incoming commander and troops address.

The outgoing Commander, Major General Malu in his farewell speech thanked the officers and soldiers of Army Headquarters Garrison for their untiring commitment and cooperation throughout his tenure as the commander.

He urged the troops not to relent, but rather work harder and give the incoming commander maximum support. In the same vein, the incoming Commander, Major General Myam, appreciated his predecessor and charged the troops to accord him same cooperation to enable him work in line with the Chief of Army Staff’s vision which is “To have a professionally responsive Nigerian Army in the discharge of its constitutional roles.�

Myam was until his present appointment the Director of Operations at the Army Headquarters. He is a seasoned senior officer with vast experience in staff, instruction and command appointments.

Commission, Alhaji Sule Iyaji; Deputy Director, Planning, Research and Statistic, Universal Basic Education Commission, Osahon Igbinoba; and Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed, during courtesy visit by UBEC officials to the governor at Government House, Ilorin... yesterday

Benue Commissioner Denies Claims by Herdsmen of Cattle Killing George Okoh Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă•Ă&#x;ĂœĂŽĂ“ The recent herdsmen attack on Benue State communities based on the accusation on the killing of cows as the reasons for the attack has been refuted by the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr. James Anbua.

Anbua, while speaking to journalists yesterday in Makurdi, said there were no proves that the current killings in some rural areas of the state had any link to alleged cattle rustling by the locals, neither did the villagers steal animals belonging to certain herders group.

Also, Special Assistant on Herdsmen Matters, Alhaji Shehu Tambaya, has said it was not true that the people of the communities which came under gunmen’s attack in the wake of new year rustled 1,000 cows at any time.

According to Anbua, he faulted the Benue State

Coordinator of Myetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Garus Gololo, who reportedly told BBC that the cause of the present crisis in the state was as a result of 1000 cattle forcibly taken away from its owners by some local youths around the Benue border villages to Nasarawa and Taraba States. “Gololo’s statement is nothing but propaganda. This is not the first time he would be doing this, he is used to lying. I urge security agencies to arrest him because he has to prove who and where those 1,000 cos were rustled. “He is not even in the state as we speak the so I don’t know where he got information about 1,000 cattle rustled.

He is still being wanted for the false alarm of 200 cows he alleged was missing few days after the November 1, 2017, implementation of the grazing law,� he said.

Gololo had accused members of the communities and live stock guard set up by the state government of rustling over 1,000 herds which he said was the reason why the herdsmen attack the communities.

Meanwhile, women across Benue State yesterday called on the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, to rise up as the mother of Nigeria to challenge her husband to reshape the nation’s security architecture that would guarantee the safety of mothers and children in their homes.

The women led by a former Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development in the state, Mrs. Elizabeth Apedzan, said they have decided to troop in their numbers to Government House to commiserate with wife of the governor of Benue State, Mrs. Eunice Ortom, over the killings of unarmed mothers and children as well as other

people in Guma, Logo Local Government Area.

Apedzan stated that Benue women would not stop to cry until Buhari decides to do the needful by deploying relevant adequate security to the state to avert further killings in the state.

She condemned the killings, describing it as ethnic cleansing and called on President Buhari to rise to the occasion by bringing it to an end. ‘’We have asked him to denounce being patron of the miyetti Allah,’’ she stated.

Also speaking wife of the Tor Sankara, Mrs. Elizebath Shuluwa, called on Mrs. Ortom to lead a delegation of Benue women to wife of the president Mrs. Buhari to speak to her husband to come to the aid of Benue.

Mrs. Ortom thanked the women for identifying with such a good cause and promised to stand with them until justice is done and promised to take their message to Abuja.

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16,387 Nigerians Deported in 2017, Says Immigration CG Onyeama assures protection of Nigerians in Libya Alex Enumah ÓØ ÌßÔË The Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Muhammed Babandede, yesterday disclosed that a total of 16,387 Nigerians were deported to the country from Libya, Saudi Arabia, Italy and from other countries across the globe in 2017.

Babandede who made the disclosure at a media briefing by members of the federal government delegation on a rescue mission of trapped Nigerians in Libya, however warned that the figure could be higher in 2018.

Meanwhile, Director General

of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Mr. Mustapha Mahaja, has disclosed that another set of 545 returnees from Libya would be arriving the country yesterday as parts of efforts at evacuating Nigerians held in various slave camps across Libya.

Also, Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, who led the delegation to Libya assured of the protection of Nigerians in Libya as well as the safe return for any Nigerian who is desirous of returning home.

The immigration boss in a breakdown of the figure of deportees in the last year, noted that 5,908 were from Libya, 3,836

There’ll Be No Ban on Grazing, Says Ondo Govt

were from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia while about 6,643 were deported from South Africa, Italy, Austria and from other countries across the globe.” I want to state that in 2017 alone we have received in our country from Libya, we have received 5,908 deportees till last year, so if you add the one for yesterday, we received 485 from Libya. The total will now be 6,393 deportees received from Libya.

