Tuesday 23rd January 2018

Herdsmen Attacks Will be Brought Under Control, Buhari Promises Yoruba leaders convene emergency meeting over attacks, reject cattle colonies Falae vows to resist ‘recolonisation’ of Nigeria OPC warns against continuing attacks on ex-SGF’s farm Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja, Gboyega Akinsanmi, Segun James in Lagos and James Sowole in Akure With the growing outcry over the attacks and gruesome killings carried out by

suspected herders of cattle in several farmlands in several parts of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians that the rising attacks on communities by herdsmen would soon be brought under control by the

security forces deployed to vulnerable areas across the country.

Receiving the board of directors of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group in the State House, Abuja yesterday, the president

expressed concern that the unfortunate attacks had brought sorrow and hardship to many Nigerians, with the government also affected.

The president’s media aide, Mr. Femi Adesina, in statement, said the president

promised that the federal government would soon end the incessant attacks on communities by herdsmen to pave way for good environment for businesses to thrive.

The president also stated

that he remained resolute and focused on his commitment to deliver his three-pronged campaign promises to secure lives and property of Nigerians, revamp the Continued on page 6

Tuesday 23 January, 2018 Vol 22. No 8314. Price: N250

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Politicians Across Broad Spectrum Eye Emerging Political Movement, Third Force Tobi Soniyi With the 2019 elections in sight, politicians cutting across a broad spectrum, including several leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),

have started to seriously consider joining forces with an emerging political movement through which they can wrest control from the APC-led government in the 2019 elections.

Continued on page 6

After Protracted Dispute, Oando Reaches Peace Accord With Mangal ICRC moves to resolve disagreement between FAAN and Bi-Courtney Ejiofor Alike and Chinedu Eze Some degree of respite may have came the way of Oando Plc, as the Nigerian energy firm stated yesterday that it had reached a peace accord with one of its aggrieved shareholders, Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal.

The development could potentially turn the tide for the listed company, which spent the better part of 2017 defending its business and reputation, following the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) investigation into its affairs

on petitions raised by two shareholders - Mangal and Ansbury Investments Inc. The statement from Oando came just as the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) initiated moves to resolve another long-standing dispute between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) over the concession of the domestic terminal of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, known as MMA2.

Continued on page 8

SANUSI TO THE RESCUE… Group Chief Executive, Oando PLC, Mr. Wale Tinubu (Left) and Alhaji Dahiru Mangal (right), in a handshake after reaching a peace accord mediated by the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II… recently

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NBS: 16m Nigerians Unemployed in Q3 2017 Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed that about 7.5 million Nigerians in the labour population had nothing to do in the third quarter of 2017, but when this number is added to those who worked for less than 20 hours a week – 8.46 million, the number of unemployed persons in the country stood at 15.99 million during the period under review.

According to the NBS’ Labour Force Statistics Volume 2: Employment by Sector Report for Third Quarter of 2017, which

was released in Abuja yesterday, those who worked less than 20 hours a week and those who did absolutely nothing were classified as unemployed.

The report noted that in the third quarter of 2017, 77.55 million people were engaged in economic activities from a labour force of 85.08 million.

However, the statistical agency pointed out that 8.46 million were engaged for between one and 19 hours weekly; 18.02 million for 20 to 39 hours; 51.06 million above 40 hours, just as 7.53 million did absolutely nothing during the quarter under review.

According to the report, those who worked between 20 and 39 hours or did jobs not commensurate with their qualifications and skills were also classified as underemployed.

The bureau, however, stated that of 8.46 million persons that worked within 1 to19 hours a week, 1.83 million or 21.67 per cent worked for pay/wages.

The NBS report added that among the 77.55 million labour population who were engaged in some form of economic activity, 38.24 per cent of them or 29.66 million were self-employed (engaged in farming/ agriculture) while 27.93 per cent or

21.66 million were self-employed in non-farming/agriculture sectors. “A total of 19.72 million were working for pay or wages, which was equivalent to 25.42 per cent of the total workers in 2017 Q3. Paid apprentices and unpaid house workers constituted 7.30 per cent and 1.11 per cent of the total work force engaged for at last one hour a week.�

It stated that 83,978 or 0.99 per cent were paid apprentices and 703,240 or 8.31 per cent were unpaid house workers.

Giving a further breakdown under the working hours’ category, the agriculture sector with 59.02 per cent

or 5.01 million persons dominated, followed by trade (9.7 per cent), and professional, scientific and technical services (7.0 per cent).

The NBS added that of the 18.02 million persons that worked within 20 to 39 hours a week and classified as underemployed, 3.77 million or 20.96 per cent worked for pay/wages.

It added that 231,671 or 1.28 per cent were paid apprentices and 2.41 million or 13.39 per cent were unpaid house workers.

During the third quarter of 2017, NBS also said more males worked full-time than females, while a higher percentage of females worked part-

time between 20 to 39 hours and below 20 hours per week.

The absolute number of male full-time workers (34.85 million) was more than twice the number of female full-time workers (16.21 million) in the third quarter of 2017.

The report also indicated that a larger percentage of males to females were self-employed in farming/agriculture work, while a larger percentage of females were self-employed in non-farming/ agriculture work.

Agriculture dominated both the female and male labour markets, NBS stated.

P O L I T I C I A N S AC R O S S B R OA D S P E CT R U M E Y E E M E R G I N G P O L I T I C A L M OV E M E N T, T H I R D F O R C E Currently going by the moniker the “Third Force� or Nigeria Intervention Movement (NIM), the group is gaining popularity among several former governors and current and past members of the legislature, who are dissatisfied with the APC and President

Muhammadu Buhari’s style of governance, which they say has divided the country like never before.

Another thing going for the Third Force is that it already has the blessings of three or four former heads of state who are committed to

supporting them to entrench a new political order and leadership for the country that is transformative and visionary.

Prominent members of the group already include former Cross River State governor, Donald Duke, former governor of the Central

Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Charles Soludo, former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), Tafawa Balewa, and Prof. Pat Utomi.

Former education minister, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili is also a member of the group, including

former Information minister, Frank Nweke Jnr, former Kaduna military administrator, Col. Abubakar Umar (rtd.), Ms. Ayo Obe, Rabiu Ishyaku Rabiu, and former presidential adviser, Akin Osuntokun, among several others.

Recently, the political movement

announced provisional task force teams and steering committee members.

Its members’ goal is to use NIM as a third political force to provide a credible alternative

their asset will be ruined. “The intention is what worries me: that some Nigerians deliberately want to destroy the property of other Nigerians. “The destruction does not enhance their well-being. If they drive the cows to eat my maize and destroy my assets, it enhances their assets using it to subsidise their cows. But when they burn my plantation, there is no rational except for malice and hatred,� he said.

Also expressing outrage over the burning of Falae’s farm, the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) yesterday warned that the continued attacks on the former SGF’s farm by suspected herdsmen would no longer be tolerated.

Its publicity secretary, Yinka Oguntimehin, in a statement said the attacks were wicked, rude and shocking.

He stressed that it was “a deliberate attempt by the suspected herdsmen to undermine the security of the country�.

According to Oguntimehin, “With the recent attack, it is a strong signal that Nigerians, particularly farmers, are not safe at their farms. And this is not too good for the federal government’s drive and policy on diversification and promotion of agriculture as a major alternative for oil.�

While lamenting that the attack on Falae’s farm came at a time when Nigerians were still mourning the gruesome murder of 73 people in Benue State and several others in other states across the country, Oguntimehin said it had brought to question the failure of the federal government to curtail the security challenges in the country.

He called on the federal government to sit up and nip the unwholesome activities of the herdsmen in the bud, declaring that they were not ghosts, but Nigerians who must be stopped now before they cause more harm to the country. “As a group that is poised to protect the interest of the Yoruba wherever they live in the country, we believe strongly that it is the duty of every responsible government to protect the lives and property of the citizenry. “The herdsmen are not ghosts.

They are Nigerians like us and they must be stopped now before it degenerates into further attacks and counter attacks.

“The federal government must find a lasting solution to the continuous attacks and wanton killings in the country.

They are a strong signal that our security agencies have failed in the discharge of their responsibilities,�

OPC said.

Continued on page 8

H E R D S M E N AT TAC KS W I L L B E B R O U G H T U N D E R C O N T R O L , B U H A R I P R O M I S E S economy and fight corruption.

Buhari highlighted the recovering economy, dwindling inflation rate, growing foreign reserves, and improved ranking on the World Bank’s ease of doing business index, as signs of progress so far.

The statement quoted the president as saying: “If you look critically into the 2018 budget, we have already taken into account key issues of more stable electricity supply, the construction of roads and rails, and airport concessions,� as pointers to the measures to be taken by the government to sustain the economic gains.

Adesina also said Buhari promised his visitors that the government would further accelerate and increase the momentum in agriculture, power and gas projects, manufacturing and processing, and commended the Chinese government for its support in improving infrastructure in Nigeria. “We send our gratitude to the Chinese for all their support to Nigeria. Since independence, no country has helped our country in infrastructure development like the Chinese. “In some projects, the Chinese have committed to funding the projects by as much as with 85 per cent through soft loans that span 20 years. No country has done that for us,� he said.

In his remarks, the chairman of the NESG Board of Directors, Kyari Abba Bukar, according to the statement, commended the government for its “pragmatic approach� in engaging citizens of the Niger Delta region, which has translated in the steady rise in oil production. “Your Excellency, we salute your courage in providing support to the states that have had fiscal challenges.

We recognise that without the intervention of the presidency, many state governments would have been unable to pay salaries last year,� Bukar was quoted as saying.

It also said Bukar observed that the economic outlook remained positive, projecting a 3.5 per cent gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate and urged the president to pay more attention to the menace of herdsmen attacks, which he cautioned could

reverse the gains recorded in the agricultural sector.

Emergency Meeting Convened Even as Buhari promised to end the attacks by herdsmen, Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba sociocultural group, yesterday said leaders of the Yoruba nation would soon meet in Ibadan and review the state of the nation.

The group also rejected the proposal by the federal government on the proposed cattle colonies, saying that the proposal was in contravention of the 1999 Constitution.

The group’s national publicity secretary, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, disclosed the plan of the Yoruba leaders to meet in Ibadan and take a position on the herdsmen attacks, which he described as a grave source of concern.

Apart from the New Year attacks that claimed 73 in Benue State, some herdsmen allegedly killed a pregnant woman in Ekiti State and a man in Ogun State, thereby creating tension in all the South-west states.

Likewise, suspected herdsmen on Sunday set ablaze the farm of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Olu Falae, in Abule Ilado, Ondo State, and equally destroyed about 45 hectares of a farm belonging to a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Sunday Afolayan in Ibbo-Ile, Kwara State last week.

Following the incessant attacks, Odumakin said that the Yoruba leaders would take advantage of the meeting to review the place of the Yoruba nation in Nigeria, lamenting that it would not sit and allow herdsmen to attack, kill and destroy the economy of its people.

He explained that the meeting had become imperative in the face of the herdsmen attacks on South-west farmers, pointing out that the leaders of Yoruba nation would never allow the herders turn the region to slaughter slabs and conflict zone.

At the meeting, Odumakin said the Yoruba leaders “will review the state of Nigeria at the meeting, look at the imminent partitioning of Nigeria, review the place of Yoruba in the federation, and discuss why we cannot rear our own cows in the South-west.

“Like other states in the federation, farmers have been killed in the South-west states.

Women have been raped, several hectares of farm destroyed, and farm workers maimed and injured.

Yet, the federal government has not made any arrest. “The herdsmen are committing all these criminal activities with impunity. It is disappointing that no arrest has been made. No suspect has been prosecuted.

This ugly trend is unacceptable.

Something must be done to end the undue attacks on unarmed farmers.�

He noted that all these issues have vertical links with the restructuring of Nigeria. “The state governments have not been able respond effectively because they do not have law enforcement agencies of their own. They depend on the Nigeria police, which unfortunately cannot protect them. That is why we are calling for state police.�

Specifically, Odumakin rejected the federal government’s proposal to establish cattle colonies in states, describing as an attempt by the powers that be to partition Nigeria.

Odumakin said the idea of cattle colonies was strange to the 1999 Constitution, which gives powers over land to the state governments. “Cattle colonies cannot resolve the challenge of the herdsmenfarmers’ conflict. Rather, cattle colonies will escalate the herdsmen-farmers’ conflict. “We are in total support of the establishment of ranches. If any person is interested in breeding cattle, let him or her approach the state government. “He or she will be allocated a parcel of land for the purpose of establishing ranches alone.

We reject cattle colonies in their entirety,� he said.

Also in another reaction to the burning of his farmland at the weekend, Falae vowed yesterday to join other Nigerians to resist the federal government’s proposal to create colonies in various parts of the country.

Falae stated this during an interview with journalists after inspecting his farm.

According to him, “In Nigeria, to mention the word colony, it has political connotations not economic. “A colony is a political entity

which someone says he wants to create in the territory of another.

That is a provocation, that is terrible thing for anybody to contemplate. I am sure it was a mistake, I hope my friend Audu Ogbeh will withdraw that obnoxious policy.�

The elder statesman said he was sure that the entire Yoruba race would not support any move that contemplates any form of recolonisation. “You know Nigeria was a colony, but through the efforts of our leaders, we were able to get the British to leave and we are free. “A colony is a territory that is a dependent territory, more or less owned by another nation.

Thank God since 1960 when we got independence we ceased to be a colony. “In any case, I can tell you as a leader of our race, the Yoruba people will not concede one inch of their territory as a colony to another person. “I did not find my father as a slave, he never told me he was farming for other people. I will join with other people and pay the price we have to pay, any price to maintain the freedom we have inherited. “I am farming on my own land, I did not go elsewhere to farm.

There shall be no colony, not in Yoruba land,� he said.

The former SGF said the burning of his farm was not a question of cattle eating grass but a matter of people destroying other people’s means of livelihood consciously, maliciously and deliberately.

From the evidence, he said, the arsonists deliberately gathered dry leaves at the base of each palm tree and set them on fire. “They did it overnight and did it one after the other. They burnt them, why? That does not feed the cattle, they just want to destroy my assets. “This is an attack on my livelihood, on what I possess. It is continuous, they do it every year. For farmers, this is an attack on our food production,� he lamented.

According to him, people are now afraid to plant crops because they have no guarantee that they would harvest them. “They have destroyed my ten hectares of cassava. Whoever borrows money to plant now,

Nigerians in London Protest Nigerians in London also stormed the Nigerian High Commission in the British capital to protest the herdsmen killings across the country.

The protesters were armed with banners, which read, “stop the blood thirsty Fulani herdsmen now,� “they can’t kill us all.�

They also chanted, “Buhari must go,� “Buhari enough is enough.�

One of the protesters identified as Chidikali said they do not want the establishment of cattle colonies.

He wondered why the federal government was establishing colonies for persons that it referred to as “foreigners�.

Chidikali said: “This is the London anti-herdsmen protest.

The message is sound, precise and clear: We do not want the expansion of Fulani herdsmen into Nigeria. “Buhari’s government say they are foreigners, how can Buhari and his government build colonies for foreigners. That is ludicrous.�

During the protest, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Britain, Ambassador George Adesola Oguntade, did not come out to speak with the protesters.

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% 9.9 9.4 9.3 6.5 6.2 % 9.2 5.9 48 4.8 4.7

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Study Shows African Migrants are Better Educated Than US Citizens I’ll never forget my sister’s experience in undergrad with a Nigerian classmate that she says had an attitude with her since she stepped foot inside their medical ethics class. My sister would come home saying the classmate often threw labels at her and her friend like “ghetto� and “entitled� and my sister could never quite understand the aggression that came from someone she had barely said five words to outside of a classroom discussion.

It’s no secret that the relationship between African-Americans and some first-generation African immigrants can be complex, and these complexities very often show up in the education sector that lead to conversations about culture, priorities, access and equal opportunity.

African American magazine, Vibe, recently highlighted a study that focused on African immigrants and their varied levels of education: “According to a report by the New

American Economy, a Washingtonbased research advocacy group, the U.S. immigrant population from sub-Saharan Africa (49 countries with a total population of more than 1.1 billion) grew from 723,000 to more than 1.7 million between 2010 and 2015. In turn, those apart of that demographic has continued to grow in the nation’s education system. The New American Economy found a total of 16% had a master’s degree, medical degree, law degree or a

doctorate, compared with 11% of the U.S.-born population.�

According to Jeanne Batalova, a senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute think tank in Washington, many refugees are recipients of the “diversity visa program� which hopes to boost immigration from underrepresented nations, the population of African immigrants seem to be very diverse in their “educational, economic, and English proficiency profile�.

In other words, it appears

African immigrants are comparatively held to a higher standard than other immigrants and respectively, U.S. citizens.

More than highlight the different levels of education held between African-Americans and African immigrants, the study refutes what many believe to be opinions held

by U.S. President Donald Trump that immigrants contribute little to the American economy.

In fact, Andrew Lim, associate director of research

at New American Economy, believes African immigrants are making America look good: “Overwhelmingly the evidence shows that (African immigrants) make a significant, positive economic contribution to the U.S. economy.�

If anything, the study is proof that immigrants are significant contributors to the U.S. economy and have little to no negative effect on overall wages or employment levels for U.S.-born workers.

P O L I T I C I A N S AC R O S S B R OA D S P E CT R U M E Y E E M E R G I N G P O L I T I C A L M OV E M E N T, T H I R D F O R C E platform for ideal and acceptable political leadership and governance in Nigeria.

It is a purely owned political platform by the mass movement of the people of Nigeria, does not have founding father owners or moneybag investors.

NIM has stated that it is not a political party per se, but a mass movement of ideologically and compatible Nigerians to move against the governing order status quo and operate as one force majeure entity under a political mission and agenda to always ensure the entrenchment of a new and ideal leadership order in Nigeria.

It will work with other splinter political, civil society and professional groups of interest in Nigeria to negotiate for power and elective offices for its members; support them to contest and help them to install acceptable governments in every part of Nigeria.

Several APC members looking to join the movement are also considering it favourably because most of them who fought to bring the party to power in the 2015 elections are extremely disappointed with its performance and its hijacking by a few members of the president’s inner circle.

More importantly, a soured

linked to the group disclosed that there is growing displeasure over the manner the Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, and the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, have championed the so-called “Buharists Group� without stakeholder consultations or recourse to other leaders of the APC. “The so-called Buharist Group led by the duo of el-Rufai and Amaechi has rubbed several leaders up the wrong way. They are deemed abrasive and are unmindful of the fact that Buhari may be a hard sell in the 2019 elections. “Yet they are trying to force his candidacy down our throats like

he is the Messiah,� said the source.

In the case of PDP members who are favourably disposed to The Third Force, their grouse with the main opposition party is that it has been hijacked by the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, and his Ekiti State counterpart, Ayodele Fayose.

The also like the fact that the Third Force is a broad-based, centrist and moderate movement, where ethnicity and tribe have been completely relegated will and play no role whatsoever in its mission and objectives.

According to the source, it is not just politicians who are eyeing the Third Force, as several Nigerians

youths who are tired of the old order are also keying into the platform because most of its members are tested, well educated and younger professionals who are committed to serving their country and leading it in the right direction. “The Third Force is being looked at seriously because those who have formed it are not bound by primordial sentiments.

They also see it as a broad-based coalition of minds like it was in the days of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), back in 1979-1983. “It is also attracting a lot of interest because there is no predetermined strongman or

moneybag, it was formed by committed professionals with the best interest of Nigeria at heart. “With this kind of platform, it can be guaranteed that the process that will throw up a presidential candidate will be a fair and transparent process,� the source explained.

Given the growing interest in the Third Force, its leaders have been going round the country and holding consultations with critical stakeholders, statesmen and leaders nationwide to buy into its vision to rescue Nigeria from APC and PDP, among others, that have failed Nigerians.

Bi-Courtney – the concessionaire of the domestic terminal – and the agency, both agreed was long overdue.

The terminal was commissioned in 2007 and concessioned out to Bi-Courtney by FAAN, as the representative of the federal government under a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis.

However, Bi-Courtney and FAAN have been at loggerheads, with the former insisting that the concession was for 36 years and that the terms of the agreement provided for the inclusion of the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the airport under the concession agreement.

FAAN, on the other hand, has held that it did not sanction the 36-year concession but for 12 years and that GAT was not part of the agreement.

The drawn out disagreement has seen the parties heading to court, with judgment debts running into billions of naira awarded in favour of Bi-Courtney.

Addressing the representatives of the two companies yesterday, Izuwah said the objective of the ICRC was to amicably resolve the problem and end the crisis that has bedeviled that concession for years, so as to encourage the private sector to continue to invest in infrastructure development in the country. “The commission is here today as the regulatory body saddled with the responsibility of monitoring and ensuring the efficient execution of all publicprivate partnerships entered into

by MDAs (ministries, departments and agencies) on behalf of the federal government as spelt out under Section 20(a) of the ICRC Establishment Act,� Izuwa said.

He noted that MMA2, the uncompleted hotel and the conference centre that were also given out to Bi-Courtney under the concession arrangement by FAAN were projects that were particularly dear to ICRC. “The projects no doubt have had their fair share of the challenges, which the commission

is not unaware of. We want to assure you that the commission is equally concerned about the difficulties these projects have experienced, even for a model greenfield aviation PPP terminal in Nigeria,� Izuwah said.

In his remarks, the chairman of Bi-Courtney, Dr. Wale Babalakin, while welcoming officials of ICRC and FAAN to MMA2, said if Nigeria intends to encourage private sector participation in infrastructure development in the country, it must abide by international regulations, and government and its agencies must respect and abide by concession agreements.

He denied the allegation that it was Bi-Courtney that drafted the concession agreement, adding that the company was not the winner of the concession, but Royal Standerton, which was the preferred bidder.

However, Bi-Courtney inherited the concession when the preferred bidder could not meet the pace of work expected by the federal government.

Also speaking on behalf of FAAN, the Deputy General Manager, Public Private Partnerships, Mrs. Monica Alphonse, maintained that GAT was never part of the concession agreement and that the monopoly status that stated that no other airport terminal should be developed during the period of the concession might have taken into cognisance the fact that the concession was for 12 years.

She described the clauses that gave Bi-Courtney such advantage as uncompetitive and accorded it a monopoly status, adding that the agreement should have been renegotiated if the concession was designed for 36 years. “Such agreements are repugnant to natural justice,� she said.

However, Mrs. Alphonse said FAAN was willing to ensure that the dispute between the agency and Bi-Courtney over the concession was resolved.

Bi-Courtney officials held the same view.

A F T E R P R OT R ACT E D D I S P U T E , OA N D O R E AC H E S P E AC E AC C O R D W I T H M A N GA L Oando said in a statement yesterday that Mangal, a Katsina-born billionaire with extensive interests in aviation, oil and gas and trading, has confirmed his status as a substantial shareholder in the company, adding that all the issues he raised in his petition to the SEC had been successfully addressed and clarified.

According to the statement, this action was in line with the commitment made by the company in 2017 to ensure the successful conclusion of the SEC investigation so that Oando’s management could refocus its energy on managing the business optimally.

The statement quoted Mangal as saying: “Following the clarification I have received from Oando’s management team, I have withdrawn my petition to the SEC. “I invested in Oando because I could see its potential. It is therefore with excitement that I concur to this peace accord signifying the renewal of our relationship; one that gives me more insight into the company’s operations and aspirations and involves more dialogue.�

The statement added that Mangal expressed confidence in Oando’s leadership team, saying he would support it to grow the company from strength to strength. “I am confident in the company’s leadership team and trust that with the right support it will continue to grow from strength to strength, returning real value to all its shareholders including my good self,� he was quoted to have said.

Oando’s group chief executive, Mr. Jubril Adewale Tinubu said he was pleased that the company was able to reach an amicable agreement with Mangal and had successfully addressed the concerns he raised in his petition to the SEC. The company explained that the successful execution of the peace accord was mediated by the

Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, who observed that the development of the Nigerian economy was hinged on local participation. “It is therefore an imperative that as a people we come together to make indigenous participation and success a reality. I have watched Wale Tinubu from his days in Ocean and Oil and I am extremely proud of his growth and the company he has built. “Oando is proudly a Nigerian company whose impact has been positively felt by every Nigerian.

The company is evidence of the progress we have made from an IOC-led sector to one that is thriving with a mix of indigenous and international players. “I call on Alhaji Mangal and Wale Tinubu to see themselves as partners focused on achieving one goal; attainable only if they have confidence and trust in one another,� Sanusi explained. “It is my belief that they have put the past behind them and are looking forward to working together to create greater success stories. As Nigerians we must protect our local industries and ultimately the development of this great nation and so I am excited by what this means for the company and Nigeria as a whole,� Sanusi added.

Following the peace accord and declaration of his substantial shareholding, the company stated that it has encouraged Mangal to exercise his rights as a shareholder by having more oversight of the company’s affairs.

The company added that this would enable him gain a better understanding of the company’s business development plans, initiatives and operations. “We encourage him to exercise his rights as a substantial shareholder and be more involved in the affairs of the company.

Shareholders must be confident in the operations of the company they are invested in; this can only occur through dialogue and active participation,� Tinubu added.

In addition, subject to the

provisions of the SEC Code, the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) and Oando’s board appointment process, the company stated that its board of directors would consider the appointment of representation for Mangal to the board. “Oando has reinforced its stance that its business is run above board by publicly inviting Alhaji Mangal to have more oversight of its operations and exercise his rights as a shareholder which include the right to share in the company’s profitability, as well as have a degree of control over the selection of the company’s management team and general meeting voting rights,� the company explained.

Oando said the reconciliation came in the wake of minority shareholders expressing concern at the public nature of the SEC investigation and the negative impact it has had on the company’s reputation and its operations.

According to the statement, Oando took on the advice of its shareholders who requested the company to concentrate on reconciling with the aggrieved parties, and get back to the creation of value for its shareholders. “This peace accord will see many of these shareholders breathing a sigh of relief and looking forward to a stronger balance sheet following the continued upward trajectory in the price of oil,� the company added.

Oando and its leadership team ran into troubled waters last year when Mangal and one of the founders and majority shareholders of Intels Nigeria Limited, Mr. Gabriele Volpi, moved against Tinubu, over control of the company, citing mismanagement, cooked books and huge debts.

Mangal and Ansbury Inc., a firm set up by Volpi, had written separate petitions to SEC seeking for the sack of Tinubu and the entire management team.

Ansbury and Mangal had also asked SEC to stop Oando from going ahead with its annual general meeting (AGM) last year.

However, SEC allowed the company to hold its AGM, saying the meeting would not stop it (SEC) from carrying out further investigations into the company’s affairs.

Barely six weeks after the AGM, SEC wielded the big stick and ordered that the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) should place the shares of Oando on a technical suspension.

The technical suspension was replicated on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange where Oando has a dual listing.

Citing several infringements, SEC also announced the appointment of a team of professionals to undertake a forensic audit of Oando’s affairs.

However, owing to the interference of the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, who chairs SEC and whose ministry superintends the commission, the forensic audit has still not been carried out.

Instead, the then directorgeneral of SEC, Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, who had insisted on the audit, was suspended by the minister.

But Adeosun debunked the claim, saying Gwarzo’s suspension was to allow for unhindered investigation of corruption allegations against him.

Meanwhile, just as Tinubu and Mangal were cosying up to each other, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission yesterday initiated moves to resolve another long-standing dispute between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited over domestic terminal of the Lagos airport, MMA2.

In this regard, the management of ICRC, led by its acting directorgeneral, Chidi Izuwah met with top officials of Bi-Courtney and FAAN in Lagos at MMA2 to chart a way to resolving the intractable disagreement, which officials of

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NEWS

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

Makarfi: PDP Will Wait for APC Presidential Candidate to Emerge Says ruling party, Buhari overwhelmed by security challenges Iyobosa Uwugiaren Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The immediate past caretaker chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi, has said that his party will wait for the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to emerge before presenting a strategy to defeat the candidate, insisting that any candidate, including President Muhammadu Buhari, will be roundly defeated by the PDP in the 2019 general election.

He was also of the view that the current administration has shown great incapacity to respond to the prevailing socio-political and economic challenges in the country.

The former governor of Kaduna State made the assertions in an exclusive interview with THISDAY in Abuja yesterday.

When asked if President Buhari still has the moral right to seek re-election in 2019, in view of the seeming overwhelming security and other challenges

in the country, Makarfi said that morality was an individual decision, but was quick to add that any candidate, including Buhari, presented by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would be defeated by PDP. “Morality is a decision of the individual; I would rather look at it from the legal perspective.

From the legal perspective, President Muhammadu Buhari is qualified to seek re-election. Of course, some people will call on him to re-contest, while others will tell him not to contest,�

Makarfi stated. “But irrespective of the candidate the party presents, whether it is Buhari or any other candidate, he will be roundly defeated by the PDP in 2019. We are waiting for the candidate to emerge before we present our strategy to defeat such candidate.

It is not the business of our party to determine the candidate of the APC or any other party. “You have also mentioned the socio-political and economic challenges in this country;

the federal government is overwhelmed with the challenges, it has never been worse than this before. “The security situation is worse, there are security crises everywhere. Our economy is very bad. The activities of insurgents are becoming alarming,� he added.

He observed that if what he read in news reports yesterday that the Islamic State in West Africa network had infiltrated the country and was operating under the cover of cattle herdsmen, the country was in for the worst in terms of insecurity.

Describing the situation as “a huge failure� on the part of the federal government, Makarfi said

nobody would be talking about the deadly activities of militias in a country where a government is proactive.

The PDP chieftain continued: “We ought to have detected it and prevented it from happening.

That is the duty of any responsive government. “Again, I don’t know how easy it was for you to get fuel to come here? As for me it was not easy. I had to wait for hours to buy fuel at the filling station. “The prices of foodstuff have gone very high, and where they are available, where do you get money to buy them? Basic infrastructure is not available, parents cannot pay their children’s school fees. “Yet, people were busy

celebrating the Abuja-Kaduna railway project. Just a few days ago, the train broke down inside the busy part of town—at the heart of kidnappers’ domain in Kaduna, and passengers were exposed to danger.�

Elaboration further on the prevailing insecurity created by killer herdsmen in some parts of the country, Makarfi said every Nigerian was currently threatened by the criminalities of the herdsmen, whether they are foreign or local herdsmen. “These killings must stop; solutions must be provided by the government. Where cattle routes are available, they need to be retraced. If we need to create new ones we must create them.

Whatever solution that can solve

the killings must be applied immediately�, he added. “We need to go back and find out why the herdsmen were before now law abiding. For now, because of the suspicions across the country, you can’t say you are going to set up cattle reserves in all states. “But there are some areas you can do that and the government must do the right thing.’’ Makarfi advised the security agencies to enforce the necessary laws when anybody commits a crime and deal with criminality expeditiously to serve as deterrent to others, saying where it is a cross border issue the federal government needs to reach out to neighbouring countries for solutions.

Taraba to Commence Gradual Implementation of Anti-Open Grazing Law Wole Ayodele Ă“Ă˜ Ă‹Ă–Ă“Ă˜Ă‘Ă™ Contrary to expectations, Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku, has affirmed that the implementation of the state’s Anti-Open Grazing and Ranches Development Law will only commence in phases on January 24.