“Surprisingly from Saudi Arabia, we have 3,836 deportees, 395 male, 2,331 females and 1,110 children in 2017 alone.

“From other countries, the highest number comes from South Africa, Italy and Austria the total number we have from other countries is greater than the one in Libya 6,643.

“So grand total of persons deported to Nigeria in 2017 is

16,387. We are afraid this might continue or even be higher in 2018.

Babandede, who further distinguished between returnees who were trafficked and those smuggled, however stressed that not all Nigerians in Libya are being held or sold into slavery as been reported, adding that a sizeable number of Nigerians are living and doing legitimate businesses in that country.

He disclosed that the service has already sent a team to facilitate the renewal of passports for those who migrated legally as well as any other challenge confronting them.

“We have also sent a team to Libya to renew the passport of those who needed to be renewed”, he said.

While harping on the need for effective border patrol to

check irregular migration, the immigration boss however, called for collaboration with other countries in guiding the nation’s border noting that the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of person allow Nigerians with genuine documents go on hindered as far as Niger Republic.

Onyeama who described the delegation’s mission to Libya as highly successful, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for making available resources for the evacuation of stranded Nigerians in Libya.

He disclosed the team during the visit met with a high powered delegation from government of Libya, international Organisation on Migration and others in order to secure the release of Nigerians from some of the camps visited.

Onyeama also disclosed that in one of the female camps

visited, the delegation insisted that only female guards should be in charge of the girls.

Another member of the delegation, Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Julie Okah-Donli, who disclosed that the agency has so far convicted over 369 human traffickers, said justice for victims of trafficking is the prosecution and sentencing of traffickers.

She disclosed that the agency’s counseling unit have already commenced rehabilitation of returnees to help them adjust to society and find meaning to life.

The government delegation had on January 5 left Nigeria on a fact finding mission to secure the release of Nigerian migrants stranded in Libya.

James Sowole ÓØ ÕßÜÏ

by herdsmen at Arodoye community in Akure South Rather than prohibiting cattle Local Government Area while rearing, Ondo State Government hectares of farmlands, including yesterday said the government the one owned by a judge of would soon come up with a the Customary Court of Appeal, measure to control grazing. were destroyed by herds during The Senior Special Assistant the yuletide and New Year to Governor Oluwarotimi holidays.

Akeredolu on Agriculture, The stakeholders at the Mr. Akin Olotu, stated this in meeting noted that the Akure at a stakeholders’ meeting destruction of farmlands by involving the farmers, herdsmen the herdsmen and their cattle and security operatives. remained a great threat to food Olotu, who said the meeting security, adding that many was called to ensure peaceful farmers who obtained loan co-existence between farmers from banks had been indebted and the herdsmen in the state, to their financial institutions. said the state government has As part of measures to control no plan to either ban grazing or grazing in the state, stakeholders restrict anyone from farming. resolved that there should be “We are not going to prohibit a form of identification for all cattle rearing in Ondo State; we the cattle rearers and their cattle are going to regulate it. It is not to identify some of the erring a crime to rear or own cattle herdsmen. in any part of the state, but it They also agreed that a has to be done legitimately, it committee which would has to be done in such a way include security agents, that someone’s business is not farmers, herdsmen, members used to destroy another person’s of Fulani Myeti Allah and the business.

Hausa community, should be “So what we will have in the put in place in all the 18 local state is cattle rearing regulation government area of the state Lasgos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left), exchanging pleasantries with former Speaker, of the state House of Assembly, where there will be dos and to reduce the incessant attacks Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji; Hon. Demola Seriki; and Senator ‘Gbenga Ashafa, during the 2018 annual thanksgiving service at the Lagos House, don’ts,” he stated. and destructions of farmlands. Ikeja....yesterday Farmers recently lamented They also advocated constant the destruction of their farms sensitisation in all communities and the killing of farmers in across the state on the need the state in the last two weeks. for peaceful co-existence among A middle aged woman Fulani herdsmen, Hausa and was recently killed allegedly farmers in the state.

EXCHANGING PLEASANTRIES

Peterside Hails Security Agencies for Killing Rivers Notorious Criminal

NAF Helicopter Suffers Mishap in North-east Paul Obi ÓØ ÌßÔË A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) helicopter, Mi-17, yesterday suffered a mishap in the North-east where military troops have been fighting Boko Haram insurgency.

NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, said the “Mi-17 helicopter suffered a mishap while undertaking a mission in the ongoing counterinsurgency operation in the North-east.

“The incident, which occurred yesterday, 8 January 2018,

resulted in significant damage to the helicopter. There was, however, no loss of lives as a result of the incident.”