Expectations had been high among the broad spectrum of residents and indigenes of the state that the implementation of the law would commence fully on January 24 as earlier promised by the governor while signing the bill into law.

Briefing journalists at the end of a security meeting with traditional rulers in the state and security agencies held at the executive council chambers in the government house, Jalingo, yesterday, the governor stated that the implementation of the law would now be carried out gradually starting with provision of infrastructures and other necessary requirements for the successful implementation of the law.

Ishaku, who was represented at the briefing by his deputy, Haruna Many, stated that the implementation of the law would begin with provision of necessary infrastructure, establishment of pilot ranches and provision of clinics as well as training of personnel and cattle control mechanisms.

Besides, the governor disclosed that the State Livestock and Ranch Administration and Control would be inaugurated as well as Special State Livestock Control and Administration Marshals Corps would also

be put in place before full implementation of the law. “The implementation of the law will be carried out gradually, beginning with provision of infrastructure, establishment of pilot ranches, provision of clinics, training of personnel and cattle control mechanisms. “The Taraba State Livestock and Ranch Administration and Control will be inaugurated.

Special State Livestock Control and Administration Marshals Corps will also be put in place,� he stated.

Ishaku assured the traditional rulers that the ranching law would boost economic activities in the state as well as bring about peace and security, adding that the law would be of benefit to both farmers and herders.

He further disclosed that sensitisation works will be taken to the local government councils in order to educate both farmers and herders on the benefits of the law adding that workshops would be driven by local government chairmen and traditional rulers.

The governor however appealed to the public to shun the temptation of introducing politics into the law just as he appreciated the decision of the traditional rulers at the meeting to support the law and avoid the temptation of being lured into an agenda under the guise of ethnic and religious sentiments.

The traditional rulers at the meeting had pledged their support for the ranching law and promised to educate their subjects on the need to support the law.

CONGRATULATING THE NEW PRESIDENT OF LIBERIA

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki (second left), and other guests with the President of Liberia, George Manneh Weah, during the latter’s official inauguration as president in Monrovia .....yesterday.

NNPC Plans to Sell Petrol, Others to W’African Countries by 2019 Chineme Okafor Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said it plans to increase its downstream petroleum sector market shares from its present 13 per cent to 30 per cent, thereby expanding its retail operations to include countries within the West African subregion by 2019.

NNPC’s Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, said this yesterday in Abuja when he inaugurated the board of one of the corporation’s downstream companies - NNPC Retail Limited.

Baru, also disclosed that the NNPC would in the course of the period build more products depots to add to its existing 23 depots scattered across the country. This, he explained would help ease products supply and distribution in the country.

He noted in a statement from the Group General Manager, Public Affairs of the NNPC, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, that building more depots was more feasible than acquiring dormant ones in the country. “By mid-2019, you should be having plans to go into the subregion, this board should propel NNPC Retail into a new height,� said Baru while requesting the board to aggressively expand the operations of NNPC Retail beyond the shores of Nigeria.

On the scarcity of petrol in the country which has however lingered, Baru lauded NNPC Retail for what he said was its strong intervention in providing petrol in Nigeria at a time he claimed other downstream players were playing underhand games to create artificial scarcity.

He also asked the company to venture into lubricants

production, marine and industrial services to boost its revenue profile, adding that it was as in line with the corporation’s quest to become an integrated oil company.

The statement also quoted the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Gas and Power, of NNPC, Mr. Saidu Mohammed, who is the chairman of the board to have said that the company would ensure “efficiency and profitability, especially in a downstream system like ours that is highly competitive.�

Saidu pledged the commitment of the board and management of the company to the attainment of the goals of the corporation.

Similarly, the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Yemi Adetunji, expressed delight that Baru reinforced the vision of the company to expand beyond

the shores of Nigeria. Adetunji, added that the targets were achievable especially with the support of the board and management of the company.

The statement said other members of the company’s board inaugurated by Baru were Mr. Henry Ikem Obih, who is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) Downstream of the NNPC, and the alternate Chairman, COO, Refineries of NNPC, Mr. Anigo Kragha, Group General Manager, Shipping, Hajia Aisha Ahmadu Katagun, Mr. Yemi Adetunji and some other top management staff.

It explained that Mrs. Obioma Agbambo, who is the Company Secretary and Legal Adviser of NNPC Retail, would serve as the board’s secretary.

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY JANUARY 23, 2018

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COMMENT

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

FAKE NEWS, HALF TRUTHS AND LIES Frank Ojei writes that verifying information before publication is too serious to ignore

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ack in the first century, Gaius Octavian, the politician and adopted son of Julius Caesar, scored an important victory in the final war of the Roman Republic by disseminating disinformation about Marc Anthony who was his brother-in-law and Caesar’s confidante. Spreading short messages a la tweets on coins, Octavian spread rumours that his rival general was a drunk, a womaniser and under the thumb of the famous Egyptian princess and seductress, Cleopatra.

The false stories led Anthony to commit suicide in 31 BC and the ascension of his antithesis to the position of first emperor of Rome. That incident remains perhaps the earliest known example of the scourge of fake news that was abundant in the run-up to the 2015 Nigerian presidential polls and that of the US a year after.

Governments and brands have always sponsored disinformation to spin the truth and the coming of the internet has also served to amplify things out of proportion.

A tweet or post from one corner of the world can be viewed simultaneously by millions of viewers and readers across other parts of the world. One situation study by The New York Times showed how a tweet from an account with less than 40 followers could garner 16,000 retweets, thanks to bots which use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to promote specific [fake] content. From WhatsApp groups to Facebook pages and Slack channels, fake news is everywhere. And we as citizens are helping to spread it.

In the run-up to the 2015 presidential polls in Nigeria, rumours were also spread in the media by both the Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress, and also in the aftermath of the electoral process. Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna State alleged on October 1, that the Goodluck Jonathan government had wasted about N64 billion organising Independence Day celebrations between 2011 and 2014. It emerged later that El-Rufai had simply conjured statistics out of thin air because what had been spent in reality was only a fraction of the figure. The governor had deliberately skewed the facts to score cheap political points and his

ONE OF THE GOLDEN RULES OF JOURNALISM IS TO TRUST, BUT VERIFY. IN AN AGE WHERE CITIZEN JOURNALISM IS ON THE RISE, IT IS PERTINENT FOR CITIZENS TO FOLLOW THIS RULE TOO

tweets made the news rounds, almost triggering physical clashes between the support base of both Jonathan and Buhari. He never apologised, but even if he had, it would never have gone as viral as his unfounded allegations, which is the paradox of it all; fake news spreads like wildfire but rebuttals are confined to sympathetic media which remain on the periphery of the larger discourse.

Last month, a video alleging that a sample of a certain vegetable oil brand, Laziz Oil, turned to ‘tar’ if left too long on the cooker made the rounds on Twitter. There were arguments and counter-arguments, threads and several articles published about this ‘killer’ vegetable oil. But it turned out to be a hoax as well from a lady who wanted to up her following on social media.

Stunts like these clip at a brand’s reputation, perception and consequently business share. Customers are understandably first interested in protecting their health before verifying such videos and withdrawal of their patronage could be irreversible.

It is pertinent to stress, given how hard it is to distinguish the truth from falsehood, that incidents like these also cripple trust in the media when these reports eventually turn out to be fake. In the case of the US elections, beneficiaries of the false articles then began to instigate the people against established and accurate media, labelling them as ‘fake news sites’. In Nigeria, several news media were derided as fake for making the mistake of publishing unverified rumours and their editorial process exposed for low-level checks failure.

Social media networks, newspapers, blogs, websites, and forums need to take responsibility and protect their turf from being a hotspot for lies and fictitious reports emanating from thin air. However, as a people, we ought to sharpen our discerning powers and not take things at face value.

One of the golden rules of journalism is to trust, but verify. In an age where citizen journalism is on the rise, it is pertinent for citizens to follow this rule too.

Ojei is an Abuja-based Human Rights Lawyer

INTRIGUES, FACTS AND FALLACIES IN OSUN In spite of some difficulties, Governor Rauf Aregbesola has done remarkably well, argues Yaya Ademola

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t is always better to tell the truth even when it is difficult to state. Governor Rauf Aregbesola administration in Osun has brought total transformation to the state in virtually all areas of endeavour.

Mr. Rasheed Kunle Adekoge, a governorship aspirant in the forthcoming election in the state was quoted by a national newspaper recently as saying: “It’s tragic Osun lags behind Borno in education�. Although, it could be media sensation, facts must be stated.

Barely three months into his administration, Ogbeni Aregbesola convoked an education summit, chaired by Prof. Wole Soyinla, to look at various problems confronting education in the state with a view to finding a way forward.

The communiquĂŠ of the summit, consequently, became the pivot of Aregbesola education policy direction.

Over 253,000 elementary school pupils are fed nutritional meals – chicken, fish, beef, eggs and fruits – at every school day. This has been a strategic tool to enhance primary school enrolment from 155,318 to 252,793 – 60%.

Despite economic hardship confronting the state and pressure from left, right and centre that the school feeding should stop so as to save some money, Governor Aregbesola insisted that school feeding must not suffer as quality education is the only legacy a responsible government can give the sons and daughters of the poor. He believes that investment in today’s children and youth would yield the best return in not too distance future and that governance should be a tool to developing society via human being in same environment.

This initiative has won international accolades and has been adopted by the federal government. He believes that poverty can be banished via conscious education of the mind towards productive engagement which will trigger creativity and productivity that will meet basic needs of a man.

Some 750,000 school uniforms at two pairs per student of elementary, middle and high schools were distributed free. Omoluabi Scholars Buses are provided to ease transport at N20 per trip. The school children are taught

the act of calisthenics – an exercise display at building new generation of students who are physically robust, mentally sound and socially well adjusted. SSS3 students are given Opon Imo, tablet of knowledge, which makes learning simplistic and interesting.

The devise contains all books required for the SSS3 Syllabus with the last 10 years past questions of WAEC, NECO and JAMB. Ogbeni is the first to implement UNESCO recommendation on digital education in Nigeria which is being understudied by all states in Nigeria.

Aregbesola administration pays for external examination fee of every SSS3 student who justifies the need to spend tax payers’ money on him/her by having credits in four subjects including mathematics and English Language in a mock examination organised before the real examination.

The Ogbeni Aregbesola administration, realising teachers as the souls of education, decentralised the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) into three districts headed by a Tutor-General – an equivalent of Permanent Secretary in the State Civil Service – to ease implementation of welfare policies of teaching and non-teaching staff. Teachers Establishment and Pension Office (TEPO) was established for training and retraining, promotion and taking care of teachers’ pension after retirement.

Over 100 of the targeted 170 magnificent and functional model schools with all facilities that promise conducive environment for teaching, learning and culture have been built and inaugurated across the state while the remaining are awaiting completion. Aside, over 100 dilapidated elementary and middle schools have been renovated throughout the state.

Members of the National Association of Private School Proprietors of Nigeria, Osun Chapter, have confirmed that Aregbesola education policy has drastically reduced pupils’ rate of enrolment and increased withdrawal from private schools to the public schools in the last few years.

The tertiary institutions are not left out. Some 65 Uniosun Medical Students under the state sponsorship to Ukraine have completed their

studies and returned last November. They are now qualified medical doctors. Without being prompted until when economic challenges forced it to be suspended, Aregbesola increased bursary award to Osun indigenes in recognised tertiary institutions in Nigeria from N2,000 paid to final year students to N10,000 while the final year Law and Medical Students bursary increased fromN3,000 to N20,000.

Mr. Rasheed Adekoge and other aspirants in the forthcoming governorship election should concern themselves on how to consolidate and build on the solid foundation Aregbesola has laid. Ogbeni investment in education will manifest sooner than later. If he cannot be commended on this huge achievement, he should never be castigated.

It is also instructive to respond to Alade Bashir Lawal, Secretary-General, Association of Senior Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) view that there is no economic reason that should warrant a state government to owe workers’ salaries.

Alade was quoted in a national daily recently as saying that in Osun State, “the whole place, including its economy is dead. The state is a civil service state and once workers are not collecting salaries, the artisans, food vendors would not make sales, and schools that are supposed to be taking care of children would send the children back home. It is quite a vicious circle, and the workers are having it very rough�.

Yes, workers deserve their salaries and that had always been until the middle of 2015.

Before then, on or before 25th of every month, salaries and pensions were paid. Again, Governor Aregbesola had introduced and paid 13th month salaries of 10%, 25%, 50% and 100% workers basic salary as a gesture to motivate workers in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 respectively. The workers were paid their leave bonus either on their birthday or date of joining the service, as chosen by each worker. He increased beneficiaries of car loan from 2,189 to 10,000 and also increased by 100% government monthly subvention to this loan from N10 million to N20 million. He increased the rate available to workers on Grade Level 1-3 from N100,000 to N170,000; workers on Grade Level

9-10 increased fromN250,000 to N400,000; and Grade Level 16-17 increased from N500,000 to N750,000. Same increment applied to housing loan. Working place and its environs were renovated and beautified.

Pensioners were not left out. Osun has 11,000 pensioners and their bill per month is N600 million, the highest in the South-West except Lagos. In 2015 and 2016 , despite financial difficulties, Aregbesola committed N5.4billion and N4 billion respectively to payment of pension.

In December 2016, N1.5 billion was committed to pension.

In November 2016, Osun received the first Paris Club Refund of N11.7 billion and paid N8.5 billion for September, October November and December salaries; N925 million as leave bonuses for September, October, November and December; N2.5 billion for pension of September, October, November and December and N1.7 billion was transferred to Ministry of Local Government for the LG salaries. Osun government added N1.9 billion to make up.

In July 2017, Osun received the second tranche of Paris Club Refund of N6.3billion and paid N3.8 billion for workers’ salaries; N504 million as leave bonuses; N79m as pension and N935m for LG salaries.

This same pattern applies to last tranche of Paris Refund in December 2017, with N1bn set aside to pay pension.

A labour leader like Alade Bashir should not talk flippantly. He should just goggle what United Nations Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index 2016 said of Osun. The Financial Derivatives Company end of 2017 Report ranked Osun the second wealthiest among 36 states of the federation. In Bismark Rewane’s presentation titled “How the States Performed in 2017�, he said “In one of the top three economic analysts in Nigeria, all states in Nigeria in the last financial year, Aregbesola ingenuity of Modulated Salary Structure yielded very positive results. Osun has one of the lowest net Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) but it is not delinquent in the payment of salary arrears�.

Ademola wrote from Alekuwodo, Osogbo

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EDITORIAL THE NEW WAVE OF KIDNAPPINGS The security agencies could do more to contain the problem

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espite the payment of an undisclosed amount of money as ransom by his family, the abducted member representing Takum I constituency in the Taraba State House of Assembly, Hosea Ibi, was last Tuesday afternoon found dead. The unfortunate tragedy that has already elicited tension in the state, underscores the enormity of the security challenge facing the nation. While we sympathise with the family of Hon. Ibi, we call on the security agencies to move in quickly to ďŹ nd the culprits and bring them to justice.

However, the greater concern now is the increasing number of kidnapped victims who do not survive to tell their stories, even when ransom may have been paid by their families. Indeed, the death of Ibi is similar to that of a former Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr Chudi Nwike. Kidnapped on March 19, 2013, it was his lifeless body that was found several months after the family had paid a ransom of N5 million WHILE WE BELIEVE which the abductors THAT CRIME CANNOT reportedly considered BE RATIONALISED, IT not enough before IS ALSO A FACT THAT murdering him.

THE INCREASING The authorities DESPERATION BY A should be worried by GROWING YOUNG the manner in which POPULATION THAT IS NOT the criminals in our PRODUCTIVELY ENGAGED midst have become IS A SERIOUS ISSUE WE so emboldened. Over MUST DEAL WITH AS WE the past few months, SEEK SOLUTION TO THE many have lost MENACE count of victims of gangs who roam the countryside, extorting money from people, both rich and poor, in the name of ransom while killing victims whose families refuse or are unable to pay the demanded amount. What particularly worries is that the crime is not only well organised, it has also become a thriving industry with network of support staff as it is

Letters to the Editor

now common to hear of medical doctors, nurses and other professionals being part of the kidnapping ring.

This is a problem that is yet to be interrogated.

While we believe that crime cannot be rationalised, it is also a fact that the increasing desperation by a growing young population that is not productively engaged is a serious issue we must deal with as we seek solution to the menace of kidnapping and other crimes in our country. Initially, the targets were rich businessmen, politicians and other well-heeled professionals. But kidnappers have also come to the lower bracket, perhaps out of desperation. In some cases, these criminals randomly stop vehicles on the road in the hope of ďŹ nding someone worth kidnapping.

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he accounts of some of the victims, according to a recent Global Kidnap for Ransom Update, reinforce the notion that most of the kidnap gangs now target middle class Nigerians: “They demand a high ransom from their family, and accept a much lower sum to enable a swift conclusion so they can then move on to the next target. The risk to gangs who operate in this way is moderate, and their costs are low. Reports from victim and police accounts, following both rescues and cases where a ransom was paid for the victim’s safe release indicate that hostages are frequently held in unpopulated areas of bush. This environment is in abundance close to kidnappers’ urban operating areas, and has allowed their escape from security forces on numerous occasions.�

So notorious has our country become in this crime that when the African Insurance Organisation, a nongovernmental outďŹ t, held its forum in Mauritius two years ago, Nigeria was designated the global capital for kidnap for ransom, having overtaken countries like Colombia and Mexico that were hitherto the front-runners in the crime. Although many see the spread of kidnapping for ransom as a symptom of wider problems in the society, it is important for the security agencies to device strategies for tackling the challenge of this most heinous crime that has not only damaged our image but is fast becoming an epidemic.

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to speciďŹ c publications in THISDAY should be brief (150-200 words) and straight to the point. Interested readers may send such letters along with their contact details to opinion@thisdaylive.com. We also welcome comments and opinions on topical local, national and international issues provided they are well-written and should also not be longer than (9501000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

IBRAHIM DANKWAMBO: JIBRIN GOT IT WRONG

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will like to categorically state that the Gombe Youth Development Foundation, under which auspices I am writing this article, remains a non-political, non-profit-making and non-partisan body, concerned only with safeguarding good governance and transparent democracy.

We recently bumped into an article signed by one Muhammad Jibrin Barde condemning the Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministries, Enugu (AMEN), Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka for stating that Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo is most suitable for the presidency come 2019. According to Jibrin, the reverend father got it wrong by recommending Dankwambo for the presidency, saying he would not be recommending him as a replacement for President Muhammadu Buhari if he is abreast with the state of affairs in Gombe State.

Jibrin went further to dish out all sorts of lies and falsehood about Gombe as his reasons for making this false analysis about the state. We will like to also point out here that if there is anybody who lacks knowledge about the progressive transformation in Gombe State, it’s Jibrin himself. We will like to give Jibrin a few words of advise; ‘please learn to keep your mouth shut, if you ain’t uttering anything useful’. In his article, Jibrin said that it is a well-known fact that Gombe town had battled with lack of potable drinking water since independence. That is false. In his quest to ensure potable water supply in the state, Governor Dankwambo rehabilitated and reticulated pipelines and extension to Kwami, Gadam, etc., and provided extension of water supply to Baure, Dangar and many more communities,

not forgetting the construction of Earth dam at Boh, Shongom Local government area.

Jibrin’s next lie was that the Gombe State University and the entire education system is now in a shambles and that classrooms are playground for idle students without teachers who had left en mass due to unpaid salaries. Nothing is farther from the truth. It is on record that Governor Dankwambo Talban Gombe has done more for education than any other state governor. Even the National University Commission stated that Gombe State University is one of the most successful state-own universities in Nigeria. He has renovated/constructed over 502 classrooms, recruited over 1,000 Degree/NCE graduates apart from training over 5,000 teachers. He also established a School of Basic and Remedial Studies in Kumo, College of Education in Billiri, State Polytechnic in Bajoga, College of Legal and Islamic Studies in Nafada and the recent establishment of the University of Science and Technology, Kumo and sponsored 25 students in Maritime Studies in India and United Kingdom.

Jibrin also alleged that Gombe hospitals, which were modernised and fully equipped, are now mortuaries and consulting clinics. How can a man be this irrational? It may interest Jibrin to know that Governor Dankwambo has upgraded the Urban Maternity to Children & Women Hospital Idi, constructed a dialysis centre in the Specialist Hospital Gombe, constructed College of Nursing and Midwifery, Dukku; constructed a Snake-bite Centre in Kaltungo as well as supply and installation of four dialysis machines and two dialysis chairs.

Jibrin further added that the International Airport in Gombe has been neglected. The Gombe Airport is however fully functional and well-equipped by the Dankwambo administration with regular flight schedules by Arik Air and Azman.

Jibrin lies on the Gombe International Hotel are also cheap. The Gombe International Hotel is truly a sight to behold.

Jibrin alleged that despite the Paris Club refunds and bailouts engineered by the federal government, salaries and pensions are not paid in Gombe. It is on record that Governor Dankwambo Talban Gombe has been recognised as the best labour-friendly governor for paying workers as at when due and prompt payment of pensions. The honour by NLC speaks volumes.

Gombe, an agrarian state, has been transformed within the past few years through the procurement of 225 tractor units; markets were constructed to encourage cotton farm and many other developmental projects. This government has trained over 320 youths in six different trades in skills acquisition centre, trained 330 supervisors at Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, Jos, and recruited 1500 youths as traffic, environmental and security marshals.

It is worthy of note that the political blackmail on Governor Dankwambo has only made the governor more popular by the day. It is pleasing that the governor is smart and wise enough to fight this political war with his progressive and developmental work in Gombe State.

Salisu Umar, Publicity Secretary, Gombe Youth Development Foundation

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2018

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POLITICS

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

EXECUTIVE BRIEFING

2019 Fuels Recalls in Kwara The electorate in Kwara State have initiated processes to recall a member of the National Assembly and another member of the state’s house of assembly in moves that observers say are party of a strategy with the 2019 elections in mind, writes Hammed Shittu

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s the next general election draws nearer, electorate are reviewing the performance of those they elected to represent them at both the National Assembly and states’ houses of assembly.

Voters want to know whether these people deserve to go back and represent their various constituencies. The stock-taking has also afforded these stakeholders to measure the performance of their representatives in the delivery of dividends of democracy to their constituents and their involvement in the day to day legislative functions especially their contributions to debates at the floor of the house.

Informed electorate are initiating processes to recall those they believed have not done well. They are not just waiting for the next election.

In Kwara State, some stakeholders within the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) recently initiated a recall process against two prominent members of the party. One is a member of the National Assembly while the other is a member of the Kwara State House of Assembly. Those who initiated the process alleged that these elected lawmakers have not adequately represented them.

One of such members of the APC currently facing recall is the senator representing Kwara South Senatorial District at the Senate, Senator Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim. Ibrahim is the chairman, Senate Committee on Banking and other Financial Institutions. The second elected representative also being recalled is a member of the state’s house of assembly representing Essa/Shawo/Igbodun state constituency of Offa Local Government Council, Hassan Oyeleke.

Oyeleke is the House Leader of the state’s house of assembly.

In a petition the Kwara South Youths Forum submitted to both the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Assembly, the group accused Ibrahim of under representation at the upper legislative chambers. The petitioner demanded he should therefore be recalled with immediate effect. The group also said that Ibrahim should not be allowed to seek re-election.

The petition, dated 13th November, 2017, was received by INEC on 14th Nov. 2017 and by the National Assembly on 17th Nov. 2017. It was titled “Notification of our Dissatisfaction with the Representation being Provided by senator representing Kwara South Senatorial District in the National Assembly in person of Senator Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim”.

However, political pundits in the state believe that the decision to recall Ibrahim from the National Asembly might not be unconnected with the alleged interest of the incumbent governor of the state, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed to seek election into the Senate after the completion of his two terms of eight years as governor.

Share, in Ifelodun Local Government Council of the state where the governors comes from is under Kwara South Senatorial District which Ibrahim currently represents at the National Assembly.

Although, Ibrahim is yet to declare interest in seeking re-election, his body language showed that he is interested in seeking a second term in 2019. He also believed that he has done well to merit a second term.

But, those seeking his recall thought otherwise. While addressing a press conference at Ijagbo in Oyun Local Government Area of the state recently, Kwara South Youths Forum said that the senator had not performed well enough to qualify him for a second term.

The spokesperson of the forum , Mr. John Adegboye alleged that, Ibrahim was

Senator Ibrahim

no more fit to be at the National Assembly because of his alleged inability to represent the senatorial district very well.

Adegboye alleged that, “Its nothing but a violation of our human and democratic rights. Let it be made clear, that we are in the 21st century. The current system of representation we are experiencing under Senator Rafiu Ibrahim is archaic, demeaning, dehumanizing and also unacceptable. We are no longer under the pre-colonial dispensation where there is indirect rule.

“In almost three years, where are the federal projects Ibrahim attracted to Kwara South? where are the federal appointments credited to his efforts? Although, there are few he will wish to show, but when the numbers is compared against those of Kwara Central you will realize that our senator has handed over our birth right to his boss” “This is why Ibrahim continue to dismiss our elders and insult our common patrimony by telling them that he must first consult with his boss.

“We are appalled by the fact that a man whom we unanimously elected as a senator to represent us in the 8th Assembly has now openly declared that he has a ‘boss’ other than we the good people of Kwara South, that he takes directives from us.

“It is therefore under this circus that the good people of the Kwara South today decide to intimate the generality of Nigerians about

Voters want to know whether the people they elected deserve to go back and represent them again

our intention to recall him.”

However, the Kwara State branch of the National Association of Kwara State Students (NAKSS) disagreed with the forum and passed a vote of confidence on the senator.

Speaking with reporters in Ajase-Ipo, Irepodun Local Government Area, the state chair of NANS, Comrade Abdulkadir Aliyu said the senator is a man of the people and father of Nigerian students in the constituency.

Aliyu added that the senator’s leadership qualities and open door policy had endeared him to the students.

He cited the construction of a relaxation centre for University of Ilorin students, students empowerment scheme, renovation of Offa Township Hall, free SSCE and JAMB registration among other laudable projects put in place by the senator.

He also said the senator sponsored students programmes, offered scholarships and free vocational training to deserving students.

“Without iota of doubt, we are convinced that his leadership deserves a great applause,” he added.

In his reaction, former transition implementation chair, Irepodun Local Government, Kashim Adekanye described the planned recall as a cheap talk.

Adekanye added that “anybody can decide to say what he likes. I am aware the senator has brought another developmental project to this constituency. And in our party the All Progressives Congress we have our leaders that we follow.

“All of us, the followers of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki are united under that banner. My general advice is for both parties to engage in dialogue to resolve their differences if any.”

Also, leaders of APC in the senatorial district led by the zonal chairman, Alhaji Jimoh Balogun have thrown their weight behind the senator saying that, Ibrahim had done well and he is fit to return to the Senate come 2019.

At a press conference in Ajase-Ipo, Balogun alongside the seven local government chairmen of APC that make up the senatorial district, came down hard on the proponents of the recall.

He also described the petitioner as faceless.

He said: “Senator Ibrahim, both in public and private life has been receiving accolades as expected of a true democrat and representative of the people of Kwara South Senatorial District.

“Apart from this, Ibrahim has been consulting with the APC leaders in the senatorial district from time to time a loyal member of the APC, and has committed to meeting the yearning and aspirations of the people.”

Some stakeholders in Essa/Shawo/ Igbodun state constituency of Offa in Offa Local Government Area of the state are also demanding the recall of the lawmaker representing the constituency in the state house of assembly, Hassan Oyeleke accusing him of not adequately representing them.

The decision to recall Oyeleke may not be unconnected with his ambition to represent the people of Offa/Oyun/ Ifelodun Federal Constituency at the National Assembly in 2019.

For obvious reasons, the current lawmaker representing the constituency, Tope Olaniyonu is against that move.

A statement signed by Mufutau Adeyemo and Alhaji Dauda Azeez and made available to journalists in Ilorin those seeking to recall the lawmaker said he had not adequately represented the area in the state assembly.

The people, who said that the house leader had not initiated or supported any motion to effect delivery of his campaign promises to his constituents, added that he had not influenced a single constituency project since his first tenure in office in 2011 till date.

They however admitted that Oyeleke embarked on empowerment programme in 2012 and distributed exercise books worth N350,000 to students of the area in 2017, but alleged that he had not done any activity on agriculture, health, job creation or supported any motion in favour of the area.

The people of Eesa/Shawo/Igbodun state constituency also said that the activities of the lawmaker during the last local government elections had caused party discord, disharmony and disunity among members of the APC and the electorate.

Oyeleke however denied all the allegations saying that his tenure in the state house of assembly has brought a new lease of life to the people of his constituency.

He said he had contributed a lot to debates at the house which he said had added values to the people of Offa community.

Oyeleke said he had given out scholarship to member of his constituency in primary, secondary and post secondary schools and the law school. He also argued that the executive was in charge of project implementation in various parts of the state.

APC leaders in Essa /Shawo /Igbodun state constituency of Offa have also risen in support of the lawmaker. They said he had done well.

The spokesperson of the constituency, Chief John Ogundiran said: ”Oyeleke is committed to scaling all heights, fathom all depths and traverse all horizons to ensure the people of the constituency enjoy the dividends of democracy and cannot be distracted by the antics of the anti-democracy in the constituency.”

Ogundiran spoke at a press conference jointly addressed with the chairman of Offa Local Government Council, Alhaji Lateef Gbadamosi, the APC chairman in the local government, Alhaji Azeez Aro and some councilors in the local government council.

According to him, he tenure of Oyeleke in the house of assembly has brought a new lease of life to the people of the constituency especially in the area of roads construction, water supply, provision of transformers, security and scholarship to the students of the constituency among others.

T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY JANUARY 23, 2018

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FEATURES

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

Elumelu's Military Industrial Hub Initiative In continuation of his Strategic Leadership Series, Mr. Tony Elumelu, at the National Defence College, Abuja, recently pressed home the essence of Nigeria keying into the military industrial hub. Paul Obi writes

Mr. Tony Elumelu delivering a lecture at the NDC Course 26 in Abuja...recently

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t a time, the Nigerian military is faced with daunting challenges in many areas, the imperative for indigenous home-grown armour remains very key to attaining its goals. The dependence of the Armed Forces on foreign military hardware has tended to expose Nigeria to the vagaries of international politics. More so, the refusal of the United States and its allies under the era of former President Barack Obama to sell weapons to the then President Goodluck Jonathan's government is still a memory the country will not forget in a hurry.

The basis therefore, is for Nigeria to strive to be self-reliant and dependent in the production of military hardware and other sophisticated weaponry. The importation of military hardware has over the years had a negative effect even on business and the economy. That was the thrust of the Chairman of Heirs Holdings and Founder of Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), Mr. Tony Elumelu, in a paper he presented recently at the National Defence College (NDC), Abuja.

At the NDC Course 26, and with the theme of his lecture as 'Strategic Leadership: My Business Experience', Elumelu highlighted the importance of democratising investment, economic and social wealth. He argued that though the Nigeria Armed Forces have continued to succeed in various fronts, the reliance on foreign military hardware and strategic planning has cast a dark shade on the achievements thus far.