Adesanya explained that “the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has immediately directed the constitution of a board of inquiry to determine the exact cause of the incident, in line with global best practices.

“The NAF continues to solicit the understanding and support of the general populace as it daily strives to ensure the security of Nigeria and Nigerians.”

Abe condemns killings in Andoni The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has expressed gratitude to Nigerian security agencies, particularly the army and Department State Services (DSS) for working together to kill a notorious criminal, Igwedibia Johnson aka Don Waney, who had been terrorising the people of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

According to Dakuku, “This is a confidence-building step towards restoration of law and order in the state.”

A statement from the Nigeria Army Public Relations department disclosed that Don Waney and two of his accomplices were killed in Enugu while trying to escape

after being rounded up.

Peterside, while commending the gallantry of the security men, urged them not to rest on their oars until all criminal elements in Rivers State have been arrested and made to face their days in court.

He said: “The people of council area have been harassed, traumatised, maimed and killed needlessly. This is a great day for the people and end of the road for those who felt this day would never come. For their sponsors, they should know that there is a consequence for every action and a day of reckoning for all of us.”

The NIMASA boss sympathised with those who have lost their loved ones in

the area, and called on the state government to give all the required support to security agencies, while also showing the political will to distance itself from criminal elements.

“This is a good warning to all those who think they can be protected and accommodated by politicians. Those who live by the sword will die by the sword; we must give every support to the security agencies to help them rid our state of these criminals.

“Let me also call on the state Governor, Nyesom Wike-led administration to create policies and programmes that will create employment opportunities for the teeming Rivers youths. The government must go beyond brick and mortar and fashion

out ways of getting our youths employed.

Meanwhile, the Senator representing Rivers South-East senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, has condemned the recent killings in communities in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Abe, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt by his spokesperson, Parry Saroh Benson, consoled the families of those who lost their lives, affected communities and those injured during the attacks.

The senator called on the security agencies to work round the clock and ensure that the perpetrators of the heinous crime are brought to book.

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LASG: Why We Haven’t Compensated Owners of Pen Cinema Buildings Asks affected owners to submit all relevant documents

Gboyega Akinsanmi The Lagos State Government yesterday explained why it had not compensated owners of

buildings that were demolished in Pen Cinema, noting that all affected property owners “are yet to produce relevant documents to kick start the

PROTECT RIVERS PEOPLE OR RESIGN, AMAECHI TELLS WIKE peaceful when Amaechi held sway as governor, noting that the same Don Wanny tragically killed 32 persons in Omoku on December 14, 2014 under Amaechi, who failed to bring Don Wanny to justice.

Wike said: “For years the security situation in Omoku in particular, and Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Area in general, has been most challenging because of the criminal activities of Don Wanny and his gang.

“We therefore wholeheartedly thank President Muhammadu Buhari for rising to the occasion and not politicking with the issue of security. We also commend the security agencies, particularly, the Nigerian Army and DSS, for swiftly rising to the challenge in the most professional manner.

“There is no doubt that this heroic success has proven what is possible when our security agencies are willing to discharge their constitutional duties with unadulterated commitment and professionalism,” he said.

The governor stated that the position of the state government on the amnesty offer was clear as those who genuinely embraced the offer are bound to fully, completely and perpetually renounce all forms of criminality to enjoy terms of the amnesty or face the full weight of the law

when they deviated from the programme In a related development, the PDP in Rivers State has commended Wike and security agencies for their proactive action and gallantry in bringing to an end the era of senseless and unprovoked killings across Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state.

The state Chairman of the PDP, Felix Obuah, in a statement signed by his media aide, Jerry Needam, yesterday noted that the visit of Wike to Omoku after the massacre of some worshippers during the New Year cross over night church service and the promise of a handsome reward to any person with useful information that could lead to the arrest of the hoodlums was a morale booster to the success recorded in tracing and killing of the notorious criminal, Don Waney and his gang in Enugu, Enugu State.

The state PDP boss also gave the security agencies a pat on the back for displaying the highest professional skills in bursting the killer gang without taking the lives of innocent people during the gun duel between the soldiers and the bandits.

He reiterated the preparedness of the PDP-controlled state government to continue to partner and give all necessary logistic support to the security agencies in their efforts to make Rivers State cult and crime free.

Obiano Warns Herdsmen against Carrying Weapons in Anambra David-Chyddy Eleke ÓØ áÕË Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State has warned cattle herders in the state to desist from carrying dangerous weapons.

Obiano said he would not hesitate to invoke the full weight of the law on any cattle herder found carrying dangerous weapons.

The governor who addressed indigenes of the state during a reception organised in his country home, shortly after taking the chieftaincy title of Ebubedike Aguleri, said on no account should a herdsman be found wielding an AK-47 rifle or any such weapon.

Obiano assured the state that he was not unaware of the havoc being caused by herdsmen in other states, saying he was working to ensure that such would not be witnessed in Anambra State.

He stated that his government

has put in place measures that would guarantee peaceful and harmonious coexistence between herdsmen and host communities.

“Part of the measures taken to address the menace was sensitising both the host communities and the Fulani herdsmen of the existing agreement that any party that destroys either the lives or property of the other will pay and also be prosecuted,” the governor added.

Obiano described the people of the state as peace-loving people who welcome visitors who are seeking wealth opportunities in the state, but warned that those who may want to take advantage of the people’s hospitality would be decisively dealt with.

He reassured farmers in remote communities of his administration commitment to put an end to the cattle invasion on their farmlands.

compensation process.”

The state government promised that all stakeholders, whose buildings were affected due to the on-going construction of the 1.4-kilometre Pen Cinema flyover, would duly be compensated as soon as they submit all their title documents.

The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Abiola Anifowoshe, gave the assurance in a statement he issued yesterday, debunking reports that the state government was unnecessarily delaying compensation.

He said the state government would compensate all stakeholders, whose structures were affected in the demolition exercise, noting that it “understands their plight and is working tirelessly to ensure that those affected are compensated.”

However, Anifowoshe asked the affected stakeholders to submit all relevant documents promptly in order to fast-track the process of compensating them, pointing out that many affected stakeholders had not yet fulfilled the requirement.

He urged the affected stakeholders “to submit such documents as certified registered title document of properties within the said right of way, approved building plan permit for the affected structures and any other relevant documents as proof of ownership, to do so without delay.

“We advise them to submit their documents to the Office of the Commissioner, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Block 15, The Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja to ensure that all affected owners are compensated

appropriately.”

He explained that the state government had held a meeting with the affected property owners during which the details of the flyover project were presented to the stakeholders.

Anifowoshe said: “It was instructive that the stakeholders at the meeting welcomed the development and the Lagos State Government secured their buy-in. The government functionaries at the meeting urged the people to submit all relevant documents showing proof of ownership.

“Our officials served all the statutory notices and even gave more than enough time for the affected property owners to be aware of the removal. Also, there were reports to the effect that effect stating government intention and expectations from the people. As a matter

of fact, many of such have been submitted to my office and the compensation process has commenced fully.”

He said the construction of the flyover was in a bid to bring about development and end the perennial traffic situation in Agege and its environs, noting that the state government had to remove its own staff buildings belonging to the Lagos State Development Property Corporation (LSDPC) to give way for the project.

He noted that the state government “is committed to ensuring that there is even development across the state. By the time the Pen Cinema Flyover construction is completed, there will be traffic decongestion in the axis and this will enhance the socio-economic development of Agege and its environs.”

VOLUNTEERS

L-R: Secretary, Egbe Omo Society, Wesley Cathedral Olowogbowo, Lagos, Prince Adesegun Akitoye; Social Secretary, Olumide Oluwole; PRO, Aramide Tola Noibi; and Life President, Evans Bode Thomas, at the society’s anniversary reception at Surulere, Lagos....recently

S’EAST, S’SOUTH CRUCIAL TO APC’S 2019 PLAN, SAYS OYEGUN but it is necessary also that we build the South-south into the national power framework that we expect to emerge in 2019,” Oyegun added.

Meanwhile, the PDP has asked Oyegun to address relevant issues of governance and stop his resort to excuses and shifting of blame over the failure and inherent confusion in the APC-led federal government.

The opposition party slammed the APC chairman for attempting to exonerate the APC of blames over the embarrassing list of board members of federal parastatatals which contained names of deceased persons, adding that his excuses has further confirmed PDP’s position that APC and its federal government are completely disorganised and ill-equipped to govern.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement yesterday said Oyegun’s case is that of a leader who has no answer for the

incompetence and misrule of his party.

It noted that Oyegun’s reaction further exposed the confusion in the APC government and the reason all sectors of the nation’s economy are in shambles under the APC government.

“Is it not ridiculous, cowardly and a clear show of disorganisation in the government for the APC National Chairman to try to exonerate his party from the failures and incompetence of a government which the party formed?

“Oyegun’s comments amount to a vote of no confidence on the Presidency, but there is no way he can exonerate the APC, which he leads, from the failures of its own government.

“The APC chairman must therefore shed his penchant for excuses and address burning issues of misrule of the APC government.

In the statement, PDP said instead of facing issues agitating

the minds of Nigerians, the APC national chairman is busy passing the buck while also attempting, just like the Presidency, to claim credit for projects initiated and executed by the PDP. “We challenge the APC national chairman to address the issue of collapsing economy with its attendant eight million job losses and countless business closures which has caused hardship on families across the country, all due to bad policies and incompetence of the APC government.

“Nigerians are still waiting for the APC chairman to address the issue of the biting fuel crisis also caused by the inept APC government.