Succinctly, the import of his lecture organised by the NDC was to align the current military

The import of his lecture organised by the NDC was to align the current military challenges and Mr. Tony Elumelu's business acumen within the confines of economic development and national security paradigms. In striking a balance between business experience and military engagement, Elumelu hinted on the need for the setting up of military industrial hubs as a strategy to elevate Nigeria's position as a super power

challenges and Elumelu's business acumen within the confines of economic development and national security paradigms. In striking a balance between business experience and military engagement, Elumelu hinted on the need for the setting up of military industrial hubs as a strategy to elevate Nigeria's position as a super power.

Elumelu who spoke with the college's Course 26 participants explained that it was imminent for the military and the private sector to partner and develop local military arsenals in order to fortify Nigeria militarily.

He maintained that such partnership and collaboration was needed for the advancement of the military, and will be significant to winning the war against terrorism in the North-east.

Elumelu frown at what he called Nigeria's acute dependence on importation of military hardware, stressing that, "the federal government must follow the path of other former third world countries such as Brazil, India and Pakistan who had now grown their indigenous technology and reduced dependence on imports.

“We still depend on imports for most of our needs. In comparison with countries like India, Pakistan and Brazil which share the same colonial history with Nigeria, they are now nuclear powers while we still depend on imports of our military arsenals." He added that “one disadvantage of this is that countries

which supply some of our needs have held us to ransom as experiences showed in the past."

In his view, “the point is that Nigeria cannot develop except we start to promote Made-in-Nigeria goods and cut our high import rate. Nigeria needs a strong modern technology in its military to be able to play its leadership role in Africa. The private sector is also going to drive a major part of this.

Therefore, the military, the federal government and the private sector must support research and investments in this regard.”

Elumelu argued that the partnership has to revolve "not just with the private sector, but with the Nigerian government and the military. We need to work together, no blame game, we need to collaborate to first create the environment that will enable the military industrialisation take off,” he told the participants.

"It is inevitable in the 21st Century, our might, intention and desire to be the super power; the fact that we profess that we are super power of Africa must be matched with our military capabilities and capacity. We need all hands on deck, the military, federal government and the private sector, working together, supporting research, to supporting investment in the sector that will lead to the capacity we need," he added.

Elumelu also focused on the importance of strategic leadership as a measure to improve the power of the Nigerian military. He held that, just like in business, if the military is to constantly win its wars, there must be impact,

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FEATURES

Mr. Tony Elumelu and NDC Course 26 participants

clarity of purpose and most importantly, legacy.

He maintained that in strategic leadership "clarity is very essential in order to ensure stakeholders' ownership, and if there is clarity, the vision is shared, and it transforms to success," Elumelu stated.

Speaking, NDC Commandant, Rear Admiral Adeniyi Osinowo commended the role of Elumelu in harnessing potential and resources for economic development. Osinowo further harped on the need for the private sector to do more in the area of democratising economic and social wealth. He assured that the college will continue to seek collaborative ventures with the private sector, particularly in strategic leadership management and socio-economic development.

Speaking on the knowledge gained from Elumelu's lecture, a participant of Course 26, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, explained that considering that his lecture dwelt on strategic leadership, "it's mostly not just about leadership, but leaving a legacy; anybody who wants to make impact," he said. Famuyiwa stressed that Elumelu's ability to connect his business experience with strategic and military leadership "brought leadership closer to the participants; it allows the lessons to be taken home and also add reality to it, that it's about setting goals, it's about commitment and it's about legacy," he added.

Elumelu's strategic leadership lecture not only touches on military prowess, but a clarion call to look inward in all defence matters. With Nigeria spending millions

The point is that Nigeria cannot develop except we start to promote Madein-Nigeria goods and cut our high import rate.

Nigeria needs a strong modern technology in its military to be able to play its leadership role in Africa. The private sector is also going to drive a major part of this.

Therefore, the military, the federal government and the private sector must support research and investments in this regard

Mr. Tony Elumelu (left) pointing at something of interest to his host, NDC Commandant, Rear Admiral Adeniyi Osinowo, during the former's courtesy visit

NDC Commandant, Rear Admiral Adeniyi Osinowo (1st right), Mr. Tony Elumelu (2nd right), other, Deputy Commandant, Major General Ede Ode (2nd left), Director of Partnership, The Tony Elumelu Foundation, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu (1st left), at the NDC Course 26 lecture in Abuja

of dollars annually for the importation of military hardware, the multiplier effects of setting up military industrial zones would be enormous.

Although the Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) has been structured to fit into the idea of military industrialisa-

tion, the continued reliance of Nigeria on foreign hardwares in the last 50 years has not helped matters. Elumelu's call for new military industrial zones situates the current challenges and the country's difficulties in reaching its target goal in a new perspective. Instructively, the goal of greatness and

Africa's superpower will continue to be aloof for Nigeria, if military self-dependency is not attained. Elumelu's call on the Armed Forces to scale up its industrial drive and self-reliance, therefore compels the military to pursue military industrialisation with rigour and fast too.

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Group Business Editor ChikaAmanze-Nwachuku Email: chika.amanzenwachukwu@thisdaylive.com 08033294157, 08057161321

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Quick Takes Vitol, Shoreline Seal $530m Deal European trading house Vitol has reached a $530 million deal with Nigeria’s Shoreline to finance an oilfield in exchange for access to some of the 50,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil it produces, the Nigerian company said.

Vitol has done other pre-financing deals for preferential access to oil and refined products in Kazakhstan, Iran and elsewhere.

The agreement with Shoreline, finalised at the weekend, will provide the company with cash to refinance existing debt and further develop OML 30 in Nigeria’s oil-rich Delta region, according to Rigzone.

The field currently produces 50,000 bpd and has an estimated 1 billion barrels of oil reserves. Shoreline has a 45 percent interest in the field.

Shoreline chairman Kola Karim said the “transformational� deal would enable the company to step up gross production to as much as 100,000 bpd over the next year.

Vitol declined to comment on the deal.

The financing was arranged with support from Vitol, as well as Ecobank, Fidelity Bank, Union Bank, FCMB and Farallon Capital Management.

OPEC, Non-OPEC to Meet in April

SAMSUNG STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP SUMMIT

L-R: Chief Financial OďŹƒcer, Samsung Electronics Africa, Mr. Dae Ju Kim; Managing Director, Samsung Nigeria, Mr. Jin Gak Jung; President and CEO, Samsung Electronics Africa, Mr. Sung Yoon and President, Samsung Central Africa, Mr. Jung Hyun Park, at the Samsung Strategic Partnership Summit 2018, which held at Radisson Blu, Ikeja, Lagos‌recently

Cooking Gas Stakeholders Move to End Incessant Gas Plant Explosions DPR probes Lagos incident Stories by Ejiofor Alike Stakeholders in the Liquefied Petroleum Gas sector (LPG) sector, under the aegis of the Nigerian Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association (NLPGA) have unveiled measures to end the incessant gas plant explosions in the country.

This is coming as the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has commenced investigation into the recent fire incident in a gas plant in Magodo area of Lagos, which claimed two lives.

Rising from its emergency meeting in Lagos, the Safety

ENERGY and Technical Committee of NLPGA has called for greater collaboration with agencies of government to eliminate incidents of gas plant explosions in the country.

In a communiquĂŠ at the end of its recent meeting, the committee noted that the gas plant explosions recorded in 2018 have highlighted the need to address the three overarching industry objectives - safe handling and best practises in LPG; loss of containment (prevention of gas leaks); and successful disaster management.

“As an association we are at the forefront of championing specific and impactful actions to mitigate incidents and accidents. Central to this is a robust programme to educate all stakeholders along the value chain, which means every participant in the industry from supply side (ship owners and producers), through to demand side (residential and industrial consumers) are educated on the safe handling and use of LPG,� said the committee.

NLPGA’s deputy president, Mr. Nuhu Yakubu, who presented the communiquÊ, stated that the committee is working

on programmes to address the three main objectives along specific target groups.

He identified the groups to include consumers and end users, industry practitioners and government and regulatory agencies.

The committee listed its efforts to include awareness building and training on the safe storage and use of LPG; education on best practices for installations in homes and high rise buildings and certification programme for installers.

The committee also stated Continued on page 22

How House Cttee Canceled $260m Contracts on Usan Deepwater Field Fresh facts have emerged on how the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) and Public Procurement recommended the termination of $260 million contracts approved illegally by the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), a subsidiary of the NNPC in Usan deepwater field in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 136, following THISDAY’s exclusive report on the contract scandal.

In the 16-page report submitted to the House recently, which was obtained by

ENERGY THISDAY, the joint committee also recommended that ESSO Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil should mobilise the bonafide contractor for the project, Tilone Subsea Limited to handle the provision of the Offshore Inspection Maintenance and Repair (OIMR) vessel as well as the Workclass Remotely Operated Vehicle (WROV) for the Usan project.

THISDAY had reported that in fragrant violation of due process and without approval

from both the NNPC’s Board and the corporation’s Group Executive Committee (GEC), NAPIMS fraudulently granted approval for ESSO Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil, to award four single source contracts at a total value of $260 million.

It was gathered that without any form of tendering process, NAPIMS had via three memos dated October 13, 2014; February 10, 2015 and April 16, 2015, all with the same reference – NAP/PSC/ MM/07.01, single handedly

nominated four companies to execute the contracts.

The controversial contracts involve the provision of DP2DP3 Construction Platform Vessel; Provision of DP2 4800 DWT Platform Support Vessel (PSV); and provision of Fast Supply Intervention Vessel (FSIV) for Usan deepwater project.

ESSO took over the operatorship of Usan field from Total Upstream Nigeria Limited (TUPNI) on February 1, 2014, and inherited all contracts running on the Usan field.

Continued on page 22

The next Joint OPEC-Non-OPEC Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) will be held in April in Saudi Arabia, Russian RIA news agency reported on Sunday, citing an OPEC statement.

It also said that compliance with the global oil production cut deal by OPEC and non-OPEC nations was at 129 percent in December and averaged 107 percent over the whole of last year. Saudi Arabia’s energy minister urged global oil producing nations on Sunday to extend their cooperation beyond 2018, but said this might mean a new form of deal rather than continuing the same supply cuts that have boosted prices in recent months.

JMMC last met in September 2017 where the group noted that overall compliance by OPEC and Non OPEC participating Countries to the Agreement on crude oil production cut for the month of August was 116 per cent.

The August 2017 compliance level was then the highest since the agreement came into effect on January 2017.

The JMMC was established following OPEC’s 171st Ministerial Conference Decision of November 30, 2016, and the subsequent Declaration of Cooperation made at the joint OPEC-Non-OPEC Producing Countries’ Ministerial Meeting held on December 10, 2016.

Audi to Recall 127,000 Vehicles Germany’s KBA automotive watchdog has detected illicit emission-control software in Audi’s latest Euro-6 diesel models and has ordered a recall of 127,000 vehicles, Bild am Sonntag reported.

Audi, a unit of Volkswagen, said in a statement that the models had been included in a voluntary recall of 850,000 diesel vehicles with V6 and V8 TDI engines announced in July.

Bild am Sonntag said road transport authority KBA had told Audi to respond by Feb. 2 on how it plans to update vehicle software controlling emissions, making sure the cars are unable to illegally manipulate emission controls.

Audi said it has been examining its diesel-fuelled cars for potential irregularities for months in close cooperation with the KBA. In November, Audi announced a recall of 5,000 cars in Europe for a software fix after discovering they emitted too much nitrogen oxide, the polluting gas that parent Volkswagen concealed from U.S. regulators in its devastating 2015 “dieselgate� scandal.

“All effort by TCN management to ensure the concessionaires pay their outstanding debts failed, notwithstanding the significant revenue they collect from the customers they service using TCN assets�

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola

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COOKING GAS STAKEHOLDERS MOVE TO END INCESSANT GAS PLANT EXPLOSIONS

NERC Rolls Out Fresh Conditions for Third-party Meter Investment in Discos

that it has engaged in training for truck drivers on the safe loading and unloading of LPG; training for operators, managers and supervisors on the safe operation of plant equipment according to global best practices and training and certification of installers of equipment and piping systems. “The association through its Safety and Technical Committee has been cooperating with regulatory bodies through: capacity building programmes on disaster management; development of standards and operating guidelines in line with best practices; and campaigns for the elimination of bad practices. The industry holds as its ultimate objective the promotion of the safe use of this exceptional form of energy for the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians,â€? the communiquĂŠ added.

Chineme Okafor in Abuja

HOW HOUSE CTTEE CANCELED $260M CONTRACTS ON USAN DEEPWATER FIELD

The resolution by the House of Representatives to probe the contracts followed a motion sponsored by Hon. Gabriel Kolawole (Ondo APC), on February 25, 2016.

The lawmaker, displaying a copy of THISDAY report (where the story had been published) dated February 4, 2016, lauded the medium for what he described as a good investigative piece.

Kolawole referred to the report titled: “How NAPIMS Allegedly Approved $260m Contracts Illegally for ExxonMobil’s Usan Field.�

The Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, had put the motion to a vote, which was unanimously backed by the lawmakers.

In the report submitted to the House, the Joint Committee charged the NNPC and the joint venture companies to “always adhere to due process in their transactions to eliminate prolonged disputes that may negatively impact investments.�

Group Business Editor

Chika Amanze-Nwachuku

A new draft regulation on third-party investments in meter infrastructure within the 11 electricity distribution networks in Nigeria by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) stipulated that every investments to be made in the meter subsector must accommodate up to 40 per cent of local content contribution in the investment.

The regulation also said successful Meter Assets Providers (MAP) in any of the distribution networks would be given operational licenses that would last for 15 years by the regulator.

NERC released the draft regulation recently in Abuja.

It explained amongst other provisions in it that its main objective was to provide standard rules in the creation of a third-party meter industry that could encourage the development of independent and competitive meter services in the power sector, eliminate estimated billing practices by the Discos, attract private investment into a viable metering services industry, close the metering gap through accelerated meter roll out, and enhance revenue assurance for the power market.

It noted that while the Discos are still responsible for meeting their metering targets as stipulated by the NERC from time to time, they would however be allowed to procure the services of MAPs in accordance with the

regulations to enable it meet its metering targets.

According to the regulation, the minimum technology and back-office requirements expected of the MAPs to be engaged by the Discos must be sufficient enough with relevant technological resources that are capable of maintaining and retrieving records of financial, inventory, and customer data.

It noted that they must also

be able to deploy infrastructure on an on-line real-time basis that would be sufficient for regulatory and statutory reviews. “The technology-type deployed by the MAP shall be capable of being integrated to the distribution licensee’s vending platform. Evidence of applicable certifications shall be required,� said the regulation.

According to it, the distribution licensee shall conclude the

procurement process for the engagement of a MAP within 120 calendar days from the day the regulation become effective. “The commission shall engage the services of a tender auditor to audit the conduct and results of a distribution licensee’s procurement process for the engagement of the MAP. Upon completion of evaluation of bids, the successful bidder shall submit an application

for the grant of a Meter Asset Provider license to the commission. “The commission shall grant a license to the successful bidder subject to satisfactory compliance with the minimum qualification criteria and procurement processes provided in these regulations. The tenure of MAP license shall be 15 years in the first instance,� the NERC regulation added.

WE APPRECIATE YOU

R-L: Group Head, Corporate Communications, Heritage Bank, Fela Ibidapo; Halima Rammal, who represented a member of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Desmond Elliot; and Team Lead, Personal Banking, Adora Zulu-Okafor, during Heritage Bank’s gift donation to the Surulere Constituency 1, for its Charity Christmas Project at the bank’s head oďŹƒce, Lagos...recently

Davos 2018: Sahara Group Seeks Global Support for Access to Energy in Africa Ejiofor Alike Energy and infrastructure conglomerate, Sahara Group will make a strong case for collaborative efforts towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through more access to energy in Africa at the 2018 World Economic Forum annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland.

According to a statement by the company, Executive Director and Co-founder, Sahara Group, Tonye Cole will form part of the continent’s private sector leadership delegation to the summit.

Heads of government and business leaders will this year deliberate on the theme: “Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World�.

Cole was quoted in the statement as saying that the world is in urgent need of a more coordinated level of

shared expertise, resources and influences to forge ahead on key developmental fronts. “The mission to realize the SDGs is possibly the most daunting objective faced by the United Nations.

The impact the attainment of these goals will have on the ability of the entire global system to co-exist peacefully cannot be over-emphasized. It is in the interest of all humanity to collaborate on the SDGs, especially in Africa where we believe access to energy holds the key to achieving the 17 goals by the 2030 target,�

Cole added.

Sahara Group noted that an African Development Bank Group report has found that a majority of countries in Sub –Saharan Africa have average grid electricity access of around 23 per cent of the population.

According to the company,

this leaves over 640 million people in the region without access to grid electricity. Some of the highest electricity supply deficits which exist in the region include Nigeria at 90 per cent, Ethiopia at 70 per cent and DRC at 60 per cent, while current power supply in SSA is estimated to be 80GW. The company noted that access to energy is crucial not only for the attainment of health and education outcomes, but also for reducing the cost of doing business and for unlocking economic potential and creating jobs. “Significant impediments to improving the power situation still prevail. Governments have been known to intervene in order to set electricity tariffs.

These tariffs are seldom cost reflective thus affecting the viability of the sector. Also, there is a gaping deficit of indigenous human resources

in SSAs power sector as the region relies on imported skill and talent for the execution, operation and maintenance of power projects,� the statement added.

Cole, who also represents Sahara on the advisory board of the UN SDG-Fund, said the continent requires more support for ongoing regional pool activity that is gaining traction through bilateral agreements existing between some West African countries and East African countries. “With other similar initiatives, providers will no longer be restricted to markets within their country borders.

This is probably the most effective way of enhancing access to energy; but again, it would require strong political will and huge funding that can only be achieved by global collaboration,� he said.

There are credible prospects

for upward trends in access to energy in Africa.

These are evident via continuing privatisation and unbundling of power assets, emergence of more decentralised power models and growth in power demand across the continent. “The theme for this year’s meeting is quite apt. The shared future we all seek can only be achieved through collaboration� said Cole, adding that Sahara Group, through its affiliate, Sahara Power is currently exploring various collaborations to light up Africa as a leading power provider on the continent. “We will be making a strong case for increased investment in power projects from African and global sources to match the anticipated demand growth and support Africa’s drive for economic diversification and industrial development.�

AgriBusiness/Industry Editor

Jonathan Eze

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

Kaduna Inland Dry Port Operational Manual Ready Thursday

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)

Kasim Sumaina in Abuja The operational manual of the Kaduna Inland Dry Port will be ready on Thursday, January 25, the Nigeria Shippers Council has said.

In a statement signed on behalf of the Council by Ignatius Nweke and made available to journalists yesterday in Abuja, hinted that

the Nigerian Shippers’ Council is holding a one-day meeting with its stakeholders on the operations of the Kaduna Dry Port.

According to the statement, the meeting which is expected to focus on the processes of documentation of the Kaduna bound cargoes, obligations of Terminal operators and shipping companies, would hold

January 25, 2018 in Lagos.

The meeting Nweke noted would equally look at the expected roles of other stakeholders in ensuring the smooth operations of the facility and how best to successfully operationalise the Kaduna Dry Port.

Recall that President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari recently

commissioned the Kaduna Inland Dry Port for the commencement of full operations at the Dry Port.

It said that the 5000 TEU facility located on the Kachia Road in Kaduna gained its port status through official gazette having satisfied all requirements recommended by the Federal Ministry of Transportation and Nigerian

Shippers’ Council in accordance with international best practices.

He further revealed that the Inland Ports being facilitated by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council is an intermodal terminal directly connected by road or rail to a seaport and operating as a centre for the shipment of the cargoes to inland destination.

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BUSINESSWORLD

NEWS

Petrol Scarcity Lingers in Abuja DPR dispenses 14,400 litres free in erring station Stories by Chineme Okafor in Abuja The scarcity of petrol in the Federal Capital City, Abuja, has continued to linger despite assurances by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that it has enough products in its stock.

THISDAY’s investigation revealed that across the city centre and environs, vehicular queues for petrol were noticed at the weekend, indicating that the scarcity, which residents had to deal with during the tail end of 2017, has continued to linger.

It was gathered that there were sizeable build-up of queues at stations within the Wuse, Central Business District (CBD), Kubwa Expressway, and Garki areas of Abuja.

Investigation further revealed that one of NNPC’s retail outlet along the Kashim Ibrahim Way in Wuse 2 was locked up and not open for business.

Similarly, the long queues at the Forte Oil stations in Maitama, Conoil and Total stations opposite the corporate headquarters of the NNPC

had extended further at their entry gates.

The tight queues in all of these stations were unchanged as at the time of filing this report.

Following the situation, an enforcement action carried out by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) within the city, however resulted to the DPR dispensing about 14,400 litres of petrol free to consumers at an illegal fuel station in Zauda along the Gwagwa Deidei Road.

The DPR’s task force which was led by its Abuja zonal controller, Abba Misau, also arrested the owner of the station. Misau told journalists during the exercise that the fuel station had no name, and was operating illegally within the area. “We came here based on the information we got that there was an illegal station that sells above the pump price. That is why we came to confirm and on reaching here we discovered that the owner was selling at N210.

We look around, we asked of their license but they didn’t have and they are selling the product to people. When I

looked around I saw that it is situated in an unapproved site. It is in the midst of a community and the station is not supposed to be sited there,� he said. “They have one case of illegal station and another, of selling above pump price since we don’t know of their existence we have to start

dispensing free. We don’t have their record,� he added.

Misau, further explained: “We discovered that the storage tank has 14,400 litres and we decided to dispense to motorists and cyclists free.

However, no sooner than we started dispensing that one of the staff went and disconnected the light while the machine

was on. “We will ensure that the security condone off the station until the exercise is completed,�

Misau said.

He stated that the resurgence of fuel queues in the city was due to instability of product supply to Abuja and its environ, adding, “ we have been given assurance by the PPMC that the

product supply will be stable.� “Since the station is an illegal station we will hand them over to civil defence to prosecute and find out from the development control if they have any approval for it and if not it should be demolished.

Even if it has approval we will advise that it is revoked for safety sake,� he said.

Our Act Recognises Unbudgeted Subsidy as Business Losses, Says NNPC The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has stated that it has done no wrong by subsidising every litre of petrol it imports into Nigeria by about N40.7, even though there are no provisions for petrol subsidy in the national budget, adding that its enabling Act recognised such expenditure as business losses.

Responding to reports that the Managing Director of one of its downstream subsidiary company - the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Mr. Umar Ajiya said the NNPC did not require the National Assembly’s permission to subsidise petrol consumption in the country, the corporation said these financial considerations are not classified as subsidy in its books.

NNPC said through its Group General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, in Abuja, that it was taking up the financial burden of importing and distributing petrol on terms that are different from the government approved pump price of N145 per litre as business losses.

Following the resurgence of scarcity of petrol and long queues at service stations across Nigeria, the corporation disclosed that it became the sole importer of petrol in the country as far back as October 2017.

According to the corporation, the landing cost of petrol was averaging N171.40 per litre, thus indicating that the product was being subsidised.

This led the National Assembly to ask questions

about how the corporation was paying to keep the pump price at N145 per litre.

Also in this regards, media reports quoted Ajiya as saying that the corporation did not need the permission of the National Assembly to pay for subsidy.

But Ughamadu said in a statement that Ajiya was misquoted, and that he never suggested the NNPC did not require the National Assembly’s nod to subsidise petrol. “For the avoidance of doubt, Mr. Ajiya who was a guest at the Channels Television programme, Sunrise, explained that there was under-recovery in the importation and sale of PMS

by NNPC, but the burden is categorised as business losses which the Act establishing NNPC recognises.

Mr. Ajiya had made it explicitly clear that the losses from the PMS imports by NNPC could not be classified as subsidy since it was not appropriated for by the National Assembly,� said Ughamadu.

He further stated: “NNPC wishes to disabuse the minds of its numerous publics to disregard the statement incorrectly attributed to Mr. Ajiya as it represents neither PPMC nor the NNPC’s position on the subject. “The corporation is alive to the critical roles the National Assembly statutorily plays in the administration of the Nigerian oil and gas sector and would, therefore, not undermine the legislators in their legitimate business,� he added.

STRONGER TOGETHER

L-R: Vice-President, Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers, Mr. Rotimi Edu; Deputy President, Mrs. Bola Onigbogi, Managing Director, AIICO Insurance Plc., Mr. Edwin Igbiti; and President, NCRIB, Mr. Shola Tinubu, at the NCRIB Members’ Evening held in Lagos . recently

Palm Oil Producers Bemaon LCCI Sensitises SMEs on Govt Smuggling of Produce into Policies Nigeria “We need to start looking Jonathan Eze James Sowole in Akure The National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN) has raised the alarm that owners of palm oil plantation would soon be sent out of business unless the federal government stops unrestricted legal and illegal entry of cheap crude palm oil into the country.

The NPPAN raised the alarm at a news conference addressed by the Ondo State branch of the association, stating that the federal government policy to develop the nation’s palm oil industry was being sabotaged through nefarious activities of some people and companies.

The NPPAN Chairman in Ondo State, Mr. Baderinwa Adetula, said that the price of crude palm oil has been witnessing downward trend since August 2017.

He said it was unusual for price of palm oil to go down during this period because it is off season when price is expected to be stable or going up because of high demand and low production at this time. Adetula said they had no doubt that the product was being smuggled into the country through the West Coast of Africa because palm

oil producing countries in the region have the same climatic condition with Nigeria.

He said it was clear that the palm that were labelled from these West African countries were not actually from there but brought in from other countries outside West Africa, insisting there was no way any of those countries could have surpassed Nigeria in production during off season. “This new trend of allowing cheap palm oil into the country will definitely send all palm plantation owners out of the field again and that will increase nonperforming loans in the financial sector. “The ripple effect on employment is left for every one imagination, both in the agriculture and financial sectors of the economy. “If the trend is not stopped there will be massive loss of employment in the agriculture sector which everybody is looking up to. “ It may interest all to know that a ship load of palm oil imported into the country is killing not less than 4,000 job in Nigeria and sustaining not less than 4000 jobs in the country where the palm oil is imported from�, Adetula stated.

The President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, Mr. Babatunde Ruwase, has urged operators in the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector to familiarise themselves with government policies in order to benefit from its provisions.

This was disclosed at a workshop held yesterday with the theme: “Preparing SMEs/Corporates for 2018, organised by the chamber in collaboration with Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc. The LCCI president called on SMEs to study the recent policies of government towards improving access to credit, payment of taxes, starting a business, trading across borders and execution of contracts to explore their provisions and benefits. “According to him, two bills were signed into law to improve the business environment. We now have the Secured Transactions in Movable Assets Act and the Credit Reporting Act 2017. There are also special intervention windows in the foreign exchange market through which SMEs can access forex for their imports.

for possibilities within the system as government continues with the implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.�

Ruwase urged the government to continue to tackle issues of multiple taxation, inconsistent policies, challenges of regulatory environment and insecurity in the country. “For company executives and entrepreneurs, I draw your attention to the enormous potential in technology, the new media and available smart communications and the e-commerce platforms to boost your operations and marketing in this new age of digitalisation,� he said “Today’s occasion gives practical expression to our resolve to contribute to the discourse of issues of critical importance to the private sector and especially the SME sector of the Nigerian economy,� he stated.

He added that the theme of the workshop; Preparing SMEs/Corporates for 2018: Financial Perspectives; was very timely considering that it was a new year and businesses needed to strategise and explore emerging opportunities and manage inherent risks.

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BUSINESSWORLD

INDUSTRY

Mohammed: Public-Private Partnerships are Essential in Governance President of the Institute of Directors, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed spoke to journalists on the role of the institute in promoting the culture of corporate governance in Nigeria, among sundry issues. Ugo Aliogo presents the excerpts: Sir, we meet you?

I am Ahmed Rufai Mohammed. I am the 15th President of the Institute of Directors Nigeria (IoD). I joined the institute in 2005 and had served as the 1st Vice-President, Vice-Chairman, Nomination and Governance Committee and Chairman of Finance and General Purpose Committee of the Institute. I have also chaired the institute Centre for Corporate Governance in 2015 and had hitherto served as the chairman of the Abuja branch of IoD. I am a professional Investment Manager, with over 30 years’ experience in Project Development and Portfolio Management which I garnered through extensive work and courses in these fields. I hold a Post Graduate Certificate of the Manchester Business School in Banking and Development Finance and First degree in Business Administration from Ahamdu Bello University, Zaria, in 1976.

I began my career in a development finance institution, Kano State Investment and Properties Limited, immediately after graduation from Ahmadu Bello University in 1976. I rose from an investment executive to become the organisation’s finance controller in 1984. In 1991, I joined the biggest public sector pension fund in the country, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, as assistant general manager and became General Manager Investment and Treasury in 1993.

In 2002, I became the Fund’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and retired in 2007. I led the establishment of Trustfund Pensions Plc as a joint venture PFA between NSITF and some private sector organisations and became its pioneer chairman in 2005.

I served as Director of many companies including Afribank Nig. Plc, First Securities Discount House, Nigerian German Chemicals Plc, Standard Trust Bank Ltd and Profund Securities Limited. I currently sit on the Group Board of Royal Exchange Plc and I am the Chairman of Northbridge Microfinance Bank Limited.

What is the relationship with the Lagos/ federal Governments in terms of advocacy?

The relationship has been cordial. We have engaged them through some of our programmes such as women directors’ conference, government meet business, training of senior directors such as Permanent Secretaries.

In the area of advocacy, we organise round table discussion with the government and individuals, we discuss with the private sector.

We discuss them on how policies should be driven in order to help the sector grow. We do advocacy through seminars, annual conference, and training programmes. Government is supposed to support the environment and ensure that the right things are done. They provide the rules and regulations on how you run a business.

In what way does IoD specifically promote corporate governance?

Preaching it to all directors and training of members on the norms of corporate governance.

What are the other key services that the IoD provides generally?

We embark on services such as consultancy, executive coaching, capacity development through continuous education, business development.

Mohammed that they are different from members of management. Board members govern by strategy, observing certain basic things such as ethics, integrity, accountability, transparency, conflict of interest resolution, succession planning and risk evaluation. The institute has been at the forefront of doing all these. We have trained many Permanent Secretaries and Directors from the Lagos State Ministries. Therefore, we have regular engagement with the public sector. We are focusing on other states in order to have engagement with them to train and build their capacity.

One of the major challenges, we have in Nigeria is governance. There is need to understand governance as a concept. Codes of ethics are part of governance. Private sector in any country is responsible for the growth of the economy and that is how it is in Nigeria. In governance, there should be public-private partnership. Governance as an issue is very wide.

We train directors or would be directors to be professionally competent, and imbibe corporate and governance values. It also engages in interfacing of directors and government through some of the programmes such as annual directors’ conference, advocacy programmes, roundtable discussions, and government meets business and the opening of Independent Directors registers.

Give us the historical background of the IoD? A full-fledged affiliate of the renowned IoD UK, which was founded in London in 1903 and granted a Royal Charter by King Edward VII in 1906. The institute exists in many countries and offers members a network of over 85,000 members worldwide. IoD Nigeria was founded in 1983 and granted affiliate status of IoD UK in 1997. It is committed to professionalism, directorship competence, integrity and enterprise. We have been around for 34 years. Its major objective is to advocate for corporate governance in the private sector.