“What has Oyegun to say about the now exposed corruption in the APC-led federal government, including sharp practices in hidden oil subsidy payouts, illegal lifting of crude worth trillions of naira to service APC interests and the unabated depletion of Nigerians foreign financial instruments by

his party’s government?

“Nigerians are still waiting for the APC chairman to address the issue of aloofness and insensitivity of the APC federal government to the incessant killings of Nigerians in many parts of country by marauders, in addition to exposed diversion of funds meant for the insurgency related matters by APC interests.

“The nation is also waiting for the APC national chairman to come up with explanations on the failure of his government to fulfill its campaign promises and why the fight against corruption has been lopsided with APC members who were publicly indicted of corruption now openly enjoying government cover.

“Our advice to the APC therefore is that they should spare Nigerians their excuses. They should also spare us their lies and fake promises as the citizens will never allow themselves to be deceived again as was the case in 2015,” PDP said.

39

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 2018

TUESDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com

Transfer: Leicester Set to Offload Struggling Iheanacho Nigerian international, Kelechi Iheanacho, is set to be offloaded by former English Premier League champions Leicester City in the Winter Transfer window that opened on January 1.

Iheanacho has scored just once and finds himself in the pecking order behind Jamie Vardy and Shinji Okazaki under Club Manager, Claude Puel.

He was only given a 10-minute run out against League One minnows Fleetwood in a 0-0 draw last Saturday.

The Foxes bought the 21-year-old from Manchester City last August and barely five months after joining for £25m the former Under-17 World Cup winner is about to be offloaded. He has made just two Premier League starts this campaign.

According to UK’s SunSport, the club is beginning to accept it made an expensive mistake by snapping up the Nigerian ace.

A decent source hinted yesterday: “The problem is

Kelechi is earning around £115,000-a-week on a fiveyear deal and no club will currently want to take him on those wages.

“So Leicester might have to let him go for a lot cheaper than they paid for him if they decide to sell now.”

Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez was interested in the summer and the likes of Stoke, West Ham and Swansea were also in the hunt.

Boss Claude Puel does not see him being part of his plans anytime soon.

And he hardly give him a ringing endorsement when asked if fans can expect to see more of him given the huge outlay the club made.

Meanwhile, while Iheanacho is having nightmare over his move from The Citizens to Leicester City, his Super Eagles teammate, Odion Ighalo is aiming to surpass the 15 goals and four assists he recorded for his Chinese Super League side, Changchun Yatai when the new season kicks off on March 1.

According to AOIFootball.

com the former Watford man, has returned to his base in China and has since began training ahead of the season.

Ighalo’s first season in the

very competitive Chinese Super League was impressive as he banged in goals with reckless abandon scoring 15 times and helping his club

survive the early relegation scare to end up in a decent seventh in the 16-team league.

According to Ighalo, he aims to improve on last season’s

performance.

“My target for the new season is simple, I want to surpass my last season’s achievement,” he said.

Coutinho (right) and Barcelona President, Josep Maria Bartomeu, at the unveiling of the Brazilian at Camp Nou…yesterday

Coutinho Unveiled at A I T E O / C A F A W A R D S Camp Nou, Injury May Quadruple Record Not My Priority, Says Oshoala Delay Barca Debut Femi Solaja

Philippe Coutinho’s £142m move to Barcelona was officially confirmed yesterday as the playmaker was unveiled to fans at the Nou Camp.

The Brazilian, 25, signed a five-and-a-half-year contract alongside President Josep Maria Bartomeu, before performing keepy-uppies in front of supporters.

A deal for Coutinho to join Barcelona from Liverpool was agreed on Saturday.

“I want to thank the president and everyone who has made it possible,” said Coutinho.

“I am very happy, it’s a dream come true and I hope to be up to the job on the field.”

Coutinho is reported to have committed £11.5m of his own money to help facilitate the deal.

“Philippe, welcome. We know that you have made a personal and economic effort,” said Barcelona vice-president Jordi Mestre.

Bartomeu said the club had been pursuing Coutinho since last summer and that the Brazilian is “one of the world’s stars”.

He added: “We knew it was not going to be easy to get him here. We’ve been talking and working for months on this, but one of the important aspects was he wanted to come here.

“He helped make an effort, and he was patient, and that

was been key in him coming here.

“I also want to thank Liverpool, one of Europe’s biggest clubs, for allowing him to leave and come here.”

Liverpool rejected three Barcelona bids and a transfer request from the player during the summer transfer window.

The last of those bids was £118m - which included add-ons totalling in excess of £30m based on Coutinho winning the Ballon d’Or and other built-in clauses.

Barcelona said at the time they would not be drawn into a bidding war.

Asked about their willingness to now complete a deal worth £142m, vicepresident Jordi Mestre said: “There was an important reduction in the cost of this transfer. We can’t go into the number.”