The institute has about 4,000 members in Nigeria. We are expecting to be chartered in 2018 hopefully. It is a private enterprise and non-private entity. It is established by people who really desire that to see that governance is done properly in the private sector in the country. We have now moved into the public sector. We have no relationship with government. Our relationship with them is basically, what we do. We help them to Who are those eligible for membership and what are the yard sticks for membership? build their capacities.

Directors and Business leaders from the public What would you say are the major achieve- and private sectors and across diversity of enterprises in commerce, industry, services, ments of the IoD since inception?

Thirty four years down the line, the achieve- professions, and bureaucracy. However, there ments of the institute have been substantial. are three categories of members such as asOur major objectives are two folds, governance, sociate, member and fellow. To qualify as an advocacy and capacity building of directors. associate, the individual must have been a We have provided capacity building for sole proprietor for a minimum of 1 year. Also, directors in the public and private sectors. for member must have been a director for a In the capacity building training, we expose minimum of 2-3 years across all sectors, while these directors to things that will help them to qualify as a fellow, must have been at the to sustain the growth of their companies directorate cadre for minimum of 10 years. and ministries. As a director, you have to properly study to understand the duties of What are the benefits to members in the directorship. Governance and management private sector and economy as a whole?

As an institute, we focus on creation of are two different concepts.

Board members are supposed to understand unparalleled network among business leaders,

life insurance scheme for them, upgrading the conceptual and professional skills of company directors through conferences and workshops, meeting point of both foreign and local investors, and systemic inter-relationship and interface with government. We have continuous engagement with the public and private sector on a regular basis.

There is continuous dialogue for government to take itself away from those activities that are not public sector driven. Private sector has been able to prove itself in a lot of ways.

The federal government is trying in its drive in developmental projects; the issue here is that governance has been a challenge in many places.

How is the institute administered?

In the administration of the institute, we have a governing council which is supported by the executive and the management. The institute is among many corporate bodies that have the best succession plans in the country. We do this to ensure that there is continuum.

We have good places, where we train people and we have the database of people in those regions. Therefore, we create the same programmes we do in Lagos and Abuja in those places. We have breakfast meetings, where we invite top notch executives from the public and private sector, and we discuss with them. We organise members’ evening where we provide members with a lot of seminars and training for members. We organise the same training we are doing here for members in those places. The other regions such as Port-Harcourt and Abuja are growing at the same pace. Overtime, we are hoping that more branches will be opened.

How much of the social and business networking is available at the IoD? Members benefit from a wide range of services offered by the institute globally, including percentage discount in numerous hotels, attractive insurance packages, and discount in airfare of selected airlines, discount of selected retail outlets, recommendations to companies such as the case of Independent Directors. We need to improve the extend of our networking and training to members.

What are the strategies of the IoD in engaging with the government?

The institute engages with government through various strategies such as dialogue, suggestion of policies to government, engaging them by inviting them to some of our programmes to speak on pertinent issues affecting the economy and steps taken to ameliorate the challenges, and advisory services.

How can the government ensure a private sector led economy in Nigeria?

Government should focus on creation of conducive environment to set up businesses.

Also, there is need to focus on formulation of friendly policies to attract better investment economy.

What are the challenges of the IoD? Everywhere, there are challenges, but we focus on turning those challenging into opportunities.

One of our challenges is Chartership. We are already overcoming it. We had a public hearing with Senate Committee on Public Service. It was a successful public hearing and we are expecting that the third reading to be in January. We are also going through House of Representatives. We look forward to overcoming it.

What are the future plans of IoD? As part of our plans for 2018, we are putting measures in place in order to get chartered, establish the Organisation of Young Directors Forum, establish of International Training centre, make the institute the employment of choice for job seekers, and establish branches across all the geo-political zones of the country.

My plan as the president of the institute is to deliberately transform this organisation and work to ensure that the organisation achieves its objectives. We have other president that have come and worked in the institute. They have contributed their quota and we are proud of them. The present governing council draw knowledge and experiences from those who have governed the institute before.

We are building on the foundation they laid for us and my major aim is to build IoD to become an institution not an individual.

This is what we need in this country to build institutions, not individuals. I want a situation where people will desire to join the IoD because it’s institutional structure, not because of the individuals.

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Building Youth Capacity Jonathan Eze writes on why unemployed youths should key into the Bank of Industry’s youth entrepreneurship support programme The Bank of Industry (BoI) has intervened with the Youth Entrepreneurship Support Programme (YES) in order to rescue the critical and astronomical rise in unemployment levels, particularly among the youths.

Figures available paint a dire situation of millions of Nigerian youths roaming the streets looking for work but finding none. The situation is compounded by the economic recession that has necessitated the sacking, by many private enterprises, of their staff in the name of rationalisation.

The clear and present danger of such a high level of idleness among young persons are already manifest in the high level of strife and crimes in virtually every corner of the country. Whereas the multitude of violent outbursts might have religious and ethnic colorations and undertones, it is a notorious fact that most of the people in the fields and trenches of war are youths who if otherwise meaningfully engaged would have been unavailable for those worthless anti-social endeavours.

However, it is noteworthy that youth unemployment is a worldwide challenge. For instance, India with one of the largest populations of young people in the world has 75 million unemployed youths. But the Nigerian government, particularly the President Muhammadu Buhari administration that came to power on the back of an electioneering promise to create jobs for the unemployed, is creatively doing so with the BoI under the leadership of Mr. Olukayode Pitan, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.

Industrialists and other business minded individuals and organisations are aware that they can get cheap or single-digit funds (often at 9percent lending rate) from the BoI. This development finance institution (DFI) has been rated by many local and international agencies as one of the best managed banks in the world. The BoI has a number of funds that entrepreneurs of all levels can access. First is the Graduate Entrepreneurship Fund (GEF), which is meant for serving members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). Candidates are allowed to submit their business ideas, which are then reviewed by a team of experts. The NYSC members whose ideas are marketable and bankable are then selected, trained for four weeks and then given between N500,000 and N2 million.

There are also the Cottage Agro Processing (CAP) Fund for small and medium agro processors; Nolly Fund for players in the Nollywood industry, as well as Fashion Fund for designers and other players in the value chain.

In fact, the bank has other matching and managed funds, including a fund for the automotive industry. Through 122 business development experts, entrepreneurs can access funds easily.

It is also easy to access some of the bank’s products through its website.

However, the (YES) Programme is BoI’s effort at addressing the worrisome phenomenon of youth unemployment in Nigeria by building the capacity of the youths and funding their business ideas. The YES programme is aimed at equipping young people with the requisite skills and knowledge to be self-employed by starting and managing their own businesses.

According to information on the Bank’s website, participants will be drawn from young aspiring entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 35 years, with innovative ideas who must have a minimum educational qualification of an Ordinary National Diploma (OND).

The YES-Programme is comprised of the following components: “Eight (8) weeks extensive online Entrepreneurship and Business Management training which has the ability to test participants’ understanding and track their progress. “Five (5) days in-class Entrepreneurship and Business Management training covering the following five (5) modules: The business idea (value proposition & competition analysis); Business model (how will the business make money); Running a successful business (ethics, compliance, operations, etc.), Technical skills training in partnership with the various technical training and vocational institutes in the country.�

BoI MD, Mr. Olukayode Pitan The YES-Programme has the following broad objectives: “To create an interactive learning platform to train young aspiring entrepreneurs in entrepreneurship, business management and technical skills that will ultimately translate into improved efficiency and productivity; “to kindle the entrepreneurial spirit of the youths; “to act as an incubation center where business ideas are nurtured to their full potential as well as entrenching global best practices by inculcating a culture of innovation-driven entrepreneurship and ethics in the programme participants; to promotion of self-employment among graduates of institutions of higher learning, thereby changing their job-seeking mindset and to deepen financial inclusion by de-risking the young aspiring entrepreneurs and making them eligible for small business loans to be provided by BoI. On the operational framework that will produce the desired results, the bank said 10,000 online applications will be solicited nationwide, out of which 2,000 would be selected for the online training component of the YES programme. “Applicants will register online and will be expected to provide accurate answers to questions. Such answers count towards determining the suitability of the applicants for the training programme. Only the top 1,200 online participants will qualify for the in-class training programme annually. “The in-class trainings will be delivered by BoI accredited partner Training Institutes and shall take place on a bi-annual basis at selected centres spread across the six geo-political zones.

Hence, 600 participants shall be trained at the designated locations bi-annually. “The final evaluation and selection of the candidates that will qualify for funding under the YES-Programme, will be by a seven-man panel made up of senior management staff of the Bank and other eminent members made up of successful entrepreneurs, professionals, retired bankers, etc.�

Youths are not the only beneficiaries of the

bank’s interventions programmes. Last year, (BoI) launched an interest-free loan for women artisans, market women and small holder farmers under the National Women Empowerment Fund (NAWEF) intervention scheme.

NAWEF is an aspect of the federal government’s Social Intervention Programme (SIP) designed exclusively for women and administered by BoI to issue interest free loans to successful applicants. At the unveiling of the pilot phase for the disbursement of the Fund in Uyo, Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Aisha Jummai Alhassan, stated that eight states, including Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, Osun, Abia, Nasarawa and Jigawa were initially selected for the pilot phase where women can access N200 million in loans (starting from N10,000 to N100,000).

To enhance the success of the intervention exercise, Alhassan emphasised the need to collaborate with state ministries to enhance participation of women. She said: “Statistics have shown that women are mostly involved in the agric value chain as small holder farmers. “Government decided to intervene in the area of provision of access to markets for their produce.

The Social Investment Intervention Programme is hinged on five pillars. Four of the pillars of the programme have taken off. The fifth one is underway.

The intervention exercise has increased enrolment of the girl-child in school and empowered many women.�

In her remark, Senior Manager, Micro Enterprises, BoI, Aisha Abdullahi, explained that Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) is exactly like NAWEF, noting however that NAWEF is only for women unlike GEEP which both men and women can benefit from. “The reason for this difference is to ensure that more women have access to interventions in order not to be crowded out by men. GEEP has already started and the verification process is like that of NAWEF. You fill a form and submit through BoI office or state ministry of

women affairs and those forms will be sent to us. Agents will contact you for verification and you will pay back in six months if the application is successful,� she added.

Meanwhile, the GEEP programme has also benefitted thousands of micro business owners – market women, traders, artisans and farmers. Sterling Bank Plc, partnered BoI for the pilot phase of the N140 billion Government Enterprise Empowerment Program (GEEP).

The programme was targeted at over 16 million beneficiaries to foster financial inclusion and economic activity at the micro level. Sterling bank disclosed then that it was appointed because of its commitment in serving the segment of the population via its Agent Banking Scheme.

Agent Banking is a process of providing limited scale banking and financial services to the under-served population through engaged agents under a valid agency agreement, rather than a teller/ cashier. It is the owner of an outlet who conducts banking transactions on behalf of a bank.

Under the pilot phase, Sterling Bank disbursed loans ranging from N10,000 to N100,000 per beneficiary covering up to 15,000 beneficiaries.

Target beneficiaries included market sellers and traders, artisans, enterprising youths and farmers.

The Bank explained how it works: “The fund is being provided by BoI and a collection account has been opened for BoI with the Bank.

BoI, through selected aggregators, enumerates beneficiaries from pre-registered market or trade associations in selected locations across the nation based on set qualifying criteria. “The list of successful beneficiaries is sent to the Bank and our agents will open accounts for them via our mobile agent banking application. A loan request is logged on the Credit Assessment system and successful requests are submitted to BoI for approval for disbursement. BoI will therefore advise with the list of beneficiaries approved to receive the loans based on set criteria and bear all financial liability associated with the loans issued under this scheme�.

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23.01.2018

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

‘GOVERNOR OBASEKI’S DETERMINED TO END HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN EDO STATE’

Edo State Attorney-G Attorney-General, Professor Yinka Omorogbe Omor

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For Justice, Queen’s College 3 Cry Out

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Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos: Fallout from the 2017 Epidemic he first Saturday this year, I attended a reunion of my Queen’s College (QC) classmates. The issue of the young ladies that died during the QC epidemic in 2017, arose. I asked what the position was, had anybody been prosecuted? I almost fell down from my chair in shock and disgust, when one of my classmates, Alayo, a Lawyer like myself, told me that Dr Lami Amodu who was the Principal of QC at the time of this horrible incident, is up to date, not facing any criminal charges with the other members of her team, but had in fact been transferred to head another school as Principal! How unfortunate.

In which civilised country does that happen?

In other countries, like Japan for example, first and foremost, the Minister of Educa-

Bithia Itulua

tion would have bowed down to the QC Parents and all Nigerians many times in shame, disgrace and remorse, and he/she would have resigned his/her appointment immediately.

In Nigeria, our own case is different. We use the ‘old boy network’, tribalism and whatever is usable, to get away with atrocities. The whole incident seems to have been swept under the carpet, only to be forgotten. And this is supposed to be a Government of Change and Accountability? Can the Parents of those who lost their lives ever forget? Do the lives of these lovely, innocent girls, whose only crime was to go to school to get an education so that they would eventually become useful to themselves and their families, mean nothing to Government, while those that seem to value the lives of cattle over human beings, get away with senseless killings? What kind of people are we becoming?

Even if Dr Amodu and her cohorts have not faced trial or have not been convicted

Praise Sodipo

of any crime (yet), with the scandalous magnitude of what occurred, and the strong allegations brought against them, especially as to trying to ‘gag’ the students and their Parents while the epidemic/plague was ravaging the students, and not getting them adequate medical attention on time, she and her team should have at least been placed on indefinite suspension, until such a time that a court of competent jurisdiction found them not guilty, and they are declared to be competent enough to be again put in charge of such student responsibilities.

Almost one year after the ugly incident, no one has been brought to book, when there are serious criminal implications in their acts and omissions, even up to Manslaughter, if not Murder. After all, precious lives were lost. The unhygienic and inhumane conditions that the QC had to live in, is also a breach of their fundamental rights contrary to Sections 17(2)(c) & 34(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.

Praise Sodipo, Vivian Osuinyi and Bithia Itulua, yes, those are the names of the three innocent girls who lost their lives due to wicked, reckless, grossly negligent, among other acts and omissions of the Authorities. Those responsible must not be left to go unpunished.

A Senate hearing on this matter was scheduled for yesterday. Most of us, National Assembly Members included, are Parents, and even if we are not Parents, we are human beings. I hope the Senate treated this matter with the gravity that it demands, and paved the way for the perpetrators of this horrible crime to be prosecuted. Doing nothing, will only further reiterate the fact that Nigeria is sinking more into an abyss of anarchy, directionlessness, and hopelessness.

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE

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

“CAN THE PARENTS OF THOSE WHO LOST THEIR LIVES EVER FORGET? DO THE LIVES OF THESE LOVELY, INNOCENT GIRLS, WHOSE ONLY CRIME WAS TO GO TO SCHOOL TO GET AN EDUCATION SO THAT THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME USEFUL TO THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES, MEAN NOTHING TO GOVERNMENT, WHILE THOSE THAT SEEM TO VALUE THE LIVES OF CATTLE OVER HUMAN BEINGS, GET AWAY WITH SENSELESS KILLINGS?”

Dear Editor

Re: As Buhari Drowns in Nepotism....

Dear Editor, Your piece was Faultless... Well done, I do not miss your write up every Tuesday.

Peter Folorunso Dear Mr. Folorunso, Thank you very much. I appreciate your readership.

Editor Dear Editor, I have just read your piece in today's THISDAY I do not agree with your attempt at creating a North/South divide with the appointments of Heads of Security Agencies in Nigeria. Specifically, let me quote you: "...practically all the heads of the security/law enforcement agencies in Nigeria worth any salt, are from the Northern part of the country - The AGF, IG, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, NSA, DG DSS or is it SSS, Acting Chairman EFCC, Controller General of Prisons and Controller General of Customs, and now DG, NIA." But you failed to also state that "...practically all the heads of the economic/financial agencies in Nigeria worth any salt, are from the Southern part of the country - The Finance Minister, The Trade and Commerce Minister, The Budget and Planning Minister, the CBN Governor, the DG of the Budget Office, The DG of Sovereign Fund, the DG of National Bureau of Statistics and now the DG of DMO".

I have seen this type of reporting on social media

by Southern writers. Unfortunately, they also fail to report that the economic team is dominated by Southerners. This cannot be balanced reporting.

It appears that it is reporting, calculated to stir hate and resentment for our Northern brothers.

Please, let’s be balanced in expressing our views.

A lot of Nigerians rely on them.

Let’s not mislead them.

Thank you

Kingsley Ulinfun Dear Mr. Ulinfun, I am sorry, but I do not particularly agree with your analogy, and I do not believe that anyone is being misled. We need to start telling the truth, instead of trying to be seen as being politically correct.

Firstly, the constitutional provision that Ministers must be appointed from all the States of the Federation, makes it impossible not to have Southern Ministers.

However, Ministerial appointments are political, with no fixed tenure. Ministers can be reshuffled or sacked at will. Where President Buhari believed that he could by-pass due process, federal character etc, as in the case of the appointment of mostly Northerners to head the security/law enforcement agencies, he has done so with ‘gusto and aplomb’, I might add. Secondly, a lot of these Southerners whom you say are in positions of authority, I’m very sorry to say, are seen by many as nothing more than powerless glorified figure heads, who do not make the important decisions.

Take the case of Maina, for example. The Head of Service (HOS), Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, openly told Nigerians during a hearing, that she warned the President about taking Maina back into the Service (someone who had been declared wanted, in connection with financial crimes etc, theft of pensions which is even more deplorable and abominable), and she didn’t sign off on his being re-absorbed. By virtue of the position she occupies, it was her call, her decision to make. But did they listen to her? Absolutely Not! The HOS was by-passed by the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Minister of Interior, and the ‘real’ decision makers, and even though it was the HOS’s decision to make, she was simply ‘blown off’/side lined.

I thank you for your opinion all the same.

Editor Dear Editor, I am very pleased with what I read today in THISDAY Lawyer. It was a nice and powerful

piece.

It has dawned on me, that Nigeria is presently under a tyrant. We are presently in slavery, but I believe that with prayer and determination, we must not give up, as God almighty will prevail over this Administration.

May God deliver us in Jesus’ Name.

Best Regards, Faith Makun Dear Editor, I have read THISDAY Newspaper, since its inception during the Abacha regime. My wife, children and friends will bear witness to my stubborn reluctance to read any other newspaper, and the reason was and still is simple...This Day has this way of telling you the truth, and they stick to it, even when others decide to run.

I have been reading your pieces in the LAWYER section for a while, and though sometimes I don’t agree 100% with you on some issues, overall, I see you as someone who is measured and speaks from the heart, not prone to worshipping, like some of the journalists we see around.

The piece As Buhari Drowns in Nepotism.... was an eye opener of sorts to me, because I must confess, I did not know the origin of the word Nepotism. But I have learnt it from you and I’m grateful.

Maya Angelou once said that ‘When someone tells you who they are...Believe them’. When Buhari was the Head of State in the 80’s, I was a teenager, but I knew what was going on, because I started reading my father’s newspapers when I was 10 years old, and so, I had a fairly good knowledge of what was going on at the time, even if I had to have a dictionary nearby. The man has not changed and will never. It gives me joy to see the way he is carrying on, and I wish to ask some of his ardent supporters like Prof Wole Soyinka, what they make of him now

that he has shown himself. Presidency does not change a person. It only reveals who they truly are.

When you send the military to crush IPOB demonstrators who have no guns (I am Ibo, born and raised in Kano, but there are some views espoused by Nnamdi Kanu that I don’t support), when you send the military to the Niger Delta to crush them, I now ask what’s the difference, why hasn’t Government sent the military after the Herdsmen? If the drones work to discover and bomb Boko Haram targets in Sambisa Forest, then why are those same drones not working to get the Herdsmen?

With his appointments, I have given up and don’t worry anymore, because he has set the template for succeeding governments. When he leaves in 2019 or 2023, he and the North, will not have the temerity to shout about marginalisation in terms of appointments anymore.

The sad aspect, is how sound individuals who one was used to respecting, suddenly became apologists. This is where I keep scratching my head daily to unravel and or understand Femi Adesina. One-Must-Chop, as they say in Nigeria, but this kind of hero worshipping of his, and adding salt to my injuries by quoting from the Bible to support every move and action by PMB, is truly demeaning and tasteless, coming from somebody of his background and exposure.

Appointing only his people, is just vintage Buhari.

Look at his stint at PTF. It has always been that way. When you appoint based on nepotism, you get saddled with all kinds of persons, and a lot of them may just be simply incompetent, as we have seen with this cabinet of his. So many of them, have no business being there.

It is good that PMB was declared the winner of the 2015 election, so that we could all see him properly, and then allow posterity to judge him.

For me nko? I already have my opinion about him, that dates back to 1983.George Ucheibe

4/LAW REPORT

23.01.2018

Weakness of a Case: Whether Valid Ground for Striking Out a Suit

T Facts

he Appellant entered into a Partnership Agreement with the Respondent, for the distribution of network services through sale of starter packs, handsets, airtime or any other product introduced by the Respondent from time to time, through its distribution outlets in Benue State. By an email from the Respondent’s dealer account executive sales and distribution agent, the Appellant was informed of the Respondent’s Revised Trade Partners’ Discount and Commissions Structure which became effective on 1st July, 2013, as part of their contract. On 30th July, 2013, however, the Appellant received another email from the Respondent’s dealer account executive forwarding a letter dated 23rd July, 2013, which terminated the Partnership Agreement, for failure of the Appellant to meet up with set performance measures and compliance grid in the Partnership Agreement. The effective date of the termination was given as 1st August, 2013.

Subsequently, the Respondent’s agent sent an email to the Appellant, requesting the Appellant to return the Respondent’s property in its possession.

This was followed by the Respondent dispatching its agents, who went into the Appellant’s sales outlet to cart away properties belonging to the Respondent.

Aggrieved by the termination of the Partnership Agreement, which the Appellant adjudged was in breach of Clause 16 of the Agreement stipulating that the Respondent shall be entitled to terminate the agreement upon giving 60 (sixty) days written notice, the Appellant instituted an action against the Respondent at the High Court of Lagos State, for breach of the Partnership Agreement. The Respondent did not file a Statement of Defence to the suit; therefore, the Appellant filed a motion for judgement in default of defence. The Respondent, however, filed a Preliminary Objection on the ground that the Respondent’s suit did not disclose a reasonable cause of action. The trial Court upheld the Respondent’s Preliminary Objection and struck out the suit. Dissatisfied with the decision of the trial Court, the Appellant appealed to the Court of Appeal.

Issues for Determination The Court of Appeal considered the following issues: (i) Whether the Respondent was required to file a Statement of Defence before raising a Preliminary Objection; and (ii) Whether the suit disclosed a reasonable cause of action.

Arguments Arguing the first issue, Counsel for the Appellant submitted that the Respondent was required to file a Statement of Defence and raise the Preliminary Objection as a point of law for disposal by the Court, as provided for under Order 15 Rule 1(1) of the High Court of Lagos State (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2012. He also argued that the Appellant having filed a motion for judgement in default of defence, the trial Court should have considered the motion under Order 20 Rule 9(1) of the Rules.

The Appellant submitted that the failure to adhere to Rules of the trial Court, led to a miscarriage of justice. He relied, amongst others, on the cases of OJUKWU v ONYEADOR (1991) 7 NWLR (PT. 203) 286 AT 331; NWORA v NWABUEZE (2011) 15 NWLR (PT. 1270) 467 AT 497. He urged the Court of Appeal to set aside the ruling of the trial Court, and to remit the suit for re-assignment to another judge. In response, the Respondent argued that the entire sets of facts comprising the action at the trial Court, did not constitute an enforceable contract as to transform into a cause of action.

Further, Counsel argued that the non-existence of a cause of action against the Respondent, is a feature in the case which prevented the trial Court from exercising jurisdiction and that being

In the Court of Appeal In the Lagos Judicial Division Holden at Lagos On Friday, the 17th Day of November, 2017 Before Their Lordships Mohammed Lawal Garba Joseph Shagbaor Ikyegh Jamilu Yamamma Tukur Justices, Court of Appeal CA/L/616/2014 Between Konkomm Telecommunications Ltd And MTN Nigeria Communication Ltd

.........Appellant

......Respondent

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

an issue of jurisdiction, it could be raised without filing a Statement of Defence. He cited the cases of MADUKOLU v NKEMDILIM (1962) 2 NSCC 374 AT 378 -379; MOBIL PRODUCING NIG. UNLIMITED v LASEPA (2002) 18 NWLR (PT. 798) 1; and ELEBANJO v DAWODU (2006) 15 NWLR (PT. 1001) 76 AT 116, among others.

On the second issue, learned Counsel for the Appellant, contended that from the Appellant’s Statement of Claim at the trial Court, there was a binding contract between the parties both expressly and by conduct, forming a reasonable cause of action entitling the Appellant to file the action for the enforcement of its claim. He placed reliance on a number of cases inter alia - COOKEY

“THE FACT THAT THE CASE IS WEAK AND NOT LIKELY TO SUCCEED, IS NO GROUND FOR STRIKING IT OUT THAT IT DISCLOSES NO REASONABLE CAUSE OF ACTION, UNLESS THE CASE DISCLOSED IN THE STATEMENT OF CLAIM IS HOPELESS OR OBVIOUSLY INCONTESTABLY BAD”

v FOMBO (2005) 15 NWLR (Pt. 947) 182; THOMAS v OLUFOSOYE (1986) 1 NWLR (PT. 18) 669. Counsel for the Respondent on his part, submitted that the partnership agreement relied on by the Appellant, was unexecuted or unsigned by the Respondent, so as to constitute an enforceable contract which can transform into a cause of action. He cited the case of LSBPC v PURIFICATION TECH. (NIG.) LTD (2013) 7 NWLR (PT. 1532) 82 AT 102. The Respondent further argued that the “Appointment Clause” in the Proposed Partnership Agreement stated that the Partnership Agreement would take effect on a date which did not materialise, as the condition specified in the agreement was not fulfilled as to make the contract enforceable. Consequently, he argued that the trial Court was right in holding that there was no enforceable cause of action, for the Court to assume jurisdiction. He argued that the trial Court could not have considered the Appellant’s application for judgement as per the Statement of Claim as it did not disclose a cause of action.

Court’s Judgement and Rationale Deciding the first issue, the Court of Appeal held that an application to strike out or dismiss a suit for disclosing no reasonable cause of action, can be made at a stage when only the Statement of Claim is filed without any other pleading and without any evidence at all. The Court relied on the case of YUSUF v AKINDIPE (2000) 8 NWLR (PT. 669) 376 AT 387 to hold that the Respondent was not required to file a Statement of Defence before raising the Preliminary Objection on the ground that the suit did not disclose a reasonable cause of action, and the trial Court could not have been surefooted if it had considered the application for judgement in default of the Statement of Defence in the circumstance.

On the second issue, the Court of Appeal held that a cause of action, is the totality of facts giving a claimant the legal right to claim a remedy in law or equity against his adversary at litigation. A reasonable cause of action, is a cause of action with some chance of success when only the averments in the Statement of Claim are considered. The fact that the case is weak and not likely to succeed, is no ground for striking it out that it discloses no reasonable cause of action, unless the case disclosed in the Statement of Claim is hopeless or obviously incontestably bad.

Great circumspection and care should be taken by the Court, in exercising the power to dispose of a case in limine or on the threshold of disclosing no reasonable cause of action, because a party/ Claimant is ordinarily entitled to his day in Court.

This procedure to get rid of an action for disclosing no reasonable cause of action, is only to be followed when the Statement of Claim considered alone is clearly and ex facie unsustainable.

In this case, in considering whether the suit disclosed a reasonable cause of action, the trial Court relied on the Partnership Agreement frontloaded with the Statement of Claim, which it perused to hold that the Agreement was not enforceable between the parties having not been signed and executed by the Respondent. The Statement of Claim before the Court disclosed on its face, a case founded on contract with facts showing the alleged obligations and infringement of the Appellant’s legal rights. The trial Court was therefore, wrong in relying on the content of the Partnership Agreement to rule that the suit did not disclose a reasonable cause of action.

Appeal Allowed.

Representation: Mr. A. Okafor for the Appellant Mr. R.A.O Adegoke and Mr. J. James for the Respondent.

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

23.01.2018

NEWS/5 Agric Unions Commence Contempt Proceeding Against Registrar of Trade Unions

L-R: Admin Judge, Hon. Justice Doris Okuwobi, Convener, Fight Against Corruption in the Judiciary, Mr. Bayo Akinlade, Lagos State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Opeyemi Oke and Chairman, NBA Ikorodu Branch, Mr. Levi Adikwaone at the presentation of Anti-Corruption Fliers to the Chief Judge, last Thursday

I’m Determined to Redeem the Abused Image of Lagos Judiciary, Says Chief Judge Storries by Akinwale Akintunde Lagos State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Opeyemi Oke, has reiterated her determination to redeem the abused image of the Lagos State Judiciary.

In achieving this, Justice Oke has urged litigants and lawyers, to partner with her administration in the fight to stamp out corruption in the State Judiciary.

The Chief Judge said this last Thursday, at the official presentation of anti-corruption crusade flyers by the National Convener, Fight Against Corruption in the Judiciary, Mr. Bayo Akinlade.

Receiving the initial 20,000 copies of the anti-corruption flyers from Akinlade, Justice Oke observed that the materials will not only help Judiciary staff on their job, but also serve as an attitudinal guide to them in their personal lives.

She bemoaned the unethical and unprofessional practices among some legal officials, saying that the unpatriotic activities of these few officials, is bringing the whole Judiciary

to disrepute.

The Chief Judge said her resolve is to make the Lagos State Judiciary a reference point for discipline, professionalism, rule of law and the promotion of all ethical values guiding the Judiciary.

Oke regrettably noted that the acts of misconduct of few individuals, has implanted a dent on the image of the Judiciary, thereby creating an impression that all judicial officials are corrupt.

“I however must say that the times have changed, and the happy days of the few unscrupulous elements who continue to soil our image, are over. I am determined to redeem the abused image of the Lagos State Judiciary. Any judicial officer found culpable will not be spared, and shall be shown the exit swiftly.

"It is regrettable that the corrupt practices of some few individuals, whom I call unscrupulous elements, continuously soil the image of the Judiciary, whereas the entire Judiciary is termed corrupt by members of the public.

"Upon my assumption of office as the Chief Judge of Lagos

State, one of my primary concerns was and is still, to ensure a progressive upgrade of the Judiciary, especially in the area of stifling corruption in the Judiciary.

"To this end, I am committed to ensuring that this development is brought to fruition through concerted effort, which has been and will continue to be made.

"It is regrettable that the image of the Judiciary has been tarnished, by the notion that the Judiciary has been beaten by the corruption bug. Admittedly, the acts of misconduct of a few have implanted a dent on the image of the Judiciary creating an impression that all judiciary officials are corrupt", the Chief Judge said.

She said that the fight against corruption in the Judiciary, needs the collaboration of all concerned stakeholders, in order to restore confidence in the country's judicial system.

While calling on litigants and lawyers to forward complaints against judicial officers to her office, she warned that they must

ensure that complaints are substantiated and devoid of malice.

She noted that the war launched to fight corruption in the Judiciary will not be easy, but it will be worth every amount of energy put into it.