The Reds are expected to receive £105m up front for the player, who has a buyout clause of 400m euros (£355m) in his Nou Camp contract.

Coutinho passed his medical, but it did show he has a right thigh injury - which kept him out of Liverpool’s 2-1 win at Burnley on New Year’s Day. Barcelona said the midfielder is likely to be out for about three weeks, meaning the earliest he could realistically make his debut is the Catalan derby against Espanyol on 4 February.

Reigning African Women’s Footballer of the Year, Asisat Oshoala, has said that she is not obsessed with the possibility of equaling Yaya Toure’s quadruple honours.

Nigeria’s Perpetua Nkwocha is the only female player to have won the title four times (2004, 2005, 2010 and 2011).

Oshoala is also following in her footstep, having won in 2014, 2016 and 2017. Mercy Akide-Udo won in 2001 while Cynthia Uwak won in 2006 and 2007.

The talented Oshoala who is the Brand Ambassador of Emzor formally presented her Aiteo/CAF award to the pharmaceutical company in Lagos yesterday.

She reinstated her desire to follow her own line of discipline and not join the bandwagon of record breaking or setting.

“I try as much as possible to emulate people that will inspire me to success but never try to copy anyone. Yaya Toure is a legend in his own right but I am not obsessed at breaking his record.

“I don’t look at others in their achievements but all I think about is for my team, what the up and coming stars can learn from me and more importantly, how I can raise the bar for the Beautiful Game of football,” she reacted while fielding questions from reporters at the event.

The Dalian Quanjian FC of China star is expected to surpass Nkwocha and Toure

feats of four-time winners as age is still very much on her side.

“Please let Yaya be and all I think about now is my football, do what I think is good for my club and the national team, most especially with the qualifying matches of the African Cup of Nations coming up this year. For me the defence of the cup next year is what we are aiming at ,” she explained.

In her speech, the Group Managing Director of Emzor, Dr. Stella Okoli, commended Oshoala for her new height in African football. She promised that the company will continue to stand with her as the ambassador for it products.

“Oshoala is a role model to all youths in the country

and her comportment both on and off the field will no doubt continue to inspire other youths to excel in their respective career and this is what our company stands for.

“We will continue to support her and this is just the beginning of her expedition in football. We want to break the barriers beyond the continent and ruled the world as one of the best in female football,” she remarked.

Oshoala also thanked the Emzor group for the support given to her over the years and promised not to relent in her quest to reach the top.

“As the face of the Emzor brand, it has really motivated me to comport myself both on and off the field and be a model to others.”

Owan Marathon Winners Begin Training for Okpekpe Race Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City The six top athletes that emerged from the 18km Owan Community Marathon Race yesterday commenced training for the 2018 edition of the Okpekpe 10km International Road Race in Edo State.

The six athletes are the road runners who emerged first, second and third in both the male and female categories of the Owan marathon race.

Sponsor of the Owan Marathon, Christopher Ojo, disclosed to journalists in Benin City yesterday that Edo State Sport Council marathon coach is in charge of the

training of the six athletes.

He disclosed that the maiden edition of the Owan Marathon that took placed on January 2 was meant to discover and groom talents to global stardom.

Ojo, a United States of America-based software engineer, said that featuring in the Okpekpe 10km race was just the beginning of the exposure to great marathon races planned for the Owan six marathoners.

He promised further participations in other races around the world for the top three winners in both the male and female categories.

According to Ojo, “We

intend to register the athletes that we discovered in the very first edition of the Owan Marathon Race for this year’s edition of the Okpekpe Race.

This is just the beginning of exposure we plan for the winners,” stressed the road race enthusiast.

“These athletes already have the talents. Our job now is to train them professionally.

He was amazed that the road runners ran ‘amazing race’ at the first Owan Marathon.

“They ran an amazing race during the Owan Marathon.

Even without the proper kits and training, the athletes returned in an amazing

time that was surprising to coaches that were present,” stressed Ojo. Meanwhile, Edo Sports Council Marathon Coach, Osagie Okhaimu, has decried the inability of the state to present a team in the last edition of the annual Okpekpe International 10km Road Race.

He attributed the poor performance of Nigerian roadrunners in the Okpekpe race to the lack of interest by states in long distance races.

“This is why athletes from East African countries and those from other states of the federation like Plateau and Bauchi have always dominated athletes from Edo,” he noted.

Tuesday January 9, 2018

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Price: N250

MISSILE APC to DSIEC

“The Delta State local council elections that took place on January 6, 2018, with Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) as the umpire, was a total sham that cannot stand the test of credible, free and fair elections as required by democratic principles” – All Progressives Congress (APC) Delta State Chairman, Jones Erue dismissing the recently concluded council polls in which the rival Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) swept 22 councils as a sham and an embarrassment to democracy.