Justice Oke also charged Judiciary officers, to continually discharge their duties with an utmost sense of honesty, in strict adherence with the core values.

Responding, Bayo Akinlade assured the Chief Judge of his support to help sanitise the State Judiciary, saying that the flyers he printed was to sensitise judicial officials to shun corruption.

In his brief remarks, the Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikorodu Branch, Mr. Levi Adikwaone, said the Bar has a duty to eliminate corruption in the Judiciary.

Adikwaone added that, the initiative by the Chief Judge had emboldened every lawyer to the cause of the fight against corruption, and gave assurance of their support to ensure its success.

‘LPPC Stripped Ogunba of Rank After Being Cleared by NBA’ Facts have emerged that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has cleared a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mr. Kunle Ogunba of the misconduct allegations made against him by Honeywell Group, for which his SANship rank was withdrawn by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC).

The LPPC had in a statement signed by its Secretary and Registrar of the Supreme Court, Hadizatu Mustapha

last Thursday, announced the withdrawal of Ogunba’s rank and privileges based on a petition by Honeywell Group.

According to the statement, Honeywell Group accused Mr. Ogunba of misconduct, which consists of “institution of multiplicity of proceedings before different judges of the Federal High Court on the same subject-matter, with the deliberate aim of abusing the process of Court and derailing the course of Justice.”

“After a thorough investigation of the petition by the sub-committee set up by the LPPC (at which the respondent was given a fair hearing), it was decided that the petition was meritorious.

“Consequently, the LPPC at its 129th plenary meeting has withdrawn the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria from Kunle Ogunba Esq and other privileges attached to the rank forthwith”, LPPC stated.

The LPPC also announced

that a lawyer, Oluwatoyin Bashorun, had been barred from applying for the rank for three years for allegedly staying in a rented apartment “for nine years without paying rent”.

But, the NBA, in its August 5, 2016 response to Honeywell Group’s petition against Ogunba, signed by its then General Secretary, Mazi Afam Osigwe, said it would

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Following the alleged refusal to comply with a Court of Appeal order, two agricultural unions, Agricultural and Allied Workers Union of Nigeria (AAWUN) and Agricultural and Allied Employees of Nigeria (AAEUN), have commenced contempt proceedings against the Registrar of Trade Unions in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mrs. Nwanyieze Mbogu.

The Court of Appeal, had in a consent judgement, granted the request of the two unions to merge under a new name to be called Agricultural and Allied Union of Nigeria (AAUN).

The Court also directed the Registrar of Unions in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, to give effect to the judgement by issuing a new certificate to the new entity AAUN. The Appellate Court had through its enrolled order, considered the terms of settlement of the parties which included the action over the merger of the applicant's union with a sister union by the first respondent, leading to the emergence of the second respondent.

The parties also agreed that the third respondent, (Bungudu) having been voted out of office as the National President of the second respondent (AAEUN) at the 2nd respondent's congress, should vacate his seat. The new executive of the 2nd respondent, it was further agreed, having met the appellants, resolved

to settle the matter amicably, upon the terms and conditions pleaded before the court.

On the strength of this agreement the Court of Appeal ruled: "The application is hereby granted as prayed. In line with Order 16 Rule 4 of the Court of Appeal Rules 2011, the terms of settlement agreed upon by the parties to this appeal, is hereby adopted and incorporated as the judgement of the court in respect of this appeal".

The judgement was delivered

by Justice A. Jauro of the Court of Appeal Lagos division, while the enrolled order was perfected by the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court, Mr. Stephen Akinyede.

Since the merger order was granted, the Registrar has not complied with the directive of the court, prompting the two unions to commence the contempt action at the Federal High Court, Lagos.

The two unions claim that the action of the Registrar raises concern, as the Federal Ministry of Justice through a letter with reference number: MIJ/LIT/AAUN/116/13/9 from the Attorney-General of the Federation, had also directed the Registrar that 'effect should be given to the judgement of the Court of Appeal’.

The letter which was signed by one I. A. Gazali on behalf of the AGF, also advised Mrs. Mbogu to 'give recognition to the Agricultural and Allied Union of Nigeria (AAUN)'.

Police Docks Estate Agent for Allegedly Defrauding Ojukwu’s Company An estate agent, Mr. Emmanuel Obiajulu Omuojine, has been arraigned before a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja for allegedly defrauding Ojukwu Transport Ltd to the tune of N182 million.

Omuojine was arraigned by the Inspector General of Police on a 10-count charge before Justice Hakeem Oshodi.

The charges against the defendant include stealing by fraudulent conversion, obtaining money by false pretences and forgery.

The Police allege that Omuojine, who is said to be Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu's agent and others at large, while operating under the name and style of Omuojine & Associates between 2007 and 2010, conspired to steal money collected as rents from tenants, on behalf of Ojukwu Transport Ltd. The defendant was accused of collecting the sum of N44 million as rent from West African Offshore Ltd on January 22, 2007, on behalf of Ojukwu Transport Ltd, and fraudulently converted the money for his own use and benefit.

The charge sheet with the suit No: ID/29500/2016 read in part: Emmanuel Obiajulu Omuojine and others at large, while operating under the name and style of Omuojine & Associates, on or about the

22nd day of January, 2007 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N44 million from West African Offshore Ltd by falsely representing to the said West Africa Offshore Ltd, through its officers, that you were estate agent of Ojukwu Transport Ltd and that you were authorised to collect the said rent on behalf of Ojukwu Transport Ltd, which representation you knew to be false or did not believe to be true.

“Emmanuel Obiajulu Omuojine and others at large on or about the 10th day of September, 2007 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did collect the sum of N10 million as rent from Scott's Cottage Ltd, on behalf of Ojukwu Transport Ltd, and fraudulently converted same to your own use and benefit.

“Emmanuel Obiajulu Omuojine and others at large on or about the 6th day of April, 2009 in Lagos, within the the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did collect the sum of N6.5 million as rent from Scott's Cottage Ltd, on behalf of Ojukwu Transport Ltd, and fraudulently converted same to your own use and benefit.

“Emmanuel Obiajulu Omuojine and others at large

CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

6/

23.01.2018

COSON v MCSN: Okoroji, Artistes Protest Alleged Bizarre Withdrawal of Case File from Judge Akinwale Akintunde The Chairman of Copyright Society of Nigeria, (COSON), Chief Tony Okoroji, last week staged a protest against what he described as bizarre withdrawal of the case file of a suit it filed against against Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN) at the Federal High Court, Lagos.

COSON had dragged MCSN and the Attorney-General of the Federation before the Federal High Court, to challenge the approval of MCSN as a royalty collecting agency.

COSON had in the suit, asked the court to declare that MCSN is an illegal entity, with no right to collect royalties on behalf of musicians in Nigeria.

The case was assigned to Justice Ibrahim Buba and he has since been handling the matter, and had in fact fixed a date for judgement, until recently when he informed parties that the case file had been taken from him.

Worried by the delay and eventual withdrawal of the case file from the Judge as he was about to deliver judgement, COSON Chairman, began a one-man protest at the premises of the Federal High Court, Lagos.

The protest was however, joined by some artistes who are with COSON both

in Abuja and Lagos the second and the third days respectively.

While alleging that the case file withdrawal was orchestrated by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN and MCSN syndicate, Okoroji said that it is worrisome that Judiciary should allow itself to be used in this manner.

He further stated that, his action has become necessary to draw the attention of the world to a new and dangerous attempt to destroy the Nigerian judicial system, by the blackmail of a Nigerian Judge to force him not to deliver a judgement written by him.

Okoroji appealed to all lawyers and judges in the Nigerian legal system, to insist that the case file in Suit No:FHC/L/ CS/1259/2017 which he said was taken away in bizarre circumstances from Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos, be returned to the Judge.

“All we are asking for is for the case file to be returned to the Judge, so that he can deliver his judgement, and any of the parties dissatisfied with the judgement can proceed to the Court of Appeal.

“We also condemn the heavy-handed actions to harass, arm-twist, intimidate and blackmail a Federal High Court Judge, Ibrahim Buba, which actions twice aborted

COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji during the protest

his attempt to deliver judgement in the case filed by COSON against MCSN and the Attorney-General of the Federation, to challenge the dubious approval of MCSN. “We describe the intimidation of Justice

Buba as a dangerously frightening effort to muzzle the Nigerian Judiciary, which development must be condemned by all lawyers, judges and every self-respecting Nigerian citizen", he said.

LPPC STRIPPED OGUNBA OF RANK AFTER BEING CLEARED BY NBA CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 not refer him to its Disciplinary Committee.

“We regret to inform you that a careful reading of the petition failed to disclose any alleged infraction of the Rules of Professional Conduct 2007, in respect of which Mr. Kunle Ogunba, SAN could be called upon to offer an explanation “It is a principle of law that, companies are separate legal entities capable of suing and being sued.

“Placing this principle side by side, your allegation of abuse of court process, we are satisfied that the cases referred to, as well as the court processes attached by your goodselves, failed to show the existence of a case involving same parties in respect of same facts and seeking same reliefs”, NBA said.

The Association listed the suits as Anchorage Leisures Ltd & 2 Ors v Ecobank Nig Ltd (FHC/L/CS/1219/2015); Ecobank Plc v Honeywell Flour Mills Plc (FHC/L/ CP/1569/2015), Mr. Oba Otudeko v Ecobank Nig Ltd (FHC/L/BK/19/2015), Ecobank Nig Ltd v Siloam Global Services Ltd (FHC/L/ CP/1572/2015),Ecobank Nig Ltd v Anchor-

age Leisures Ltd (FHC/L/CP/ 1570/2015), Ecobank Nig Ltd v Honeywell Group Ltd (FHC/L/CP/1571/2015) and Ecobank Nig Ltd v Honeywell Flour Mills Plc (FHC/L/ CP/ 1689/2015).

“It is difficult to concede to the allegation that the suits amount to abuse of court process, upon which a disciplinary proceeding should commence”, NBA said.

According to NBA, the suits instituted by Otudeko and Anchorage Leisures, seek a declaration that they are no longer indebted to Ecobank, and that the bank should be restrained from publishing their names as bad debtors.

NBA said it found that Ecobank’s actions against Honeywell Flour Mills and Honeywell Group, were petitions filed consecutively for winding-up proceedings against them, but were later discontinued to correct anomalies in them.

It added that the Ecobank’s suits against Siloam Global Services and Anchorage Leisures, involve petitions for winding-up “against the two different companies”.

“The fact the companies may have common ownership or directors, does not make them the same entity or preclude the presentation of petitions against them, if counsel believes grounds exist for doing so.

“A careful examination of the court processes filed by parties in the various suits, indicates differences in either parties or reliefs sought, which defeats your (Honeywell’s) allegation of abuse of court process”, NBA said.

NBA said a Court of Appeal judgement which Honeywell attached to the petition “did not make any pronouncement against the Respondent (Ogunba), on the issue of abuse of court process”.

According to the Association, the appellate court did not indict Ogunba, therefore, the judgement could “not be used as a basis for coming to the conclusion that grounds exist for commencing a disciplinary hearing against the respondent”.

“The respondent’s actions are in our respectful view, in line with the duty of a counsel to do everything which in the exercise of his discretion, he thinks best for the general interest of his

client, which cannot be fettered by subjecting him to disciplinary proceedings.

“The respondent owed his client a duty to take all lawful steps to directly and or indirectly represent his client, and or get the best in the circumstance for his client, in reliance on the best of his professional ability.

“We are of the informed view that the actions and or decisions taken by the respondent, were not only authorised by his instruction, but were made in the course of an attempt at arriving at an amicable settlement in the matter.

“The respondent's actions in the course of representing his client, are instilled by his duty to get the best for his client, and do not impugn the integrity of the legal profession.

“We are, therefore, of the considered belief that the allegations contained in the petition under reference, do not contain facts indicating any infraction of the Rules of Professional Conduct.

“In the light of the foregoing, we will be unable to further Inquire into the matter, by forwarding the petition to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee. The petition is hereby dismissed as it lacks merit”, NBA said.

Legal Personality of the Week Ucheamaka Theodore Odili

‘Studying Law Will Make You Disciplined’ My name is Ucheamaka Theodore Odili.

I was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1991 at Nigerian law school Lagos. I attended Imo State University, Okigwe now Abia State University, Uturu. I graduated in 1989. I am in active legal practice at Enugu in Enugu State, I am married and we are blessed by God Almighty with twins, a boy and a girl.

I am from Ubaha Akkata in Oru East Local Government Area of Imo state.

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

I have faced many challenges in my career as a legal practitioner. The main challenge I have had, is getting justice for my clients in the environment of a corrupt system. It hurts me to see poor people not getting justice, because of poverty. I have done a lot of pro bono cases, and I am proud today, because it exposed me and has given me a lot of experience.

What was your worst day as a Lawyer?

Ucheamaka Theodore Odili

The worst day in my life as a Lawyer, was when I lost a case concerning a young girl who her father drove away from his house

to prevent her from getting married to a man of her choice, and refused to accept the dowry from her suitor. I took the matter to court under the fundamental human rights enforcement procedure. It happened in 1993.

of Police. She made me what I am today.

What has been your most memorable experience as a Lawyer?

The most memorable experience in my practice, was when a Pastor was thrown out of his church by a wicked landlord by crude means. The Pastor was served with court processes behind his back, and with the help of a corrupt Magistrate, they got a backyard judgement against him and threw him out of the building. The matter went on appeal to the High Court and the judgement was set aside, and he was returned back to his church, and he is still there till today.

What would your advice be to anyone wanting a career in Law? I advice anybody who wants to be a Lawyer, to keep it up. It is the best profession to be in. By the time you finish from Law School, you will be highly disciplined.

Who has been most influential person in your life?

The most influential person in my life was my late mother Lady Selina O.Odili.

She retired as an Assistant Commissioner

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

In ten years time, I hope to have reached the peak of my career in this legal practice, and be in a position to help junior colleagues to grow.

Why did you become a Lawyer?

I became a Lawyer, because naturally I hate injustice.

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

I was doing an OND in Mass Communication in 1984 at IMT Enugu before I got my admission to study Law. So I would have been a Journalist.

23.01.2018

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Attorney-General of Lagos State v AttorneyGeneral of the Federation (SC/245/2017) This is a Report of an ongoing case now at the Supreme Court, between the Attorney-General of Lagos State and the Attorney-General of the Federation, concerning Lagos State’s claims of entitlement to net proceeds collected as duties, with regard to agreements between company and individual or group or bodies of individuals in Lagos State, and N50 deduction on all transactions between individuals by deposit and electronic transfer

T Facts

he Joint Tax Board, which is a body responsible for the administration of taxes in the Federation, had since the year 2009 come out with the directive that the sum of =N=50.00 (Fifty Naira Only) shall be chargeable on every instrument of transaction with value of =N=1,000.00 (One Thousand Naira Only) and above.

The Commercial Banks in Nigeria have over some years complied with the directive of Central Bank of Nigeria on the implementation of this aspect of the provisions of Stamp Duties Act, and a certain sum was remitted to the Central Bank of Nigeria, while another certain sum are still with the Banks.

The Lagos State Government fully aware of the provisions of the Stamp Duties Act which empowers the State to collect the sum deducted in respect of transactions by individuals carried out within the territory of Lagos State, has written to the Commercial Banks including the Central Bank of Nigeria to render accounts of all monies due to the State Government and forthwith, remit the monthly deductions to the account of Lagos State.

His Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, the Governor of Lagos State has signed the Regulations 2016 pursuant to Section 115 of the Stamp Duties Act which was passed by resolution of the Lagos State House of Assembly under Section 116 of the Stamp Duties Act, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004. The Regulation specifically made provision for electronic money transfer as dutiable, including deposit slips issued to customers.

Issues for Determination The State Government, through the Office of Attorney-General of Lagos State, has approached the Supreme Court to invoke the original jurisdiction in an Originating Summons for the determination of the following questions: A. Whether upon the coming into effect of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the Stamp Duties Act is an existing law within the meaning of section 315 of the Constitution, being a Federal Legislation which is deemed to be an Act of the National Assembly.

B. Whether by the provisions of the Stamp Duties Act Cap S8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 particularly Section 4(1) and (2) as well as other relevant Laws, the stamp duties form part of the public revenue of Government.

C. Whether by the combined provisions of section 4(1) of the Stamp Duties Act and section 163(b) of the Constitution, the Lagos State Government is entitled to the sum equal to the proportion of the net proceeds of the sum collected as duties in respect of instruments executed between a company and individual, group or body of individuals within the territory of Lagos State.

D. Whether the Federal Government has any power to collect and keep money paid as stamp duties on behalf of Federating Units, pursuant to Section 4(1) of the Stamp Duties Act, Cap S8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 contrary to clear provisions of Section 163(b) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) .

E. Whether in view of the provisions of section 4(2) of the Stamp Duties Act, the Lagos State Government is entitled to collect duties in respect of instruments executed between persons or individual transactions within the territory of Lagos State.

F. Whether in view of the clear provisions of section 4(2) of the Stamp Duties Act, the Defendant through its banker, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), possesses the power and authority to collect and keep custody of the deducted sum remitted to it by the Commercial Banks operating in the territory of Lagos State from the 15th January, 2016 till date.

G. Whether by the provisions of Stamp Duties Act, especially Sections 115 and 116 of the Act, the Federal and State Governments are so empowered to issue Regulations for the proper implementation of the provisions of the Stamp Duties Act. H. Whether by the combined provisions of sections 4(2), 115 and 116 of the Stamp Duties Act Cap S8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and Regulations 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the Stamp Duties (Recovery and Collection) Regulations 2016, the Lagos State Government is entitled to collect duties of =N=50:00 (Fifty Naira) deducted by the Commercial Banks acting on the instruction of the banker to the Defendant, Central Bank of Nigeria, as Stamp Duty on every transaction as receipts on electronic transfer and/or teller deposit of monies from =N=1000:00 (One thousand Naira).

The Attorney-General of Lagos State is authorised by Section

Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN

Attorney-General of Lagos State, Adeniji Kazeem

111 of the Stamp Duties Act, Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to recover all duties including fines and penalties due to Lagos State Government under the Stamp Duties Act. The position of the State Government, is to recover and collect all deductions of =N=50.00 on every transaction of =N=1,000.00 upwards by Commercial Banks, in respect of stamp duty on deposits already confirmed by the Court of Appeal as receipts of all transactions by individuals within the territory of Lagos State as provided for by the Stamp Duties Act. In the Lagos State Government brief of argument filed on the 15th of January, 2018 the following issues were distilled for determination: 1. The Stamp Duties Act Cap S8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, being an existing law within the meaning of Section 315 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), whether by the provisions of Section 4(1) and (2) of the Act as well as other relevant Laws the stamp duties form part of the public revenue of Government.

2. Whether the Federal Government has any power to collect and keep money paid as stamp duties on behalf of Federating Units pursuant to Section 4(1) of the Stamp Duties Act, Cap S8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, contrary to clear provisions of Section 163(b) of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

3. In view of the clear provisions of Section 4(2) of the Stamp Duties Act and having the regard to Regulations 4, 5, 6 and 7 of Stamp Duties (Recovery and Collections) Regulations 2016, the Lagos State Government is entitled to collect =N=50:00 (Fifty Naira) deducted by the Commercial Banks acting on the instruction of the banker to the Defendant, Central Bank of Nigeria, as Stamp Duty on every transaction as receipts on electronic transfer and/ or teller deposit of monies from =N=1000:00 (One thousand

Naira) in respect of instruments executed between persons or individual transactions within the territory of Lagos State.

4. Whether by the provisions of Section 111 of the Stamp Duties Act Cap. S8 Laws of Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the Plaintiff is not the only appropriate authority to sue for the recovery of any money, penalty or fine due to the State Government under the Stamp Duties Act Cap S8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

“IT IS THE POSITION OF LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT, ...... LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT IS ENTITLED TO THE NET PROCEEDS COLLECTED AS DUTIES, IN RESPECT OF AGREEMENTS BETWEEN COMPANY AND INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP OR BODIES OF INDIVIDUALS IN LAGOS, WHILE THE DEDUCTION OF =N=50.00 ON EVERY DEPOSIT IN RESPECT OF TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS BOTH BY DEPOSIT AND ELECTRONIC TRANSFER, IS PAYABLE TO STATE GOVERNMENT”

Submissions The Attorney-General of Lagos State submitted in his brief of argument before the Supreme Court, that by the clear provisions of Section 4(2) of the Stamp Duties Act, LFN, 2004, the State Government is entitled to collect duties in respect of instruments executed between persons or individuals, and the rates to be imposed may be agreed with the Federal Government. It is not in dispute that the State Government collects duties in respect of the provision of Section 4(2) of the Act, but recently there has been deduction of =N=50.00 on every deposit of =N=1,000.00 an above by Commercial Banks, which is premised on the circular issued by Central Bank of Nigeria instructing Commercial Banks to comply. The instruction was pursuant to the Federal Government Financial Regulation directive of 2009, which reviewed upward, the amount chargeable on Receipts in the Schedule to the Stamp Duties Act from four Naira to One Thousand Naira.

It was further submitted, that apart from the directive of the Central Bank of Nigeria acting on the Financial Regulation directive of 2009, the Stamp Duties Act by virtue of Section 92 places a legal obligation on any person to issue a stamped receipt. This further confirms the fact that the obligation to deduct, is statutory and not solely based on the Central Bank of Nigeria Directive.

By virtue of Section 89 of the Stamp Duties Act “Receipts” includes any note,memorandum, or writing whereby any money amounting to four naira or upwards, or any bill of exchange or promissory note for the money amounting to four naira or upwards, is acknowledged or expressed to have been received or deposited or paid, ……….” and also stated in the Schedule are the exemptions which clearly does not include receipts issued

by Commercial Banks.

It is the position of Lagos State Government, that by the interpretation of Sections 4(1) & (2), 115, 116 of the Stamp Duties Act and other regulations thereto vis a vis the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Stamp duties form part of the Public Revenue of the Government, and Lagos State Government is entitled to the net proceeds collected as duties, in respect of agreements between company and individual or group or bodies of individuals in Lagos, while the deduction of =N=50.00 on every deposit in respect of transactions between individuals both by deposit and electronic transfer, is payable to State Government. The Central Bank of Nigeria that has custody of the remittances by the Commercial Banks, should pay to the State Government, the money that accrues from such deductions on individual transactions within the territory of Lagos State.

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‘Governor Obaseki’s Determined to End Human Trafficking in Edo State’ Many have opined that Edo State is one of the most privileged states in Nigeria, having a female Professor of Law as Attorney-General. Professor Yinka Omorogbe, the Honourable Attorney-General of Edo State, has trained and mentored many successful lawyers in Nigeria including Onikepo Braithwaite, who she told in a chat last week, her vision, mission, and desire to change the narrative of Edo State being notorious for kidnapping, human trafficking and prostitution in Italy

P

rof, you were appointed as the Chairman of the Committee on Human Trafficking in Edo State in August, 2017. Obviously, the main objective of the Committee is to eradicate human trafficking especially in your State, which rightly or wrongly has developed a reputation for having a lot of its girls voluntarily go or be trafficked to Italy for prostitution and other illegal activities. What strategy has your Committee adopted to handle this thorny issue and what inroads have you made so far in tackling this problem? Have you been able to smash any prostitution or human trafficking rings and make any significant arrests? What laws has Edo State enacted to serve as a deterrent to human trafficking in the State? Why does this problem of people going to Italy and so on seem to be most rampant in Edo State?

The problem of human trafficking, has unfortunately been associated with Edo State for some time. This is a narrative that the Governor wants to change, which is why he inaugurated the Edo State Task Force Against Human Trafficking, with me as Chairperson.

I guess that he chose me for two reasons. First, I have a clear passion in this area. The Edo Womens Development Initiative (EWDI) that I was Chair of prior to my appointment as Attorney-General, had previously done advocacy against human trafficking during its annual Edo Womens Conferences, and in smaller town hall meetings. In fact, Governor Obaseki announced his intention to create this Taskforce at the 2017 Conference last July, which had “Modern Day Slavery: Policies and Programmes to Combat/ End Trafficking in Human Beings in Edo State”, as its theme. In addition, as Attorney-General, I am in a position to give teeth to what would otherwise be just a humanitarian and advocacy exercise, lacking the necessary deterrence that is achieved through the efficient use of legal mechanisms and the criminal justice system. In fact, in recognition of the importance of the law, the first task that was given to us by the Governor was to draft an anti-trafficking law, which is presently before the State House of Assembly. We expect it to be passed shortly.

What strategy has your Committee adopted to handle this thorny issue?

The Taskforce strategy, is premised on a three-pronged approach to the eradication of human trafficking and illegal immigration of Edo people. We focus on efficient investigation and prosecution, continuous and appropriate sensitisation programmes primarily targeted at endemic communities and vulnerable people, and the use of data and research to aid our objectives.

There are three objectives, from which all its activities flow. These are to: 1. Eradicate the trafficking of Edo males and females to other countries.

2. Eradicate modern day slavery of Edo persons.

3. Be a focal point of assistance for returnees to Edo State, aiding their successful reintegration.

We aim to achieve these objectives in four main ways, (which are not cast in iron, as we are constantly evolving so as to achieve greater efficiency). First, through vigorous investigation and diligent prosecution of all found to be engaging in this practice, without stigmatising the victims. Secondly, we are constantly engaged in various activities that raise awareness as to the realities of human trafficking and irregular migration. This is important, as we have found that there is still a great deal of ignorance in this area.

Again, we are concerned about why Edos are prone

to human trafficking and illegal immigration. We are not the poorest in Nigeria, and so, it clearly cannot be solely defined as a problem caused by poverty and underdevelopment. Therefore, we are involved in data collection and research that are aimed at clearly and correctly defining the problem, and that tackle the cultural and psychologically embedded root causes that have resulted in Edos being some of the world’s most trafficked persons. Our data has allowed us to pinpoint the most endemic places, and to therefore, know how to target our awareness programmes.

Our last set of activities, centre around receiving and welcoming returnees with dignity, and assisting their re-assimilation into society as responsible and respected members of society. About three months after our inauguration, we were told that the International Office of Migration (IOM), was doing a series of airlifts of Nigerians from Libya. We decided that we would receive them, and that marked the birth of what we have come to refer to as our ‘Welcome Programme’.

On 7th November, 2017, we picked up our first set of 81 Edo persons from Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, and brought them to Benin, where they were formally welcomed by Governor Obaseki.

Since then, we have received a total of 2,756 persons in 19 sets. Three of our 2018 sets, were picked from Port Harcourt, under a programme organised by the Federal Government.

Our Welcome programme is very comprehensive, and is aimed at providing support to returnees through several interventions, up until their successful reintegration into society. We provide welcome packs with toiletries and basic items upon arrival in Benin. Every returnee is profiled with biometric taken, They all receive basic medical treatment and tests. Counselling by trained social workers. All medical conditions are attended to.

Where necessary they are admitted to the State General Hospital, which is fortuitously not too far away. Those with nowhere to go, are given long term shelter by us.

Some people from the first set, are still with us. When they leave, we remain in contact with them, and call them in periodically so we can counsel them and have a general idea of what is happening to them. The Governor has committed to providing training programmes for all our returnees, with the kind assistance of several organisations, and to providing stipends to every man, woman and child returnee. We commenced these payments on 22nd December 2017. Our first training programmes will start next week. The first training is scheduled for the last week in January, and will be conducted by the Womens Helping Hands Initiative, the NGO of Her Excellency, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo. Incidentally, we now have two babies! One was born in Benin, in Central Hospital. The other was born in Port Harcourt, and will be brought back to Edo by the Taskforce, once mother and baby are stable.

What inroads have you made so far in tackling

“THIS IS A NARRATIVE THAT THE GOVERNOR WANTS TO CHANGE, WHICH IS WHY HE INAUGURATED THE EDO STATE TASK FORCE AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING, WITH ME AS CHAIRPERSON”

this problem?

In our short life, I believe that the Taskforce has been very successful. Certainly, we have done far more than we thought we would. We believe that the entry of Edo into the war against trafficking in persons and illegal migration in a way that has never been done before, has helped to change the narrative in Nigeria, and helped to make it into a front-burner issue. Our Welcome Programme is very successful, and has received commendation generally. Our work is attracting attention, both nationally and internationally. There is growing awareness, as to the ills of human trafficking and illegal migrations, as a result of our awareness programmes and town hall meetings in the State. Our Task Force partners, have played great roles. On 2nd January, 2018, I was invited to speak at the Annual new year prayer meeting of the Family Intercessory Ministry, Benin, which was attended by thousands of women from Benin and Delta States. The Vision Bearer, Pastor Margaret Agbonifo, is a member.

I went with one of our ambassadors, Rosemary, who spoke about her experiences in Libya. Her impact was awesome, and her testimony brought tears to many women’s eyes.

At the time the CNN programme that showed Nigerians being sold in Libya for $400 was aired, we had started welcoming Edo returnees from Lagos. Incidentally, a victim who was prominently featured on that programme, is an Edo who was brought back to Benin by us, and is now a budding ambassador for our work.

Have you been able to smash any prostitution or human trafficking rings and make any significant arrests?

We have done some good work in the area of investigations. However, that is work that is not done in the limelight. Over the next few months, we should be able to speak more on this, particularly once our State Law is passed.

What laws has Edo State enacted to serve as a deterrent to human trafficking in the State?

Edo state has a law in the offing, which has been sent to the House of Assembly as an Executive Bill by the Governor. It is called THE EDO STATE TASKFORCE AGAINST HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND OTHER RELATED MATTERS (ETAHT), When it is enacted, it will go a long way. However, the NAPTIP law is also an alternative, in addition to criminal law provisions With the recent shocking revelations of the thriving slave trade in Libya, what steps has the Edo State Government taken to not only engage the Libyan Government, but to rescue victims, since quite a few of the victims are from Edo State?

Edo is a state within the sovereign state of Nigeria, otherwise known as the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Nigeria is the subject of International Law, not Edo State, and therefore, is the one with responsibility for its citizens within the international legal system. I am sure that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is doing what it should.

It is notable that the delegation which facilitated and negotiated the first FGN airlift, was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

What goals have you set for yourself as AttorneyGeneral of Edo State, especially in terms of Justice Sector Reform? Have you domesticated the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and the Child Rights Act? What laws do you intend to enact to protect women especially as regards violence against them, seeing as your State seems to have a high incidence of rape for example.

I have assumed office as Attorney-General, determined to positively impact on justice delivery and efficiency within my Ministry and the State, and with every intention of contributing positively towards promoting and upholding the rule the law, and to the best of my ability, ensuring that justice in Edo is truly blind, and not a

“I DEFINITELY DO NOT AGREE, THAT EDO IS MORE ‘DEEPLY INVOLVED’ IN CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES THAN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. WE NEITHER HAVE MORE CRIMINALS NOR PROSTITUTES THAN OTHER STATES”

system that favours the rich and connected, at the expense of those who are disadvantaged. Fortunately, my Governor believes in the rule of law, and is fully in support of a strong and virile Ministry of Justice.

I am running an inclusive Ministry, and I hold meetings with all levels of staff. I am therefore, able to be attuned to what they need to be able to perform their roles to the best of their abilities. The government aims to equip every State Counsel with a work computer. I am revamping, upgrading and automating the Ministry Library, and also organising lectures and in-house trainings for all State Counsel. They also attend conferences, trainings and expert meetings, which help to enrich their experiences. At the end of the day, I expect to have competent well-trained State Counsel, who can stand their own anywhere, and who deliver excellent services to the government and people of the State.

As I am affected by the state of my environment, the physical state of the Ministry and its surroundings are important. I hope visitors have seen a difference within the last few weeks.

Edo State is totally committed to justice sector reform, and the Governor is expected to assent to the Administration of Criminal Justice Law shortly. We have domesticated the Child Rights Act, and various legal matters concerning minors, are presently dealt with by the Citizens Rights Department within the Ministry, We will shortly have a fully established Citizens Rights Centre and Office of the Public Defender. and Mediation Centres.

Edo State has seen its own fair share of kidnapping in the past few years. Some States went ahead to promulgate laws providing for the death penalty, in the event that the kidnap victim dies in the custody of the kidnappers. Why is it that Edo State seems to be deeply involved in all these criminal activities like human trafficking, prostitution, kidnapping and so on? Is it that the economy or the living conditions in Edo State, is worse than in any other part of the country? What has your State done to combat the menace of kidnapping? The previous Governor did order some executions during his tenure. What is your Government’s position on the death penalty, whether in the case of kidnapping or generally?

First of all, whilst I concede that there have been some highly publicised kidnappings over the years, and even in the recent past, I must state that such incidences are now greatly reduced, and that crime in the State is under control. The State is actively engaged in combating crime and kidnapping, and is fortunate to have a supportive security network. Notably, the last Christmas festive season was peaceful, and did CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Edo State Attorney-General, Professor Yinka Omorogbe

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23.01.2018

'GOVERNOR OBASEKI’S DETERMINED TO END HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN EDO STATE' CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 than other states. What we do have, are high incidences of human trafficking, and large numbers of people travelling abroad as illegal immigrants, who often end up being trafficked, Why this is so, is unclear. As I have said earlier, economic reasons are insufficient to explain away this peculiarity. The Taskforce is actively gathering data, and both conducting and supporting research that examines root causes.

Nigeria has not abolished the death penalty, and it still applies in Edo state.

Criminals who are found guilty of crimes punishable with death, and who are sentenced by the court, will be executed unless they are pardoned by the Governor, in the exercise of his constitutional powers.

How are you handling the issue of prison decongestion in your State, or do you just see it as a Federal Government problem like some other States?

Prison decongestion, is a major objective of the Federal Government and of my Governor. It is a Nigerian problem, which both the Federal and State Governments must confront. On the 1st October, 2017, Governor Obaseki declared that 70 prisoners should be released, which I did, using the Attorney-General’s powers of nolle prosequi. Coincidentally, I came in as Attorney-General with prison decongestion as one of my personal aims, and a few weeks after I assumed office, I paid a visit to Central and Oko Prisons in Benin, to have a first-hand view of the problems.

Overcrowding is definitely a problem which is accentuated by the fact that so many of the people in prison –those awaiting trial- do not belong there. Prison decongestion, is one of the aims of the Ministry of Justice, and we are currently making it part of the decision-making process for prosecuting State Counsel.

As a Professor of Energy Law, kindly, give us a brief overview of the important aspects of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). What is the difference between the PIB and the Petroleum Governance Bill (PIGB) which was passed by the National Assembly last year? Why pass the PIGB and not the whole PIB? What is the benefit of the PIGB? Some claim that Nigeria is losing billions of dollars with the non-passing of the PIB, because for instance, the majors just flare gas and are not made to pay for the gas that comes out from their oil activities, whether or not they choose to harness it or not. I once attended an oil and gas summit where the statistics that were provided there, claimed that the quantity of gas that was being wasted in flaring in Nigeria, was much more than what made Trinidad & Tobago Number 4 or so world supplier of gas at the time.

As you have said, I am a Professor of Energy Law, and have researched and written in the area, nationally and internationally, for decades. I haven’t stopped., even though I am unlikely to write anything of great import while I am Attorney-General. However, I completed my most recent work, and I believe, one of my most important, during my first few months in Edo, and it is coming out from Oxford University Press in a few weeks’ time. For this question, I am speaking in that capacity right now, not as Attorney-General, so my opinion should not in any way be taken as reflecting on Edo State.

The Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), deals with proposed new institutions of a reformed petroleum industry, without providing the operating framework, or the fiscals. This means that a new legal framework for Nigeria’s petroleum industry has not been created, the status quo hasn’t really changed, and that (to give an example), the structures that regulate Nigeria’s gas reserves will continue to remain inadequate. And of course, the primary innovation- the Host Communities Bill- remains in the pipeline.

Definitely, the passage of any type of reform bill is a newsworthy item. Whether it is cause for celebration, considering the ‘plastic-fantastic,’ motionless motion, and smokescreen activities that have characterised Nigerian reform activities in the past, is another matter. If any other

“THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY GOVERNANCE BILL (PIGB), DEALS WITH PROPOSED NEW INSTITUTIONS OF A REFORMED PETROLEUM INDUSTRY, WITHOUT PROVIDING THE OPERATING FRAMEWORK, OR THE FISCALS. THIS MEANS THAT A NEW LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR NIGERIA’S PETROLEUM INDUSTRY HAS NOT BEEN CREATED, THE STATUS QUO HASN’T REALLY CHANGED” bill gets passed before 2019, then maybe I will start to dust my dancing shoes.

I was a foundation member of the Oil and Gas Sector Reform and Implementation Committee set up by President Obasanjo in the early 2000s, until the end of that Administration in 2007. I was also on the Committee of the same name, set up by President Yar’Adua, and during that Committee’s tenure, I was the Chairperson of the Legal and Regulatory subcommittee, which drafted the first Petroleum Industry Bill. That bill wasn’t passed, because of excessive politics and interference from certain quarters. Another attempt was made during the tenure of President Jonathan, but it was also unsuccessful, again because of hostilities from those who should have been promoting it. This time, the chosen

route has been to fragment the PIB, based on the supposition that a reason for its non-passage was its size. However, the earlier decision to draft an omnibus large bill, was premised on the feeling that one large inevitable fight was preferable to several skirmishes, as the passage of each of the bills dealing with the different sectors, was bound to involve huge fights each time. Also, we knew that the legal, managerial and administrative structures of the Nigerian petroleum industry, were (and still are), totally dysfunctional and not in the nation’s best interests, and that for Nigeria, there is no alternative to reform. Significantly, we knew that the passage of one bill in the absence of others, would not create the needed legal framework to facilitate the emergence of

a viable petroleum industry that advanced the interests of Nigeria and Nigerians.

Nigeria has been losing billions of dollars over the years, because of the state of the industry. This is now an open fact, with all the discoveries of losses and leakages that have come out during the tenure of President Buhari. I hope that we will learn before our reserves run dry, and while crude oil still has some international significance.

I am pained by the fact that, we are still grappling with basic reform issues, while the world is moving towards cars that are powered by renewables, and the electric car is on the rise in so many parts of the world. I hope that Nigeria wakes up, before crude oil loses its relevance. Life beyond oil is definitely on the horizon.

Nigeria has immense untapped natural gas reserves. As my very dear boss Dr Rilwanu Lukman is reputed to have said, ‘Nigeria is a gas province with some oil in it.’ It is tragic, that we have continued to dissipate such a precious resource for decades. The good news is that it is being utilised more in the country, including in Edo. We are optimistic that, thanks to our being a natural gas hub, these resources will contribute significantly to our economic growth, and to the successful lighting up of the entire State.

Edo was categorised as an oil producing State by the Obasanjo regime in 2000.

With the ongoing plans by the Federal Government to license modular refineries, what are your plans to ensure that Edo State benefits from this economic initiative?

This area is really the province of the Commissioner of Energy and Natural Resources, and therefore, is outside my area of operation, even though I am an Energy Lawyer. However, as Commissioner for Justice, I have to ensure that the State provides an enabling environment for businesses to thrive, and that all agreements executed with the State, are inconformity with its objectives and aspirations.

As a former Legal Adviser to NNPC, what solutions would you proffer to overcome this recurring fuel shortage problem in the country? Is the present pump price of fuel realistic? Some say it is unrealistic to sell fuel in Lagos and outside Lagos at the same price, as there are higher costs involved in landing products outside Lagos. Kindly, comment on this.

Again, I am speaking personally, not as Attorney-General. This is a great question.

I guess the real questions are: 1) why is Nigeria still a major importer of downstream products, notwithstanding its comparatively sizeable petroleum reserves? 2) Why must NNPC have such a firm grip on the products market? I don’t think equalisation is the problem really. The decision as to uniform pricing or not, is a business decision, not necessarily a political one. Companies regularly equalise, which is why many commodities are sold at the same price all over the country, in practically all countries, irrespective of distances from the area of production. Its more a problem of policy and management.

Recently, there was an issue between the Managing Director of NNPC and the Minister of State of Petroleum, who is also the Chairman of the Board of NNPC. Having worked as the Legal Adviser to the Corporation, were the issues raised by the Minister germane?

What would be the correct procedure for the approval for contracts and activities that the Minister complained about to be carried out?

No comment, please. This is a matter between the parties and their institutions.

There has been this worrisome restiveness in southern Edo State, with Ijaw communities, over border disputes. Not much has been heard from the State Government. Does the State not have any border dispute resolution committee to address this, so that it doesn’t degenerate into a full-blown crisis?

Edo state has a Boundary Committee headed by the Deputy Governor, His Excellency Philip Shuaibu. I am a member, and I can tell you that the Committee is doing some good work. Edo definitely has no intention of allowing the escalation of any brewing boundary controversies.

23.01.2018

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Lopsided Appointments, Is there an Ethnic or Religious Agenda?

The disquiet in the polity over President Buhari’s appointment of persons from of a particular religion and from one region of the country, into strategic and sensitive national offices, seems to have gone from mere speculations to palpable worries and deep rooted suspicions, as to the true agenda of the Presidency. Apprehension has been expressed by many, that it cannot be a mere coincidence that all the sensitive national security positions, are occupied by persons of a particular religion and from one section of the country. Ikeazor Akaraiwe takes a critical look at this, and its implications for the nation President Buhari: Observing S. 14 (3) and S. 15 (4) of the Constitution in Breach . 14 (3) “The composition of the government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or in any of its agencies.”

S. 15 (4) “The State shall foster a feeling of belonging and of involvement among the various peoples of the Federation, to the end that loyalty to the nation shall override sectional loyalties.”

President Buhari reads the Constitution of Nigeria. And the Koran.

And when President Buhari reads Chapter Two of the Constitution on Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, it seems to me that he skips sections 14 (3) and 15 (4) and focuses his entire attention on S. 15 (5) – “the State shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power.”

I think so because, except for when President Buhari is compelled, by the strict language of S. 147 (2) of the Constitution, to appoint at least one minister from each State of the Federation, the President is excessively enamoured by region and religion in his appointments. His own region and religion.

My respectful view is that he appears more comfortable with Hausa-speaking persons from his northern region and his Islamic faith, than anyone else.

“promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, ... by ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that government or in any of its agencies.”

Apart from President Buhari’s appointments pursuant to the mandatory provisions of S. 147 of the Nigerian Constitution, his security appointments during a time of worsening security breaches nationwide, from Zamfara through Benue to Enugu, neither inspire national unity nor command national loyalty. The President need look no further than his deep instincts of region and religion, to resolve his perplexity over restructuring and re-emergent secession tendencies. “What do the Ibos want?” he was once famously quoted as asking. In his New Year speech, he posited that the “myriad of national problems had more to do with processes, than they had to do with the structure of the Federation.” Well, those processes which have caused “the myriad of national problems”, include the aforementioned lop-sided appointments.

S

Security Architecture Of the ten A managers of Nigeria’s security architecture appointed by President Buhari, eight of them come from the political north. They are Dan Alli (Minister of Defence), General Lawan Danbazzau (Minister of Interior), General Babagana Monguno (National Security Adviser), Genral Tukur Buratai (Chief of Army Staff), Chief of Air Staff AVM Sadique Abubakar, Lawal Daura (Director-General, SSS), Ibrahim Idris (Inspector-General of Police) and Ahmed Abubakar (Director-General, NIA), while two proceed from the political south: Chief of Defence Staff General Abayomi Olonishakin and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas.

Buhari: The Most Sectarian Leader of the 4th Republic That’s eighty percent ‘north’ and twenty percent ‘south’. Of course, President Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari

forewarned us in his now-famous comments during the question and answer session on July 22, 2015 at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). He said “the constituents that gave me 97% of the votes, cannot in all honesty be treated on some issues with constituencies that gave me 5% (sic). President Buhari appears to be, the most sectarian-inclined leader Nigeria has had this 4th Republic.

From his 2001 Al-Jazeera comments, “God willing, we will not stop the agitation for the total implementation of the Sharia [law] in Nigeria” through his 97% versus 5% comment quoted above, to the genocidal herdsmen-terrorists who it is alleged belong to his Fulani ethnic nationality, and who clearly, by omission or commission, are treated with kids gloves by the various security apparatuses in Nigeria, it ought to be clear that this leader is highly sectarian.

Indeed, the egregious breach of sections 14 (3) and 15 (4) in these appointments, have reinforced the allegations of an “islamisation agenda” to forcibly convert non-Muslims in the middle belt region on pain of death, the herdsmen-terrorists being the jihadists. Islam like Christianity, is a great religion obviously, but there should be no agenda to forcibly convert anyone to my Christian faith or President Buhari’s Islamic faith. Conversion must be voluntary. Whether the herdsmen are actually on a jihad, or are looking farther

“PRESIDENT BUHARI’S LOP-SIDED REGIONAL APPOINTMENTS INTO THE SECURITY ARCHITECTURE, IS A GROSS VIOLATION OF THE CONSTITUTION, AND SHOULD FOUND THE BASIS OF IMPEACHMENT PROCEEDINGS, IF THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY WILL LOOK UP FOR A MOMENT FROM THEIR FIXATION WITH THE MUNDANE AND FIX THEIR ATTENTION UPON “WE THE PEOPLE””

south for greener pastures to graze their cattle as a result of increasing desertification and climate change, which I partly believe, President Buhari’s lop-sided appointments, the impunity of the herdsmen-terrorists, and the lame response from the State, coupled with the President’s 2001 “God willing, we will not stop the agitation for the total implementation of the Sharia [law] in Nigeria” statement, have raised national temperature to heights hitherto not attained since the civil war of 1967 and June 1993 election cancellation.

Nigeria: The Need for Strong Institutions In nations with strong institutions, it does not matter very much whether all appointees come from one region or religion.

The strength of the nation’s institutions often protects the weak, the vulnerable, and unrepresented. But not Nigeria, a nation without even one strong institution. Not the Press. Not the Unions. Not the National Assembly. Not the Police. Nobody. And President Buhari put paid to the judiciary emerging as a strong institution, by his crude assault on, and arrest of judges that fateful night of October 6, 2016 when his government got judges’ homes broken into and judges, some innocent, and some not-so innocent, were publicly demystified and humiliated. Am I by this saying that corrupt judges should not be shown the way out? Of course not! One way to strengthen the judiciary, is to show corrupt judges the way out, indeed, try them and imprison them. But to storm the homes of serving judges with security operatives in the middle of the night, was to kill two birds: address corruption and diminish the judiciary with one stone. The first could have been achieved without the second, but I digress.

Strong institutions aside, the Nigerian Constitution mandates the President to

Olafisoye & Ors v FRN On the justiciability or otherwise of Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, OLAFISOYE AND OTHERS v FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA [2004] 4 NWLR part 864 page 580 at page 644 paras E–G, appears to have energised Sections 14 (3) and 15 (4) of the Constitution. In Olafisoye and Others v FRN (supra), the Supreme Court per Niki Tobi JSC held that: “Directive principles require to be implemented by legislation, and so long as there is no law carrying out the policy laid down in a directive neither the State nor an individual can violate any existing law or legal right under colour of following a directive. It is clear, therefore, that although section 15 (5) of the 1999 Constitution is, in general, not justiciable, as soon as the National Assembly exercises its power under section 4 of the Constitution with respect to Item 60 (a) of the Exclusive Legislative List, the provisions of section 15 (5) of the Constitution become justiciable.”

Olafisoye’s case clearly stipulates that for any part of Chapter 2 to become justiciable, that part must require legislation. I therefore, posit that in the light of the Federal Character Commission (Establishment) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, sections 14 (3) and 15 (4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have become justiciable, and President Buhari ought be called to account for his lop-sided appointments in breach of said Chapter 2 and the clear wordings of section 4 of the Federal Character Commission (Establishment) Act, the subjection of the Commission to the President irrespective.

In a time of gross violations of Nigeria’s national security as we currently experience, President Buhari’s lop-sided regional appointments into the security architecture, is a gross violation of the Constitution, and should found the basis of impeachment proceedings, if the leadership of the National Assembly will look up for a moment from their fixation with the mundane and fix their attention upon “we the people” Ikeazor Akaraiwe, 1st Vice-President, Nigerian Bar Association (2008-2010)

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23.01.2018

Where Does Right of Appeal of Decisions of National Industrial Court Lie? In this article, Richmond Idaeho discusses the issue of whether appeals lie from the National Industrial Court (NIC) to the Court of Appeal, making recourse to the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and Case Law, to determine whether the right of an aggrieved party has been foreclosed from appealing the decision of NIC and limited only to questions of fundamental rights or as provided for in an act of the National Assembly

T

he Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Third Alteration) Act No. 3 of 2011, conferred special and exclusive jurisdiction on the National Industrial Court (NIC) with respect to labour and employments matters, welfare, wages, benefits and compensation of workers/employees, as well as matters pertaining to industrial relations, irrespective of the industry, economic sector, business enterprise, private or public, wherein an employer-employee relationship exists. See section 254C(1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

A careful reading of section 9 of the National Industrial Court Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2006 (“the Act”), would suggests that no appeal shall lie to the Court of Appeal, or any other court except as may be prescribed by the Act itself or any other Act of the National Assembly. That is, one of the instances under which an appeal can lie to the Court of Appeal is where it is so provided for in the Act itself or any other Act of the National Assembly. Another instance, is where the decision is on any matters arising from questions of Fundamental Rights, which is as of right. That being specifically stated, it would imply that unless it is also stated in any legislation made by the National Assembly that an appeal shall lie from the NIC to the Court of Appeal as of right, such other appeals allowed by such Acts could then only be by leave.

Thus, at the moment, there are no provisions in the Act for a right of appeal, other than those already mentioned, and there is not yet any Act of the National Assembly which has made provisions with respect to appealing the decisions of the NIC. However, recourse will be made to the Constitution with a view to determining whether the right of an aggrieved party has been foreclosed from appealing the decision of the NIC and thus limited to questions of Fundamental Rights only or as provided for in an Act of the National Assembly.

The amendment to the Constitution does not adversely affect the provisions of section 9 of the Act, but seem to have qualified same. Moreso, the provisions of section 9 of the Act were made subject to the Constitution and the provisions of the Constitution would thus prevail over that of section 9 of the Act. Therefore, the Constitution as amended, contemplates a Law or an Act, making provisions for appeals from the NIC to the Court of Appeal [same as section 9(1) of the Act], and which can only be by leave (unless it is made to be as of right in such Act), and also on questions of fundamental right [same as section 9(2) of the Act]. The implication of this is that the ONLY situation wherein an appeal can lie to the Court of Appeal is as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly. In the absence of such law, an appeal can only lie to the Court of Appeal albeit as of right, but only on questions of fundamental rights.

There is no Law or Act empowering the NIC to grant leave to appeal as required by the Constitution. Such leave must be sought from and given by the Court of Appeal by virtue of the proviso to section 243(3) of the Constitution, as amended. This is further buttressed by the fact that section 9 of the Act is subject to the provisions of the Constitution, and the Constitution has itself provided for the manner in which appeals can lie from the NIC to the Court of Appeal.

In view of the fact that there is no law of the National Assembly prescribing that an appeal shall lie from the NIC to the Court of Appeal, will this therefore suppose that no appeal can lie to the Court of Appeal but only on question of fundamental right alone? This is not the case, as the position of the writer has always been that, apart from appeals on fundamental rights and criminal cases, all other issues are appealable but only with leave of the Court of Appeal by virtue of the combined effect of sections 243(2) and (3) and 240 of the Constitution, although there have been enormous controversies amongst other legal practitioners and the academia on this point.

The conflict on this point has been further intensified by the differing decisions of the Court of Appeal on the issue of appealability of the decisions of the NIC, arising from the Ado-Ekiti and Lagos Divisions of the Court of Appeal. On 13th and 15th February 2013, the Court of

Appeal sitting at Ado-Ekiti Division decided four cases to wit: Local Government Service Commission, Ekiti State & Anor. v. M. A. Jegede (2013) LPELR-21131; Local Government Service Commission, Ekiti State & Anor. v. M. K. Bamisaye (2013) LPELR-20407; Local Government Service Commission, Ekiti State & Anor. v. Francis Oluyemi Olamiju (2013) LPELR-20409; and Local Government Service Commission, Ekiti State & Anor. v. G. O. Asubiojo (2013) LPELR-20403, wherein the Court held that applicants have right of appeal as of right in matters relating to fundamental rights as granted by section 243(2) of the Constitution and further that applicants can appeal with leave of the Court of Appeal on all other matters. Thus, the decision of the Court of Appeal, Ado-Ekiti Division on these cases is to the effect that the NIC is not a final court and that the decisions of the NIC are appealable to the Court of Appeal, whether as of right or with leave of the Court of Appeal.

However, later in the same year, on 4th July 2013, the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal in Coco-Cola (Nig.) Limited v Akinsanya (2013) 18 NWLR (Pt. 1386) 225 held that until the National Assembly passes a law granting applicants right of appeal with leave, that right does not exist. In essence, the effect of the decision of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division is that the right of appeal from decisions of the NIC to the Court of Appeal is limited to decisions relating to fundamental rights only.

The uncertainty of this position was finally recently, put to rest by the Full Court of the Supreme Court in the landmark case of Skye Bank Plc v Victor Anaemem Iwu – SC. 885/2014 – (2017) LPELR – 42595 (SC) delivered on 30th June 2017. This suit was in respect of the case stated from the Court of Appeal for the decision of the Supreme Court. The issues before the Supreme Court were: (1) whether the Court of Appeal as an appellate Court created by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) has the jurisdiction to the exclusion of

“... THE NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL COURT HAS JURISDICTION TO THE EXCLUSION OF ANY OTHER COURT OVER LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT MATTERS, AND ITS DECISIONS ARISING FROM QUESTIONS OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND CRIMINAL ISSUES ARE APPEALABLE TO THE COURT OF APPEAL AS OF RIGHT, WHILE OTHER ISSUES CAN BE APPEALED TO THE COURT OF APPEAL, BUT WITH LEAVE OF THE COURT OF APPEAL”

any other court of law in Nigeria to hear and determine all appeals arising from the decisions of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria? (2) whether there exists any constitutional provision which expressly divested the Court of Appeal of its appellate jurisdiction over all decisions on civil matters emanating from the National Industrial Court of Nigeria? and (3) whether the Court of Appeal’s jurisdiction to hear civil appeals from the decision of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria is limited to only questions of fundamental rights?

The Supreme Court in resolving these 3 (three) issues had no difficulty in unanimously answering the 1st issue in the affirmative, to the effect that the Court of Appeal as an appellate Court created by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) has the jurisdiction to the exclusion of any other court of law in Nigeria to hear and determine all appeals arising from the decisions of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria. On the 2nd issue by a decision of 6-1 the Supreme Court answered the question in the negative to the effect that there is no constitutional provision which expressly divested the Court of Appeal of its appellate jurisdiction over all decisions on civil matters emanating from the National Industrial Court of Nigeria. And finally, on the 3rd issue, the Apex Court answered the question in the negative which is that the Court of Appeal’s jurisdiction to hear civil appeals from the decision of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria is not limited to only questions of fundamental rights. A similar decision was also reached by the Supreme Court in the case of Coca-Cola v. Akinsanya SC/542/2013.

In the Skye Bank Plc v. Victor Anaemem Iwu’s case, the following statements of the Supreme Court per Nweze, JSC are apt: “I find and hold that, on a harmonious construction of Sections 240, 242(1), 243(1)(a) and 243(4) of the 1999 Constitution, a litigant who is aggrieved by a decision of the trial court [National Industrial Court] in other civil matters, can exercise a right of appeal with the leave of the Court of Appeal. The only innovation in this regard is that it makes the Court of Appeal the final court with respect to such appeal; Section 243(4).’’ At page 61.

It will be concluded that the National Industrial Court has jurisdiction to the exclusion of any other court over labour and employment matters, and its decisions arising from questions of fundamental rights and criminal issues are appealable to the Court of Appeal as of right, while other issues can be appealed to the Court of Appeal, but with leave of the Court of Appeal.

In sum, the decision of the National Industrial Court is not final as to think otherwise is to elevate the National Industrial Court to the status of the Supreme Court which is not the intention of the legislature.

Idaeho is a legal practitioner and a member of; the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb. UK), Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria (BRIPAN), INSOL International and the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) Chartered. He works in the Law Firm of Jackson, Etti and Edu, Victoria Island, Lagos.

23.01.2018

THE LIGHTER SIDE/13

LEGAL HUMOUR Is there a way to thank you?

"How can I ever thank you?" gushed a woman to Clarence Darrow, after he had solved her legal troubles.

"My dear woman," Darrow replied, "ever since the Phoenicians invented money there has been only one answer to that question." ˾˾˾ Talk to the judge A judge, bored and frustrated by a lawyer's tedious arguments, had made numerous rulings to speed the trial along. The attorney had bristled at the judge's orders, and their tempers grew hot. Finally, frustrated with another repetition of arguments he had heard many times before, the judge pointed to his ear and said, "Counsellor, you should be aware that at this point, what you are saying is just going in one ear and out the other."

"Your Honour," replied the lawyer, "That goes without saying. What is there to prevent it?"

We Hold Your Brief TOBI SONIYI Dear Counsel, I believe that your explanation on this issue, will help clear the air on this highly vexatious incident.

A few days ago, I was amongst the numerous members of a trade union which went on a symbolic solidarity procession, in front of the premises of a printing company. Many of our union members in the company, were unlawfully relieved of their jobs. Management of the company, did not seem to pay any attention to our several calls to reinstate them. We therefore, went on a peaceful procession to press home our call.

But unexpectedly, some of our officials were rounded up by the Police, and detained for three days. They were charged before a Magistrate Court, and told that they had violated the Public Order Act. We are rallying round our leaders in this matter, but what is your advice, as we make further plans on what to do?

Comrade D.O., Lagos Dear Comrade D.O., The Public Order Act has in recent times, turned out to be one of the most contentious laws in our statute books. There are still a number of cases before the courts on the clear and proper interpretation of the Act. But as it stands today, it does appear that for any assemblage of that nature to be lawful, a Police permit is required.

Public Order Act, Chapter 382, Laws of the

Federation of Nigeria ‘Section 2 states that ‘Any police officer of the rank of Inspector or above, may stop any assembly, meeting or procession for which no licence has been issued or which violates any conditions of the licence issued under section 1 of this Act, and may order any such assembly, meeting or procession which has been prohibited or which violates any such conditions as aforesaid to disperse immediately.’ Also, Section 3 states thus: ‘Any assembly, meeting or procession which - (a) takes place without a licence issued under section 1 of this Act; or (b) violates any condition of any licence granted under section 1 as aforementioned; or (c) neglects to obey any order given under section 2 of this Act, shall be deemed to be an unlawful assembly, and all persons taking part in such assembly, meeting or procession, and in the case of an assembly, meeting or procession for which no licence has been issued, all persons taking part in the convening, collecting or directing of the assembly, meeting or procession, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine of N1,000 or imprisonment for 6 months or to both such fine and imprisonment.’

Human Rights Activists have filed many suits in the different hierarchies of the Nigerian Courts, challenging this law. The numerous Human Rights Lawyers in Nigeria, would gladly take up this matter on your behalf, absolutely free of charge.

˾˾˾ You're a lawyer if You Might Be A Lawyer If....

You are charging someone for reading these jokes.

The shortest sentence you have ever written was more than eighty words long.

You have a daughter named Sue and a son named Bill. Your other car is a BMW. When you look in a mirror, you see a lawyer.

When your wife says "I love you," you crossexamine her. ˾˾˾ History of lawyers Why God Created Lawyers Satan was complaining bitterly to God, "You made the world so that it was not fair, and you made it so that most people would have to struggle every day, fight against their innate wishes and desires, and deal with all sorts of losses, grief, disasters, and catastrophes. Yet people worship and adore you. People fight, get arrested, and cheat each other, and I get blamed, even when it is not my fault. Sure, I'm evil, but give me a break. Can't you do something to make them stop blaming me?"

And so God created lawyers.

Court to Hear Alleged N13bn Fraud Suit against Stockbrokers on April 16 Akinwale Akintunde The trial of four stockbrokers, who were involved in an alleged N13 billion fraud, has been fixed for April 16, 2018.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned the stockbrokers, Adeyemi Oluwaseun, Suleiman Yusuf Obhakume, Yusuf Imran Adekunle and Haruna Issah before Justice Josephine Oyefeso in November, 2017 for stealing the sum of N13 billion, property of First Marina Trust Limited.

They were arraigned on a seven-count amended charge of stealing the alleged sum, while in the employment of First Marina Trust Limited.

The defendants had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Part of the amended charge before the court stated that "Adeyemi Oluwaseun, Suleiman Yusuf Obhakume, Yusuf Imran Adekunle and Haruna Issah on or about the 17th day of May, 2016 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, stole the sum of N237,250, 000, property of First Marina Trust Limited”.

"Adeyemi Oluwaseun, Suleiman Yusuf Obhakume,

POLICE DOCKS ESTATE AGENT FOR ALLEGEDLY DEFRAUDING OJUKWU’S COMPANY on or about the 10th day of September, 2007 in Lagos, within the the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did collect the sum of N7.5 million as rent from Unity Bank Plc vide Cheque No. 02044052 on behalf of Ojukwu Transport Ltd, and fraudulently converted same to your own use and benefit.

“Emmanuel Obiajulu Omuojine and others at large sometime in 2015 in Lagos, within the the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did collect the sum of N8 million as rent from Scott's Cottage Ltd, on behalf of Ojukwu Transport Ltd, and fraudulently converted same to your own use and benefit.

“Emmanuel Obiajulu Omuojine and others at large between 23rd September, 2004 and 9th March, 2005 in Lagos, within

Yusuf Imran Adekunle and Haruna Issah, on or about 27th day of May, 2016 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court stole the sum of N500,200,000, property of First Marina Trust Limited.”

The stockbrokers were also accused of ‘stealing the sum of N183,500,000, N180, 000,000, N186,000,000 and N14,749,000 respectively,’ all property of First Marina Trust Limited.

The prosecution counsel, Mr. Anselm Ozioko, had held that the offences are contrary to Section 285(1) and (8) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

the the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did collect the sum of N100 million as rent from Diplomat Investment Ltd, on behalf of Ojukwu Transport Ltd, and fraudulently converted same to your own use and benefit."