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI abati1990@gmail.com

Buhari: Between Yesterday and Tomorrow

I

wrote the following piece, presented in italics, shortly after the postponement of the 2015 Presidential elections.

It is important that the reader approaches it with an open mind, with an understanding of the context of its construction. The piece, titled “Buhari’s One Chance Campaign” never got published.

One of my colleagues to whom I showed it advised against its publication. His point was that we should remain professional and not get involved in partisan politics. A member of our digital media team was so excited he wanted the article published. Anyhow, the older team member won the argument. But in the light of recent developments and the fortunes of the Buhari administration since 2015, the article has proved prophetic.

In 2015, the Buhari campaign train was so hypnotic most Nigerian voters jumped onto it. Less than three years later, the same persons are struggling to jump off the train.

Out of the 15 million persons who voted for Buhari in 2015, millions of them have lost their jobs. Today, the strongest and most vocal supporters of the Buhari proposition are all so embarrassed they have chosen to keep quiet. One of them is now a self-appointed referee of Nigerian democracy going about with a RED CARD. A former Minister of Petroleum who promised that under Buhari, petrol would be N40 per litre has been wisely quiet. A senior citizen who asked Nigerians to stone the Buhari team if they did not deliver in two years has not been heard from for a while. On twitter, and the rest of social media, many Nigerians are wielding stones and throwing them at will.

The tomorrow that we looked forward to yesterday is now so laughable if not saddening.

The country is in a worse shape than it was in 2015. The same economy that used to be one of the most stable in Africa is now in tatters; insecurity has worsened, yesterday’s hope has turned into despair. Yesterday’s supporters have become today’s critics of the government. There are many lessons involved: how the Nigerian intelligentsia gathered dust in their faces, and how the people betrayed themselves. In 2015, here is what I wrote and kept:

Buhari’s “One Chance” Campaign: “Ordinarily, a busy bus station in Lagos is the headquarters of nightmare. Getting from one stop to the other could be an uphill task especially during rush hours. In those days when I journeyed from one end of the city to the other in Molue buses, I had to, like nearly everyone else in the same situation, learn how to jump into a moving vehicle, how to descend while it was in motion and how not to end up under the wheels as many routinely did in our Alakuko-Alagbado side of the city.

But the “One Chance” always seemed, at first encounter, like a God-sent. If you lived in Lagos in the 80s and 90s, you’d probably remember those buses referred to as “One chance” and the dubious notoriety that they eventually came to acquire.

Once you heard the bus conductor screaming “One Chance...one chance…enter, enter.. ko si change

Buhari

ma wole o”, you knew immediately that with only one seat left to make up the full passenger load, your long wait at the bus stop had come to an end.

It was natural to jump into the bus. It promised a change of circumstances and offered hope. It was also reassuring because you could actually see a number of people already seated inside the bus.

And of course, it was ready to move. But with time, and this is the rub of it: the “One Chance” acquired real notoriety. The phrase itself has since become a footnote in motor park lexicography, following the realization that a “one chance” trip could be a journey to despair. Not every “One Chance” bus was necessarily bad in those days, but the phrase became a metaphor for impending evil, and the label stuck.

It became synonymous with a vehicle of deceit deployed by criminals who posed as transporters and passengers, and lured anxious commuters into their trap. The passengers in the bus were practised con-artists who would eventually reveal their true nature. The driver could be an agent of the real gangsters waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting victim. Lives were lost, many ended up in ritual dens, never to be seen again, women were raped, the luckier victims were dispossessed of valuables and pushed out of the vehicle.

As such frightening tales made the rounds, people became wary of “One Chance buses”; they became more careful in responding to the calls of urgent movement and deceptive completeness. They learnt to look before boarding. They learnt that useful lesson about the contrast between appearance and reality. What you see is not always what is. When the illusion clears, the residue is sheer regret. And so, to every “one chance” call, caution became advisable.

The leading opposition party in the 2015 Presidential elections, the All Progressives Congress (APC) reminds me of this “One Chance” phenomenon. General Buhari is driving a “One Chance” bus, and trying to lure unsuspecting Nigerians to certain despair. His passengers are a motley of disaggregated, conflicted persons, looking for innocent preys. Their conductor is a waltzing, energy-drink-guzzling hustler who is driven by malicious desperation. With drums and dance, and a song, they have managed to generate hype, hoopla and hysteria at every bus

stop. The unwary may have boarded the bus, not even knowing where it is headed. Those who seem to believe that a democracy also guarantees the right to be misled, have jumped into that tragic “one chance bus”.

They have been told their driver is unqualified, lacks a mastery of the road; he doesn’t even have a licence. Happily enough, they are all beginning to get the message. I have heard some of the oncehypnotized respond that they actually wouldn’t mind if the fellow brandishes a NEPA receipt and calls it a driver’s license. This is a strange kind of hypnotism; and that is how it works: it is the first cousin of delusion. No wonder, every attempt to get the driver to take a driving test has also failed.