The Police also accused Omuojine of forging a document titled "Re: Ojukwu Transport Ltd Properties Under Your Management", purporting same to have been made by one Stephen Edeh, "Secretary" to Ojukwu Transport Ltd. According to the Police, the offences committed by the defendant, are contrary to Sections 516, 390(8), 419, 285(9)(C) of the Criminal Code of Lagos State Cap C17 Vol 2 of 2003 The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In view of his plea, Police counsel, Mr. Emmanuel Jackson, asked the court to remand the defendant in prison custody and fix a trial date.

Defence counsel however, opposed the application by the Police counsel, and urged the court to grant his client bail on self recognisance.

Ruling on the bail application, Justice Oshodi granted the defendant bail on self recognisance in the sum of N5 million with two sureties in like sum.

The Judge also ordered the defendant to deposit his International Passport with the court, and fixed trial for March 12, 2018.

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23.01.2018

Tribute to Late Honourable Justice Franklin P. Ohwo The Chief Judge of Delta State, Honourable Justice Marshal Umukoro, pays tribute to late Honourable Justice Franklin P. Ohwo, who joined the Saints Triumphant on September 29, 2017. Late Justice Ohwo, as seen from the testimonials that Justice Umukoro included in his Tribute, was said to be a hardworking man of integrity. May his soul rest in peace. Amen

F Early Days

.P. Ohwo J, was born on November 22nd, 1958 in Ashaka in Aboh Division of Delta Province, defunct Western Region now Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State, into the family of Chief Gabriel Ohwo and Christiana Ohwo of Orogun Clan in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State. He was the second of five children.

He attended Government Primary School, G.R.A Warri now Nana Primary School, Warri from 1966-1972.

He then proceeded to the Government College, Ughelli 1972-1976 for his Secondary Education.

He attended Federal Government College, Kaduna for the Higher School Certificate from 1976-1978.

In Kaduna, smartly dressed Soldiers were all over the place.

The young Franklin desired to join the Army, but his father convinced him to go abroad for his University education.

In 1979, attended University of London, United Kingdom, and by 1983, he was found worthy in learning and character and awarded the Bachelor of Law (LL.B). He returned to Nigeria and attended the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos.

He was Called to the Bar in 1984.

Career In obedience to the law, he was mobilised for the National Youth Service Corp and served in Ogun State Ministry of Justice in 1984/1985.

The law firm of G.C. Akoro & Co. engaged him as a Junior. It was in this same law firm, that I undertook my Law School Chamber Attachment in 1981.

The young Franklin started his enviable career on the Bench in April, 1987 as a Magistrate. He served in Afuze, Sabon-gida-ora, Ughelli, Patani, Warri and Ekpan. It was while he was at Ekpan in 1997, that he was spotted by A.P.A. Ogefere, the then Attorney- General and Commissioner for Justice, who spirited him to serve as the Director of Public Prosecutions in the State. His performance in that office, contributed to a large extent to

the successes that I recorded as the Chairman of the Firearms and Armed Robbery Tribunal, Asaba between 1997 and 1998, until his elevation to the High Court Bench in 1998.

Testimonials As a serving Magistrate, Hon. Justice J.A. Omoluabi had this to write on late Ohwo J on 5th March 1991: “Mr. F.O. Ohwo continues to show promise of industry, diligence and honesty”.

On February 20th, 1992, Hon. Justice James Mbadike Obi in his own testimony wrote: "Appears sound and knowledgeable with his law. Has shown probity and integrity and is continuously dedicated to his judicial duties."

On April 21st, 1993, Hon. Justice Franklyn Nwulu stated in his own words: "The subject is a brilliant young man who has a reputation for incorruptibility".

Late Hon. Justice E. - Akpomudjere on 9th June 1994 had this to say: "This is a well behaved and intelligent officer. He is quite meticulous in dealing with matters before him, and can be trusted to handle any matter not minding the magnitude."

Late Hon. Justice Omo-Agege on February 20th, 1995 wrote: "Hardworking, dedicated and honest judicial officer deserving of promotion."

Very early in his career, late Hon. Justice J.A.P Oki, OON on March 12th, 1990 had this to write on F.O. Ohwo thus: "Mr. Ohwo is a calm and diligent young officer with great promise".

St. Paul the great writer in the Bible, would say that wisdom is the principal thing and it is profitable.

Appreciation On this occasion, may I publicly appreciate His Excellency the Governor of Delta State, Senator (Dr.) Ifeanyi Okowa for standing with the judiciary in our moment of grief. When we lost Chief Magistrate Okpodu, the Government picked up his medical bills and burial expenses. Upon the demise of Hon. Justice A.P.E. Awala JCA (rtd), His Excellency extended his helping hand to the Judiciary and the family. Recently, when Hon. Justice F. A. Nwulu passed on, the

“AS A SERVING MAGISTRATE, HON. JUSTICE J.A. OMOLUABI HAD THIS TO WRITE ON LATE OHWO J ON 5TH MARCH 1991: “MR. F.O. OHWO CONTINUES TO SHOW PROMISE OF INDUSTRY, DILIGENCE AND HONESTY”“

Government also came to assist us.

On behalf of my humble self and the entire Delta State Judiciary, I pray God to strengthen His Excellency in mind and body as he pilots the affairs of the State. We are grateful.

May I also salute the heroic assistance rendered by the NBA Warri Branch on the day Hon. Justice F. 0.

Ohwo died. It was not a surprise to me. Warri NBA is known for such worthy exploits. God bless you all.

Furthermore, I thank my brother Judges for their roles on the 29th September, 2017 up to 3rd October, 2017. However, I must single out Hon. Justice Ogisi for her motherly assistance and care for late Hon. Justice F.O. Ohwo's youngest child Frances. For Hon. Justice M. N. Obi, your selfless consultation and meetings with Hon. Justice F.O. Ohwo's family has been so refreshing.

Finally, I shall end this tribute with the poetic rendition by Onajite E. Ohwarhua a member of the Novem-

ber 2007 Law School Set. My 1st son belonged to that class. He anguished: "Hon. Justice F. O. Ohwo was justice personified, possessed with a mind so dignified, Only to the law he does kowtow. Justice F.O. Ohwo could be angry with one, Yet much more loved by all, both the victor and the victim of his judicial paradign, frail in stature and frame. Full of passion and grace, combined with aura and judicial charisma. A good judge, the lay man would say. An honest judge, the litigant would say. An incorruptible judge the poor Would say. An upright Judge Lawyers would say.

All his orders may not be right. But the blind would see justice. The deaf, could hear justice Cos when Ohwo presided, they felt right. May the just, fair, upright, honest and virtuous Soul of Hon. Justice F. O. Ohwo rest in peace. Amen.

Honourable Justice Marshal Umukoro, Chief Judge of Delta State

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PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT Group Donates Building to FGGC Sagamu for Entrepreneurial Skills Development A new building developed by OrekeBeau, an NGO run by Mrs. Abosede Sule-Odu, an old girl of FGGC Sagamu in Ogun State was inaugurated recently for use as an empowerment centre in the school. At the project inauguration, Mrs. Odu discusses the project concept and her motivation, in this interview with Bennett Oghifo Congratulations on this achievement and the opportunity to give back to your alma mater, F.G.G.C Sagamu. What facilities did ÒrekéBeau Empowerment Centre provide for the students? ÒrekéBeau Empowerment Centre is purpose-built and furnished. This is a centre, built to equip students for Fashion and Design skills. Based on the fact that the school has a Home and Economics laboratory that is used mainly for Food technology, after our feasibility studies at the school, my team came up with Fashion and Design as a course that the girls can study here.

What will the Fashion and Design course entail?

The course is divided mainly into the 3 areas of Fashion and Design - Design, Pattern Cutting and Production ie Sewing.

It’s a one year course for 12 girls selected by the school that have displayed their creativity flair in the junior years of their time here to take up the course in SS1, so as not to disturb their preparations for their finals in SS2 and SS3.

This is a laudable project, the first of its kind, what inspired you to do it?

My main inspiration was first of all God, and l don’t say that lightly, or as a cliche of words to answer your question. When l was informed about the 40th anniversary celebrations, as an old student l took it as information, and my thoughts were whatever the Alumnus plans to do, I will do my bit as expected.

However, there was a kind of prompt behind my mind several weeks after the announcement in November and l looked back and realised if l am going to write my story this school will play a significant part of it, as l studied here for six years with a great network of my very close friends to date, then l realised it’s time to give back and hopefully inspire others individually and as Alumni sets to do same as well, not for our benefits but for the future generation walking through the gates of this school as l did over 30yrs ago.

As it’s first of its kind for an individual to give back to a Unity School in such a way,

L-R: Donor of Empowerment Centre, Mrs. Abosede Sule Odu, an Alumna1990 set of FGGC, Sagamu, Ogun state; husband to the donor, Chief Sule Odu; Director/ Principal, Federal Government Girls’ College Sagamu, Mrs. Agnes Abiodun Awolabi; acting Principal, FGGC, Efon-Alaaye, Ekiti State, Mr. Adeyemi Samuel Adisa; Vice-Principal, Students Affairs, FGGC, Sagamu, Mrs. Josephine Edomwonyi; and Vice Principal, Academics 2, Mrs. Veronica Adaraniwon, at the commissioning of an empowerment centre donated by Mrs. Abosede Sule-Odu to mark the 40th anniversary of FGGC Sagamu in Ogun State…recently ETOP UKUTT

what do you have to say to others that will like to repeat the same feat?

Never say why me - for example, it took one man to discover Electricity and today you and l enjoy it’s benefits. Put yourself forward and don’t shy away from whatever you are trying to impart into the life of these young ones as they are the future generation.

When l decided to build this empowerment centre, l looked at a number of factors before embarking on my choice.

First, the theming unemployed youth out there that l have worked with through my company to empower them in entrepreneurship as there are no white collar jobs to go round for all, what is on offer out there by

the government to equip them with the skills required and finally the resources available to them to pursue these goals and l realised the demand is enormous, hence, l felt if some can be exposed at an early age to skills acquisition then it puts them in good stead when they leave secondary school to pursue it further as the centre will be providing a full year course as stated above to the girls that will study here.

Finally, as an individual with a large heart, from what l can see you have done here, how best can we describe you as Mrs. Sule-Odu and CEO ÒrekéBeau?

First as an individual, I’m a mother to my

lovely and blessed children they keep me grounded, a loving wife to the best Husband in the world who always sees the best in me and allows me to reach great heights, to my family a great network of support and fantastic bunch of people and to sum it up l remain humble, teachable and dedicated to His cause and all the Lord has given to me.

As a CEO, I am deep and thoughtful, one of the qualities I’ve had as a young person, l try to avoid doing things in halves and will rather leave it or do it well. With a great team of individuals l work with all over the world, the blueprints we have for the company we plan implement and help provide skill acquisitions for our youth.

SPAR Introduces Smart Environment with Free Wi-Fi in Stores

FIABCI Dinner to Focus on Economy, Infrastructure

Fadekemi Ajakaiye

International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI) Nigeria’s New Year Dinner will be an avenue for stakeholders to examine the economy and the state of the nation’s infrastructure.

FIABCI is a worldwide real estate organisation whose membership cuts across all segments of real estate industry including commercial, residential, retail, commercial office and industrial space. It has members in 65 countries including 100 professional associations, 65 academic institutions and 3,000 individual members.

“FIABCI is the most representative organisation of the real estate industry in the world and holds special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSCOC) of the United Nations”, explained Joseph Akhigbe, FIABCI Nigeria President, who assured that the forth-coming annual dinner would provoke thoughts

Developers of commercial property are beginning to see a need to introduce smart technology into their edifices for use as an edge in the market.

For this reason, a leading chain of Hypermarket stores, SPAR Nigeria has taken its premium service delivery a notch higher with the timely introduction of Free Wi-Fi in its stores nationwide.

The ongoing project was launched recently in Lagos with its pilot debut at the Ilupeju branch of the Hypermarket and will be implemented subsequently across other SPAR stores nationwide in the coming weeks.

The free Wi-Fi service is being rolled out using KonneXion Wi-Fiengine in partnership with Internet Solutions Nigeria Limited (ISN) and Melvic Gold Communications (MGC) who have ensured that service will be available to any shoppers

using a smartphone, tablet or a laptop that has built-in Wi-Fi. SPAR’s spokesperson Mr. John Goldsmith stated that how glad they were to announce the launch of Free Wi-Fi service from SPAR Ilupeju store.

“We are sure the Free Wi-Fi service is in line with our shopper expectation and it will surely delight our shoppers and add joy to their shopping experience,” he said.

He stated that the Wi-Fi routers are placed in strategic locations inside the store so that shoppers can enjoy a seamless browsing experience in each and every corner of the store.

“We have done an extensive heat mapping of the shopper flow inside our stores and identified the best locations to deploy the routers. As it happens in all product and service launches, we too will go through a learning phase which will help us fine tune service to deliver

superior connectivity for all our shoppers,” he said.

He stated that shoppers will need to complete a One Time registration with their email ID after which they will be able to use a maximum of 30 minutes of FREE Wi-Fi daily.

Shoppers can come every day and use Free Wi-Fi for 30 minutes which is a fair approximation to time spent in the store, he said.

One of the core pillars of SPAR is customer service and FREE Wi-Fi is one of the must have for today’s aspiring customer in a modern retail store.

In Africa’s emerging economy, Free Wi-Fi is one such value-added services that shoppers especially the youth segment looks for in any place of shopping location.

Goldsmith stated further, “Our most exciting moments are captured when our shoppers come into our stores, have a fantastic experience and leave satisfied.

on both the economy and infrastructure.

Gbenga Ismail, the association’s public relations officer, explained in a statement at the weekend that the annual dinner prides itself by bringing erudite and acclaimed speakers to further spice the night.

“This year, we will be dining with Bode Agusto, a renowned finance consultant and founder of Agusto & Co who is also the current chair of Lagos Economic Advisory Council”, Ismail disclosed, stating that the theme for this year’s event is ‘Infrastructure Financing in a Challenging Economy’.

He argued that without infrastructure, there can be no meaningful development, pointing out that the annual dinner is not an event for speeches but a convivial atmosphere for exchanging ideas and planning for the new year. “It is a black tie event aimed to make us all feel good”, he said.

The New Year Dinner is always laced with achieve-

ment awards. Ismail explained that the awards are aimed to recognize real estate projects and people all over the world that best embody excellence in all the real estate disciplines involved in its creation.

“The awards illustrate concretely the FIABCI ideal of ‘providing society with the optimal solution to its property needs”, he said, adding, “this year, the Real Estate Excellence awards will honour players in the recognized components that deliver world class real estate projects”.

According to him, real estate changes the society, pointing out that from iconic buildings to affordable housing, real estate or property remains one of the major considerations in every human mind which is why it is considered a big deal.

Awards will be presented in three different categories, including Master Development Project, Media Achievement Award and Property Person of the Year.

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INTERNATIONAL

email:foreigndesk@thisdaylive.com

Weah Sworn in As Liberia President, Says He Will End Corruption George Weah, the former international soccer star who won the presidency of Liberia last month, promised a crackdown on corruption as he was sworn in on Monday, according to Reuters.

Thousands of exuberant supporters and regional presidents and dignitaries

packed into a stadium in the capital Monrovia to watch as Weah, who rose from the city’s slums to become one of Africa’s greatest footballers, took the oath of office.

His swearing in marks Liberia’s first peaceful, democratic transition of power in over seven decades.

Weah rode to a landslide run-off victory last month on the back of heavy support from the youth and the poor. Delivering his speech before the crowd in flowing white African robes, he promised to deliver on the key promises of his campaign.

Pope Francis Sorry for Upsetting Abuse Victims Pope Francis has apologised for remarks he made last week in Chile defending a bishop accused of covering up sexual abuse, according to BBC. He said he realised his words hurt many, but repeated his belief that Chilean Bishop Juan Barros was innocent.

He was speaking to journalists on board a plane flying back to Rome.

On Thursday, the Pope said that victims who had accused Bishop Barros were committing slander.

The Pope was openly criticised

by Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, who said he left victims of

sexual abuse committed by priests feeling abandoned.

“I apologise to them if I hurt them without realising it, but it was a wound that I inflicted without meaning to,” said the Pope on Monday, quoted by Reuters news agency.“It pains me very much.”

Pence in Jerusalem Pledges Embassy Move

by End of 2019, Faces Protest US Vice President Mike Pence pledged to move the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem by the end of 2019 on Monday in a speech to Israel’s parliament that saw Arab lawmakers expelled after they shouted in protest, AFP reported.

As Pence spoke, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas arrived to meet European Union foreign ministers in Brussels, urging them to “swiftly” recognise the state of Palestine.

Pence’s speech, filled with biblical references and praise of Israel, was

greeted with loud applause

by Israeli Jewish lawmakers, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Referring to the 1948 founding of Israel, he said US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the country’s capital last month “righted a 70-year wrong”.

The decision has drawn near global condemnation and deeply angered the Palestinians, who have refused to meet with Pence on his visit.

“In the weeks ahead, our administration will advance its plan to open the United

States embassy in Jerusalem,” Pence said.

“And that United States embassy will open before the end of next year.”

As Pence was set to begin his speech, a group of around a dozen Arab Israeli lawmakers shouted in protest, with some holding signs saying Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine.

They were escorted out by security agents as Netanyahu and others stood and applauded their expulsion.

Saeb Erekat, secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, denounced Pence’s speech as “messianic” and a “gift to extremists”.

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Lassa Fever Claims Six Lives in Ondo, Kogi MDCAN: FG not doing enough to contain disease outbreak James Sowole ÓØ ÕßÜϘ Yekini Jimoh ÓØ ÙÕÙÔË ËØÎ DavidChyddy Eleke ÓØ áÕË Five persons were yesterday confirmed dead from the deadly Lassa fever disease that hit Ondo and Kogi States.

While five persons died in Ondo State, Kogi State recorded the loss of one life.

Nineteen others have been hospitalised as a result of the infection that hit four local government areas in the state.

The state Commissioner for Information and Oriientation, Mr. Yemi Olowolabi, who confirmed this, listed the local government areas as Owo, Akoko South-west, Akure North and Akure South.

He, however, said government had strengthened its medical apparatuses in all its specialist hospitals to contain the spread of the disease.

Olowolabi hinted that the isolation centre at the Federal Medical Centre in Owo had also been reinforced to take adequate care of patients as part of efforts to check the spread of the disease.

Olowolabi stated that government was embarking on sensitisation of the public on unhygienic habits that could aid the spread of the disease.

In Kogi State, a medical doctor, Dr. Idowu Ahmed Victor, who was diagnosed of the disease last Friday at Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Lokoja,

Osinbajo Leaves for Davos after Attending George Weah’s Swearing-in Omololu Ogunmade ÓØ ÌßÔË Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday arrived Davos, Switzerland, to participate in the 48th annual general meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) taking place between today and Saturday.

Osinbajo left for Davos from Monrovia, Liberia where he had represented Nigeria at the inauguration of the new Liberian President, George Weah.

A statement by the vicepresident’s spokesman, Mr. Laolu Akande, said WEF’s theme for this year’s edition, ‘Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World,’ would place emphasis on finding ways to reaffirm international cooperation on shared interests on matters such as the global economy, international security and the environment.

According to the statement, while in Davos, Osinbajo would hold a number of bilateral meetings with representatives of other countries, international business interests and development partners.

It also said there would be

a special forum specifically for Nigeria, which he said would involve engagement and interaction with development finance institutions and global institutional investors in support of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

It further said Osinbajo would participate in other meetings and events at WEF billed to be attended by several heads of governments from around the world adding that the Nigerian delegation to the World Economic Forum include: the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okey Enelamah, and the Special Adviser on Economic Matters to the President, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu.

It also disclosed that from Davos, the vice-president would leave for the United Kingdom at the weekend to deliver a keynote address at the Warwick Africa Summit with focus on exploration of the continent’s potential for overall development and return to Abuja same weekend

died on Sunday at the Irrua Specialist Hospital, Edo State.

The late doctor who hailed from Kogi Central senatorial district of the state, was said to have contracted the disease last Friday at the FMC Lokoja but died at about 6p.m. on Sunday.

Until his death, Victor was newly employed as a House Officer at the FMC. He was said to have contracted the disease from a seven-month-old baby who also died last week Friday at the FMC in Lokoja.

Confirming the passing of the doctor to journalists yesterday, the Kogi State Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Godwin Tijani, described the deceased as a man who was committed to his job.

Tijani said: “The NMA in Kogi State is sorry to announce the death of Dr. Idowu Ahmed Victor, who was a House officer at FMC Lokoja.

“He was infected with the Lassa virus as confirmed at Irrua

Specialist Hospital. May his soul rest in perfect peace. Amen.”.

The chairman advised healthcare practitioners in the state to always observe safety precautions whenever attending to patients.

He also advised the public to store food items, especially grains, garri and powdered food in air-tight containers.

“The public should endeavour to quickly report any case of high grade fever not responding to anti-malarial treatment to the nearest hospital, so that quick diagnosis and treatment can be instituted.

Tijani who described Lassa fever as a zoonotic disease, spread by rats, stressed that personal hygiene or any measure taken to get rid of rats would help in containing the disease.

“Its symptoms include high grade fever, joints and general body pains, malaise, bleeding from body orifices a Meanwhile, the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has said

the federal government is not doing enough to contain the recent outbreak of Lassa fever in some parts of the country.

The group in a communiqué released after its national executive council (NEC) meeting which held in Awka called on the federal and state government agencies involved to step up action to contain the disease.

The National President of the MDCAN, Prof Ngim Ngim, who read out the resolutions of the association to journalists Sunday evening, said the association was willing to partner government agencies to address the challenge.

The group commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives in the outbreak, calling on them to institute measures to eradicate the rodents responsible for the transmission of the deadly virus.

“Members of the public are called upon to institute measures to eradicate the rodents responsible for the transmission of the deadly virus.

“Doctors are also reminded on the need to always observe universal precaution while attending to patients. These include the use of personal protective devices. Hospitals are advised to make these available at all times to safeguard the lives of medical personnel and other health workers.”

The association also called for improved funding for medical schools across the country, while recommending the establishment of medical universities to shore up the number of doctors in the country.

“We recommend the establishment of medical universities by the federal government in order to enhance the funding and capacity for undergraduate medical training and allied courses in the country.

“This will improve the doctor - population ratio and positively impact healthcare delivery in Nigeria. MDCAN is ready to liaise with the relevant agencies of government to work out the details of its implementation.”

TOUR OF MMA2

L-R: Legal Counsel to Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited ((BASL), operators of the Murtala Muhammed AirportTerminalTwo (MMA2), Mr. Tola Oshobi (SAN); Acting Director-General, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Mr. Chidi Iwuzah; Deputy Controller, Business Development, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Alhaji Sadiku Rafindadi; Director/Group Consultant, The Resort Group, Prof. Olugbenga Ogunmoyela; and Chief Executive Officer, BASL, Captain Jari Williams, after the monitoring tour of MMA2 by ICPC officials in Lagos...yesterday.

Swift Networks Appoints New General Managers for Presidency Implores Na’Abba to Change New Business Units Perception on Buhari Nigeria’s broadband service provider, Swift Networks Limited, has announced the appointments of Mrs. Victoria Onwubiko and Mr. Emeka Uchenna as General Managers to run its media and SME business units respectively.

While Onwubiko will develop and drive Swift’s business performance in the digital media and universal access promotion space, Uchenna will be responsible for the planning and execution Swift’s small and medium enterprise segment strategy.

Onwubiko joined SWIFT Network with over 19 years of experience in marketing and brand management, the last of which was at Wakanow as Chief Marketing Officer.

She previously held several management positions at First Bank and Airtel. She is an alumna of University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Lagos Business School.

Uchenna on the other hand is a seasoned sales management professional with over 17 years of Consumer Sales and Marketing experience gathered at Promasidor, GlaxoSmithKline, Boerhinger Ingelheim and One-Fi Nigeria Limited.

He has held sales responsibilities in Nigeria and international markets including Cameroon, Chad, Gabon, Central African Republic and Congo. He is an alumnus of Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, among many other institutions.

Omololu Ogunmade ÓØ ÌßÔË The presidency last night appealed to the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Ghali Na’Abba, to change his perception on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Na’Abba, who at the weekend, vowed not to support Buhari’s re-election in 2019 because “he has not added any value to democracy,” since 2015, also accused the president of sidelining the party and running a one-man show.

In a statement, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, who reeled out the achievements of the administration in the past two

and half years, before Buhari’s election, said “Nigerians were living on their nerves and the entire country, including Abuja and Na’Abba’s Kano were almost barricaded because of the daily Boko Haram terrorist attacks on innocent people.”

He also said Buhari had demonstrated extraordinary courage by going after former military chiefs in the fight against corruption, querying that if the president could go after his fellow soldiers, “what more evidence do we need to prove that the President is bold and sincere in fighting corruption?”

According to the statement, by his position that Buhari has not added value to democracy in three years, “the sense we have is that the honourable

speaker was confusing the political environment as had existed in the past, with this period when the President has shown a total commitment to the independence of the two arms of government, namely the parliament and the judiciary.”

The statement added: “Reflecting on the atmosphere which had prevailed before President Buhari came to office, Hon. Na’Abba said sometimes back that there ‘were cogent and verifiable (facts that) there were several constitutional breaches. The budget was not being implemented as well as a lot of other things, which are in public domain...that money was being shared... to sabotage the efforts of the House of Representatives that

I led...it was (deleted) who orchestrated the attempt by the ICPC to have my office and the House probed. The person who went to swear the affidavit was a known acolyte of (deleted) and it was not the first time. He did the same to Anyim Pius Anyim.’

“If Speaker Na’Abba will take a moment to ask his colleagues now serving in the parliament, Speaker Dogara in particular will inform him that nothing of that sort is happening today. The charge that democracy is now being undermined has therefore no basis against President Bukhari’s impeccable democratic credentials.”

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Six Telecoms Operators May Lose Licences over Call Masking, Refilling Emma Okonji About six telecommunications operators may lose their operational licences for their

involvement in call masking and refilling, despite repeated warning from the telecoms regulatory body, the Nigerian Communications Commission

(NCC).

NCC said it just concluded its investigation on call masking and refilling and discovered that six telecoms operators were involved in the illegal act that poses a national security risk and threat to the Nigerian economy, and described the act as an offence punishable by law.

In technical parlance, call masking and refilling is an attempt by callers to hide their they were culpable for the true numbers when making carnage across the country and calls, especially international wondered why they were not calls which are not charged, arrested and prosecuted instead because the caller’s identity is completely hidden on the of setting up a committee.

He noted that Nigerians had network.

NCC’s investigation showed expected that invaders who violated a law enacted by a that the six operators were in state in the country should connivance with international face prosecution instead of the callers to operate masked calls condescending and patronising in Nigeria.

The operators include: stance of the federal government.

The federal government Medallion Communications, in refusing to arrest and Interconnect Clearing House, Communications prosecute the perpetrators Niconnx of the heinous crimes in Limited, Breeze Micro Limited, the country, he said, was Solid Interconnectivity and suggestive of its complicity Exchange Telecommunications Limited. and bias on the matter.

He further said the setting up of the committee was a violation of the law courts “where such cases of murder should rightly be decided instead of turning them into mere communal clashes which further encourages the Fulani herdsmen.”

Osinbajo C’ttee on Farmers-Herdsmen Crisis, Wrong Diagnosis, Says Ohanaeze Ndigbo Christopher Isiguzo ÓØ ØßÑß The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, on yesterday dismissed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s 10man committee on the Fulani herdsmen/farmers’ clash as a wrong diagnosis and panacea to a deadly ailment.

The organisation’s President General, Chief Nnia Nwodo, in a statement by his Media Adviser, Emeka Atama, insisted that before coming up with the idea of a committee, those who unleashed mayhem on hapless Benue State indigenes should first be arrested and made to face the full weight of the law.

Nwodo wondered how the federal government could set up a committee to reconcile murderers with the murdered in a sane clime.

He said the pronouncements by the leadership of Miyetti Allah were evidence that

According to NCC, call masking and refilling pose a serious national security risk, since most people threaten the lives of innocent citizens through calls with masked telephones numbers that cannot be traced to them.

NCC also said most telephone numbers were masked just to defraud the economy.

The operators involved often alter local numbers to get international status in order to avoid been charged with the international rate for terminating such calls on international network, but the operators will charge the local caller with the international rate and pay at the local rate to the international network where the call was terminated.

Following the involvement of the six operators, NCC has written reminding them of the implications and the risk they face in losing their operational licences.

In one of the letters written

by NCC to Medallion Communications, dated January

12, 2018, and jointly signed by the Head, Legal and Regulatory Services, Yetunde Akinloye and Head, Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement, Efosa Idehen, NCC said: “The Commission, pursuant of section 45 (1) and (3) of the NCC Act 2003, hereby gives notice of its intention to suspend the interconnect exchange licence granted to your company due to your involvement in call masking and refilling and your failure to rectify the breach, despite repeated interventions by the commission.”

Part of the letter to Medallion read: The Commission has recently been inundated with complaints regarding the prevalence of cal, masking and refilling in the industry.

Considering the economic and security implications of the development, the Commission, in 2017, wrote, directing relevant licences to ensure the cessation of call masking or refilling activities on their respective networks. The deadline for compliance with the directive was July 28, 2017. At a

stakeholders meeting on August 3, 2017, it was resolved that a comprehensive investigation would be carried out by the Commission to determine the companies/licences involved in the illegal activity of call masking and refilling. At the meeting, licences were warned to desist from the practice, while it was also agreed that identified culprits would be sanctioned as part of measures to forestall the negative impact on national interest. Having carefully analysed all the relevant data collected in the course of investigation, the Commission has established a direct and indirect evidence against your company in the illegal and unwholesome activity of call masking and call refilling.

NCC has therefore asked the six telecoms operators to state reasons why the Commission should not suspend the said licence, and has equally asked the operators to send in their responses on or before January 31, 2018.

Fowler: FIRS Raked in N4tn in 2017 Nume Ekeghe The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) collected a record N4 trillion in taxes last year.

This was disclosed yesterday by the FIRS Chairman, Mr. Babatunde Fowler, during a visit of the members of the Senate and House of Representatives Finance Committees who are holding a retreat in Lagos to the palace of the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Babatunde Akiolu.

Last year revenue generation figure, according to Fowler, marked a 20 per cent rise over the N3.3 trillion collected in 2016.

Addressing the gathering, which also comprised FIRS and Joint Tax Board (JTB) members, Fowler said the appreciable jump in taxes collected in 2017 was an indication that Nigeria can depend less on oil revenue, which has dipped since 2014, following a slump in oil prices on the international market.

While responding to the disclosure by Fowler, Oba Akiolu said he was not surprised at the jump in taxes collected, saying he had expected an impressive performance from the agency following the appointment of Fowler in August 2015.

The traditional ruler said his expectation was based on the sterling performance of Fowler in his days as Chairman, Lagos Inland Revenue Service (LIRS), during which tax collection jumped from an average of N600million monthly to over N20billion.

He added: “Honestly, out of that N4 trillion, I am sure 60- 70 per cent of it is gotten from

Lagos State. Around 1851, a copy of that document I’m handing over to the FIRS chairman, the colonial government in charge at that time made a decree that three percent of income tax should be paid to the Oba and two per cent of any export likewise should be paid to me.

Honestly, I am asking for that money, but I am asking for it for the government of Lagos State.”

Akiolu called on all eligible taxpayers to pay their taxes when due so as to help the government provide infrastructure. He also called on members of the Finance Committee to do the same.

“Our taxes are what the government needs to build schools, provide healthcare, build roads and provide other amenities for our people. I call on you senators and members of the House of Representatives to pay your taxes. Some of you have farms. You must pay taxes on income from your farms,” Oba Akiolu said.

Recalling his time as Chairman LIRS, Fowler said Oba Akiolu was a pillar of support for the Lagos State Government’s efforts to generate taxes.

“Oba Akiolu was very supportive of our efforts to use taxes to bring development to the people. I think Lagos State has demonstrated that payment of taxes is crucial to development. The development we see in the state is evidence of sacrifices made by Lagosians in form of taxes. Nigeria will develop more with taxes, as they represent a more reliable and sustainable source of revenue,” Fowler said.

WEDDING GUESTS

L-R: Elegushi of Ikateland, Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi, Kusenla III; Executive Commissioner, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Sunday Dare; and Chairman, The Abuja Inquirer, Dan Akpovwa, at the wedding of Prince Yekini Elegushi and Eniola Oladunjoye at Oniru, Lagos...weekend

South-east APC Endorses Buhari for Second Term Asks president to immortalise Ekwueme Omololu Ogunmade ÓØ ÌßÔË The South-east chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday in Abuja announced the unanimous endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term in office.

Leading a delegation of South-east leaders to the State House, Hon. Emma Eneukwu, National Vice Chairman of APC in the zone, told the president that the party leaders in the region endorsed the president for a re-election on December 31, 2017, on the basis of their conviction that he needs another term for more service to the country.

“It is our conviction that four years are not enough for you to complete this worthy journey, hence the need for another four years to enable you make Nigeria truly great,” Eneukwu was quoted as saying.

According to the statement, Eneukwu thanked the president for several projects being executed by the federal government in the South-east including the Second Niger Bridge, Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway and Enugu-OnitshaOwerri highway, among others.

It also said Eneukwu implored the president to support the aspiration of the South-east for presidency come 2023.

“We implore Mr. President, as a just and fair-minded leader, to make history by supporting the zoning of the office of the president in our great party to the South-east at the end of your second tenure in office as president in 2023,” he was quoted as saying.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonaya Onu, said besides the endorsement of the president, the delegation also demanded the immortalisation of former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme “We also thanked the president for the role the federal

government is playing under his leadership on the burial of one of our very great sons, former vice-president of this great country, Dr. Alex Ekwueme. And we told him that the people of the South-east will be happy if a national asset is named after him as a way to show that the country is also appreciative of his important contributions to nation building,” he said.

According to the statement, Buhari in his address to the leaders, restated his commitment to give his best to all Nigerians, guided by a “clear conscience in making decisions for the progress of the country.”

TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWSXTRA

Ortom Says He’ll Not Be Silenced on Herdsmen Attacks George Okoh ÓØ ÏØßÏ Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State yesterday gave reasons why he is condemning the atrocities of headsmen and Miyetti Allah group, stating that he has to do so in order not to be accused of complicity to the heinous killings of Benue people.

He said there was no going back on the anti-open grazing law no matter the pressure and blackmail in some quarters.

Ortom who disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting held at Government House, Makurdi lamented that the federal government has turned against Benue people at a time that they are yearning for protection He stated that he promised to rule with the fear of God and integrity, adding that he has been warned by many people not to talk too much on the Benue killings.

“Silence means consent and that is why I cannot keep quiet despite the pressures on me. It is my people that are being killed because of the plans of the headsmen to take over Benue as their territory rather than for grazing.”

He said he saw the attack coming and warned but those who are to provide security did not and have turned around to accuse him that he is over dramatising the crises.

He disclosed that the anti-open grazing law is still effective and more headsmen have been arrested for violating the law.

While calling on the people to remain calm and peaceful, the governor disclosed that the plans of the invaders is to provoke and make the people react for the crises to escalate.

He added that the killings

were about taking over land.

The governor said the security in the nation was still grossly inadequate to secure the borders.

He challenged security agencies particularly the Directorate of State Service (DSS) not to waste time in prosecuting those claimed to have been arrested as Islamic fighters to serve as deterrent to others.

This is just as it has been revealed that another aattack on Agatu Local Government Area of the State by suspected Fulani herdsmen is eminent.

The governor described as ‘shameless’, those alleging that the state government is sponsoring over 6,000 militia, maintaining that it was a mere diversionary tactic from the main issue confronting the state and nation at this time.

“We are now faced with issue of 80,000 internally displaced persons, IDPs camped in Daudu, Gbajimba, Utsav, Anyiin and Ugba.

In his presentation, Second Republic Minister of Power and Steel Wantaregh Paul Unongo, insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari must come to the state and condole with the people, noting that it is not the victims he would visit but those who are inflicted with injuries.

He added that it was for this reason he refused to be part of the delegation to the president.

“You must stand by your governor and make new friends who will help you because you are a threatened specie. We need respect because we have done a lot of things to deserve this,” Unongo said.

Former Minister of State for Education Prof. Jerry Agada, raised the alarm of a large influx of suspected

Fulani herdsmen into Agatu, disclosing that the Ardo of Doma has told the people that they would come into the area and visit mayhem on them.

A one time Ambassador of Nigeria to Canada and also Mexico, Ambassador Iyorwuese Higher, said the Benue Valley is at war and that the federal government which is empowered to protect the people has failed to do so, adding that what is happening now calls for urgent restructuring of Nigeria to pave the way for state police.

“What is happening now is accentric warfare. I had told the governor that there was an impending genocide and it is here with us. Even if we do not have arms, the women should hold their pistols and mortals. The youths should hold bows and arrows for self defence so that we would not allow the genocide to happen to us again.

The leader of Igede sociocultural group, Onmiyi Igede Ode Enyi, said: “We are not mincing words in giving the governor and the traditional institution two weeks ultimatum to withdraw from Northern Governors’ Forum as well as the Northern Traditional Rulers Council. We are for restructuring and can even secede as a country if this killings continue.

Former National Assembly member, Senator Joseph Waku, told the governor to die for the people and be a hero, averring that he will conquer.

He said asking President Muhammadu Buhari to come to the state to condole with the people is irrelevant ‘because we do not need him but he needs us and God will fight for us’.

FG Sets up Inter-Ministerial C’ttee on Data Harmonisation Ndubuisi Francis ÓØ ÌßÔË The federal government has established an inter-ministerial committee on harmonisation of data collection and evaluation for the country.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, who disclosed this in Abuja, said the committee is to be chaired by the Statistician General of the Federation and Director-General of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Dr. Yemi Kale.

According to Adeosun, the inter-ministerial committee would serve as the clearing house and focal authority for ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of the federal government, for data collection, authentication and publication.

A statement issued by the minister’s media aide, Mr. Oluyinka Akintunde, said the committee would

ensure national standards for data collection, evaluation and publication as well as regularly provide guidance to all MDAs and other stakeholders engaged in data collection, analysis and publication for policy formulation, implementation and monitoring.

“The establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Committee has become imperative to develop the production of national statistics and avoid data production duplication,” the minister stated.

The inter-ministerial committee is also expected to submit half-yearly reports to the Minister of Finance for necessary briefing of Mr. President.

Members of the committee include: the Accountant General of the Federation, Alhaji Idris Ahmed; Director-General of the Debt Management

Office, Ms. Patience Oniha; Director-General of Budget Office of the Federation, Mr. Ben Akabueze, and representatives of the Federal Ministries of Finance, Budget and National Planning; Health; Agriculture and Rural Development.

Others are Labour and Employment; Education as well as Communication Technology.

Also included are representatives of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Central Bank of Nigeria, Department of Petroleum Resources, Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, National Population Commission, Nigeria Police, and Nigerian Governors Forum.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2018˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWSXTRA

Jittery APC Unleashing Terror on Opposition, Says PDP Onyebuchi Ezigbo ÓØ ÌßÔË The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has raised the alarm over alleged new strategy by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to engage in persecution, arrest, detention and hurried trial of opposition members as well as perceived opponents of government.

PDP said as part of the dangerous antics, the APC has unleashed terror on the PDP members by sending its agents under the instructions of the Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, to demolish its secretariat along Dandal Way in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, accused APC of not relenting in the persecution, arrests, detention and hurried trial of opposition members as well as perceived opponents of government.

He said APC is already

suffering from a pre-election fever because of the failures of the President Mohammadu Buhari-led government for which they will face an inevitable defeat in 2019.

“As we address you today, the APC, in the desperation to cling to power has finally commenced its onslaught against our democratic order.

The constitutionally guaranteed rights to freely associate is now under attack even as our nation is being pushed to the brinks,”he said.

The PDP Spokesman said the party is also alerting the world, of the various constitutional violations of the APC and engaging in physical attack of members and offices, including innocent business concerns, all in line with the grand plot to discredit and stifle opposition in Nigeria.

“The APC, having realized that its chances of winning the 2019 elections get slimmer by the day and petrified by the popularity of the repositioned

Okun Yoruba Reject Cattle Colonies in Kogi Yekini Jimoh ÓØ ÙÕÙÔË

a directive to the different levels of administration in the state to The Yoruba speaking people of accommodate them and issue Kogi State under the aegis of the certificates of indigeneship to Okun Development Association those among them who want it.

(ODA) have rejected the proposal However, the people have to establish cattle colonies for rejected the state government’s Fulani herdsmen in any part of position which they said was their six local government areas. not in the best interest of the This was made known Okun people. yesterday to journalists in Lokoja The group said cattle rearing in a communique after a well- was a private business and attended emergency national that the country’s statutes had congress in Kabba. adequate provisions guiding the The communique which was way owners should conduct their jointly signed by its National businesses.

President, Chief Femi Mokikan, The cattle colonies, it added, and the National Secretary, were a thinly veiled way of Pastor Ayo Abereoran, stated subsidising the private businesses that Okun people said the of herdsmen. idea of opening cattle colonies The ODA said most of the as disclosed by Agriculture and herdsmen in Okunland had at Rural Development Minister, will and usually unprovoked, Chief Audi Ogbeh, was repulsive launched attacks on their hosts, and repugnant to equity, fairness adding that the situation arose and natural justice. because of the general belief The Okun people who that they were emboldened are in Kabba-Bunu, Ijumu, by the tacit support they Lokoja, Yagba West, Yagba East seemed to enjoy in certain ,Oworo and Mopamuro Local official quarters.

Government Areas of the state As a result of such said any proposal to appropriate continued threats, it said Okun their land for the promotion of farmers had almost abandoned the private business interests of farming for fear of attacks by Fulani herdsmen would deny herdsmen. them their right to their ancestral Noting that the herdsmen land and would amount to an crisis was real and could not avoidable time bomb. be wished away, the association The ODA said the cattle advised government to take steps colony concept was a disservice to revive past ranches in Niger to the people’s past, present and and Ondo States facilities and future and as such unacceptable. encourage herdsmen to set up Described in whatever similar ones for their use. way, the document said the Such ranches, it said, would cattle colony was distasteful, reduce tension between the dangerous and with a huge herdsmen and farmers, potential to snowball into a encourage the establishment major national disaster. The of allied industries to produce state government last week cattle feeds and promote announced that it had embraced the application of modern the new policy and volunteered technology. to pioneer the model.

ODA therefore enjoined the The state Governor, Yahaya state government to, in future, Bello, also invited the Fulani take into consideration, the who may be facing difficulties long term overall interests of elsewhere in the country to feel the people above other interests free to relocate to the state with in its decisions and actions.

PDP across Nigeria, has now resorted to a vicious plot to physically attack our members and offices, as well as deploying force and orchestrated violence in an attempt to destabilise our structure across the country.

“As you may be aware, on Sunday January 21, 2018, the APC unleashed terror on the PDP by sending its agents under the instructions of the Borno State governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, to demolish the PDP secretariat along Dandal Way in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

“We know that the APC is already suffering from a preelection fever because of the failures of the President Buhari-

led government for which they will face an inevitable defeat in 2019.

“The unfortunate fact is that the APC is stuck with a demystified and poorly performed presidential candidate and is now afraid that the PDP is poised to present a more popular, nationally-oriented candidate who has compassion for the people and who also has the capacity and liberalmindedness to urgently bring the nation out of the current APC inflicted national woes.

“However, we want to inform the APC that they are fighting a lost battle. Let it be known to all that the PDP under this new leadership will never be cowed.

This country belongs to all of us and we are fully rallied across board to call up our members to avail themselves of all provisions available in a democracy and within the law to defend our nation’s democracy.”

Meanwhile, the Borno State Chairman of the APC, Ali Bukar Dalori, has called on PDP national spokesman, Ologbondiyan, to wear the thinking cap of a journalist and stop being fooled around by a Borno faction of PDP whose members have been spreading mischievous allegations that the state PDP secretariat in Maiduguri was demolished.

“It is a shame that someone

with the background of being a senior journalist didn’t find it worthy to establish facts before rushing to address the press.

He ought to know that some officials of the PDP in Borno State themselves have since confirmed that their party’s secretariat wasn’t demolished as claimed. Perhaps, because the publicity secretary is new and in a hurry to show he can talk, he didn’t even have the patience to find out the actual location of the PDP’s state secretariat in Maiduguri. If he did, he should have known that for over 15 years the secretariat has been located at Wulari near the UTC and nothing has happened to it.”

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2018

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TUESDAYSPORTS CHAN 2018...

CHAN 2018...

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com CHAN 2018...

Home-based Eagles Set to Banish Ghost of Elimination Femi Solaja Dateline was January 26 2016, the Home-based Super Eagles were highly favored to reach the knockout phase of the championship held in Rwanda but coach Sunday Oliseh and the rest of the team were pipped by more adventurous Guinea Syli Stars in the final group stage match in a match Nigeria needed a draw. It was end of the dream for the likes of Chisom Chikatara and coach Sunday Oliseh who had excelled as a football pundit until he ventured into coaching profession.

Tonight, Nigeria will be aiming to avoid elimination from the ongoing 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament with victory at most a draw over Equatorial Guinea at the Stade Adrar in Agadir to be sure of progress into the next stage.

The kickoff time is 8:00pm Nigerian time with Super Eagles just like it was two years ago in Rwanda in Group C, head into the clash as group leader with with four points from two matches and know that a second successive win will confirm it place in the knockout stages of the continental showpiece, regardless of the result between Rwanda and Libya in Tangier.

Nigeria followed a goalless draw against the Amavubi with a narrow 1-0 win over 2014 CHAN champions Libya.

Sunday Faleye scored Nigeria’s

only goal so far in the competition and a crucial one to lead the pack in the group.

Head coach Salisu Yusuf was happy with his team’s tactical discipline in victory over Libya last week but was quick to highlight the importance of their impending clash against Nzalang Nacional who have nothing but pride to play for after two consecutive defeats.

“Our strategy to close down their space worked,” Yusuf said.

“We watched their games and they’re a good possession team, good with the ball.

“Closing down the space gave us the advantage and we look forward to the next game with humility and discipline. We have to work hard - very hard - to beat Equatorial Guinea. It won’t be easy,” he said in pre match interview yesterday.

Equatorial Guinea have endured a tough tournament in Morocco with a 3-0 defeat to Libya followed by a 1-0 loss to Rwanda, as they duly suffered a premature exit from the competition.

Head coach Rodolfo Bodipo, though, is not ready to throw in the towel just yet and has called on his troops to give their all against a much favoured Nigeria unit.

“We have a young team and we are doing well,” said Bodipo. “We have gained a lot of experience. Our goal was to learn from this experience. Even if we are eliminated, we will play hard against Nigeria.”

GROUP C Team Nigeria Rwanda Libya E’Guinea

P 2 2 2 2

W 1 1 1 0

D 1 1 0 0

L 0 0 1 2

GF 1 1 3 0

GA 0 0 1 4

GD 1 1 2 -4

Pts 4 4 3 0

Sanchez Reveals Why he Dumped Arsenal for Man Utd Alexis Sanchez has lauded Manchester United as the “biggest club in the world” after completing his move to Old Trafford from Arsenal yesterday evening.

Speaking to the club’s website after joining in a swap deal - with Henrikh Mkhitaryan going in the other direction. The Chilean also revealed the chance to work with Jose Mourinho was a huge factor in his decision.

Alexis said: “I am thrilled to be joining the biggest club in the world.

“I have spent three-and-a-half wonderful years at Arsenal and I bring with me very positive memories of that great club and its fans. The chance to play in this historic stadium and to work with Jose Mourinho was something I could not turn down.

“I am very proud to be the first Chilean player ever to play for United’s first team and I hope I can show our fans all around the world why the club wanted to bring me here.”

Jose Mourinho commented on his new signing, saying: “Alexis

is one of the best attacking players in the world and he will complete our very young and talented group of attacking players.

“He will bring his ambition, drive and personality, qualities that make a Manchester United player and a player that makes the team stronger and the supporters proud of their club dimension and prestige.

“I would like to wish Henrikh all the success and happiness that I am sure he is going to get. He is a player that we will not forget, especially for his contribution to our Europa League victory.”

Super Eagles defender, Kalu Okogbue attempts to check Libyan Mohammed Aleyat during the last group match which Nigeria won by a lone goal

Quadri Inspires Sporting to Lift Portuguese Cup Aruna Quadri continued his fine form for Sporting as the Nigerian led his team to retain the Portuguese Cup played at High Performance Center in Caldas da Rainha over the weekend.

Quadri started the whitewash against ADC Ponta do Pargo with a 3-0 (11-7, 11-9, 11-8) after beating Énio Mendes to give Sporting the confidence going into the second match.

Portuguese international, Diogo Carvalho increased the lead for Sporting with another 3-0 (11-9, 12-10, 11-4) bashing of Nigeria-born Congo Brazzaville’s Saheed Idowu.

The partnership of Bode Abiodun and João Monteiro completed the 3-0 rout for Sporting as they defeated the duo of Idowu and Nigeria’s Jide Ogidiolu with a 3-1 ((11-7, 14-12, 8-11, 14-12).

Since joining Sporting two seasons ago, Quadri has been instrumental to the team dominance of the Portuguese winning everything at stake in the league as well as becoming the first Portuguese team to feature in the ETTU Champions League and also making it to the quarterfinal of the championship.

An excited Quadri said after the victory that he was

happy winning the title again with Sporting, adding that this would boost the team’s confidence ahead of this week’s Champions League quarterfinal tie against a French team.

“I am happy that we were able to retain this title because we worked hard for the title. It was not an easy win because every team in the league is now getting quality players and I must thank the management of Sporting for the huge support.

“We will be playing the first leg of the ETTU Champions League this week against France’s Stella Sporta La Romagne and I hope that the

win would help our confidence going into the Champions League quarterfinal match on Friday,” Quadri said.

Over 99 teams made up of 83 men and 16 women participated in this year’s championship while CTM Mirandela retained the women’s title after beating GDCS Juncal 3-0 in the final.

CTM Mirandela had earlier beaten CD São Roque 3-0, while Juncal beat ADC Ponta do Pargo 3-2.

The Portuguese Cup has been disputed since 1967, with Sporting (men) and Atlético da Amadora (women) being the first winners.

NBBF Set to Invite More Players for Commonwealth Games The Assistant Coach of Nigeria’s male basketball team, D’Tigers, Aderemi Adewunmi, yesterday disclose that some foreign professionals will be invited to join their counterparts as camping intensifies for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.

The explained the need for the reinforcement after the team’s morning training session and noted that the move became necessary to create the right tactical balance for the team ahead of the competition.

“Some foreign based players

are going to be invited to camp, but I think the bulk of the team will be home based players. We will definitely beef up the team with few foreign based players.”

He commended the players currently in camp for putting up the right attitude and winning mentality in training which he said will brighten their chances of representing Nigeria.

“Some of the boys in camp were either called to camp during the preparation for the 2017 Afrobasket while others went with the team to Tunisia. So, the experience they have gathered

so far will be invaluable.”

With Nigeria grouped alongside hosts Australia, New Zealand and Canada, the former assistant coach of the senior women’s national team is optimistic that with the right mentality and training, the team can spring up some surprises.

“They (New Zealand, Canada and Australia) are very good teams and Nigeria will definitely have very tough match-ups against these teams, but when we get there we will just play our game because basketball is a global language.

“The way they play in Australia is the same way they play in New Zealand, Canada and Nigeria, but how we play each team will determine who wins.

It’s a good thing for our league because it has shown that the NBBF can depend on them.

We have strong and experienced players in the league. Playing at the Commonwealth Games level will be very good for our league because it will afford them a platform to market the league to the world,” he remarked.

Australian Open: Federer Beats Fucsovics to Reach Q’final Berth Defending champion Roger Federer eased through to the Australian Open quarter-finals with a straight-set win over Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics.

The 19-time Grand Slam winner is yet to lose a set at Melbourne Park this year, seeing off world number 80

Fucsovics 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 6-2.

Second seed Federer, 36, will face Czech Tomas Berdych in the last eight, who he beat in last year’s third round.

“I am sure he wants to make me pay for that one,” said Federer.

“I saw his matches, he is

standing up hitting big shots and I am glad he’s back.”

The Swiss was in superb form on Rod Laver Arena, playing in the day session for the first time in 2018, as he made quick work of Fucsovics to win in two hours, one minute.

“Playing at night, going to bed at 3am, is a different rhythm to playing in the day time,” he added.

It took Federer four break points to earn an advantage in the first set, before taking the second on a tie-break.

But the five-time Australian

Open winner broke early in the third and followed up with another break of serve to set up a repeat of last year’s third round.

Berdych, the 19th seed, earned his place in the last eight with a 6-1 6-4 6-4 win over Italy’s Fabio Fognini.

Tuesday January 23, 2018

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UT H

& RE A S O

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Price: N250

MISSILE Ortom to Buhari “The way forward is ranching because it is a global best practice. And it is not just practised in other parts of the world, on African soil in Swaziland, South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, almost all African countries that rear cattle, they ranch, so why can’t we do the same thing here?”

– Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom rejecting a proposal by the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to adopt the concept of establishing cattle colony to accommodate Fulani herders as a mean of quelling the constant clashes with natives.

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI abati1990@gmail.com

Aisha Buhari: The Critic in the Other Room

M

rs Aisha M. Buhari, the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari is probably the most loved person in Nigeria today, especially by critics of her husband’s administration. She first came to our notice in this regard when in the course of her ailing husband’s medical vacation in London, she famously declared through BBC Hausa Service that the Buhari administration had been hijacked by a cabal.

Long before anybody raised the issue, she was the first to observe that President Buhari has no business seeking a second term in office the way he was carrying on. She even added that she would not join him for any second term campaign. I had written a piece at the time titled “Aisha and that BBC interview”.

I said I expected that the statement attributed to her would be disowned. But no such thing happened. Her husband soon took his own pound of flesh when at a press conference in Germany, he told the entire world that Aisha Buhari, his wife, belongs to the “living room, the kitchen and the other room.” I didn’t support this brazenly chauvinistic statement but I reminded Mrs Buhari that her primary duty is to support her husband, and that this, historically, has indeed been the duty of First Ladies. Mamie Eisenhower covered up for her husband. Jackie Kennedy had to endure her husband, JFK’s shortcomings. Hillary Clinton saved Bill Clinton by standing with him in his most difficult moment. Not every President would ask for a Grace Mugabe, who pushed her husband out of office, or a Lucy Kibaki who made Mwai Kibaki of Kenya look like a domestic victim. Closer home, the tradition has been for our First Ladies to stand by their husbands through thick and thin. Those whose husbands were Muslims, with perhaps the exception of Maryam Babangida, took the additional step of staying off the radar.

Aisha Buhari is probably the first Nigerian First Lady to cultivate the public persona of an assertive, irreverent, independent-minded, critic-in-the-other-room, aggressive, resident and privileged “wailing wailer” in Aso Villa.

I don’t consider this a praise-worthy development. I stand by the cautious conservative view I expressed in my previous article on her. From initial concerns about her haute-couture fashion appearances, Nigerians have come to regard her more for her occasional, but striking political statements, or such statements that may be attributed to her. She reportedly bolted out of “the other room” about three days ago, when she retweeted videos of two major attacks on her husband’s administration on the floor of the Senate. Senator Isa Misau (Bauchi Central) had accused President Buhari of surrounding himself with incompetent persons. He even cited the example of the new Director-General of the Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA), which in my view is an unfair assessment.

Civil servants are not necessarily competent because they pass promotion examinations.

The most important requirement in the secret intelligence cycle may not necessarily be book intelligence. But Misau spoke his mind as he

Mrs. Buhari painted a broader picture of incompetence and disappointment, and the failure of the Buhari cabinet: 50% of whom he dismissed outrightly. Mrs Buhari found this so quotable and impressive, she tweeted the video on her twitter handle six times! Three days later, and in the face of the public interest that this has generated, the tweets are still there.

Nobody has disowned them or deleted them.

One popular caveat in twitter-sphere is that “retweets are not endorsements.” In this case, it seems we are not dealing with mere retweets, but actual endorsement. You retweet what makes an impression on you. Mrs Buhari on the handle, a verified handle - @aishambuhari – also retweets Senator Ben Murray-Bruce’s condemnation of the Buhari administration.

Ben Bruce goes about proclaiming that he talks common sense, and although I don’t see much sense in what is common, uncommon sense projects more creativity in my view, but clearly Aisha Buhari sees sense in Ben Bruce’s unflattering criticisms of President Buhari’s leadership style and ability, and hence she serves as his Vuvuzela. Ben Bruce has been going about since then like a man who just got a sweetheart kiss from a crush.

Mrs Buhari’s conduct is unusual; it is shocking in its extra-ordinariness, to put it directly, it smacks of treachery and disloyalty.

But it has fetched her enormous praise. My brother and colleague, Dele Momodu, a onetime Buharist, no, in fact a Buharideen, now a thoroughly disappointed “wailing wailer” has written a paen to Aisha Buhari. Ben MurrayBruce has also composed the equivalent of a poem in her honour. He says she must refuse to be “cowed”. Ben Bruce is mean.

Why use the word cow at this time? Is he suggesting that Mrs Aisha Buhari should not allow herself to be turned into a cow, when he as a common sense Senator knows that cows are not particularly famous in Nigeria at this time?

He redeems himself by saying she is an intelligent woman. Some other commentators have said that Aisha Buhari will make a better President of Nigeria than her husband.

There are others who have suggested that she should become Nigeria’s Vice-President in 2019. “Toasting” and “seducing” another

man’s wife with nice words is off-limits in my cultural space. I disagree with everyone on social media and elsewhere who have been saying that Aisha Buhari is right to criticize her husband publicly and to lend voice and strength to the likes of Senator Misau and Ben Murray-Bruce. Reno Omokri has also praised Aisha M. Buhari. This is how we would be here and Femi Fani-Kayode will be the chairman at an award ceremony making President Buhari’s wife “the Woman of the Year 2018”. If care is not taken, Aisha Buhari will soon join the Chibok Girls Movement or become an associate of Oby Ezekwesili’s Red Card Movement.

I think something is wrong somewhere.

The position of the President is a national security position. It is hard enough to be a President, but to have issues on the home front makes the job doubly difficult. This is very issue that came up the other day.

One character who likes to talk accused me of being sympathetic to the Jonathan administration and using style to criticize the present administration. I told him off and reminded him of my rights as a trained journalist and as a professionally licensed critic and citizen. He held his ground. So I asked: “Aisha Buhari criticizes President Buhari and retweets anti-Buhari comments, is she also a Jonathanian woman? The guy had nothing to say. So I added: “if President Buhari is being criticized in his own bedroom, by persons who eat his pepper and palm oil, what moral right does anybody have to silence critics of his administration?” The guy blurted out: “if my wife tries that nonsense with me, there will be a meeting with my in-laws with serious consequences!” Case settled, so I rested it.

The de-marketing campaign against President Buhari is even worse than that.

Within 24 hours after the retweet on Aisha Buhari’s handle, it was reported that one of her daughters, Zahra M. Buhari had also posted a cryptic statement, which suggested a condemnation of the administration. Unlike her mother, Zahra does not seem to have a verified twitter handle. There are even about eight handles bearing her name, including one that confesses to being a parody. But of all these, the most influential is - @zmbuhari – which has the largest following – 77.4k – and which seems to be more credible.

Under this handle, Zahra supports her father, retweets her mother’s tweets including the ones already cited, she sounds spiritual and poetic and in every measure, comes across as her mother’s daughter, as if mother and daughter are united in a rebellious mission inside the Presidential Villa.

I recommend a forensic study of the retweets under her handle. In one case, she retweets @aminuganawa, a bright US-based Ph.D, who writes: “I doubt if there is anyone who would want you to succeed more than your wife and children. Your success is their success. If there is anything that will harm you they are likely to be the first to notice it. If you want an honest feedback listen to your wife and children.” That was three days ago, shortly

after Zahra retweeted her mother’s retweets.

Are we being told that the President does not listen to his wife and children, and that indeed, outsiders have held him hostage? A rigorous semiotic analysis of wife-and-daughter-Buhari’s tweets belongs to another level of analysis and other revelations. But here is Zahra M. Buhari’s most controversial tweet in the last 48 hours and it speaks for itself: Sahih al-Bukahri, Knowledge Book 3, Hadith 1 Narrated ‘Abu Huraira When the Prophet (pbuh) finished his/ speech, he said, Where is the questioner,/ Who inquired about the Hour (Doomsday)?”/ The Bedouin said “I am here, O Allah’s Apostle”/ Then the Prophet (phub) said, “When honesty is lost, then wait for the Hour/ (Doomsday).”/ The Bedouin said, “How will that be lost?”/ The Prophet (phub) said, “When the power/ or authority comes in the hands of unfit/ persons, then wait for the hour/ (Doomsday.)”

The foregoing verse is probably the most intellectually relevant criticism of the Buhari government to date and to be attributed to his daughter’s platform is the scariest of all things. “Unfit persons”? “Doomsday?”

It seems to me that some people are sleeping on the job. The happiness of the President is a matter of national security. The biggest problems that the Buhari administration has faced have been mainly unforced errors. In the absence of a competent opposition, this government has consistently shot itself in the foot. To add to that: a President with what looks like a troubled home is the most unfortunate thing that can happen to a country.

To show a lack of capacity to manage that particular trouble has sorry implications for the Presidency and the administration. I may sound conservative but I think the twin-image of a rebellious wife and a free-willing daughter posting negative comments about a sitting President should be of greater interest to the intelligence agencies and reputation managers.

However, it is possible that there is a fake Buhari wife and a fake Buhari daughter out there being used to amplify negative narratives, in the most treacherous medium of the time: the social media. It is the job of the intelligence system to track that trail and stop it, if indeed it exists. It doesn’t require more than a couple of emails to Twitter, anyway, with complaints about implications for national security. Zahra M. Buhari doesn’t need to have so many twitter accounts in her name. And if Aisha Buhari’s account has been hacked, we should be told, and if she did not retweet those anti-spouse messages, we should know even if serious damage has been done already. If this is not the case: then we should say this: her job in the other room does not include openly and deliberately discrediting her husband. This much should be made clear. And if that fails, then we would be dealing, more or less with the true quality of the man in that other room.

The bottom line in my view: This President needs HELP. And he is not getting it.

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