The conductor is also hyper-active, gripped by strangely high spirits, having customarily taken a quantum of same. He urges the driver to keep his feet on the accelerator, and yet, the last time this man drove a vehicle was in the other century. But the hashish is so strong, its effluence so consuming that the passengers have failed to see that their driver is already falling asleep on the steering.

He is the oldest driver in the motor park, but he wears stylish clothes to make him look young by all means. His bones are weak; his grip on the steering is failing. He often forgets the name of his assistant. He can hardly remember the name of his conductor. And don’t bother to ask him about road signs. If only those rushing into his “One Chance” bus would take a look at the passengers and the conductor: the tell-tale signs are not hidden.

A certain kind of people is easily deceived by appearances. It happens often on our expressways, where all you need to do to mislead other motorists is to suddenly make a U-turn in the middle of the road, and face the opposite lane. Wave your hands to suggest anything and mumble some mumbo-jumbo such as “Change, Change”; almost instinctively, every other motorist will slow down and begin to stare at you for signs, and they will obey your cue.

They will even scramble to do so, until a logjam is created. The madness could continue for close to an hour, until a reasonable man would venture out in the proper direction of the original route.

Gradually, others will return to the same route until it is realized that they had initially been misled, scammed, misinformed, deceived.

This is exactly the tragic nature of the Buhari campaign in this election. Apart from the hotlycontested 1959 and 1964 General elections, which unfortunately sowed some of the seeds of an eventual blow-out, no other general election in recent memory has been this fiercely contested. Before February 14, emotions had reached a boiling point in Nigeria. This is probably why the postponement of the elections has been a blessing in disguise. If the pre-February 14 tension had run its course, with the country tottering dangerously on the brink, the outcome could have been disastrous for the polity or whosoever emerged as winner.

Elections in themselves do not guarantee peace or stability; they could in fact, become the catalyst for dissolution. This is why caution is advisable.

But the Buhari campaign group and its supporters are incautious, driven as they are solely by narrow interests, unbridled passion and phantom triumphalism. For an election that has not yet

taken place, they are already claiming victory, and threatening chaos if Buhari does not win. Their attempt to force their candidate and ambition on Nigerians as an inevitable outcome only points to sinister motives. This is their undemocratic strategy with which they are luring the unwary into a tragic “One Chance” bus. Such shamanistic tactics, and the hideous propaganda propelling it, do not bode well for our country.

Buhari was unelectable in 2003, 2007, 2011, and he is even far more unelectable now. In his previous failed attempts, he was at least his own candidate, but this time, he is at best some other people’s Special Purpose Vehicle; that is why he comes across more in this campaign like a mannequin under the control of seen and unseen masters with hidden agenda.

Nobody should seek the Presidency of Nigeria as an SPV. I argue that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, apparently the owner of the APC, wants a Buhari Presidency because he imagines it will transform him, not Professor Yemi Osinbajo, not anyone else, into the most influential political figure in Yorubaland. The “treacherous” Rotimi Amaechi is busy dancing up and down because for him, a Buhari Presidency will enable him settle scores, with his imaginary enemies. Festus Odimegwu, who was booted out as Chairman of the National Population Commission for making racist comments about Nigerians of Northern extraction wrote a Buhari endorsement article recently, it was actually a masked revenge piece. They will all be disappointed.

And if General Buhari wants to be President, he needs to come across as his own man.

President Jonathan is his own man. All the self-proclaimed, would-have-been Godfathers to his presidency have on their own committed political suicide. He is tested, healthy, strong, focused and committed. He has campaigned on the basis of his record of achievements and the phenomenally positive transformation that Nigeria has witnessed under his watch in the past four years: the revived railways sector, the strengthened education sector, greater emphasis on youth, women empowerment and inclusive governance, a robust, economy, massive job creation, expansion of the space for human freedoms, and a purposeful, engaging campaign for a second term.

In comparison, all I see on the Buhari side, is a lot of mean tactics, hate-driven propaganda, shallow costuming, third-party outsourcing of leadership, and manifold deception. Their attraction is that of a “One Chance” bus, not concrete vision, not change or progress, not leadership. The electorate is beginning to see through their charade. Their “One Chance” bus is now being seen for what it is: and it is precisely why the electorate will vote massively for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on March 28.”

That is the article that never was. But here it is, three years later, unedited, fully reflective of the mood in which it was written.

I leave you to draw your own conclusions.

But this much can be said: no matter how challenging the last three years may have been, we can only hope that we have all learnt our lessons about the complexity of Nigerian politics and the length of the politics of acrimony. Looking forward to tomorrow, President Buhari can still change the narrative and prove all Damascus-moment critics wrong.

I am optimistic that he can. He should.

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